It took me the longest time to start trying out high end makeup lines because I’ve always really liked a lot of drug store products (and hello… they were cheaper!). Over the years, I have found a few products from both the drug store and Sephora that I will always go back to! I want to share these with you all and make this point to say that you don’t necessarily have to have only high end products in your makeup case in order to create a beautiful face of makeup. After trying out so many different lines, I’ve found that yes, I do like some of the high end lines better for certain areas of my face, but I also still go back to my tried-and-true holy grail of drug store finds. I’ve filmed a makeup tutorial for you guys that will be ready to post soon, but until then, here are a few of my favorite products that I use for my current makeup routine.
Let’s play a little game of save vs. splurge!
SAVE on these drug store products:
1. L’oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara – I have used this same mascara for a few years now. Occasionally, I will switch up my mascara routine when my lashes seem to get ‘bored’ with the same thing everyday, but I ALWAYS go back to this mascara. I’ve used Mac’s Zoom mascara in the past too and really like it a lot (this one actually reminds me of it), but this L’oreal mascara is still my go-to & it is so inexpensive, which is always a plus in my book!
2. L’oreal Voluminous Primer – Same as #1 … I love this product just as much. If you don’t use primer before mascara, then you can just skip over this part, but if you do use primer or you are interested in trying some but don’t want to spend a fortune on it, this is what you need! I don’t use primer on my lashes every single day, but any time I am doing a full face of makeup or getting super glam, I always use this product. It’s amazing & again, super affordable!
3. Milani Baked Blush – This is a blush that I have used in the past and love! I recently got this NARS blush too (which I talk about below) that I also love and I feel like both of these products are very similar (other than the price tag). The application of the NARS blush may be a tad better and smoother, but if you are wanting the look of a high end blush at a more affordable price, then definitely go with this one from Milani Cosmetics. It’s so pretty on!! (They also have a beautiful bronzer as well.) I use the color Luminoso in this blush.
4. Maybelline Master Precise Liquid Eye Liner – I LOVE this stuff!! I’ve gone back and forth between this and the Mac liquid eyeliner pen, and both pretty much look the same when first applied, but Maybelline’s will last you so much longer throughout the day. Plus, it seems to me that it I don’t run out of this product as quickly as I do the Mac liner. If you like a winged look and use a pen for your liquid eyeliner, give this one a try! I am obsessed!
5. Wet ‘n’ Wild Lipstick – Y’all know that I like to wear bold pops of color on my lips (usually a bright red or hot pink color), so I have two favorite shades of lipstick that I always go back to year after year. One is a drug store find and one is a name brand. This first on is from Wet ‘n’ Wild and is literally less than 2 bucks. (And it will last you forever!!) I love the color Cherry Picking (ps – it applies a lot pinker than what it looks like in the photo). I have tried a few of their other shades as well, and a lot of them look really pretty! Plus, the color doesn’t wear off throughout the day. This style is more of a matte-based line of lipsticks, which I love, but I will also say that it’s not as dry of a matte as a lot of the high end products are. Some of you guys may like that better since a lot of matte lipsticks dry out your lips so badly!
SPLURGE on these high end products:
6. itCosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer – This stuff is the bomb. It covers all of your dark circles and instantly makes you look refreshed when you put it on. It has a very tacky, thick texture, but applies so easily & blends well so that it doesn’t look cakey. This is a cheaper option for a name brand concealer, and at the moment, it is my favorite under eye that I have tried.
7. NARS Blush – This product has been so popular for the past year with all the famous beauty bloggers. I referred to it in #3 when I was talking about the Milani blush, so this is basically the same thing but with a designer name on the front of the packaging. I will say that this application goes on somewhat smoother than the Milani blush, but I really love both products! I don’t think you can go wrong with either. Basically, if you need a quick and affordable fix, go for the Milani blush, or if you want to splurge a little more, try out the NARS blush and you may find that you like the effortless, smooth finish that it gives you! I use the color Orgasm in this product.
8. Beautyblender – I have tried out the more inexpensive versions of the makeup sponges and ‘beautyblenders’, but then I broke down and bought the real Beautyblender, and it was a game changer for me! It’s ahhh-mazing. It gave me a much smoother & blended in look for my foundation and especially for my concealer/under eye. It’s like $20, but to me, it’s worth even more than that!
9. Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz – I have the most difficult eye brows to fill in because they always have a complete mind of their own, and in the summer, the sun washes them out so much that they almost seem to disappear off of my face. However, with this particular brow pencil from Anastasia Beverly Hills (I love all of their products!), it makes doing my eyebrows a little easier and not as dreadful, ha! I really don’t like filling in my eyebrows. I love the way that they look once they are completed of course, but at least with this product, the process is a lot easier. Most of all, I love that it doesn’t give you a harsh looking eyebrow, and it comes with a brush on one end so that you can smooth everything out to make your brows look more natural. I use the color Taupe in this product. (Pro tip: BLONDES, never get the shade Blonde … I made that mistake once and it just looked very brassy. Taupe is the best!)
10. Mac Lipstick – THIS!!! This lipstick in the shade Ruby Woo is my all time go-to and always will be! I’ve never been more obsessed or loyal to a beauty product in my life as I have this lipstick. Ever since the first time I tried it (almost 5 years ago), I’ve fallen more in love each time I wear it. I have a lot of Mac lipsticks in different shades (I tend to go for the Matte shades..), and they are all so pretty on. Mac lipsticks are where it’s at – especially Ruby Woo. That shade is what you see me wearing in most of my pictures — it’s just my signature color! I sometimes feel naked without it, haha! Like I said above, I do love the $2 Wet ‘n’ Wild lipsticks as well, but I haven’t found a red shade in that line that I love as much as Mac’s.
11. Sigma Foundation Brush – This brush was sort of like the Beautyblender for me – a game changer. I actually saw Emily Gemma from the blog, The Sweetest Thing, raving about this foundation brush, so I thought I would give it a try. Now, I use this everyday for my foundation. It makes the process SO much quicker (which I need for sure), and the application goes on so much smoother. Now, I will typically use this brush for my foundation and then my Beautyblender for my concealer & under eye. This process makes for a really great final product!
12. Laura Mercier Transluscent Powder – I love this product!! I obviously like a very matte look for my makeup, whether it be my lips or my face, and this translucent powder is THE BEST for setting (or what some people call, baking) your foundation and concealer. You can use a small amount to set any liquid makeup or you can build it up a bit for a more matte look (without it making your face look cakey). This product will help keep your makeup on and looking great all day long. Since I love a matte lip, I have also used this on top of a shiny or wet lipstick before to make the shade look more matte on my lips! And hint … putting a tiny bit of this loose powder on your lips will help your lipstick stay on much longer!
Thank you guys so much for stopping by! Happy hump dayyyy!