I’m cheap when it comes to makeup. I call myself a no make up person because I don’t put makeup daily but when I do, it will be the kind that you can barely see. Flawless skin, glowy high points, with maybe a touch of crazy eyeliner or a lip gloss if it’s a night look.
One of the things I believe when it comes to makeup is that you can make a full perfect makeup look only with drugstore products. I have grown up watching Lisa Eldridge on Youtube. She made me believe that you can make a Chanel look out of Bourjois products. As I grew older, I started to know more about what products will look good on my skin and what I can substitute with a high-end version that will suites me better. Here is where I splurge and where I save when it comes to makeup.
Primers
I don’t believe that you should spend a fortune on primers. I use my usual moisturizer to prep my skin daily Weleda($19). For a glossy, dewy from within face, you only need this. Don’t let anyone tells you any different. Before Weleda, I was preparing with Glossier Priming Moisturizer ($22), which is also was my regular moisturizer, and it surfed me well. But If you have a special event, and you have really oily skin, I recommend using Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer ($20). For eyeshadow primers, Nars Pro Prime ($26) is the best if you got oily eyelids. I have combination skin, and I don’t use a specific primer for my eyelids and my eyeshadow stays all day, I just swipe some of Weleda on my lids as well.
Foundations
I love to use concealers more on daily bases and don’t cover my face completely with it or with foundations. But when I use foundations, I like to wear a high-end product. Because drugstore color selection always sucks when it comes to choosing the perfect shade for my skin. Therefore, I love to get a luminous coverage with the exact shade of my face from a high-end product. There is a great selection of foundations you can find at Giorgio Armani($42), Chanel ($50), Nars ($49), and YSL ($54) to choose from.
Concealers
I cut off concealers for a long time, and I also used a lot of drugstore concealers for a longer time. Nothing beats this one. If you have combination skin (oily t-zone with dry cheeks/forehead) then you want a luminous, buildable finish then this is the one for you ($30).
But there’s an expectation to this case, The Glossier stretch concealer ($18) is good, but don’t expect long-lasting wear. And the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind ($10) is also great. If you use concealers like me, to cover only some parts of the face and this is the only coverage you will need daily, stick to a high-end one and don’t buy foundation.
Cream Eyeshadows
I’m “one shade over the lid and I’m done” kind of girl. If the eyeshadow sticks to the eye, doesn’t crease and have great deep shade, then grab it. I have found pots in P.S with £1.99 and it works perfectly fine.Elf ($4) is great too. If you want to splurge for the sake of more colors and options, you can find the best in Chanel($30), Mac($20) and Charlotte Tilbury ($32).
Powder Eyeshadows
Don’t splurge. Brands like Revlon ($10), Rimmel($6), and even H&m have great colors and stay in forever.
Mascaras
I have never ever in my life spend more than $5 my mascara. I’m welcoming a YSL Noir Radical black mascaras gifted from my friends, and I love it. But I don’t feel that there’s much of a difference except for a luxurious package. Maybelline Colossal ($8) is stable for me. Rimmel for elongated lashes ($8), and L’Oreal million lashes ($8) for the darkest black.
Eyebrows Gels
We have to stop here, me defending why you have to purchase a $16 tube for only eyebrow grooming while still there’s a $3 product in the market.
I use Glossier boy brow and I like it so much. The reason I still use it is that I couldn’t find anything cheaper to give me a subtle, natural color for my eyebrows. I have full brows so I only need a bit of tint and something to keep them in place. The color and the formula serves me well here. But I won’t splurge more on this and buy a Chanel tube at $32, you feel me?
Eyeliners & Pencils
Never ever go high-end for that. I use a pencil from L’Oreal ($10), or Bourjois ($12), and it does the job. For a professional look, I use Maybelline Eye Studio gel eyeliner ($10), most of the makeup artists are using it. It drys so well and its black is perfect.
Brushes
I put everything with my hands, even eyeshadows. But to marriage the products perfectly on my skin, I use this Real Technique brush ($8). And I don’t feel that I need anything else. They have different varieties for many techniques if you’re going for more.
Loose Powders
I feel the world screaming Laura Mercier ($39) for setting and Chanel loose powder ($52) for setting makeup. And I say splurge splurge splurge. Nothing will set and finish the makeup you have spent 20 minutes doing like these two. I also used Bare Minerals ($24) for setting, and Wowder ($22) for finishing. Not together though.
Lipsticks
It depends on the shade itself. I can’t compare here, there’s a lot of great shades that I bought from drugstores and reviewed. But there are also great deep, velvety pigmentations you can’t find anywhere else but from Mac ($19), Estée Lauder ($33), Chanel ($36), Tom Ford($55), and Giorgio Armani($38).
Lipglosses
Are you kidding! I use the ones that come in girls magazine as a gift. It tastes good, looks shiny and sticky. I know you don’t want sickness, but if it tastes good, I love it sticky, weird ha. Never splurge. Here’s my favourite.
Creamy Highlighters
For natural results I say splurge! Some of the good choices out there are RMS Beauty Living Luminizer ($38), Milk Hydrating Oil($24) is great, and Haloscope from Glossier ($22).
Powder Highlighters
If you are into a luminous sheer look, you can get it from Elf ($4) or the Maybelline Powder Highlighter ($8). It won’t feel chalky or glittery, and it will intensely glow your cheeks. If you want to splurge, one of the best highlighting palettes out there is Dior Glow Face ($45), it has different shades to blend for a natural look.
Powder Blushes
I don’t use powder blushes expect for the classic Bourjois pot ($10), but if I can imagine myself in a dreamy cushiony mate finish, I can’t see anything but Chanel ($40) and Nars($30) in the horizon, I know I’m bad in this one, recommendations?
Cream Blushes
You can have bouncy like flush cheeks from anything, and I mean, anything. Pinch your cheeks and you’ll get it for free! Meaning, anything will be perfect. I use this L’oreal one for a subtle look ($13). For a pigmented look, Elf ($4) is an excellent choice.
Wow that was long, but it sums up my choices when it comes to makeup. I’m waiting for more recommendations from you in the comment section! See ya!
