Oily Skin Solution

I have a friend who sells Avon part-time and she gave me a sample of Avon True Pore-Fection Skin Refining Mask (Sale: $5.99, Regular: $8.50 avon.com).

This is a great product for those of us who have oily skin for three reasons:

1) It reduced the appearance of my pores

2) Absorbed the oil (without drying out my skin)

3) Left my skin with a matte finish.

Bonus: Leaves skin shine free for up to 8 hours.

I would use this mask once every week or every two weeks to keep my skin in good condition.

A Dog-a-rrific Treat

I like to spoil my pets but who doesn't now a days.

About a few months ago, I found these Three Dog Bakery Beagle Bagels in Peanut Butter ($5.99, threedogbakery.com and $5.69 drugstore.com), my dogs love them.

Ever since then I try to order them as a treat. They love them so much that when I take out the container they can barely sit still until I give them one.

I like these Beagle Bagels because they are natural with no added salt, sugar, artificial chemicals or preservatives. They are made with natural ingredients and plus they are oven baked.

The package contains a baker's dozen, which is not always the best when it comes to spoiled dogs that want equal share.

Please note: if you make a purchase on the drugstore.com website, a portion of the profits are donated to The Gracie Foundation™, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping abused, neglected and homeless dogs.

Did you miss something?

Feel like you've missed an entry. Don't forget to check out the Frugal Glam Archive for any new products to try.

September:
Looking for Unstoppable Eyes
You have a hair problem, here is the solution
How to look Cute and Sexy for only $18.00?
So long dry cuticles
Keeping your lips Kiss worthy
Shiny and Happy Hair

October:
Happy Halloween, Charlie Brown
Not just for Halloween
Something for the everyday
Tried and True Treatment
How to wake up in the morning?
Reader's Frugal Glam Product: West Elm Metal Coasts
Stay Smooth All Year Long
The best way to stay in place
Forgot to clean your brushes?
Why not Treat your dog?
Cosmetics for $1.00
Baby Your Cold
Stay Shine Free
Therapy for only $1.99
Perfect product for smokey eyes
Frugal Elegance
Reader's Frugal Glam Product: Havainas Flip Flops
Va Va Voom Vanilla
Great Lashes and No Clumps
Tote for all seasons
Silky Smooth Hair
In need of Emergency care?
Why not look Fabulash?
Crease No More
Sophistication on a budget
Smooth as Butter
The Original Pore Strip
Clean and Sexy Hair
The Smart Way to Hydrate Lips

Great Alternative to Lipstick and Lip Gloss

I am a lip balm addict. I always carry one with me.

Another favorite of mine is Neutrogena MoistureShine Tinted Lip Balm ($6.39, drugstores), it's really moisturizing and goes on easy with a hint of color. Bonus: SPF 20 for sun protection.

I like it because the color is sheer and natural, making my lips look very pretty. It's also great for days when you don't feel like applying lipstick or gloss this is a great choice because you get color and a little shine combined with moisturizers.

Some users may or may not detect a slight taste. I did not taste anything unpleasant but you have to try it for yourself to see.

Also, some have said that the product may become soft. I found that it's less likely to soften in your purse than in your pants pocket.

Reader's Frugal Glam Product

Here is a review from a reader:

Taking care of her hair is Lisa's main goal. She maintains her relaxed hair by using a few favorite products.

One of Lisa's favorite product to use is Dark & Lovely Moisture Seal Daily Oil Moisturizer ($3.99, drugstores). It restores the moisture and shine while smoothing and protecting her hair.

She likes it because "I only need to use a small amount to make my hair feel healthy and have a natural shine."

Lisa also like to apply a little of this cream to her hair at night, before going to bed to keep her hair from drying out.

If you have a Frugal Glam product you would like to share send me an e-mail: frugalglam@yahoo.com

Milk & Honey, so soothing

I like trying new products and I was introduced to River Soap Company Milk & Honey soap ($3.50, riversoap.com) as a gift from my Aunt.

