Flower Beauty vs. Glossier: battle of the blushes

I really like cream products. I like the easy application–you just dab a bit and go. No brushes or blenders or other tools necessary. It also feels like playing–and really–isn’t the joy of makeup getting to play with color and textures?

We’ve been big fans of the Glossier Cloud Paint since Pamela introduced them to us in spring of 2017. I know she’s still a Cloud Paint stan and I’ve been converted, too. They have been a go-to blush option since they launched and part of my basic makeup routine.

So I was super intrigued when Flower Beauty launched a VERY similar product in the fall of 2018. Flower Beauty Blush Bomb Color Drops are based on the same premise as the Cloud Paints–cream blushes in a tube.

my four from each line: Glossier Cloud Paint and Flower Beauty Blush Bomb Color Drop

Over the past few months–and a few Ulta sales here and there–I’ve grabbed a range of Flower Beauty blushes to compare with my Cloud Paints. I tried to get different colors because I actually want to use them and definitely don’t need anymore redundancy in my makeup collection. I mostly wanted to see how they compare in application, color and wear time.

My basic takeaway: they are both amazing!

Each line has six shades in the range. While it seems like there is overlap–Bubbly and Puff, for example, are both a light cotton candy pink–of the four I have from each line, I find the colors quite different. A lot of my recommendation is based on the colors you want instead of the products themselves. (ftr–i have puff and never use it. too pink for me.)

There are really only two drawbacks to the Glossier Cloud Paints: 1) you can only order them online (unless you wade through the CRAZY that is the NYC flagship store) which means you have to meet minimums for shipping, etc. 2) they are SO pigmented a little really goes a long way so you do have to be a little careful when using them. Their tube has a wider opening where the Color Drop releases less product per squeeze–which is nice.

the glossier store in nyc was probably the busiest store i’ve ever been in

But the benefits of Cloud Paint are mighty: amazing color payoff, super long lasting–both on your cheeks and in the tube–it will take me forever to work through one of them–and the color selection has everything you need.

With Flower Beauty, you can get them at Ulta or anywhere Flower Beauty is sold including Walmart, which makes it very convenient to give them a try. (and remember–you can always return it if you don’t like something, including through glossier!) And they are $10 instead of $18 with Glossier, and you can often get them on a discount.

Color Drops are also less pigmented so I find them a little easier to use. I’m not as concerned about the possibility of clown cheeks with their formula. Their wear time is slightly less than the Cloud Paint, but comparable.

There really aren’t downsides to the Color Drops aside from a few missing colors. My favorite Glossier Cloud Paints is Storm. It looks really intimidating because it seems like its dark red, but it leaves a gorgeous rosy finish. I love it. I don’t see there is a similar option through Flower Beauty.

I also have Haze from Glossier and Bitten from Flower Beauty–a purple berry color–and between the two, I prefer Haze. It has a softer hue and doesn’t read as harsh considering how pale I am. They aren’t exactly the same, but I’m likely to return Bitten because I don’t see myself using both.

And while the Cloud Paint Beam seems to be the same as Color Drop’s Nectar, Beam is a lot peachier. Nectar is more coral and has more brown to it. I like them both. I don’t have the Cloud Paint coral option, Dawn so I wonder if it’s closer to Nectar. But I would just stick to Nectar for a coral cheek. I have used Beam a lot though–especially in the summer–and love it.

Of the Cloud Paints, as I mentioned, I don’t have Dawn and I also don’t have Dusk. But my favorite of the Color Drops is Pinched, which I think is the perfect everyday blush color. I’m not sure how to describe it exactly. It’s not a bronzer but it does warm up your cheeks. It’s also not very pink or peach or berry–it just reads like a perfect nude lipstick–but for your cheeks. I’m obsessed. Dusk might be closest to it for Cloud Paints, but I don’t have it to confirm. I find it’s an especially great compliment on red lip kinda days.

