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Splurge vs Save: Beauty Edition
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items Have you ever walked into a Sephora or Ulta, looked at the prices and could not BELIEVE that a bottle of moisturizer was $50 and wondered if it was worth it? Then this list is for you. I've been trying the expensive and cheap beauty products for year...
Sections
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Splurge
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Splurge
All the beauty related products you should splurge on and some of my favorite splurge worthy options!
So I understand that at $28/bottle this is hardly a huge splurge, but for us who are used to spending $10 or less on beauty products then this is a little bit of a splurge. A good primer is going to make a world of difference in your makeup routine. ...
Primer
At $48 a bottle (as of January 2024) this is a little bit more of a splurge than the Rare Beauty equivilant. It's still a great primer and if you've got a the budget for it is definitiely worth it!
Primer
With the $20 straightener options sitting right next to this at Target it can be hard to justify spending almost $100 on a straightener. But trust me when I say do it. Those cheap straighteners aren't going to do you any good when they fry your hair....
Flat Iron
Foundation is a great thing to splurge on. It's 100% worth it. Charlotte Tillbury is known for making a great foundation and is a good splurge worthy option!
Foundation
Mascara is 100% worth splurging on. The drugstore brands can get a little seedy and sometimes the wands will get clogged a lot easier than their more expensive counterparts. This specific mascara has the best wand I've ever used. It never got clogged...
Mascara
There is definitely a difference between most drugstore lipsticks and the ones that are more splurge worthy. I love Stila's Stay All Day. It really does stay all day (or most of it) as with most liquid lipsticks it will dry your lips out so be sure t...
Lipstick
. This is one that I advise going the more expensive route, makeup brushes get used a lot and good ones will last you much longer than the cheaper ones. We don't want to be adding more than we need to to the landfills!
Makeup Brushes
If you're someone who really needs or wants to do some self tanning (who hasn't been there right?) get a nice one. The drugstore versions are gonna give you a little more streaking than a slightly more expensive brand.
Self Tanner
Like foundation it is 100% worth it to splurge a little bit on your concealer. No one wants a cake face. You want everything to look and feel smooth. I also suggest going for a tube like this one and not the one with the little concealer brush. I've ...
Concealer
Save
Here's all the things in my opinion that are worth the drugstore version, don't splurge on it! Not all of these are things you can get at a drugstore specifically but they have that same price point.
I have not found a better eyebrow pencil than this one and the price point is perfect! I've even gotten my friends and family to get the same one because they loved it so much. It works for most skin tones, however keep in mind if you have darker ski...
Eyebrow Pencil
Okay babes, don't come at me, but don't splurge at the nail salon. It's not worth it. You can get salon quality press on nails at home for a fraction of the price! Now keep in mind not all press ons are created equal. This brand is by far the best on...
Getting Your Nails Done (do the press ons)
This was one of the hardest things for me to learn to get the drugstore version of, moisturizer is one of those things that it's so easy to assume you need the most expensive one. But guess what? I've used a ton of expensive moisturizers and haven't ...
Facial Moisturizer
I LIVE by this stuff. It's so dang good. The oil free is the best part. I've compared it to the more splurge worthy option and will pick the Neutrogena face sunscreen every dang time.
Face Sunscreen
Dry shampoo is something that I've found very little difference between the expensive options and the cheaper ones. Truthfully any expensive ones I've tried have barely worked so definitely stick with the drugstore option here.
Dry Shampoo
I don't know who needs to hear this but YOU DON'T NEED THE $400+ BLOW DRYER. If you are not a professional hair stylist then you do not need something more than $50. Guess what? You're not going to magically have hair like they do on TV shows and mov...
Blow Dryers
Save on chapstick. You do not need something that's more than a few dollars. Though don't get me wrong I do love the fresh rose chapstick. But still, I couldn't really tell much of the difference between the $30 tube and the tube that's less than $3
Chapstick
Eye shadow is something you do not need to spend a ton of money on. I do have some expensive and nice eyeshadow paletes but I got them from a Fab Fit Fun box and when I run out and need to get more you bet I'll be going for the cheaper option!
Eyeshadow
This one is something I can't believe there are options above ten dollars. You're going to go through this stuff so fast that it makes no sense to spend more than you need to on it. Besides there's really not much of a difference between a lot of the...
Makeup Remover
I know there are a ton of beauty influencers telling you that you need this super expensive skin care routine, but guess what? You really don't. A nice bottle of CeraVe face wash will usually work just fine. Unless you have super sensitive skin that ...
Face Wash
Unlike concealer, this is pretty much an easy thing to not spend a ton of money on. If you're going to cover it up anyway then why would you spend a ton of money on it? Just try a few different brands to get the right kind for you. But the drugstore ...
Color Corrector
Unless you have very strong feelings about acetone just get the cheap version of nail polish remover. And remember don't use it around or near wood or electronics. It'll eat away at them.
Nail Polish Remover