Beauty Products | Where to Save and Where to Spend

I’ve tried so many products at so many different price-points, I’ve gained a good idea of which are worth splurging on and where the high street offers excellent alternatives. Obviously this is just my personal opinion, and you should do what works for you but I hope this is helpful! As it's not really about particular products, I've not gone into loads of detail on that but I've linked my blog posts on them so you can ready my full thoughts on them and see swatches where applicable.

Save

Shimmer Eyeshadows

Although I love my higher-end palettes, I do feel the drugstore offers very comparable quality and shades in shimmer eyeshadows. As long as they’re pigmented, last a long time and are easy to work with then I really don’t think it’s necessary to invest a lot in shimmer eyeshadow.

Budget Pick: 
Makeup Revolution (my favourite is Naked Chocolate Palette | £7.99 | post here)

Spendy Pick: 
Urban Decay (my favourite is: the Naked Palette | £38 | post here)

Cream Eyeshadow

I have caved in on several occasions and gone for high-end products but I find that the best of the drugstore is often just as good! I'm not saying that there aren't some duds, however I've had good experiences on the whole so just do your research and you can save yourself a bit of money.

Budget Picks: 
Maybelline (my favourite is: the Colour Tattoos in On & On Bronze and Creamy Beige | £4.99 each | post here | post here)
Rimmel (my favourite is: Scandaleyes in Trespassing Taupe | £4.49)
KIKO (my favourite is: Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow in 05 and 06 | £6.90 each | post here)

Spendy Pick: 
By Terry (my favourite is: Ombre Blackstars in Misty Rock and Bronze Moon | £29 each | post here)

Eyeliner

I've tried my share of rubbish eyeliner pens however I've also tried some fantastic affordable ones that are as good as, if not better than my more expensive ones. I'm only just getting into using kohl liner on the waterline and tight line but I've already found some amazing affordable options.

Budget Picks: 
Soap & Glory (my favourite is: Supercat | £6 | post here)
Makeup Revolution (my favourite is: All Day and Night in One Sin Too Many | £1.99)

Spendy Picks: 
Kat Von D (my favourite is: the Tattoo Liner in Trooper | $19 | post here)
Urban Decay (my favourite is: 24/7 Glide On in Scorch | £15.50)

Mascara

Mascara is the kind of product that keeps for such a short amount of time, I really don't see much point in investing in it. Whilst I always pick up a few more expensive ones in Duty Free when I go away, most of the time I can get amazing length and definition from drugstore products.

Budget Picks: 
L'Oreal (my favourites are: False Lash Flutter | £10.99 and False Lash Telescopic | £10.99)
Maybelline (my favourite is: Lash Sensational | £7.99)

Spendy Pick: 
Benefit (my favourites are: Roller Lash | £19.50 and They're Real | £19.50)

Brow Products

I honestly think that the quality of brow products from the drugstore is exactly the same as that of more expensive products. The only situation in which I would consider spending is to get a better colour match as I feel that drugstore products can be a little warm-tones whereas high-end brands offer a greater variety of shades. However if you can find a tone that works for you then save your money!

Budget Picks: 
Soap and Glory (my favourite is: the Brow Archery Pencil & Brush | £8), Sleek (my favourite is: the Brow Kit | £8.49 | post here)

Spendy Pick: 
Benefit (my favourite is: the BrowZings Kit | £24.50 | post here)

Sheer or Sheeny Lipstick

For your standard non-matte lipstick, you can find an amazing selection of colours of amazing quality at the drugstore. Even if you fall in love with a high-end shade, there’s probably a dupe out there somewhere.

Budget Picks: 
Revlon (my favourite is: the Lip Butter in Pink Truffle | £7.99 | post here)
Makeup Revolution (my favourite is: the Lip Hug in Saviour Will Come  | £2.50 | post here)

Spendy Picks: 
MAC (my favourite is: Jubilee (Lustre) | £15.50 | post here)
Bobbi Brown (my favourite is: Carolina (Sheer) | £20 | post here)

Makeup Removers

As long as it’s gentle and effective, I tend to favour affordable cleansers for removing makeup from my face with a muslin cloth soaked in warm water. I prefer to invest my money in the second cleanser that’s actually coming into direct contact with my skin.

