Yesterday, even though it was Father’s Day, my darling husband consented to a morning of playing Wii with his children while I went out to the drugstores. WHAT A GUY! Because I wanted to be a real drugstore wh*re and hit each of the BIG THREE! So it took awhile…
First, to Rite Aid!
I really like the Colgate Total Advanced Pro-Shield mouthwash I am trying out as part of the Colgate Total Advanced Clean Mouth Challenge, so I decided to get some more when I saw it was on sale at Rite Aid. And it didn’t hurt that Rite Aid had e-mailed me a $2 off coupon!
Starburst 67 cents (filler item, a delicious filler item, plus, you know, it gives the Colgate a chance to flex its muscles!)
Colgate Total Advanced Pro-Shield Mouthwash $3.00
Total = $3.67
-$2 Rite Aid Wellness + coupon for the mouthwash that they emailed to me
-$1 Colgate Total Advanced mouthwash coupon from SmartSource insert a couple weeks ago (expired yesterday, the day I used it.)
Total 67 cents, paid 70 cents with tax and got back a $1 +UP Reward to spend on my next purchase.
And then, it was on to CVS. Where I had my eye on some more MAKEUP!!! Thanks to the great CVS Beauty Club deals.
This week CVS has a great deal on Almay intense i-color products. $5.79 and you get back 3 ECB! If you were lucky enough to get the $4 off Almay coupon in your coupon inserts a few weeks ago, you can really actually MAKE $$ on this deal. There is a limit of THREE! Sadly, my region did not get this glorious coupon. BOOOOO!!!! I don’t know why the coupon bosses don’t like my region, but we pretty much never get the good cosmetics coupons. Sooooo, I must rely on my Extra Care Bucks and my wily deal-making abilities.
When I got to CVS, the Magic Coupon Machine printed me out a $1 off Maybelline item coupon, so I went searching for a good clearance deal, and found the nail polish for $1.99. I got:
2 different Almay intense i-color shadows $5.79 each = $11.58
Maybelline nail polish, clearance $1.99
Donation to ALS Foundation $1
Almay eye makeup remover, clearance $1.59 (I am in need of some, and figured why not give it a try?)
total = $16.16
coupons:
-$1 Maybelline coupon from the magic machine
-$6 Extra Care Bucks from a previous purchase
total = $9.16 + tax = $10.23 and I got another $6 in ECB for the Almay! I also racked up another $15 toward my next $5 ECB Beauty Club reward! Since this deal has a limit of 3, I will probably get another item this week. But I want to try what I bought first. Can’t wait!
Next, it was on to Walgreens!
As I mentioned, I really like the Colgate Total Advanced stuff I’m using! So since the toothpaste was going to be a small money-maker at Walgreens, of course I went to get some more. I purchased:
Colgate Total Advanced toothpaste $3
Reach twin pack of toothbrushes $2.99
total = $5.99
coupons I used:
– 75 cents Colgate toothpaste (got it from a Kroger mailer)
-$2 Reach toothbrush twin pack (coupons.com)
total = $3.24 tax = $3.63 and got back $4.50 in Register Rewards, $2.50 for the Colgate and $2 for the Reach.
That’s makin’ money honey!
That’s what I got yesterday out frolicking at the drugstores! I’ll let you know how I like the Almay products! What did you get or are you getting this week??
Gueessss what friends? The past couple of weeks I’ve been getting my shop on at CVS in a big way. And not just for my usual cheap diapers and free razors. I have decided it’s time to be unfaithful to my long-term makeup love, Mary Kay. Why? Because I am really loving doing this #doyourmakeup thing on Instagram every day, and I want you to play along. So I am going to the drugstore to show you what cosmetics you can get for dirt cheap, and how to use them on your pretty face. It’s time to combine my love of coupons with my love of makeup. And so it begins!
Now I can get inexpensive makeup with coupons and sales at all the drugstores, but I like shopping my original coupon love CVS for makeup because of the CVS Beauty Club. When you sign up, you earn $5 Extra Care Bucks for every $50 you spend. And that’s $50 before coupons, so you can actually spend a lot less that $50 after coupons and ECBs! Not to mention $3 ECB on your birthday! Plus, you also get great coupons from the magic coupon machine when you scan your card if you are a Beauty Club Member. Which you’ll see in my latest deal!
