BUDGET BUY: WET 'N WILD BALM STAIN

Sometimes, I want to buy something just to buy it. I don't have a reason, heck, it might even be a duplicate. But just the thrill of handing over my hard earned dolla bills out of my increasingly empty wallet for some cheap makeup I don't even need - ok, enough. I sound like a shopping addict.

My true addiction? Bold lips. Which is precisely why I couldn't resist Wet 'N Wild's MegaSlicks Balm Stain in A Stiff Pink.

$2.99 at Target, priceless shopping satisfaction

I love the idea of a balm AND a stain - stain is key for staying on all day at the office, since I guess it looks a little unprofessional to be touching up your lipstick constantly at your desk. Stains can be so drying though, especially in a fresh-air-less space. And both balms and stains sometimes end up too sheer, so it would be nice if I could get a serious pop of color on my pout, which this promises to deliver.
This Frankenstein's monster of a lip product might just be the best thing ever.

At under five bucks including tax, this lip balm/stain is also at the perfect price point to experiment. I like the packaging, and that the color of the product actually rings true - there's nothing worse than getting a product home and finding out the color that comes out is wildly different than the color it presents itself as. Lippy little liars.

First swipe, not bad. As you can see, I'm not quite office ready - like the product, my hair is also wet 'n wild (couldn't resist).

Ah, much better. A far more presentable office look. It feels good on - like lip balm, actually. I know it's there but it doesn't bother me.

Now for the real work test - how much of my lip color will end up on my coffee mug?

Answer: just a smidgen. Not enough to quell my enthusiasm, though - it is just $3 after all. 

I say, a successful bargain buy!