According to a professional makeup artist! 

Hey Friends! Around the internet there are endless options when it comes to different price points on makeup – it’s a bit of a maze out there with companies encouraging you to splurge left right and centre!! I’m going to try and shed light on some common questions: should you go high end on mascara or are drug store options as good as they say? Is it worth investing in a good base only to then spend less on products that go on top? Hopefully this will help you decide which category of makeup products to put your hard-earned money into, and which you can afford to save a little!

Spend

Primer: If you live in a humid part of the world (hello Hong Kong!), this step is vital else your your makeup is going to slip off your face pretty quickly. Therefore I feel primers are an area to invest in if possible. That being said, there are a few good affordable options but best to stick with the pro ones if you can.

Foundation: Again this is your base, if your skin isn’t looking how you wish, nothing you put on top will look as great as it could. Good foundations aren’t just key for construction… Spending money on an amazing foundation is worth it!

Concealer: This step is where we need the MOST insurance of performance, don’t you think?  We ask a lot of concealer – we want it to cover well, last long, not separate, not crease. The same goes for concealer as for primer and foundation – it forms part of your ‘base makeup’ and is therefore really worth investing in. 

Bronzer: To caveat, there are some decent cheap bronzers out there! However the shades in higher end brands are normally more forgiving and thought out. 

Brows (especially if a blonde): Brows frame the face – it’s amazing how transformative a good pair of eyebrows can be!  For me I will buy any brow product that is the right color for blondes, unfortunately for my wallet these (so far) have only been from more luxury brands. However, it is definitely worth it to spend and get your brows looking good. 

Makeup Brushes: Easy to see why they are investment items, I have had some for 7+ years, they’re still amazing. Look after them and wash frequently. 

Products shown in main image. Nude by Nature Liquid lipstick in Sunkissed

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Mascara: It’s true, there are tones of fabulous mascara’s in the drug store. Mascara is personal, experiment with different ones, to find your favourite! 

Eyeshadows: There are plenty of little palettes out there that perform really well good! And often I find the more expensive, ‘high pigmented’ shadows, hard for people to work with. Better to build up the shadow color, than having to spend ages blending out, right?! 

Lipliners: Not a lot can go wrong with a lipliner formula, it’s some pigment and wax. Yeah some are more drying but drug stores will often have plenty of affordable good options. 

Blush: Definitely heaps of pretty blushes around at affordable prices! Cheaper blushes have a tendency to not last quite so long, however if your primer and foundation are good then they should hang around for longer.

Eyeliner: Likewise with eyeliner, drug stores have a huge array of textures to choose from. Possibly less with shade options but most people usually want a black or brown shade, and drug stores will have you covered for that. 

Lipstick: This is one huge category/// as there are so many variations of things to color your lips with! This one is both, there are some fabulous drug store products out there and amazing high end brands too. Just depends on your budget. All price points have great options with lipsticks!

Trending items or new shades: Anything that’s trending, a shade or texture that you’re unsure of but still want to give it ago, try a cheaper priced brand first. If you find yourself using it frequently, then think about going more high end – try before you invest properly!

In summary, if you can, try and invest more in the products that prep your skin  – primer, foundation, concealer etc. However, this is just a rough guide and just my thoughts and personal experience! If you use a foundation from the drug store and are happy with it, don’t stop on my account! Similar if you use an expensive mascara, and you love it  – then it’s all good! 

Makeup is fun. Play and experiment!