Hello, my fabulous friends! This weekend I treated myself to another product from the Boots line, since I was so happy with the results of the first. It seems as though I may have found a less expensive alternative to the Smashbox photofinish primer, so stay tuned for a full review of the combined power of Restore & Renew together with the Colour Calming Make-up Base - the results are nearly in, and you'll be the first to hear more, as always!

Fondly,

~Frugal Femme

Hello, my lovelies. Things have been super busy here in the home of the Frugal Femme. I’ve neglected you terribly, and I do intend to make amends just as soon as I can! While all of the things going on in my little corner of the world are very positive and exciting developments, I want to work harder to make sure that this blog starts getting the attention that it, and YOU, deserve.

For starters - my teaser from so long ago has been much researched, and while the results may not be what any of us expected, they’re tried and true. NO after-shave care product I’ve used has been able to counteract the results of a hurried or careless job of shaving. I know that some will soothe pain, others will alleviate redness, but the only honest to goodness way to cure the problem of shaving irritation starts when you turn on the water.

First, ALWAYS make sure you have the time to really dedicate to handling this delicate process properly. Any rushed shave job (particularly in the bikini area) is going to result in irritation. You want to use warm or hot water, and allow your skin to soak, not just get wet. If you’re not taking a shower or bath, use a wet washcloth and hold it against the area to be shaved until the skin is completely hydrated.

Second, EXFOLIATE. The top layer of your skin will come off with your blade, and will keep you that much further away from the closest shave possible. You don’t need to use a harsh or abrasive exfoliant; sugar scrubs are ideal, as they also cover the next important aspect of the perfect shave.

Moisturize. Use a sugar or salt scrub that contains essential oils that will soften the coarse and thick hairs, making them easier for your blade to *cut* rather than to break or pull. You can also use a small amount of hair conditioner or body cream; don’t overdo it though, because you want to leave it on during your shave.

Use a new razor. A sharp blade will ensure that the hair is *cut* and not pulled from below the skin, which is what causes those red bumps in most cases, and usually leads to painful ingrown hairs. A sharp razor also means only one or two passes across each bit of skin will do the job; repeated scraping of an area will also lead to irritation.

You can absolutely use an after-shave gel, lotion, or other product, but these tips will alleviate the need for one. Just make sure that you’re avoiding alcohol or other drying agents, which will pull your skin tighter and bring the hair you’ve just cut closer to the surface.

For those who live in an area that has an adult store of some kind, check out Coochy Shave Cream - I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews from colleagues who have used it, and I’ve got some on the way so I can give you a first hand account soon.

I hope this has proven to be helpful, and I’ll see you all again soon - I’ve got a trip to Ulta planned for tomorrow or Friday, and now I’m off to make my shopping list! Anything in particular you’d like me to keep an eye out for while I’m there? Drop a line and let me know!

Hugs ‘n’ Smooches,

~FF

... A request came in from a friend regarding aftershave lotions and gels. Next on Frugal Femme, what it takes to avoid the potentially painful aftereffects of that perfect shave, be it on your legs or higher... Stay tuned!

Product: Boots Restore & Renew Beauty Serum
Use: Anti-aging
SRP: $21.99

Nothing makes me happier than getting to try a new product without plunking down my hard-earned cash for the privilege. I'd been hearing about Boots for some time, and once the line arrived at Target, it was only by physical force that I could be removed from the Health and Beauty aisles. So many products, none of which I'd tried, and where to start? Thankfully, Boots saw fit to provide samples and knowledgeable employees to Target stores, and I walked away with about two weeks' worth of No7 Restore & Renew without lightening my wallet. And now, dear readers, the results are in!

Boots recommends using No7 R&R for about four weeks to see reduction of pores, fine lines, and an overall restoration of youthful skin. I've got this fabulous makeup mirror with the 10x magnification side - you know, the one we never use because we'd rather NOT see all those imperfections up close and personal first thing in the morning - and I made a point of giving my face a good hard look before my first use of Restore & Renew. Then, I told myself to give it some time, use it every day until it was gone, and see what happened. Here we are, a week and a couple of days later, and let me tell you, I didn't even need to go back to the magnified mirror to know that this stuff works.

