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Deborah S. Avatar

Skin Care:
1. Tatcha Pure One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil
2. Tatcha Polished Classic Rice Enzyme Powder
3. Dr. Dennis Gross Ferulic and Retinol Eye Gel
Makeup
1. Guerlain Meteorites
2. Rouge Bunny Rouge Impalpable Finishing Powder, Diaphnous Silk
3. Cle de Peau Foundation, although it is breaking up on me in the heat so may end up being my fall/winter/spring foundation.

Deborah S. Avatar

I know what you mean. I have to admit to being a little bit addicted to it and although there are other rice powder polishers out there this one just pushes all the right buttons for me. I love the smell and it just seems to work that little bit better. I also like the Amorepacific rice powder but it is nearly as expensive and doesn’t work quite as well. I have mixed the Tatcha with liquid cleansers in my hand before applying which decreases the risk of having a powder shower.

Mariella Avatar

I smile every time I see you mention Empeinte du Desert, Nancy T. I made it easy on myself by sticking to skin care type stuff only. Mind you, I’ve come out in a red rash on one eye – a bit puffy and red – so all eye makeup might be off limits to me for a week or so. I can’t imagine how I’ll cope!

Mariella Avatar

Absolutely NO idea whatsoever. And it really stinks not being able to wear eyeshadow (well, I guess I could but that means using primer too and it seems to make the most sense just to leave it until the redness goes away). It’s only on one eye so it’s not likely to be a product I’m using (eye cream, primer or shadow). I agree with you 100 percent about bringing back EduD and making it permanent.

Stacey Avatar

Sisley eye cream. African Botanics face oil, the most expensive one in the collection. RMS face oil, so worth it in many aspects…costwise, natural smelling, so soothing and it works.

Anne Avatar

1. Any Decleor skincare suitable for dry skin
2. Any of the Dior highlighters
3. Shiseido Benefiance Extra Creamy Foaming Cleaner and Benefiance Balancing Softener Enriched (both are great for my dry skin)

For decades now, I’ve yet to meet a Decleor product that wasn’t worth the splurge, but I can always find them on sale, especially around the holidays. No matter what else I’ve tried over the years, I always come back to Decleor and have never been disappointed. I’ve used the Shiseido products for years and years, though I wish they’d bring back the original Balancing Softener (it was so rich in emollients). For luxury and performance, the new Dior highlighters deserve the hype.

Vilkas Avatar

Dior’s rose plumpling lip balm. $30. So, so worth it. It works, it lasts and the simple and classy package design looks so fancy in my stash.

Linda Avatar

Glamglow Youthmud mask (cleanser is great too)
Boscia clear complexion cleanser (very good at removing makeup too)
Naked Skin foundation (a splurge because I need to buy 2 shades to mix to my skin color, but my skin has actually improved since using it, has skincare inside)

Shannon. N Avatar

BITE Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipsticks – at $30 dollars plus 13% tax means these bad boys are not cheap. But boy do I love the four I own!!! They’re smooth, creamy, dont try my lips out, and last!!

Arganistry Karatin Smoothing Leave-in Conditioner – full price is quite expensive in CAD, so I buy it discounted at home sense/Winners whenever I find it there!! But this is the BEST leave in conditioner for my Super thick, ringlet-curly, long hair!!! It smooths and conditions my hair so well!!!

Paula’s Choice 2% BHA liquid – It’s 29USD, so in CAD it’s quite expensive considering you only get 4oz, which lasts me 3 months. But it SAVED my acne prone, acne scarred skin!!! I have NO texture issues anymore, and my skin is smooth and clear!

kjh Avatar

Not meaning to suggest that you’re aging, but you might like the Resist BHA even better. Get 3 packets, if available, next time you order. It has the same bha, but a muuuch lighter texture. I’ve used ’em all. Even Cat/Snow White and the Asian Pear uses it, albeit grudgingly. And she eschews virtually anything non KB/AB.

maria Avatar

SPLURGE SKIN CARE: I would say for skin care Tatcha, Dr. Dennis Gross, Perlier.
SPLURGE MAKEUP: it runs the gamut Dior, Chanel, Cle de peau, Estee Lauder/VB, Givenchy a couple of Sisley products and so on.
It is easier to splurge on makeup and know it will work than it is skin care. Makeup you can sample in stores and know right away. Also, Skin care seems to be more personable even when it comes to reviews unless the person has the exact same skin. Makeup reviews are much more abundant also.

Heather F Avatar

1) skin: prescription skincare (previously tretinoin, currently isotretinoin, hopefully tretinoin again soon!)

2) makeup: It Cosmetics CC+ Cream

3) hair: Olaplex

bibi Avatar

Any of the Cle de Peau foundations- Absolute perfection, looks completely skin-like & will make you abbsolutely look flawless
Concealer- I haven’t found any cheap concealers that work on my undereye area, my current faves are Clarins Instant concealer and It Bye Bye undereye concealer
Tom Ford eyeshadows- they practically blend themselves and the shimmers catch the light like a glamourous beaded gown

Natalia Avatar

I don’t go for $100 skincare or makeup (I would, but the budget limitations 🙂 ), so I apply the word “splurge” to my financial circumstances.

1. My UD Naked 3 palette. I got it 25% off (still expensive, cause even with this discount it’s ~$60US here!), but considering how much an individual eyeshadow costs, it’s money way well spent.
2. NARS radiant tinted moisturizer. Holy grail, worth every penny, nough said.
3. MAC mineralize loose foundation to use as a setting powder with my #1. The best I ever tried.
4. MAC Prep + Prime 24-Hour Extend Eye Base. Can’t say enough good things about it! It actually not even that expensive, cause you only need suuuuch a small amount that (from my experience!) it will last you at least a year of almost everyday use.
5. Kiehl’s skincare. Just works.

aditi Avatar

the more I have splurged on the high-end luxury makeup (like cle de peau concealer and the eve lom cleanser) the more I realize how few things there are that are actually worth the crazy price.
That being said, there are some high end products that have worked for me and I repurchase them in spite of their price tag:

1. the Artis palm brush–the only foundation brush I will ever need
2. Dior nailpolish -best nailpolish formula i have ever tried.
3. Estee lauder advanced night repair–it calms my skin and makes it look plump and hydrated. No retinol or Aha/bha so its uncomplicated and I dont have to worry about when and how to wear it. I do add those actives to my routine from other products (that are incidentally cheaper)

Ashleigh Avatar

These are items I have bought multiple of, that I think are really worth the price tag. I’m just as impressed with cheaper items these days so it’s hard to pick ones that I think are truly worth the splurge, honestly! (yay beauty industry making affordable quality items)
Josie Maran Argan Cleansing Oil
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfecter Liquid
Coola Sunscreen Sport SPF 50

Yanti Avatar

Dior capture totale serum (this baby helps eliminate my mom’s age by 10years. She is 68 now, looking like early 55ish. Best OTC serum I have found but not the price. I always bought this for mom coz she wont buy it, but liking the result!)

Shu Uemura cleansing oil (good stuff. Hope they wont reformulate it)

Guerlain makeup (not causing acne on me nor aggravating existing acne. Their stuff always bring the best out of my skin even if I have worst skin weeks..)

Lulle Avatar

– Guerlain Meteorites – any from the permanent line, they are costly but last forever.
– Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream – best moisturizer I’ve found to date.
– Lancome Grandiose mascara – best mascara I’ve tried.

kjh Avatar

Guess the KGD foundation was a tad of a splurge, but not a huge one. Meteorites, but they last forever, and amortize to not that big a splurge. Think the last one would have to be Creed scent. Erolfa, Himalaya, pretty much love most, of the men’s, anyway. Awfully pricey these days.

Nikki J. Avatar

I splurge on foundation (MUFE Face & Body),
eyebrow pencils (ABH Brow Wiz or Sephora Retractable Brow Pencil as a dupe in the case that ABH isn’t available), and lip glosses (ABH Lip Gloss is my current go-to).

Seraphine Avatar

“Splurge” is very subjective! I think the one makeup product I easily splurge on is foundation. I have very finicky, weird skin and I still haven’t found the perfect foundation, but I’ve come close with Estee Lauder. At $39, Double Wear is a big splurge for me, but worth it. I also splurge on Estee Lauder’s Daywear moisturizer, which is better than any drugstore moisturizer I have ever used (and the cucumber smell is fantastic). And the third splurge I’ll mention is eyeshadow palettes from Urban Decay, Too Faced, etc.

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