Make up your makeup!

In gloomy winter weather, there's nothing like a touch of makeup to brighten your day (and the day of those who have to look at you). Makeup hides a multitude of sins, whether its those late-night party eyes or dead-of-winter skin tones. I love makeup and new products are my weakness, however, loving makeup and wanting to try different looks doesn't have to break the bank. There are plenty of products that can be purchased inexpensively and work just as well as the more expensive brands.There are also some products that make spending a little more very worth the money. I'd like to give an overview of some of my favorite makeup products, which products I am willing to spend more on, and which bargain products perform just as well as the high-end names.

Spend more on....

Foundation-I say spend a little extra for a foundation that will give a nice even coverage suited for your skin tone. Go ahead and talk to the girls who work at Nordstrom or Sephora, sample some different textures and colors to see which looks best. I like Clinique most of the time, although their Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturizer fell a little flat with me (still debating whether or not to return it). Smashbox is another brand with really nice foundations and tinted moisturizers. Tinted moisturizers are a good option if you want some coverage but don't want that "makeup" look, or they can be used as extra oomph under powder. Foundation is the base of your entire face and makeup palette-that's why its called foundation!! Totally worth it to spend a bit more $.

Powder-Speaking of powder, this is another "spend-more" item, for the same reasons I listed  for foundation. Talk to the specialists at the makeup counter of your choice, try try try different powders. Find one that really suits your skin tone. Skip the bronzers and PLEASE don't slather on a couple shades darker than your normal skin. You'll end up either looking orange or like you are wearing a mask.

Eye shadow- This is a tricky area, because I do sometimes find eye shadows at the drugstore that I love. But generally speaking, what makes a good eye shadow that will stay put is pigment. Less expensive eye shadows tend to have less pigment-they don't show up as well on your eyes and fade quickly over the course of the day. An exception to that is L'Oreal, they have tons of nice eye shadows that have a good, deep pigment. I've also found some great affordable kits from Stila through Sephora, seen here and on my Facebook page.

Spend less on....

Mascara-I have long lashes but they tend to be thin and spiky. Which means I've tried TONS of different mascara brands. The line I keep going back to? Maybelline. I think all of their mascaras are good, but my recent favorite is Volum' Express The Falsies. For lashes that pop, you can't beat Maybelline. I've yet to find an expensive mascara that comes close.

Eye liner- Now, some cheap eyeliners are...cheap. And crappy. And some expensive ones are very nice. This is one of those gray areas where I think it depends on what YOU like. I don't like hard eyeliners and I like to smudge my lines. I've tried a wide range of inexpensive and expensive, and I've found the best basic liner is Covergirl's Perfect Blend Eyeliner. It goes on smooth and silky, blends perfectly and has a nice little smudge pen on the end of it! Love it!

Lipstick/gloss-I know some girls will argue that they love, need, want their spendy-trendy lipstain. But most of the time, you can find much less expensive lip-stuff at the drugstore. I actually have found some great lipsticks from NYC (New York Color). Lots of variety, long-lasting and very affordable!

Whether you choose hi-end makeup or head over to Target, remember the most important part about wearing makeup. Its not intended to hide your own original beauty, and it is supposed to be FUN. Experiment, play and enjoy. It's not the enemy so don't be afraid to use it!