After ten days' use, I can *feel* the difference in my skin when I apply the serum, followed by my usual moisturizer. The area around my nose and my chin are the "trouble spots" for enlarged pores, and where I didn't have to before, I now need to get right up to the mirror and truly LOOK for my pores. My skin appears smoother, more uniformly colored, and has a radiance I didn't know was missing until I got it back. I leave my face naked but for a dusting of mineral finishing powder, which also goes on more evenly than it did a week ago, and that's all it takes to eliminate those imperfections I generally have to work to cover and mask.

The product itself is thick and a bit paste-like; I have to remind myself that it's a *serum* and not a moisturizer. It's not meant to feel completely weightless - it's got work to do, and that requires a bit more substance. It feels good, though - like a thin mud mask that you rub in rather than letting it sit on the surface. It takes only moments to completely absorb into the skin, and doesn't leave a shine, so you don't have to apply a powder over it if you don't care to. A very small amount covers my entire face and neck, and there's only a faint scent - more medicinal than fragrant - which doesn't linger past application.

It's no wonder Restore & Renew is flying off shelves everywhere; we all hear the hype about every new anti-aging system, every recommended proactive measure for maintaining your skin's elasticity and tautness, every cream/toner/cleanser that's going to turn back the years. Finally, there's one product, applied in seconds every morning, that delivers on the promises made by every skin care company known to femme. Head to Target or CVS and see if you can grab up a bottle of this serum before it's sold out; by the time they get it back in stock, you could already have seen the results for yourself.

Do you own this product? Would you like to add your thoughts on this or a similar one? Comment here for others to hear!

Have a product you want your Retail Private Eye to investigate before you buy? Email me at Frugal (@) Femme Flavor (.) com!

Who’s excited that Britain’s number one cosmetic and skin care company has finally landed in the states? I know I am! I managed to score a handful of samples of their Restore & Renew Beauty Serum in addition to a couple of other skin care products, so you know I’ll be delivering a report before long!

How many of you have tried Boots? Was it in England, or not until they debuted the line here in the US? What are your overall thoughts? Can’t wait to hear, and from there, of course, I can’t wait to try it all!

I hope you’re enjoying a safe and relaxing holiday weekend; until later then, my lovelies!

Fondly,

~FF

Product: Bumble & bumble Styling Creme
Use: creating the perfect 'do
SRP: $22
Best Price: $22 at participating salons (visit http://www.bumbleandbumble.com/ and click the Store Locator at the top to find one near you)

It's been a while, I know; thank you all for your patience while I was on vacation and catching up afterwards! As a reward, I want to tell you about the first styling product I've been willing to spend more than $5 on in *years*.

I have plastic totes under my bathroom vanity that are full of various products, not the least represented of those being hair styling goos of various types. Spritzes, gels, mousses, pomades, you name it, we've got it. A very few get a second go-'round, and when they do, it's almost always due to price rather than performance. No longer is that the case.

My dear stylist, Chris at Anvil Salon in San Francisco, made a believer out of me when he introduced Bumble & bumble's Styling Creme. After telling me that my hair is in fact not just wavy, but *curly*, and after allowing my laughter to serve as a challenge, he hit my hair with a dollop of this stuff and watched my smirk fade into sheepishness.

The bottle reads, "Well, it's not a mousse and it's not a gel - some call it magic." Count me among them. With about a quarter-sized amount of product worked through my ridiculously thick, shoulder-blade length hair, he turned stick straight into just shy of ringlets. While other brands will promise not to leave your hair stiff, sticky, or immobile, this one delivers - I was able to run my fingers through without getting stuck, OR ruining the curl.

If you've not yet tried Bumble & bumble products, do yourself, and your hair, a favor - treat yourself to a cut and style at a salon that carries them, and ask the stylist to use this creme. Grab a bottle to take home, and discover how easy it is to finally reproduce salon styling at home with one product in a large enough bottle to last you at least until your next visit.

Do you own this product? Would you like to add your thoughts on this or a similar one? Comment here for others to hear!

Have a product you want your Retail Private Eye to investigate before you buy? Email me!

