Beauty Girl Economics: T K Maxx

As I am currently unemployed (boo!), I have recently been focusing on on getting more bang for my buck. Having spent the last three years as a student, I have developed some tactics which I'm going to share with you in a series called Beauty Girl Economics. 


Firstly, T K Maxx is a bit of a pain in the backside, I know. It is not a shop which I relish venturing in to. It is SO disorganised and due to the very nature of the store, you cannot go in with the intention of purchasing a certain product. T K Maxx has to be approached in an altogether different way: little and often. Last summer I worked in an office across the street from a T K Maxx and I found myself browsing in there about twice a week on my lunch breaks. This way, I was familiar with what was in stock and was able to identify what products were new in.

Looking for clothing in T K Maxx is a MISSION. In fact, I find that I only look for items which I think shouldn't be scrimped on, i.e knitwear. Some of you guys may remember me mentioning my bargain Fenn Wright Manson angora cardigan last year. I purchased that for around £20 and the RRP was around £120! The cardigan is still going strong and I have a feeling it will for a few more years yet!


T K Maxx is among my favourite places to score beauty products- more often than not, my local store stocks TIGI shampoos and conditioners. I never buy TIGI products from the salon as they are rather expensive. Instead, I look in T K Maxx as they usually stock something from the brand. Whilst you can't guarantee that your preferred product is in stock, I like it because it means I get to try something different without risking too much money. 


I have also seen St Tropez and similar high-end tanning products at a BARGAIN price in there! T K Maxx is one to avoid if you're on a really tight budget but I find it is good for trying new things at a lower price.


My most recent bargain T K Maxx purchase was a whole load of Stila products. I stumbled across a whole load of Stila goodies packaged in plastic bags, each with three products in. I have been meaning to try their Lip Glazes for a while now, yet I always forget and so when I saw that one of the bags included a Lip Glaze, I decided to get two bags!

 1st Bag: Lip Glaze (Apricot), Petal Infusions Moisturiser & Convertible Eye Colour (Onyx).

2nd Bag: Rouge Pot (Lotus), Perfecting Foundation Stick (Shade G) & SPF 30 Oil-free Sheer Colour Tinted Moisturiser (Light 03)


I am impressed with these products, but I am still trying them out so if I feel they are worth mentioning to you guys, I will review them and post more detailed photos.


So you're probably wondering why I'm talking about these if I'm not going to review them, right?
The below photos show you exactly why T K Maxx is the place to head for the economising Beauty Girl...

The photo is a little blurry, but the contents of bag one should have cost me £34. and I paid £7.99!!!! Stila's famous Lip Glazes retail at £15, so this was a total bargain!

Bag two cost me £9.99 and the RRP is £42!

Now, Stila aren't crazy, they're not simply giving products away... Having looked on the website, all but the Lip Glaze are no longer available to purchase. This doesn't bother me however, as the whole exercise was about trying a brand that I hadn't tried before! As I mentioned, I like these products, so (when I have funds available!) I would DEFINITELY be tempted to hit the Stila website and try some of their current products!

Have you ever found a bargain in T K Maxx or do you avoid the place like it is a breeding ground for the plague? (In some areas, the stores are exactly that... ahem.) Let me know :)

... Foundation!

Foundation has been a constant issue for me ever since I started wearing makeup. I have tried cheap ones, pricey ones, liquids, cremes, mousses, and powders to name a few...

My problem lies in my skin type; I have dry/combination skin that has the tendancy to get oily on the T-zone every now and again. I also have rather uneven skin tone and some scarring from spots when I was younger. Thankfully, my skin has got over it's 'funny teenage moment' and now I get spots very rarely. My parents kindly bestowed upon me a face full of freckles which while lovely, become a pain when applying a base, especially in the summer when they are more prominent.

As a result of all of these factors, I find that I need coverage to even out my skin, but too much and my masked freckles make my skin appear as though I have conducted my morning routine using a cement mixer and trowel.

A consultant on a makeup counter suggested that I try a mineral powder foundation, and I was sceptical to say the least.

Powder with my dry skin? I don't want to look cakey, thanks. Powder when I need coverage? Yeah, right.

Well, I hold up my hands... I was wrong.

Laura Mercier's Mineral Powder Foundation is my saviour. Although it is a powder, it is a moisturising formula which ensures you do not look too cakey. The coverage is buildable so you can apply more where necessary and it enables you to choose how heavy your makeup is, depending on the occasion. There is also a light (and subtle) shimmer in the powder which gives you a healthy and pretty glow.

Having tried SO many foundations over the years, I am happy to have found a foundation that works with my skin. It makes me look really healthy and it is a good base for the rest of my makeup. I am applying my makeup at 6.30 in the morning at the moment and it is staying in place well into the evening which is perfect as I do not like to touch up during the day.

Application: I am currently using a MAC 150 powder brush to apply the powder, I know that this is not the preferred method of application for mineral foundation, but it seems to be working for me. I may consider trying a Kabuki brush to see whether it changes the finished look of the product on my skin.

Pros:
- A lot of product in the pot considering you don't need much for a full face application
- Nice, subtle glow
- Buildable coverage so you can tailor it to your requirements
- Staying power
- Natural looking

Cons:
- Expensive- At £31.00 it is an expensive gamble if you have never tried anything like this before but I believe you get what you pay for. 
- Bulky packaging- not ideal for traveling/handbags although Laura Mercier do sell a pressed compact version
- Messy- not for use when in a rush. Trust me, I speak from experience...
- Glow- not a con for me but I know that many girls like a matte look to their foundation

All in all, I am so happy I took a chance and bought this! It has become an everyday staple for me and my half-finished bottles of foundation are now sat on my shelf gathering dust.

Although this product works for me, it may not work for everyone. I know many people that swear by iconic liquid foundations that look fabulous on them but look rather lacklustre on my skin. Foundation shopping is sadly about trial and error, but you will eventually find the right one for you!

Good luck in your quest, Beauty Girls!

A xo

Image courtesy of Laura Mercier