Drugstore Cowgirls.(makeup trends)

Drugstore Cowgirls

hair

Sure, they get $400 haircuts at Frederic Fekkai, but rich women also know the power of Pantene and company. *No-Fly Zone Amanda Brooks says her hairstylist introduced her to Tresemme Shampoo and Conditioner, which she now buys in bulk. "I don't use any styling products, but when my hair is staticky, I'll take a little bit of Olay moisturizer and smooth it over the top to get rid of flyaways. The texture is watery rather than creamy, so it doesn't weigh hair down. Oh, and I get it at Kmart!" she says proudly. * Organic Experience Nina Griscom, who gets her hair styled professionally before events, isn't shy about bringing her own drugstore stash to ritzy salons. "Herbal Essences styling gel? Fabulous," she says. "I've brought it to every hairdresser and asked them to use it. Now when I go in, I see that they have it in their drawer and are putting it on other people!" When doing her own hair, she swears by the classic Ellnet hair spray. "It's light and has great holding power, but you can brush right through it. Best of all, your hair doesn't look sprayed," she says. "This is very naughty, but sometimes I spray it on while my hair is still wet from the shower, then blow it dry. It gives great body and hold." (Unfortunately, although it's cheap, it's not available in U.S. stores. You can order it at beautycatalog.com.) * Smooth Operator For sleek hair, Celerie Kemble swears by John Frieda's Secret Weapon. "There's no reason to spend a bucket of money on a tiny vial of silicone when a dab of Secret Weapon gets rid of frizz and adds shine," she says. * Clean Combination Helen Schifter plays cosmetics chemist in the shower. "I put Clinique Hair Care Shampoo on my scalp to deep clean, then Thermasilk from the ears down for moisture." * Dye Hard Accessories designer and actress Elisabeth Kieselstein-Cord -- who pulled together an entire costume for a Diane von Furstenberg party in 15 minutes at a Ricky's N.Y.C. drugstore -- is a home hair-color convert: "Once, a hairdresser talked me into highlighting my then-virgin hair -- at a cocktail party. Of course, I despised the color, and instead of hurting his feelings and marching into his salon the next day, I dyed my hair jet black in my bathtub a few hours before a seated dinner at Sotheby's. My girlfriends attempted to stage an intervention, but when I emerged, they ooohed and ahhed!"

Drugstore Cowgirls

skin

The uptown jury is out about whether expensive creams really work (verdicts range from "crap" to "magic in a bottle"). But they agree on one thing: "Mass products come in generous containers, so you can be sloppy and get out the door quickly," Kemble says. * Basic Instinct Vanessa von Bismarck, a partner in Bismarck Phillips Communications and Media, swears by Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion. "It's very basic. It makes me feel great because it's not smelly, and it leaves my skin soft and greaseless. And since it's sold in huge containers, you don't feel guilty about using it as body cream ...