SPLURGE or SAVE: part 3

Moving right along.....

Concealer: Splurge

 Concealer is one of the trickiest products to get right application wise even for an artist. There are two kinds of concealer according to Laura Mercier : under eye concealer which should be creamy but shouldn't settle into creases and crows feet, and camouflage concealer which should be more of a thick paste for covering pimples and blemishes. The camouflage would look like spackle under the eye, while the creamy concealer would slide right off zits.  Pigmentation and texture are crucial in concealing so you can't afford to go for bargains in this department. Sites like coastal scents do have some decent concealer palletes that are more affordable that the most expensive brands, and i use them in my kit but for the real cream of the concealing crop i love Benefit. They have some amazing concealing products. Erase Paste for the under eye, Bo-ing for covering booboos, and the Stay Don't Stray concealer primer which keeps the Erase Paste from sinking into fine lines. They have a sample kit in medium shades called "Confessions of a Concealaholic" which, if the colors suit you are a great way to try out their concealing and priming products.


Lipstick: regular- splurge
               longwear- save

So this thing about lipstick is it doesn't stay on. right? its on your coffee mug, your pillow case, you're reapplying it........so with lipstick, a cheap product will be a waste. This is something where you get what you pay for. you need a texture that adheres to lips without feeling dried out and a strong pigment. this is also why lipstains have become so popular..If you're going to wear a regular cream lipstick, you ought to go for quality. Laura Mercier, Mac and Lancome are all known for great pigment and staying power in their lipsticks.

Another lipstick option which I personally prefer are ongwear lipsticks and lipcolors which have a color coat that dries and stays on for 6 to 18 hrs and a gloss coat  that goes on top to keep the lips supple and looking moist. these can be easily gotten at any drugstore. Covergirl Outlast lipcolors and Loreal Infallible lipstick and lipcolors are my favorites.