Save Vs. Splurge: How To Shop For Makeup Products

via Giphy

Hello, and welcome to shopping 101. If you look to your right, you’ll see a million high-end formulas waiting for your undivided attention. And on your left, you’ll see the drugstore aisle and its affordable goodies made for every budget. *Drumroll, please* Which way do you go? As your beauty captains, we want to help you wade through the sea of expensive and affordable products out there with this save or splurge digital handbook. Bookmark for the future – you’ll need it before your next shopping spree.

1. For Complexion:

SPLURGE: Foundation & Concealer

Your house is only as strong as its foundation. That’s why you’ll never regret investing in more spenny formulas that don’t turn patchy or wear off over time. Plus, complexion products must come in a variety of shades and undertones, which aren’t always easy to find in the drugstore aisle. You’ll always find your perfect swatch with products like our #FauxFilter Luminous Matte Foundation, $42, and #FauxFilter Luminous Matte Concealer, $29, that have shades for everyone! It’s a bonus that the formulas are crease-resistant and stand the test of time.

SPLURGE: Blushes & Bronzers

Source: Charlotte Tilbury and NARS

Typically used after complexion products, blushes and bronzers must layer beautifully with the rest of your makeup sans streaking. Expensive formulas like Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush bronzer, $46, and NARS Blush, $32, have achieved cult status for their poppin’ hues and blendability, making them worth the $$$. To make the most of your money, swipe the formulas across your lids to achieve a subtle monochromatic lewk too.

SPLURGE: Setting Powder 

Applied over cream and liquid formulas, investing in a finely-milled setting powder like our Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder, $35, locks your makeup in place from noon to night without turning it cakey. In addition, it comes in nine different shades to help snatch, sculpt, and mattify, depending on where you use it. In short, she’s an investment with MAJOR returns.

SAVE: Highlighter

Source: Wet n Wild and FLOWER Beauty

You can achieve a poppin’ glow without an expensive highlighter, provided you apply it in the right spots – check out the deets here. Whether you’re after an intense shimmery powder like the Wet n Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Powder, $7, or a liquid highlighter like FLOWER Beauty Spotlight Liquid Highlight, $15, we’re pleased to announce that drugstore comes thru!

SAVE: Setting Spray

Source: NYX Professional Makeup and e.l.f. Cosmetics

With ALLLLL the work you put into your makeup, you obviously want it to last. Enter: setting spray. Luckily, the drugstore market is saturated with options that offer serious staying power alongside your preferred finish. If you’re about that dew, shop NYX Professional Makeup Dewy Finish Long Lasting Makeup Setting Spray Vegan Formula, $10, or choose e.l.f. Cosmetics Matte Magic Mist & Set, $6, for a matte finish.

2. For Eyes:

SPLURGE: Eyeshadow Palettes

Imagine nailing the most graphic eye look on your Pinterest board, only for it to fade and smudge after a few hours. That’s heartbreaking, which is why we recommend high-quality, pigmented eyeshadow palettes that a) blend well, b) have maximum payoff c) deliver all-day slay. To get more bang for your buck, invest in a multi-tasking palette like our Empowered Eyeshadow Palette, $67, that contains matte, cream, AND gel shadows.

SPLURGE: Eyeliner

We’re not going to lie and say there aren’t great drugstore eyeliners out there, but if longevity is something you prioritize, go high-end. Cheaper liners tend to smudge, flake, or fade as the day goes on – not ideal, obvs. Stick to liners known for their staying power like our Life Liner Quick ‘N Easy Precision Liquid Eye Liner, $19, that glides on easily and dries matte.

SAVE: Eyelash Curlers

Source: e.l.f. Cosmetics

If you’ve scrolled for this section, we’ve got good news – you don’t need an expensive eyelash curler! Drugstore options like e.l.f. Cosmetics Eyelash Curler, $3, get the job done by adding lift and curl to your lashes without the expense – yay!

SAVE: Mascara

Source: L’Oréal Paris

Drugstore mascaras have repeatedly proven that they can bless your lashes with whatever it needs, be it intense volume, dramatic length, or an epic curl. Even celeb MUAs stash drugstore mascaras like L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara, $13, which proves that you don’t need to splurge on one. Save your money; go drugstore.

SAVE: False Lashes

Source: KISS

Fun fact: so many celebs wear drugstore lashes on the red carpet. This year, we saw everyone from Doja Cat to Megan Fox slay the KISS collection, ranging from natural to full-on dramatic falsies. Case in point: false lashes shouldn’t cost you a dramatic dollar.

3. For Brows:

SPLURGE: Brow Pencil

While there are many drugstore brow pencils to choose from, opting for something boujee-r with a thin, ultra-fine tip like our #BOMBBROWS Microshade Brow Pencil, $17, will give you the most realistic results. It comes with a durable spoolie at one end so you can quickly diffuse the pigment based on your brow needs.

SAVE: Brow Gel

Source: got2b

To create the illusion of a fuller brow, choose got2b Glued 4 Brows & Edges 2in1 Gel, $6. Rivaling some of the BEST brow gels, it’s an industry-approved drugstore formula that keeps brows up, up, and up.

4. For Lips:

SPLURGE: Lipstick

Source: PAT McGRATH LABS

Put your #Influencer hat on, and compare how a drugstore lipstick applies, feels, and wears to something more expensive. You’ll instantly notice a difference in pigment, staying power, and overall feel, which is why drugstore lippies often just don’t hit the same. It may be tempting to splurge on five drugstore lipsticks, but save your cash for something like the PAT McGRATH LABS MatteTrance™ Lipstick, $39, and your lips will thank you forever.

SAVE: Lip Gloss

Source: essence

Budget babes, listen up – you don’t need to splurge with your lip glosses. Several pocket-friendly options like essence’s Extreme Shine Volume Lipgloss, $4, in the shade Clear, make your lips look hella juicy with a glassy, mega-watt effect. Plus, lip glosses typically need regular top-ups, so it makes sense to opt for a cheaper formula that can be easily replaced when you (inevitably) scrape it dry.

5. For Blended Beats:

SPLURGE: Makeup Brushes

SAVE: Makeup Sponges

Source: Real Techniques

You don’t need an expensive makeup sponge to blend your beat to perfection, especially with Real Techniques’ multi-tasking Sponge+ Miracle Complexion Sponge, $6, around. It blends all kinds of formulas – liquid, cream, and powder – in seconds. Rinsing after every use will help it last about three to six months, after which you can replace it with another… Without breaking the bank.

How do you stick to your makeup budget? Let us know in the comments below!

Disclaimer: Every product we review has been independently selected and tested without bias by our editorial team. Although some brands allow affiliate links, we never take payment to review products, so we may earn a commission if you purchase a product by clicking on one of our links.