Some of us are used to “doing drugstore” and only buying high-end when we know a product is truly worthy. Then, there are others of us that believe in the notion “once you go department store you never go back,” because, well, it’s hard to find low-end products that compare to pricier versions. A lot of us are sick of hearing the term “recession” (oops, I said it), but, bottom line, the current economic situation in the US has forced many of us to re-think all of our purchases and do whatever we can to cut costs… especially in the discretionary spending field of cosmetics.

Fortunately, with improved drugstore formulas (i.e. L’Oreal skincare) and ways of getting around color payoff pitfalls (i.e. Wet ‘N Wild), these days anyone can do drugstore and certainly feel and look good while doing so.

Tips for Buying Drugstore Skincare

I’m a firm believer that there are some products that you should splurge on and other products that you should save money on. Also, when it comes to the delicate issue of skincare, price should not be an issue when it comes to spending on drugstore products.

Spend: For moisturizer and facial serum, I recommend shelling out a little more to “put your best face forward.” Currently L’Oreal is the drugstore runner for high-end formula on a drugstore budget. Try L’Oreal Skin Genesis Moisturizer, Serum and Eye Serum for a knockout skincare combo that will run you about $60 total (it’s totally worth it).

Save: When it comes to facial cleansers, some of the most affordable brands will do. For breakout-prone skin, try Neutrogena Pore Refining Cleanser. Normal skin? Opt for Clean & Clear Morning Glow cleanser. For anti-aging reinforcement try L’Oreal Revita-Lift Cream Cleanser.

Tips for Buying Drugstore Makeup

Spend: When it comes to lip products such as lipstick and lip gloss, generally speaking, the more expensive the formula, the better. Revlon lip colors are fantastic and compare to my high-end favorite formulas including MAC Lipglass and Estee Lauder Pure Gloss. Revlon lip colors are drugstore gold; test them for yourself!

Save: I’m excited to say that in the department of eye makeup including eyeshadow and eyeliner, the cheapest drugstore brand will do! Wet ‘N Wild delivers, but it’s all about how you use it.

Makeup divas use formulas called “mixing mediums” to make even high-end eyeshadows such as MAC work better for them. A mixing medium is basically a humectant that improves eyeshadow color payoff and staying power. You have three options (priced from highest to lowest): Buy a “professional” mixing medium such as one made by MAC, buy glycerin from your local beauty supply store and mix with water, or use a product that you may already own as a cheap but highly effective mixing medium – contact solution!

Being a contact lens wearer, I put my sterile saline contact solution (Wal-Mart-purchased!) to the test. Using Wet ‘N Wild Eyeshadow, I dipped my makeup brush lightly into a capful of saline contact solution, picked up some color from a Wet ‘N Wild Eyeshadow palette (Amazon Greens to be exact), and applied them that way. Guess what? The color was vibrant, stayed on all night, and you could never tell that I didn’t spend a pretty penny for those shades!

Being forced to save money in times of economic despair teaches us all valuable lessons – even if we should have been practicing them already – on when to save money and when to splurge. I’m happy to say that even when the economy (and my bank account) picks up again, I will be saving lots of money after having put cheaper cosmetic brands to the test.