I have always been amazed by the artistry of makeup. I remember watching my mother put on her makeup every day, looking at all of the different brushes, products, and sprays and marveling at their power to transform. My mom was beautiful to me regardless, but I was in awe of the way that makeup could make her look even more like herself. That’s what I loved about it, the way that it could highlight someone’s best features and become an extension of their personality. As I got older and started using makeup myself, I learned that the application was just as significant as the choice of product.

Sometimes I see my face as my palette and makeup as the means of self-expression. So I am grateful to all the makeup artists at Sephora who spent hours explaining different brushes to me, trying a variety of products on my face and recommending certain products that were useful and which were not.

Ultimately, I am glad that the way I choose to do my makeup is entirely my decision. Whether I want to have sun-kissed skin or heavy eye makeup, I am always able to truly connect both my physical features and my personal characteristics. While I know sometimes people feel like makeup is shallow or superficial, I think it is important to recognize that it can become much more than that. However, certain makeup brands can be extremely expensive and in many ways inaccessible for most users. I hate to think that makeup lovers cannot fully express themselves because they are limited financially. In addition, many people have qualms with the fact that certain brands test on animals. So, I have compiled a short list of tips for makeup use and application that can help some of my other broke but socially aware college students out there:

1. Most smaller, privately owned makeup brands are cruelty-free, like Anastasia Beverly Hills, Elf, and Colourpop. I love and recommend all of these brands based on my personal experience. I live for Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade and the rest of their eyebrow line. I think they have some of the most natural-looking products, but they can certainly be a little pricey which leads me to my next tip

2. Check for product dupes! There are many, many bloggers who have done their research comparing high-end makeup brands and drugstore makeup. NYX has great products, although they are not entirely cruelty free. However, Elf is extremely reasonably priced (sometimes even starting at $2 per brush!), cruelty free and often available at local drugstores.

3. Colourpop also has a $5 discount for all new subscribers to their newsletter. They are extremely reasonably priced at about $5 per lipstick and I personally have many friends who love their products. Unfortunately, they are only available online but there is a plethora of online videos that illustrate the color swatches. In addition, if you are not experienced with lipstick application, I would recommend using a lipstick brush to get a much cleaner and more accurate result. Otherwise, applying lipstick can become extremely frustrating and time-consuming.

4. I have always been an eye makeup lover, so I would recommend a blending brush to everyone. A fluffy, medium-sized brush and a denser, fuller brush are the keys to achieving a rich but blended look. These can be bought anywhere, from Sephora to your local drugstore or even online. Morphe brushes have relatively cheap brushes online and I have heard rave reviews of their products so far.

5. I would also want to remind all new makeup users that not all trends will look good on everyone. It’s fun to try different looks, but it’s also important not to expect yourself to look like a beauty blogger right away. What really matters is creating a look that really reflects your personal ideas of beauty and that exemplifies the best you that you can possibly be. So be creative and think outside the box with your products and application!