I've got three bits of news that are exciting for me, and I hope at least one is for you, as well!

First, the L'Oreal Infallible lip color is on sale at Ulta - $8.99 each, so if you've got an Ulta nearby or you trust the colors represented on the website, buy 'em now! This is probably the price they'll fall to once the novelty wears off, but I wouldn't imagine it will go any lower, considering that comparable products are all right around ten dollars apiece and they hold a fraction of an ounce more than this does if I'm not mistaken.

Second, I've been quiet for a reason, and it's time to share it with you - Frugal Femme is now one sub-domain of my very own website! My new domain, http://www.femmeflavor.com, is still very much under construction, but it will host the Frugal Femme reviews and so much more from here on out. I will continue to cross-post for a short time, but my main goal is to have it all in just one place. I will likely ask you all to subscribe to the RSS feed for the Frugal Femme portion of my site at some point this fall, but until I'm more familiar with the new content management system, I'll continue to post in LJ and export to WordPress.
That being said, the new location of the Frugal Femme is currently http://frugal.femmeflavor.com/wordpress/. My partner is the computer geek and she's working on the links and all that good stuff, but it will have to wait a bit longer because of...

Item number three on the exciting news list - I'm officially on vacation! I have to leave my house in an hour and a half, and I'm sitting here writing to you wrapped in my biggest, warmest towel, straight out of the shower, haven't yet slept and won't until I board the plane. My makeup, hair, nail, and body products are all packed, but the last of my clothes are still in the dryer... I've got the shoes narrowed down to seven pairs for eight days including travel, but I'm afraid I may be required to whittle the selection even further... Goodness, I'd best get going, no?

Have a wonderful week and some, my lovelies!

Fondly,

~Frugal Femme

Product: L'Oreal Infallible Lip Color
Use: Long-lasting lip color in a variety of shades
SRP: $11.99
Best Price: Target, $9.99 (in stores only - click the picture to go to Ulta for online shopping)


What's the point in getting all dolled up for a hot date if kissing said date results in lipstick ruin? Thankfully, there are products out there that will keep us free from reapplication for hours of luscious lip locking.

I'm a big fan of MAC makeup, I'm not going to lie. I'm also a big fan of being able to pay the bills, so my supply of MAC is much shorter than that of drugstore brand cosmetics. When it came time for long-lasting, no-worries, this-stuff-isn't-going-anywhere lip color, I hit the MAC counter, knowing I'd find what I needed, and I did - the pro longwear line has some great colors, they last through most anything, and they don't dry my lips. All of what I need in a lip color, to the tune of $20 plus tax. A small price to pay, if it's the only product out there. None of the others I'd tried had provided the same results, so I was content with the price tag. Until now, of course.

Let's start off by saying that L'Oreal sure does know how to push our packaging buttons. The mirrored case with the lip color locked into one side and the moisturizing sealant on the other is pure genius, and let's not forget how much I love the shiny stuff! At about the size and shape of a compact flip phone, the case is pocket-ready or easily thrown in any size bag. The mirror isn't compact-quality, but it does the trick, whether you're applying the color or touching up the sealant. The color applicator is a molded sponge-tip, which may need to be used somewhat carefully by our thinner-lipped friends, but which fits the curves and corners of the mouth perfectly so that one swipe is all it takes to apply evenly and thoroughly.

The colors seemed somewhat limited to pinks and browns, but it appeared to be because several of the reds (Pomegranate and Crimson among them) had already sold out in both Target and Walgreens, despite the fact that the product had hit the shelves mere days before I shopped for it. The 24 shades do range widely enough that anyone should be able to find at least a couple that work well for them, and there are close color options for frost or matte based on your preference.

I picked up Azalea, a really pretty pink with purple undertones, and I wore it all weekend, through lunches and cocktails with straws and bubble gum and smooches. The color didn't move until I wanted it off. I reapplied the sealant two or three times over the course of seven or eight hours' wear, more because I was checking out color's staying power and happened to think of it than because I felt the need. The stick sealant moisturizes without feeling greasy, and it soaks into the color and the lips rather than sitting on top. When the days were done, a quick once-over with makeup remover took the color away without any scrubbing necessary.

