Things I Spend Money On:
Blush - I hate, HATE, hate cheap, un-pigmented, talcy blushers that send a dusty cloud of product into the air at the tap of a brush. Cheap blush wrecks flawless foundation by having to pack on a thick chalky layer just to get some colour pay-off. I'm Nars all the way baby! I recently lost my beloved Nars 'Orgasm' blush on a roadtrip to Amsterdam, and you can be sure the first shop I hit up upon my return was Sephora to pick up more of this cult classic. Sure it's pricey, but it lasts forever! I used that blush at least 3 times a week for the past 2 years and I'd only just hit pan.
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| Nars blush = pigmented perfection. |
Eyeshadows - For the same reason as blush. The better quality and more pigmented the product, the less you have to put on, and also, the longer it lasts. Fair enough if you want to buy an acid green shadow from a cheap brand because you're only going to use it once, but for frequently used shadows quality is key. MAC, Clinique, Nars and Revlon are some of my favourites - highly pigmented, last all day and blend like a dream!
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| Worth every cent! |
Foundation - Well, this is semi-true. I do indeed indulge in high-end foundations such as Chanel, Estee Lauder, MAC and Make-up Forever, however I also dabble in more budget-friendly brands such as Revlon (Colourstay is a staple in my make-up bag) and Natio.
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| Bottled magic! |
Bronzer - in my opinion, there is nothing worse than a bad bronzer. If it's too orangey, chalky, muddy or shimmery it belongs in the bin. I've sworn by Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder for many years now. It's natural-looking, comes in different shades, is not at all orangey, has no shimmer and blends beautifully. It even has a handy mirror in the compact!
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| My old faithful. |
Fake Tan - If you get your fake tan wrong, it's really noticeable and looks infinitely tacky. Thus why I rely on St Tropez, the tanning masters. Their tanning foam applies easily, never looks patchy, and most importantly never looks orange!
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| Not hot. |
Moisturiser - This is particularly important if you have dry, damaged or mature skin. Using a quality moisturiser will do wonders for your skin and prevent you looking like a dried-up prune. I'm a big fan of Elizabeth Arden.
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| Refreshing gel-cream moisturiser. |
Things I don't spend money on:
Shower gel/bath products - I'm really not fussy. As long as it cleans me thoroughly and doesn't have an overly offensive smell, it's welcome to rub-a-dub in my tub!
Haircuts - This is a personal one as it is very dependant on your hair-type and hair-cut. I, however, have long hair, all one lenth, with a little shaping around the face. It takes 10 minutes for me to get a trim every month or so and costs me about $20 at my local budget hairdresser. As I don't dye it or need anything special done to it, I have come to the conclusion that I don't need Oscar Oscar to lop my locks.
Mascara - I used to only buy Lauder and Clinique mascaras until I tried some cheaper ones and found them to be just as good. Snaps to Covergirl Lashblast which is now a staple in my make-up bag (beware the waterproof version though!) Also take into consideration that you shouldn't keep your mascaras for more than 3 months, so if you won't use them up in that time, you're literally throwing away your cash!
Nail polish - Rimmel and Revlon do me just fine. They have a great range of colours, apply easily, last pretty well and I can pick them up at Priceline for under $15. I'm not ashamed to admit that I often peruse the shelves of Groove to find them at cheaper prices as well!
Brush cleaner - I once bought a bottle of $35 Clinique brush cleaner. I then found out a $5 bottle of baby shampoo does the same thing. Yay for saving $30!