She found it at a health food store, since she knows I love beauty products she thought I might like it.

She was right, I really did like this soap. It made my skin feel so soft. It's very moisturizing and soothing for my dry skin.

She must have great Jeans?

I love jeans, you can pretty much wear them with anything and almost anywhere. Even though I have an extensive jean collection, I couldn't pass up this great pair.

I tried on these Old Navy Bootcut jeans in a dark wash ($29.50) and they fit perfectly no bagginess or tightness.

They have a nice slim fit through the hip and thigh area, lengthening my legs and making them look amazing.

The way to Shiny Healthy hair

During the fall and winter I like to add a leave-in conditioner to my hair regimen. It's extra protection for the harsh elements of the weather, the indoor heat, blow drying and heat styling.

Alberto VO5 Detangle & Shine Leave-in Conditioner ($3.99, drugstores) is great because it not to heavy or weigh down my hair. I feel like my hair is stronger and shiny when I use this leave-in conditioner.

Bonus: It has UV filter to protect against sun damage.

Gorgeous Glossy Lips

I love lip gloss. I like it when it shiny but not too shiny or sticky. With Revlon Skinlights Glosslights for lips in Opal ($5.39, drugstore.com) I get a nice shine without looking like a glazed donut or my lips feeling really sticky.

It has a sheer and translucent coverage which you can wear alone or with other gloss or lipstick. The price for this lipgloss is high depending on where you buy it, I have seen it marked for $11.99, $8.99, $9.00, etc.

I buy mine from drugstore.com because it's only $5.39 for the opal shade, $4.79 for both Topaz and Rose Quartz and $5.09 for Amethyst.

How to end the day with a good Healing?

What girl doesn't like to take a nice warm bath especially after a hard day? I like to use The Healing Garden Organics Fig & lavender Bath Soak ($8.95, drugstore.com).

Besides having fig and lavender this soak is full of soy milk, brown sugar and aloe infused salts to soften and add moisture to dry skin.

It makes soaking that much better.

Please note: $0.50 of your purchase will help fund a $40,000 donation to The Nature Conservancy. Which is a very good thing.

Q and A

I received an e-mail with a few questions:

Do you really buy all the products you write about? What do you do with all the products you buy?

Yes, I do buy all the products I write about. When I go shopping, I like to try a few new products to go with my tried and true items. There are so many new products so I try to limit myself to about 3 or 4 items. When I post an entry, I try to let everyone know whether I bought a product, it was a gift or a free sample.

A lot of my products are in 4-drawer cart that I can put in the cabinet under the sink. I also use a few baskets and the rest of the products are on the shelves.

Every 3-6 months I go through my products and toss out the stuff that's gone bad (make-up), that's empty, etc. Then, my bathroom is not filled with a lot of products. Sometimes, I will give away products that didn't work for someone else to try.

Who knew Bees could be so helpful?

During the fall and winter, the indoor heating system seems to dry out my normally oily skin throught out the day.

Since, I don't want to lug around a bottle of moisturizer in my purse. I carry Burt's Bees Lavender Complexion Mist for normal skin ($9.50, burtsbees.com) with me instead.

It's small, only 4 oz., but it's not a replacement for your facial moisturizer. You're just suppose to use it to refresh your skin when it's starting to look a little out of character.

It contains the essential oils: cedar leaf, bergamot orange and lavender, which are used to hydrate, nourish and moisturize the skin.

The complexion mist is available in three other formulas: Carrot Seed Oil (for mature skin), Grapefruit (for oily skin) and Cucumber Chamomile (for sensitive skin).

Rescue to the Rescue

Close your eyes, now imagine you're opening the door to your favorite store and the handle is wet and sticky. Gross, exactly.

I'm not obsessed with germs (I have two huge dogs) but I do know that the cold and flu season will be starting soon. Also, there are going to be times when I am no where near a restroom to wash my hands (as in example above).