Grabbing me with the packaging, hooking me with the price, and winning me with the proof, L'Oreal's got a new convert when it comes to keeping my lips dressed all day.

Do you own this product? Would you like to add your thoughts on this or a similar one? Comment here for others to hear!

Have a product you want your Retail Private Eye to investigate before you buy? Email me!

For anyone who is interested in trying out Electric Cosmetics (see my review here), all eye shadows are on sale - 5 gram jars for $3 each as opposed to the normal $5 each. Dez is also offering a free shadow with each purchase. The sale is through this Sunday, August 5th, so definitely check it out if you're in need of some new shadows! My favorite EC shadow colors are Plue, Soft Red, and Creek. Have fun shopping!!!

~FF

I'm mid-test, but I've got a good feeling about this one; stay tuned for tomorrow's full report on L'Oreal's new Infallible Lip color! I hope you're all having a lovely week!

~FF

A few questions for you, my salacious shopping buddies! Don't be afraid to comment with any information you feel would be helpful for which I haven't created a specific question. I sure do love hearing what you all have to say :)

~FF

Poll #1031918 So far, so good?
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 17

Which of the items I've reviewed had you heard of/seen prior to my post?

Have you followed links to products reviewed here to check them out further?

How likely are you to purchase one or more of the items you've seen here so far?

Which types of reviews interest you the most?

Which review result do you find to be ultimately more helpful?

If you could change one thing about Frugal Femme reviews thus far, what would it be?

Product: Color correcting Primer from Smashbox
Use: Correct and balance overage of red (green tint, pictured above), yellow (lavendar tint, not pictured), or other skin discoloration (apricot, not pictured)
SRP: $38 for 1 oz. pump bottle
Best Price: Sephora, get two 0.5 oz. tubes for $33 ($16.50 ea.)

Anyone with perpetually rosy cheeks can tell you, calming down the redness and trying to reach that utopia of skin tone uniformity is a quest for the ages. Like many people, I have the triangles of deep red that never fade entirely, and burn true crimson if I'm given a reason to blush. And, like many people, I spent a while trying to cover the red rather than correcting it. Of course, this didn't work, and I made my way through a handful of liquid, cream, and powder foundations before I realized that it wasn't the makeup's fault - there was just no holding this red back.

I started seeing green tinted face powders on the scene a couple of years ago, and of course it made sense - the green neutralizes the red! Wow, what a novelty! Why didn't I think of this??? I picked up a green concealer stick and was on my way, or so I thought. Sure, it neutralized the red, but it left me looking like I'd either just been ill, or was about to be, and that was NOT what I was going for. I ditched the green and returned to my red-cheek-acceptance mode, where I remained for some time. Until the phone call.

One of my girls knows that my flaming cheeks have the tendency to drive me insane, primarily when my makeup for the day does not include colors that are complemented well by fuschia. She'd just picked up the Smashbox photo finish primer intended to correct redness, as she's got a couple of trouble spots, and it was a miracle! The red was gone! The sky opened and the angels sang hallelujah! I knew I had to get this stuff, and fast. I found the half ounce tube at my local Sephora and in moments, I was out the door and headed back to my makeup mirror.

Smoothing the primer on was a unique experience for someone who had never used a facial product with silicone before; the consistency was light and airy, and it was like silk on my fingertips and my face. I could see the difference the tint made, not in an earth shattering way, but in a piece of the puzzle way - the green didn't completely eradicate the red, but it did neutralize it enough so that a light mineral finishing powder was all it took to give my skin a consistent tone. The primer itself, aside from the color correct quality, worked nicely to provide a smooth base by filling pores and fine lines weightlessly. I was glad to have purchased the tube as opposed to the bottle, as I've had other "whipped" types of foundation in pump bottles, and the pump becomes useless towards the end of the product; I would have been scraping the sides long before I felt I'd gotten my $38 worth, I'm sure. As for the amount of product needed, I used less and less each time for the first several days, and ended up with a pea-sized amount providing enough coverage to prime my entire face without excess.

As Smashbox is one of the more expensive brands I'll purchase myself, I'll likely be picking up the next product I see that promises the same results, but has a more forgiving price tag. At the cost for the Photo Finish Primer, I would certainly rather find a comparable product for less, but I wouldn't say no to purchasing this one again. As the color correct is only slightly more than the clear, I'd opt for that as well, but if you're trying to find complete color correction in a single product, I wish you luck, dear reader, and I wish you'd share if ever you find it!

Do you own this product? Would you like to add your thoughts on this or a similar one? Comment here for others to hear!

Have a product you want your Retail Private Eye to investigate before you buy? Email me!

Product: Rina Rich Bags (Specifically, the Shoulder Bag)
SRP: $25-$50
Best Price: http://www.glitzgifts.net; also available at Stuf on Haight St. in SF, CA

Let it be known that I am not a handbag kind of femme. Half of the time I forget to carry one, and I frequently forget to bring it back home when I do. This has been the source of no small amount of shame for me, given that a couple of my nearest and dearest girls are all about the clutches, the totes, the hobos, you name the bag, they've got four of 'em. As for me, I get confused if something I'm carrying has more than one zipper, or requires both hands to access the treasures within.

Unfortunately, one of the truths I'd hoped could be avoided has hit me full-force this year - the older you get, the bigger your purse must be. I made it through several successful bar-hopping years in five-pocket jeans, where each pocket carried the same items every night. Then I started small; a little black clutch, purchased because I couldn't resist the price (go figure!), and oh, how proud I was of myself! I could throw my five pockets' worth of stuff in this cute little seven dollar bag and not look like I had something growing out of my mid-thigh on each leg! Then, last year, my partner's mom came on the scene, and she lives within credit card charging distance of a Coach outlet. Handbags, 1, Frugal Femme, 0. But as cute as the swing packs and wristlets were, they couldn't keep up with this girl's growing assortment of items that had moved from the "I sure wish I had that with me," world into the realm of, "Dammit, I need a purse that can hold all of this." Enter Stuf on Haight Street.

The store is easily missed; the display window isn't gaudy or crowded, the space itself is narrow and dimly lit, and more than two people can hardly shop comfortably at one time. It is here, though, that I find myself actually drawn to handbags - small ones, HUGE ones, granny-styles ones, flashy ones - and every bag that catches my eye bears the same tag. Rina Rich? Never heard of her. NOT that this should come as a surprise; I couldn't tell the difference between a Vuitton bag and Le Sportsac if you took off the labels. (OK, maybe that's a bit drastic, but this is not my area of expertise)

Rina Rich's bags are elegant, sturdy, and, for the most part, designed to wear well and ride the tides of fashion. The faux leather is supple but not flimsy, the hardware prominent but not overwhelming. Each of the bags I inspected had a minor flaw or two, primarily a spot where the thread had broken or gone slightly off track. It didn't detract from the overall attractiveness of the piece, though, and I left with a handbag that not only fits my fashion needs, but will hold everything a working girl needs from day to day. And as a comfort, however small it may be, it's still nowhere near as big as my mother's purse.

Do you own this product? Would you like to add your thoughts on this or a similar one? Comment here for others to hear!

Have a product you want your Retail Private Eye to investigate before you buy? Email me!

Product: Rimmel Lycra Lash Extender Mascara
Use: Lengthening and curling eyelashes
SRP: Unavailable from Rimmel
Best Price: $4.99 @ Ulta (http://www.ulta.com) - Also available at Wal-Mart in the US, see store for price

Let me preface by noting that if there were a prize for the cosmetic item with the fewest "must have" votes given to any particular brand, it would go to mascara, hands down. It seems as though no one can truly agree on the mascara that every lash will love. That being said, this review is going to tell you what the product does, what it doesn't, and the rest is up to you, dear reader.

My first experience with Rimmel's lycra lash-enhancer is a bit of a blur, mostly because I was entranced every time my dear friend blinked. Her lashes swooped down and laid upon her cheeks, thousands of them, a mile long, then returned, with each bat of her eyes. I could NOT wait to get my hands on a tube of this stuff - finally, I was going to have the lashes I'd always wanted, the long, lush, voluminous lashes that I was meant to have! Perhaps this was a bit of wishful thinking on my part, but hey, it could happen, right?

My second experience was the real test, the moment we'd all, or at least I'd, been waiting for. I'm a stickler for precise and purposeful mascara application; what with it being the last thing I put on when completing my eye makeup, any mistake means not only cleaning up the mess, but reapplying anything that came off with it. Suffice it to say that it's a good thing I hadn't spent any amount of time applying eyeshadow that morning. After each of the first several strokes of the brush resulted in mascara being deposited on both upper and lower lash lines, I finally just finished the job and tidied up when I was done. The results delivered by the mascara were perhaps less dramatic than I'd hoped, but the length did appear to be somewhat extended, and, without using any torturous devices, it did appear as though I'd curled my lashes. While the fringe didn't gain any volume or thickness by way of the new product, it also didn't promise either of those things, so I can't really complain, can I?

In the end, I'm essentially in the same place I was before I bought this new mascara - trying a different one every time it comes on the market. Perhaps one of these days, I'll splurge on a tube from a high-end counter and fall in love, but until a group of twenty makeup lovers can say in one voice that *this* is the brand to have, I'll stick with trial and error. And of course, I'll share the results with you.

Have you tried this product? Would you like to add your thoughts on this or a similar one? Comment here for others to hear!

Have a product you want your Retail Private Eye to investigate before you buy? Email me!

To think that LiveJournal thought today of all days would be a good one for a power failure! On the day I'd intended to review Rimmel's Lycra mascara! For shame!
Well, that will have to wait until tomorrow, given the late hour and the fact that my partner is a page and a half away from finishing the latest Harry Potter novel and will most certainly want to process.

In the meantime, would you share a few things with me, my dears?


Poll #1027281
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 17

Do you enjoy participating in polls?

Would you rather poll questions...

Would you answer an occasional poll posted on Frugal Femme in order to tailor the reviews to the readership's desires?

Please feel free to share any other thoughts about collecting information that will help this blog be what you want from it. I'd have no reason to write if you didn't want to read!

Fondly,
The Frugal Femme

Product: Sally Hansen Diamond Lip Treatment
Use: Shimmer, tint, and plumping for lips
SRP: $4.99 at most drugstores
Best Price: Ulta, in-store, $2.39 ea. PLUS buy one get one free

While most of my makeup collection grows slowly, with painstaking consideration for each color, brand, and end result, I have no shame when it comes to lipstick and gloss. I gravitate towards anything that purports to be long-lasting, is a shade I know works well for me, or is under five bucks. Make it shiny, and I'm a goner. This is how I happened upon Sally Hansen's Diamond Lip Treatment.

I'd been trying to find something that would perfectly match my OPI Bogota Blackberry mani/pedi for an upcoming event, and I was striking out. Everything was either too red or too purple. I figured I'd try and find two products that would combine to create the perfect match, and Always Ascher, a deep purple with incredible sparkle, was the Sally Hansen lip color that hit the mark.

I didn't think that, for five dollars, I'd find a gloss that had enough tint to be worn on its own with a full face of makeup, enough glitter to satisfy my deep need for dazzling light-refraction, AND enough plumper to be effective without making my lips feel like they had been doused in cayenne pepper. Thankfully, I was wrong - this lip treatment is all of the above.

The product comes in a limited number of colors, but they run the gamut from warm to cool and, with only a few shades, I don't find myself wishing they made X, Y, or Z for use with certain looks. There's also an opaque colorless gloss that can be applied over your favorite lipstick to create the desired effect. The tube is perfectly sized for a pocket or purse, and the brush applicator means that you're only putting the gloss ON, and not taking the lip color beneath OFF.

Yesterday, I received a gift of Chanel's Limited Edition Galactic Glossimer. It's been advertised everywhere, and I'd seen it at the department store counter, but I wasn't about to plunk down $25 for a lip gloss. The Sally Hansen treatment is a comparable product, and never you mind what the price tags say. The Glossimer does add an intense frost finish to any color over which it is applied, but the blue and pink overtones in Galactic limit it to use over cool shades. You also need to use a fingertip to apply it, as the Chanel tube comes with a sponge-tipped applicator that will pick up your base color and tint the gloss when it's replaced if you use it over a highly pigmented product.

