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Beauty

18th Oct 2018

Which beauty products should you splurge and save on?

Amy Nolan

Sometimes you need to spend on makeup but you can definitely also save!

Makeup is a blessing and a curse. It makes our tired visages look more awake, but at the same time it’s often really expensive. Sometimes it’s a good idea to spend a bit more on certain products, but there’s definitely areas you can save on. So if your makeup bag is in need of a refresh, here are seven of my favourite products.

Save:

Sleek Brow Kit – €11.99

As everyone knows, good eyebrows are the perfect way to frame your face, but this needn’t be a burden on your finances. I was introduced to this product about a year ago and I still have that very same buy in my makeup bag now. It’s a teeny tiny palette available in four shades, with a shaping wax and setting powder that comes with two brushes and a mini-tweezers. The mini angled brush is dead handy for creating your desired shape and the duo is ideal for travelling because of its compact size. Honestly couldn’t recommend it enough.

The six makeup products I always save on

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer – €5.79

This is the crème de la crème of budget makeup. Affordable, highly pigmented, easy to blend and a great one for brightening up under the eyes if you opt for a lighter shade than your foundation – you couldn’t ask for much more. It’s a cult product for a reason.

The six makeup products I always save on

Flormar Triple Action Mascara – €9.95

This affordable mascara is one of the best in the market. It has an innovative brush that can be left straight to create intense length, or twisted to create curled and volumized lashes. The pigment is fantastic and its argon oil infused formula helps to condition your lashes. You can usually pick this gem up in Penneys.

The six makeup products I always save on

Luna by Lisa Jordan Lipstick and Pencil Duo – €19

I tested these over the weekend and can report they are lovely. They’re sold out online for now but are available in Sam McCauleys. They come in four beautiful shades, are really moisturising on the lips and have good lasting power. ‘Soft Citrie’ and ‘Morganite’ are my two favourites so far for a day look. The former is a peachy nude, but one that is so flattering to wear and the latter is a decent dupe of one of my most-worn Mac lipsticks, ‘Twig’. Considering a Mac lipstick now sets you back €20, Luna’s lip kits give you the lipstick and pencil for under that price – winning!

The six makeup products I always save on

Sleek Makeup Face Form – €13.99

Another favourite from Sleek, but they can’t be beaten for budget beauty. This trio contains a contour shade, a highlighter and a blush and the contour is my absolute go-to.

The six makeup products I always save on

Spend:

Urban Decay All Nighter Full Coverage Longwear Foundation – €36

This is such a star product and literally doesn’t budge all day, even if you break a sweat rushing on the school run. It’s high coverage and a matte foundation, which normally doesn’t appeal to me, but this one never looks flat. The shade range is phenomenal and a little goes a long way with this product so even though it’s a little pricey, it really lasts.

The six makeup products I always save on

Bobbi Brown Full Coverage Face Brush – €40

With tightly packed bristles, this brush creates such a polished, full coverage look that never looks cakey.

The six makeup products I always save on

 

So that’s my complete roundup. Your entire makeup bag could be replaced for about €140 and it just goes to prove, you don’t always have to spend a million dollars to look a million dollars.