Makeup Monday

Happy Monday, Ladies! (and gents if there are any reading) 

I'm a zombie kind of tired today. My roommate & I had the opportunity to sit on the court for the Butler vs. IU game last night & you know I wasn't passing that up. But, leaving the game late & still having homework to do afterwards made for a very late night and a zombie girl today. 

Luckily, my momma picked up an adorable little Christmas tree for our room and that has added a little sunshine when there literally is none today & also, I'm talking about makeup ... one of my favorite things in zeee world.

I love makeup because I can change it up, add something new & get a little crazy and if I don't like it? It washes right off.

The thing is though, makeup can get really, really expensive. Especially if you're a bit of a label whore like me. I got it from my momma. 

However, in times of desperation, when I haven't had the money for apples let alone Diorshow mascara, I've found that sometimes generic brands work just as well. 

Here's where I skimp and where I splurge (& some of my new favs):

1. Maybelline Turbo Mascara: I already hinted at it, but I love Diorshow mascara. I don't however, love the $30 price tag. So, I switched to this & if offers all the volume at a fraction of the price.

2. Rimmel London bronzer: I had been using some Smashbox bronzer that looked identical to this one. It ran out & I was short on funds so I turned to CVS. So glad I did because this works just as well & is a fraction of the price.

3. I only use concealer sometimes so I may not be the best critique of it, but this Loreal seems to work well for me and is super inexpensive.

4. The most inexpensive of all! This lip liner was one I found at a beauty supply store & I love it.

1. When my mom spent eight million dollars on Lancome lotions, she got a big gift with her purchase. This eye liner came with it & while I had been using liquid liner for quite some time, I love this pencil and it stays on forever.

2. I've blogged about this Benefit tinted moisturizer before, but really? if I had to wear only one product it would be this one. It gives me a little color, a little cover and a lot of moisture. 

3. An eyebrow pencil is something I only use in the winter when I need a little extra color, but the Benefit eyebrow pencil works great.

1. I was having trouble keeping my eyeshadow on for long periods of time and I also like a little brightener under my brow. An under-eye brightener is great for the in between wax/pluck/thread times too. This Laura Mercier product is both an under-brow brightener and an eyeshadow primer. I love one product that works 2 ways!

2. I love my tinted moisturizer but it was leaving my skin so moisturized that I couldn't put mascara on my bottom lashes because it would wipe off & sometimes I would even have black mascara residue under my eyes from the top lashes. It's not a good look. This Laura Mercier secret brightening powder has been a godsend. My makeup hasn't been under my eyes one time & it brightens too! 

3. I know a hair product isn't really makeup but I got it at Sephora so I thought I'd add it in here. I have a lot of hair but it's thin, so when I saw this Bumble & Bumble thickening spray, I thought it could be a great answer. Since my hair is so thin though, I was worried this might gunk up my hair so I bought a small travel size to try. I haven't been using it long enough to say if it really works yet, but it doesn't make my hair gross & I'm happy about that. I'll have to update you on its effectiveness later.

Whew! So there you go, all of the things I save money on & the ones I spend it on. Do you use all name brand products or do you have some short cuts too? I'd love to know what you use!