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There are a ton of affordable, quality beauty products that don't cost much more than cup of coffee, but sometimes you just want to go all out and splurge on eyeshadow or lipstick - as long as it works well.
For the sake of this guide, we've defined "splurge" as an amount that's at least twice as much as what you'd pay for the same type of product at the drugstore.
If you're looking to treat yourself or a friend to something special, here are five beauty products we highly recommend.
Let's face it - there's something special about an expensive beauty that sets it apart from its drugstore equivalent.
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Proprietary high-quality ingredients, luxurious (and oftentimes, instantly recognizable) packaging, stronger pigment and longer staying power - there's truly magic behind the price tag. But how do you know what products are worth opening your wallet a little bit wider?
Now the definition of "splurge" varies - someone might feel anything beyond $10 for a mascara is insanity, while another is completely comfortable in plunking down $50. But regardless, no one wants to plunk down money for the most breathlessly-hyped product only to find that it was wasted something with more hot air than actual benefits. So for the sake of this guide, we've defined "splurge" as an amount that's at least twice as much as what you'd pay for the same type of product at the drugstore.
Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Picks team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.
Bright red lipstick commands respect and attention, yet can work with any makeup look from natural to all-out drama to understated elegance. Perhaps that's why a true red has been such a classic lip color — and one that's so hard to perfect.
This is a red that flatters almost every skin tone from light to deep, though people with yellow undertones might find the lipstick too much of a blue-red. It has a great finish too —it's like a demi-matte with just enough shine to keep your lips looking and feeling soft, not dry and chapped as many other matte lipsticks do.
As another plus, it lasts a remarkably long time. Apply it in the morning, and your lips will still be making a statement at lunchtime and even until dinner.
The elegant case with classic Dior pattern is also instantly recognizable, which makes spending $37 on a lipstick a little more justified.
Pros: Hydrating formula wears well, flattering on light to deep complexions, elegant case
Cons: While flattering to most complexions, if you have very yellow undertones, the lipstick might be too much of a blue-red for you.
If you're going to drop big bucks on an eyeshadow palette, that palette should look and feel super special, and more importantly, should turn your eyes into something remarkable. Goal achieved with the gorgeous Pat McGrath Labs Mothership II Sublime Eyeshadow Palette.
Although most of the 10 colors are wearable for daytime, this isn't a drab palette of safe neutrals. Instead, the colors are creamy, intensely pigmented (so they won't look like nothing on your lids), and will last for hours without creasing, fading, or flaking.
You'll appreciate the two dark matte shadows for lining your eyes, the pearlescent shades that build up for major impact, and metallic shades that demand the spotlight, yet never look tacky or harsh. It's somehow easy for beginners and experienced pros to use as you can wear each shade alone as a wash of color or as part of a more dramatic look.
Pros: Beautiful case, gorgeous and unique colors, long lasting and highly pigmented
Cons: A few buyers complained of fallout, doesn't come with application brush
I'll admit that when I'm shopping at Ulta, I'm usually on the drugstore-brand side of the store. But I occasionally venture over into premium-brand territory, and when I do, it's usually in search of Benefit Cosmetics Roller Lash Mascara.
Having reached a certain age, my eyelashes aren't what they once were; in fact, they've become downright skimpy. That means if I want to bring back the look of my glory days, I need a mascara that really pumps up length and volume. To complicate matters, I have a deep-seated aversion to even a single eyelash clump, which means I've tried and tossed a lot of mascaras that leave my eyes looking spidery, and not in a cool way.
Luckily, this is a mascara that satisfies all my requirements. It doesn't clump if swiped on from roots to ends, doesn't flake or scatter underneath my eyes, and doesn't smudge unattractively on my lids. It just brings back the lush and long eyelashes I miss from my younger days.
The brush is slightly curved so it actually follows the curve of my lashes, and its slightly comb-like shape removes clumps as it deposits a coat of mascara. Keep it at one coat for a natural look, add on another layer for more volume, or go with three or more coats for tons of drama.
Pros: Little clumping, lengthens and thickens the look of eyelashes, curved brush
Cons: Can be a bit tough to remove, only available in brown and black
The best blush spurge
This iconic NARS Blush in Orgasm is aptly named — it really does give most skin tones that flush of color as if they'd, well, you know.
NARS Blush in Orgasm has been a makeup-artist favorite since 1999 — the peachy-pink blush has just a tiny bit of golden shimmer and goes on smooth, creating a soft flush of color that looks good on every complexion from light to deep. The superfine powder pigments build up without ever looking dry, mask-like, or fake.
NARS has wide range of other blush colors, but Orgasm is the year-after-year crowd pleaser.
The blush comes in a large single-color pan, which is a good value for $30, but without a blush brush, which seems like a miss for such a pricey item. It holds a 4.7-star rating on Sephora with more than 17,400 reviews.
Pros: Flattering color, very smooth application
Cons: If you prefer a very strong cheek color, you'll find this too subtle
It's natural-matte, but not dry, powdery, or dull. It has buildable coverage from medium to full, but doesn't look mask-like. It keeps your skin feeling healthy and luminous, but doesn't look shiny. It's vegan, without parabens or other potentially irritating ingredients, and loaded with light-diffusing spheres that blur imperfections, smooth fine lines, and neutralize dark spots. $40 doesn't seem like a lot now, right?
The foundation gets a lot of praise from leading beauty editors, including those at Redbook and Marie Claire. Total Beauty says, "As the name "Naked" suggests, this is a barely-there formula; it feels like nothing. However, it magically makes every flaw disappear, blurs my freckles, and disguises fine lines. It's also matte in the best way: without being drying or flat-looking."
The foundation isn't as good on really dry or oily skin as normal or combination types, but you can layer moisturizer or primer underneath to achieve the finish and staying power you'd like. There are 26 shades ranging from pale porcelain to deep, so whatever your complexion, you'll find a shade to match.
Pros: Buildable coverage, natural-matte finish, weightless, wide range of shades
Cons: Best for normal to combination complexions, not quite as good on very dry or very oily skin, range could still be larger