CENTSable Beauty: Store Brand Adventures, Family Dollar

Welcome back to CENTSable Beauty, our Frugal Beauty series from the ladies at Auntie M Coupon Training.  Today, we will be taking another look at the good and the bad of store brands. To see our Target Store Brand Adventure, click HERE.

Now, onto the reviews.

Night Firming Cream
Price: $2.00

Grade: F

I really wanted to like this cream.  The first time I applied it, it had an interesting tingling sensation that made me feel like it was working.  Turns out... it was just breaking me out.

Pros:

• Moisturizing

Cons:

• Made me break out.  Within a week of using this nightly, I had tiny, under the skin bumps that were not clearing up.  This is not for sensitive skin.
• I didn't like the scent.  It smelled like basic body lotion, which I wouldn't put on my face.
• Too thick in consistency.
• No "Firming" action, or really no benefits to the product.

Clear Hand Soap
Price: $1.25
Grade: B

Bottom line: I would repurchase this product just for the price to quantity ratio.

Pros:

• This is a BIG bottle for the price.
• Think formula and no sticky residue.
• Pleasant Smell

Cons:

• Didn't work for exceptionally dirty hands (Example, my husband tried to get grease from the car off his hands and NOTHING happened).

Shave Cream for Sensitive Skin
Price: $2
Grade: A

I may be the only person who still uses shave cream (as opposed to shave "gel") but I just prefer it.  Family Dollar did not seem to offer a Shave Gel at my location.

Pros:

• Foamed Well
• Spread Well
• Unscented (or unnoticeable scent)
• Good size product for the price.
• Shaved my legs with a new razor and this cream.  Left my legs without a single bump or ingrown.

Cons:

• No cons worth mentioning.

Foaming Facial Cleanser
Price: $3
Grade: B

This cleanser is supposed to be comparable to the Neutrogena Foaming Cleanser.

Pros:
Left my face feeling clean.
I tested it by using toner after cleansing, and there seemed to be no left over makeup or dirt on the cotton pad.
Unscented or undetectable scent.
No breakouts!

Cons:
Little to no foaming... should just be called "Facial Cleanser."

Oil Free Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin
Price: $3
Grade: A-

This product is comparable to the Neutrogina Oil-Free Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin.

Every once in a while, I find a product that completely surprises me. I bought this knowing it would get an average grade, but I find that I like it even better than the product it is trying to imitate.

Pros:
Very light, but still moisturizing.
No breakouts!  So, it's good for sensitive skin.
No scent or undetectable scent.
Absorbed into my skin very quickly.  I normally wait 10 minutes after moisturizing to start my makeup, but with this product I felt like I didn't have to.  It was set into my skin at least 5 minutes after application.

Cons:
Wish it was a few cents cheaper, just for being an off brand.

Frugal Friday: Another Use For Blue Dawn Dish Soap

Here is a simple frugal carpet cleaner. And it works better than any carpet cleaner I've purchased.

32 oz hydrogen perioxide (.88¢ at Walmart, .89¢ at Target, and $1 at Dollar Tree) 32 oz water A quirt of blue Dawn dish soap (9 oz bottle can be purchase $1.49 when not on sale. And as low as .88¢ when on sale. Combine with coupon and only pay .13¢ after sale and coupon. )

I use an empty laundry detergent bottle to put it in. (32 use) I have put this in spray bottles to spray on stains, or put directly into carpet cleaner. It cleans better than anything I've ever used.

You do not have to worry about the color of the carpet. It will not discolor the carpet. I’ve used it on dark carpet and light carpet alike, no problems.

Frugal Friday: Coupons in the Mail!

Finding coupons for products we love isn't always easy. We look in the Sunday paper, we Google printables, and even search around their websites and Facebook pages without any luck! One of the many things we teach during our Couponing 101 class is, that when all else fails, email a company and ask for a coupon!

A lot of us have been doing this for years, but a few months ago I came across this blog post on Pinterest. It is a gigantic list of all the companies that have sent out coupons to shoppers who send them an email. So... I was on a mission. In a few hours I had emailed all of them with the simple message "Hello! I really love your products. Do you ever send coupons out to customers through the mail?"

This message didn't work for all of them, but I was shocked at how many envelopes were in my mailbox within the week! Below, I've collected a list of all the great coupons I received.

