Save Your Coin: Beauty Products that You Don’t Need to Splurge On

I don’t know about you but these days I’m trying to save a coin or two. Times are uncertain, this world is literally on fire and the last thing I want to do is spend unnecessarily. You all know I’m a makeup addict. I mean, I had to put myself on a strict no spend for the month of July for goodness sake. Over the years I have accumulated a pretty hefty beauty stash and I know a thing or two about where some corners can be cut when it comes to purchasing certain items. Everything in your stash doesn’t need to be high end to be effective. And the drugstore brands are coming for the high end girls’ neck, so most products that cost less work just as well, if not better than their more costly counterparts.

Facial Cleanser:

Skincare is very important, we all know that. However, I’ve come to realize that spending over $20 on a cleanser was unnecessary to achieve the results I wanted. Using a cleanser that’s super expensive just to rinse it down the drain when you’re finished was wasteful to me. I’ve found more affordable but just as effective products to use. One of my favorites is CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser, which I purchased from Target for about $11.00 for a 12 oz, bottle Instead of investing in very expensive facial cleanser, I chose to put that money towards products that will treat my skin such as serums, toners, hydrating and moisturizing creams. A lower cost cleanser and higher end serums may be a better investment for your pockets.

Eyebrow Products:

I’ve long stopped being duped by the 25 dollar eyebrow pencil. I mean, c’mon, TWENTY FIVE WHOLE DOLLARS for a pencil? Brows are very important to your makeup routine and I believe you can get flawless brows with a $6 eyebrow pencil. In my opinion, brows are not about the product but more about your technique. You can have the super expensive pencil and still not be able to fill in your brows correctly. Most of the formulas on the brow pencils are the same, trust me on this. Retractable, precise brow pencils are sold at just about every drug store and the beauty supply stores for even less. Some of my favorite pencils are from E.L.F Ultra Precise Brow, this retails for $5.00 at Ulta, Target and just about any drugstore. Save yourself some money and try out a brow product that works and that won’t break the bank.

Mascara:

I feel the same way about mascara as I do about brow products, $25 dollars for what? The drugstore makeup aisles have stepped up their game in a major way. Mascara from Maybelline, L’oreal and Essence Cosmetics are coming for the necks of their high end competitors. You can get the volumizing, full lash, wearable mascara for a fraction of the price just by browsing the aisle at Target. Keep in mind that mascara has an expiration date and that using old mascara puts you at risk for eye infection, eye mites (yes, those are a thing) and other irritation. Ideally, you should chuck your open mascara tubes after 90 days. One brand I love is the L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara. This retails for $8.99 or so at Ulta Beauty.

Highlighter :

I absolutely adore the glow I get when I apply my highlight at the end of my makeup application. It adds just the right amount of razzle dazzle to my face. In the last two years I have been obsessed with finding dupes to my beloved MAC Mineralize Skin Finish highlighter that cost a whopping $35.00. I’ve found amazing alternatives that cost 5 to 6 dollars tops and give me the same and sometimes better glow than what I originally had. Wet and Wild is a brand that has some of the best highlighters out right now. They retail at $4.99 and can be purchased at just about any drugstore. in my opinion, most high end highlighters I had didn’t hold a candle to the Maybelline Master Chrome highlighter that I use with almost every look I create. Shop around for highlighters, the brands have them in abundance. I think you’ll be pleased by what you find for a much lower price.

Lip Gloss:

If you’ve watched any of my Youtube videos or follow my Instagram (which you should be doing anyway), you know I am a lip gloss lover. I wear it daily, literally, every single day. Even during quarantine, catch me in the house with some gloss on, ok? You also know I have an extreme affinity for Fenty Gloss Bombs. I love, love LOVE them, but I don’t always love the price. It is not everyone’s ministry to spend $18 for a tube of gloss, and trust me I understand. I have been using and collecting every single shade of the E.L.F. Lip Lacquer gloss. They retail for $3.00 and they are a very good dupe for the Gloss Bomb. Your beauty supply store is also the plug for some great lip glosses. Don’t sleep on the makeup section of a good BSS, you can find some great gloss and lipstick for super cheap. Gloss is something that I use so frequently that if I can buy four of five tubes at a time and not break the bank, and get some great quality product, then that’s the route I’m taking.

Please note, all of these items and suggestions are my opinion and based off my experience as a makeup artist and collector. It’s a tough time for our world right now, and money is being stretched as much as possible. Looking good doesn’t have to break the bank, not in this economy. I hope these tips were helpful for you. You can watch the full video of my suggestions down below.

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XOXOXO-Lydia Marie