Budget Beauty on the Road: Using Brandefy to Compare Travel Beauty Buys
You know the feeling: “Sh*t, I forgot my face wipes.”
Travel is fun, enlightening, inspiring and life changing, but it can be tricky being away from your everyday routine and essentials. Despite my experience, I always wind up on the road, on a plane, or in a hotel without my most crucial beauty items: dry shampoo, face wipes, shaving cream. Sometimes it’s a conscious decision because it’s easier to get on the plane without them in the first place. I also find myself in need of an extra dose of beauty support during a trip like a good pore cleanse, especially if I’ve been doing a lot of sweating, wearing a lot of makeup or visiting somewhere with a bit of a pollution problem. My mind is always at ease because I know I can find everything I need at a local grocery store, Target, or CVS. But, how do we know if we’re spending too much? Is it really worth it to buy the name brand over the store brand?
Brandefy to the rescue. The app compares common beauty and other products alongside each other. People like me and you actually use and rate the products. Then, when we’re at the store, we can simply look up the products using the Brandefy app and make the decision easily. We can tell which products have the ingredients worth the splurge and which ones are just a fancy label. They asked me to try out a few and put them head to head. See the full haul below from Biore Pore Strips to Nexxus Dry Shampoo. I hope some of these tips and products come in handy when you’re making your next travel beauty purchase.
Now for the main event
With the stress and budget of travel in mind, I put all of these necessary travel beauty products head to head over the past two weeks. I logged into the app and shared my trials! Below is a synopsis of who won which round. I have to say, I was surprised to discover that I really did prefer the name brand over the store brand on almost every occasion. I’m big budget beauty gal, but somethings can’t be duplicated.
Nexxus Dry Shampoo ($11.99) vs. Suave Natural Dry Shampoo ($3.99)
$7 is a big difference, especially when you’re making money decisions on the road. This was the closest contest. I really loved the smell of Nexxus. They performed and felt the same, but the smell really pushed it over. It may seem silly, but after all, if you aren’t smelling clean then what is dry shampoo for?
Neutrogena Night Calming Makeup Remover Towelettes ($5.99) vs. Up & Up Makeup Remover Wipes ($2.49)
This one started with the smell. I loved the way the Neutrogena wipes were scented when I opened the package. I used both wipes on separate days when I had quite a bit of makeup on. I felt like I had to wipe harder and longer with the Target store brand wipes. Name brand won!
Purchase Neutrogena Night Calming Makeup Remover Towelettes.
Biore Deep Cleaning Charcoal Pore Strips ($13.99) vs. Up & Up Deep Cleaning Charcoal Pore Strips ($4.19)
I have never had such clogged pores. I don’t know if it’s age, a hot summer, increased workouts, or my change in diet, but I need much more than to lift my blackheads from time to time, especially when I’m on the road. I haven’t had a lot of experience with charcoal. I wanted to give this a try. I actually had my roommate do some research, too. Our verdict? It’s a tie! They both left us tingly and feeling clean. Which means, you should opt for the $10 price difference on this one. Save it for tacos. The same isn’t true for the net round of Biore vs. Up & Up…
Buy Biore Charcoal Pore Strips OR Up & UP Deep Cleaning Pore Strips.
Biore Deep Cleaning Pore Strips ($7.99) vs. Up & Up Deep Cleaning Pore Strips ($5.59)
For a less than $3 difference, this is no competition. The Up & Up strips stuck to my face and left a residue I was picking off for a day. They were also more uncomfortable to wear and had a tingly feel that I didn’t really sign up for. They did pull up some blackheads, so in terms of effectiveness, they worked. The Biore strips were easier to use, though. They peeled easily off and got right into the nooks of my nose where my worst blackheads lie.
Get the Biore Deep Cleaning Pore Strips.
Aveeno Positively Smooth Shave Gel ($3.97) vs. Up & Up Smoothing Shave Gel + Soy ($1.99)
I’m a big skincare nut. That’s because I have eczema. My skin gets dry and irritated more quickly than others. Shaving doesn’t help. I was hopeful for this battle. The Aveeno shaving cream won out for scent, consistency, and performance. I wanted so badly to discover a more affordable option. If I were on vacation, I’d definitely want to make sure I was using the best of the best. If just a couple dollars does it, then so be it.
Purchase Aveeno Positively Smooth Shave Gel.
Download the Brandefy app here.
I ordered all of these products from Target right to my front door using Shipt, my grocery delivery service. I can send you $20 if you ask nicely. Just kidding. Click here and you should get access to $20 in free groceries right away.
