Beauty Buzz: Our Favorite Drugstore Beauty Buys

As much as we love our high-end items here at College Gloss, we believe drugstore goodies will reign the entire year. We promise to test these new beauties with you. Let the splurge begin!

EYES

1. Rimmel London ScandalEyes Shadow Sticks ($4.49, Ulta) have just hit shelves this month with their creamy texture and long-lasting power. These babies come in nine different shades; we dare you to try them all!

2. Another treat from Revlon this year comes in the form of three complementary eyeshadow shades in one package. Revlon Photo Ready Primer + Eyeshadow ($12, Amazon) contains a primer, YES YOU READ RIGHT, a primer! We like to call this drugstore bliss! They are super pigmented and long-wearing! Makeup aficionados and amateurs will appreciate the carefully coordinated shades for a clown-proof application.

3. In addition to a new makeup remover, Maybelline has also released a new mascara. Maybelline Rocket Mascara ($8, Amazon) promises to coat each of your lashes with its creamy formula for ultimate volume. We wouldn’t be surprised if this ends up as one of our favorites by the end of 2013!

BODY

1. We already mentioned in our “Best of 2012” list that we love Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion, so we can’t wait to try Aveeno Protect + Hydrate Lotion Sunscreen SPF 50 ($9.99, Amazon). Finally, a lotion that hydrates and protects against harmful UV rays; we are in!

2. We know some of you girlies battle with hyperpigmentation, so we are elated to inform you that Yes To Grapefruit Dark Spot Correcting Body Creme ($9.97, Amazon) targets dark spots below the neck. In addition to the body creme, the Yes To Grapefruit line has a slew of products battling hyperpigmentation catering to the eyes and face, as well as more body products, of course.

FACE

1. The most anticipated product in our list is Revlon’s Nearly Naked Foundation ($9.99, Ulta). Nearly Naked promises to leave a natural, glowing complexion with its sophisticated, “no-makeup-feel” formula. Shh, we have a little secret to tell you girlies: we know we promised not to try these beauties without you, but we couldn’t resist! It’s hard not to love its easy blendable texture and buildable coverage. This baby is a luxury feel foundation with a drugstore price; we couldn’t ask for more. P.S. It works on all skin types, and it's a great dupe for YSL Le Teint Touche Éclat Foundation.

2. Our beauty bag is just not functional without Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles, and when we heard a dark spot corrector would be added to the Instant Age Rewind line, we totally fangirled. (You know, like some of you do for the sexy Zayn from One Direction.) Okay, okay, back to  beauty -- what we really mean is, we totally fangirled for Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Spot Concealer and Treatment ($9.99, Ulta). We are complete beauty geeks for its Vitamin C component, which we know helps treat and heal dark spots!

3. What never fails to be on the top of our wish list is an affordable makeup remover. We never shy away from experimenting with new formulas, which makes us elated to lather up Maybelline The Flash Clean Clean Express Makeup Removing Lotion ($6.94, Amazon). For you Maybelline lovers, also new in the Clean Express line are facial towelettes and a waterproof eye makeup remover. We are predicting that this is just the beginning of a skin care line in the future!

LIPS

1. It seems that everybody now is a lip fanatic: even non-lipstick wearers reach to tinted lip balms. So, we are not surprised that Maybelline has committed to this trend. We can’t wait to pick up Maybelline’s Color Whisper Lipcolors ($7.49, Amazon), which are basically lip tints with a twist; they are gel-based and extremely pigmented. These lipstick alternatives are perfect for you ladies who hate the feel of lipstick and lipgloss.

2. Another treat that caught our eye is L’Oreal’s Colour Riche Caresse Aqua Lacquer Lipglosses ($7.99, Target)! These highly pigmented glosses behave like a lip stain and gloss, in one! Plus, we give L’oreal extra brownie points for their super sleek, elegant packaging!

3. CoverGirl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm ($7.99, Amazon) “gives lips sheer, glossy color and delivers moisture to your pout thanks to a formula laced with mango and shea butters,” says Refinery 29. “We’re big fans of the super-sized pencil because it actually makes application a breeze.” The twist-up packaging means no sharpening involved, making this a must-have on our list.

4. As of right now, we are already obsessing over Maybelline’s Color Sensational Vivids Lipcolor ($7.49, Amazon)! These babies make us nostalgic of the bright, spring colors with its creamy and pigmented formula. We cannot wait to get our hands on these tubes of spring in our winter blues!

NAILS

1. One of our favorite nail brands, Essie, has released their first stick-on polish strips! We can’t wait to raid the drugstore for Essie’s Sleek Stick Stickers ($9.99, Target).

2. Although the season to wear glitter has long passed, we are dying to try out a new nail craze -- like a sandy, matte texture to cure us of our winter blues by bringing the beach to us. Check out Mariah Carey by OPI Liquid Sand Nail Polish ($10.95, Amazon).

HAIR

1. For you ladies who prefer to stick to one hair color, you will definitely want to try Garnier Olia Oil Powered Permanent Hair Color ($9.99, Drugstore.com). Garnier promises that its ammonia-free formula nourishes hair to its maximum potential by reversing damage and keeping your new hair color vivid and long-lasting! That’s definitely a promise worth checking out, especially when you’re in a need of a new look out of the blue!

2. Yeah, yeah, we know, you may be tired of the ombré trend ... or you are secretly hoping to literally dip into this trend? We are here to inform you that L’Oreal has officially gone ombré, too. Now, thanks to new at-home ombré hair-color-kit, L’Oréal Féria Wild Ombré ($10.94, Amazon), getting that gorgeous dimension at home could not be easier, according to Christophe Robin, L’Oréal’s global consulting hair colorist:

“‘The kit, available in three shades, comes with a customized brush created specifically for this type of hair lightening. Part hair in the back of your head and brush all of your hair forward, then place the cream color on the brush. If you apply the product holding the brush horizontally, you’ll get a much more defined look, hold it vertically for a more subtle effect. Go section by section around your hair, applying the product from mid-shaft to ends, then leave on the hair for five minutes to 15 minutes, depending on how drastic you want the difference to be.’ Robin also suggests that before applying color you use a treatment or mask on your ends. They are the most fragile, so you need to prepare the hair in order to minimize the damage done by the dye.”

3. OMG -- there’s now a BB cream for hair! Pantene Pro-V Ultimate 10 BB Crème ($5.29, Target) commits to undertaking fizz control and heat protection for your luscious locks. Overall, it’s a super-deep-conditioner with healing powers! We can’t wait to test this out and see if it can withstand winter dryness!

4. Since we are all 90s babies here, we are excited to see Herbal Essence Smooth Collection Shampoo ($3.97, Walmart) revert to its vintage packaging. Although we haven’t used Herbal Essence since our pre-teen years, we are curious to see if this irresistible, yummy-smelling shampoo still lives up to its hype. After all, we are willing to try anything from a time that reminds us of our beloved Rugrats, Backstreet Boys and when Amanda Bynes was sane and our idol.

5. Our favorite drugstore brand is looking to make our hair silkier and shinier than it already is: say hello to Tresemmé Keratin Smooth Collection ($4.99 each, Drugstore.com) and goodbye to frizz. In this collection, you will find everything, including shampoo, conditioner, serum and heat protectant “that makes hair shiny and sleek for up to 48 hours,” according to Glamour. “It’s no secret keratin works wonders, and the line’s lower sulfates means it’s healthier for hair.”

We are looking forward to trying all of these amazing buys. We may be a tad skeptical of some, but drugstore goodies never fail to impress us. After all, every college goddess needs a bargain!

By: Ivanna Coello | Images: Source, listed retail stores