This is an article tailor-made for those who love makeup (like me). As a girl on social media platforms such as Tiktok and Instagram, my "For you" page is filled with recommendations of various products and brands. And though there isn’t anything innately bad with this type of content, it can pressure people to buy certain products out of a desire to emulate those recommending said products.
So, I wrote this article hoping to offer you some tips on how to save money when buying makeup and constructing a beautiful yet cost-effective routine.
First, the key to discovering affordable products is to understand the difference between drugstore and high end makeup. Lets take Romania. Here, some representative shops are DM and Sephora.
Before continuing I would like to disclaim that I am not hating on either of these stores, but suggesting solutions for those with a tight budget.
The dream of every makeup-loving girl is to have a vast collection of products with which you can attempt any and every makeup look, therefore we can not gloss over any step of the process as they are all important.
I am going to talk about each step from base to eye, discuss when investing in high end expensive products is necessary, and talk about why drug store versions are sometimes just as good.
Primer:
Protecting your skin barrier before suffocating it with layers and layers of makeup is crucial, however there are many cheaper alternatives to primers. A hydrating cream is a good example, as you can save money by using it to both hydrate and prime your skin. In my experience, cheap moisturisers work just as well as high end versions.
Foundation:
This is a product that I really encourage you to buy the high end option of. It is very important for your foundation to have high quality ingredients in order to not experience breakouts. Additionally, the expensive ones tend to be more resistant and durable.
Concealer:
I do not use this product so I cannot express my opinion about it, but I have seen that the drug store options are more popular than the high end ones. What do you think? Is it just as good?
Setting powder:
Setting powder is important for those with oily skin that want their makeup to resist throughout the day. I think that they’re all good no matter the price range, so if you want to save money, choosing the budget friendly one is better.
Contour:
For contour, the drug store options are high quality so you can purchase and use it with no regrets.
Bronzer:
Bronzer has a similar effect as contour, so I suggest picking between the two in order to save some money.
Blush:
As blush colours your cheeks and gives you a cuter look, sometimes we tend to use too much product which leads to fast consumption of the product; inevitably leading to the need to replace it. I am a big fan of blushes, and have both high end and drugstore products so I can assure you both work. Personally, I even prefer the cheaper ones as I don’t feel as guilty for using too much:)
Highlighter:
Who does not like to have a shiny makeup?! Personally, I love it. I believe that owning a highlighter is a MUST, so I maintain my opinion from above: the cheapest option works too.
Lip glosses and all the pencil related products (eyes, mouth, eyebrows and mascara and eyeliner):
These products can also be bought at drug stores, as they usually have the same quality as the expensive ones, so why would you want to spend more money on something identical? If you still need convincing, let's put it in another way. Let’s imagine you are going to a club tonight, and want to take an Uber. On your app it costs 30 euros, but your friend has a 50% discount so she will pay for the same ride for just 15 euros, won’t you choose to let her use her account in order to save that 15 euros? In this situation, you may say, that it is obvious that you will want that. Good! So use this logic next time you walk into a sephora.
Eyeshadow:
Eyeshadow palettes are products I recommend to buy from high end brands. The cheaper ones usually have weird textures which are impossible to apply, the blending may be difficult and the colours may not be very pigmented.
Ending my article, I know it may seem that I do not appreciate the high end products, but that is not true. I just want to help people with less money to spend, understand that it is okay to not have the expensive version for everything, and that it is important to make good choices when it comes to spending money.
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