Splurgeworthy

I love makeup. The only days I don't wear it are the days when I have nothing to do other than homework or becoming a human blob, absorbing only food high in saturated fats and trashy TV. And as a college student, those days are very far and few between. Also as a college student, makeup is a dangerous hobby, due to the fact that it's easy to get caught up in a vortex of expenses that could have easily been spent on multiple Chipotle dinners rather than several mascaras that I really don't need.

In order to avoid this pickle, I've trained myself to only enter Sephora or Ulta if I have a giftcard or if I am in the need of refilling something (I always walk out with a brand new item every time I try to do this). I have also, for the most part, limited myself to drugstore makeup, because I've learned that a girl can't always have her Chanel and her wine. The former I can live without. The latter, I can't.

That being said, there are just some certain higher end products that have become routine for me, and no matter how hard I search, drugstore dupes refuse to reveal themselves. Without further adieu, I give you my splurge worthy makeup products;

(Actually, a quick adieu. To some, none of these items may seem like much of splurge. But to one on a budget, they most certainly are. And all of these products have endured heavy usage and travel so their appearance may be err, less than tidy.)

The Naked Basic Palette by Urban Decay - $27

We've all heard left and right about the Naked palettes and how fantastic they are. I've been intrigued by them for a while, but considering they all seem to mostly consist of shimmery nude shades, I've managed to resist. I already have quite a few palettes with those types of eye shadows. Furthermore, I prefer matte shades for daily wear. But finding good quality matte shadows at the drugstore can be difficult, especially for us oily girls; brands carried at Target and Walmart tend to crease and lack any real pigment. Which is why I decided to give the Naked Basics palette a whirl.

If you are in need of a daily palette, look no further. The shades given are limited, but they provides for very little thought process when applying. Venus is your highlighter; either Foxy or W.O.S. for the lid; and throw Naked 2 in the crease and Faint in the outer corner and you have the perfect nude eye for school or work. And obviously, Crave makes for a good liner or turning your work eye into something more smokey for later rendezvous. The shadows are excellent quality; smooth, pigmented, and cause little, if any, fall out. On top of that, I've been using this palette daily for almost three months now, and it still looks like I've barely made a dent. Easily worth the money for daily use.

They're Real! Mascara by Benefit - $23

Another very hyped product, and I'm shocked this is on the list. I have always viewed mascaras as a makeup item that are all pretty much the same, so I don't feel the need to spend a lot on them. But come to think of it, I'm not sure why I've thought this for so long considering I've been layering two different mascaras over each other for close to a year now. I just can't explain it - I like big lashes, and without both, my eyes just looked incomplete.

They're Real! is not for the faint of heart. If you like fluttery, natural looking lashes, you'll hate this product. I know big, spidery lashes are frowned upon, but I personally love them. This makes my lashes big without making them look too fake. When it dries it becomes sort of.....hard, but I don't find this bothersome, even as a contact wearer. Also, it holds a curl real well and I've had no issues with flakes or smudging. I don't think this makes my lashes quite big enough for nights out, but for daily wear, I love it. As you can see, I currently only have a sample size, but I have every intention of getting the full size as soon as this runs out.

Mentha Lip Balm by C.O. Bigelow - $8

Does this count as a makeup product? Or high end? I don't know, I just know that it costs more than lip balm ever should and I cannot live without it. I believe this product used to be - very deservingly so - quite hyped until those eos lip balms came in and stole the show. Can we be honest for a second here? Those eos balms are nice, but after so much use, those balls of balm get pretty gross. Classic chapstick containers forever!

I'll make this short and simple. I get chapped lips very easily, and this lip balm is thick and moisturizing, and just frickin' stays puts. And it smells and tastes minty. Yes. Forever, yes.

Angel Chickstick (Lipstick) by Flirt! Cosmetics - $14

One of my most favorite products, ever. I discovered this my freshman year of high school and have worn it religiously ever since. Angel is the perfect nude lip, and requires little to no thought. It's a very very light pinky beige, mind you, so over application can cause the zombie lip. But thankfully, even if that happens, this product will fade to a much more flattering shade in under an hour, and stay there for quite some time. Plus, this product is slightly shimmery and has tiny flecks of gold in it. It won't make your lips sparkle, but it will keep them from looking too dead. My only complaint is that this lipstick is kind of drying, so lip balm underneath is sort of a requirement. But I have found no other shade like it, so it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.

Look of Love Eye Pencil in Brownie Points by Flirt! Cosmetics - $14

I swear I'm not trying to pimp out Flirt! but I just like their products. Anyway, this is one of my favorite pencils for my waterline. I'm not crazy about putting black liners anywhere on my lower lids - for some reason they always make my eyes look smaller and no matter what product I use or how carefully I apply, I just end up looking like some sort of crack whore - but this is theeeeee perfect brown. It's a beautiful pearly shade with gold flecks (again, not so much that it is noticeable, but just enough to give the color an eye-catching sheen) and it's dark enough to draw attention but not enough to seem like you're trying. Plus, this glides onto the waterline very smoothly. Staying power is questionable though. I have watery eyes due to contacts and find myself having to check up and reapply every few hours. But that's a small price to pay for the lovely effect that this gives.

It's only about 3 degrees in the Chicago area today, and I'm just waiting around for my boyfriend's train to come in. I'm staying warm and comfy in black skinny jeans, a tank top, and a large, colorful, blanket sweater from Forever 21. I'm keeping my hair natural today, because the cold air seems too drying to risk using any hot tools. In other news, I clearly need a tripod.