Tag: CoverGirl

Budget Beauty

Simple Beauty on Belle Belle Beauty

Everyone loves a deal. And a beauty steal is even sweeter. Here are some of my favorite budget beauty buys I’ve discovered lately:

Hada Labo Tokyo Ultimate Anti-Aging Facial Mask – Sheet masks are all the rage and this one has a great price if you are ready to dip your toes in. For around $1.50 per mask, the 100% cotton adjustable facial boosts hydration, smooths fine lines and firms skin. The scent is refreshing but not overwhelming. And Hada Labo’s proprietary Super Hyaluronic Acid™ plumps  skin and strengthens skin’s natural moisture levels.

Softlips Cube Lip Protectant – While my love of these cubes isn’t new, I did just discover my favorite new scent, Vanilla. This Shea Butter packed formula nourishes my lips and leaves just a bit of shine. And the cozy but still tropical scent is delicious. Bonus points for included SPF 15 protection.

CoverGirl Intensify Me! Liquid Liner – My eyeliner collection is borderline obsessive. It is probably the product I enjoy trying out most – it gives my bigger eyes much needed definition. My former favorites have always skewed luxury, so I was surprised to find my current favorite in the drugstore aisles. This paddle-shaped felt liner in Intense Black is inky, easy to apply and stays on like a champ.


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Bronzers on FOX23’s Great Day Green Country

Bronzers on FOX23's Great Day Green Country on Belle Belle Beauty

Can you believe we are already halfway through April? This year is flying by. Before you know it, pool season will be here and its accompanying sun-kissed look. But instead of achieving the look with damaging sun rays, fake a glow with the crop of new bronzers that are better than ever. This morning, I am on Great Day Green Country chatting about the best products and how to use them. I’ll post my segment tomorrow, but for now… here is a summary of what I’ll be chatting about.

This season’s formulas are better performing than ever with lasting power and a natural look. The first rule of thumb is use creams on top of creams and powders on top of powders. If you prefer a liquid tinted moisturizer of foundation, try a cream formula like the new NARS Matte Multiple in Vientiane for darker skin tones or Altai for a softer and rosier glow. CoverGirl truMagic bronzer is a killer cream formula at drugstore prices. Also from the drugstore aisles, Revlon Photoready Skinlights in Peach offers a more subtle and luminous glow.

If you prefer powder foundation, reach for MAC Bronzing Powder in Matte Bronze. Not totally matte, there is just a hint of luminous glow with a depth of color that still looks natural. Those with darker skin tones will love bareMinerals READY Bronzer in The High Dive.

There are two techniques to applying bronzer. The first, well known as the “3” method is to sweep color in the shape of a three around the temples, below cheekbones and below the jaw. Reverse the three shape for the other side. This approach lends to a contoured look. Alternatively, apply bronzer to where sun would naturally hit the skin: cheekbones, bridge of the nose and forehead. The outcome is a “just finished a day at the pool” look with a healthy and youthful glow.

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AN EDITORIAL SAMPLE MAY HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY AND EVALUATED TO DETERMINE OUR OPINION OF THE PRODUCT IN THIS POST. PLEASE SEE THE DISCLOSURES PAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING OUR POLICIES FOR USING EDITORIAL SAMPLES.

Warm It Up!

Warm It Up! on Belle Belle Beauty

Well, hello there April. While it is cold and rainy here today, I’d like to officially mark this day as the beginning of spring. I know technically it was back in March, but I have a dirty secret for you. I absolutely hate April Fool’s Day. I fall for some prank every single time. On a more serious note, the ever popular “I’m pregnant” Facebook update really offends me as there are so many people in the world that struggle with infertility. So instead of Fool’s Day, April 1st will always mark spring in my book! Anyway… back to beauty.

