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While pricier personal care products tend to work almost like magic, blowing your entire paycheck on items you can’t really afford isn’t the only way you can tap into quality skin, hair and nail care. There are tons of brands carried in drugstores that retail at reasonable price points and will work well as supplements to your splurge-worthy items. Here are some of the best beauty products currently lining drugstore shelves.

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Oh Shea butter, how do you I love? Let me count the ways…

Eight ways to be exact. This fat from the African Shea tree is used in just about everything: food, beauty products, medicines–you name it, it’s probably there, chilling in the middle of a loaded ingredients list. And out of all the extra special oils and extracts being coveted these days and raved about online, we’re still holding tight to our Shea butter-based products. Here’s just a few your cabinet is yearning for m’dears.

Source: naturallycurly.com

Source: http://0.tqn.com

Organic Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo & The Lavender & Wild Orchid Body Lotion – $9.99 and $13.99

Okay, so I couldn’t just pick one Shea Moisture product for this joint, especially since their name is a dead giveaway that Shea butter is a mainstay in their stuff. The raw Shea butter moisture retention shampoo is a winner for the fact that it’s such a rich product (not too watery or bubbly), and we’re loving that it smells delicious (almost like Frankincense) and makes your hair feel like butter, baby.

Then, the lavender body lotion is EVERYTHING. Thick and creamy, it’s not a watery lotion that wears off fast and leaves your skin on a trip back to Ashville. Instead, it coats your skin in such a bright sheen that you would swear you were just using straight Shea butter from the plastic containers. In other good news, you don’t need to wear perfume when you put this light but lovely scented lotion on.

Source: target.com

Dove Body Wash Shea Butter Soap – $5.54

Dove Nourishing Care Shea Butter Beauty Bars are winning because the little yellow bars help alleviate the need to spend time lathering up post-shower. These babies can provide all the moisture you need in a day and will have your skin feeling mucho soft. It definitely smells delicious and goes a long way for just an inexpensive pack of soap.

Source: jergenslotionthestore.co.cc

Jergens Deep Conditioning Moisturizer – $6.99

While we know that Shea butter moisturizes your skin like crazy, sometimes too much moisture can just be…well…too much. Not only does it come off too thick and heavy but it leaves you feeling like you jumped in a bath of baby oil. However, Jergens’ deep conditioning moisturizer is lightweight and lovely, sans all the greasiness.

Source: http://evolutionofsmooth.com

EOS Smooth Sphere Lip Balm – $3.29

I know you’ve seen these little balls of sunshine before! The Evolution of Smooth lip balm is in many a woman’s purse thanks to the soothing mix of Shea butter and Jojoba oil. Plus, it’s easy to go on and keep with you, and instead of one smell or flavor, EOS has an array. But don’t expect some cutesy wootsy names for them though, just be happy with the wonderful results; because there’s something about a lip balm with the name “medicated tangerine” that doesn’t scream “Gotta have it” but you do!

Source: Facebook

Carol’s Daughter Mimosa Hair Honey – $11.00

When I was rocking my afro, I used to swear by this stuff. The Nettle extract with cocoa butter and Shea butter provides a lot of shine, which is nice for a product that doesn’t come off greasy, but just provides great shine and moisture. Perfect for the chick who needs to grease their scalp, but not cover it in the thickest of greases. Plus, I know you’ll dig the light scent, and it will leave recently pressed, two-strand twisted, braided hair–whatever, looking all kinds of fabulous.

Source: health.com

Aveeno Positively Nourishing Hydrating Body Wash – $6.99

If the bars of soap aren’t your thing (steady on the move and don’t want to take a wet bar of soap in your overnight bag…), then you must do yourself a favor and pick up Aveeno’s Positively Nourishing Hydrating body wash. The Shea butter and fig mix definitely helps to bring some moisture to the most dry skin out there, and the scent of blackberry and vanilla will win you over and wake you up! Check-check it out…

Source: 00turkishdelight00.blogspot.com

Buffy Body Butter – $11.95-22.95 Depending on Size

A MUST. When I tell you that this little bar of happiness leaves your skin with a coat of lusciousness atop it, I’m not kidding. Looking for something to help deal with dry cracked feet and dull hands in between picking up a new scrub, I thought I’d dry this soap to see what it could do for me. Can you say “magic”? Aside from Shea and cocoa butter, there’s ground rice, almonds and beans in this product, which will certainly have you rubbing your hands like crazy and asking, “What is this? Velvet???”

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Courtesy of Fabandfru.com

Calling all budgetistas!

Ready to rev up your beauty basket without running up your credit card bill? Look no further, my beauties. We have assembled a slew of price-friendly products under $20 to help you feel pampered and pretty. The following pages, filled with essentials like a facial moisturizer with SPF, glamorous, glittery nail polish, and even a sensual body scrub that just may inspire a little for play, are big bangs for your buck.

LUSH, Fresh Handmade Cosmetics is more than a store. It’s an experience! Picture this:

You are surrounded by every color in the rainbow. Natural lavender, Shea butter, and citrus are among the many smells you are inhaling. Music – presently Christmas carols - can be heard, faintly, in the background. Your hands trace over unique shapes like snowmen, cupcakes, and stars! They all vary in texture and depending on the one you’re feeling, your hands can end up moisturized, exfoliated and/or covered in glitter. Welcome to LUSH.

As hardworking women, we like and deserve to be pampered. LUSH provides us with ALL-NATURAL products (containing little to no preservatives) to freshen up our bath, shower, hair, skincare and perfume at a reasonable price. Being able to pronounce the ingredients of your face and body products would be a nice change of pace, right? We suspect you’re nodding your head in agreement.

With over 650 stores and factories in over 40 countries, chances are you’ve seen a LUSH store before. If you’re like the majority of mall-goers I polled on their experience with LUSH, then you have passed by it on your way to Bath & Body Works, or The Body Shop or even Victoria’s Secret. However, a select few, since wandering into a LUSH, have decided the competition just doesn’t compare. There are two types of people in the world: Those who shop at LUSH and those who don’t. If you haven’t tried their rich lotions, bath time treats, or natural face masks…what are you waiting for?

With the help of two friendly and knowledgeable LUSH Gurus, Rachael and Danielle, I’ve comprised a list of products any LUSH veteran or beginner can appreciate. Check ‘em out and learn some cool LUSH facts along the way!

Healthy, younger looking skin is what everyone dreams of and at its healthiest, black skin is nothing other than incredibly radiant. With a beautiful spectrum of hues and tones, it’s no wonder we have many phrases to describe our skin’s resilience and beauty. Ever heard of the phrase, “black don’t crack”?

Luminous, healthy skin is not hard to achieve. I’ve researched and practiced all the steps I’m about to share with you and I’m passionate about educating African-American women about ways to achieve natural beauty through health and wellness. So it’s my pleasure to offer five simple tips for healthy, beautiful black skin.

Whether it’s long, short, curly, or straight, all women derive a great sense of esteem and confidence from their hair. I wear my hair naturally, and I love my hair- with all its kinks and curls. African American women have one of the most delicate grades of hair, and a woman’s hair is often regarded as her crown and glory. The most healthy hair is hair worn in its natural state. But whether you wear your hair naturally or processed, here are some simple, yet crucial steps for black women to achieve healthier, more beautiful hair.

You can’t be cute and ashy at the same time. Dry, dull, flaky skin needs intense hydration and tender loving care. Check out Madame Noire’s five favorite lotions and potions to pamper your skin.

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