I love being a makeup artist, but sometimes it comes with great cost - LITERALLY. But I'm here to tell you that it doesn't have to! Below are some of my tricks of the trade and brand reviews featuring what to spend your pretty penny on and where to pinch it.

1. The Perfect Foundation Shade Match

When looking for your perfect liquid foundation color, instead of matching the color to the inside of your wrist, swipe a dab of the foundation from your jawline to the middle of your neck. That way, you’ll get a color closer to the natural tan of your face.

2. Say No to Foundation Splurging!

Are Tarte, Urban Decay, and Too Face foundations draining your bank account? News flash: Drug store foundation is just as good! If you don’t know your color, refer to tip #1 and ask for a sample of it (most makeup stores will give them out, i.e. Sephora and Ulta). Then, once you have your sample, head over to your local drug store or wherever you can buy drugstore name stuff (Maybelline, Loreal, Revlon, etc…) and find the closest match to your sample! Drugstore products have great stuff for aging skin, acne-prone skin, dry skin, and everything in between.

3. Samples Galore

Ulta and Sephora both let you take home up to three samples of a liquid product. That includes foundations AND perfume. Not sure you like a perfume and don’t want to take the $70 plunge if you’re not completely sold on the scent? Ask for a sample! It will last you about 5-7 days so you have a decent amount of time to test it out.

4. Rewards Rewards Rewards!

Ulta has a FREE rewards program. They send out coupons through email and through the mail in their flyer. They also have INCREDIBLE deals such as half off certain brand name products, buy-one-get-one half off hair and face products, and free gifts with a certain dollar amount purchase. There are also awesome deals online; you won’t be disappointed.

5. The Skin Undertone Test (No Studying Required)

Don’t know your skin's undertone color? Just look at your arm; your veins give you the answer! If your veins have more of a blue color to them, you have a cool undertone. If your veins are more green, then you have a warm undertone. If they look teal, then you have a neutral undertone! Another way to check is to pull out some gold and silver jewelry. Which one looks better? Not which one you LIKE more, but which one LOOKS better? Does silver make you stunningly pop? Then you have a cool undertone. Does gold make you look like a gorgeous sun goddess? Then you have a warm undertone!

6. The Perfect Eyeliner

Don’t have a steady hand when it comes to eyeliner? Ditch the pencil and the liquid (especially) and go with gel! Grab a fine-tipped angled brush and a pot of black or brown (or both) gel liner and add a little to the tip of the brush. Gently scrape off any excess of gel on the brush on the side of the pot and pull your closed eyelid taut and sweep the brush right across your lash line. Voila! A smooth, gorgeous, straight line! And don’t get me started on how long that pot of gel will last you!

7. Buying Lashes On Amazon?

When buying lashes, first buy a single trial pack from a drugstore to see if you like them. If you do, ditch spending $5-8 on one or two pairs! Go on amazon and buy the same exact ones in bulk. They’re cheaper, and if you have prime, you’ll have them at your doorstep in no time.

Over my years of buying, returning, and rebuying makeup, I’ve kept note of which brands stand out to me and what products they make best. Take a look, your skin – and your wallet – will thank me.

PRESTIGE BRANDS

• Tarte is best for sensitive skin. Made with all-natural ingredients and COMPLETELY cruelty-free, it is made from plants, vegetable, and fruit extracts; some from the Unites States and some from around the world such as the Amazon rainforest. AND its gluten free. This is the perfect brand for sensitive and allergenic skin and people who adore the o’naturale route. It is pricey, but worth it if your skin is really touchy.

• Urban Decay is made for the pop of color and sparkle people! I love going for the bright colors (don’t even get me started on their Alice in Wonderland Palette), especially when it comes to my avant garde designs and fantasy and FX looks for my business. Their setting spray is also the holy grail of all the products I have ever tried in my life – from any brand. They make different kinds for different skin types and let’s just say that after I’ve used my setting spray, I’ve gone through a break-up (sobbing and all), and no one was able to tell. But let’s face it – the real stars of the show when it comes to Urban Decay are their Naked Palettes. Who doesn’t want one (if not ALL) of them? Sparkles in every shade of nude? Uhm, YES PLEASE!

• Too Faced is probably the best brand name brand if you want every prestige product right at your fingertips. Their Better Than Sex mascara has raging reviews, along with the Shadow Insurance eyeshadow primer, the Sweetheart Perfect Flush Blush (that comes in an oh-so-cute heart shape box), and let’s not forget about their groundbreaking line of products that is made of cocoa. Now they’ve released a shadow palette that smells like PB&J and this month they will be releasing a Peach scented palette. If that’s not genius, then I don’t know what is. I know what I’m asking for this Christmas!

