Budget Beauty: 25 Products you can’t live without in 2013

The holidays are officially over and many of you are going over your lists of resolutions to implement in the new year. On the top of my list is taking better care of myself that includes loving my skin more and saving up money for that vacation to Spain I’ve been dying to take!With the help of P&G Beauty, I plan to get closer to achieving these goals by using products from Aussie, Clairol, CoverGirl, Head & Shoulders, Herbal Essences, Olay, Pantene, Secret and Venus. And I know that I can’t be alone! Many of you out there want to look and feel your best without breaking the bank! So I road tested 25 products during the holiday break that you can use 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Below, you will see how I was able to implement them into my beauty routine during regular days that I’d be spending at home as well as my transition to a night out on the town for New Years Eve and for a visit with family during Noche Buena. All of the items were under $25.00 and all are from brands you have come to know and trust.

Plus with most of the country suffering from winter weather, right now is the perfect time to tweak your beauty routine. Whether it’s having to go a shade lighter on your foundation, switch to a dandruff shampoo, or amp up the moisture in your day/night creams to ensure your skin stays hydrated, P&G Beauty has the product for you!

Below is the breakdown of products and how I used them and below that you will find photos of my looks! Let me know which is your favorite!

Look 1: Welcome the Winter

1. Head & Shoulders Green Apple Shampoo/Conditioner
2. Gillette Venus +Olay Razor
3. Secret Outlast Deodorant
4. Olay Total Effects Tone Correcting CC Cream
5. Clairol Natural Instincts Hair Color

The first thing that happens to me as soon as the end of November and early December arrives is that my scalp gets dry. Eeek! Yes, dandruff is that silent annoyance that no one talks about but many people suffer from. Trust me, I’ve gone to visit friends and have spotted bottles of Head & Shoulders in their showers! (Yes I check out peoples stock of beauty products, don’t judge me!)

Their latest Green Apple scented duo (Item #1) leaves your hair smelling like spring.

Tired of having to lather before shaving? Gillette says you don’t have to! Their Venus & Olay Razor in new Sugarberry Scent (Item #2) gently exfoliates and helps replenish skin’s moisture in one step.

Secret has your back (or shall I say your pits?!) with their Outlast deodorant featuring 48 hour protection (Item #3). The clear gel can be applied after your shower the night before or the morning of for maximum protection against odor.

Taking your skin from summer into winter fall can leave your face a little uneven. Olay’s CC (Color & Correction) Cream from their Total Effects 7-in-1 line (Item #4) can help you sort that little problem out. The tone correcting properties help you balance and even out your tone while hooking you up with broad spectrum SPF 15 sun protection. Don’t cut out sun block during winter months because snow and ice reflect UV rays.

Say bye bye to grays with Clairol’s Natural Instincts with Week 2 ColorFresh (Item #5) ! I’ve had stray grays since I was 18 years old so I have to freshen up my color quite often. This product works in ten minutes and helped my color last a lot longer.

Look 2: Christmas Eve Fiesta

1. Pantene Pro-V Damage Rescue Silky Moisture Whip
2. Herbal Essences Anti-Frizz Crème
3. CoverGirl & Olay Pressed Powder
4. CoverGirl Cheekers Blush
5. CoverGirl Outlast Lip Color

As a Latina, we celebrate Noche Buena which lands on the night of December 24th versus the traditional 25th. So I wanted to look my best while visiting with family and friends for dinner. I didn’t want to overdo the look so I styled my hair in a low bun and kept my make-up simple with a bit of blush and long lasting lip color.

Hair:
Pantene released a revolutionary product this year, Silky Moisture Whip Moisturizer + Styler (Item #1), that tons of women fell in love with. This product is great for women with curly hair, straight hair, and all hair types in between.

I put at least two dollops of the Whip into my towel-dry hair since I have really thick hair. Those of you with finer hair might need to go down to just a dollop so you don’t use too much.

I have straight hair with a bit of frizz that was tamed by this product. Plus the moisture it added (for up to 48 hours!) makes this a must-have item in my beauty regimen.

After my hair air-dried, I did a side part in the front and combed the rest into a low bun. I then used Herbal Essences Anti-Frizz Crème (Item #2) to tame the fly-aways.

Make-Up:
When CoverGirl and Olay team up for a product I get really excited! I don’t have much time in the morning to get ready for my day so getting two products in one really cuts down on prep time.

For this look, I applied their newest Pressed Powder in Medium/Dark (Item #3) with a large make-up brush. You can use the included puff if you prefer but I use that for touch-ups once I’ve left home.

