Flawless skin, sweeping lashes and luscious lips: us girls spend between £15,000 and £100,000 on makeup in our lifetimes! It’s easy to assume that more expensive products are automatically better, but that isn’t always true. We’ve put together a guide to the best cheap make-up products (and those worth splashing out on) so you’ll have more money to spend on the things you really want.
Foundation
Foundation is one product worth spending a little more on. Expensive products use more varied pigments and therefore blend more easily for a natural finish. Cheap foundations tend not to have the same longevity as their expensive counterparts and require touch-ups throughout the day. If you keep having to replace your foundation, it may have been cheaper just to spend more in the first place. For £33 Estée Lauder Daywear BB Creme is a dream combination of light, natural-looking coverage with the long-term benefits of SPF 35 and an antioxidant complex. Fear not, if your student loan flies out of your account as quickly as it flies in you can still achieve a smooth and radiant finish. No 7 Instant Radiance Foundation (£12.50) has SPF 15 with a moisturising vitamin complex. Light-reflecting particles also make it a great ‘morning after the night before’ skin saviour. Always look out for foundations with sun protection, your skin will thank you for it in years to come!
Mascara
A good mascara should be clump free and not smudge or flake off during the day. Mascara is one of the hardest things to get right, only a few have ever passed the test. Lancôme Hypnôse Doll Eyes (£22) comes highly recommended, as it lasts a long time, making it the perfect choice for a day at work or a long-night out. However, at less than half the price Max Factor Masterpiece MAX Mascara (£9.99) is a great alternative. It has an amazing lengthening effect, doesn’t clump at all and lasts all day.
Eyeshadow
I’m sure no one has missed the hype of the Urban Decay Naked Palette (£37) and it definitely lives up to expectations. With different palettes to suit different complexions and a variety of shades from naturally gorgeous to smouldering smokey-eyes, it’s the only eyeshadow you’ll ever need. But £37 for eyeshadow is A LOT of money and a cheaper alternative is MUA Eyeshadow Trio Pink Sorbet (£2.50) from Superdrug. The subtle shimmering pinks work perfectly with cool skin tones. Best of all, it lasts all day without disappearing into the creases. For warmer skintones, the naked-palette copycat MUA Eyeshadow Palette Undress Me Too (£4) is well worth a try.
Bronzer/Highlighter
Benefit High Beam (£19.50) is the ultimate highlighter, but it comes at a price. Highlighters are important as they make you look youthful and well rested and can be used to contour your face (think smaller nose, higher cheekbones and perfect eyebrows). As you don’t need to use much each day it lasts a long time and is worth the investment. I was on the quest for the perfect bronzer when a friend suggested Seventeen Instant Glow Shimmer Brick (£4.99). This product is a miracle! Not only do I love the bronzer, the varied shades become gradually lighter meaning it doubles up as a highlighter which is just as good as High Beam. This bronzer/highlighter duo is a one product contour kit for less than a fiver, what could be better?
Lips
Lipsticks are less of a challenge; there are loads of great lipsticks out there to suit every skin tone (and budget). Our favourite is Clinique Chubby Stick Intense Moisturising Lip Colour Balm (£17) because it’s easy to apply, super-moisturising and the colour stains a little so you don’t have to reapply is as regularly as a normal lipstick. Rimmel London Colour Rush Balm (£5.99) is almost identical for more than £10 less. It doesn’t last quite as long but it does have a nice scent to it and is great when you’re trying to save money.
Top Tip: It’s worth splashing out on a good set of makeup brushes. The firmness of the brush will affect how strong colours come out, and how easily makeup can be blended. With perfect application even the cheapest makeup can look professional.