Beauty: Where to Save and Where to Invest
All that glitters is not gold.
Most high-end beauty products have a few things in common: a hefty price tag, pretty packaging and the fact that they all come with a promise. A promise that they’ll transform your skin and give pretty much instant results. They don’t always deliver, though, do they?
SAVE: SKINCARE
I’ve had skin problems for as long as I can remember. Acne, hyperpigmentation, being too oily, then being too dry… It took me years to find a dermatologist that I liked and I’ve tried hundreds of different skincare products over the years. Every single time I’d see a beauty magazine feature a new, promising product, I’d buy it. I spent wasted A LOT of money on products that did completely nothing for my skin. Many high-end skincare products not only come in beautiful packaging, they also usually have a strong fragrance and a nice consistency and color. Here’s the thing though: fragrance, consistency, color and pretty packaging will not change/improve your skin. Most of my favorite skincare products that actually improved my skin, are drugstore products. Products like cleansers, moisturizers, micellar waters, cleansing oils is where you can save a lot of money. When it comes to treatment products like peels or serums- that’s where I love to invest. However, the number one thing I look at these days, are the ingredients and I’d advise you guys to do the same. A lot of times products are being advertised as having all these great active ingredients, but when you look at the back of the bottle, their concentration is really low, or they’re just not there.
Favorite drugstore cleansers suitable for all skin types: Cetaphil, Garnier Clean + Gentle, CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser
Favorite drugstore moisturizers: Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream, Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion, CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
Favorite drugstore treatments: Stridex (salicylic acid treatment pads), Alpha Hydrox AHA Treatment, ROC Retinol Correxion Night Treatment
While my favorite mascara happens to be a Dior mascara, I think that this is where you can really save some money. I love using drugstore mascaras and a lot of them actually perform better than some expensive ones I’ve tried. Covergirl LashBlast and Maybelline Sensational are my solid favorites.
SPLURGE: FOUNDATION
I’ll never forget the very first time I’ve tried a high-end foundation. Having a good, long-lasting base that helps to make your skin look healthy and flawless can make all the difference. If your skin is healthy and not problematic, you can count on drugstore favorites like L’Oreal True Match. However, if like me, you have picky and problematic skin, splurging on a good foundation that works well with your skin can be really worth it. Investing in a good base also means that you can save in other departments, like mascara or lipstick.
SAVE: NAIL POLISH
I’ve tried a lot of high-end nail polishes and most of them do not come close to being as good as my Essie polishes. The main problem that I have with high-end brands, is that they chip easily and aren’t very long-lasting. Smith & Cult or Marc Jacobs polishes aren’t as pricy as, let’s say, Tom Ford ($18 as compared to $36) and they’re actually do have a great formula. Tom Ford and Chanel, on the other hand, do not last even 5 days on my nails. Dior is probably one of the very few that I don’t mind splurging on, because their formula is always long-lasting and very easy to work with. So, if you can’t afford to spend $36 on a bottle of nail polish- don’t worry, you’re not missing out.
SAVE: LIPSTICK Lipstick is another department where you can save some of your hard-earned money. I recently talked about some of my favorite affordable options right here. Brands like NYX make amazing lip products that have a great color payoff and staying power and will cost you only around $6. Milani is another drugstore brand that makes nicely pigmented lipsticks.
I also love making my own body scrubs- using oatmeal and coconut oil– so it’s another place where I like to save money. Oats have anti-inflammatory properties, can help calm and soothe skin and treat eczema and skin rashes. They also contain saponins- a mild cleansing agent. I’ll occasionally also use a lip scrub, but moist washcloth works just as well as a tiny, 20-bucks-a-jar lip scrub.
How about you guys? Where do you like to save and where do you like to splurge when it comes to beauty products?