While I love Tarte Mascara, but spending $20 per month on mascara is not fiscally responsible.  So I’m always on the lookout for a good drugstore brand to keep my lashes lush and my wallet flush with cash.  Okay, maybe not flush, but certainly less frightening.

This week, the mascara of choice was Volum’ Express The Falsies by Maybelline (Walgreen’s, $7.49).  

Advertisements allege that this product will give you long, voluminous lashes so full and sultry that you’ll feel like you’re wearing false lashes.  Yeah, not so much.  

Like most Maybelline mascaras, this one has a formula that is so viscous that it borders on watery.  This can make for a messy and imprecise application.  (I ended up with as much mascara in my eyes as I did on my lashes.)

The brush also isn’t up to par.  The bristles are so far apart that they don’t do a very good job of separating your lashes.  So instead of dozens of lashes, you end up with five triangle shaped peaks that need to be split apart with a needle.  Old school.

If you’re looking for a great bargain mascara, this isn’t it.  About the nicest thing that I can say about this product is that the Very Black shade is in fact, very black.  

Now onto the second product, which was not an unmitigated disaster.

I’m a huge fan of Fresh fragrances, but I’ve never tried any of their other products.  My co-worker, however, simply raves about Fresh’s tinted lip treatment.  

With natural humectants and waxes, this product is guaranteed to keep your lips moist without any irritating chemicals.  And since my co-worker has sensitive skin, this is perfect for her.  

The tinted balm also has antioxidants to nourish the skin and SPF 15 to protect your lips from the sun.  Yes, lips can get sunburned and wrinkly.  Who knew?

And last, but certainly not least, this is the best smelling lip balm since Bonnie Bell Dr. Pepper chapstick (don’t hate, you know you loved it, too).  Scented with Fresh’s light Sugar scent, the product can also be rubbed on your wrists for a mid-afternoon refresh.  

Though I would only recommend doing that with the clear lip treatment, the rose or the plum might stain your wrists and your cuffs.

So if you’re looking for a product that will keep your lips moist and give you a hint of color, Sugar Plum by Fresh is what you’ve been looking for.  It’s sheer, buildable color is perfect for every coverage preference and the scent is just yummy.  Please resist the urge to lick it from your lips.