Wanting the best-quality makeup items often comes at a price - literally. Many women are torn between spending precious dollars for top-notch foundation, blush, lipstick and eye shadow and saving a few bucks by buying the same products at the local drugstore. The debate continues to be whether the price you pay for your makeup will reflect on how well it works.

When shopping for new makeup, it can be hard to not let how much - or how little - we have in our wallets dictate what we can or cannot buy. Many people live by the saying, “You get what you pay for.” For some women, spending the big bucks on makeup is best, while there are others who stay true to their drugstore makeup and claim that there is no difference. So who is right and who is wrong?

It isn’t a matter of which is better than the other in terms of what you spend - it’s about what works best for your skin. To make things easier the next time you need to restock on your makeup essentials, follow these helpful and cost-effective tips for buying makeup from the department store and the drugstore.

Foundation can make or break your skin. When you’ve got the money to spend, spend it on top-quality foundation and skip the drugstore version. Shopping for foundation in the department store’s makeup section gives you more of an advantage because you have the option of trying products before buying them. Having the assistance of makeup and beauty experts also makes things easier since they can help you find the perfect shade and type of foundation. Drugstore brand foundations are sealed and ready so unless you’re sure of your shade, you’ll be wasting money on an item you can’t return or exchange. Department stores and makeup stores offer wider ranges of selection and types of coverage for all skin types. Good foundation can last you forever as well so you’d be getting the most for your money.

The same goes for concealer and powder. As with foundation, department and makeup stores offer samples of all the products they carry so you can really find what you’re looking for. Pricey, high-end powder tends to contain formulas that blend better and give a smoother, silkier texture to your complexion. Drugstore brands often appear translucent or pasty and masklike, which isn’t flattering at all. Cheap powders can feel heavy and chalky. Concealer from a department store are guaranteed to have formulas that allow for creamy and smooth application and are made with a yellow base, which works best for lightening dark circles. Cheap concealers may be chalky, dry, greasy or contain a white or pink base, which is all wrong for concealing dark circles. When you use the best quality foundation, powder and concealer your makeup will look fresher and last longer.

Now for the cheap makeup items that won’t ruin your look and can save you a few dollars. The makeup items that you don’t have to spend the big bucks on include eye shadow, eyeliner, lip liner and nail polish. Other great items that don’t cost an arm and a leg are foundation sticks (covers blemishes and evens skin tone), brown mascara (can work as a brow liner and filler), lip balm (keeps lips moisturized, can smooth cuticles and keep down unruly eyebrows), and tinted moisturizer with SPF (covers flaws, smoothes skin and protects against sun damage).

Related Articles
	Expensive vs. Inexpensive Makeup Products You’re at a cosmetics counter in a department store, wondering if you should shell out $25 for mascara when you usually buy one from a drug store. Or you’re in a drugstore and despite the yellowish glare from the fluorescent lights , you patiently try to find a foundation that’s an exact match    ...Read more		Beauty Bargains: We`ll Lead You to Them We all know at least one person who’s constantly searching for bargains. After all, bargain hunting, can become a lifestyle and hobby in itself. However, some of us may equate the dollar amount on that bottle of night cream with its effectiveness ; the more we spend the more results we see   ...Read more