If you are a makeup lover you have probably asked yourself this question a hundred times - well, unless you've won the lottery. A lot of the products that get recommended by other bloggers are high end makeup products and even though I hear a lot of great things about them I'm still wondering if they are really worth the amount of money or if there is a cheaper alternative - and sometimes there is. As a person who is blogging on a budget I like to try to find drugstore products that have great quality even though I buy high end makeup as well, whenever my budget allows that. Over the years I have discovered which high end products are really worth the money for me and which ones I prefer to stay away from and go for the cheaper drugstore alternative - I thought I would share my opinion on different products with you. So first of all, let's talk about high end products that I can recommend buying.
High End Products that are worth investing into
1. Powder
Using the right powder can make a huge difference - it helps your foundation to stay in place, it gives your look a matte but not too powdery finish and it also evens out your skin tone. A while ago I bought the Chanel Mat Lumière Powder and I have never regretted that purchase - the Chanel Powder comes with a little sponge and a mirror and the packaging is very light. But most importantly, the powder looks amazing on my skin, it really evens out my skin tone, it blends in nicely and allows my makeup to look matte but still fresh at the same time. I have been using this product for about a year now - it lasts you a very long time as you only have to apply very little of it to get great results.
3. Makeup Setting products
Yes, I'm talking about setting products again, I know. But these products are way more important than you might think - why would you spend a lot of time doing your makeup if it doesn't even last you throughout the day? My favourite products to use are the Make Up For Ever HD Powder and the Urban Decay Makeup Setting Spray - both of them feel great on your skin, help your makeup stay in place and you won't have to repurchase these products too often, either - especially the HD Powder will last for ages.
4. Eyeshadow Palettes
You can never go wrong investing into a good eyeshadow palette - I can recommend getting the original Naked Palette, it comes with 12 beautiful shades and you can create a lot of different eye makeup looks with it. Even though I have purchased some other eye shadows and eye shadow palettes, this one is still my favourite and its quality is simply amazing - even the lighter shades are very pigmented (which doesn't apply for my drugstore eyeshadow palettes). I know that the Naked Palette is pricey, but you get amazing value for your money and I would even go so far as to say this is the only palette you'll ever need.
So are high end products really worth the money? Sometimes they are. Sometimes they aren't. There are some products I like to stay away from and go for a cheaper drugstore alternative instead. So I though might share some of my favourite drugstore products with you as well.
When to go for the drugstore alternative...
1. Mascaras
I don't think that you have to spend a lot of money to get a good mascara - in fact Maybelline is my favourite brand for them. You have probably heard a lot about the Sensational Mascara and I can only agree with everyone raving about this product, it is amazing. It creates a lot of volume, it doesn't make your lashes stick together and it helps you achieve a dramatic and glamorous makeup look. My only criticism would be that I have to repurchase it pretty often.
2. Concealers
Yes, there are some amazing high end concealers but drugstore concealers can be just as good. My personal favourites are the Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer for covering blemishes/ redness and the Garnier Eye Roll-On for covering dark circles.
3. Lipsticks
And last but not least, lipsticks. There are so many great drugstore lipsticks out there that you don't have to spend your money on high end lipsticks - even though I got a weakness for MAC lipsticks, I have to admit that. But still - my favourite brands for affordable lipsticks are KIKO, P2 and Topshop - these brands all offer lipsticks which are long lasting and of great quality for only little money.
Do you prefer buying high end makeup or drugstore products? Leave a comment below. x
