Deal or dud: How do you know if you're wasting money at dollar stores?

My adventure with ABC15 and the 99 cent only store... and as you know we always keep it Frugally Fabulous lol... If you know me, you know my face isn't that fat (Any more HA!) but other than being shot from under by a short camera man, produce the fat face effect it's great... Stay tuned for another big announcement as a follow up to the sotry!

Deal or dud: How do you know if you're wasting money at dollar stores?

Make-up 102 Brushes

Just a quick note on Brushes... I mentioned ELF before and they have great brushes. But I know there's a group of you out there who are convinced you have to have MAC brushes or some other type of brush... well here's a Frugally Fabulous tip: Paint Brushes! Namely Loew-Cornell's 4000, 5000 or 6000 series brushes. I got mine from wal-mart and Michael's for around $5.00 per set (10+ brushes in each set). Gives you all the brushes you need to get an absolutely fabulous look from your makeup!

The Fabulous look on a frugal budget - Makeup 101

***Caution Make-up may be habit forming***

Makeup 101 - I get asked on a daily basis what makeup I use and people are always surprised when I tell them I use ELF (also available at Target and gift boxes available in Ross & Big Lots.) Surprised for two reasons, 1.) they always ASSUME I'm wearing MAC and 2.) They've usually never heard of ELF, which is short for Eyes, Lips, Face.

In my opinion, ELF is the greatest brand that people have never heard of. LOL.. Seriously, it's an awesome brand that's high in quality and low on cost. Their eye shadow pigments rival that of MAC and other "well known" aka "expensive" brands. With their products ranging in price from $1-$8 each, it's easy to look fabulous while staying on your budget.

To be honest with you, it doesn't really matter what brand of makeup you use, as long as you know how to use it. What I would suggest to everyone is that they make an investment in a "How to" makeup class, available at most salons or by makeup artists usually for around $25, but up to $100 for some classes, those more expensive classes usually include free makeup from the brand putting on the class. If you're local to me, I also love to teach the classes as well. Email me for details. If a class isn't in your budget, then check out the various make-up tutorials on Youtube for FREE. Search out Make-up or Make-up Tutorials and you'll find lots and lots of options for every look.

All of that being said, in addition to ELF I use Maybelline's mineral foundations, I may try their new FIT line soon, seems like it would be good. I also adore and use Physician's Formula. Their organic bronzer is phenomenal!

Here's a tip for FREE makeup! Like your favorite brands on Facebook, join their sites, participate, comment, etc... the more you interact with them, the more they'll interact with you and send you FREE stuff. Physician's Formula is especially good about this and they you full size freebies!

Besides freebies, if you love a brand SUPPORT it, several brands are looking for "Brand Ambassadors" where they provide you with freebies in exchange for you pushing their brand, recommending it to friends, family, etc.. through video, social media and word of mouth.

Side Note -*I am not a brand ambassador for any of the companies I wrote about in this entry, though I have received several amazing freebies from Physician's Formula. *

Overall, make up is a great way to express yourself, dress yourself up and a way to help you make everyday Fabulous, and now with these tips you too can be Frugally Fabulous.

In the beginning....

At the urging of my friends who are constantly asking me to put it all in one place. I've decided to start the Frugally Fabulous Blog...The intention of this blog is to put all of my "Frugally Fabulous" tips and advice in one place.

For those of you who know me... you know that no matter how much money I make there's two things I really enjoy when it comes to shopping and spending... "Free" and "Cheap", but not when it comes to quality. We must remember the value of something is only what someone is willing to pay for it; and if you have patience you can and WILL get the things you want at amazing deals and prices.

It's my goal here to bring some great everyday practical tips, deals and more to you to help you better manage your finances and life. Saving money where you can, allows you more money and the opportunity to save and/or spend on other things you really want or need. It also allows you to do more, give more and live more abundantly.

Simply put...Being a good steward over our finances is one of the many ways that lead to a more prosperous life. This blog will be a place to empower you with knowledge and information so that you can live abundantly.