(2) $.75/1 Dreyer’s Ice Cream Product
(2) $.50/1 Haagen-Dazs 14 oz or package of bars
(1) $1/1 Carbonell Olive Oil 17oz or larger
(2) $.50/1 Florida’s Natural Fruit Juice
(2) $1/1 Barber Foods Entrée 2-pack
(1) $.55/1 Horizon Organic Product
(2) $1/1 Whiskas Product or Temptations Treats
(2) $1/1 Jose Ole Item 16oz or larger
(2) $1/1 Tide Product
(1) $.55/1 Kozy Shack product
(1) .55/1 Land O Lakes Saute Express package
(1) $.55/1 Land O Lakes Margarine or Buttery Taste Spread
(1) $.55/1 Land O Lakes Butter Product
(1) $.50/1 Land O Lakes Egg Product
(2) $.75/2 Blue Diamond Nut-Thins 4.25oz
(2) $.75/2 Blue Diamond Nut Chips 4.25oz
(2) $1/2 Blue Diamond products 4oz or larger
(2) $1/1 Farm Rich product
(3) $.50/1 Tribe Hummus Product
(1) $1/1 Tribe Hummus Product
(2) $1/1 Mt. Olive Product (they also sent two refrigerator magnets!)
(2) $.75/1 Welch’s Product
(2) $1/1 Ling Ling Product
(2) $.75/1 Malt-O-Meal Cereal 15.5 oz or larger
(4) $1/1 Boathouse Farms Salad Dressing
(2) $.50/2 Zatarain’s Rice or Pasta Mix
(1) $.50/2 Birdeye items
Booklet of 6 different Stonyfield Products
Booklet of 13 different GlaxoSmithKline products

So, if you've got some time to kill, start emailing! It didn't take as long as I had thought it would and now I have a few binder pages FULL of higher value coupons. WOOT WOOT!

CENTSable Beauty: The Cheapest Brush Cleaner... EVER

Cleaning your makeup brushes is an essential step in order to keep bacteria away from your face.  There are plenty of different cleaners out there, ranging from $50 high end solutions to store brand serums for $5... but nothing, and I mean NOTHING beats the price of this Pinterest find.

Ingredients for DIY Brush Cleaner

• 1 Cup Warm Water
• 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Blue Dawn (Must be Blue)
• Paper Towel and/or dish towel
• All Your Dirty Brushes

Mix water, vinegar and Dawn in a bowl.  I like to stir it up with one of my smaller brushes.  It'll turn a weird grey color, so it's not very pretty.  If it turns any other color... you must have too much makeup on your brush. ;)

Don't judge the dirt... I wear a lot of foundation.

After swirling a brush in the solution, take it and run it across a dish towel.  Daily use brushes, like my foundation brush pictured to the right, might not rinse clean the first time.  Dunk it back in he solution until the brush swipes clean.

Rinse each brush with cold water after cleaning, or else they will forever smell of vinegar!

Shake, squeeze or push our as much of the excess water as possible, then lay your brushes out on a paper towel to dry.  Note: It may take up to 24 hours for your bigger brushes to completely dry, so don't clean them right before you want to use them!

Working with Money Makers!

Has anyone noticed the $2 off any Almay Cosmetic item coupon this weekend?  We LOVE seeing this coupon, because not only are we able to get some makeup removing pads for free... but we get to make some money on them too!

Here's the deal:
Almay Eye Makeup Remover Pads (15ct) $1.14
Use $2 off
Final Price - FREE + .86 cent overage!

Here are some example trips, just to show you how it could work.

                   

Micki's Trip!
4 Makeup Removers and Color Safe Bleach
Only Paid $2.64!

Angela's Trip!

10 Makeup Removers, 12 boxes of pasta, and a tank
top to soak up the overage.

She only paid $.85!

 Here are some great trips from Auntie M Students and Friends!

5 Makeup Removers, 4 Bayer Chewables and 2 Axe body
spray for only $4.62!

"3 make up removers, two pks filler paper, 1 crate, an a candy
bar my son devoured... OOP $.68!!"

If you have access to these coupons, run and get some!  These are great products anyway, but even better when you can put them towards the rest of your basket!

Frugal Friday: Weekend Back to School Deals

Academy
Back packs starting at $7.99
Uniform shirts for kids $5.99
Juniors $8.99 (Walmart is a better deal)
Uniform shorts and scooters $8.99
Girls jumpers $9.99
Boys pants $11.99


Office Depot
Five Star Poly Clear Folders $1
Select supplies 50% off!
4 pack of Expo Dry Erase $3 (Great to give to teachers!)

Staples
25-50% off all backpacks!

Penny Deals this week: (With additional $5 purchase)
4oz Liquid Glue
Plastic Pencil Box
Rose Art Crayons

Quarter Deals:
Staples Memo pad with magnetic closure

Dollar Deals

Pack of Multipurpose Printer Paper (After Rebate)
Zebra Z-Grip Mechanical Pencil 7-pack
200 Page Notebook 5.5" x 4.25"

Two Dollar Deals
Rose Art 10 Pack Washable Markers
6 Pack Pen Style Highlighters
3 pack of Elmers Glue Sticks

Office Max
Penny Deals: (With Additional $5 Purchase)
Multi Color Plastic Folders
4 oz. Liquid Glue

1 Subject Spiral Notebook $1
Solid Color Composition Notbook $.50

Albertsons Matchup 07/10/13 through 07/16/13

Check your local store for a coupon policy. Each location is different, and experiences may vary.

