Students are supposed to be broke. Now is the time for sneaking round the reduced section in Sainsbury’s, microwaving practically everything, and finding the best budget beauty products that our meagre money can buy. Most days I’ve accepted this fate. As much as I try to save money and work alongside studying, the bottom line is that my fellow makeup loving students of the nation and I are rarely able to afford our beauty dreams. Affordable makeup is great, and pretty harmless six and a half days a week. But university can be tough. When you’re either celebrating a huge success you earned, or just trying not to break down for the 5th day in a row, sometimes you just need to treat yourself. Spending a little more on a beauty product that gives you a little edge on your outlook the day you wear it is definitely worth it to me. However, we still aren’t made of money! But if Freshers Week gets on top of you, or deadlines start to crush, or the weather just becomes perpetually ‘doom and gloom’ (that will happen), try a boost in the form of a good beauty investment.
Here’s a cheeky roundup of four fun surprises; all worth your money for a treat day!
1. Charlotte Tilbury Lipsticks – Matte Revolution (£23)
This woman is a lip connoisseur. Her Matte Revolution range is a brilliant way to lift yourself up, as the colours are so classically flattering that you feel back in control of your face if nothing else! A Tilbury makeup artist matched me with Amazing Grace, a shade pinker than I usually would have chosen, and it turned out to be the best lipstick I have ever owned it terms of how much it suits me. Whenever I put it on, it lifts and brings out the best of my natural complexion without the need for a ton of other products. These lipsticks are great for self-image, as their colours pull out your natural beauty in a way like none I’ve seen! Investing in a Matte Revolution will make for a great beauty weapon to fight the darker days.
2. Illamasqua Powder Eye shadow (£16.50)
Yes, that sounds like a hell of a lot for an eye shadow. But I bought just one of these Illamasqua shadows, and it is honestly on of the most buildable, blend-able, pigmented products I’ve seen! There is a fantastic range of strong matte colours, with an intense glitter ‘Jubilance’ thrown in for good measure. What I love about these is that although you want to buy about five, buying just one pot is a great investment due to the versatility it provides. The high quality is very evident, and the pigment is the perfect combination of soft yet intense. I love Apex, Vulgar and Vapour for burnished Autumn colours to make every eye colour stand out. Don’t be scared of how bright these look – they are very easy to build up slowly, and you don’t need a lot! A long lasting product which intensifies any look.
3. Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker XL Extreme Plump (£10)
This treat is a little more affordable! This lip gloss is designed to cause lips to tingle a little as it plumps them up to pout perfection, and tingle it does. A clear gloss which can be worn either on its own or on top of a colour, Sexy Mother Pucker really does make you feel like you’ve got your mojo back. Lips tingle and feel almost as if they are buzzing in a strange way – you’ve got to try it to understand it! But this is a pretty unique feeling to be brought about by a lip gloss; as well as a pretty pout, the tingle definitely re-awakens what energy you might have lost that week!
4. Lush Focus Cream Eyeshadow (£14.50)
Okay, I think basically any Lush product will make you feel treated if you’ve just achieved something awesome, or if you’re needing some pampering. However, the Focus Cream Eyeshadow does exactly what it says on the tin – shifts your focus to a brighter and shinier place (i.e. what’s inside the tin). These shadows come in a wide range of wonderfully iridescent colours. Just going to a Lush store, inhaling the scents and gazing at them has made me feel better on occasion. The Focus shadows force me to look for the sunshine on a bad day! Trying out the beautiful green Intuitive was a great success, as I don’t normally wear bright shades on my eyes, but the iridescent nature of it made it much less intimidating, while a new shade choice felt like a tiny fresh start.
I love occasionally treating myself to a good investment, because with these products, buying one is so satisfying that you don’t feel like you’re missing out if you can’t afford to buy the entire range (because really, who can?). A great quality product can become a secret weapon to whip out on a bad day, a great day, a time when you need good luck, or when you just need a reason to feel better. Learn to treat yourself with a one-time beauty splurge!
