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Get gorgeous for fall with Avon's new Tribal Teals collection. The Budget Babe's resident beauty expert Kiki Bella (an alias) has all the deets. —BB



by Kiki Bella
Fall is such a fun time of year, the colors start to change and the new season brings with it a new face of beauty and fashion. This season we're seeing a bunch of spectacular color in the makeup world, in fact some are saying this is the most exciting color season in years. This makes complete sense to me: While the economy sucks and updating a whole new wardrobe can be pricey, updating your makeup bag is a great way to get a whole new look and not break the bank. Even if you're wearing the same clothes nobody will notice with a stellar new makeup routine (read: they won't be able to look away from your gorgeous face!)

One of the best new color collections I've seen so far this fall is Avon's new Tribal Teals Fall 2009 Collection. These colors really appeal to me, and I think they did a spectacular job finding colors that work effortlessly together. I am not one to take a risk with eyeshadow, and to be honest when I saw the rich green and purple in the True Color Eyeshadow Quad in Nocturnal ($7.00) I was a little freaked (these are not colors I usually choose for my fair skin). I followed Avon's recommended color placement on the eye (there's a little diagram on the back of the box, very handy for the novice) and was very pleasantly surprised. Together the colors looked sultry and smoky, and I received several compliments that night while out. Even more notable then the gorgeous colors was the amazing staying power of the eyeshadow, so important to a contact wearer like myself who really doesn't want to go blind from falling eyeshadow particles. Also very key for the smokey eye look, it's so important to not have eyeshadow-shadow on your cheekbones as the night goes on (ick!). The eye shadow quad comes in Textured Teal (shown at top) and Nocturnal (I tried Nocturnal, see splotch above right).

I loved the eyeshadow, but I love-loved the Jilliam Dempsey Professional Kohl Eyeliner with Smudger in Charcoal ($6.00) and the Nailwear Nail Enamel also in Nocturnal ($4.50). This eyeliner is awesome! Creamy, easy to apply and so perfect for the uber popular smokey cat eye of this season (the smudger is so great). I love the charcoal color, really great alternative to your regular black, and it just blends like butter with the complimentary eyeshadow quad. This pencil doesn't pull the skin, and creates professional quality lines with great control. The nail enamel is also super, goes on great, two coat coverage and the color is unique and very much in tune with the current season, it's like a dark gray-brown. It is a must have.


To locate an Avon Representative, call 1-800-FOR-AVON or visit www.avon.com.

No time to wash your face before bed? The Budget Babe's resident beauty expert Kiki Bella has a solution for even the busiest of beauty babes. —BB




by Kiki Bella
I have a beauty confession to make. There are some days when I am just too lazy to wash off my makeup before bed. That is a big beauty no-no as leaving makeup on at night will clog pores and not allow your skin to breathe, but come on people! Can you blame me? It just takes way too long to get all that off! Not to mention most makeup removers sting my eyes and make me smell all chemically before bed.

While shopping a couple of weeks ago I noticed Physicians Formula has come out with some additional products to add to their Organic Wear line, and I picked up a container of Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Facial Makeup Remover Towelettes. Not usually a fan of this type of product, I was sucked in by the gorgeous packaging, and the sleek aluminum container is also recyclable when you're finished.

The towelettes are biodegradable, cruelty free, have no harsh chemicals, synthetic preservatives, parabens, GMO's, synthetic colors or synthetic fragrances. They smell so good, very fresh and clean, and the essential oils in the Eco-Aroma Therapy formula melt away stress as the wipes melt away makeup. I have very sensitive eyes and I had absolutely no reaction to these wipes, which is hugely important for me. My makeup came off easily and quickly, and my skin was left feeling very clean and soft, with no irritation or dryness.