Spring means a more natural, undone and bronzed look in my world. I just got a fresh hair cut, so I am enjoying my natural waves and letting my hair air dry. I’m skipping darker lips and eyes in favor of glowing, luminous skin. Behind the scenes here at Belle Belle, I’ve been test driving some goodies, and now I am happy to present my favorites to warm up the complexion:

1. benefit Dallas is a natural and plum-based bronzer that is on the matte side. Because it is so sheer, it works well for a wide range of fairer skin tones. Used all over, it can banish dullness or layered where the sun hits gives a vibrant glow.

2. NARS New Contour Blush Duos are also on the matte side and add that perfectly balanced warmth. Despite the “Blush” name, I find the darker shade of the duo works best under the cheekbones and around the temples. I’ve played around with the lighter shade and surprisingly love it under the eyes and down the center of the nose. It also doubles as a luminous face powder on the go. I tested both Olympia (perfect for the most fair to light skin) and Paloma (my pick for my light to medium skin tone).

3. CoverGirl TruMagic The Sunkisser has to be my most favorite drugstore find in the past couple months. What looks like a dark bronze cream transforms into a subtle, layerable glow on the skin. While you can use this to contour, I like using it liberally around the outside of my face, sides of my nose and even on my lids for a true “sunkissed” look.

4. jane iredale In Touch Highlighter in Comfort perfectly offsets bronzed areas with a pink glisten. The pale pink adds radiance and the cream formula lends to a more subtle glow. I like to apply directly from the stick to tops of cheekbones, brow bone and the bridge of the nose and then blend with my fingers.

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AN EDITORIAL SAMPLE MAY HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY AND EVALUATED TO DETERMINE OUR OPINION OF THE PRODUCT IN THIS POST. PLEASE SEE THE DISCLOSURES PAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING OUR POLICIES FOR USING EDITORIAL SAMPLES.

Happy Birthday Belle Belle – Drugstore Favorites and a Giveaway

Happy Birthday Belle Belle - Drugstore Favorites and a Giveaway

Now, I am three for three. Every single year, I somehow manage to miss my blog birthday! On September 15th, Belle Belle turned three years old! In fact, this is the 836th post. Whoa – that is a lot of chatting about beauty. In honor of the (belated) celebration, I’ve teamed up with CVS for a red-hot giveaway. And I am going to share some of my favorite drugstore buys from the last couple of weeks.

Happy-Birthday-Belle-Belle---Drugstore-Favorites-and-a-Giveaway

L’Oreal Revitalift Miracle Blur is like nothing I’ve tried before. Technically a “finishing cream” this magical stuff actually blurs lines and uneven texture. The gel-like texture finishes skin with a matte finish, prepping it for tinted moisturizer or foundation (of which amazingly I find I need less of). Meanwhile, Rivitalift goes to work smoothing and lifting skin over time.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick Pearl Black Cherry was a purchase inspired by my friend and blogging buddy, Opinion Nothing. When we had dinner last week, she was rocking a bold, dark and rich lip. While it wasn’t this exact shade, I love the berry, purplish stain of Black Cherry. It gives my skin a little bit of a fancy Snow White / goth look that I love for fall.

L’Oreal Colour Riche Eyeliner in Violet and Cobalt are both great budget ways to play with color. These liners have a rich and soft pencil with vibrant pigments. I like layering both over darker liquid liner for a little twist on a cat eye look. The smudging tool on the opposite end is perfect if you wish to work the color further up the lid for a bolder look.

Speaking of liquid eyeliner, I am finally trying out Covergirl Line Exact Liquid Liner Pen – I had been hearing rave reviews. At first, I was so mad that I had accidentally bought brown rather than black. But I actually like the softer look it gives. The felt pen feels far more luxurious than the drugstore price point. And the ultra-pigmented liquid dries fast and stays all day.

Revlon Lash Potion Volume & Length Mascara by Grow Luscious in Black just might have been inspired by those gorgeous Emma Stone ads. While the effect isn’t as “false-like” like other formulas, I love that it contains strengthening proteins, amino acids and essential vitamins – which all work to improve the look of lashes. I get tons of product on the soft, classic and large wand. And natural full lashes ensue.

