Since I recently decided that my make up collection needed a "makeover", I've been browsing online for reviews and deals on makeup. YouTube surprisingly has a good collection of how-to videos that random people put up and you can get some really nice tips and tricks in getting the look that you want. Also, they have a lot of helpful reviews when it comes to products that you may want to try but you're still thinking about it.
I've learnt that pricey products may not necessarily be as good as claimed; there may be cheaper, generic alternatives that work just as well. In addition to that, sometimes spending a little bit more may be worth it. I found several new make-up brands that I've tried and several websites that have amazing deals on makeup.
ELF has a pretty decent, budget-friendly collection but some items work better than others. Most of their products sell for $1 and they usually have additional offers going on, so you may get an additional discount or free shipping with your order. I love their nail polish and lip glosses! For nail polish that retails for $1, the color is amazing. It's not like those cheap and bad quality nail polish that you can find at the drugstore for about the same price. Their lipglosses smell so good that everytime I put it on, I feel like eating it! The colors are nice and subtle enough for me, I don't really fancy dramatic looking lips. I also have some of their brushes and the quality is decent for the price. I purchased some of their eye colors and they were a little disappointing because I was looking for eye colors that were true to color and had more pigment in them. But once again, if you're looking for day time looks, love to experiment with color and you're on a budget, I would say give their products a try.
If your also on a budget but wouldn't mind spending more than $1 on products, try NYX. They have a huge color selection and their prices will not burn a hole in your pocket. NYX has been compared to MAC and I would say I somewhat agree. They have single eye shadows and trios and I had a hard time choosing the colors that I wanted to try. I like dark or neutral colors. That's it. Nothing else. I know, I am weird but I don't think I can pull off any other kind of look. Their eyecolors are extremely pigmented for the price...love NYX to death! I got the single shadows in Eggplant, Deep Purple, Gypsy and the trios in Lake Moss. You can get NYX for cheap at Cherry Culture. They have other brands too and some of note would be LA Colors and Kleancolor. Extremely affordable and good quality at the same time. Oh, don't forget your drugstore brands like Revlon, Cover Girl and Loreal. They're affordable and pretty decent too.
Now, on to high end brands. My current favorite would be Smashbox. I really like the concept behind their cosmetics and their website has really good deals such as free shipping on any order and free jumbo samples, including a free full-sized product with every purchase during lunchtime on Tuesdays and Thursday. If that is not a good deal, I don't know what else is besides stuff being totally free! I am currently using their Photo Finish Primer and I cannot live without it. I have to put it before putting on my powder/foundation because it makes my makeup glide on like silk. It smoothes out any creases and lines and bascially turns your face flawless. I also like their Brow Tech in Brunette...which I am also using and their Photo Op under-eye brightener. I bought a little try me kit from Smashbox over the summer and I'm still using it. Besides Smashbox.com, you can get Smashbox on Sephora and on eBay.
Okay, enough about the products and stuff. The question is where does one get high end makeup for cheap? I already mentioned that you can get alternatives such as ELF and NYX if you're on a budget but if you're hardworking enough and have time to browse and search, I would say get your butt on eBay. They have a crazy selection of "vintage" and current makeup for really good prices. When I say vintage, I mean overstock or out of season makeup. I've bought a bunch of Smashbox items on eBay for about 70% off the original retail price. While the stuff may be cheap, it is also good to keep in mind that while you're thinking about buying the product, google it to check if its still a current color or how many seasons ago it was released. I have no problems with using last season colors/palettes but if it's any older than that, it gets a little iffy. But in the end, if the product is sealed or is new, it should be okay. I tend to stay away from MAC and Bobbi Brown on eBay because surprisingly, there are fakes out there.
Another good tip is to go to the brand's site itself because most of them usually have a "vintage" or clearance section where they have a discount on their end-of-season products. Make sure you sign up for their mailing lists for first dibs on their promotions. I know it is annoying if they keep sending you emails everyday but filter it and check your spam every now and then. You might pick up on a good deal. If you're a big bargain shopper like me, try heading to outlet malls or places such as TJ Maxx and Nordstrom Rack because they do carry makeup from their stores as well. Lastly, check out makeup blogs and forums, and YouTube for the best current deals on makeup by people who are even more obsessed with it than you are! :P I recently found this amazing site, BeautyCrunch that carry labels such as Stila, DuWop, Lola and Too Faced for incredible prices. BeautyCrunch is officially acknowledged by Stila as one of their "vintage" makeup retailers, so they're legit and you know they get their makeup from Stila itself.
Some crazy deals on BeautyCrunch - I saw Stila lip glaze trios going for $9 but they were already out of stock! >:O That is insane, OMG, *faints*, dream-like cheap prices that will never ever happen...until now of course. 5 lip pots for $15 which is even cheaper than going to the Stila counter at your department store and buying 1 ($17 at store). I have placed an order with them and I cannot wait for my order to come. I got 2 eye palettes (one of which is the smokey eye, only $15(!!) instead of $40), the lip pots and some other items for a friend. They frequently update their store so check back for new items and of course, sign up for their mailing list!
I am thinking if I should just buy a ton and bring it back with me to Malaysia and just set up a stall at flea markets and sell it. I'm sure people would buy...but hmm...don't know about it though. Any ideas? :)
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