Budget Picks: 
The Body Shop (my favourite is: the Camomile Cleansing Butter | £13 or Oil | £11 | post here)
Garnier (my favourite is: Micellar Cleansing Water | £4.99 | post here)

Spendy Picks: 
DHC (my favourite is: the Deep Cleansing Oil | £21.50 | post here)
Bioderma (my favourite is: Sensibio H2O | £15 | post here)

Nail Polish

Nail polish is one of the least expensive beauty products on the market but I'm yet to be really wowed by a high-end formula so don't really buy anything pricier than OPI.  Personally I just don't find high-end formulas that much better to spend £18+ on.

Budget Picks: 
Essie (my favourite is: Eternal Optimist | £7.99 | on nails)
Barry M (my favourite is: Lychee (Gelly) | £3.99 | on nails)

Spendy Pick: 
I don't have one

Shimmery or Highlighting Blusher

Again, the drugstore seems to get shimmer blushers right more easily than their matte offerings. Of course there's good and bad out there and of course sometimes you want to treat yourself, but on the whole budget brands do pretty well!

Budget Picks: 
Sleek (my favourite is: Rose Gold | £4.49 | post here)
Max Factor (my favourite is: Creme Puff Blush in Seductive Pink | £8.99 | post here)

Spendy Picks: 
Nars (my favourite is: Orgasm | £23 | post here)
Hourglass (my favourite is: Mood Exposure | £28 | post here)

Makeup Brushes

What's the use in buying expensive makeup if you use cheap brushes to apply it? A very good point, however there are a couple of affordable brands who just seem to have makeup brushes mastered and for this reason 99.9% of the time I don't buy high-end tools.

Budget Picks: 
Zoeva (my favourite is: the Rose Gold Set | £55 | post here)
Real Techniques (my favourites are: the Blush Brush | £9.99 | post here and the Nic's Picks Set | £29.99 | post here)
Spendy Pick: 
MAC (my favourite is: the 217 | £20 | post here)

Spend

Matte Eyeshadow

There’s just something about mattes that most brands can’t seem to get right, however I generally find that my high-end matte shades are more pigmented, easier to work with and have a better texture than my cheaper ones.

Budget Pick: 
Natural Collection (my favourite is: Solo Eyeshadow in Milk Chocolate | £1.99 | post here)

Spendy Pick: 
MAC (my favourite is: Quarry | £10 | post here)

Face Primer

An affordable primer has never blown me away and it’s not through lack of trying! I want a primer to slightly mattify my face, provide a smooth surface for base products by filling in pores and fine lines and just make my foundation last that bit longer. I often find that my more affordable primers will do one or two of these things but never all of them!

Budget Pick: 
the Body Shop (my favourite is: Instablur | £14 | post here)

Spendy Picks: 
Smashbox (my favourite is: Photo Finish | £25 | post here)
Benefit (my favourite is: the Porefessional | £24.50 | post here)

Foundation

I think this is one that’s going to split people as there are so many good formulas at the drugstore, however for me personally I have NEVER found a shade match I would even consider to be ‘good’. It’s such a shame! If you can then by all means go for it and save your money.

Budget Pick: 
L’Oreal (my favourite is: True Match | £9.99 | post here)

Spendy Pick: 
Nars (my favourite is: Sheer Glow – for medium coverage | £31 | post here)
MAC (my favourite is: Studio Fix Fluid – for medium/full coverage | £22 | post here)
Estee Lauder (my favourite is: Double Wear – for full coverage  |  £30 | post here)

Concealer

Again, there are some excellent formulas at very affordable price-points but colour-matching is my main issue so I tend to go for high-end brands with a wider shade selection.