Speaking of bronzers, I also have Color Drop in Cinnamon which I use as a bronzer, not a blush, and really like it. I think it pairs perfectly with Pinched and I can see myself putting these two together often.

me wearing pinched and cinnamon today–although not super easy to see

Overall, I think they are both great! I love the concept, application and finish. I would decide based on the colors you want and if you want to just pick it up or have other Glossier orders to make. I’ve liked a lot of Flower Beauty products including these and they are often discounted at Ulta. Glossier has a discount on buying two Cloud Paints at once which also gives you free shipping, if you were thinking of trying them out.

You really can’t go wrong with either option if cream blush is your jam.

Have you tried these products? What do you think? Please comment below!

And yes–paid for by me.


New cruelty-free drugstore favorites at Ulta

As you know, I’ve been trying to go cruelty-free with my new makeup purchases.

Buying cruelty-free hasn’t been as challenging as I expected–once I got over the shock that it was still a thing–I missed the whole “China mandate” that requires it to sell products there. Luckily, it looks like there might be an end to that rule on the horizon, which will hopefully make it an issue we never have to think about again.

There are definitely a few high end makeup brands that don’t work for me anymore, but primarily, my favorites like Tarte Cosmetics and Urban Decay are still good.

It’s a little more difficult on the drugstore side–and with skin care TBH–but I’ve found a few lines that are extremely affordable and have some great products I might’ve missed out on.

To get a pretty comprehensive listing of who tests on animals and who doesn’t, Cruelty-free Kitty has been a great resource. And rule of thumb on the drugstore side–if it’s one of the big companies like Revlon, Maybelline and L’Oreal–there is testing.

With Ulta’s variety of BOGO deals through their “21 Days of Beauty” sale--I thought it might be a nice time to review some of these new items I’ve picked up since focusing on cruelty-free shopping–just in case you’re looking to refresh your makeup bag for spring. (SPRING!!!!)

i tried to throw a bunch of these in a bag to do a photo at work where the light is better, and then forgot some of them at home. oh well!

Wet n Wild: This line was a shocker to me, but it’s actually even on Peta’s list of cruelty-free brands. How great is that?! I’ve got two favorites from the line–one old and one new. First the new:

Wet n Wild, MegaCushion Foundation SPF 15

I know I’ve mentioned it before but it’s worth saying it again: this foundation is fantastic! And so easy to apply. I can tell it’s going to be a summer staple–it’s so lightweight–and the cover is perfect for me. And $8.99! I can tell it’s gonna run low faster than other foundations I own, but it’s still worth it. And it means I’m reaching for it all the time, which I am!

Continue reading New cruelty-free drugstore favorites at Ulta

Cheap Thrills: Two New Ulta Finds!

You know how you’re just going to pop into Ulta quick to buy one thing that YouTube convinced you that you need and then end up grabbing a few more things even though your husband is (patiently!) waiting in the car? Here’s what happened a few days ago- I’m happy to report that it was, at least, successful!

One impulse buy was shampoo and conditioner- I didn’t need it, but the kind I like was on crazy sale so I grabbed liters. Spending money on shampoo is no fun, so I embrace the sales!!

Then, while on my way to the area of the store that had the aforementioned YouTuber recommendation (more on that later), I noticed these new Powder Puff lippies from NYX:

Nyx Powder Puff Lippie (photo via nyxcosmetics.com)

Intrigued, I swatched the shade “Moody” on my hand and then thought it was dumb to be buying (more) lip stuff so I moved on. But then I couldn’t stop looking at it. Continue reading Cheap Thrills: Two New Ulta Finds!

Lightning Round: 2017 Beauty Favorites!

Ok Lovelies- 2017 is about to wrap up and we couldn’t be more ready to ring in a fresh new year. Here’s a quick snapshot of everything we reached for most over the past 12 months. Ready? Hands on your buzzers!!

Daytime moisturizer:

J: Dr Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Balm!

