BEAUTY: WHEN TO SPLURGE & SAVE
Are you a money-is-no-object-when-it-comes-to-vanity kind of woman? Or do you hunt down products that deliver for less?
I have to confess, I swing both ways.
Nothing gives me greater joy than stumbling across a budget beauty item that brings results for a small price tag but, I have to confess, I’m also a sucker for the big guns of beauty.
Sometimes those big guns do not live up to their hype and price but often they do.
I call these beauty items my investment products. Just like my wardrobe has a number of investment pieces, if you were to take a peek in my beauty cabinet, you’d find the high getting on very nicely with the low.
By all means go the splurge option. I have a girlfriend who will not buy anything but Lancome Hypnose mascara.
Yes, it’s a damn fine mascara but there are options out there for you that will still leave plenty of dollars left over for champagne… and shoes.
Priorities, people. Are you ready for some splurge and saves?
Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow $50 | Maybelline New York EyeStudio Color Tattoo Eye Shadow $11.95
Cream eyeshadows do remind me of watching my hip step-mum (fresh from London to regional Queensland) in the ‘70s applying her silver and blue colours. Even as a young beauty coveter I could see that they didn’t last her a night on the Mateus. These new-age pots of cream eyeshadow are the complete opposite. They have staying power and I’m addicted. The Bobbi Brown version has a finer texture than the Maybelline but at $11.95, you can afford to stock up on a stack of colours. Bobbi Brown is available at selected David Jones and Myer stores. Maybelline at supermarkets and mass retailers.
YSL Touch Eclat $55 | L’Oreal Paris Lumi Magique Highlighter $26.95
This YSL product has a cult following – and has done so with good reason for years. I can’t use either of these products as my actual concealer (I need something more heavy duty). What I do is use them for is to highlight and brighten my eye area over the top of my foundation and concealer. And you won’t be disappointed in how the L’Oreal Paris product works for that purpose – at half the price. YSL is available at Myer, David Jones and selected pharmacies.
L’Oreal Professionnel Mythic Oil $38 | Schwarzkopf Extra Care Daily Oil Elixir $8.99
Hair oils are genius. They’re a lazy-girls’ easiest way to give hair a leave-in treatment boost after every wash and condition. The salon ones – like this L’Oreal Professionnel one – got me started but I’ve since discovered some fabulous supermarket versions and this new one from Schwarzkopf ticks all the boxes. Whichever way you go, you only need one or two pumps at a time so it’s an economical product. To find a L’Oreal Professionnel salon, click here.
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24 Responses to this article
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Mrs Woog July 19, 2012
Supermarket finds all the way! xx
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Nikki @ Styling You July 19, 2012
I’ve seen your beauty cabinet and know that is true!
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Sarah Hatton July 19, 2012
I too love all beauty products and will happily pay top dollar for the best result but I’m overjoyed when I discover a product that is more effective and at a budget price. I was in LOVE with Lancome Hypnose mascara like your friend, but my beautician recommnend I try Covergirl (which I would not normally do as I had been loyal to Lancome for the most part of a decade). But I’m giving the big plug for Covergirl Lashblast 24 hrs (1/4 of price of Lancome). It is absolutely fabulous, no clumps, goes on smooth, separates every lash perfectly. Love it.
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Nikki @ Styling You July 19, 2012
Oh Sarah – good find! Thanks for sharing.
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Daphne Alaksa July 19, 2012
This is the sort of information I’ve been looking for for ages. No matter how carefully I apply my mascara I usually have to wipe some off and re-apply because I can’t quite get it right.
Covergirl mascara is going to go on my shopping list, and
so to-morrow I’ll be buying it. Thanks so much. Any good
advice with regards to cosmetics is so useful. Is it possible that anyone knows a well-priced lipstick brand which has a very good range?
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Benster July 19, 2012
I just want a waterproof mascara that doesn’t give me panda eyes by mid morning. Lancôme used to have the perfect mascara which was discontinued. I think I’ve tried most brands at a range of prices, and still spend time in the loo with a damp tissue!