The ingredient list reads more like a farmer's market shopping list then a serious makeup remover with things like orange fruit water, radish root, lemon peel oil, aloe vera juice, cucumber extract, soybean seed extract, lavender oil and olive leaf extract. Sounds delish and it does the job! I love this product, and while I don't use it daily I find it to be an essential new part of my beauty arsenal. There is nothing like coming home after a busy day and feeling like you can give yourself a quick facial and go to sleep with beautiful, soft and fresh skin (oh yeah, and its great for the planet too!)


Physician's Formula Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Facial Makeup Remover Towelettes are available at most drugstores ($9.95 for 25). Visit www.physiciansformula.com for more info.

The Budget Babe's resident beauty expert Kiki Bella finds comfort (and super soft skin) in a new line of moisturizers from Dove. —BB





by Kiki Bella
Ever since high school I have had a bad relationship with moisturizers. Attending a private school and being forced to wear uniforms for four years will give you an interesting point of view on skincare and lotions. Imagine walking into the locker room and smelling every single Bath & Bodyworks scent mixed together, and then magnify that by three hundred. Powerful. Overwhelming. I had to fight the faint. Why the obsession with soft skin? Well, for starters, when you have to wear a skirt everyday and people can't help but see your legs, you don't want them to be scaly or ashy (the horror!).

Anyway, my personal psychological traumas aside (I still won't go near plaid) I think there is something to be said for the quest for the perfect form of moisturizer. My own requirements are simple and straightforward, yet hard to find. I want something that is quick and easy (it's too time consuming to lotion up everyday, call me too busy or call me lazy), something that works well (I want soft, not greasy), something that works well throughout the seasons (enough in winter, not too much in summer), and doesn't make me smell like a bowl of fruit or cotton candy. Oh yeah, and to top it all off I want it to come from a company that I respect, and that respects me.

I'm dreaming, right?

Nope. Welcome to the world of Dove Body Wash with NutriumMoisture™. I was able to try all three body washes in this line—Deep Moisture, Sensitive Skin and Gentle Exfoliating—and I ADORE them. They are amazing. My skin felt fantastic. Better than it ever has before, no joke. My boyfriend tried it, and with just one shower his scaly man elbows were no more! That alone had me sold. I tried it, and I was a believer.

But if that wasn't already proof enough I went to check out the Dove site, and it's like the icing on the cake. Not only does it feel like it works, but they have scientific papers on their site for you to read to explain why it works and how. I love this. A fantastic product in a beautiful bottle and all the smarty pants technical stuff I love to go along with it. This product is the answer to my prayers. Showering and moisturizing simultaneously saves so much time, the amount of hydration and softness is absolutely perfect, the scent is lovely in the shower and is subtle on the skin so it doesn't clash with my perfume or cause others to dry heave. Major thanks to Dove for creating this product, and while I'm on this love trip I also want to thank the company for their real beauty campaign. Go Dove!


The Dove Body Wash with NutriumMoisture™ collection is sold at food, drug and mass retailers nationwide. Visit www.dove.com to learn more about the science behind Nutrium Moisture.

The Budget Babe's resident product-tester-extraordinaire Kiki Bella (an alias) reviews some seriously smart skincare solutions. —BB



by Kiki Bella
Recently I was asked to review some products by a line known as Smart Girls Who Surf. Smart Girls Who Surf makes products that relate primarily to protection from the damaging rays of the sun, in addition to some soaps and other cute accessories. I am a smart girl but I don't surf, so how could these products apply to me? Well, for starters this company gets top marks right off the bat for being into protecting our planet, its waters and its people by making products that aren't full of icky chemicals. Some are even organic (major points there). The truth of the matter is that these products are awesome for any smart girl who finds herself doing anything in the sun. The products are fantastic, and I really am hooked on them.

In order to properly test these products out myself I took the Smart Girls Who Surf Grab-N-Go Kit ($24.99) on vacation with me diamond prospecting (yes, you read correctly—I spent one week in the middle of Arkansas in a 115 degree volcanic crater digging for diamonds—its hard work, and my boyfriend almost left me a few times, but I loved every second of it!). (continued below)