Finally, as if the price and the results weren't enough, the Diamond Lip Treatment shades coordinate with ten of the Sally Hansen Diamond Strength No Chip Nail Colors, so if you're like me and you've got to have the perfect match, this is a foolproof and affordable way to go. Just don't tell Coco I sent you...


Have you tried this product? Would you like to add your thoughts on this or a similar one? Comment here for others to hear!

Have a product you want your Retail Private Eye to investigate before you buy? Email me!

Good morning my darlings, I only wish I had time to regale you with the details of what turned out to be quite a shopping spree yesterday! As it stands though, I've only moments before I must rush off to work, so, as I don't want to leave you with nothing from me today, here's this - Avenue's "drop a dollar a day" online sale continues through Monday, and with coupon code 71222, you can receive 20% off of your entire online order, including items already on sale. Inventory is diminishing, so see what items have made it to their $9.99 bottom line, and grab them up!

If you are able to go into a brick and mortar Avenue store, I do recommend it; their semi-annual sale has items at prices half below the ones currently listed on the web, as well as items not found online. As noted by a reader in the comments on the Avenue Bike Short Panty, the bike shorts do work out to $10 a pair (50% off the retail price), but you need to buy a total of 4 pair, as they're buy two, get two free in-store. A great deal, and not the only one worth the trip to an Avenue store this weekend.

That's the super-short scoop; I'll have more details on some of my purchases in the week to come. Next up will be Sally Hanson's Diamond Lip Treatment - compare to Chanel's Glossimer for quality and shades, and I'll tell you where to find them for a tenth of the price, plus buy-one-get-one - stay tuned!

Have a grand weekend, all!

~Frugal Femme

Product: Electric Cosmetics Eye Shadows (Pictured above, starting in upper left hand corner and moving clockwise: Deep Black, Creek, Frost, Bronze Shimmer, Soft Red, Grapette)
Use: Loose powder for eyelids; can also be added to clear lip glosses, nail polishes, etc.
SRP: $5 for 5g, $1.50 for 1/4 tsp. sample bag
Best Price: Sign up for the newsletter at http://www.electriccosmetics.com to receive notices of sales

Many years passed from the time I first picked up a sponge-tipped applicator and made my inaugural foray into the world of eye makeup to the day I resolved to up the ante and start taking the stuff seriously. For a while, I balked at bright colors, felt that all makeup should look "natural", and immediately removed any mix of colors that I felt was too attention-getting.

My, how things have changed...

Today, when I get ready for a date with my partner, have an event to attend, or just feel like giving people something to talk about, the many brushes and color pots are laid out, my is mirror cocked to the perfect angle, and not a bit of my lid is left untouched by vivid shades that would have made my former self gasp aloud. And when this happens, you will find that many of the hues I choose are from Electric Cosmetics.

Dez, the young woman who started the company with her hand-crafted eye shadows, is a brilliant entrepreneur for her age (19) and strives to meet the needs of her ever-growing clientèle. She even offers to create a custom color for you, asking for details such as matte versus metallic, glitter versus shimmer, and whether the color you're envisioning is comparable to another shade she can use as a guideline. Her products are all cruelty-free, and contain a very small number of ingredients, making them a good bet for those with allergies or aversions to certain items often used in makeup.

I have purchased from Electric Cosmetics on two occasions, and have a total of twenty-seven colors of EC eye shadow. Each color is unique and blends well with other shades using any basic technique. While I definitely recommend the use of a primer to bring out the intensity and longevity of the loose powders, once they are applied, they stay put and stay vivid for hours. Without a primer, as with most mineral shadows, the colors are a bit lackluster and tend to slide.

The process of purchasing from Electric Cosmetics was a bit bumpy; I placed both of my orders during sales Dez has promoted heavily, and I found that it was difficult for her to keep up at the rate necessary to provide timely production and shipping. The first order was significantly delayed, and I received a page of coupons to be used on future purchases by way of apology. One of the lids in my second order was broken apart, though none of the product was lost thanks to the paper seal inside each jar. When I brought it to Dez's attention, she responded that she would replace it, but I didn't hear from her again. Considering that the shadow itself was still perfectly usable and that I'd just scored 25 shadows for $20, I didn't follow up; I knew she was likely still overwhelmed with the sale, and it just wasn't that big a deal to me.

