What could possibly be better on a Monday morning than a little excuse to go shopping? Well, maybe sleeping. But since you’re probably strapped to your desk at work and letting your head hit the pillow is not an option, I can at least give you the next best thing.

I am anything but a beauty snob. When I can find a product on the cheap that does the same job as a higher priced item, I will snap it up in two seconds flat. So, I’m the master of getting the most bang for your buck at the beauty counter or drugstore. Want to know the five items I need to have in my make-up drawer? Read on, and then invigorate your morning routine with some great new products!

1. Hair: Catwalk Curl Amplifier, $14. Why it rocks: With this curl enhancer, a little bit goes a long way–and the hold is awesome. If you want to make sure your curls are really defined, put a quarter-sized blob in your hand and scrunch. Want looser waves? A dime-sized amount will do. Either way, you’ll have awesome-looking waves all day long. I get so many compliments when I use this product.

2. Nails: Sally Hansen Crackle Overcoat, $7. Why it rocks: I just found out about this crackle nail polish, and I am so excited to try it out! The effect on the lid of the bottle shows you what it will look like on your nail, so if you’re looking for something a bit unconventional, this is perfect for the next time you paint your nails. I bought black, but the hot pink would also be great for everyday wear.

3. Lips: NYC Smooch Proof Lip Stain, $5. Why it rocks: This lip stain is truly that–a stain. And the color will last without wearing off throughout the day. All the hues are extremely pretty, and I like to put a little chapstick over top for a glossy look. Pick up a tube in pink, champagne or red.

4. Cheeks: Physicians Formula Powder Palette Blush, $9. Why it rocks: This blush is oil free, non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic, and great for problem skin. It won’t clog your pores, and you don’t have to compromise on the quality of the product. There’s a shade for every skin tone, and it stays on fairly well through oil, rain and sweat. Best I’ve been able to find on a budget!

5: Face: Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser, $7. Why it rocks: This gentle face wash is a classic, and it’s still recommended by dermatologists today. Whereas I’ve been burned by chemical-laden cleansers before, this wash always goes on smooth and takes off all my make-up leaving fresh skin behind. It’s refreshing… a must-have product!

What are your top budget-friendly beauty buys? Share in the comments below!

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I’m all about prevention, and the base to any beauty maintenance regime should always be skincare focused. If I could live with only one product it would be the Clarisonic. I’ve been using it daily for about three years, and it has COMPLETELY changed my skin. You will feel and see the difference after a single use — seriously. It softens skin, minimizes the appearances of pores, helps remove makeup and other impurities (I still follow up the Clarisonic with a wipe), and prevents breakouts. Or, if you’re currently mid-breakout, it help clear up imperfections faster. It’s expensive, but trust me when I say that it’s worth saving up for. If you absolutely cannot bear to spend $200 on it, then try Olay Pro X. I haven’t tried it myself, but it’s the closest thing to the Clarisonic on the market and less expensive.

With that in mind, it goes without saying that cleaning your skin daily is a must, so always pack a cleanser. (Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish is a great one that works well with the Clarisonic brush). Next on the list is a moisturizer, and if you’re opting for one without SPF, then you’ll need a daily SPF cream or gel as well. The last skin-related must-have is an eye treatment. I’m a fan of Sephora’s new Instant Depuffing Roll-On Gel because it’s quick and easy, and the roll-on mechanism is soothing. It’s not a must for everyone, but I consider an anti-aging cream a personal essential. (I usually go for an SPF moisturizer by day and an anti-aging cream by night.)

As for makeup going back to the point of maintenance, some of the most over-looked products are primers — that includes nail polish primer, face primer, eye primer, lash primer (and I could go on, but since this is a story about essentials…). Primers help protect your skin, and they make subsequent makeup application a lot easier. (For example, when applied over primer, foundation will go on more smoothly and with less streaks. You’ll also notice that, if you opt for a primer like this one from Hourglass, your skin will be more hydrated.)

Once the face is properly primed, my personal makeup essentials are the following: liquid foundation, powder foundation to set the liquid, blush, all-over highlighting powder, eye shadow, black liner, mascara and a gloss.

Lastly, don’t forget perfume! I realize it’s not an essential for everyone, but I can’t imagine leaving my apartment without wearing Chanel Allure, Hermes Ambre Narguile or Tom Ford White Suede.

How do my essentials compare to yours?

Image Courtesy of Clarisonic.

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Whenever people ask me how I get volume in my hair, I direct them to my secret weapon, dry shampoo. From drugstore to premium brands, they all work great, but for styling purposes, I prefer the spray-in over the powder. Spray the dry powder in at the roots and tease lightly with a rat-tooth comb. There you go! Instant volume.

To give my stick-straight hair some curl and texture, I absolutely love the clipless curling iron. I’ve always used a regular clipped curling iron to curl my hair, but ever since I discovered the easy way to create waves, the clipless curling iron has been my go to. My trick to get pretty waves rather than big curls is to hold the wand downward, wrap the hair, and hold it for 10 seconds. The gloves may seem silly, but they are necessary, as I’ve burned myself a few times when I thought I could do it without them!