That's why I started carrying Rescue Beauty Lounge Anti-Bacterial wipes ($18 for 30, rescuebeauty.com). They don't dry out my hands and they have a soft clean scent.

Review Update

Review Update:

I reviewed Einstein Cosmetics Lip Theory Hydrating Cream in Oct. The Smart Way to Hydrate Lips and they left a comment:

Please note that Einstein Cosmetics is donating a portion of all October and November proceeds to Breast Cancer Awareness and Research funds. You can visit our website: www.einstein-beauty.com to place an order or to find a store near you!

How to look like a CoverGirl?

Being the Frugal Glam girl that I am, I like to buy eye shadow in 2-4 shades in a case.

You have more options to play with. You can use either one, two, three or all four shades (don't forget to blend well) to create beautiful eyes.

I like to buy CoverGirl Eye Enhancer Quad ($4.49, drugstores), if you do the math that's $1.12 per shadow and that's a pretty good deal.

This eye shadow is very good quality powder that blends easily and is available in several kits in the Cool, Warm or Neutral family.

Bonus Tip: Use a eye shadow brush to apply shadow. It's better for blending (unless you are a fan of the sponge applicator, then never mind).

Affordable Cashmere

Maybe you can't afford a cashmere sweater but you can afford Softsoap Pure Cashmere Body Wash ($5.99, drugstores).

After using this body wash my skin felt so soft, actually baby skin soft. The cashmere extracts and moisturizing cream is what makes the skin soft.

This is truly a luxury product, however you don't have to go to a department store to buy it.

Why not pamper yourself?

Reader's Frugal Glam Product

Here is a review from a reader:

Sammie was looking for a cute winter tote bag. She bought this American Eagle Sparkle Tote for $24.50. She said, "I wanted something fun and sparkly that I could take to school and put all of my stuff in."

"I don't always have time to run back to my locker between classes so I just put my books for my next class in my bag".

I'm sure this bag could work for ever stage in someone's life whether you're going to school, work or stay at home mom.

If you have a Frugal Glam product you would like to share send me an e-mail: frugalglam@yahoo.com

For Hair that's Sleek and Smooth

Herbal Essences has updated their products and created a few new ones. I bought Herbal Essences Pin Straight Hairspray ($3, drugstores) a few weeks ago.

Sometimes, I like to style my hair really straight but it doesn't always stay that way. I decided to try this hairspray to see if it works. It kept my hair looking sleek without feeling stiff or dry.

I like the subtle scent, it's infused with honeyed pears & silk.

Princess Cut on a Pauper's Budget

I was looking for a classic pair of earrings but I wanted a little Glam to them. I found these Princess Cut Crystal Studs from Guess ($20, guess.com).

They instantly Glam up any of my outfits but the price didn't break my budget. I don't wear them all the time but they are a nice addition to my earring collection.

Not so basic products.

I was having technical difficulties yesterday, because of that I will post two Frugal Glam items.


The first is White Barn Candle Co. Concentrated Home Fragrance Spray Bartlett Pear ($5, bathandbodyworks.com or White Barn Candle Co. stores).

I like to spray this in the living room and it smells devine. It might be small but it's concentrated so you don't have to use too much. If pear is not your favorite fragrance, other scents are available.



The second Frugal Glam product is Crest Whitening Expressions Toothpaste in Extreme Herbal Mint ($3.39, drugstores).

You're probably wondering how toothpaste can be glamourus. Well you can clean and whiten your teeth with this tingly minty toothpaste. It has an amazing minty taste that feels so refeshing.

No more smokey hair

I love to go out but the only thing I can't stand is my hair smelling smokey. As soon as I get home, I run one of the Umberto Giannini Glamour Hanky Pankies ($6, Rite Aid) scented sheets through my hair to take away the smell. The last thing I want to smell is smoke before going to bed.

It doesn't dry out my hair and it's easy to use. The Hanky Pankies sheets contain a de-odorizer that absorb the smell and not just mask it.

The best thing is you can stick one in even your smallest purse before you go out.