Here is an article I wrote for my beauty society which was written for their online blog:
When
filling your make-up bag it is essential to have key pieces and many
beauty fanatics have several products they believe are trusted or
'swear by' and continue to buy. With so many competing brands and the
choice of products continually growing it is difficult to know what
products really work and what products are worth splurging on. It
seems questions are continually raised as to which products you can
get away with saving on, can you really get a cheap foundation that
offers full coverage from boots? Is a lipstick really worth its £20
price tag? This article will guide you through the products we
believe you can get away with saving on and those we believe are
worth the investment.
For
me, foundation is a key product and I would recommend buying a high
end foundation as taking care of your skin is highly important.
Foundation is an extremely essential product as it provides the base
for the rest of your make-up, and when applying a product to your
skin everyday you want something you know isn't bad for your skin and
one that covers any imperfections. While
you can get a decent foundation at Boots or Superdrug the chances of
you finding the perfect shade for your skin colour can be hit or
miss. High
end foundations often last longer then cheaper foundations and
provide a more even and less thick coverage, providing you with a
perfect base.
However,
many of us cannot afford to use a high end foundation on a daily
basis, for this reason I would recommend a mid-priced foundation for
day to day wear such as Maybelline (Maybelline Dream Satin Liquid
£7.99) or L'Oreal (L'Oreal Infallible Foundation £12.29) and for
nights out a more high end foundation such as Mac studio fix fluid
£20.50 which also provides an SPF of 15 or oil free Nars Sheer Matte
foundation priced at £29.50 which despite its price tag the 30 ml
bottle lasts ages and promises a soft-matte-finish with sheer,
buildable coverage that controls shine throughout the day and it
comes in 20 shades.
For
me, a good foundation is worth the money as not only do they last a
long time but they provide a completely different type of coverage
with many high end foundations offering a vast colour range to choose
from and a free match up session to find a colour and type that suits
your skin perfectly nothing
beats the discerning eye of a makeup expert when it comes to finding
the right shade and formulation for your skin tone. Clinique
is great for offering foundations for all skin types and will happily
match you up for free.
Bronzer
and powder are further products many make up artists believe are
worth the investment, due to the fact they are made with a much
better quality pigment meaning you can layer many products without
looking 'caked'. For me, my staple bronzer is Hula by benefit priced
at £24.50 which is definitely worth the investment as it offers a
great all over bronzed look with a matt finish to keep your skin
looking flawless. Another highly recommended bronzer is Mac's
infamous 'bronzing powder' priced at £19.00 a lightly frosted,
tinted powder that gives skin sheer, natural colour effects and
highlights. Similarly, I find many high end powders offer a more even
look and
are worth the price tag, my favourite being Clinique's
stay-matte sheer
pressed powder priced at £21.00.
Despite
some products being worth breaking the pay cheque, some high street
products work just as well with a much more purse friendly price tag.
A product many of us splurge on is mascara, but what many
do not realise is that it is not worth the price tag as many high
street brands such as
Maybelline,
L'Oreal and Maxfactor offer great mascaras with all different wands
to suit the style you want, whether you need volume or length there
is plenty of choice at a low cost. While one
can't deny that pricier eyeshadows tend to stay put for longer and
are more likely to contain better-quality ingredients it's hard to
ignore cheaper eyeshadows my top pick being from MUA (£1 each from
Superdrug). With a wide range of shades to choose from, these colours
offer a great deal of pigment for the price and have super staying
power, too!
Similarly,
many lip-glosses and lipsticks can be bought at your local make-up
store and offer
Lip
glosses rarely last the test of time so there is no real reason to
invest in a high end branded lipgloss. L'Oreal
(Glam
Shine 6 Hours Lip Gloss) and Bourjous (Bourjois Effet 3D Lipgloss
£7.69)
both
offer a great range of affordable lipsticks and with the colour
spectrum continually growing there is little need to invest in an
expensive lipgloss. As
for lipsticks, the formulations in Chanel, M.A.C., Dior and Giorgio
Armani can't be beaten, but you can find a great long-wearing
lipstick in your local drugstore.
Nail
varnish is a further product which you can easily get away with for
buying for as little a £2.99. despite makes such as Chanel offering
a few staple shades perhaps worth the investment, high street brands
such as Barry M (available in Superdrug and Boots) offer as extremely
vast range of nail polishes, from glitter to matt looks, all priced
at a purse friendly £2.99. however is using a budget brand I would
recommend a top coat to enhance the nail colour and to ensure a long
lasting look.
