If you see me running around campus sans makeup with dark circles and stress acne, you might not be convinced I spend my free time researching makeup for fun. While my dream of going to cosmetology school has since passed, I still follow the industry intently, keeping up with the latest trends and releases. However, makeup is an expensive hobby and I am a college student making minimum wage. But, a big makeup collection isn’t always the best makeup collection. As long as you have quality staples tailored for you, you won’t have to waste money constantly trying cheaper makeup since you can’t test it out in drugstores. Because of this, I thought of four basic products, with linked examples, worth the splurge that may ultimately save you money.
(Photo by Raphael Lovaski on Unsplash)
1. Primer. As the first thing on your skin after skincare, it is essential to have a high quality primer to really set up your makeup and skin for success. Smoothing pores and creating a soft barrier before your foundation, primer enhances the overall appearance of your final makeup look while keeping your skin happy and healthy. The POREfessional Face Primer by Benefit Cosmetics and the Hangover Replenishing Face Primer by Too Faced are two of my favorite primers. Benefit’s primer is more of a silicone texture for smoothing skin while Too Faced’s primer is lighter and more moisturizing, a variety of primers for any skin type!
2. Foundation. Because it is quite literally the foundation of your makeup, having a high quality product will not only look but feel better on your skin. When you’re paying for high-end foundation, you’re paying for a better formula for coverage and for skin-care. Also, these foundations are more likely to have a wider selection of shades and finishes, so you can find one to meet your unique skin type. My favorite high-end foundations include the Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation by Fenty Beauty (comes in 40 shades), Born This Way Foundation by Too Faced (35 shades), and the CC+ Cream by IT Cosmetics (12 shades).
3. Concealer. For similar reasons to foundation, concealer is another skin-care type product that deserves the splurge. High-end concealers often are more long-wearing and can withstand the natural oils on your face, which leads to longer coverage of dark circles or acne. A few concealers I would recommend are Radiant Creamy Concealer by NARS, Shape Tape Contour Concealer by Tarte, and Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer by Urban Decay.
4. Eyeshadows. Half the time I buy palettes, I end up sticking with the same colors and not touching the rest unless I’m feeling ~crazy~. Don’t be fooled into thinking every single palette is completely unique and you have to buy every single one that hits the market. There are usually trends within eyeshadow palettes alone, so you can find very similar color schemes in multiple products. Ultimately, finding one high-end palette where you’ll use most of the colors often is the key. These high-end palettes will have better pigmentation, so the color from the pan is the color that will be on your lid. The higher quality pigments these shadows are made from will last longer and make blending easier, letting you avoid ending the day with raccoon eyes. Some of my favorite palettes with more neutral tones are Soft Glam by Anastasia Beverly Hills, Tartelette In Bloom by Tarte, and Natural Matte Eyeshadow Palette by Too Faced.