• Benefit is a brand that is best known for (and in my opinion, best used for) face primers and bronzers. Their POREfessional face primer is known to minimize pores and help to set makeup and prep the skin to give you an amazing radiant glow. They have different types of primers within their line that suits any skin type – aging skin, bigger pores, dry skin; you name it. Benefit’s bronzer is one that’s been featured on Kylie Jenner’s Snapchat so I mean, it has to be pretty good, right? But don’t be fooled by the little-sized box; the Hoola Matte Bronzer is definitely one to make a note of.

• BareMinerals is a brand that I love because of the coverage given by their concealers and the long-lasting matte liquid lips. Another very natural brand, BareMinerals has wowed me with their loose powder under eye concealer. The Eye Brightener Broad Spectrum in the color Well Rested looks like exactly that – like I’m well rested and got a full 12 hours of sleep. How awesome is that? Of course, it comes in a wide range of colors and I can assure you that with this product, you won’t be disappointed. Now, when it comes to the matte lipstick game, BareMinerals really stepped up with their GEN NUDE Matte Liquid Lipcolor line. Mainly nudes and pinks, this lip product is applied like a lip gloss, but dries matte. This holy product stays on for HOURS and has a hint of a chocolate taste. That’s a major double win in my book.

DRUGSTORE BRANDS

• e.l.f. cosmetics’ brushes will change the way that you apply makeup. Almost every brush from my personal collection is from e.l.f. because let’s be honest… Their brushes are just as good if not BETTER than some of the brand name brushes out there! Along with their other products (even foundation, concealer, tools, brush cleaner, etc…), I have never seen a price over $10. With that being said, the most I paid for a brush from their line was $6 for an all over face brush and I’ve had it now for a year. It’s great with cleaning and great with application. This is an area where you can sleep at night knowing that you pinched your penny on the right item(s).

• NYX is the go-to drugstore brand for immediate needs when you’re straight outta money, need something in a pinch, or some of their products might even become some of your favorites. Although not technically considered a “prestige” brand, NYX still has some pretty prestigious products. Their gel eyeliner will forever be my favorite way to apply eyeliner because you don’t need a steady hand (I’m talking about you, liquid liner). Tip #6 covered HOW to apply this liner, but the best brand to buy it through would hands-down be NYX. The pomade jar comes in black and brown and will last you months without drying up. And did I mention it’s only $9? NYX has also launched their Lip Lingerie Liquid Lipstick matte lip color. Reviews (and myself) have given this product close to the same ranking as the BareMinerals matte lip color and it’s about half the price. One last product by NYX that is worth mentioning is their Stay Matte But Not Flat Powder Foundation. It’s a compact powder (in numerous shades) that goes on just like a layer of foundation. So if you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to do your whole face routine, add 2-3 layers of this powder and you’re good to go. It’s great for the under-eyes too!

• Olay has really only stood out for one thing to me over the years – their moisturizers. Although about the same price as a prestigious brand, I can say that their Regenerist Recovery Night Cream really does work. I haven’t been blown away by anything else that they’ve manufactured, but if you’re looking for a cream that soothes your skin and calms down everything to help you unwind at night, this would be my first recommendation.

• Maybelline is the first brand to turn to if you don’t want to spend the moolah on an Urban Decay Naked Palette. They are also great with setting powder. Maybelline’s shadow palette, called The Nudes Wear Eyeshadow Palette (they also sell others with other colors), pretty much parallels Urban Decay’s Palette. You don’t get quite as many colors, but you will be paying a quarter of the price. I have both the Nude Palette and the Naked Palette and I can’t decide which one I like more! That means that Maybelline pulled through and created a palette that gave Urban Decay a run for their money (literally). When it comes to setting powder, I can honestly say that theirs is one I would bet my life on. Setting powder is JUST as important as setting spray and you don’t need to look any further than your local drug store to find a grade A one. The FaceStudio Master Fix Setting + Perfecting Loose Powder not only hides any open pores, but sets makeup to last for hours and gives your face a picture-perfect finished look.

When it comes to makeup, you want to know what to spend your hard-earned money on and what not to. As a professional certified makeup artist, I can tell you – not all of your products need to be name brand. Sometimes drugstore products work just as well – if not better. AND you’re saving money. However, there are products that you WON’T want to pinch pennies on (even though it’ll hurt a little inside).

So there you are! A makeup artist’s tricks of the trade and (very) in-depth review of your favorite makeup brands! Your face (and your wallet) will thank me. Happy makeup!