L: What Jess said! But I’ll also go with Glossier, Priming Moisturizer

P: Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50

Brows:

J: NYX Micro Brow pencil

L: Lashfood, Browfood Tinted Brow Enhancing Gelfix in Brunette

P: Glossier Boy Brow

Mascara:

J: L’Oreal Voluminous Feline Noir (waterproof formula)

L: Covergirl Clump Crusher–the green one, for every day, L’Oreal Lash Paradise

P: Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir

Continue reading Lightning Round: 2017 Beauty Favorites!

Transitioning To Fall…. Kind Of.

Happy first day of autumn!! Ssshhh, never mind that it’s 90 degrees out. Here are some things that I am currently into (or hope to be into!) now that…. nevermind, I haven’t even thought about a sweater or cooking chili in a crock pot or hot apple cider or putting real socks on yet. Here are just some random things!

Later, Bronzer
While I am forever grateful to Lyn for turning me on to the Physician’s Formula Butter Bronzer (it’s seriously the best!!), once Labor Day came and went, I haven’t picked it up. I didn’t even make a conscious choice about it- it’s like, once I saw yellow school buses back on the street, bronzer time came to a halt. Instead, I’ve been favoring a romantic, mauve-y blush. I really love Tarte’s Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Paaarty, which you can get for free as your birthday present this year as a Sephora Beauty Insider! These blushes last forever, so any time you can snag one free or in a discovery set, do it. Anyway, this shade is a perfect soft rose without being too dreary or vampy. Aces.

I absolutely adore Kristen Bell. Did you guys see her singing to a group of nursing home residents and calling bingo when they all got stuck in the same hotel during hurricane Irma?? It was the best. I missed this show last fall when it originally aired, but recently caught up via Netflix, and it is SO GREAT. My husband just watched it too- he also found it laugh out loud funny- and he was all “why are we the only people in the whole world watching this?? It is the best!” I agree. The basic premise is that Eleanor (Kristen Bell) wakes up to learn that she is dead and in the afterlife, but not to worry, she is in “the good place”. She quickly realizes that there has been a clerical error and she doesn’t actually belong there (because she’s kind of a jerk), and hilarity ensues as she tries to fake her way through it. Ted Danson and the other supporting actors are top notch, the laughs are rapid fire, and it is forking hilarious. Why is this an almost fall thing? Because season 2 just started, and it is brilliant!
Back to Matte
Similarly, I have started gravitating back toward matte lips. Why does this happen during the season of dry lips?? No one knows. But it does. I recently picked up a lipstick from the Sephora Matte Rouge Collection in the shade No Superstar, which is a gorgeous rose-nude that flirts with being greige, but not enough to make you look dead. I find the formula to be a little drying, but it’s not terrible, especially if you prep your lips first with a little buff and chapstick. One weird thing though- it smells like grape bubble gum. The scent goes away pretty quickly, but dang, it is WEIRD.
Practical Vans
Lolololol- all Vans are practical! But I needed some legit comfy actual sneakers for work and for walks on these (ahem, soon to be) crisp mornings. I used to be faithful to Nikes for when I have to be on my feet all day, but my last pair (the Flyknit Free) made me angry- sure, they were super soft and light, but they were so flexible that I would just slide around in them. Someone at Vans must have heard my laments, because they came to the rescue and released these super rad Ultrarange sneaks! They weigh nothing (I thought the box was empty), they have the right level of squish with the right amount of structure, and they look like cool skate shoes while being sneaky practical and go with everything. Oh! They are also made out of a really light mesh, which is nice. I think these will be a good vacation pick if there’s going to be a lot of walking.
Pretty soon, I will be in full fall mode- I’m dying for jeans and jackets and boots and spooky nights and crunchy leaves and having scary movies on nonstop. But until then, these things will ease me in while still hanging on to summer, a little bit. Maybe.
xo
What are you transitioning into as the season shifts? Are you watching anything good right now? I bought all of these things with my own money but I did happen to buy those Vans while Dick’s Sporting Goods was having a random $20 off shoes sale so obviously they were meant to be!

