Whether you’re just a lip balm and mascara kind of person or love to contour, highlight, and go all out, you want the best products. But the best products aren’t always the fanciest or the most expensive. Makeup enthusiasts recommend splurging on products like lip gloss, concealer, and foundation, but say it’s okay to skip the luxury brands for particular items. In fact, some high-end beauty items fall short compared to their affordable counterparts. Learn when to go luxury and when to be frugal on makeup to have the best products without wasting money.
1. Lip Balm
Lip balm is all about moisturizing your lips. You don’t need to pay $50 for this product. The $60 Dior lip balm isn’t more effective than the $3 Vaseline balm. But we recommend avoiding balms with dehydrating ingredients like camphor, menthol, or alcohol.
2. Mascara
When discussing what luxury items are and aren’t worth it, many makeup fanatics insist that expensive mascara is a waste of money. If you do your makeup often, you probably go through a tube every few months, so it doesn’t make sense to spend $50 on it.
3. Brow Liner, Filler, and Gel
While many brow products are available, they’re all relatively simple. Gels, fillers, and liners only come in so many colors and consistencies, and you can find them at an affordable price. Many people would rather spend extra money on more exciting beauty products.
4. Lip Liners
Some beauty lovers are serious about where they get their lip products, but many tend to be looser about buying lip liners. Lip liners aren’t the main show; they’re just a side act, so people will purchase affordable liners and spring for luxury lipsticks.
5. Eye Shadow
We know luxury eye shadow palates are tempting, but many makeup connoisseurs say they’re not much better. They feel buttery and creamy at first, but after a couple of weeks of use, the pricey palates will feel the same as the affordable ones, so it’s not worth it.
6. Shampoo
Okay, we’re not recommending the VO5 shampoo that costs $1.49. However, many agree there’s no need to drop $30 on shampoo if you use high-quality conditioner. Shampoo just removes the grime and grease from your hair; the conditioner does the heavy lifting regarding texture and appearance.
7. Setting Powders and Sprays
Nothing is worse than spending 45 minutes doing a beautiful face of makeup only for it to smudge within an hour. That’s why setting products are so important. But the drugstore’s $12 setting products work just as well as the $75 designer ones, so you can save money here.
8. Liquid Eyeliner
Interestingly, many people say luxury eyeliner disappoints. YSL, Gucci, TOM FORD, and Givenchy liquid eyeliners can cost over $50 but don’t offer more longevity or ease than the $15 Maybelline liners. People even complain about the unpleasant texture and dryness of luxury liners.
9. Deodorant
Did you know that luxury deodorant exists? Sisley, Chanel, Aesop, Guerlain, Hermes, and Glossier all sell luxury deodorants that cost $60+ and don’t even work well. We suggest sticking with the Dove or Degree you already use. As long as you don’t stink, who cares?
10. Facial Cleansers
We don’t recommend subjecting your delicate facial skin to $5 discount-bin facial cleansers. However, the $100+ cleansers from luxury brands aren’t usually of higher quality than the $20 ones you can get at the drugstore. As long as the cleanser has the right ingredients for your skin type.
11. Pencil Eyeliner
Along with liquid liners, people don’t mind buying cheap pencil eyeliner instead of luxury products. The luxury pencil liners are usually equivalent to the drugstore ones in quality and appearance. However, some luxury brands sell low-quality liners that crumble and smudge easily.
12. Highlighters
Highlighters are one of our favorite beauty products, giving you a radiant glow and dazzling shine. While we adore some luxury highlighters, like those from YSL, they’re unnecessary. The $10 highlighters can be just as stunning as the $40 ones, so you can spend less without sacrificing quality.
13. Body Wash
Don’t let the luxury brands convince you you need a $55 Hermés body wash — because you don’t. No matter your skin type, you can likely help it flourish with a sweet-smelling $10 bottle of body wash. Some say the luxury ones are dehydrating anyway.
14. Liquid Lipstick
Many factors go into choosing a lip product, like color, texture, longevity, sheen, moisture, etc. While people say it’s best to go with luxury brands for bullet lipstick and lip gloss, some recommend drugstore liquid lipsticks. Don’t go to the dollar bin, but consider trying that $15 liquid lipstick.
15. Facial Primer
Facial primer is essential for a long-lasting and even makeup look. We do not recommend skimping on this product. However, some report that the luxury primers are not great. Rather than spending $500 on Chanel primer, consider getting a mid-range primer from brands like Sara Hill.
16. Pencil Sharpeners
Even if you decide to get a luxury brow, eyeliner, or lip pencil, we don’t think a luxury sharpener is necessary. You need a decent sharpener to keep using your liners, but it doesn’t need to be from a luxury brand. Don’t spend $20 when you could spend $5 for an identical product.
17. Blush
Like highlighter, blush is a simple product that can elevate any look. Luxury blushes that cost $50+ are gorgeous and supple but not worth the price. You can find equally glorious blushes for under $20 and leave room in your budget for more color options.
18. Bronzer
We don’t recommend getting the cheapest bronzer because it will probably flake off or leave weird clumps. But you also don’t need a $60 bronzer. Many of the best bronzers cost between $20 and $30, delivering a glowing look that looks even better than the high-end brands.
19. Body Lotion
The difference between a $25 body lotion and a $100 bottle is practically non-existent. The most effective body lotion ingredients, like natural extracts, antioxidants, aloe vera, coconut oil, shea butter, nourishing acids, and glycerin, shouldn’t cost $100 and can be found in $20 bottles.
20. Nail Polish
Nail polish is another beauty product that we recommend shopping mid-range for. While the cheapest nail polishes are a total waste of money, the $55 Hermés nail polish is also unnecessary. Look for polishes in the $10-$15 range. In our opinion, you can never go wrong with OPI.
21. Exfoliators
This applies to all exfoliators, including lip, face, and body. Super cheap exfoliators are a no-go, but people also don’t recommend the ones that cost close to $200. A high-quality exfoliator should cost between $20 and $30, since the luxury ones don’t offer anything extraordinary.
22. Facial Serums and Sprays
Don’t skimp on skincare products, but this also means you don’t need to empty your wallet. Don’t fall for the designer names or fancy packaging. You can find high-quality essential serums and hydrating sprays for less than $50, so skip the $165 Chanel serums.
23. Sponges and Blenders
Beauty sponges and blenders don’t typically cost much. However, people still recommend avoiding the more expensive ones because they aren’t usually better. There’s no need to buy the $15 blender when there is a $3 sponge beside it. Any blender will do the job if you know how to apply foundation.
24. Eyelash Curlers
Fancy eyelash curlers can cost over $100, such as ones from Dior, but you don’t need to pay that much for a decent curler. It’s best to avoid curlers under $10, but many of the best eyelash curlers that last a lifetime cost less than $30 and are a worthwhile investment.