Albertsons Large Eggs Dozen $1.00 0 $1.00
Arrid Extra Dry deodorant 2.6 oz $1.00 0 $1.00
Barilla Pasta 12-16 oz. $1.00 0.55/2 $0.73 05-19 S2
Betty Crocker Cake Mix 15.25 oz. $1.00 0 $1.00
Borden Grill Melts 12 oz. 12 oz. $2.50 0 $2.50
Essential Everyday Singles, 10.7-12 oz. 10.7-12 oz $2.50 0 $2.50
Bowl Appétit! 2.4-3.10 oz. $1.00 0 $1.00
C&H Sugar 4 lb. $2.79 0 $2.79
Capri Sun 100 % Juice 10 Count $3.49 0 $3.49
Chicken of The Sea Chunk Light Tuna 5 oz., In Oil or Water $0.88 0 $0.88
Chicken Split Breasts, Drumsticks or Thighs Previously Frozen $0.98 0 $0.98
Chobani Yogurt 6 oz. $1.00 0 $1.00
Clif Bar, Clif Mojo Bar, Clif Builders Bar, Pure Protein Bar, Zone Perfect Bar or PowerBar Performance Bar, Energy Blasts Chews or PowerGel Energy Gel 1.58-2.4 oz. Select Varieties $1.00 $1/5 $0.80 03-31 AY
Coke, Sprite, Diet Coke or Coke Zero 2 Liter $1.00 0 $1.00
Conair hair accessories $1.00 0 $1.00
Dannon Activia 4 Pack $2.00 1 $2.00 exp 7/13 05-19 S1
Dawn Dish Detergent 9 oz. $0.88 0.25 $0.13 07-07 PG
Essential Everyday Chunk Cheese Bars or Shredded Cheese 8 oz., Select Varieties $2.00 0 $2.00
Freeman Shampoo or Conditioner 6-13.50 oz $1.00 0 $1.00
Fresh From Your Bakery Focaccia Bread 12 oz. $1.00 0 $1.00
Healthy Choice Lunch Entrées 8.5-10.5 oz., $1.99 0 $1.99
Herbal Essences shampoo, conditioner, styling ads 6-10 oz $2.50 $5/2 $- 07-07 PG
Hot Pockets 9 oz. Select Varieties $1.88 0 $1.88
Stouffer’s Signature Classics 6-11.5 oz. Select Varieties $1.88 0 $1.88
Hot Shot Wasp & Hornet Flying Insect or Roach & Ant 14 - 17 oz $2.50 1 $1.50 05-19 RP
Hunt’s Pasta Sauce 24 oz. $1.00 0 $1.00
International Delight Iced Coffee 64 oz. $3.00 0 $3.00
Keebler Snack Cups 2.75-4 oz. $1.00 0 $1.00
Maruchan Instant Lunch Cups 2.25 oz. 2.25 oz $0.29 0 $0.29
Shawnee Mills Cornbread Mix 6 oz. 6 oz. $0.29 0 $0.29
Michelina’s Zap’ems Gourmet 7.5 oz. $0.44 0 $0.44
Minute Maid Fruit Drinks 59 oz. $1.25 0 $1.25
Nestlé or Mars King Size Candy 1.77-3.7 oz. Select Varieties $1.00 0 $1.00
Nivea Body Was 16.9 $2.50 0 $2.50
Pictsweet Frozen Vegetables 12-16 oz. $1.00 0 $1.00
Plum Organics Baby Food 3.17-4 oz., Beech-Nut Fruities 4 oz., Gerber Pure Purified Water 128 oz. or Looney Tunes Wipes 80 Ct. Select Varieties $1.00 $1.00
Puffs Facial Tissue 56-64 ct. $0.88 .25/3 $0.63 07-07 PG
Pure Silk shave cream 8 oz., Select Varieties $1.00 0 $1.00
Red Gold Canned Tomatoes 14.5-15 oz. or Libby’s Canned Vegetables 14.5-15.25 oz. $0.88 $0.88
Rice A Roni or Pasta Roni 4.20 -7.20 oz. $0.88 0 $0.88
Scunci hair accessories $1.00 0 $1.00
Tony Chachere’s Rice Dinners 3-8 oz. $1.00 0 $1.00
Tony Chachere’s Seasoning Blend 5-8 oz. $1.00 0 $1.00
Totino’s Party Pizza 9.8-10.5 or Pizza Rolls 15 ct. $1.00 0.2 $1.00 Printable
Wrigley’s Orbit, Extra, Eclipse or Classics Gum 14-18 Ct. $1.00 0 $1.00