I looooove a good bargain. I’m also a super girly girl who (on most days) loves to do my hair and makeup. Over my many years in the modeling and beauty pageant industries, I’ve discovered some incredible budget-friendly products. I personally use each and every one of these products. I love them all and I hope you will, too!

Skincare

one | Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Facial Cleanser  | $9.95 | I’ve never had issues with bad acne, even as a teen, but this cleanser is just fabulous for normal and problem skin. I use it every night before bed, along with a facial cleansing brush, to get my pores nice and clean. The grapefruit scent is just delicious!

two | Thayers Alcohol-free Rose Petal Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera  | $6.99 | I’m a huge fan of natural products, and what girl doesn’t love the smell of roses?! Everyone needs a good astringent or toner to deep clean their face. This witch hazel is my new favorite go-to in my medicine cabinet. I also use it on my makeup clients while prepping their skin.

three | Trader Joe’s Nourish Oil-Free Antioxidant Facial Moisturizer | $5.99 | My skin is normal to dry, so I love that this moisturizer is so light and refreshing. I use it under my primer and foundation on days when I’ll be in front of the camera. It doesn’t have sunscreen, so I don’t have to worry about my face looking lighter under artificial lighting.

four | Trader Joe’s Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion with SPF 15  | $3.99 | This is a great moisturizer with added SPF 15 for days when I’m running errands or going on walks with my kids. If I’m outside for most of the day then I’ll use a tinted moisturizer with a higher sun protection factor, but for 30-60 minutes of combined time outside, this one does the trick in protecting me from too much sun exposure.

Body

five | O’Keefe’s Working Hands  | $8.00 | My hands are notorious for being so dry to the point of cracking (and sometimes bleeding) in the wintertime. It’s gross, I know. I wash my hands all. the. time. and just don’t have time to put lotion on my hands after every hand washing. So at night, I slather my hands with this stuff, and boy, oh boy, does it make a huge difference! My hands are soft again!

six | Primal Pit Paste Deodorant  | $8.95 | I’ve been using natural deodorant for over two years. I started with the Crystal Rock salt stick and didn’t love it. I’ve never been much of a heavy underarm sweater. But I sure can get stinky if I’m not careful. Typical antiperspirants contain toxic chemicals, like aluminum and parabens. Primal Pit Paste is all natural with ingredients you can not only pronounce, but eat! I use the Regular formula in the jar but I’ve also heard great things about the stick. They also have Light and Strong deodorants depending on how much protection you need. The sample pack is a great way to test a few scents and strengths before stocking up. My favorite scent is Jacked-Up Jasmine; I love my feminine florals! BONUS: use this link to save 15% on your first order!

seven | Trader Joe’s Refresh Face & Body Sunblock SPF 30  | < $10; see store for price | This has been my go-to sunblock for years. I like that I can use it on my face under my makeup if I’m in a time crunch. It lasts for several hours before you need to reapply. For those who will be attending some upcoming Spring Training baseball games in Arizona, I suggest you stock up on this gem!

Hair

eight | Head and Shoulders Smooth & Silky 2-in-1 Dandruff Shampoo + Conditioner   | $7.39 | You don’t have to have dandruff to use Head & Shoulders! As a busy mom, I wash my hair once or twice a week. Sometimes my scalp just needs a deep clean and other times I just don’t have time to use shampoo and conditioner separately–so this stuff works wonders for both occasions! It smells divine and really does leave my hair much less frizzy.

nine | Batiste Cherry Fruity & Cheeky Dry Shampoo   | $5.99 | Did I mention that I only wash my hair 1-2 times per week? You read that right. And this little guy right here helps to keep my hair looking clean for nearly seven, yes seven, days! I put this in my hair before bed and let it do its work overnight, then brush my hair in the morning. It comes in a bunch of different scents and colors for different shades of hair. I haven’t tried the brunette spray yet, but I’ve heard it’s awesome!

ten | The Wet Brush Detangling Shower Brush  | $8.98 | If you haven’t heard about the Wet Brush yet, you must be living under a rock because this. thing. rules. It does exactly what its name claims: it brushes right through wet hair with ease. I even use this to blow dry my hair! It’s cut down on the drying time so much because it doesn’t get stuck in my hair. I tossed my old paddle brush in the trash after the first time I used the Wet Brush.

eleven | Aussie Aussome Volume Hairspray   | $3.49 | I’ve been wearing my wear straight lately but I still like to curl it every now and again. This hairspray is cheap and does its job. My hair holds curl fairly well so I don’t use a ton of hairspray, but I like how this stuff holds my style and leaves my hair looking fuller than it really is.

Makeup

twelve | Maybelline? Dream Lumi? Touch Highlighting Concealer  | $6.49 | My girlfriend Diana introduced me to this little concealer a few years ago and it’s been a staple in my makeup bag ever since. It brightens up my eyes well enough to hide the fact that I’m up with my infant 3+ times per night and chasing after a 3-year-old (who hasn’t napped in over a year) all day long. Tip: buy this a shade lighter than your skin tone to really brighten up your eyes. (I use the Nude color.)

thirteen | e.l.f. Shadow Lock Eyelid Primer  | $2.00 | This use to be $1 and even though e.l.f. has doubled the price, I don’t even care; I’ll still buy it! *winky face* This primer helps your eye shadow last all day and resist fading and creasing. And as an added bonus, you can dot some under your eyes as a concealer primer, too!

fourteen | Revlon Colorburst Balm Stain  |$6.54 | I have this lip stain in three colors: Honey, Rendezvous, and Crush (my favorite). It’s a moisturizing lip balm with build-able color available in 10 shades. I want them all!

fifteen | L’Oreal? Paris Voluminous Original Mascara  | $5.89 | This formula rocks! It really plumps and lengthens lashes. The brush is easy to use and doesn’t clump. It’s available in many colors and waterproof options, as well.

Nails

sixteen | Sally Hansen Nail Treatment Instant Cuticle Remover  | $4.99 | Unless you’re a professional beautician, you really shouldn’t cut your cuticles. It does more damage than good. So when I do my manicures at home every 5-7 days, I use this. I’ll apply it to my cuticles after filing and buffing, leave it on for a minute, then push my cuticles back and wash my hands in warm water before I paint my nails.

Seche Vite Base Coat |$9.95 | Use it. Love it. Does the job.

seventeen | Essie Nail Polish  | $8.50 | You can’t go wrong with Essie nail polish. Their colors are timeless, classic, and trendy at the same time. Some of my faves are Ballet Slippers, Really Red, and Marshmallow (pictured above).

eigtheen | Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat  | $9.95 | I’ve been using this top coat for several years and I’ll probably never use anything else. It goes on smoothly and dries super fast. After a few minutes of air drying, I like to run my fingers under cold water for 1-2 minutes to zap my nails dry. I also use this to thin out the base coat or top coat when they get too thick.