Cheap Thrills

It seems to be a common theme around here that the three of us are choosing a more minimalist approach to makeup and skin during the summer months- sunscreen is a must, then maybe bronzer and a quick swipe of mascara? Also, many of the premium brand summer releases have been kind of underwhelming, so none of us have really contributed much to our Sephora or Ulta points in a bit. It hasn’t been a total drought, though, and we have a few things from the drugstore (yay cheap!) that are impressing us:

Lyn:

L’Oréal® Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise

I’ve been binge watching old episodes of The Office this summer (so nerdy, i know!) so I’ve watched hardly any YouTube makeup videos in months. But before I got sucked back into Scranton, PA and Dunder Mifflin, I saw the L’Oreal Lash Paradise mascara featured unilaterally on basically every channel I follow as a must-have new product. But I couldn’t find it anywhere to see for myself. So I kinda forgot about it. But there it was at the Hilldale Target when I made a quick stop on August 15th (dumbest shopping trip decision ever. seriously–don’t go there until October.) Even though I REALLY dislike Too Faced Better Than Sex–which it’s supposedly a dupe–I decided I was still curious enough to pay the $8.50 to give it a try. And I’m glad I did. I like it SOOOO much better than it’s predecessor and I think it really packs a punch. My only drawback is I accidentally purchased the waterproof option and it is SUPER hard to remove. But if you are looking for a new waterproof mascara, this one is legit.

Studio 35 Mint Julep Mask

Back in the spring, we shared our favorite mud masks. In the comments, Heidi suggested the Studio 35 Mint Julep Mask. Soon after, I saw it at Walgreens, so I picked it up. It has been a perfect summer mask. The mint feels really refreshing especially on the few hot days we’ve had this summer. I also feel like my skin looks smooth and clear after using it. And for $3.99, it’s a cheap treat and a great way to wake up your face in the morning!

Jess:

NYX Matte Finish Makeup Setting Spray

My husband and I have a side hustle- we are wedding DJ’s- which means most Saturdays I have to put on a full face of makeup early in the day (say, 1:00) that needs to last until midnight. In the past, I have relied on Urban Decay’s All Nighter Setting Spray, which I considered to be Holy Grail status. And then I ran out. And then I didn’t want to spend $32 on a new bottle. So I took a chance on this $8 dupe, by NYX. You guys. This is good stuff! The mist is super fine (I’m always worried about sprays being to shooty or have heavy drops) and it seems to do the trick, even at sweaty barn weddings. I might be converting to this as my go-to from now on!

L’oreal Infallible Paints Eyeshadow Metallics

Clearly, we are weak at Walgreens and L’oreal is killing it. I picked this guy up on a whim (probably to disguise the fact that I really just wanted to buy ice cream or something) in the color Caged- I’ve been liking a more taupe/pewter smokey eye lately. I was surprised and impressed with an initial swatch- it is super pigmented and delightfully shiny without being glittery. Applied with a fluffy brush, the effect is a little more diffuse and blendable, then it stays put all day without transferring or creasing. I may have thought about buying all 5 shades. I haven’t. Yet.

Pamela:

…. is on a spending break! It’s ok. It’s a good time of year to use up what we have and clean things out!

xo

Is there anything you’ve been digging from the drugstore lately? Maybe a great eye makeup remover to help Lyn get that mascara off? Let us know in the comments!

 

Pretty good actually: current drugstore makeup favorites

While it’s true—I just spent way too much money during the Sephora spring sale—there’s been a lot of drugstore items I’ve been using in heavy rotation lately.

