Should You Splurge or Should You Save? Making Wise Decisions In Beauty!

Beauty is big business. The beauty industry is worth £17 billion to the UK economy, The global Cosmetic market was $460 billion USD in 2014 and is estimated to reach $675 billion USD by 2020!

The power of cosmetics goes beyond just making us look great; it has the ability to fill us with confidence & add some zest to our normal dull days'

The beauty industry has understood with for generations, upon generations, appealing & captivating us with our self-doubt & insecurities, & promising to fix them with their new wonder ingredients & technology. Lately there has been a rise in consumers becoming growingly understanding & savvy when it comes to beauty!

Not all of us have a glowing bank balance & everyone has their daily struggles, so how can we make savvy shopping decisions without compromising on the power of our routine?

Over the last 5 years I've been exposed to all kinds of brands and products, & as a result I've been able to understand what's worth the investment and what's not! Keep reading to find out my splurge or save items, I hope it's useful!

SPLURGE!

Foundation: I've tried endless number of foundations, & actually love some drugstore/highstreet brands (Maybellines' Fit Me foundation for dewy skin & Kiko Milano Universal Fit for full coverage) if you really cant afford to splurge then these are great, but for absolutely flawless skin the best ones usually always come with a higher price tag. Premium & luxury brands tend to offer a huge range of shades, which allows you to find your perfect match, as well as finishes and enhancing undertones.

My top splurge on Foundations would be

Giorgio Armani - Luminous Silk Foundation £37.00 for stunning flawless glowing skin.

Illamasqua - Skin Base £32.50 for beautiful medium to full coverage skin

Concealer: Similarly, the texture of higher price tag concealers are friendlier on fine lines and generally less prone to caking. Often the ingredients used are of higher quality and the formulas have been designed for professional use, meaning the result is flawless.

My top splurge on Concealer would be

RCMA Colour Process Foundation Palette £58.95

If you are looking for a single concealer then try Nars Cosmetics Radiant Creamy Concealer £22.50 Serum: Although the thought of spending £40 or more on a serum may give you chills, it really is an investment in your skin. Mid-priced brands tend to offer targeted and effective ingredients in more effective quantities, with the clinical trials and data to back up their claims. Eye Cream: From my plethora of experience with eye creams, it's worth investing in something that will soothe away your concerns and help to perk up the under-eye area every morning. It helps your makeup to sit better and hopefully it will reduce the need for more intense treatment later on.

I prefer using a night cream with a higher price tag as they are richer in texture & work wonders during your sleepy 8 hours rest.

Estee Laurder - Advanced Night Repair Eye £40.00 Night Cream: As we sleep our bodies repair damage and rejuvenate, mainly because they don't have to tackle environmental aggressors that are their main focus during daylight hours. A night cream enriched with ingredients such as hylaronic acid, retinol and rosehip oil will help to target areas of dullness, dryness and ageing skin - but they always come with a price.

Try Lancomes' Hydra Zen Anti-Stress Night Cream £42.00

Moisturizer: Since moisturizer is a product that stays on your skin all day, all night and underneath makeup, it makes sense a high-quality hydrator should be at the top of your splurge list, regardless of your skin type. Moisturizer should be your biggest priority when it comes to your skincare routine. Splurging on your moisturizer ensures you are getting a concentrated product that uses high quality ingredients, while eliminating the risk of ingredients like synthetic fragrances, mineral oil, and alcohol.

SAVE! Lipstick/Lipgloss: At the end of the day, this is just something we add to our routine to at colour &,or a touch of shine, even your most expencive range of lippy will need to be reapplied, if like my self your apply lipliner & a touch of gloss then spend a little extra on your lipliner, as they tend to last longer then the cheaper alternatives. One thing I tender to spend a little extra on is a good lip blam, but sometimes you cant beat a a good old blob of vaseline.

Try NYX Cosmetics for lips glosses & lipsticks Powder: The main difference between a budget powder and a more expensive counterpart is how finely its milled. Unless you're incredibly concerned about fine lines or apply a tonne over the top of your base every morning, a light dusting of even the most budget buy will suffice. I've been using one that costs £2.99 for years and it's still serving me well.

Collection Sheer - Loose Powder Translucent £2.99 Eyeshadow: Although I love a YSL, & Illamasqua eyeshadow, but there are so many budget buys available that are practically the same in performance. Unless you have super sensitive skin, opting for a palette of colour that sets you back less than a tenner is always a great idea. You don't have to worry about changing your look, trying new things or the palette smashing in your bag; premium brands charge you for the luxury of being packaged beautifully and offering up a moment of indulgence, but that's not absolutely necessary.

Try Makeup Revolution - Eyeshadow Palettes (£8.00 - £10.00) Hair Styling: In all honesty, there's often no difference in quality or performance between a super cheap buy and one with a Harrods-appropriate price tag. A great hairspray just needs to keep your 'do in place; a fab hair oil just needs some ingredients that can control and add shine. With brands including Tresemme, & Schwartzkopf offering great styling aids, there's no need to spend a fortune to get results.

QUESTIONABLE?

Eyeliner: I've tried the most expensive and the cheapest eyeliners, and cost isn't ever an indicator of quality. Some of the pricier numbers are just as horrendous as £2.99 buys, but then some of my favourites range from a Sleek £4.99 liquid liner to a Bobbi Brown £19.00 gel liner. My best advice is just to try, find a favourite and stick to it - don't be swayed by the price, because when it comes to eyeliner it doesn't mean a thing! Eyebrows: My most used brow tools are actually by NYX, I am just in love with their water-proof eyebrow gel & their pomade both £5.50, while I love Benefits My Brow Pencil £18.50, it depends how sparse your brows are, what you're after and what your budget is, it's worth exploring different textures and finishes until you find the one that works for you. Blusher, Highlight & Contour: Now one thing I need to point out I need to point out some cheap contour products are to heavy & sometimes their colour just isn't right! Having said that Sleek's contour palette is amazing & I absolutly feel in love with their highlighters which are included in the palette! My favorite blush is Estee Lauders Pure Colour range, I personally don't tend to use blusher on my self as I love my bronze glow, so haven't try out many low budget products.

Shampoo & Conditioner: Being a trained hair stylist the one thing you learn early on is that cheaper brands are packed with stripping agents, leaving hair dull & obviously meaning more trips to the hair salon, or having to grab a home dye bottle sooner then needed. But brands like L'Oreal are using SLS & silicone free ingredients.

Cleanser: Having skin problems (acne & eczema) means I have tried & tested almost every brand mentionable, from products exclusive to Harrdos to products from your local pharmacy. I have found that skin is so special & individual that the price tag makes no difference to you skin, but you do need to switch it up as skin gets used to products, I use Eucerin skin care range which I find amazing & every couple of weeks I switch to an all natural oil like pure coconut or olive oil.

Are there any categories you think are worth a splurge or save?