Makeup can be expensive. That’s why I call it an investment. But with any investment it’s important to know what’s worth the cost and where you can actually save. Here’s a list of makeup items you should and shouldn’t splurge on.
Save: Eyebrow pencils
In the world of eyebrow products, you have your pencils, gels, and pomades. I use a mix of all three to line and fill in my brows. It’s clear that you do not need to splurge on an eyebrow pencil. I’ve tried expensive pencils like the ones from Benefit and ABH, but neither gave me anything above and beyond my trusty eyebrow pencil from ColourPop. Twenty dollars is very pricey for a product that can easily break off if you drop it mid-use or apply too much pressure. I run through brow pencils quickly. To account for this, I stock up on four to five at a time so that I am always prepared. If I stocked up on Benefit pencils I’d be shelling out 100 dollars on 4-5 brow pencils. Why do that when I can find similar quality for a more affordable price?
Splurge: Highlighter
I can tell the difference between a quality, high-end highlighter and a cheap one. How? Most quality highlighters are fine enough to blend flawlessly into your skin. Cheaper ones on the other hand may have you looking like you just popped some elementary school style glitter glue on your cheekbones. My favorite highlighters from Becca Cosmetics cost a pretty penny, but they last. I haven’t had to refill any of my highlighters yet. Don’t be afraid to drop a little cash for the glow.
Save: Lip Gloss
This is a controversial one for me. I definitely went back and forth because I know I spend a lot on lip gloss. My favorite lip glosses, from Fenty Beauty and Buxom Cosmetics cost $18 and $21 respectively. The thing is I have two Fenty glosses and five or six buxom glosses floating around in my makeup closet. That’s over a hundred dollars I have spent on gloss alone…yikes! If I am being honest with you, and myself, it is totally not necessary. I started off my lip gloss affinity with the NYX cosmetics section of CVS. Their butter glosses are absolutely phenomenal and are only $5!
The fancy brands are using the same ingredients in their products as the drugstore brands—they are just packaging it differently and you’re paying for it.
Similar to brow pencils, if you are going to be using a product frequently enough for it to run out often, it should be an expensive you consider scaling back. There are plenty of high quality lip gloss options from drugstore brands and even the beauty supply. The fancy brands are using the same ingredients in their products as the drugstore brands—they are just packaging it differently and you’re paying for it. On top of that, I recently discovered my favorite $21 Buxom gloss on sale in Marshalls for $6! So if you still choose to splurge on gloss, at least check for sales!
Splurge: Foundation & Concealer
Foundation and concealer are important. They set the stage for the rest of your makeup look. It is named foundation for a reason. If the foundation isn’t right, don’t expect much good to come from the rest of your makeup look. There are a couple of reasons you should be ready to splurge on a good foundation-concealer. For one, foundation can make or break your skin. You don’t want to be in a position where a cheap foundation made you break out or clogged your pores. Secondly, you want your foundation to last through the day. I’ve had enough experience to know that not all foundations were created equally. There are differences in formula and most times the pricing reflects that. Expect to spend anywhere from 30 to 60 dollars on a nice foundation and 20 to 30 dollars on a good concealer. If you’re looking for a place to start check out my top 5 foundations and concealers!
Save: Mascara
My reasoning here is similar to my reasoning for brow pencils and lip gloss. The shelf life for mascara is short and the ingredients for most are very similar. Don’t play when it comes to the makeup you put around your eye. You want to make sure it’s updated frequently so that you keep the risk of bacteria and infections low. If you’re someone who defers to uses false lashes often, that’s even more reason to save your coin when it comes to mascara. Let the lashes do the work.
Bonus Toss Up: Eyeshadow
There are a lot of opinions on where eyeshadow falls on the list of makeup you should and shouldn’t splurge on. As my favorite part of any makeup look, of course I have a bunch of thoughts on eyeshadow spending. To keep it short, in this day and age there are plenty of affordable brands with high quality shadows (ColourPop, Juvia’s Place etc.) At the same time, there are high end palettes worth the money (Pat McGrath, Natasha Denona etc). All I’ll say is be sure you’re getting the most band for your buck. Eyeshadow singles are usually not the best investment because you can get so much more from a palette. For a full list of my favorite eyeshadow palettes, see my previous post!
Final Thoughts
I hope you found this list of makeup items you should and shouldn’t splurge on helpful. What makeup items do you prefer to splurge on? What would you rather save on? Leave your thoughts in the comments!
“But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?” Luke 14:28