I have my tried and trues that have already been mentioned.  We talk about the Maybelline Eyestudio® ColorTattoo® 24HR Cream Gel Eye ad nauseum,  I’ve posted about my love for the Maybelline® Instant Age Rewind® Eraser Dark Circles Concealer + Treatment on our Facebook page (are you following? you should!) and the L’Oreal Voluminous Million Lash Mascara will always be in my makeup bag.

But lately I’ve ventured out and found some drugstore products—some new releases, some just new to me—that I’m totally digging.

Makeup in rotation

Here’s just a few:

Physician’s Formula ® Bronzer Light:  This bronzer has been a YouTube favorite for a while, but I hadn’t tried it until a recently. CVS had a little sale going (still does) so I picked it up. It is exactly as promised—perfection! I don’t generally wear bronzer because the color always seems wrong on me and I feel like I look too made up. (always an issue for me—loving makeup but being more comfortable with a no-makeup makeup look.) Since I picked it up, I’ve been wearing this daily. I love it.

Continue reading Pretty good actually: current drugstore makeup favorites

First Impressions: the battle of the cream shadows!

As regular followers of Everything & Nothings know by now, the Maybelline Eyestudio® ColorTattoo® 24HR Cream Gel Eye Shadow is a holy grail product for us. It made its first appearance in Jess’ drugstore favorites and most recently in her quick bold lip look tips. I’ve included it in my makeup when you’re feeling sick and my brush reviews. (Pamela would probably include it more if Jess and I weren’t constantly talking about it!)

So I was curious when I saw this display at Walgreens announcing Revlon had come out with a new line of similar products. How would they compare against our old favorite? I needed to check them out, immediately.

Continue reading First Impressions: the battle of the cream shadows!

Our Drugstore MVPs: WIN THEM!

You guys!!! WE ARE HAVING A GIVEAWAY!!!

We love ALL the products–but we have a special place in our hearts for the ones that keep a little extra cash in our wallets. Regardless of cost, our mantra is: if it works, it works. And some of our MVP products happen to be of the drugstore variety.

To celebrate our MVP drugstore faves–and to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us since we’ve launched our blog–we are offering one blog subscriber a gift pack featuring ALL of our favorite drugstore products shared below!

So check out what we love at the drugstore, make sure you’re subscribed to our blog, and we will pick our winner on Thanksgiving, November 24th. And if you like our blog–please share it with friends–and make sure you’re a fan of our Facebook page, too!

And without further adieu, our MVP drugstore faves:

Pam:

I love my high end body washes that smell amazing and feel so fancy and luxurious. But in addition to those extravagances, I need something that is going to just do the work that I need it to at an inexpensive price point with no frills about it. That product for me is Neutrogena Body Clear body wash. I am prone to keratosis pilaris (KP) not only in the winter, but also sometimes in the summer months.  If you’re unfamiliar with KP, I’m talking about the “chicken skin” that can develop on the backs of arms and in my case, on my legs – specifically the insides of my knees. With this wash having 2% salicylic acid, it effectively but gently exfoliates and smooths away the bumps without drying my skin out. It is one of the things that is always in our shower (in fact, we all use it!)

L’Oreal Brow Stylist is also on my list of drugstore finds I won’t stop using anytime soon.  For whatever reason it always seems a little hard to find it, but totally worth the hunt.  I feel like I have different versions of this product which are all good. And there’s not one I would say is better or worse, but at $9.99, this is a staple for me.  It works so well to fill in, tame and set my brows.  I use it almost everyday (and on the off days I use my Glossier Boy Brow of course, which I also cannot live without). And in addition to it coming in two shades, it comes in transparent, which is really great if you are just needing to tame and set what you have created with your other brow pencils and pomades.

Lyn:

I feel like I’m working through a hundred mascara samples right now–but my tried and true, nobody does it better, accept no imitations is the L’Oreal Voluminous Million Lash Mascara in Blackest Black. Nothing makes my lashes look longer and fuller with less mess and more staying power than this classic–high end products included. It’s my gold standard that none of the samples have been able to exceed.

