5 Must Haves: Girly Things By E

Erika Llenza, blogger for Girly Things by E:
Five Must Have... Drugstore Beauty Buys!

Meet Erika. She's a self-proclaimed beauty junkie, and proud of it! So excited to have her here: she's constantly dolling out awesome recommendations on her blog and posting how-to videos on YouTube for everything from applying eyeshadow just perfectly to curling your hair (which for some reason, this average girl can never make look just right!)!

It all started for her when the search began for hair products that would tame her unruly curls. Serums, shampoos, conditioners, leave-in treatments, hairspray, oh my! As you can see by her gorgeous photo, she got that hair perfectly straight. Plus, growing up, Erika's father, who worked for a large drugstore chain, would pass along gift cards he received. She would stock up in the makeup and beauty aisles with her sister, using his dad's employee discount to stretch the value. She loves all products -- lipsticks, hair products, nail polish, and beauty goodies -- and you can still find Erika perusing the beauty isles at Target, TJ Maxx, Sephora, and other retailers for bargains, treats and new beauty essentials.

In her own words, here's her five drugstore beauty buys!
(and, always check local drugstore promotions; one brand is always BOGO 1/2 off!)

e.l.f. Hypershine Lipgloss

At a mere $1, this wallet-friendly vanilla-scented lipgloss is comparable to Stila's lip glazes. Find these little gems at most Target stores or on the e.l.f web site. They come in a nice array of colors, my favorites are Flirt, Honey, and Sugar Plum (a nice subtle way to do fall's plum lips for those who are timid about this bold trend). Bonus: e.l.f recently released holiday colors, available in holiday gift sets for $3 and $5.

TAGG tip: e.l.f. just started a new promotion today, take 50% off its top 25 favs, when you spend $25 or more (so it becomes just $12.50!)

Cover Girl Eye Enhancers 3-kit Eyeshadow in Cafe au Lait

I can't attest for the other color combos that Cover Girl makes in these three-shadow kits, but I can say that I love the colors in cafe au lait ($4.50). It is a great go-to palette that will compliment many skin tones, and is great for the office, school and casual weekends. Heck, use the darkest color a little more at night to smoke the look out. This palette has good color pay off and is neutral so you can use it year round. For the makeup novice, it even gives you application guidance for a pretty natural look. And, at less than $5, you can afford to keep one at home, in your travel bag and in your purse to transition from the office to some after-hours drinks. For extra savings, check out your local Sunday paper for coupons.

L'Oreal Elnett Hairspray

While about $13 seems pricey for hairspray, it's actually quite a bargain considering this little gem was previously not available in the U.S. A coveted commodity, hairstylists would stock up whenever they did fashion shows or shoots abroad, bringing back as many as they were allowed or their suitcases could handle. It's been a long-standing staple at many runway shows, and while the formula is slightly different in the U.S. than it is in Europe, this hairspray is light as a feather while offering fantastic results. I'm partial to the Strong Hold (the lightest formula) for everyday use, and the Extra Strong Hold UV Hairspray for hair do's that require significantly more hold. The best part about this hairspray is that it gives you hold while still allowing movement and when you are done with your 'do all you have to do is brush your hair out and restyle -- no sticky, hard residue left behind. Check your Sunday paper for coupons: I recently clipped a $3 off coupon for Elnett hairspray. (At $10, that's more than half what some pricey name brands charge, ahem, Aveda Airspray...)

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Polish

Can't bear the thought of paying for high priced nail polishes? Sally Hansen offers great products for a fraction of the price ($2.55), and offer a generous array of colors, comparable to the trendy colors of each season. To top it off, these offer great color pigmentation and last about as long on your nails as the pricey brands like China Glaze and OPI. My current favorite: Wet Cement. Don't forget to check for coupon savings.

L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara

Why pay $25 or more for mascara, when there are so many drugstore mascaras out there that offer great formulas with nearly identical results? Put those savings toward more makeup essentials (extra lipgloss or eyeshadow anyone?). This mascara ($5.99) is one of my go-to staples. I like the brush size, the jet-black color and its volumizing results. Other great drugstore mascaras: CoverGirl LashBlash and Maybeline Lash Stilleto. Plus, all of these brands run monthly coupons in the Sunday paper.

For more words of beauty wisdom, find Erika online at her blog, Girly Things by *e*, YouTube channel and Twitter.