I think it’s safe to say we’ve all had to reevaluate our spending habits since getting to college. You never really realize how much you spend until you’re living on your own and have to handle your own life — without being able to ask for help from your parents. Some people get allowances, some people have jobs, and some people have money saved for their daily expenses. I wish had been one of those people to capitalize on the third option, but that’s another issue.
College has made me really think about what I spend most of my money on and it boils down to three things: food, coffee, and makeup. Now food is obviously a necessity and if you know me at all you know I need to have an iced coffee at least once a day (even in the dead of winter, when it’s snowing, you’ll catch me with an iced coffee). I knew I spent a lot of money on makeup before college, but once a Sephora opened up right near my dorm I realized how doomed I really was. Coming to this realization made me think about what products I want to splurge on and what products I could subsitute with finds from a drugstore. So here are my top five favorite drugstore products:
1. Revlon Colorstay Foundation.
I’ve used this foundation for probably a year now and it’s honestly one of the best (although I also highly recommend the Covergirl 3-in-1 as well). It has a good shade selection, although the tones get a little pink when you’re pale like I currently am. It’s wonderful for oily skin and really stays put — which is something I enjoy considering my face is oilier that a slice of pizza.
2. Covergirl or Maybelline mascaras.
I’ve used the rocket, the flamed out ones, and lashblast. Their formulas are amazing. They last a long time, and the colors are great. I’m personally a girl that likes mascara super black but they have a variety of tones in the black and brown ranges. And the best part is you don’t have to sacrifice quality. I’ve used bareMinerals and I’ve used Benefit and I honestly keep going back to my drugstore mascaras.
3. Wet and Wild eye shadow trios.
Now I don’t wear eye shadow a ton and I will admit to having expensive palettes, but some of my favorite eye shadows come from Wet and Wild trios. The price is unbeatable and the quality is pretty good. They’re great for people just starting out with makeup and I highly recommend them.
4. Rimmel Stay Matte powder.
As I said above, your girl turns into a disco ball by the evening because of how oily my skin is, but this powder really keeps my makeup on. Recently I have been using a higher end one, but I go back to this one time and time again. There’s a variety of shade choices and it has a great translucent tone. It’s also really compact for on the go use. The only downside is that there’s no mirror. But I’m willing to deal with that since it’s a really good price and great quality.
5. Elf setting spray.
I need setting spray, otherwise my face just doesn’t feel right. While I’m a huge fan of Urban Decay, I have rediscovered my love for the Elf setting spray recently. Elf’s prices can’t be beaten and the quality is amazing. I have so many products from elf — lipsticks, eye shadows, concealers, and brushes- and the quality is astounding.
No question, budgeting is hard. But there are ways to save money while still looking fabulous — with or without makeup!