Plumper Lips for under $25

I've been getting a lot of email from people asking me to find inexpensive lip plumpers that actually WORK.

I consider myself an expert on this matter. I've spent a small fortune chasing the dream of plump lips- I've pretty much tried all the lip plumpers out there. I used to use LipFusion's XL because they have a Good Housekeeping seal. After awhile I realized Good Housekeeping seal or not, I never got spectacular results from them - but I'll tell you what I DID get:

1. Chapped, dry lips.
2. Empty Wallet Sadness (it costs $50 per tube!! I went through one every month, so that's $600 per year!)

Thankfully I recently found an inexpensive plumper that gives you amazing results at a reasonable price point. I did a product review on Isabella Pelle a few posts ago and went ahead and bought their lip plumpers because I really liked their face cream. I was so blown away by the results - my lips really did get plumper!

Best Plumping Lip Balm: Hands down, Isabella Pelle Extreme Pout Lip Balm. This stuff is amazing. It feels so great on dry lips - it immediately moistens them to juicy perfection and in about 5 minutes you can visibly see your lips are much plumper, smooth, and moist.
Price: $8-$12
Where to buy: http://www.isabellapelle.com

Best Plumping Lip Gloss: Another win for Isabella Pelle. Their Extreme Pout Lip Gloss is ridiculously good. It gives you quite a kick in the pants - when you put this on, your lips are going to immediately start tingling and go slightly numb for a few minutes. In about 20 minutes you'll look in the mirror and be absolutely shocked at how big your lips got.
Price: $21-$24
Where to buy: http://www.isabellapelle.com

BONUS: Both of these lip balms contain the plumping ingredient 'palmitoyl tripeptide-5'. This ingredient has been proven to boost your own collagen production by 350%. Which means the more you use this stuff, the plumper you lips will be naturally.

The image featured in this post is an actual before/after for the Extreme Pout Lip Gloss. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Painting your face - the Cheap Way

An artist is only as good as her brushes - and when it comes to applying makeup there is no greater truth. You can take a cheap $1 ELF cosmetic product and make it runway worthy if you put it on using a great brush. But any beauty addict who has browsed the holy aisles of Sephora knows that brushes ARE EXPENSIVE. What is a girl with a budget to do?

Not to worry, thanks to Target and Sonia Kashuk we have some very nice, affordable brushes as options. Definitely splurge and buy the upgraded Kashuk Tools version. These come with chic black ergonomic handles that feel great in your hand. Prices range from $8-$20 per brush.

There is almost no difference in quality between Kashuk Tool brushes and the more expensive options out there - but there is a HUGE difference in price tag.

Shaving on the Cheap & Easy Side

What is it with Gillette these days? With the high prices of razors, razorheads, and shaving gels - it looks like we have a bit more than gas prices to worry about. How bout a nation full of hairy legged women protesting the ridiculous prices? As tempting as that might sound, before you resort to going au'naturale, know that you have cheap and easy options.

So, what can a budget-conscious gal do to get a close shave without breaking the bank? Save your money on expensive shaving gels - USE CHEAP HAIR CONDITIONER instead.

I discovered this neat tip one day out of necessity and it's since become my favorite way to get a close shave on my legs. I buy cheap Suave Conditioner at Walmart at a price of just over a dollar. It's a pretty big bottle, so it lasts a long time. Use the conditioner as a shaving gel in the shower. It gives you a really close shave and leaves your legs feeling very smooth and moist.

If you use liquid soap then you can get away with spending NOTHING. Just use your liquid soap as a foamy shaving gel. Works like a charm in a pinch.

Potent Anti Aging Wrinkle Fighting Creams

Anti-Aging is a concern no matter what state the economy is in. We always want to look good and we want to know we're spending our hard earned cash on something that will work.

You have to be very skeptical when it comes to Anti-Aging skincare products. Oftentimes these products come with 'fountain of youth' miracle claims to justify their sky-high price tags. Sadly, all too often these products fall miserably short on their claims and we are left with dashed hopes and emptier wallets.

Not to worry though - here are 2 great Anti-Aging skin care products that I've personally tried long term with great results:

Cheap Drugstore Find: Regenerist Night Recovery Moisturizing Treatment
Pricetag: $17-$19
Pros: This is an great moisturizer - your skin will feel great after a nighttime with this on. You don't need a separate day/night or eye cream. I used this both during the day (under my makeup) and in the evening with great results.
Cons: While this is an excellent moisturizer it lacks the more state of the art ingredients and packaging available in pricier products. Since its packaged in a jar, the ingredients will oxidize fast and there is the high possibility of bacterial contamination as you will have to touch the cream everytime you put it on.

Worthy Splurge: Isabella Pelle Preve Extreme Anti-Aging Cream for Face & Eye
Pricetag: $39
Pros: This is simply the very latest in skincare technology. Highly bioactive, deeply penetrating peptide stimulates collagen synthesis & actively irons out any type of wrinkle - whether sun, smile, or frown formed. How? It contains Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5. In clinical studies this ingredient has been shown to boost your collagen production by 350%. That's no typo, three hundred and fifty percent! The packaging is grade A chic and practical - it comes in an airless pump bottle so the lotion stays completely fresh until you put it on your face. The packaging is clear though, so I would recommend putting this in a cabinet instead of leaving it out where it can be exposed to light.
In sum, not only is this an excellent moisturizer, it contains state of the art active ingredients backed up by clinical research. Definitely a worthy splurge indeed!
Cons: Only available online. Click here to visit their webstore.

Final Note: Spending money on an anti-aging cream that works is a great investment in yourself. If you spend wisely, you'll be looking great in the years to come and feeling even better. If you have the money in your budget, this is definitely a place where you'd want to splurge. If not though, you can get away with a great moisturizer like Oil of Olay.