Quick Note

I just wanted to give a little shout-out to everyone who has read this blog and who will ever read this blog.  At this point in time, I have gotten over 500 views.  (Not bad for the re-started version- the original Beauty Centre had over 2,000 before I deleted it and started up again.)  For this, I thank you.

Thank you so much!

 Merci beaucoup!

Большое спасибо!
Vielen Dank!
Vă mulţumesc foarte mult!
Велике спасибі!
Raibh míle maith agat!

I appreciate every single view, whether you are one of my former classmates or someone who did an internet search for products, and hope that you continue reading my posts.  Also, if you have any comments, questions, or anything of that nature, please post a comment.  I would love to hear from you!  

Thank you all again!

-M

Save or Splurge: Skin

Here's the next installment of Save or Splurge.  It was going to be the last, but I am also going to extend this theme to brushes and skincare.  Be on the lookout in the future


Primer:  SPLURGE

I have only found one okay primer in the drugstore range (Rimmel's Fix and Perfect), but it didn't work as well as the ones from Sephora and MAC that I had.  How could I tell?  My skin oiled up about two hours faster with the Rimmel than with my tried-and-true Smashbox Photo Finish.  Revlon has a primer out that I did not like at all.  It made my skin itch and it flaked.  Main point is, my higher-end primers kept my oily skin in check with fewer touch-ups than drugstore.

Splurge:  Smashbox Photo Finish and MAC Prep + Prime

Save:  Rimmel Fix and Perfect, Hard Candy Sheer Envy

Foundation:  Depends, but I prefer Splurges

I love my high-end foundations, but like mascaras, makeup companies are cracking down to making better formulas.  I still find that they are not as pigmented as more expensive foundations, so I have to layer more makeup from the drugstore lines.  The higher-end products can cover my face with about two pumps of product and the colors are very forgiving, unlike many drugstore foundations that you have to match or else you look pale or orange.

Splurge:  Any Chanel (depending on your skin type), Makeup Forever HD

Save:  L'Oreal True Match, Maybelline Fit Me

Tinted Moisturizers:  Splurge

Tinted moisturizers are my favorite branch of foundations because I don't need a heavy mask of makeup.  Higher end tinted moisturizers tend to last longer and have enough coverage to even out the skin.  Most of the cheaper products just disappear on the skin and make no difference on the skin whatsoever.  They do smooth out the skin, they just don't even out the skintone as well as the higher-end.


Splurge:  Laura Mercier, Josie Maran
Save:  Hard Candy, Neutrogena

Powder Bronzer:  Save


This is one product that I do not use much because I don't look natural with any tan on my face, but I still try products because I like to look sunkissed sometimes.  Sometimes.  From the products that I have tried, I have not seen a difference between expensive or cheap powder bronzers.  Some are shimmery, some are matte, some are loose powder, some are pressed.  If I see no difference, I will always suggest the cheaper.


Splurge:  BeneFit Hoola and One Hot Minute (FAVORITE!!), NARS Laguna
Save:  Any bronzer in the Physician's Formula line, Sally Hansen...Carmindy, Neutrogena

Cream Bronzer:  Either


This type of bronzer is different from its powder counterpart.  It blends more into the skin and looks a lot more natural because of that.  The colors can come out stronger because of this, though, so some people stick with powders.  From what I've tried from samples of high-end and drugstore, each of their cream bronzers have distinctions but neither is better.  It's just a matter of taste.  If you want a satin/matte finish, go for high-end.  If you want shimmer and glitter, go drugstore.


Splurge:  Chanel Soleil de Tan, NARS
Save:  Maybelline Mousse


Powder Blush:  Either


Again, this is personal preference as far as what you want out of a blush.  If you want a matte finish, high-end will provide.  If you want glitter/shimmer, drugstore brands do well.  Both can be very pigmented and drugstore formulations have improved so they blend without blending away.


Splurge:  Tarte, NARS
Save:  Sally Hansen...Carmindy, Cover Girl 


Cream Blush:  Splurge


In high school, I only knew of one cream blush and loved it- I wore it to both junior and senior prom.  It was Maybelline's mousse blush.  After I found out about higher-end cream blushes, I don't know how I could have liked Maybelline as much as I did.  They blended better, looked more natural and I didn't have to use a ton to get color.  I don't know if Maybelline has improved the formula, but I really don't want to go back.


Splurge:  Urban Decay, NARS
Save:  Maybelline, Revlon

Cheek Stain:  Either


What this boils down to is the formula that you want, since they all provide a nice flush of color.  If you want a water-based or stick-gel, go high-end.  If you want a gel or stick-cream, go drugstore.  There are pros and cons for both.  The  high-end formulas tend to put out less color per application, but it makes layering color easy and it's hard to overdo the color.  Drugstore brands put out more color, so it's easy to use too much.  As long as you get used to the formulations, they will do what they should.


