Beauty, Beauty on a Budget, Blush, Face, Haul, Lip Gloss, Lips, Makeup, Swatches

Can’t bring yourself to fork over $22 for a blush and $15 for a lip gloss? Don’t sweat it! Budget beauty brands will quickly get you together at a fraction of the cost of the high end stuff without sacrificing quality. Like Forever 21. I’m sure their Love & Beauty line can be hit or miss but so far I’ve been discovering some really impressive gems for under $5.

The last time I went, I spotted a nude blush and lip gloss that I thought would make a great combo. I’ve tried a couple of Forever 21’s glosses before and they reminded me a lot of MAC’s Cremesheen Glass so I was down to try another. I picked out the Natural Hydrating Lip Gloss with Argan Oil, a sheer brown-beige, because it looked like a wonderful nude lip in the tube. Natural doesn’t give much color but it does offer a nice sheen and it’s surprisingly hydrating. My only gripe with Natural is the smell. It’s awful! It smells like burnt plastic and it’s rather strong. Not strong enough to linger much after application but I wouldn’t recommend taking a whiff of the tube.

The Georgia Peach Hydrating Blush with Argan Oil turned out to be a winner though! It’s a warm peachy pink with fine gold shimmer that’ll flatter a variety of complexions. And the formula is really impressive! I’ve only worn Georgia Peach once but the texture was so soft and creamy and it was incredibly pigmented. I only needed the lightest touch for Georgia Peach to show up on my skin and it blended it very well too. Not too shabby for a $5 blush!

I have to admit that I used to turn my nose up a bit at the Love & Beauty line when it first arrived at Forever 21 but there’s some really great pieces mixed in there. I never expect much when I purchase Forever 21’s beauty goodies but I’m always left with a pleasant experience. I actually like Georgia Peach better than some of my MAC blushes! If you happen to spot Georgia Peach or the other shade in the Hydrating Blush range, Pink, I highly suggest you scoop them up. Georgia Peach is the bomb!

Forever 21 Love & Beauty Natural Hydrating Lip Gloss & Georgia Peach Hydrating Blush