And the last thing that I love, an absolute essential, is this Philip B. Maui Wowie Beach Mist, which works so well in maintaining your style while still keeping your hair soft. Just spray through your hair and scrunch for that “messy on purpose” kind of hair.

I’m still much better at styling long hair. I’m only just learning how to style my shorter, shoulder-length hair, but those products have worked well for both lengths. And if you need help with curling your hair, then check out my tutorials on curling your hair with a flat iron or how to get glam curls.

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Post showering, I lightly towel-dry my hair, apply a leave-in conditioning spray or cream, and twist and loop this towel around my hair. It has made the time between my shower and my blow-drying routine so much more pleasant! Aside from the lack of dripping, the lightweight towel puts a lot less strain on my already sore upper back and neck. Plus, even if you don’t blow-dry your hair, this is a convenient way to get your hair dry faster, and it will likely encourage you to wash daily, which contrary to the wide-spread myth, is recommended.

If you need a little encouragement, then P&G recently conducted a 1,000 person survey and found that 81 percent of women said their daily-washed hair helped them get a complement, get noticed (65 percent), get a date (33 percent), and even get a job (18 percent)!

Image Courtesy of Turbie Twist

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We all know that one of the biggest no-nos is going to bed with makeup on. Not only does it make your skin prone to breakouts, but it can also clog pores and irritate skin (and it will undoubtedly dirty your pillows!). Having a solid before-bed cleansing and skincare ritual is crucial, and while most women know this, even if they don’t always adhere to it, sleeping with a running air purifier and a humidifier is just as important, especially if you have allergies. Or, when the weather is dry, because let’s face it: When it comes to skin, texture is never good.

Avoid breakouts, coughs and flaky skin by plugging in BlueAir 403 HEPASilent air purifier and a Crane humidifier by night. BlueAir’s purifier is awesome, it’s got a super sleek exterior, so even if you live in a studio like I do, you won’t mind its size. It’s also incredibly quiet; in fact you’d be hard pressed to know it’s even on working hard to remove all the junk (think microscopic allergens, smoke, and odors), floating around in the air! As for the humidifier, it’s important to know that skin looses a lot of hydration at night, a humidifier is essential for maintaining skin hydration, brightness and elasticity. As an added bonus, the combination of the two devices can work miracles for allergy suffers, and they’ll help in achieving a speedy recovery if you’re sick (the combo of dirty particle-free air and cool mist worked wonders for my cough last week). The best part about these devices, however, is that they’re so uniquely powerful that you’ll see instant results. Seriously, after one night with these babies, you’ll wake up with more refreshed, healthier-looking skin. Use it with the Clarisonic (my all-time favorite beauty gadget), and your skin will never be the same. I’m talking more even texture, more moisture for a refreshed glow and smaller pores. God I love instant gratification!

If your bedroom is very small or you want to amp up your beauty maintenance, opt for a smaller purifier like the BlueAir CAB011 CleanAirBall air purifier. I’ve been using mine near my workspace. I just plug it into an outlet by my desk by day and put it on a chair next to me. I’ve been pleasantly surprised that it has been working doubly duty to calm my nerves… something about the soft sound, I find to be very calming.

Both devices are especially popular in the winter-time here on the East Coast, but they really should be an year-round staple. Not only will they help achieve and maintain healthy skin, but you’ll breathe easier (especially given that spring is peak allergy season), will help prevent illness (a lack of moisture can prevent our immune system from working properly and air purifiers have been shown to help treat respiratory symptoms), and in the summer when humidity levels are high, a humidifier will help prevent mold, bacteria and viruses.

Images Courtesy of Crane USA and BlueAir.

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Not only can you lather your body with triple-milled soap (Crabtree makes the best, and they’re often on sale when I stop by their stores), body lotion, bath and shower gel, body cream, etc., but the collection also includes scented drawer lining paper (love this for my lingerie drawer), home fragrance sprays, dusting powder, candles, diffusers, sachets, hangers and all kinds of other fun stuff to spruce up your home. The floral collection is made up of four distinct scents:

• Lavender layered with violet leaf, jasmine and lemon leaf
• Lily intertwine with dewy greens, hyacinth and ylang ylang
• Rose blended with English violet, peony and musk accords
• Iris infused with violet, jasmine, Italian bergamot and cassis

There are a whopping 54 items to choose from in the collection and many of them will be available as gift sets. (Crabtree packaging is always tops — see fruit and flower-lined box above!. At the moment, my apartment (and my body!) smell like a fresh garden, so talk about having an even more serious lack of motivation to leave my apartment than I did before!

If you can’t wait till next week to stock up, then you can already get a bunch of Crabtree’s Iris products now, just click here!

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I always love new eye products because that’s the area that I always concentrate on the most. Here are a few things that I’ve recently bought and have become a staple in my makeup bag:

These Make Up For Ever eyeliners are so smooth and creamy AND the color is super rich, so a little swipe of the blue or purple ones across my eyelid totally makes my eyes pop, and for having small Asian eyes, that’s a hard thing to do! They also are fantastic because they last all day long!

