I don’t really brag about my hauls on here unless I know I got a slammin’ deal. Today is just going to be one of those days. Bear with me, folks!

First off, Rite Aid is having a sale on all Revlon eye cosmetics, including the new Revlon ColorStay 16 Hour Eye Shadow quad, which regularly retails at $7.49. Less 40% off comes to $4.49. Smack a $2 off Video Value coupon on top of it, and you’re talking about a fresh-on-the-market eyeshadow quad for two-fifty.

Next, I move to N.Y.C., which while it isn’t on sale, is part of a special deal where any single piece $1.99 or over earns you $1 back in +UP Rewards, which is essentially a coupon good towards your next purchase. I bought four of these, rolling my coupons on to other purchases.

They’re also running a sale on all Wet n’ Wild cosmetics – 40% off. Now, I needed some new eye makeup remover after I dropped my last bottle in the loo and was terrified of it even after I immediately threw it away. Nothing haunts your dreams more than eye things that have been in the toilet. So yes, check, we pick up some new eye makeup remover, for a sweet $1.19. Then we amble over to the Megashield Lip Color SPF15, which generally retails for $2.99 per piece. This is also included in the 40% off sale, plus each piece has a $1 off coupon on it, bringing the price down to just $0.79 per lipstick. I used three of my four +UP coupons on these, which means I only paid $0.04 for each lipstick before tax.

We round out our trip with a Physician’s Formula blush, already clearanced at 75% off of the original $11.95 price tag, and used my final +UP coupon, bringing it down to just $1.98. Score.

Grand total for this drugstore spree, tax included, came up to $15.21, for a total savings of $26.51. I did wind up going to three different stores – the first one did not have the Wet n Wild Megashield lipsticks, and I simply wanted to see if the last store would have anything the first two didn’t (which is where I found the blush). I consider the store-jumping to be pretty well worth it, though. Especially considering none of the locations were too far out of my way.

These sales are still good tonight and tomorrow, so if you’re jonesin’ for some new eyeshadow, or want to stock up on some new lipsticks, you know where to go!

In addition to pondering the wonder and beauty of music, I sat down to consider what I loved most in the beauty world this past year. Not all of these products will be new to this year – many of them are just new to me. And in some cases, we have old tried and true favourites. Either way, this is a list of things that have found a permanent place in my 2011 routine.

BEST BRAND

In any makeup brand, there are going to be things that are phenomenal, and things that just leave you feeling heartbroken and confused. I love e.l.f., but some of the products are utter crap. I love MAC, but the collections this year have been extremely boring and, I’ve heard, lacking in quality. Wet n’ Wild make fantastic polishes, but I just cannot understand the obsession with their eyeshadows (save for the Comfort Zone palette, which is ten kinds of awesome). But the one brand that I can purchase anything in and pretty much know that I’ll love it is Urban Decay. Primers, shadows, glosses, you name it. The only thing that I’ll hold against this brand is the lipsticks. I’ve yet to find one that I really love. I’ll leave the lipsticks to MAC, I guess.

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