SPEND VS. SAVE: MAKEUP EDITION
How easy is it to stop into Sephora or Ulta for one thing and end up leaving with a purse that’s hundreds of dollars emptier? Trust me, I know the feeling. I love buying makeup – probably more than the average person – but I don’t always love the dent in my bank account. In recent years, drugstore brands have been upping their game, not to mention brands like Colourpop and Morphe who have amazing products at an incredible price. I am definitely a believer in finding great makeup products at any price point – here are some products to splurge or save on.
PRIMER
This one is a tie for me. For one, I haven’t found a drugstore primer that I’ve noticed makes a difference the longevity of my makeup so I tend to lean towards higher end or pricier options. On the other hand, for many people primer isn’t an absolute necessity. Unless you have super oily or dry and flakey skin, if you wash, tone, and moisturize your face before applying your makeup, you can probably skip the primer all together. For those who do have oily skin or large pores and wear their makeup for an extended period of time – I say splurge.
FOUNDATION
Spend! Foundation is the base of your entire look so I think its very important to have something of quality. Try to find something that works for your skin type and what type of coverage you want. I’ve found that more expensive foundations also have a better color selection with many different undertones, especially in recent years (thank you Fenty Beauty!).
CONCEALER
This kind of goes hand in hand with foundation. It’s the base of your canvas so I think it’s important to invest in a quality concealer that works for you. Most of the concealers I’ve come to love are from higher end brands such as the Nars Radiant Creamy concealer I wrote a review on a while back.
EYESHADOW
For eyeshadows I tend to gravitate towards higher end brands such as Anastasia, Lorac, Elcie, and many others. Usually the pigment, blendability, and fall out is much better with higher end brands, but I do also love Morphe eyeshadow palettes. For the price you can’t beat the amount of eyeshadows you get in each palette. Not every single eyeshadow or palette is the absolute best, but the pros definitely outweigh the cons.
EYELINER
I say spend when it comes to eyeliner. When it comes to gel or liquid liners, they can either be not opaque enough or have a shiny finish. For pencil liners, most drugstore ones I’ve used feel really waxy and I prefer kohl eyeliners that are easier to smudge for a smokey look and tend to give you the depth you need.
MASCARA
Save all day! I do love my TooFaced Better Than Sex mascara, but my ultimate holy grail is the Loreal Voluminous mascara. It’s super black, holds the curl of my lashes amazingly, and gives oh so much volume. Mascaras tend to dry out quicker than any other cosmetic product and you (should) replace them every 3 months. The drugstore options are amazing so you can definitely save your hard earned money on this product!
LIP PRODUCTS
I’m combining lipsticks, liners, and glosses into one because I have generally the same opinion on them. Save, save, save! Some of my favorite lipliners and lipsticks are from brands like NYX, Colourpop, and Milani. The only draw back is depending on where you’re purchasing from you may not be able to swatch the colors, and many lipsticks look different watched vs in the tube. It’s a small draw back for someone who knows what tones and colors they like, especially when you find great formulas for a more competitive price, but still something to think about!