Makeup is a pricey obsession.

I can attest to that as I probably spend at least 40% of my cheque on makeup… it’s a problem.

However, there are definitely some things that are NOT worth the price.

1) Urban Decay Naked Shadows – Please forgive me, makeup world, for I do not fall for the hype. It’s… just eye shadow. Do people like it because they tell you where to apply it or because there are so many colors? I’m not sure, but the dupes for the Naked shadows are virtually endless. You can spend a fraction of the price and still get a beautiful color. Literally spend like $4. For the same thing.

2) Benefit “They’re Real” Mascara – This mascara is pretty fantastic and does have some lasting benefits (no pun intended), but the one thing I absolutely hated about it was that it was TOO long lasting. It was a royal pain to remove from my lashes and I felt like I was ripping them out, unfortunate. Dupe to the rescue: Revlon’s 3D Volume Mascara. Exact same result and pretty good staying power. The only thing to complain about Revlon’s formula is that if I wear it on the bottom lash, it flakes really badly, and I end up looking like a raccoon. So if you’re a frequent bottom lash girl, I would recommend that you stay with Benefit’s formula.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3) Makeup Forever HD Mat Velvet Foundation –  I will start off by saying that I have pretty oily skin, and very little things control that oil for longer than a couple hours. I decided I would give MUFE a try, and the SA at Sephora suggested this one for my skin. It’s truly a beautiful foundation and have fantastic coverage, but does literally nothing in terms of oil control. And when you pay over $50 for something you smear on your face, it makes a difference. Someone had suggested Revlon’s Colorstay Oily/Combo formula and it’s been my holy grail foundation ever since. It controls my oil throughout the entire day, as well as having the same coverage as MUFE.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4) NARS Blush in Orgasm – If you have ever contemplated going to purchase a BLUSH for over $15, please take a pause and realize that it’s a horrible decision. Blush? Come on! This is one thing I don’t think people should spend that much money on. However, orgasm (what’s with their names.. orgasm, deep throat.. sure makes it awkward when people ask what blush you’re wearing) is a beautiful and unique color. The only thing I don’t like about it is how overly glittery it is, but that’s another story. The reason that this blush is so popular is because it literally looks amazing on every skin tone. It can’t not look good on you. Well friends, you can get that same sexy glow for $6. Yep, six big ones. Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso is almost an exact replica, if not better. It has gold shimmery tones in it (not glittery like NARS), it makes you look like you’re glowing. And the color looks good on everyone, to boot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The thing to remember is that you can virtually pull of any sort of makeup, be it cheap, moderate or overpriced, so long as you have the correct base. That means a clean, exfoliated face, with an awesome primer (which turns out to be Monistat.. who knew. Next blog post). Clearly those Wet n’ Wild Dupes will do nothing for you if you don’t prime your eyes first (my absolute fave is Too Faced Shadow Primer). Once you have that all done, you can literally rock whatever your budget allows. That’s the beauty of makeup. It’s totally up to you.