LuxeBudgetnistas

Livin' luxe on a budget

Beauty

Dry Shampoo Tips & Tricks

Happy Friday, beauties!  I’m a busy mother, student, blogger, and full-time worker and what that means is, yes, I do not wash my hair every day!  Thanks to a beautiful invention called dry shampoo, I am able to skip a day or two.  Not only does it absorb the oil, it adds a clean fresh smell, but it also adds life back to those locks with a little bit of volume.

My Favorite Dry Shampoo

The dry shampoo I always reach for and keep on hand is Batiste.  You can find it at about any drugstore from Target to Walgreens.  Another location I have found it at is Marshalls and TJ Maxx.  It’s reasonably priced at $5.99 at most locations and the best thing about it are the different fragrances and colors.  Yes, colors!  I don’t think it has much powder residue, but I love that you can match it to your hair color if needed.

The best way that I have found to use dry shampoo is to apply it to your hair before bed.  Do not distribute the product by brushing it out or running your fingers through your hair.  I spray the product right before bed, leaving the product untouched–yes, you will look a little goofy going to sleep, so warn your spouse!  While asleep the tossing and turning you do will distribute the product for you.  Bam!!  You can literally say, “I woke up like this!”, when you’re told how amazing your hair looks! 

 

Extra Uses
  • In a pinch and need an odor boost- use your dry shampoo as a replacement for deodorant.
  • Deodorizer for shoes
  • Use dry shampoo to take care of oil stains.

Well, I hope you all enjoyed these tips & tricks using dry shampoo.

#Onebrandmotd: Marc Jacobs Beauty

We are back with another #Onebrandmotd. If you’ve been following for awhile, you know what this is all about. If not, I am talking about a beauty challenge that Gaby, from Beauty by Gaby, and myself came up with called #Onebrandmotd. This week’s brand is Marc Jacobs beauty.  Last weeks drugstore brand was Nyx cosmetics.  I am a bit behind on doing my look this week.  My kids left for two weeks to go to Korea, Guam, and the Philippines.  I am so not used them leaving for that long and overseas, so I have been a complete wreck, lol.

Brand Challenge

For those that do not know what the brand challenge is, let me explain!   Each week Gaby and I will be doing a full face using one makeup brand. We try and cover our faces with as much of the branded makeup as we can.  This calls for creativity when creating the looks.  We have also decided to alternate between high end and drugstore to provide some more affordable options.  I am happy to announce that we have some new collab additions.  We have added two lovely ladies to the group.  You will now be able to see four different one brand looks, so be sure to check out hashtag #onebrandmotd to see the final looks on social media.

Marc Jacobs Beauty

We all know the famous fashion designer, Marc Jacobs.  Marc Jacobs created his beauty line back in 2014.  Since the creation of his beauty line, there have been some amazing products made.  Starting with his foundations, high liners, and palettes to say the least.  His line is the epitome of luxury, but with a little bit of shopping around, you can find his products are places like Marshalls and TJ Maxx or take advantage of sales at Sephora.  If you are to try anything, I would suggest trying his high liner gel liners.  They are my absolute favorite!

Now, let’s get on with the look.  The pictures above show the products I used to create my look.  I know, I know.  It doesn’t look like much, but you can do a lot with what you have.

Blush, bronzer, highlight using Object of Desire palette
Eyes- about that night eyeshadow palette
Marc Jacobs gel high liner in cocoa
Highliner lip liner all over the lips

I love how this look turned out.  I loved it so much that I created it this morning for work!  It doesn’t take too much time to apply and very little product.  The highlight in the Object of Desire palette provides just the right amount of glow- think office appropriate.  The shadows are very pigmented, buttery, and easy to blend.  I also found it to be the same for the shadows in the Object of Desire as well.  I am putting all this makeup to the test to see how well it lasts.  Check back this weekend for a second #onebrandmotd featuring Marc Jacobs and for my final thoughts on the products.

