When to Splurge and Save Hard-Earned Money on Makeup
Let’s face it. Splurging on a makeup is something we women make once in a while.
Who does not do this?
Perhaps only a few of us with strong will and discipline would refuse to part ways with our hard-earned cash in exchange for that creamy lipstick in a tube and bottled foundation that make us look, well, flawless and polished!
In many occasions, we can be so willing to give away wads of cash for those cosmetics that will hide our crushing imperfections, give us a sense of self-confidence, and help us send to other people the signal that we religiously look after ourselves.
While it is not exactly a sin, indulgence on high-end cosmetics can be a stupid choice to make, honestly speaking.
This is especially true if the prices of our makeup purchases roll up to break the bank.
So ladies, it pays to know when we can save without sacrificing quality and when we can splurge without feeling the guilt when buying our inanimate, colorful best friends – makeup!
1. Mascara – SAVE
Professional makeup artists (MUAs) agree that we women can save the money we plan to pay for our mascara for other good use.
They say that they do not find massive differences in the formulations of mascara sold by high-end brands and by affordable brands we commonly find in drugstores.
This is a piece of good news for us women because mascaras have the shortest shelf life among cosmetics at about three months maximum. That means, we must buy mascaras at least after every 90 days to make sure we get amped up appeal in our flirty lashes.
Mascaras are also often exposed to air, which brings in bacteria to our mascara tubes. Again, that means those of us with extra sensitive eyes ought to purchase new mascaras faithfully between 60 to 90 days.
2. Eyeliner – SAVE
How costly it would be to drain much money for an item we need to buy so often!
Eyeliners are a case in point. They have a shelf life of three months maximum, after that they can go really bad.
Lucky for us cheapskates and practical ladies, eyeliners are available in a wide range of prices.
We can choose to save in our eyeliner purchases!
Buying new eyeliners after every three months is not such a bad idea, just come to think of it.
We put eyeliners dangerously close to our eyes, which are very sensitive and so important.
We simply have to make sure that they are clean and free from so many bacteria.
Buying a new one will help us make sure that our eyeliners are still A-OK!
3. Lipstick – SAVE
It is amazing how many colors, finishes, and feels lipsticks have!
We can have lipsticks with colors that would make us look like a doll and one that will make us appear vampy.
We can find lipsticks with matte, glossy, and silky finishes.
We can buy lipsticks with light and moisturizing feel.
With the overwhelming number of options available, it is possible to find a good one for our smackers for low price.
Thus, we can save on lipsticks!
4. Lip Gloss - SAVE
Lip glosses lend sheen, glitter, and glassy texture to our pouts for a short time.
Inevitably, we would need to touch them up after eating, drinking, or chatting.
Since they are not very long-wearing, then we can definitely save on our lip glosses.
We should not feel bad being skimping on this handy cosmetic.
Much of the beauty of a lip gloss on our lips is influenced by the quality of what we put under it – lip liners or lipsticks.
5. Foundation – SPLURGE and SAVE
Something that is put on all over the face ought to give us a finish that mimics our facial skin, unless, of course, we want to look like a clown or a lady in mask.
Also, foundations should be carefully manufactured, with ingredients causing allergies, acne, irritations, and redness being filtered out of the product.
Many high-end brands have become masters of the technology to create first-class foundations that sink into the skin while giving excellent coverage and lightweight feel.
That being said, we ought to splurge on foundation.
Exceptions
Many non-high-end cosmetics brands have really stepped up their game, creating foundations that match skin tones, do not cause breakouts, cover blemishes, as well as have light feel and long staying power.
6. Concealer – SPLURGE and SAVE
When we want to cover our imperfections like acne bumps and marks, purple shadows underneath our eyes, and broken capillaries around our nose area, then we want to make sure that the product we use for concealing is not imperfect as well.
In short, we want the best-quality concealer, something that will not move around, cake, and crease.
We want something that will blend into the skin.
With this, we may want to splurge on our concealer.
Splurging on concealers is quite reasonable actually. They last anywhere between one year for liquid concealers and two years for powder concealers.
Essentially, our money is stretched over time if we buy a good one.
Exceptions
Many drugstore makeup brands have developed concealers that match well with their quality foundations. These concealers are worth a try.
7. Blush – SAVE and SPLURGE
A pretty blush on the cheeks is what almost all women would want.
Blushes make us look glowing and healthy.
The good thing about blushes is that they can last for a long time, between one and two years.
So, splurging in a pigmented one is reasonable.
Many pricey blushes are easily picked up by brushes and fingers. A little of them goes a long way.
They also glide on smoothly on the cheeks.
Exceptions
Many drugstore brands have surprisingly improved the quality of their blushes by taking away talc and replacing it with pure pigments.
We can also save on blushes by buying drugstore brands.
8. Bronzer – SPLURGE and SAVE
Bronzers give us a healthy glow in the face. It also contours our cheeks, nose, forehead, and chin, giving our face a “structured” look.
Because they are used for both contouring and giving a glow, then many professional MUAs prefer a non-glittery, non-shimmery bronzer that high-end makeup brands have.
For this, bronzers are a splurge.
Exceptions
Not all high-end bronzers have a good finish. They sometimes turn orangey! Thus, it is worthwhile to explore low-end alternatives without shimmer and glitters. Again, bronzers can be a save.
9. Powder – SPLURGE and SAVE
High-end brands have done a great job of pulverizing their powders to the point that these cosmetics do not cake up as we use them again and again for frequent touch ups all throughout the day.
For this, powders are definitely a splurge.
We do not want our makeup to look smudgy and creasing, don’t we?
Exceptions
Surprisingly, many low-end brands have come up with translucent powders that do their jobs pretty decently. They mattify the face without making it look dusty and unnatural. For this, we can also save on powders, provided we test the product thoroughly before buying.
Copyright © 2012 Kerlyn Bautista
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