To almost every woman, make-up is a must! Make-up helps us feel prettier and therefore increases our confidence and our, to put in slang terms, SWAG! But sometimes the prices of certain cosmetic brands deter women from going all out and purchasing a variety of great products. Especially when money is tight and some of us are still suffering from the economic downfall, we want to hold on to every penny possible. The truth is you don’t have to spend a lot of money to achieve the same make-up looks you see on celebrities or on other make-up guru’s. If you are lucky enough to have the money to spend on a variety of cosmetic brands (including the pricier ones) than that is great, and I urge you to do so. Otherwise, there are many other cost-effective ways to build your make-up collection and rock the same high end make-up looks as everyone else.
It really frustrates me that young women these days depend solely on expensive and popular make-up brands. It also frustrates me when women do not feel comfortable getting their make-up professionally done unless they see that the Make-up artist is using only high-end brands. Hello! There are other great brands and products out there that do the same job if not better! Don’t think that just because a make-up artist is using drug store brands or brands you have never heard of that your make-up will not come out looking just as flawless. It is a combination of the products used, experience, artistry, and talent that separates an ok make-up artist from an amazing one.
Let me just say, that I am not writing this article to downgrade any cosmetic line at all. I simply want to educate women everywhere on what they should spend money on and how to trust that other more cost-effective cosmetic lines can provide the same results as the big-name ones. For example, many of us have sensitive and problematic skin and so finding the right concealer and foundation for our skin type can be difficult. Foundations range anywhere from 10 bucks to 60 dollars! And sometimes it is the most expensive foundation that works best for our problem skin. In this case I would say, go for it! Spend the money as long as it is for a product that works well on your skin and really brings out your skins radiance! Taking care of your skin is definitely the most important thing in maintaining your youth and beauty so spending the extra money is totally worth it.
Now let’s take eye shadows for instance. NARS, which is a great cosmetic brand, sells eye shadows at $23 each. Let me just say that NARS eye shadows are gorgeous and if you have the money to spend on $23 dollars apiece per eye shadow, then go for it! However, if your budget does not allow you to spend that kind of cash, you can get the same pigmented colors from alternative brands. As a matter of fact, Morphe (a popular online and now in-store cosmetic store) you can purchase an entire palette of 40 highly pigmented colors for the price of 1 eye shadow! Yes I know that there is a difference in size, but you get a variety of beautiful colors for a price you can’t beat! Is that great or what?! Ladies, do not feel pressured into spending money you don’t have on expensive brands. Save your big spendings on those products that truly make a difference on your skin.
The last thing I want to mention, is that in many cases, I have found products from drug store brands that work even BETTER than the big-name brands. (I say “Big-name brands” instead of “professional brands” because I believe that any cosmetic line if used properly can be used for professional use). For example, L’Oreal, which is considered a drugstore brand, makes my favorite mascara of all time. I rarely wear any other kind of mascara. I love L’Oreal as their mascaras truly add volume and length to my eye lashes. I still have not found another product that compares to L’Oreal! And the price? I believe their mascara’s are about 6 to 8 bucks as opposed to the big-name brands that sell mascaras for over 20 dollars! Even if I had the extra money to spend, I will still resort to certain drugstore products as some of them are really great and sometimes work even better than others.
All in all, women everywhere are becoming more comfortable with wearing make-up and with the amount of YouTube videos and websites out there, they are getting really good at it too. This is a great thing for everyone. However, I want to stress the importance of trying as many different brands as possible to find out what works best for you. Don’t assume that only the expensive stuff will work. When you are at a cosmetic counter, ask for free samples so you can get a feel for what else is out there. Most women use the basics when it comes to make-up: eyeliner, mascara, blush, and lipstick. But if you want to further your knowledge on Make-up application, you do not have to spend a lot of money to do so. You can start by learning how to use primers, contour colors, highlighters, bronzers, eyebrow gels, and much more! All you have to do is utilize the information from my tutorials and articles or google other make-up guru’s for their advice on the best make-up products available. I promise you that you will receive a lot of feedback on a wide range of make-up and you will end up getting the most for your buck!
Love,
Lina