In my recent Q&A video, one of you asked how to budget for beauty items (see my answer here). I thought I would share the specifics of how to spend and save on skincare, makeup, body, and hair products. 

SKINCARE

DEPARTMENT STORE

• Enzyme Exfoliators -- a hi-tech blend that melts away dead skin. 
• Serum -- designed to sink deeply into the skin to renew and repair.
• Night Cream -- hydrates the skin overnight and keeps it from inflammation.
• Eye cream -- firming, moisturizing, and not too heavy for the delicate skin around the eyes.

DRUGSTORE

• Clay -- for DIY face masks. Mix a teaspoon with raw honey or jojoba oil for a quick detox mask.
• Witch Hazel -- a gentle toner that removes dead skin and excess oils that is also safe for all skin types. 
• Jojoba Oil -- nature's luxurious oil that soothes, plumps, and instantly hydrates (use it on the tips of hair too!). 
• Gritty scrub -- a good old fashioned gritty scrub for those times when nothing else works.
• Epsom salts -- for a relaxing, detox bath. 
• Remover wipes -- look for a brand with little to no fragrance or alcohol for quick, gentle makeup removal. 

MAKEUP

DEPARTMENT STORE

• Base colors -- concealer and foundation are hard to find in skin-like finishes with wide color ranges just anywhere. Get pro help at places like Sephora, Nordstrom, Saks, or Bergdorf Goodman to personalize your look. 
• Powders -- eyeshadow, blush, bronzer, and setting powders that are finely milled and made with incredible pigments make for easy application and long-lasting finishes. 
• Brow products -- gels, shadows, and pencils have better staying power, true-to-life shades, and don't go flaky. 

DRUGSTORE

• Brushes -- find high quality synthetic brushes from my favorite brand Real Techniques.
• Mascara -- since it needs frequent replacement and dries out quickly. 
• Lip products -- because they are usually very similar formulas and finishes to most high-end lines. 
• Gel eyeshadow pots -- to wear under eyeshadow as a base, or alone for a sheer wash of color, and they tend to dry out quickly so it's not worth paying too much. 

BODY

DEPARTMENT STORE

• Self tanning -- trust the sunless tanners flying off shelves of the high-end stores for the most subtle, even tan. 
• Fragrance -- for higher oil content and richer scents, which makes the smell linger longer. 

DRUGSTORE

• Dry brush -- to slough off dead skin and increase circulation, which detoxifies the body and smoothes skin at the same time. 
• Tools -- nail clippers, tweezers, cotton pads, etc.

HAIR

DEPARTMENT STORE

• Setting sprays -- for that supermodel hair, stick to the brands that actually do hair backstage at the runway shows. 
• Hair treatments -- leave in conditioners, masks, scalp treatments, and serums are worth paying the extra buck. 
• Dry shampoo -- for sheer, volumized, touseled hair that doesn't have white roots stick to the department store brands. 

DRUGSTORE

• Shampoo and conditioner -- because our hair can "get used to" certain formulas, it's good to change it up on a dime. 
• Gel -- for sleek looks, drugstore gel is where it's at.
• Accessories -- elastics, bobby pins, clips are so easy to lose and cheap to replace.