My lipstick collection is ridiculous. But one of my favorites–whether it’s from the drugstore or department store–is the Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lip Color. The color payoff is rich, the matte finish is legit and it has the benefits of a liquid lip in that you don’t have to reapply it crazy often, but it’s not drying. My favorite colors are Divine Wine and Touch of Spice. But I have a few and they are all great.

Jess:

Need to add a little life to your face after a flight? Soften up your powder? Set your makeup? Wake up? Refresh at the gym? Prep your face for moisturizer?? This product is beyond MVP around here- if we could buy it by the gallon, we would: Mario Badescu Facial Spray. It’s cheap, gets the job done, and just generally makes us very happy.

The holidays are a great time to play with a dramatic eye, so I would also love to give you my favorite drugstore eyeliner- the Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum in Ultra Black by Physicians Formula. As I’ve told you before, this liquid eyeliner pen with a brush tip is a PERFECT dupe for my holy grail (well, second place holy grail now!) Kat Von D Tattoo Liner. I promise it’s easy to use, too!

Want to win all of this awesome stuff?? Just hit that subscribe button below and include a valid email address– if you’re already subscribed, you’re good to go! We really appreciate everyone who reads and joins the conversation here- thanks for sticking with us and helping us grow! Remember- we will announce the winner on Thanksgiving Day, and yes, we will be wearing stretchy pants.

xoxo

We really love these things! We have bought them with our own money more than once. Now we will buy them for you! What are your drugstore MVPs that keep you coming back?? Tell us in the comments!

Test Drives: Drugstore Eye Creams

We love getting requests for reviews and post ideas. Nothing makes us happier than hearing you are reading our articles and want more! (That and sharing E&N with your friends, hint hint.) But we will admit–we were really nervous when we got asked on our Facebook page if we could recommend some cost-effective eye creams. Generally, eye creams are the type of product we are willing to spend a little more money on. None of us had a drugstore eye cream we felt comfortable recommending. So we each agreed to abandon our nighttime under eye routines and test drive a drugstore eye cream for one month. Since we are all in our 40s, keeping signs of aging at bay is a shared concern. But–we decided our love for you was worth risking increased bags, circles and lines.

Our challenge was to test drive some drugstore eye creams was on. Would we find one that’s pretty good actually? Read and find out!

Pamela: ROC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream

Eye cream is something I don’t generally skimp on price wise. I currently use (and almost through my second pot of)  the Algenist GENIUS Ultimate Anti-aging eye cream which runs $74.00 for .5 oz.  Not cheap.  But does it work?  Oh yes.  HELL yes.  In fact I noticed results only 5 days after I started using it.  I was sold – hook, line and sinker.  So naturally, I had reservations about trying something from the drugstore….. but in the name of blog research, you get what you ask for!  So let us see whatcha got ROC.  Promising to visibly reduce wrinkles around the eyes, crow’s feet, puffiness and dark circles at $19.99 for the same amount of product ( .5 oz.), it was definitely a bargain. First impressions: Smells normal and non offensive and has kind of a thin consistency.  No big problem with that.  I should note that I was initially a little wary of the retinol aspect of it, being so close to the eye, would it irritate them?  Nope. In fact, retinol is down so low on the list of ingredients, I’m sure that there isn’t enough in it to have them even list the percent (which they don’t.)  The first week I was slightly surprised to see it seemed to be doing a pretty good job!  One of the nights I had been out for pho (salt) and wine (not water) and normally my eyes are super puffy the morning after that sort of meal.  Using it that night, I was pleased to see it took care of those unfortunate side effects beautifully….. and I started to wonder if I would have to spend $74 bucks on eye cream ever again!  Well, I wondered too soon. While it seemed to hold it’s own on the moisture front, I was beginning to see that my dark circles were getting darker again.  Then I began to notice makeup settling into my fine lines which clearly showed me that I was indeed slowly but surely losing moisture and plumpness.  It was two weeks in that I threw in the towel and went back to Algenist, again noticing results in just a few days….. and I will never look back…… or at least not for a while.

