(Check out our favorite nail polish blogs for the latest high-end polish dupes!) 3 Product Categories to Splurge On In addition, inexpensive brands nearly always knock off high-end shades, so it’s not necessary to fork over a million to get a cutting-edge look. However, keep in mind that nail polish isn’t the longest lasting beauty product – when polish dries out, it’s impossible to use again unless you buy a thinner to mix into it. Maybelline Color Show Nail LacquerĪfter seeing the Thakoon for NARS collection that came out last spring or the newly launched Oscar de la Renta nail colors, it’s tempting to fork over $20 or more just to see what all the fuss is about. If you’re looking for a really specific or trendy shade (like a Nicki Minaj-esque fuchsia), you might have to go high-end, but otherwise, stick to the drugstore brands! 3. All the major drugstore brands have expanded their color selections and improved staying power. After trying many designer AND drugstore lipsticks, I’ve found that there isn’t much difference between them. If you’ve walked up the cosmetics aisle of your local drugstore, you’ve undoubtedly seen rows upon rows of every lipstick imaginable - and all at very affordable prices. Look for mascaras that have an even, not-too-dry, not-too-liquidy consistency and stray away from gimmicky brush shapes. While not all drugstore mascaras are created equal, many of them are as good, or even better, than their designer counterparts. Almay One Coat Nourishing Thickening Mascaraīecause mascara has the shortest lifespan of all cosmetics, needing to be replaced about every 3-4 months, it should definitely be one of the products you pick up at the drugstore. In these cases, the products either have short shelf lives or don’t differ much in quality from drugstore to high-end brands. So how do you decide where to spend your money? Read on to find out which products you should buy at the drugstore, and which products are worth the splurge: 3 Product Categories to Save Onīelow, I’ve listed the three types of products you should usually buy for cheap. Other types of cosmetics are about the same, whether you get them at the drugstore or Sephora. While it’s tempting to assume that all high-end cosmetics are overpriced, a few of them are truly worth the splurge. Whether it’s by couponing at the drugstore or shopping on discount sites, we love when we can snag a good deal on cosmetics.īut while it’s nice to save money, in some cases, the old saying “you get what you pay for” applies. Here at CF, we’re all about saving money anywhere we can - especially when it comes to beauty products.