Now for the good part. CVS and I have teamed up together to giveaway! I am a huge fan of CVS Beauty Club and thanks to my (frequent) beauty purchases, I can’t tell you how much I love those loyalty benefits like $5 ExtraBucks for every $50 spent on beauty. I also love shopping there because you can return any beauty product and get a full refund within 60 days of purchase. (sign up here) So now here is your chance to win a $50 CVS Gift Card. Just enter using the widget below. I can’t wait to hear how you’d spend yours if you won! (US Only)

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

AN EDITORIAL SAMPLE MAY HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY AND EVALUATED TO DETERMINE OUR OPINION OF THE PRODUCT IN THIS POST. PLEASE SEE THE DISCLOSURES PAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING OUR POLICIES FOR USING EDITORIAL SAMPLES.

Favorite Summer Finds From The Drugstore

 Favorite Summer Finds From The Drugstore // Belle Belle Beauty

Beauty doesn’t have to be budget busting! Here are some favorite things I’ve found either in the drugstore aisles over the past couple of weeks.

gud, a line of natural products from Burt’s Bees has long been a favorite. I love natural products at such a great price point. One thing they do particularly well is Natural Body Wash in Vanilla Flame and Ruby Red Groovy. I am huge lover of vanilla scents and this one is balanced and not too sweet. I also love rotating in Ruby Red Groovy with its zesty and energizing notes of grapefruit and mandarin. The formulas are packed with hydrating Sunflower Seed Oil, Black Walnut Leaf Extract and Raspberry Leaf extract. Not tested on animals.

I adore spray sunscreens (just remember to heavily cover the area you need to protect). The newest from Coppertone is perfect for those “so hot you can’t get out of the pool for more than two minutes” kind of days. Coppertone Wet ‘n Clear Continuous Spray Sunscreen, SPF 45 has great a great SPF factor and cuts through water while also being water resistant, making it perfect to apply to wet skin. I also love that it doesn’t leave a white cast – it is perfectly clear.

I picked up the CoverGirl Wetslicks Fruit Spritzers Lip Gloss on a whim and they are literally one of my new most favorite things. Always a sucker for something fruit (a la lip smackers), these guys have a great flavor. I selected up Watermelon Splash and Guave Splash on a recent CVS trip (right now, CVS has CoverGirl buy 1, get one 50% off). But not only is the flavor great… but the actually lip balm is a winner. Not too sticky but packed with shine. It also conditions with botanical ingredients.

Always searching for a multi-tasker, I was smitten with the IMAN Bronzing Powder in Afterglow. This trio can be worn as a bronzer or a blush. I’ve found when I mix all three colors it is a dark and rosy bronzer. It is pretty dramatic on my medium toned skin, but I love it for when I really want to bronze it up. And it would be stunning on those with darker skin tones. It has a sheer and radiant finish.

The Revlon PhotoReady Kajal Intense Eye Liner + Brightener is all over magazines lately and I just had to get my paws on one of em. I always wear black eyeliner, but with the casual summer days and nights, I wanted something a little more playful. I was so tempted to go with Blue Nile, but to bring out my green in my eyes, I selected Purple Reign. The light end works great on my lower water line to brighten eyes. And the regal gives my hazel eyes a sparkle. The pencil is soft and applies easily and I get a day of wear time out of the liner.

AN EDITORIAL SAMPLE MAY HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY AND EVALUATED TO DETERMINE OUR OPINION OF THE PRODUCT IN THIS POST. PLEASE SEE THE DISCLOSURES PAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING OUR POLICIES FOR USING EDITORIAL SAMPLES.

Summer Beauty Inspiration

Summer Beauty Inspiration // Belle Belle Beauty

This is the look I am channeling this summer for a fresh faced, luminous glow. To get the look, I reach for:

 

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