 

 

#Onebrandmotd: Nyx Cosmetics

We are back with another #Onebrandmotd. If you’ve been following for awhile, you know what this is all about. If not, I am talking about a beauty challenge that Gaby, from Beauty by Gaby, and myself came up with called #Onebrandmotd. This week brand is Nyx Cosmetics.  Last weeks high-end brand was Too faced cosmetics.  Unfortunately, I was unable to get my blog post up because of some travel mishaps during my trip Generation Beauty.  That trip is a whole other blog post, so be on the look out for that.

Brand Challenge

For those that do not know what the brand challenge is, let me explain!   Each week Gaby and I will be doing a full face using one makeup brand. We try and cover our faces with as much of the branded makeup as we can.  This calls for creativity when creating the looks.  We have also decided to alternate between high end and drugstore to provide some more affordable options.  I am happy to announce that we have some new collab additions.  We have added two lovely ladies to the group.  You will now be able to see four different one brand looks.  Check out hashtag #onebrandmotd to see the final looks on social media.

Nyx Cosmetics

Nyx cosmetics was started by Tina Ko back in 1999.  She wanted to a create a great product at an affordable price point.  It became just that.  The ever growing brand started out by just making lip pencils and eyeliners, with the Nyx jumbo eyeliner in Milk being a cult favorite.

My task was to create a simple look with a little bit of color.  I was still able to keep my look very minimal and natural looking.

Deets

  • Total Control Drop Foundation– I’ve been wanting to test out this foundation.  Luckily, I received some samples in a ULTA gift with purchase.  I found applying the foundation with a beauty blender was best.  I tested it out with a kabuki flat top, but it left streaks.  It is a medium to full coverage, with build-able capabilities.

  • Ultimate Multi-Finish Shadow Palette– I received this palette for free at Generation Beauty San Francisco and let me tell you, it was a pleasant surprise.  The colors are very pigmented and blend very well.  I was able to create a nice neutral look and do my browns using the dark brown matte color in the palette. I love multi-use products!  It’s all about being creative.

  • Away We Glow Liquid Highlighter– I received this from Generation beauty as well, but to be honest…I didn’t get much highlights from this product at all.  It was applied to my cheekbones and to my cupids bow.   I can see why they were giving it away for free and why it’s on clearance on the website for $4.90.

  • Mega Shine Lip Gloss– These glosses are an oldie but a goodie.  I love the smell, the application, and the just right amount of color.

I hope you enjoyed this mini review and quick #onebrandmotd using Nyx Cosmetics.  Check back this weekend for a night time look using NYX.

 

10 Tips & Tricks for Attending Generation Beauty

Hey, beauties!  Can you believe that Generation beauty San Francisco is over?  I definitely can’t.  Tia and I have attended Generation beauty the past four years and have accumulated some pretty helpful tips for your visit to the next Generation Beauty.

What is Generation Beauty?

For those of you who do not know what Generation Beauty is, it’s a beauty event created by Michelle Phan.  She wanted a place where brands, You tubers, bloggers, makeup artists, and makeup lovers come together to enjoy something we all love.  The swag isn’t half bad either.  I personally love meeting with brands and learning about the new products or current faves.

10 Tips & Tricks for Generation Beauty
  1.  Early Registration.  Generation beauty is always on Saturday and Sunday, but they always have an early registration.  This happens on Friday before the event between 5-7pm.  This gives you a sneak peek of the venue and you get your admission badges early.
  2. Prior to the event, check out the brand’s page on the Gen beauty website.  Follow and like all the brands on social media.  Believe me, this simple step will save you a lot of time.  This is also a great time to prioritize what brands you want to visit with first.  Create your plan of action.
  3. Eat breakfast!
  4.  Arrive early.  The lines fill up quickly.  IPSY has an early entry admission that can be added on to your ticket.  Kind of like Disney’s magical hour.  You pay an extra fee of $39.95 for an extra hour to spend with the brands.
  5. Wear comfortable shoes.  You won’t believe how many girls come fully glam in 9″ heels.
  6. Do not carry a huge bag/purse.  Believe me, you will receive so many bags through out the day that you won’t need them.  A wrist-let or cross body bag will suffice.
  7. If you are a blogger or Vlogger- have your business cards and elevator pitch ready.
  8. Necessities- phone, portable charger,  water, and a snack.  They do have food trucks outside of the venue to grab some lunch or drinks.
  9. Bring cash and card to purchase goodies at a discounted price.  Brands like Benefit and Tarte sell their products at a discount.
  10. If you are not local to the event, bring a big luggage or an extra bag to carry onto the plane.  You will need it!