The sun might be in hiding but that doesn’t mean you have to lose that bright sun-kissed look! I used CoverGirl’s Cheekers Blush in #150 Pretty Peach (Item #4) for instant cheekbones. And since eating and lots of kissing of relatives on the cheek was on the agenda, I finished my look with CoverGirl’s Outlast All-Day Lipcolor in #530 Dusty Rose (Item #5).

Look 3: Christmas Day

1. Herbal Essences “Honey I’m Strong” Shampoo & Conditioner
2. Herbal Essences “Honey I’m Strong” Rinse Off Treatment
3. Olay Age Defying Instant Hydration Day Serum
4. CoverGirl LastBlast 24 Hour Mascara
5. CoverGirl Outlast Lip Color

Noche Buena was a huge success but on Christmas Day I’m tired and to be honest, a little hungover. I have friends coming over to exchange gifts and so I need to get myself together! The theme of this look is: refresh/rehydrate/recover.

Hair:
Nothing makes me feel better than a warm shower to wipe away the make-up and hair product away and start anew. I used Herbal Essences new “Honey, I’m Strong” shampoo and conditioner (item #1) on my hair which smells all kinds of delicious! Part of the line includes their rinse out treatment (Item #2) that helps leave my hair silky and strong.

Make-Up:
After a night of drinks and overeating my face needs a bit of help to look perky and awake! I used Olay’s Age Defying Instant Hydration Day Serum (Item #2) to boost hydration as my base. It perked up my look so nice I didn’t even need to add powder!

My secret weapon from this look is CoverGirl’s Lashblast mascara in Very Black (Item #4). Between the 24 hour formula and their large brush with flexible bristles, my lashes helped my entire face look perky and awake all day! I finished my look with CoverGirl’s Outlast Lip Color in #570 My Papaya (Item #5).

Look #4: New Years Eve

1. Simply Olay Body Wash
2. Pantene Pro V Stylers Shaping Extra Hol Hairspray
3. CoverGirl Eye Enhancers
4. CoverGirl Outlast Lipstick
5. CoverGirl Cheekers Blush

Even though 2012 was a spectacular year, I’m ready to welcome 2013 in style! One of the hottest trends of the year was the top knot, worn by celebrities including Eva Mendes, Jennifer Lopez, and Jessica Alba, is what I’m going to imitate for a special new years eve party I’m attending. For my make-up I’m going to apply a smoky eye look with a bit of color on my cheeks.

To get the party started, I kicked off my night with a shower and a bottle of Simply Olay’s Simply Nurture in Coconut Milk (Item #1). The newest scent from the collection left me smelling so fabulous, I didn’t even need to wear perfume!

Hair:
To channel my inner Eva Mendes, I put my hair up in a high ponytail and wrapped two ties (one above the other). I lightly sprayed Pantene’s Pro V Stylers Anti-Humidity Hairspray (Item #2) on my hair before gently teasing it. I then took the whole tail and twisted it in circle while securing with bobby pins.

Make-Up:
New Years Eve is all about kicking up the glam so I used CoverGirl Eye Enhancers in #440 Shimmering Onyx and #445 Golden Sunrise (Item #3) to blend together for a smoky eye. Keeping my peepers as the focus, I kept the rest of my look simple with CoverGirl Outlast Lipstick in #598 Forever Fawn (Item #4) and CoverGirl Cheekers in #4 Plumberry Glow (Item #5).

Look #5: New Years Day

1. Head & Shoulders Damage Rescue Shampoo & Conditioner
2. Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deeeeep Conditioner
3. Gillette Venus Embrace Razor
4. Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly Mousse
5. CoverGirl Outlast Lipcolor

Happy New Year! You’ve made it, even if you are a little worse for wear after celebrating into the wee hours last night. No worries though, the five products above will help you start the year off right.

Hair:
After a busy season full of parties, events, and get-togethers, it’s time to repair from head-to-toe. As soon as I wake up I hit the shower with my Head and Shoulders Damage Rescue Shampoo and Conditioner (Item #1). My hair has been looking a little dry so I add Aussie’s 3 Minute Miracle (Item #2) to bring back life into my hair.

Before I leave I have a quick (and close) shave with my Venus Embrace Razor (Item #3).

I won’t be using any styling tools so I opt for Herbal Essences Tousling Mousse (Item #4) which gives me sexy waves and helps keep frizz at bay.

Make-Up:
Today is the day I will wear nearly no make-up except a swipe of CoverGirl Outlast Lipcolor in #521 Eternal Flames.

Check out my final looks below:

Look 1:

Look 2:

Look 3:

Look 4:

Look 5: