What beauty products do you tend to splurge on and which do you tend to save on? Share!
I splurge on foundations and face powders (blushes, highlighters, etc.) the most. I don’t go really high-end/luxury for things (generally) like body wash, cleanser, skincare, and hand soap.
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This is going to be one of my blogging topics either this month or next, but as it pertains to skincare.
For makeup, I splurge on lipstick, eyeliners, eyeshadows, blushes, and bases. I tend to skimp on mascaras and brow products.
For skincare, I splurge on properly formulated vitamin C serums, as they can be hard to find. I will also splurge for a serum or essence that has SEXY ingredients.
I spend moderately on retinoids, and I skimp on cleansers (you don’t need fancy ingredients you’re just going to wash off anyway), acids, and oils.
Splurge: matte lipstick, face powders, hair masks, purple eye liners & shadows, artisan soaps.
Save: most skin care, nail polish, makeup & polish remover, tools that aren’t brushes, odds & ends like cotton balls and hair ties. I buy a lot of Target Up&Up brand stuff.
Hey, I think this is my question! 🙂
Splurge: Facial skincare definitely, base products like foundation, primer, and blemish concealer (although I adore the Maybelline Fit Me for under eyes!), blushes (drugstore ones can be pretty, but often just don’t have the best longevity), highlighters (poor selection at drugstore)
Save: Mascara, eyeshadows (I usually really only buy ColourPop and Makeup Geek, both budget brands, but I’d probably still buy them if they were higher priced, so it’s not really a category I’d always save on), body skincare (I have keratosis pilaris, and the Gold Bond Rough and Bumpy Skin Cream is amazing!), nail polish
For me, it is definitely on skincare, especially anti-aging products! Also, semi-splurge on some haircare products, but not always and even then, it’s more mid-range, not luxury. And then there’s my eyeshadow palettes… it’s an addiction, I tell you! Basically for the very reason that I will probably never finish one up, and my place is only about 700-750 square footage, so space IS a problem.
Oh crud! I forgot to put which ones I save on! Nail products, half of my lipsticks, lipglosses, many of my eyeshadow singles ($10. MAC? and $5. ColourPop), foundation (so far!), eye and lip pencils, black gel liner, mascara, brow powder ( L’Oreal Infallible Continuous Cocoa!), finishing powder and highlighters. And around half my blushes, too.
I splurge on MAC lipsticks, my biggest weakness is a limited edition. This week I bought 12. Oops!
I save on pensils, eyeshadows and pigments. I do a daily look on Instagram and those look are not on my face all day long. Most of the time just an hour. Using high end products would be a waste.
Splurge on foundations, concealers etc and don’t spend a dime on nail polish, mascara. Lipsticks are purely midrange for me.
Skin are for the face…..and low price for body shower, soap, handcream
I tend to splurge on foundations, powders, face skincare, face sunscreens, blushes, eye shadows, brow products, and highlighters as the drugstore versions don’t work well on me. I tend to save on body washes, soaps, body lotions, lipsticks, glosses, shampoos, conditioners -the drugstore versions are good and often superior
I’ve always splurged on lipstick because the nice ones here like UD/Bobbi Brown/NARS are only about $10~ more than drugstore brands. I save on skincare mostly – my favourite stuff tends to be drugstore and I’m cautious about trying new brands since I have sensitive dry skin.
I save on products where I feel I’ve found lower cost items that perform really well! I spend however much I feel I need to in order to get a product that I like. So that’s body moisturiser (Garnier Body Intensive 7 Days Lotion), face cleanser (Rosehip by Essano Gentle Foaming Facial
Cleanser), a few lip products (Revlon Colorburst Lipgloss and Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick), some brushes (Real Techniques), primer (Face of Australia Face Base Primer – LOVE THIS!!).
It’s funny – I think if I hadn’t gone and looked at my stash I would have said that I splurge on foundations. But looking at what I actually purchase, 90% of my blushes are high end. So strange. I don’t know why that is – maybe it’s the packaging?
As for what I save on, it’s definitely mascara. There’s a By Terry one I’m eyeing off that retails for $60 in Australia or something insane but I could never justify the price, so I just stick to my trusty Revlon Grow Luscious.
For the most part my splurges mainly involve lipsticks, mascaras (I stick to deluxe samples), exfoliants, serums, face sunscreen, and fragrance.
I do usually try to save when it comes to shower gels, body creams/lotions, and body sunscreens. I also save on facial foaming cleansers and moisturizers, because I’ve found budget options that work well for me.
Of course I like a good deal as much as the next person, so I buy across price ranges — This means I really don’t have any rule as to what I splurge or save on except how I personally view the value of the item: price in relation quality, quantity, uniqueness, how useful the product would be for me, how often I’d use it, how quickly I have to replace the product, whether I’d use it up before it goes bad, etc.
Your last point sums up my makeup-purchasing habits perfectly! It really isn’t a strict rule for high or low end, it’s about the individual product and how it suits me as an individual.
I splurge on skincare, foundation, blush and tool. But, I normally save on eyeshadow,lip balm,body sunscreen and hair care products
I can go either way with just about any makeup product – some of my skin care is pretty budget friendly; other things pricey. Same with makeup. I think the only 2 things that are always a splurge for me are foundation and concealer (oh, and primers too – both eyeshadow and face primers).
I tend to save on my bath items and haircare (been on the shortest of pixie cuts for over a year), I always splurge on liproducts – any: from balms to lipsticks. Everything else I buy what I like and can afford at that time.
I splurge on eyeshadow, I don’t care if it’s expensive as long as it’s high quality and the packaging is gorgeous. I spend a reasonable amount of money on good quality face powders and primers, and save on mascara, lipstick, and even BB cream because drugstore brands work for me.
I splurge on pretty much all of my skin care but I tend to save on make-up remover and body and hand care.
As far as make-up goes it really depends. If I can find a good make-up bargain I’ll go for it, but if my HG happens to be expensive I’ll happily cash out for it.
I splurge on high end blush, highlighters, and eyeshadow. I save by buying more drugstore mascara and foundation. That’s not to say I still don’t have at least 1 or 2 high end foundations 🙂
I splurge on skincare and foundation. I use Lancôme Genefique serum, Lancôme Renergie moisturizer, and Lancôme Renergie foundation. It’s my perfect cocktail for flawless skin. Normally, I buy drugstore mascara…been using Loreal Voluminous Carbon Black for years. I have tried many high end mascaras and I always return to Voluminous. I also use Coty Airspun Transluscent face powder. But it is getting harder to find so I am starting to look for something new.
Foundations, blushes, lipstick for makeup. For skincare a well formulated spf 30 sunscreen, a good AHA, retinol and antioxidant serum.
Splurge: Lipsticks, antioxidant serum, BHA exfoliator, blushes, eyeshadows, tinted moisturizer (I don’t use foundation) / Save: Lipsticks, lip balm, facial cleanser, moisturizer, spot treatment, brow pencil, brushes, nail polish (O.P.I makes the bulk of my collection though I do own a few Formula X and Deborah Lippmann).
Splurge-I splurge on skincare. I believe that in the long run, that is what is going to make the biggest difference. I recently purchased Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Oil and it is one of the best purchases I have ever made. I believe that if my skincare routine is full of powerful, natural ingredients, then makeup will look better on and I often do not even need any makeup (even though I love to play with it). I will also splurge on foundation, BBs, CCs, highlighters, contours, and powders (although I am very sparing with powder, so I rarely purchase them).
Save-I save on lipsticks as most of them I have collected over the years through Back 2 MAC. I also save on eyeshadows as I buy palettes and Colour Pop eyeshadows. I save with lip balms and lotions as well (such as The Body Shop, although I love Fresh Sugar lip balm).
Splurge: Primers, Foundations, highlighters/luminizers, contours, blushers, setting powders, finishing powders, lipsticks, lipglosses, eyeshadows, facial cleansers, masks, oils, serums, sunscreens and perfumes.
Save: Mascaras, brows (I usually just use an eyeshadow or use my only Benefit BrowZings), body washes, body oils and lotions and also lip balms – I’m always grabbing one at the checkout counter to throw in my purse for an quick application before re-applying lipsticks.
Save and spluge: Lipliners (I use MAC and NYX), nail polish (I used to only buy OPI but I have a few Butter London, Marc Jacobs and Chanel colors now).
Forgot to add brushes in my Splurge section – a good brush makes a world of difference!
SPLURGE: Skincare: I don’t use a ton of different things, but I’m willing to pay more for stuff that works on me. (Sensitive skin, oily skin, aging skin.) Foundation: I can’t wear most drug store foundations. I can’t find color/undertone matches for my very fair/netural coloring. If I do, DS is much more prone to oxdizing or melting off because my skin is oily. Eyeshadow Primer: I find the more expensive brands like Too Faced and Urban Decay work a lot better my super-super-oily lids. Eyeshadow: I think most drug-store quality eyeshadows are awful in terms of texture, pigmentation and longevity. I also tend to like unusual colors, finishes, etc. which are harder to find. I’m more willing to pay more for MUFE, UD, and indie brands to get things I’ll love. That said, if I find a great DS eyeshadow, I grab them. Unique items: Packaging I love, unique colors, brights/neons, vampy shades finishes, those special somethings and things that are hard for most companies to get right. I’ll pay more for an excellent purple eyeshadow, vampy purple lipstick, jelly nail polish with shaped glitter, or colored mascara that I’m not allergic to. Happily. Tools: I usually go with more inexpensive optionss (e.l.f. Studio, Coastal Scents, Real Techniques, EcoTools); however, I’m more WILLING to pay for a good tool, and save somewhere else to get one I want.
SAVE: Mascara: I use it daily, two coats a day, and I throw it out every 3-4 months. I just can’t bring myself to pay more than $10 for it. (I only use high end if I get it in a set or a GWP.) Lip products: There are so many good options in drug store, I usually go this route. I don’t have especially problematic lips, so I can get away with inexpensive lip balms and scrubs. I get more get more fun colors for my money, too. Blush, powders, eyeliners, primers, nail polish, other beauty basics and basic toiletries: I tend to save to save on the basics. There are options out there in DS that for me work as good or better than high end, so I save where I can.
Save : mascara, eyeliner ,body wash, eyebrow stuff , occasionally powder and foundation
Splurge : foundation , concealer , powder , perfume
Body wash is so easy to save money on. So many of the high end ones are also waaaay too strongly scented and can be really drying for my skin. And yeah, perfume is worth splurging otherwise you tend to smell like a middle schooler from the 90’s. I’m crazy picky about perfume so I only use a few and they all tend to be pricey but fantastic quality and they tend to last a really long time.
Splurge:
-BHA exfoliant (Paula’s Choice)
-foundation
-eyeshadow
-eyeliner
-blush
-brushes
-perfume
Save:
-facial moisturizer (Olay Regenerist serum)
-facial cleanser (Clean & Clear sensitive skin cleanser)
-primer
-mascara (Maybelline’s falsies/colossal/etc work *amazingly* well for me, and I’ve tried most luxury mascaras)
-brow products
-lipstick and lip gloss (mostly–I do have some luxury brands, but Revlon and Maybelline have a lot of nice lip products)
-bath/body products
-acne medication (generic spironolactone is less than $5/month, even without insurance!)
-polish remover
-hair products (though I’m thinking about trying out midrange brands)
I would say the most drugstore across the board in my collection would be makeup brushes and lip products, although I do have a few treasured high-end lippies. I’ve slowly been adding to my high end brush collection, but I really like a lot of my drugstore ones so I’m not in a big hurry. I splurge on eyeshadow and face products the most. My skincare and body products are a mix.
With brushes like Real Techniques, it’s really changed the drugstore makeup brush quality. I find other brands that are drugstore are stepping up their game from what they were like a decade ago so while high end brushes are nice, drugstore brushes do the work they need to do.
I splurge on Highlighters, Lipsticks and Blushes…..
The only four foundations I own are Mac Studio Fix, Full Coverage, Moisture and Nars Sheer Glow
and my Lipglosses are Turkish Delight, Snob and florabundance
I’ll splurge on things that will be in contact for my skin long enough to have an effect– serums, treatments, foundation, powders and the like. I tend to save on things like mascara (have never tried a high end one that worked any better than a drug store one), brow products (for the same reason) and cleansers.
Seriously! Drugstore mascaras are the same thing as high end ones.
I’ve never tried a DS mascara that was awful, but I have tried HE ones that were, LOL! Granted, I’m of Mediterranean descent, and inherited dark, thick lashes with a natural curl, but I’ve only had benefit, tarte, & Estee Lauder flake on me…
I tend to go by reviews (yours count for a lot) and personal experience more than by price tag. However, I don’t tend to buy drugstore brands because I don’t like not having testers, and I find packaging to be more of an element in my decision making than I like to admit. Also, I’m a creature of habit. However if certain items cost more than my idea of reasonable (though I’m not saying that any of this is objectively reasonable), I really want to hear compelling argument for why it’s a better, or why I believe I will find it more pleasurable to use. So for example, if a lipstick costs more than, say, 40$, I think it better be special, considering the number of lipsticks I can buy with perfect satisfaction from the likes of MAC or Nars. But if I had to choose one category of makeup only where I would splurge, foundation would have to be it. And concealer. Finishing powders, blush and eyeshadow follow. I will say though that mascara is one standout area where you can find very awful and very good in every price range.
I tend to splurge on foundations and powders (I get better matches for my skin tone) blushes and highlighters (smoother formulas and less chunky more glow-y finishes). I usually save on eyeliners, mascaras, lip liners, lipsticks and glosses because the drugstore has some great options.
I splurge on make up and skin care but skimp on nail polish. Sometimes you get what you pay for and other times the higher end is not better. Depends on the products.
Splurge: Liquid lipsticks and foundations
Save: Everything else
Skincare for sure, since I work from home these days my face is pretty much make-up free
I splurge on makeup, hair care but save on skin care mid range prices or cheaper. But I will buy makeup and hair care at the drugstore if it works for me. Years ago my fave shampoo+conditioner was Salon Selectives at the drugstore but can’t find it anymore. I also sometimes splurge on bath products to relax and destress,
I buy when I can afford to and save when I need to:)
I tend to splurge mostly on lipsticks and foundation, and I have way to many of both. I usually save on blush, eyeliner, mascara (L’Oréal Voluminous Carbon Black FTW!) and concealer. Everything else is somewhere in between like eyeshadow and skincare.
For skincare I like to spend a bit more on serums, treatments and face masks. Moisturiser, eye creams, eye makeup remover and the rest are in the middling range, so neither cheap nor expensive. That’s mostly because I have a small budget but also because I’ve bought cheaper things to try that have worked really well and so I never went back to the more expensive one. It’s always worth doing some research and trying lower priced options because you might uncover a purse-friendly gem!
This isn’t a rule but it’s a rough outline; for example I love Revlon lipsticks and in my opinion they are just as good as many lipsticks three times the price as are Bourjois lipsticks. Foundation wise Bourjois foundations are great if you’re on a budget. 🙂
Many drugstore products are made by high end companies. Bourgouis is Chanel, i am told. Hard Candy at walmart looks like Benefit owns it. I often wonder if SOME of it isn’t just packaging.
I definitely don’t splurge on mascara – sometimes inexpensive lipsticks are ok. But anything else that is pretty that gets my attention, is fair game for purchase.
Splurge (Makeup):
I half save/half splurge on lipsticks. I tend to save my high end lipstick purchases for special occasions so they remind me of that moment. I splurge on highlighters (like the CT Filmstar Bronze & Glow) and some blushes (like Hourglass’s blush palette). Mostly, I tend to buy moderately-priced items, such as MAC and stuff at Sephora, but the super high end like Chanel, Tom Ford, YSL, etc are things I either have none of or I lucked out during a sale, or was gifted. I tend to be very picky about makeup so I will put some money up for quality over quantity.
Save (Makeup):
Mascara! So many drugstore brands are just as good as high end, and I end up getting a lot of free sample-sized mascaras when I’m shopping high end counters anyways, so I almost never have to actually buy mascaras. I prefer sample sizes anyways as you don’t end up wasting a bunch of product when it inevitably dries out or becomes too unsanitary.
Nail polish, at least I think so, since Essie is my go-to brand and it’s technically drugstore.
I have a lot of MAC stuff, but I get that at CCOs mostly so they’re hella cheap, and that covers their lipsticks, liners blush, foundation, eyeshadows, LE products, etc.
Splurge (Skincare): Serums! I could never bring myself to buy something as expensive as Sunday Rliey but I use the Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate, which isn’t cheap. Eye creams I use so little of (and I only use the Kiehl’s avocado one) so I don’t know if that’s really a splurge. Moisturizers are usually either Kiehl’s or The Body Shop or Origin, so that’s a “semi-splurge” to me.
Save (Skincare): The Body Shop body butters are my go-to moisturizers, but I just stock up once a year during their 3 for $30 sales during the holidays or use points to get them, so I never spend much. I also stock up on their Chamomile Cleansing Oil and Waterproof Eye and Lip Makeup Remover then so I get them for cheap as well.
Most haircare I don’t splurge on as I was gifted with fantastic hair from the French genes on one side of the family so I just use Dove shampoo and conditioner, and just need to figure out a good clarifying shampoo for once every few months and there are pretty cheap options for that these days.
Most of my makeup is mid-range or high end. I save on body care (bar soap, body wash, lotion) and hair care (shampoo, conditioner, styling products)
e.l.f. Essentials Lipstick in the shade “Classy”, I put on one coat and gently blot it, and it looks like a nice enhanced version of my natural lips. 🙂 Best part? The lipstick is only $1.00!
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Anyway – Splurge – definitely eye shadow palettes. Most of the drugstore brands are pretty poor. I use to use Revlon – but they are terrible. With the exception of the L’Oreal Infallible line, I just don’t like them. So now I use UD, Guerlain, Estee Lauder’s older quints (which are still great), bareMinerals – all of these I have had to order from websites that deliver internationally (and yes the shipping costs are high.
I think the blushes are better HE too. We don’t have a mid range level of beauty products here in Australia at all.
Save – My skincare line because I use so much of it, I can’t afford to have an expensive one. Mascaras, foundation, lipsticks – love the Maybelline colour sensational line – but again we only get half the list.
I’m most likely to splurge on foundations and lip colors and don’t mind saving on pretty much everything else.
Not much in my stash is in the higher end range, and what is mostly came in kits or palettes, giving them better worth than buying them single like the Ambient Lighting blush palette by Hourglass for example.
SPLURGE: skincare (natural, fresh ingredients, etc for moisturizer+ serum), eyeshadow (I’m talking mid-range), makeup brushes
SAVE: mascara, foundation (I’ve been satisfied with some lower priced options I’ve tried and never made the plunge to higher end)
skin care & foundation ! 🙂 i have problem skin so i always tend to splurge more to keep my ” canvas ” looking good for the rest of products 🙂
I guess I splurge on almost all makeup and skincare products. I do buy drugstore makeup as well, but have no specific product I save on.
Bodywash, shampoo and such are mostly a save, though.
I tend to splurge on eyeshadows (palettes), also on blushes cause having darker skin I need a lot of pigmentation in blushes which the drugstore lacks. I tend to save on foundations, I just bought the Estée Lauder double wear foundation for my birthday, it’s my only expensive foundation & the rest are drugstore. I also save when it comes to mascara, cause there are so many cheaper options.
I splurge on skincare, serums, peels, and moisturizers. My biggest splurge is a good eye cream, it is a must! I skimp on body products, shower gels and lotions.
I splurge on everything but mascara, some drugstore mascara works better than department.
Skin care and foundation/concealer/powder products. I can get great lip stuff/eyeliner/mascara at the drug store. All of my current hair routine is drug store minus a $16 salt spray which still isn’t that much.
The only thing I go out of my way to save on is lip liner. My first lip liner was also my most expensive (mac), and it sucks. Definitely stick to essence, nyx, and black radiance now.
Splurge: Lipstick and foundation.
Save: Body Lotion and Body scrub