Total Beauty Break - Top Finds for $5 or Less

Top Makeup Finds for $5 or Less

Save money with almost-free beauty products from your favorite brands

If your budget's not what it used to be, your makeup doesn't have to suffer. Take comfort in these consumer- and editor-approved, quality finds -- all available either online or at your local drugstore. See makeup

And the Winner is...

Congratulations to Frosted Couture -for winning my Twitter contest. Thank you for being a loyal follower! Your beauty prize pack will be in the mail shortly!

Do it Yourself Beauty for the new Economy

In this new economy, it’s time to get creative. If the wallet isn’t agreeing with everyday beauty budgets, scan the kitchen cabinets for ingredients to create fresh, homemade, and even organic beauty solutions.

For brilliant hair:
- To help mend split ends rub olive oil into the ends of hair. Leave in for 30 minutes and then shampoo as usual. The oil nourishes hair and adds moisture.

- To add brightness and a shiny gloss to hair, Julia March, owner and specialist at Julia March Skincare, recommends combining 2-3 tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar with a cup of water. Use this mixture after shampooing, and be sure to rinse to avoid a lingering vinegar aroma!

- Done with that beer? Put it aside for the shower. After shampooing, rinse wet hair with a tepid beer for added volume and shine.

For a radiant face:
- For problem skin, March suggests letting the face absorb the vapors from a steaming pot of 3 tablespoons of raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar combined with a quart of filtered water. Raw apple cider vinegar can also be used as a tonic for oily skin when mixed with distilled water at a 1:1 ratio (not steamed).

- To combat puffy eyes, apply used black teabags to the swollen area.

- If slightly sunburned, apply cucumber slices to the face. Dry skin will draw moisture from the slices, in addition to being nourished by the many vitamins in cucumbers.

- For hydration and a radiant glow, March recommends applying a facial mask of raw honey and plain, full fat yogurt for 15- 20 minutes. The fats in the dairy and honey will moisturize and nourish the skin.

For smooth skin:
- To exfoliate the body effectively and inexpensively, create a DIY body scrub with olive oil and sea salt. Pay special attention to rough areas like elbows, knees and feet. March notes that a few drops of lavender extract add a nice and soothing scent to this homemade concoction.

- All out of bath foam and in need of a luxurious bath? Adding a quart of full cream milk to bath water will help restore and calm skin’s lipids while milk proteins help maintain skin’s elasticity.

- For hard and white nails, spoil fingers with a lemon bath. Dip nails into one half of a lemon and turn them, squeezing out the juice. Let them soak for a minute.

For white teeth:
- As a cheap alternative to whitening teeth, mix a teaspoon of baking soda and a pinch of salt with a small glass of water until mixture is paste-like. Brush teeth as usual and rinse well. It is proven that baking soda will help lighten stains, but be careful not to use too often. Once every two weeks should be enough, as baking soda can be abrasive and erode tooth enamel.

beautypress.com

Total Beauty Break - Best & Worst Highlights

Best and Worst Highlights for Your Hair Type

Celebrities like Jennifer Aniston should be your hair color inspiration, but Lindsay Lohan, not so much

Considering highlights or wondering what went wrong with yours? Let these celebrities guide you towards the best (and away from the worst) highlights for your hair type. See hairstyles

Freebie Break - Sonic's Free Float Night

Get a FREE root beer float Sonic's Free Float Night tonight when you pop in anywhere between 8 p.m. to midnight. Check the website for your nearest drive-in.

Shopping Break - Free Shipping on Crocs!

Free Shipping On All Flip Flops for the Entire Month of June! Use code flipflop at checkout.

Giveaway Break - David Babaii WildAid Shampoo & Conditioner

Now, you can do something great for your hair and for our planet’s endangered wildlife. Hairstylist David Babaii and Kate Hudson are proud to introduce David Babaii for WildAid. Inspired by the remarkable beauty in nature, these innovative hair care products are made with exclusive blends of exotic natural ingredients from Avena Oat Extracts to Blue Algae.

The Hydrating Shampoo is Sulfate FREE, Paraben FREE, Petrochemical FREE, animal product FREE and, most importantly, FREE from all animal testing! It instantly replenishes thirsty hair during cleansing. Rich Cupuacu Butter from the South American Amazon works as an incredible natural moisturizer. Combined with Mango and Shea Butters, it results in lustrous, radiant, hydrated hair. Wild Orchid and Jojoba Seed Oil adds extra moisture, while keeping hair healthy and shiny. Blue Algae extract strengthens the hair shaft.

The Hydrating Conditioner is also FREE from all animal testing! It conditions hair by replenishing thirsty hair and restoring optimum moisture levels and nutrients. Rich Cupuacu butter from the South American Amazon works as an incredible natural moisturizer. Combined with Mango and Shea butters, it results in lustrous, radiant, hydrated hair. Wild Orchid adds extra moisture, while keeping hair healthy and shiny. Blue Algae extract strengthens the hair shaft and Oat Extract is soothing to the scalp.

