So if you know anything at all about makeup, you’d know that it is NOT cheap! If you were to buy some of the high high HIGHER ended makeup for every step in your routine, you could go on and spend a couple months’ rent. And listen, ain’t nothin’ wrong with that. If it fits your budget, then by all means, go ahead girl!

If you’re like me though, who needs to pick and choose wisely what my next makeup buys would be, prioritization is not open for discussion. This is highly subjective and based on each individual so don’t cast my opinions in stone just yet. I will tell you though, that after having worn and mulled over beauty products for well over 15 years (ok 18 to be exact), I can give a few pointers on where to dish out a couple extra bucks, and where to scrimp.

The splurgers:

Foundation – In my teenage and early 20’s I tended to save in this area because it was all I could have really afford. What I have found though, is that high end brands (some of them) have a more inclusive shade range. Very rare do I ever find a drugstore brand with my deep shade, staying power and with the exact finish I want. Foundation is something that lasts me a very long time as I’m a minimal face kinda gal, so splurging in this area may seem pricey initially but is well worth the cost. My favorite inclusive foundation brands are Estee Lauder, Makeup Forever and MAC. If I were to recommend drugstore, they would be Revlon and Black Opal.

Eye Shadow – When it comes to eye makeup, I am yet to find a drugstore eye shadow that blended well, was high in pigment and stayed put. This area is the epitome of you get what you pay for. Of course not every high end eye shadow is worth the time, but I can vouch for a few brands that never disappoint. Urban Decay and Anastasia Beverly Hills produce some of my favorite formulas. There are several indie brands that are showing off too, these days like Colorpop and Juvia’s Place.

Eyeliner – I know there are some really good ones out there that are budget, but I’ve found that the ones that stay put on my waterline and don’t move around too much tend to cost a bit more than average. I’ve tried many and the cheaper ones are either lacking pigment, too soft or disappears after an hour. Eye liners tend to last a very very long time so the cost spread over time, you probably won’t feel it much.

The savers:

Powder – For me, face powder is hard to mess up. Once I find my shade, and one with the right amount of coverage, I’m good to go. Whether you prefer loose or compact, you can find a variety in the drugstore. Black Opal is my go to for powder and if I want to treat myself I love MAC.

Blush – I am so happy about this because if I were to have one thing out of all my beauty products, it’d be blush. I love how it can add color, warmth and everything in between to the face. Not to mention, there are tons of really good quality drugstore and indie brand blushes out there. The range of oranges, purples and pinks are just too much to choose from! My favorite brands are La Femme, Sacha Cosmetics and NYX. Sleek Makeup creates some pretty vibrant ones if you have the extra cash to shell out.

Mascara – These are beauty products that no matter how much money I spend, they all work the same. All I want in a mascara is for it to fluff and thicken the appearance of my lashes. Nothing fancy. I spent quite a bit on mascara back in the day with the expectation of all the dreaminess that I now know are are actually false lashes (extreme pet peeve of mine). Now I stick to my Maybelline Falsies and I want for nothing more.

Lipstick – Don’t spend much on these. That’s as much as I can say. It is very rare that you find a lipstick that does what the advertisement says anyway. This is one item where price doesn’t influence the quality. Yes there are some luxurious lippies out there but where performance is concerned, you can get a pretty good one at any price. My absolute favorite lipsticks come from Wet n Wild.

The in-betweeners

Primers – Both eyes and face. I’ve tried my faire share of primers and I’m yet to get one that does exactly what I want.  Eye primers are no different, but I’ve had better luck them. I reach for both my NYX and Urban Decay ones all the time. This one really depends on your budget.

Brow liners – My holy grail is one from MAC but I have loads of cheapy ones hanging around and they pretty much do the same thing. I’ve heard amazing things about brands such as Anastasia Beverly Hills and Benefit and equally Maybelline and L.A Colors. You may have to test the waters a bit but you’d be sure to have fun while doing it!

Concealers – I don’t wear concealers very much but the ones I do have and love are on the lower end of the spectrum price wise. I’ve had pricier ones but it’s just one of those beauty products that I can’t justify spending a lot on. There are way too many reasonably priced, good quality ones out there.

What do you think? Where do you splurge and scrimp on your beauty products?

Thanks for stopping by!

PS ~ 10 Self-care Practices for Everyday Life and My Everyday Morning Makeup Routine.