Splurge:  BeneTint line, Tarte, Sephora line

Save:  Pixi, Jemma Kidd, Hard Candy

Powder:  Splurge

You'd think that powder would be one of the makeup items that would be so easy to manufacture, drugstore brands would be just as good as high-end, but that is not the case.  In my experience, most drugstore powders have caked and went on patchy on my skin.  I was satisfied with drugstore powders in high school, but after finding some really nice powders at Sephora, I haven't been able to go back...except for costume makeup.  Airspun is a drugstore powder that works really well for costume makeup because it has a nice smooth, almost opaque finish.  Very good for stage makeup and drag queen looks.  Other drugstore powders are too opaque for me and cake up easily.  Some of the Sephora brands make really fine, translucent powders that don't mattify the skin too much.

Splurge:  Urban Decay De-Slick, Makeup Forever HD Powder, Laura Mercier Powder

Save:  Airspun Translucent Unscented

Setting Spray:  Splurge by default


Setting sprays are becoming more popular because they extend the life of your made-up face, feel refreshing, and make your face less chalky and more glowy.  For now, only high-end brands have made sprays.  Urban Decay has a line for all different types of skin, MAC has had its Fix Plus for years, and Kat von D has just come out with one.  I can say that Urban Decay's De-Slick spray works well.  It adds maybe an hour to my makeup and feels awesome.  It also works to break down a foundation that is too heavy so it has a more suitable coverage.  Mac's Fix Plus works well with more normal skin, not so well with me.  I've not tried Kat von D's.  I'm waiting to get a sample to try.


Recommendations:  Urban Decay, MAC

Save or Splurge: Lips

Lipstick:  Either

Like mascara, lipsticks have come a long way in the drugstore.  They aren't as heavy and quite pigmented.  They still have a limited amount of finishes, unlike high-end.  High-end lipsticks outdo drugstore with the variety of finishes by far, especially matte and shimmer finishes because drugstore matte lipsticks dry out lips and drugstore shimmers contain chunky glitter.  If you want a satin or gloss finish, there are several cheaper options.

Splurge:  NARS (Matte and satin), Makeup Forever (All finishes), Kat Von D (Matte and Satin), YSL Rouge Volupte (Satin or gloss and my FAVORITE!)

Save:  Maybelline Color Sensational (Satin and gloss), Revlon Superlustrous (satin)

Lip stain:  Either, especially if there is a lip balm attached

Lip stains are tricky because not everyone is aware about how they work.  A lot of good lip stains have been given bad names because people trash them on websites like Makeup Alley because they do this, that, and the other.  The biggest complaints about lip stains are:  they are drying, they fall into every fine line around the mouth, and they don't have enough color.  Thing is, those are commonalities in all lip stains and there are ways to combat those pesky tendencies.  For the drying problem, get a lip stain that comes with a balm or use an oil-based lip balm with the stain you already have.  For the fine line issue, put a bit of petroleum jelly around the perimeter of your mouth to block the stain, then take off the jelly after the stain dries.  (This also works for hair coloring.)  The last issue listed is one that annoys me.  It's a stain, not a lipstick.  Adverts for lip stains typically say "sheer" color, so a light flush is all you will get.  If you want a ton of color, get a lipstick.

Splurge:  Duwop, Smashbox, Tarte Lipsurgence, BeneTint, Stila Crushes

Save:  Revlon Just Bitten, Maybelline

Lipgloss:  Save

Lipglosses are comparable to mascaras as far as improvements on the cheaper end.  Drugstore brands used to be either too thin or too sticky with very little color payoff that wore away after an hour.  Now, they have glosses comparable to the legendary MAC as far as color and staying power.  Also, they have a wider variety of glosses than ever.  Some with glitter, some with just a hint of color, and some that are almost like liquid lipstick!  Just take your pick!

Splurge:  Chanel Glossamer (Little bit of everything), Urban Decay Lip Junkie (hint of color), BeneFit gloss (Little glitter), Smashbox (Some liquid lipstick, some glitter), NARS (Most like liquid lipstick, some are sheer)

Save:  Revlon Super Lustrous (sheer color), all Hard Candy lipgloss lines (They are all different and cover all types listed), L'Oreal Infallible (Colorful and some glitter), Rimmel 6-hour gloss (Glitter and color)

Lipliner:  Splurge

Lip liners are a special occasion makeup essential because they help lipstick hold on to your lips and prevent feathering around the lips.  Higher-end brands win for one big reason:  they don't dry out lips.  A lot of them act like a stiffer lipstick, which feels weird at first, but I got used to it quickly, as I'm sure many others have.  Drugstore lip liners, at least most of the ones I've used, feel really heavy and drying.  Only one drugstore lipliner has felt as good as a higher end to me.

Splurge:  Makeup Forever Aqualiner, Urban Decay 24/7, MAC

Save:  Prestige lipliner

Tinted Lip Balm:  Save!