***Giveaway***

David Babaii is sponsoring a great giveaway! 10 David Babaii for WildAid Hydrating Shampoos & Conditioners! You read it correctly - 10 Total Winners!

You can enter up to once a day. For extra entries, you can sign up for my mailing list, post a link to this giveaway on your blog, follow my blog, or follow me on Twitter.

This giveaway is open to US & Canadian residents. This contest will end on Tuesday, June 16th. I will randomly select 10 winners and announce them on Lipgloss Break, so keep checking to see if you're a winner - Good Luck!

Style Break - Get Adam Lambert's Style

Adam Lambert May Have Lost Out on the Idol Winner Title,

But His Looks are Always #1!

Whether it’s the perfectly sleek and matte hairdo, spiked and rocker-esque or the gelled back pompadour, Adam Lambert is certainly the style chameleon! The runner-up American Idol superstar certainly knows how to keep his audiences attention not just with his amazing vocals, but with his crazy wardrobe changes. Get Adam’s looks easily (without the expensive pricetag) with L.A. Looks Mega Hold Gel, Smooth ‘N Shine Instant Repair Spray-On Hair Polisher, Black Opal Precision Eye Definer in Licorice and wet n wild Wild Shine Nail Polish and Eyeliner

L.A. Looks Mega Hold Gel $3.49 SRP

Smooth ‘N Shine Instant Repair Spray On Hair Polisher $4.99 SRP

BLACK OPAL Precision Eye Definer $4.15 SRP

And the Winners are...

Amanda & Frosted Couture - Congrats!

Amanda won the UMI Haircare products and Frosted Couture won the Twitter giveaway.

Didn't win? Don't fret - still more chances to win!

Nail Break - Kiss EverLasting Nail Kits

Save money on salon manicures, and keep nails looking summer ready with at-home nail kits. Kiss Products, the leader in artificial nail kits, just launched the super-thin and easy-to-remove EverLasting Nail Kits. Kiss sold 15 million nail kits in the US in 2008, and with the current trend in DIY beauty, Kiss are seeing a doubling of sales up from last year already.

For every wedding or formal event I have attended in the past year, I have used these nails. I’m a mani/pedi girl, but a French manicure on my natural nails doesn’t usually last more than one day. Kiss nails usually stay on me for about 4 days. They are so easy to put on, and you can’t beat the flawless look!

Top 6 reasons to invest in a set of these nails!

1) ANY LENGTH or SHAPE

The new Kiss nails can be filed down with a regular nail file to a preferred length or shape, just a like a natural nail. Or just leave them as they come in the box, they are fashionably square shaped.

2) HELPS GROW NAILS

Kiss’ new EverLasting French nails help prevent nail biting. Wear these nails for a few weeks, and watch natural nails grow underneath.

3) NO DAMAGE

These new French nails can be removed easily with pure acetone without any damage to the natural nail. Kiss offer a remover kit to make it even easier.

4) NO CHIPPING

New technology guarantees that these new French nails won’t break or chip like a regular manicure and lasts much longer.

5) SAVINGS

At $5.99 a box, Kiss kits save money in the long run. Customers savings can cover cell phone bills for nearly a year!

6) NATURAL LOOKING

Do the test! See if friends can tell they are not real? It’s not those tacky 80’s nails anymore!

Go out and by some! Make sure to read the application tips below from Michele Pierno, Product Development at Kiss Products - she gives us the inside scoop on super easy application and removal!

1. Find your sizes first, and then place aside in sequence. (So you won’t be fumbling through the tray with nails on!)
2. Always start with dominant hand first. If you are right-handed, apply nails to your right hand first. (This way, you won’t feel awkward when applying to left hand, not only with hand you do not normally use, but with nails on will feel even more challenging.)
3. Applying to pinky first, then ring, then middle… is best. (Just like the pro’s do!)
4. Use enough glue! Have some cotton swabs handy for quick easy clean-up. Apply glue to artificial nail and natural nail to avoid air pockets.
5. Slowly lower artificial nail onto natural nail at an angle using the cuticle as your pivot point, then lightly press down. Any excess glue will then seep outward under nail’s free edge which is easier to clean and remove than if spilling out at cuticle or sides. Clean excess with cotton swab immediately.

Proper removal is the key to preventing damage to the natural nail (which is the biggest fear amongst artificial nail “non-wearers”!) For the fastest removal, we recommend using Kiss All or One Artificial Nail Remover Kit. However, you may also use pure acetone, or an acetone-based polish remover to safely remove artificial nails.

1. Start by trimming the length of artificial nails.
2. Use a low grit, slightly rougher nail file to lightly scratch the surface of the artificial nail thereby breaking the protective seal.
3. For either fingers or toes, pour into a small glass bowl with enough remover to fully submerge all nails.
4. Soak fingernails in remover until glue and plastic have melted off completely.