This past week I headed out to CVS to get started on my drugstore makeup project. Here’s what I got first time out:
I also got a 2-liter of Mountain Dew – not pictured, k? And it was for a group gathering, not for my own use, I SWEAR! When I got into the store, I scanned my CVS ExtraCare card on the Magic Coupon Machine, and out popped not only a coupon for 25 cents off a 2-liter of Mountain Dew, but one for $4 off of a $12 cosemtics purchase. Don’t mind if I do!
I got:
Physicians’ Formula mineral powder foundation $13.29 (I didn’t have any coupons, this hurt, but I knew I would get back 7 ECB for it)
Revlon eyeshadow quad clearance $1.99
Mountain Dew 2-liter 99 cents
total = $16.27
Coupons I used:
-$4/12 cosmetics purchse from the CVS coupon machine
– 25 cents off Mountain Dew
Total with tax was $13.17 and I got back 7 ECB for the foundation! And, I earned $13.29 toward my $50 beauty club goal. ( I started with a few dollars toward my goal, maybe $11 or $12, I can’t remember exactly.)
I used the Revlon eyeshadow and the Physician’s Formula foundation to help create these two looks for my #doyourmakeup posts:
I really like both products for the price. I feel like I have to use more of the PF foundation that I do of my regular, but with the 7 ECB I got back, it was less than 1/2 the price. The Revlon eyeshadow – 4 colors for $1.99 – well I cannot complain about them for that price. Once again, I had to use more of the product than normal. I like they way the colors wore, they stayed on all day (of course I did use eye primer!!), but they didn’t blend as well as I would like them to. However for $1.99 I will not complain!
That was Friday…Saturday Huggies came out with a new coupon so I turned my 7 ECB & three $3 off Huggies coupons into a sweet diaper deal. Iended up w/ 3 jumbo packs of diapers for $16 & change and got back 10 ECB.
Although I long for the day when I no longer have to change diapers, I will sort of miss getting sweet deals on them!
Also, while I was there, the Magic Coupon Machine printed me ANOTHER $4/$12 cosmetics purchase coupon AND a $4/$10 CVS skin care coupon. AND!!! CVS had also emailed me a $5/$25 beauty purchase coupon.
WHAT!?!?! It’s like the coupon perfect storm up in here! So on Sunday, a new CVS ad started! This is for the current week. I took my plethora of Beauty Club Coupons and my ECB for the diapers and I got my shop ON:
Not pictured: CVS cotton balls, CVS Sunscreen, and a 2-liter of Coke. I had a photo of everything but my too-smart 2-year-old deleted it and the other items had already been put away or used. OOPS.
FYI, makeup is not the only thing that qualifies toward Beauty Club purchases. Hair care and skin care do, too, but I’m not totally clear on everything – I need to study up.
Anyhooz, here is what I purchased with those fab coupons:
CVS Cotton balls $2.99 (I use these to remove my mascara every darn day)
-$4/$12 cosmetics purchase from the Magic Coupon Machine
-$4/$10 CVS Brand skin/sun care purchase from Magic Coupon Machine
-$10 Extra Care Bucks from my Huggies the day before
-$6.68 25% off coupon I had emailed to me and loaded onto my Extra Care Card
*here is where I am a little confused* I had a “load to card” coupon for 25% off. In the past, these have not worked on “sale” items which included items eligible for Extra Care Bucks. But this time, it did take $6.68 off ! I was pleased! I’ll take it!
Total = $4.51, it was $6 even with tax!!! And I got back 3 ECB for buying $10 of CoverGirl, 4 ECB for buying $10 or Revlon, and 3 ECB for buying $10 of CVS Brand Skin/Sun care.
And I earned more $$$ toward my $50 in beauty purchases. (The amount doesn’t update on your receipt until your next purchase, I don’t think.) It’s a fantastic deal and I was thrilled!! Once again I had 10 ECB to go and spend this week!
Mama likes!!!Earning my CVS Beauty Club ECBs, getting there quickly!
Here’s a look I created for #doyourmakeup using all the new products I bought at CVS Beauty Club over the last couple of days. You can click here to go to my Instagram stream to get the breakdown of how I used them:
Ok, THEN, I decided I needed some neutral eye shadow and drugstore eyeliner and blush so I went back to CVS AGAIN. Those Extra Care Bucks were burning a hole in my pocket, what can I say? And when I got there, the magic coupon machine presented me with:
TA-DA! My $5 in Extra Care Bucks! Apparently that previous shopping trip put me over $50! See how you can spend very little using coupons and Extra Bucks and still get your reward for spending $50? WOOT! I also got a coupon for $2 off a Maybelline item. I had one of those from my last visit as well, so I decided my new items would be Maybelline!
