A Broke Girl's Guide to Buying Makeup

October 10, 2018


A Broke Girl’s Guide to Buying Makeup





So you may remember a few months back when I did a post about my favorite makeup products (see post here).  I’m going to do something similar to that in this post because frankly, I’m tired of spending money on expensive makeup that doesn’t live up to its price.  And if I’m right, so are you.  There is literally nothing worse than spending hard earned money on something that doesn’t work or is a bad quality product for the price you spent on it.  That’s what’s been happening to me lately and I’m soooo over it.  So today I’m here to tell you about some amazing makeup that won’t break your bank account.

Okay so I understand if you’re making millions of dollars on Youtube and your clothing line and you have money laying around to go spend at Sephora 3 times a month, but some of us don’t have that kind of luxury.  Personally I don’t understand why some people will buy the new Urban Decay palate JUST BECAUSE there’s a shade called “pumpkin spice shimmer”.  And can we just talk about multi-level marketing companies such as Younique and Mary Kay?  Makeup is already tempting enough but now you have your own family and friends trying to sell you $100 worth of makeup you don't need. Like what kind of drug dealing is that?

All jokes aside, I have nothing against expensive makeup companies.  If that’s how you want to live your life, you do you girl.  But for those of you that are like me and are tired of this makeup nonsense, let me introduce you to some products that might make you actually like makeup again.

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser



You’ve heard of the Porefessional primer by Benefit?  Well picture that but for less than half the price.  That’s basically what this primer is.  I’ve been using this primer for about a year now, and I can honestly say every word in the title is true.  It shrinks your pores AND leaves your skin feeling soft like a baby's.  It also makes your foundation go on so much smoother.  I use this pretty much every day.  You can also wear it just by itself without feeling like you’re wearing a lot of makeup.

Maybelline Fit  Me Dewy + Smooth Foundation



             I’ve struggled in the past with foundations because of my extremely sensitive skin.  So when this product came out about a year ago, I was curious because I had never tried a dewy foundation before.  I tried it and ended up loving it.  At first I was nervous about wearing it on a daily basis since foundation can make my skin weird and cause breakouts, but now I wear it pretty much every day and have had fewer breakouts than normal.  Just for reference, I’ve also tried the matte version of the Fit Me foundation and now that I’ve tried both I can say I like the dewy finish much better.  It is definitely worth the price and looks amazing! 



E.L.F. Beautifully Bare Concealer Stick



            I’ve found that E.L.F. products are either a hit or miss.  Some of their products turn out super great, and others don’t.  But this concealer is definitely one of the better products they’ve made.  I like concealer sticks because they are super easy to apply, and this particular one looks beautiful over the Fit Me foundation.  It is also great for concealing blemishes, but I usually just put it under my eyes (to cover the fact that I never sleep lol).  This is one of my favorite E.L.F. products and looks much better than some of the more expensive concealers I’ve tried before.

Revelon Colorstay Pressed Powder



            I’m not even going to lie; I’ve been using this powder ever since I started wearing makeup like five years ago.  My mom started me out on this powder and it’s just always worked for me so that’s why I’ve stuck with it.  Again, it pairs beautifully with the other products I’ve already mentioned and is so simple to put on, even on a day when you’re not wearing a lot of makeup.  I don’t set my face, so this is perfect to put on top of your foundation and gives your face a finished look.

E.L.F. 3-in-1 mascara



            I’ve talked about this mascara before in my other post, so I’m not going to say much about it here.  I still use this mascara every day and love it so much.  It looks great and lasts all day without getting under your eyes so if you’re looking for a good inexpensive mascara, I would definitely recommend this one.

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara



            So this is probably the only high brand makeup product that I actually like and wear on a daily basis.  I actually got it on sale for half off at Ulta (I don’t think I love it enough to pay full price).  The way I do my mascara is very specific so please bear with me for a moment while I explain.  First I apply a thin layer of the E.L.F. mascara and then layer this over the top.  The E.L.F. mascara provides a nice base and the Better than Sex provides the volume.  The E.L.F. mascara also helps the Better than Sex stay on better and last longer. People always think wearing two mascaras seems weird or something but I think these two go so well together!  If I'm not going out or don't have a lot of time to do my makeup, I just wear the E.L.F. mascara on its own.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate Lipstick



            I mentioned these in my other makeup post, but these lipsticks are my absolute most favorite things in the world.  I’m pretty sure I own almost every shade because they’re just so amazing!  They are super cheap and stay on for a long time.  They do tend to dry out my lips sometimes in the winter, so make sure you put on Chap Stick (which you should be doing anyway).  This lipstick completes my look and is probably my favorite part of my makeup routine.

the finished look! 

Some other tips for buying makeup:

  • Always read reviews first
  • Look online for coupons
  • Don't buy something just because "everyone uses it"
  • Shop at Ulta (they have stores everywhere and always have good deals!)
  • Make sure you get the right shade
  • Cheap price does not always mean cheap quality
  • Buy whatever you want because it's your life


That’s all for today!  I hope you enjoyed and maybe even try out some of these amazing products.  I’ll see you in my next post!


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