Final Thoughts

This is was by far the most organized Generation Beauty that we have attended.  All the lines went by smoothly and we were actually able to visit all the booths this time around.  Which is something we were not able to do in the past?  Another change is swag bags.  Instead of getting a swag bag each day, you are given one big swag bag, whenever you decide to pick it up.  Have you attended Generation beauty?  How was your experience?  Tell us in the comments.

 

Have a beautiful day!

 

#Onebrandmotd: Rimmel

We are back with another #Onebrandmotd. If you’ve been following for about the past month, you know what this is all about. If not, I am talking about a beauty challenge that Gaby, from Beauty by Gaby, and myself came up with called #Onebrandmotd. This week brand is Rimmel London.

Brand Challenge

For those that do not know what the brand challenge is, let me explain!   Each week Gaby and I will be doing a full face using one makeup brand. We decided to alternate between high end and drugstore to provide some cheaper options. Check out our hashtag #onebrandmotd to see the finished looks on social media.

Rimmel London

Rimmel London is a drugstore brand made famous by Kate Moss.  With cult favorite lippies and the ever so popular it Rimmel Stay Matte matter. This brand really deserves a lot more praise.  A personal favorite of mine is the bb creams and contour palette.

I needed to create a look that was quick and easy, after all, I do wake up at 3:30 am and do not have the mental compacity to do a full face in the morning.  It also needed it to be interview appropriate since I had one later in the morning.

I was able to create a super simple, sun-kissed glow, summer look that worked very well for my interview and also helped me look alive during the day.  The #Instaflawless Skin Tint has been my go-to foundation because it provides just enough coverage and still looks very natural.

Face Deets

 

I hope you all enjoyed this week #Onebrandmotd.  Don’t forget to follow up with us next week where we will be featuring Too Faced Cosmetics.

#One brand motd: NARS Cosmetics

We are back with another #Onebrandmotd. If you’ve been following for about the past month, you know what this is all about. If not, I am talking about a beauty challenge that Gaby, from Beauty by Gaby, and myself came up with called #Onebrandmotd. This week brand is Nars Cosmetics.

Brand Challenge

For those that do not know what the brand challenge is, let me explain!   Each week Gaby and I will be doing a full face using one makeup brand. We decided to alternate between high end and drugstore to provide some cheaper options. Check out our hashtag #onebrandmotd to see the finished looks on social media.

Nars Cosmetics

Nars is another cult favorite brand.  Mainly known for the famous blush ‘Orgasm’, and for good reason.  Orgasm is absolutely beautiful!  Unfortunately, I am not using the blush color in my look today, but I worked in the lipgloss.

This look is a no makeup, makeup look.  I do have days where I go all out, but most can be found very minimal.  That’s my style and what works for me.  Check below for the deets!

Budget Friendly Ways

Let’s talk budget real quick!  Since this brand is a luxury brand, I wanted to touch base on how I get some of my high-end products.  I couldn’t justify spending $29.00 on a single eyeshadow.  I would suggest checking out value sets like the Sephora favorites.  This is how I obtained the dual-intensity eyeshadow and the full-size lipgloss.

You can also join Sephora playbox.  It’s a monthly subscription that gets you five sample, deluxe size samples, or an occasional full-size product for $10.00 a month.   You can sign up here.

My last suggestion would be shopping at Nordstrom!  The NARS counter always has a gift with purchases.  The girls at my counter are super nice and give out great gifts.  I ended up with a gloss, liner, mascara, small blush, and cream blush stick for purchasing one of the cheek palettes. Well worth it!

I hope you all enjoyed this week #Onebrandmotd.  Don’t forget to check back next week for our high brand end.  If there is a brand you would like us to do, leave us a comment below!