Fab 5 Under $4

Feeling thrifty? These five fabulous products will leave you feeling beautiful AND practical.

e.l.f. Flat Top Powder Brush

$3, Target

I am amazed that I found a flat top brush that I absolutely love for just $3. It has become my absolute favorite powder brush. The bristles feel smooth and soft, but are dense enough to stand firm and buff powders into the desired level of coverage. Helps me achieve the matte coverage I prefer when applying mineral foundation, but also works wonders with blush and finishing powder. So far, no shedding (which is a major plus). I don't think it will last forever (I predict that the metal brush head will detach at some point). But for the price, I could just stock up on these and be as rough on them as I want!

N.Y.C. Matte Me Crazy! Mattifying Top Coat

$1.99, drugstores

I absolutely love the look of matte nails and I was looking into purchasing some Zoya or O.P.I. matte colors. While shopping around, I discovered that you can buy matte top coats and just paint over the colors you already have to give them that matte effect. The top coats I found weren't cheap, but I figured they would be worth it since they would keep me from purchasing all new matte colors. Before I decided to pull the trigger and just buy one, I saw this N.Y.C. matte top coat at Target. For a $1.99, I figured it was worth a shot. Works like a charm! Completely dulls away the glossy shine of any polish. It's fun playing around and seeing how different polishes look with the matte coat on top. Turns out there is no need to shell out the extra cash on a high end brand to achieve perfectly matte nails after all.

e.l.f. Essential Mechanical Eyelash Curler

$1, e.l.f.

This is a great little eyelash curler! It works well, comes with a replacement rubber pad, and is easy and comfortable to grip. What more could you want from an eyelash curler? At just one dollar, this little guy is a total steal!

EOS Lemon Drop Lip Balm with SPF 15

$2.99, Target

EOS lip balms smell great and actually make my lips feel softer, smoother, and healthier. I just had one quibble with these little spheres of goodness: where's the SPF!? The other flavors don't provide any protection. But for some reason, this deliciously scented flavor contains SPF, making it a total must-have.

Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me

$2.99, Target

This pretty much universally flattering light punch of color has enough moisturizing power and enough sun protection (SPF 20!) to bring a smile to even the pickiest of pouts. And it's only $2.99!

See? Beauty pick-me-ups for any budget!

Enjoy!

<3 Bee

Lip Butter Love

Top to Bottom: Strawberry Shortcake, Sugar Plum, Lollipop

I decided to give Revlon's ColorBurst Lip Butters a whirl, and I must admit I am impressed. The formula is buttery, smooth, and silky and it keeps lips feeling soft and hydrated. These lip butters are a welcomed departure from the average drying lipstick.

As you can see in the photo, lip butters provide a good amount of pigment, but also look shiny and glossy. High gloss lip sticks tend to smear easily and wear off quickly, so I was pleasantly surprised that these little guys actually have a bit of staying power. They are by no means long-wearing, but I would say that they maintain their full pigment and shine for at least an hour. After that, the gloss begins to fade, but the pigment stays on for an hour or so longer. I was surprised to see that these lip butters can even somewhat hold up through an entire meal (they lose a bit of shine while you're eating, but the pigment stays). Reapplication is necessary after a while, but it's not the sort of thing you have to worry about all day long.

As for the color selection, there are quite a few shades to choose from. Since this is a drugstore brand, you generally don't get to try before you buy. There is a certain amount of guesswork when it comes to selecting a shade. I like all three of the ones that I tried, but Sugar Plum is definitely a winner. It's one of those classic shades that can easily go from day to night. It has just the perfect balance of drama and that natural look. Strawberry Shortcake is cute enough, but I find it to be a bit more baby spice than strawberry in color. I also noticed that, unlike the other two, this shade seems a tad uneven upon application. It doesn't look as uniform and smooth as the other two shades I bought. I have a feeling that this lipstick looks better and smoother in medium-darker shades than it does in pale shades like Strawberry Shortcake. Lollipop is a pretty, bright, berry pink, but it is a bit too much for daytime. I think I will get a bit less use out of this one, but I still like the color.

Overall, I definitely recommend giving these lipsticks a try. Great product.

<3 Bee