Vacation Beauty Buys

I went on vacation to South Carolina in July. They have an amazing Tanger Outlet Mall in Charleston that has a Cosmetics Company Outlet and a Designer Fragrance and Cosmetic Company. I love both of these because you can pick up high-end cosmetics at outlet prices. I made other purchases at a TJ Maxx and Walmart near where we stayed. I love a bargain!

I always find good deals at the Designer Fragrance and Cosmetic Company. I wish there was one closer to me. While there I purchased a Clarisonic Moisturizing Cleanse Duo which included a Luxe Cashmere Cleanse Brush Head and a 1 oz. tube of Gentle Hydro Cleanser for $22.50. The brush head alone sells for $30 so it was a good deal. According to Clarisonic, the Clarisonic Cashmere Cleanse Facial Brush Head features a dynamic dual-layer design that gently massages facial skin — generating fluid forces to cleanse 6x better than hands alone while simultaneously increasing skin’s natural hydration levels. This is a great brush to use in the winter when skin tends to be dryer and more sensitive. The cleanser is a milk formula that doesn’t foam. I am very pleased with this buy.

I also bought the Gwen Stefani Urban Decay Eyeshadow Palette for $25. Last year I purchased a small UD palette that is not a favorite but this was my first major palette purchase. I love this one! It has nice neutral shades and a few pops of color for variety. I love all the shadows except pop. The glitter is chunky and gets all over my face. That was my issue with the small UD palette. I am just not a fan of UD glitter shadows. All the ones that I have tried have chunky glitter that gets everywhere. I have gotten a lot of use out of this palette.

I only made one purchase at the Cosmetics Company Outlet but it was a must repurchase of a Holy Grail item.I discovered Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel last year when I was looking for a good skincare line and I love it. It is an oil-free moisturizer that goes on so silky smooth. It has a cooling effect on the skin and is instantly absorbed. I use it every morning and it looks great under makeup. I always buy it at the CCO because I save about $4 per bottle. Yes, I admit I am a bargain shopper.

I made one emergency purchase at Walmart.I brought a tube of Wet n Wild waterproof mascara that I bought just for vacation. It is super hot and humid in South Carolina in July and I didn’t want raccoon eyes from mascara. It was not a good mascara at all. It gave me neither length nor volume so I went in search of a cheap replacement. I purchased Maybelline Volum’ Express Pumped Up! Colossal Waterproof Mascara in Classic Black. Lashes get amplified! The double collagen formula wraps each lash from root to tip for colossal impact, while Maybelline’s biggest brush fills out lashes for a pumped up look. I really liked this mascara when I bought it. It gave me length and volume and did not run in the brutal heat and humidity in Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA. In the beginning, it was the perfect consistency – not too wet, not too dry. After about a month it started to dry out badly. I had to wipe clumps off the brush to use it. It still did a good job but it was so messy. I probably won’t buy this again as I expect any mascara to last more than a month.

Finally, I picked up a few items at TJ Maxx. I got a bottle of Batiste Dry Shampoo in Blush. This is one of my favorite brands and scents of dry shampoo. It was only $4.79 and Ulta sells it for $7.99. What a bargain! I just discovered dry shampoos last year but I use them weekly. I have an almost full bottle but at that price, I could not pass on it.

I found a 2 pack of Fresh Faced Konjac Sponges. Perfect for pampering all skin types, this 2-piece natural cleansing sponge set includes one lavender and one green tea infused sponge made from 100% Konjac Root fibers. Asian Konjac Root has been used for centuries to gently exfoliate and detoxify skin while naturally balancing skin’s PH levels. When wet the sponges soften for gentle cleansing to deliver smooth, soft, brighter looking skin. I discovered Konjac sponges when I started using tretinoin (Retin A). They help to get the dead skin off. Learn more about tretinoin here, here, here and here I like them enough that I included them in 5 Faves in July.

My final item was Argan Essence Facial RoseHip and Jojoba Oil. This astonishing Facial RoseHip Oil, Argan Oil, Jojoba Oil, and Sweet Almond Oil is packed with antioxidants and vitamins to help reduce the appearance of dark spots, fine lines & wrinkles, boost skin’s moisture, and improve overall complexion. I picked this up for $5.99 and it sells online for $19.99. Another awesome bargain! I haven’t tried this yet but I know that both argan oil and rosehip oil are great for the skin. This will be nice in the winter when my skin is dryer. Stay tuned because you may see a review on this.

I am pleased with my purchases. I purchased some products that I use regularly and some were new to me. The best part was that they were all bargains!