Hi friends!
As I’m in the midst of my month of drugstore favorites on here, I wanted to dedicate a post to the whole idea of spending money on beauty items. More specifically where I think it’s worth it to spend those extra bucks in your routine, and where to save on beauty. Of course, this is all my own personal opinion so you may agree with me or not depending on your preferences and/or situation in life. So take it for what you will, but I still hope it’s in some way helpful especially if you’re looking to build your collection.
Before I delve into it, I should tell you what my rationale is in terms of how I spend my money on beauty. Overall I’m pretty in love with what’s going on at the drugstore right now. I think drugstore beauty has come a huge way in recent years in terms of quality, colors, textures, and amount of choice. For the most part you can find comparable dupes to most higher-priced items there. So, in short, I try to buy most of my collection now from the drugstore or from the more affordable section of Ulta.
HOWEVER – as a true beauty lover I will not sweat too much over buying a higher-priced item that I feel is unique or beautiful. Where some people may deliberate over buying a $50.00 foundation, I will likely buy it if the color/texture suit me and if it fills a hole in my collection. I’ll balance out that larger purchase with a much cheaper mascara or lipstick. That’s my general thought process when it comes to luxury purchases.
WHERE TO SPEND ON BEAUTY
FOUNDATION AND CONCEALER
To me this one is very practical. I’m definitely not saying there are no good bases at the drugstore – hardly. I just think they’re harder to find and I’ll tell you why. Limited shade ranges/undertones and an inability to test in-store. Now, shade ranges are definitely expanding especially with brands like L’Oreal, CoverGirl and ColourPop, for example. But I still struggle to find my perfect shade and undertone at the drugstore, and I know I’m not alone. Everything is either too dark or too yellow for me, and since there are no testers available it’s all guesswork. I don’t really care for all that A.R.(augmented reality) try-on-your-shade mumbo-jumbo; I want to see colors in real life.
Check out my reviews on the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Tint and Hydro Boost Concealer if you want concrete examples of limited shade/undertone ranges.
More luxury brands tend to offer larger shade ranges and an easier way for you to shade match (i.e. testers or professional color-matching). So overall I do recommend investing in more luxury base products, if you’re in the market.
- If you want a light, tinted moisturizer-like base, check out the Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue.
- If you want a full-coverage, long-lasting base check out the Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation.
- If you want a luxuriously flawless base, check out the Dior Airflash Spray Foundation.
EYESHADOW
Don’t get me wrong, I love me a good drugstore eyeshadow. Actually if you’re looking for recommendations, check out this list that I just compiled with my some favorites. However, there is something to be said about investing in a high-performing luxury eyeshadow palette.
Take for example my comparative post on the L’Oreal Paradise Enchanted Scented Eyeshadow Palette vs. Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Palette. While both gave me similar looks in the end, I could definitely feel the difference in the quality between them. The L’Oreal shadows were flakier and took longer to build up, while the Tilbury shadows were smoother and blended themselves.
It’s all about the experience you want to have with your products, and how much you’re willing to spend to get that experience.
- If you want amazing blending, check out the Dose of Colors Baked Browns Palette
- If you want neutral heaven, check out the Natasha Denona Camel Palette
- If you want punchy color, check out the Urban Decay Born To Run Palette
WHERE TO SAVE ON BEAUTY
Pretty much everywhere else! Brows, blush, bronzer, highlighter, mascara, eyeliner and even lipstick – I just don’t think you need to spend big bucks in those categories to get good quality, long-lasting, impactful products. (But if you wanna treat yourself, go for it! I do!)
If you’re looking for good drugstore mascara recs, check this list out!
I will have drugstore favorites lists for all other categories coming your way every week this month (this week it’s blush/bronzer/highlighter). But if you’re curious, my main drugstore eyeliner recommendation is still the L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Last Waterproof Pencil Eyeliner. Check out this post I wrote earlier in the year all about them!
What are your thoughts on where to spend and where to save on beauty? I’d love to know!
xo, Erica
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Very good post! I agree totally with all that you wrote. There is nothing like splurging on cosmetics and also equally satisfying is realizing that some drugstore makeup can rival higher priced one ! 💄
Thank you so much! Yes, I totally agree, it works both ways 😉.
I agree with the areas you chose, if you have a good base other products sit and blend well on top. Primer tends to fit into the save category for me.
Me too. Most of the primers I have are like radiant moisturizers and they’re nearly all from the drugstore.
Thanks for all the tips and reviews. Do you have a favorite lip gloss? I went to Ultra but just didn’t care for the colors on me. I think I want a clear gloss. Then Ultra discontinued my foundation…AHHHHHHH!
I actually don’t have a good drugstore lip gloss recommendation, I’m sorry! I’ve just started to get back into glosses now so I need try out some more myself. But I’ve heard the NYX Butter Glosses and the Wet n’ Wild glosses are good for what’s it worth! Which foundation was it?
Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow-benefit
Never tried any bases from Benefit before. Sorry to hear it was discontinued – that’s always disappointing!
I have a hard time with getting the right color foundation, too. I like to try before I buy. Our CVS has become like a mini Ulta! There’s so much makeup in there now. I’m not complaining because when there’s a sale and I have coupons I’m shopping there. 😂
I love a good CVS beauty shop! Especially when I’ve got my Extra Bucks too! 😉
Yes!! I love those bucks. 😀
So true. Foundation, concealer and eyeshadow are some of the ones that I focus on more when it comes to spending big. Especially since foundation and concealer are more personal to skin tone and finish whereas eyeshadow is based on preferences etc.
I so wish I could find a really good drugstore base that fits my current makeup preferences! Would absolutely love to spend less money. But it just hasn’t happened yet, sadly 😞.
The shade ranges suck and when they dont suck and are actually quite good, the undertones are a fail too lol. Can never win with drugstore foundations. Lucky those who are able to find their perfect match.
Amen to all that!