Budget Picks: 
Collection (my favourite is: Lasting Perfection – for blemishes | £4.19 | post here)
Maybelline (my favourite is: the Eye Eraser – for under eyes | £7.99 | post here)

Spendy Picks: 
Nars (my favourite is: Radiant Creamy - mainly for blemishes | £22 | post here)
Urban Decay (my favourite is: Naked Skin – for under eyes and small blemishes | £17.50 | post here)
Benefit (my favourite is: Erase Paste – for correcting dark circles | £20.50 | post here)

Matte Blusher

I’m sure this is another one that a lot of people will disagree with but I find so many cheaper matte blushers simply do not apply evenly or last well on my combination skin, whereas I’ve fared better with higher-end formulas. This really depends on your skin type, so if you don’t suffer from patchy makeup then you can definitely save on this one.

Budget Pick: 
Sleek (my favourite is: Suede | £4.49 | post here)

Spendy Pick: 
MAC (my favourite is: Gingerly (Sheertone) | £18.50 | post here)

Matte Lipstick

Although there are some gems in the drugstore, I do find that on the whole cheaper formulas are more drying and harder to work with. 

Budget Pick: 
KIKO (my favourite is: Velvet Mat in 611 | £6.90 | post here)

Spendy Pick: 
Charlotte Tilbury (my favourite is: Matte Revolution in Bond Girl | £23 | post here)

Morning or Second Cleansers

I tend to spend more on cleansers that come into direct contact with my skin and the aim is to give benefits to it as opposed to just removing your makeup. I mainly try to target my blemish-prone skin with this step.

Budget Pick: 
Yes To (my favourite is: Tomato Clarifying Cleanser | £6.99 | post here)

Spendy Pick: 
REN (my favourite is: Clearcalm3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser | £19 | post here)

Face Masks or Treatments

Very few affordable overnight treatments and masks have done it for me so far, even when they purport to have similar ingredients to my more expensive favourites. I have found a few gems along the way but the amount of 'meh' products I've come across from the drugstore probably adds up to the same as if I'd just bought something more expensive!

Budget Pick: 
Una Brennan (my favourite is: the Salicylic Acid Clay Mask | £9.99 | post here)
The Body Shop (my favourite is: the Vitamin E Serum in Oil | £15 | post here)

Spendy Pick: 
Antipodes (my favourite is: the Manuka Honey Mask | £22.99 | post here)
Kiehl's (my favourite is: Midnight Recovery Concentrate | £36 | post here)

Either Works

Face Powder

I generally spend on base products but powder is an area where I've found an affordable product that works for me, so whilst I may still flirt with high-end products I will tend to buy that. I can, however, see the argument that more expensive products tend to be more finely-milled and therefore less detectable on the skin.

Budget Pick: 
Bourjois (my favourite is: Healthy Balance | £8.99 | post here)

Spendy Pick: 
MAC (my favourite is: Mineralise Skinfinish Natural | £24)

Highlighter

Highlighter is one of those products that isn't a super-necessary purchase but it's really nice to use. Generally, more expensive products will be a little more finely-milled and therefore have a smoother texture without big chunks of glitter. However, there are some really great offerings on the high street too.

Budget Pick: 
Makeup Revolution (my favourite is: Breathe (Radiant Light) | £5 | post here)
No7 (my favourite is: Instant Radiance Bronze | £9.95 | post here)

Spendy Pick: 
the Balm (my favourite is: Mary Loumanizer | £17.50 | post here)

Lip Liner

For some people, this is a super-necessary part of their routine, for others it's the bit they always skip. I used to never bother but I've really been converted of late. I'm not 100% sure it's something I'd regularly spend £20+ on but I can't say I don't love the more expensive ones I own.

Budget Pick: 
Rimmel (my favourite is: Eastend Snob (Exaggerate) | £3.99 | post here)
Essence (my favourite is: Satin Mauve | £1 | post here)
Spendy Pick: 
MAC (my favourites are: Soar and Spice | £12.50 each)

Which products do you save on and where do you spend more? I'd love to hear some of your favourites in each category!

 

Don't forget to follow me on:

Twitter | Bloglovin | Instagram