Though my relationship with makeup goes as far back as 7th grade (blue eyeshadow & Lip Smackers anyone?), most of my makeup-wearing life has consisted of drugstore products. It was only last year when I finally decided I needed to badly step up my eyebrow game, so I took a deep breath and bought the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Whiz pencil.
I learned that once you give into one high-end product, it can be hard to resist the others. Despite this, there is absolutely no shame in using drugstore makeup; a lot of the time, its efficiency and affordability makes it the better alternative anyway. Given my experience of buying both high-end and drugstore makeup products, here’s what I think the products worth splurging on are.
1. Brushes
As someone who has been using e.l.f. brushes for the last three years, buying a MAC blending brush for eyeshadow has completely changed my makeup look for the better. Seriously. I didn’t know eyeshadows could blend so smoothly before my MAC 217. The amount you pay for quality brushes definitely improves the look of your makeup. I also recommend buying either a high-end brush or a beauty blender for foundation.
2. Eyebrow Products
My sparse, weak eyebrows have never looked better thanks to Benefit Cosmetic’s Gimme Brow gel and Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Whiz pencil. Before, I used NYX Cosmetic’s eyebrow powder, and while it darkened my brows, it didn’t look natural at all. Higher-end makeup companies have a better variety of products (as well as better products in general) to suit all eyebrow needs.
3. Bronzer
I have found that there is not a huge variety of shades in drugstore bronzers, whereas better quality bronzers have bigger selections to choose from. Bronzer is something you’ll want to splurge on — pricier bronzers tend to apply smoother and blend easier. I suggest MAC bronzing powder.
4. Eyeshadow
Splurging on eyeshadow isn’t as productive as splurging on brushes, but if you want to treat yourself, buy a nice palette. I recently bought Tarte Cosmetic’s Color Vibes palette, and the shadows are much more pigmented and last longer than any drugstore eyeshadow I’ve used. While buying an expensive palette might seem like a lot of money upfront, the variety of colors will last you a while, making it worth the cash.
5. Foundation
I’m a bit so-so on this one. The two makeup gurus I rely on (shoutout to Desi & Katy) both use Maybelline’s Fit Me! foundation, and since I’m sometimes a blind follower of theirs, I use it, too. I don’t have any particular problems with it, but I definitely believe there’s a better foundation out there for me, especially because I am picky about what I put on my dry skin. So, I do suggest splurging on higher-end foundation since it can create a more smooth and flawless look.
Happy splurging!