Cool Finds

You don't really have to go to a drug store or a department store for your make-up needs anymore. And you definitely don't have to pay an arm and a leg for things like lipstick and perfume. Lots of your fave clothing stores are expanding their stock to include fun stuff, like lip gloss and perfume. The best part is - they're not crap.

The Gap

The Gap was one of the first stores to branch past socks and bootleg jeans. They've been selling their own brand of perfume, in several scents, for a while now. But recently, on a quick trip to my local Gap, I discovered some really cool lip gloss, called Lipshine. It's a total find! It comes in cool flavors like Strawberry or Tangerine and adds a little color and glitter to your pucker. The biggest score is, it's pretty big (size-wise) and it's cheap - under $5. My fave is Strawberry - it swirls white and pink for a frosty, light color.

Banana Republic

Nowadays it's kinda hard to be original, especially when you're talking scent. Seems like everybody is wearing Calvin or Ralph - but believe it or not, they haven't cornered the market on perfume. Years ago, the cool clothing chain Banana Republic came out with their own scents. First they had two, simply called Banana Republic Women and Banana Republic Men.

I found out about 'em cuz a cute boy I knew said he loved when chicks wore the women's scent. Well, nothing beats an endorsement from a cute guy, so I had to check it out. He was right! This stuff is flowery without being babyish and musky without making you smell like you just stepped out of the woods. It wasn't at all overpowering either. And it rings in at less than those designer scents - only $35 US.

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