I chose these little beauties (see what I did there?)
All these items were on clearance.
CoverGirl Exact Eyelights in Majestic Hazels $4.89
Maybelline Fit Me! Blush in Rose Blush, $2.99
Maybelline Line Stylist eyeliner in Onyx $4.25
Maybelline Line Stylist eyeliner in Espresso $4.25
total =$16.38
coupons: -$4 two $2 off Maybelline coupons from the magic coupon machine.
=$12.38
-$10 Extra Care Bucks from previous purchase
=$3.53 including tax! And I still have y $5 ECBs from the Beauty Club, plus I just earned more towards my next reward. And, I used those products in addition to some of the others I got on my earlier trips to create this look:
I must say I ADORE the CoverGirl eyeshadow quad. I just used the champagne & the browns. They look great, blend wonderfully, and stayed on all day. Same must be said for the Maybelline eye liner in espresso (haven’t tried the other one yet.) It stayed on SO WELL! Impressed! The CoverGirl LashBlast 24 hr mascara was also a huge win. Love it, and it STAYED ON! I think drugstore makeup has really improved in the last five years! The Maybelline blush was just ok. A little matte for my taste. I guess I like my blush with sparkle.
Allright, I know this was the longest post ever. Thanks for sticking with me! I am really enjoying the drugstore makeup hunt and I love being able to save so much $$ on it!
What are your favorite drugstore beauty products? Where do you shop for them?
When I was at Mom 2.0 a few weeks ago, one of my very favorite experiences there was having my hair done in the salon Dove, the presenting sponsor of the conference, had set up for us. It was SO nice. (They had manicures, too!) As I sat down in the stylist’s chair, she asked me if she could tell me about the Dove products she had at her station.
“I already use most of them!” I replied, so I made her job a little bit easier. But it’s true. And that comment inspired me to write a post about some of my current favorite drugstore beauty items. The Dove products are a really big favorite. I absolutely adore their Style +Care dry shampoo, hairspray, nourishing whipped cream mousse, frizz-free shine cream-serum, and thermal replenishing spray. The mousse provides hold for my wavy hair but also moisture, which is great because my hair is dry and most mousses are just more drying. Not the case here! The cream-serum I always put in my hair before I straighten it, to eliminate frizz. It just makes it soft and smooth and easier to straighten. I also use the thermal replenishing spray before I flatiron it to protect it as I heat style. I really love all these products! So I clip my coupons and stock up when they are on a great sale at the drugstores, because these products really are worth it.
Dove’s cousin, Suave, also makes a few of my favorites – love their dry shampoo as well, and their deodorant. It’s often on sale for just $1 and it’s a great bargain. I buy the powder scent for my hairy brother and the Everlasting Sunshine for me!
Another Dove cousin, Vaseline, also has a new product I luuurve. Spray ‘n Go moisturizer. I was quite skeptical about it, but not only do I love it for me, it makes moisturizing one’s six-year-old after bath SO MUCH FASTER. Score! I hope to see some good sales & coupons attached to it soon.
After the Mom 2.0 Summit, CVS Minute Clinic, another sponsor (you guys know I loves me some CVS!), sent us a big ol’ bag of products to our homes. It was full of full-size products and I got took the opportunity to try some new things. (And can I just say as a side note how glad I am that we have two Minute Clinics in our area now!! Haven’t had to use them yet but I am so glad to have an alternative to urgent care.) I’ve been using Mary Kay for five years but I have been cheating on it with the RoC Max resurfacing cleanser that came in the CVS Minute Clinic swag bag and I really like it! It’s really exfoliating which I love. If you have really sensitive skin it might not be for you, but I rather enjoy it! I’ve also been trying out their MAX wrinkle resurfacing system on my forehead because baby, I’ve got some serious expression lines forming. But I’ve only been using it for two weeks so I can’t really say if it’s working yet. I DO like the way it feels, however, and I’m not having any negative reactions to it, so that’s so far so good.
Another product that I really like that was in that bag is Aveeno BB cream. Yep, I’m cheating on my Mary Kay again! I really think it covers well and it gives my skin a really nice shimmer. Plus, it’s SPF 30 which is always important! I really did not expect to like this product and I really, really do. Yay for pleasant surprises!
Well, those are my favorite products these days! What beauty & hygiene products do you like to pick up at the drug?
P.S. this post was not sponsored at all whatsoever. Just wanted to tell you what I’m diggin’!