I know that Dez, like any small business owner, is working hard to streamline her processes and get her product line out there for the world to see. Rather than waiting until Electric Cosmetics blows up on the makeup scene - which it will - check this stuff out now. Go fill up your virtual shopping cart, have bit of patience and understanding, and you will be rewarded with high-quality shadows in colors that rival the big name brands' offerings at a fraction of the cost.

Have you tried this product? Would you like to add your thoughts on this or a similar one? Comment here for others to hear!

Have a product you want your Retail Private Eye to investigate before you buy? Email me!

I wanted to take a moment to say hello to and welcome the new friends to my page; I'm so very glad to have each of you!

Blogging is such a different method of writing from that of preparing print articles; it gives us the opportunity to instantly engage with our readership, makes us available and approachable, and keeps us accountable - I can slack off a day on actually writing new posts, but what about the comments I would then have to leave unanswered? Or answer, then have people wonder why I'm not writing a new review? Do I ignore the folks who take time out of their day to encourage my project? Of course not. And certainly, if I've got time enough to return comments, I've got time enough to pick an amazing product, ANY amazing product, in my household to share with them, haven't I? Yes, I have. And I will. There will likely be days when I just can't get to the computer for personal efforts, or when I am out learning my way around San Francisco, or when I am taking a vacation, but I can promise you this - a day spent entirely away from the computer means a day spent out in the world of ads and marketing, of wanting and weighing, of trying and buying, and I will always report back to you, my dears. You are what make this blog worthwhile.

With Gratitude,
The Frugal Femme

Site: http://www.goldstarevents.com
Service: Tickets to events in many major cities for 50% off the going rate

Gift-giving is hard when your partner is of the "person who has everything" variety. Mine in particular prefers to keep the cool new products in mind and buy them herself when the opportunity arises, making my job of finding surprises for her much more difficult than it might otherwise be. So when her birthday came around, I was in a bit of a panic - I'm new to the city, so my knowledge of local must-sees is a bit lacking, and what with ours being a one-vehicle household, I didn't have much opportunity to go scouting for presents on my own. After racking my brain and imploring friends to throw some ideas my way, I figured I would take a look around for a "date night" experience so we could get dolled up and go out on the town. I came across Gold Star Events and, as with so many online ticket sites, started wondering, "What's the catch?" How is it that they can offer such discounted rates for shows and services that most people would pay top dollar for without thinking twice?

Gold Star's Media Inquiries Page and the linked New York Times article revealed everything I wanted to know, from where they get the tickets (surplus seats to popular shows, and venues looking to attract new business) to how they make their money (reasonable per-ticket service charges) to how they keep it from harming full-priced ticket sales (limited marketing, resorting to word of mouth to bring in new members and venues). I decided to go for it, and purchased tickets to see Kiki & Herb, who brought their Tony-nominated cabaret act to San Francisco this month.

The payment process was quick and simple, with the option of sending the tickets as a gift with accompanying e-card which I could fill out with my own message. I was also given the choice of dates on which the tickets could be sent, so I didn't need to worry about following up on my partner's actual birthday. I received notification when my order was processed, and again when the gift email was sent, along with information about the venue, parking, and how to retrieve the tickets when we arrived. We got to the show and flashed ID at the will-call desk, and that was all there was to it. The seats were wonderful, the show hysterical, and the price not to be beat.

Gold Star Events currently lists events in eight metropolitan areas with an option to search by zip code, and they also offer a search by genre. Outdoor events are available as well, including major league baseball games, walking tours, and more. You can sign up to receive emails with your top genres highlighted, or merely bookmark the site to visit when you're interested in a live show. While the number of cities is still limited, I'd keep an eye on Gold Star even if they're not yet in your neighborhood; who knows when you'll be in New York, San Francisco, or Chicago, and want to take in a show without taking out your budget?

Have you tried this service? Would you like to add your thoughts on this or a similar one? Comment here for others to hear!

Have a product you want your Retail Private Eye to investigate before you buy? Email me!