Along with they eyeliners, I’ve been loving bold eyeshadow colors like the blues and purples from these NARS eyeshadow duos. These duos are great because you can layer the two colors — wear the lighter color underneath and the darker color in the outer corner of your eye (and blend, blend, blend!) These are also great for traveling, so you don’t have to carry around a jam-packed cosmetics bag, and you’ll always have coordinating colors on hand.

The Tarte under eye concealer is actually one of the most important parts of my eye routine. Without this, I’d look much more tired all the time! I love that it lightens my dark circles and makes my eyes look less puffy even when I only get a few hours of sleep!

Any new beauty buys for you guys that you have been loving? I’d love to hear!

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Spring is fast approaching – and can I just say thank god (!) because it has been a brutal, brutal winter here in New York City. Unfortunately as we ladies know warm weather also means bikini season and if getting into an itty bitty two-piece isn’t taunting enough, there’s no way that most of us would hit the beach without a pre-sun-and-surf waxing or sugaring appointment. While it’s true that if you wax regularly the pain is mitigated, it never really goes away – no matter how many pre-emptive Advils you pop (though those do help!). What else helps? A pretty genius innovation from Dr. Edna Ma, M.D., a practicing anesthesiologist and a pain management expert at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California.

The beauty-minded DR was inspired by Aristotle’s astute (or depressing??) words when he noted “the aim of the wise is not to secure pleasure, but to avoid pain,” and created the world’s first and only garment-based numbing system for and ouch-less waxing and bikini hair removal, BareEase & Cream http://www.bareease.com/.

The unique, pain-free preparatory treatment consists of a prep kit featuring a Lidocaine-based cream, (the most widely used anesthetic at the maximum 4% concentration that can legally be sold over-the-counter), and additional ingredients including aloe and jojoba, which soothe and moisturize the skin. Combined with the latex panty, the numbing cream becomes absorbed into the designated area when used 30 – 45 minutes prior to any procedure. Used together, the cream and panty can be worn under clothing. They are removed just prior to waxing or laser hair removal since the numbing effect will last for approximately 15-20 minutes once the cream is removed.

If this sounds intimating – it’s not – this isn’t like a dentist or surgeon’s numbing agent, it’s infinitely more mild than that and no, the process still wont be completely pain-free, but that intense snapping sensation will be noticeably alleviated.

The BareEase & Cream kit is available in two sizes, S/M and M/L and retails for $24.99.

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Many of the makeup storage solutions from my stockpile of options have come courtesy of bag-with-purchase deals I’ve gotten over the years, which are usually functional, but not always all that fashionable. When I’m traveling or looking for something I wouldn’t be embarrassed to bust out in front of say… Pat McGrath… I opt for finds like the ones below!

This trio of makeup pouches from Bloom ($20) is perfect for eye liners, lip liners, mascara wands, glosses, lipsticks and all kinds of non-spilling products. They’re conveniently flat, so they’ll take up little room in your luggage, and you can easily see what’s inside to avoid needless rummaging.

Flight 001 has the market cornered when it comes to innovative travel bags, and their toiletry pack is no exception. It comes in a variety of colors, but my fave is the orange F1 SpacePak Reverse Toiletry ($42), which helps me keep everything, from my Clarisonic and Sonicare toothbrush to my various lotions and potions, organized when I’m airplane-bound. It’s also got a handy hook for hanging.

For cutesy makeup bags, Kate Spade and Lulu Guinness perpetually churn out adorable options, and for classic ones that will last a lifetime (or at least until you have an unfortunate liquid foundation spill!), check out Pucci’s selection.

Sephora is another reliable source. They’ve got everything from professional-grade makeup trucks and limited-edition designer bags (like the new ones designed by artist Simone Legno for his tokidoki line), to basic pouches, cases, and pre-cased brush sets.

Where do you store your makeup when you’re on the go?

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Plus, you can save products from the videos that you lust over to your Beauty Genius makeup bag as a sort of virtual wish list. If youÂ’re stuck without 3G (as is so often the case with the temperamental iPhone coverage), you can still watch your videos, too. Once downloaded, theyÂ’re saved to your phone, so you can watch them anytime from anywhere.

The few reviews in the iTunes Store are a short list of succinctly unhappy customers (one complained there were only six beauty tips and six celeb looks so far). Perhaps itÂ’s a work in progress, with more content coming at regular intervals in the future. Or perhaps they should take a page out of Jamie OliverÂ’s book and make a good app with pretty good content from the get-go.

Either way, itÂ’s a stab at adding useful apps to the current beauty offering. What else is out there, you ask? Cosmetifique and Love My Skin are the best so far. The former is a database of thousands of ingredients used in beauty products. The latter a way to map your moles and changes in your skin. SpaFinderÂ’s app will show you spas and spa deals wherever you are, and iPerfumer is a giant perfume database. Haircaster, Hair Makeover, iStylist, The Pretty Nails app are all just meh.

But you know what IÂ’m really waiting for? A useful and FREE beauty app. Perhaps a shopable Sephora app or an amazing magazine app (not yet happened).

A girl can dream, canÂ’t she?

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/williamhook/2830319467

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