'The Shopping Bags' Test Beauty Products

Nov. 14, 2005— -- Anna Wallner and Kristina Matisic have a mission in life and that is to look great for a cheap price. They are "The Shopping Bags" and they have their own television show on the W Network and they just released a self-titled book. An important aspect of their mission is to make their tests fun, so they jump on trampolines and ride on roller coasters to check the effectiveness of lip gloss and hair spray.

"It's not a scientific test, but it is certainly a practical test," Wallner said.

Hair spray:Wallner and Matisic rode a roller coaster with their hair done up in a complicated style sprayed with firm-hold hair spray. One used high-end hair spray, the other used a hair spray that costs a few dollars at a drug store. At the "GMA" Times Square Studio, the Shopping Bags sprayed two models' hair with both kinds of hair spray and the results appeared to be the same.

Conclusion: Buy the cheaper brand, it works just as well as the expensive brand.

Lip Gloss:The Shopping Bags compared two popular brands of lip gloss, Mac, which costs $12.50, and Lancôme Juicy Tubes, which costs $16.50. To test the stickiness of the gloss, Wallner and a model jumped on a trampoline. Wallner's hair stuck to her lips -- she was wearing Mac. The model, wearing Lancôme, hardly had any hair on her lips.

Conclusion: The Mac gloss will last longer, but the Lancôme might be a better option for those who want to avoid picking their hair from their lips.

Spray-on Nylons: To test these products, the Shopping Bags simply sprayed their legs with either Nyce legs, which costs $20 or the Sally Hanson spray, which costs $10. The caveat: The Shopping Bags said this is a messy product to use. "We recommend doing it in the bathtub, because that's where it's easier to cleanup," Matisic said.

Conclusion: With Nyce legs, you get a much sheerer look and a lighter feel, but the Sally Hanson product covers imperfections more effectively.