Tinted lip balms are my favorite lip color formula because I have super-dry lips, so I'm almost always wearing lip balm anyway!  Why not add a bit of color?  I have only used drugstore tinted lip balms because I tried them first and loved them.  The colors were bold enough to be seen but sheer enough to not look gaudy and the moisture they provided my lips was great.  Plus, both may be drugstore companies, but both are against parabens and pride themselves for providing natural and organic products.  If some of you out there love your high-end tinted lip balm, cool, but consider trying these because you might like them just as much but they won't hurt your wallet as badly.

Save:  Burt's Bees Shimmer Sticks, Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm, Say Yes! To Carrots Tinted Lip Balm




If you have any questions about this post or about any products/brands I didn't mention, please leave a comment or Facebook post. :)


-M

Save or Splurge: Eyes

One question that I wondered before experimenting with makeup was if higher end makeup was worth it. Why would drugstore makeup brands do so well if they were total crap? Through my few years of playing around with makeup and watching beauty Youtubers, I have my opinions on those matters. You may have different experiences and opinions, but here are my reasons to consider.


Pencil Eyeliner: Save

I used to think only expensive liners could glide easily on the eye, but makeup companies are making great strides in eyeliner. Most companies have gone with the cream pencil trend, which is brilliant and are making most expensive liners history for me. Maybelline is the newest to jump on the bandwagon and I've gotten to try the pencil. It's like butter for the eyes, but I haven't tested how long it lasts, so I will give more on that later. Two years ago, no cream pencils were in stores and all drugstore liners dragged like crazy so high-end was the option for me. If you want to use expensive liners, cool, but know that there are cheaper options now.

Splurge: Makeup Forever Aqualiners, Urban Decay 24/7 Liners
Save: Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Inspired by Carmindy liners, L'Oreal HIP, Milani

Liquid Eyeliner: Save

Liquid eyeliner for me has been save, save, save. I've only used high-end liquids when they were recommended to me because of their longevity. It's nice, but the cheaper ones have lasted long enough for me. The only difference that really affects the buyer is whether the liner comes with a brush or sponge-tip. My preference is sponge tips for more control and ease of getting a thin line, but that's just me. I'll put what applicators come with my recommendations.

Splurge: Urban Decay 24/7 Liquid, Makeup Forever Aqualiner Liquid (both sponge)
Save: L'Oreal Lineur Intense (sponge), Maybelline Ultra Liner (brush)

Cream Eyeliner: Either

Depending on how thick you want cream eyeliner, this can go either way. If you want more of a gel-cream for a lighter feel, go with high-end, if you want a thicker, more opaque cream, go for drugstore. Gels glide a lot easier across the eye and can be more subtle than creams, but they can layer easily. Creams can drag at times, but the color payoff is amazing- you don't need a second layer.

Splurge: MAC Fluidline, Clinique Gel Liner, Bobbi Brown Gel Liner
Mid-range (special for just this category): Femme Couture Gel Liner
Save: L'Oreal HIP Cream Eyeliner, Maybelline Cream Liner

Powder Eye Shadow: Splurge

Dont' get me wrong, there are plenty of lovely drugstore eye shadows, but they tend to not cooperate with my brushes- natural and synthetic bristles. Plus, most drugstore shadows tend to be shimmery and some have chunky glitter. To get a good eye look, you need matte and shimmer shadows, which high-end stores provide and then some. Most higher-end shadows have better color payoff and less fall-out.

Splurge: Makeup Forever, Lorac Ooh-La-Lace Palette, NARS matte shadows, YSL Palettes, Hourglass duos
Save: Maybelline Color Explosion, Revlon satin, Natural Beauty Inspired by Carmindy trios

Cream Eye Shadow: Splurge

This boils down to one factor: drugstore brands have not come out with a cream shadow that doesn't crease. Don't get me wrong- I love creasing, but most of the time I want my cream shadow to act as a base/primer for my powder shadows.

Splurge: BeneFit Cream Shadow/Liners, Makeup Forever Aqua Creams
Save: Hard Candy Eye-Def

Mascara: SAVE!!

Drugstore mascara gets a bad rap from being so awful in the past, but there are so many drugstore brands that do just as well as high-end mascaras, if not OUTdo them. Formulas have improved greatly, and this is judging from when I watched my mom use her Maybelline Great Lash and complain about clumping. That iconic tube has not changed, but the formula has evolved. All other drugstore makeups want to develop like the mascaras.

Splurge: BeneFit BadGAL, Makeup Forever Smokey Lash
Save: L'Oreal Voluminous (original), Maybelline Lash Discovery, Cover Girl Lashblast Fusion


I have broken this topic into three posts: Eyes, skin, and lips. I will add the other posts sometime next week. If you have any questions about this post or about any products/brands I didn't mention, please leave a comment or Facebook post. :)

Stay beautiful, no matter what your budget is!

-M