Fabulous and thrifty
1st January 2011
Fabulously and thrifty – Beauty on a budget!
If your bank balance has taken a bashing over the Christmas season, don’t despair. Today more than ever before, you don’t have to splash the cash to buy hyped-up beauty products, when you can find alternative solutions on the high street. Its worth remembering that you are often paying a premium for the fancy packaging and the branding of cosmetics.
The beauty industry is dominated by a few large companies which own multiple brands both expensive and cheap. Estée Lauder now own almost 30 brands including MAC, Bobbi Brown and Clinique, just as L’oreal owns Lancome, Shu Uemura and the Body Shop. . . its no wonder we get caught up in the consumer hype.
Whilst there are differences between the high-end and low-end makeup market, there are also similarities. So, before you spend lots of money on a luxury product, compare its ingredients to those of their less expensive sister brands.
So ladies, if your bank account doesn’t stretch, then curb your spending habit. Being glam doesn’t have to cost the earth it just takes a little know-how and a practical approach to know what beauty products to invest in, and which ones to budget buy.
FOUNDATION
Skin care is more important as most foundations generally work well if applied to an even base. However, achieving the right shade and coverage is always an issue as our complexion changes through the seasons. I would suggest investing a few extra pennies, buying two different shades of a lesser brand so that you can mix through-out the year and adapt to suit.
EYE MAKEUP
A great eyeshadow has little to do with price and everything to do with pigment, which gives the colour its depth and longevity. Look out for products that have a good depth of colour when you apply them – try before you buy! Also, many cheaper brands of Eye makeup remover are just as effective at wiping away your war paint and even work on waterproof mascara.
BROWS AND LASHES
Mascara has a short shelf life, so when it comes to that extra flutter power, length or thickness, you can always save on expensive brands. Opt for an eyelash and eyebrow tint for that every day look , it will last up to a month, and is well worth the investment.
LIPS AND CHEEKS
Low priced lipstick colours normally fade quickly, but cheap lipgloss is fine as it just comes off anyway. There is a lot to be said for wearing lipliner all over your lips with Vaseline on top, it lasts and looks natural. If you can’t forgo the lipstick, try using it as a blusher as it works very well on the cheeks.
NAILS
Nail polish chips no matter how grand the brand, so you can afford to save a pound or two. A clear nail polish will double-up as both a base coat and a top coat, as well as protecting your nails from staining, it will also extend the life of your polish. Though with very dark shades I suggest you invest in a pricier polish if you want an even, shiny coverage that lasts.
Tags: Beauty, Brows, budget, cheeks, Eye makeup, Foundation, Lashes, lips, nails
This entry was posted on 1st January 2011 at 12:24 pm and is filed under News / Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
