Don't get me wrong, I'm all about budget beauty. I love brands like NYX that make it easy to pick up a few new products even when you're having to tighten the purse strings, but there are certain products I swear by that do cost a little more than I'd usually want to spend. Because, you know, sometimes you do have to choose quality over quantity!

Kyshadow Bronze Palette
I was so indecisive when it came to buying a Kyshadow palette for so many reasons. At the time (around 8 months or so ago) I wasn’t really into eyeshadow because I didn’t exactly know what I was doing and although I loved the lip kits, $42 seemed a lot of money for a few colours. But of course, me being me and having the spending problem I’ve got, I bought it. I was absolutely infatuated as soon as it arrived at my door and I spent a good while rubbing it in my sister’s face (not literally, what a waste of product). It really kick started the love of eye makeup for me and I’ve turned into one of those people that feels a bit naked with nothing on their lid. It’s still a go-to for me when it comes to browns and bronze tones so definitely worth the splurge!

 

Benefit Rollerlash Mascara
I’ve always been a cheapskate when it comes to mascaras and if I’m honest, the Benefit Rollerlash scared me a little bit when it first came out (I don’t know why, it just did). I’ve always stuck with Essence or Rimmel because I never really thought that any mascaras where meant to live up to the claims of giving a ‘false lash effect’ – quite simply because I’d cheaped out on every mascara I’d ever tried. Fast forward to my birthday and I got an abundance of gift cards that I felt like I needed to spend straight away, so I finally picked up a mini of Rollerlash! I’ve been using it everyday ever since and I think I’ve gone through about 3 now! It really picks my lashes up and gives them a good curl with just one layer, so it’s perfect for everyday and nights out as you can build it up! I can’t imagine going back to a ‘drugstore’ brand now, I’m hooked!


Image Courtesy of Cherry Pie | via

Estée Lauder Double Wear Light Foundation
This is a relatively new one for me for more than one reason. Last month I noticed that my trusty L’Oreal True Match foundation just wasn’t sitting right on my skin so I started searching for a new oil-free replacement. After a bit of searching – and realising that a lot of oil-free foundations have ridiculous price tags – I found the Double Wear Light. It was still a long way out of my usual budget but one of the cheaper ones I’d found and a friend had recommended it too. Of course I was going to buy it straight off without trying it first so I got a sample that ended up lasting my a good week! My face sets so much better now that I wear this and I don’t get any of the clumping or separating like I used too! I might still cringe at the price tag a bit, but it is worth the spend!

Image Courtesy of mugeek | via

Benefit Porefessional Matte Rescue Primer
I first bought this at the same time I got the mini Rollerlash and I’ve definitely fallen in love with this! I’d never really used a real primer (I went through the Nivea Post Shave Balm faze) so using this for the first time was like discovering a unicorn. The gel formula is absolutely perfect for my skin and it keeps my makeup in place all day and keeps the oil in my skin from popping up to say hello. Plus, even the minis last a good couple of months for me, so it’s more than enough value for your money!

Image Courtesy of Ulta | via 

 

ABH Nicole Guerriero Glow Kit
Of course I’ve saved the best for last! I always resisted the glow kit craze because with each kit only having an average of 4 shades, I didn’t know if it was worth the money. But when the Nicole Guerriero glow kit was revealed I absolutely fell in love. As with an big-ish money spend, I give it some time to think it over and if I still want it, I get it. So I gave this one a good month and a half from the release to make my mind up and I then dipped into my savings and clicked checkout! I’m still so in love with this at the minute and I’m using it everyday, mixing shades and messing around. To me, it’s the best product on this list and I couldn’t recommend it more!