Confessions of a Recovering Drug Store Product Addict

Ever since I was a teenager, I’ve been obsessed with all the possibilities for improvement available at the drug store. Of course back then, the areas needing improvement were very, very different than they are now. In my teens, my entire focus was hair and make-up, with the occasional foray into nails and skin. I was constantly on the prowl for hairspray that would maintain the elevation of my three tiers of teased bangs. Clairol Frost & Tip was my go-to do-it-yourself product for highlighting my giant helmet of sausage roll curls. Wet n Wild provided my favorite frosted pink lipstick. And the Covergirl palette of blues and purples was the only option for eye shadow. It was the 80s and I was young and naïve; I never suspected that my drugstore habit would radically change over the years as I moved away from the glowy perfection of youth.

Now that I’m in my early 40s (wtf?! how did that happen?), I’ve entered areas of the drug store which I didn’t even know existed as a teen. Oh how I long for the simpler time of my youth, when I thought I’d never get old. Over the years, I’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars and thrown out a dumpster’s worth of failed purchases, mostly due to impulse shopping and foolishly believing the promises made in slick advertising campaigns. Out of necessity, I expanded my beauty regimen to include holistic, department store, and internet purchases. I also realized that researching products was a great way to save money and determine whether or not products actually do what they promise. My best product research starts with finding articles written by experts that list specific ingredients that work, and then finding products containing those ingredients. Then I take my project over to Make-Up Alley or Amazon  and read reviews to find out about the effectiveness of real-life trials. It’s as simple as that. Through this method, I’ve found some Holy Grail products and saved thousands of dollars. And now I will share the fruits of my labors with the universe.