Beauty on a Budget: Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser

You may remember my review of Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Soothing Lotion and  how much I loved it.  A few weeks later, I am still excited to use it every day.  However, it did take me a while to decide on using the cleanser from the same line.  I don't usually trust that all products in a particular line will work as well as the first one I fall for.  I have been burned before (literally, in the case of an Aveda product that had cucumber extract in it, which it turns out I'm allergic to) by thinking that everything by a particular brand must be used together.  In most cases, it is simply not true (it's called "marketing").  I've found that picking and choosing carefully is the best way to go and I rarely love every single product I try in a line, no matter how much I love the brand.

Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser is an exception to that rule for me.  I had already seen a slight decrease in my usually facial redness from using the lotion.  Adding the cleanser to my routine has pretty much eliminated it.  When I get out of the shower, I'm so used to seeing my skin a pale shade of red from the heat (it doesn't take much) that not having any red was almost shocking.  And so delightful.  The skin on my face is more comfortable, less oily without going straight to dried out, and very soft.  

This is a soap-free, dye-free cleanser without sulphates.  It does produce a small amount of (SLS-free) lather, but rinses clean quickly.  It would be even better if there was no added fragrance, but at least it's at the very end of the ingredients list. There is one ingredient listed that will make me reconsider this product (in other words, I have to do more research), but such is the result of buying inexpensive products - a long list of ingredients in a beauty product is likely going to mean lots of chemicals and preservatives, which is why researching ingredients is so important (more on that in my next post).

More Reviews:
NouveauCheap blog
About.com
Saved by the Beauty blog

Beauty on a Budget: Wet 'n Wild Juicy SPF 15 Lip Balm

I've never been a huge fan of lip gloss, but I love tinted lip balm.  When everyone else was using Kissing Potion roller lip glosses (sticky but tasty) in the 80s, I was obsessed with Maybelline Kissing Koolers.  I loved those.  I'd totally buy those now.  They stopped making Kissing Koolers a long time ago, probably around the time that we were all convinced that dark berry-colored Revlon lipstick looked really great on us (I feel sure it didn't).   

I've tried dozens of lip products since then and found a few that I really liked, but Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment is the one I've lingered on the last five or so years.  However, at   $22.50 each (at Sephora) they are not exactly budget-savvy.


Enter Wet 'n Wild Juicy Lip Balm (with SPF 15).  An oversized lip balm, available for about $3, in four flavors (red rasperry, cherry, strawberry and watermelon).  These aren't as big as the jumbo Bonne Bell Lip Smackers (another hot 80s beauty product, but this one could be used as a Kubotan), but they are larger than your average tube of Chapstick.

These balms leave a very light, translucent tint and very little shine, but they do glide on easily without feeling waxy or heavy.  They don't have much staying power, but they do have an initial and very light fruity scent/flavor that you might enjoy reapplying anyway.  I chose the Red Raspberry and found the tint turned a little too hot pink with a touch of purple for me, but it wasn't a bad color - it just didn't suit me.  I would be willing to try the Cherry one, which appears to have the most tint to it (see the Beauty Junkies Unite review for color swatches of all four).  


While this isn't the hottest product on the market, I actually do think it is a good product for someone who just wants to use something to keep their lips moisturized and protected from the sun while adding just a hint of color.  You also really can't beat that price.

Still not sure?  Here are some links to other sites for reviews on this product:

MakeupAlley.com:  Some people have complained of a chemical taste.  I haven't experienced that, but it should be noted.  One reviewer said it burned her lips, which would have convinced me to not try the product, but I've tried it and not had that experience (and I have freakishly sensitive skin).


Beauty Junkies Unite:  The original review I found for this product that made me want to try it.  

Do you prefer a drugstore brand or something more fancy? Is there another product you think we should try?  Leave a comment for us here!

Beauty on a Budget

Lately I've been thinking a lot about how best to take care of my skin, hair, etc. while on a rather tight budget.  One of the biggest challenges for me is to figure out what I (think I) can and can't live without.  Even after simplifying my beauty routine and deciding what type of products I always want to have on hand, I still need to figure out if I'm going to buy all of my beauty items at the drugstore, find them online at a discount, or pick and choose between the cheap side and the store that ex-significant others really wished I would stop going to.  If I decide that I cannot live without that $70 hand cream, I also have the option of giving up the $35 apiece shampoo and conditioner that I've been using.  What I need to do is find products that are inexpensive (and sometimes that's comparative), but actually work - then I can find a better balance.  


So we're trying out something new, here on The Thinnest Skin.  We are going to test out some products from the grocery store/drugstore/etc. that are less costly than most of what you will find at Sephora, department stores like Macy's and Nordstrom, various beauty boutiques, etc.  The idea is to provide some feedback on products people in the beauty world are talking about right now, so you can decide if you're going to buy your face wash from WalMart, but keep investing in that expensive skin cream from Neiman Marcus.  Or, you may decide that your entire beauty routine is going to come from the same place where you get your groceries.  Hopefully we can help you find the best beauty items for you without breaking the bank.  All of the posts for this little project will start with "Beauty on a Budget," then the name of the item or items.


Here are the products we have lined up for review so far:

The Thinnest Skin does not receive any kind of payment for the reviews we write and we promise to be as honest but objective as we can.

In the mean time, go vote on my hair!