Jess: Cerave Eye Repair Cream

I’m pretty fairweather about eye creams, since I haven’t found my ride or die, and for some reason eye creams aren’t high on my priority list. My biggest eye-related challenges are oldness (my eyelids are getting crepey) and irritation, especially during allergy season. Because they are so touchy, I am cautious about using anything too hard core- even the most well-meaning products have left my tender eyeball area stinging and red. Not cute. Usually I reach for Simple Soothing Eye Balm. It’s fairly inexpensive (around $10), aroma neutral, and really does soothe and depuff my eyes, but it doesn’t really do much in the anti-aging department. It also doesn’t do well under makeup, so I tend to only use it at night or “as needed”. So for this post, I got brave and tried another drugstore find- Cerave Eye Repair Cream (also around $10- apparently I have a low threshold for spending more than a Hamilton on eye cream). Sadly, this did not knock my socks off. I have used- and liked- other Cerave products in the past, but this eye cream didn’t really seem to do anything, much less any repairing. In fact, I’ve noticed my eyelids feeling more crepey and dehydrated since using it. It’s not terrible, I guess, and it does dry down with a bit of a tack, so it’s ok under makeup. I might throw this in my travel bag, but for now, maybe I’ll go get a sample of that Algenist one… and consider increasing my eye cream budget.

Lyn: Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Eye Swirl Gel Cream Treatment.

Just like my sisters above–I was super nervous about this challenge. I have two eye creams that I’ve been using together regularly: Philosophy Miracle Worker Eye Cream and Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Serum Synchronized Complex II. (that’s a mouthful!) I put the later on first and the former on after. Both creams are pricey at $69 and $65, respectively. I’m so concerned about my under eye area (which I have previously discussed) I’ve also tried even MORE expensive creams in the hopes of finding magic in a bottle. But the others were disappointing (looking at you, Drunk Elephant Shaba Complex Eye Serum and Caudalie Premier Cru The Eye Cream) so the combo above has been my ride or die for a few years now.

So when we decided to give a drugstore eye cream a one month trial, I feared it would set me back years. But then I remembered that beautypedia.com ends every eye cream review with a disclaimer that eye creams are a hoax–and who know? maybe they are–so I decided to just suck it up and give it a go. In selecting a drugstore eye cream, I had only one requirement: it must be a pump. I hate pots. So with that in mind, I went to Target and settled on the Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Eye Swirl Gel Cream Treatment. (clearly i like products with ridiculously long names.) I felt encouraged–it’s a pump, it’s got a swirl like one of my favorite night creams, Meaningful Beauty Creme de Serum, and I used the Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Daily Anti-Aging Daily Moisturizer throughout my 20s and really liked it. Plus the package says it “firms & brightens for younger-looking eyes” which is exactly what I wanted to hear!

And guess what–it’s pretty good actually!!! It shares my favorite feature of my Philosophy cream–it’s thick. Like super heavy and substantial but not waxy. I don’t like eye creams that are too watery. I feel like they just slide down my face and aren’t focused on the job at hand. And because it’s so thick, even one pump is too much. A half a pump is plenty. To conform to the challenge, I used it alone and didn’t double it up with a serum. And I honestly couldn’t tell the difference between my $68 eye cream and this one–which is pricey for a drugstore at $19.99–but it’s still much cheaper than what I generally throw down.

_eyeswirl_1
We have a winner!

I’m going to continue using the Olay Regenerist even now that the challenge is over but I’m going start partnering it with the Estee Lauder serum to see what happens. But regardless–I totally recommend saving some bucks and checking out this drugstore find!

What’s your ride or die eye cream? Do you have any drugstore eye creams you would recommend? We’d love to hear about them!

(Hoping to save money in the future, we all shelled out some of our own cash to purchase these drugstore eye creams.)