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Nikki @ Styling You July 19, 2012
Not fun at all. I blogged yesterday about one that’s been working for me – it comes with a refill so works out at $16 each: http://www.stylingyou.com.au/2012/07/july-beauty-products/
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Alex July 19, 2012
I LOVE a supermarket find but I have some high-end favourites. Cannot go past Laura Mercier foundations and powders but love me a Garnier BB Cream. Also love shopping in the US at Sephora where high-end becomes middle-to-low-end!
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Nikki @ Styling You July 19, 2012
Alex, that will be the heaven I’ll be in in 2 weeks – NYC here I come!
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A2 July 19, 2012
I’ve always been a high end foundation wearer. I’m happy to try cheap anything else but foundation is either right or wrong and if your foundation is wrong all your makeup looks awful.
But the other week I found an english brand, W7, that made a foundation that was the right colour. I bought one for the mighty sum of $4.99 and it is perfect. I’m now using it instead of my normal expensive stuff. I haven’t tried anything else from this brand but it’s on my list of things to do. All of their foundations looked good.
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Nikki @ Styling You July 19, 2012
The tricky thing with foundation is getting that colour match just right – something difficult when you can’t trial a supermarket variety.
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Nikki@WonderfullyWomen July 19, 2012
Mascara and Panda Eyes have always gone hand in hand with me as I still have very oily skin at 47!, spent a fortune buying and tossing them in the bin, until I bought Avon ‘One GREAT Mascara’ on super special at $4.95 and I am in love with it, even survives a gym workout! Had to track down an Avon lady so I could order more.
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Nikki @ Styling You July 19, 2012
Thanks for sharing your tip, Nikki!
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A2 July 19, 2012
You’re right. The colour match is everything. I should have said this brand is carried by ChemistWarehouse in this country and there was testers available.
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Nikki @ Styling You July 19, 2012
Yay for testers … makes all the difference!
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Bec V July 19, 2012
Bronzers, hair-stuff, and tan lotion… I got a splurge-bug once in Myer and bought three high-price products (never happened before, never since): Scott Barnes ‘Body Bling’ so fat and thick you can squeeze a 1 cm worm onto your palm and then spread it into a 1/4 cup full with your fav moisturiser for all-over body gold (like about $50); Living Proof “Full Root-Lifting Spray”, spray it onto combed, wet hair, comb through, then put hair up into a top-ponytail, leave until dry and when you take your hair down next morning it’s so va-va-voom wait till your husband leaves for work or he’ll make YOU late and the kids’ll never get to school (maybe $60); and Puraceuticals “POD” liquid tan, which does have a smell but more like a sunscreen than tan-smell and lasts twice as long, like 4 good tan days instead of 2 ($50). I’m not exactly sure on prices, as I’ve wiped the memory of exactly how much I spent that day. I’ve long since ripped the receipt to shreds and sprinkled it in various rubbish bags (no proof).
Oh, and the 1000 hours eyelash dye for a DIY lashtint. about $17 and gives you well over 10 tints. do it twice in the same week and no need for mascara or panda eyes.oh, and coconut oil. eat it (it’s the best type of fat, good immune boost, and tastes sweet without ANY sugar), warm a little in your palms and use it as a face food before bed, and wipe it through damp hair ends. in summer it would smell tres terrible but it’s whimsical in winter
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Nikki @ Styling You July 19, 2012
Love it all Bec! Brilliant. Especially the hiding bit.
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Rhoda July 25, 2012
Tried the exxy stuff but never stuck with the one brand – which tells me something LOL.
What else? – virgin olive oil and a warm moist washer. Full cream milk is great to soak your hands and feet in – warm it up a bit.
Aveeno products from the supermarket are definitely worth a try. I like the baby version of the moisturizer because I don’t like added perfumes. I’ve found the all over body moisturizers like Hamiltons are great on my face though and I have the typical oily T – available at chemists and really work.
Laura Mercier foundation and primer.
DIY Clairol for hair colour and every hairdresser I go to remarks on what a nice colour – I kid you not LOL
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Nikki @ Styling You July 29, 2012
Aveeno products are great Rhoda – love them for body balms when you’re wanting to slather it on and not scrimp on the application!
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