Sameer Mishra, spelling bee champ, suffers a moment of cognitive dissonance during a competition. But under those circumstances, wouldn’t we all?

stolen from JordanSays

Today we are going to be all about the beauty and the bargains. Or, more specifically, the kind of products you can pick up at Target or your local drugstore.

Much like some people prefer Blahniks to Payless, I tend to prefer name brand beauty products over your more mainstream brands like Maybelline.

But sometimes, my eyes are bigger than my budget and I have to pick and choose what I want in “designer” products. There is no doubt that the so-called “drugstore” brands fill an important niche, because if I had to pay over twenty bucks a rather small bottle for the facial cleanser I use twice a day, then I would never be able to splurge on my Vincent Longo lipsticks. Hey, I’ve got my priorities, you know?

So, what does Glinda recommend when perusing the drugstore aisles?

Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter

Ever heard of Bliss? Well, the same company makes Soap & Glory and it can be found at your local Target for a price that is much kinder to your wallet. This body butter with shea and aloe vera doesn’t leave that greasy residue that many body butters do. And it smells better than most, too.

Dove Energy Glow Self Tanner

I have the type of skin that tans, even if I don’t want it to. Sunscreen does not stop the tanning, thus usually resulting in the classic “farmer’s tan” on my arms, as well as some crazy shoe strap patterns on the top of my feet. To help even everything out, I use this Dove self tanner. Unlike most self tanners, it smells pretty darn good. It goes on gradually so that I never have to worry about those pesky streaks. And after about three days, you’ve got some good color going on. Yes, yes, technically the Clarins is better, but for the money, I’d go for the Dove.

Alpha Hydrox Facial Wash

My skin is extremely sensitive, and I have gone all the normal sensitive skin routes to try and find something that won’t irriate it. Cetaphil, Aveeno, all that stuff didn’t not work. What did work was some painfully expensive cleanser from Chanel, but I just couldn’t justify the price. Alpha Hydrox to the rescue! I am just as happy with it as I was with the Chanel. It contains no soap, is oil-free, fragrance free, and has just enough citric acid to pacify my inner Norma Desmond.

Now, let’s chat a bit. I want to know all about your favorite beauty bargains!