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The Best Drugstore Beauty Buys Right Now

drugstore-beauty-buysNot only are these the best new drugstore beauty buys, but they're also game changers, proving you don't have spend your whole paycheck for sophisticated, effective products. Out of all of the products I receive to test out, only few are really innovative.

drugstore-beauty-buys-4Dove DermaSeries, This new skincare collection was formulated by a dermatologist and the line is clinically proven to moisturize and relieve dry skin better than a prescription.  Boom!  Personally, I'm obsessed with the Intense Repairing Body Cream.

drugstore-beauty-buys2John Frieda Color Refreshing Gloss, One of my favorite celebrity stylists, Harry Josh helped to formulate this is a salon-quality weekly color gloss that not only matches your hair color, but also the tone.  I use it once a week to keep my deep brunette hair in check.

drugstore-beauty-buys-5L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Last Lipcolor, This long lasting lip color is intense in pigment and rich in shine.  The two-step lip lacquer has serious staying power (they say 24 hours, but I confess, I've never worn it that long) and the second step keeps lips moisturized.  My fave shade is Red Infallible.

 

drugstore-beauty-buysSimple Skincare Micellar Cleansing Water, There was a point in my life where I hoarded cleansing waters.  All very expensive and so luxorious!  This one is a drugstore beauty buy that removes makeup and cleanses your skin.  Just put some on a cotton ball and you'll immediately feel refreshed.

drugstore-beauty-buys3Maybelline Brow Drama, $7.99, This brow mascara has an interestingly shaped brush.  Nervous to use it at first, I then found it gripped every single hair, and the color tint is nice.  To use: Run the wand through your brows from the outside in and then inside out to make sure you coat every hair.

Skin Brightening Tips from Dr. Debra Luftman

Lately I've been obsessed with brightening my skin.  Maybe because it's looking dull as I (dare I say it) age or maybe just because I have so many brightening products to test out and feel you can never have skin too bright?  I got the scoop from Dr. Debra Luftman on the ingredients to look for in your brightening products and why brightening is even a thing.  It has to do with attraction... "Psychologically, people are more attracted to women who have bright shinny skin," Dr. Luftman states.  "Overall confidence is generally improved when your skin is clear and bright." 

The best ingredients for brightening are: hydroquinone, kojic acid, azeleic acid, and glycolic acids.  Dr. Luftman recommends using brightening products at night and of course, an SPF with moisturizer during the day.  

Her favorites:  Natura Bisse-Diamond White SPF 50 PA Oil Free and Armani Beauty-Luminessence Bright Regenerator Concentrate, which can both be used nightly under moisturizer.  Some extras I've been using throughout the day include Simple Radiance Brightening Wipes, which uses natural mango extract and cleanses skin to make it radiant, and L'Occitane Immortelle Brightening Face Mist  that refreshes and illuminates my skin throught out the day.  I've also been loving Shiseido's White Lucent Intenstive Brightening Mask once a week.