"Qualiffordable" Makeup

Salut old friends and new!!!

If you've been here before, you may recall a post I published a few days ago about my favorite affordable skin and dental care products. The post was received so well by all of you--I got e-mails, texts, messages on facebook and twitter, not to mention all the comments from both guys and girls!! I was so thrilled and delighted to answer your questions and concerns that I decided to make a post to address the most frequently asked question: 'What are my favorite affordable makeup brands and products? Here's a very color coordinated preview pic, so go ahead and check out the rest of the post :)))

Read more for pix, reviews, info & raves of my favorite "QUALIFFORDABLE" cosmetic brands!

1. NYX--available online (retail price), at Ulta (cheaper) and in most beauty supply stores (cheapest). This is just a fraction of my NYX makeup collection and since it's very difficult to pick my favorite colors, I narrowed it down to these awesome products:

Palettes:  For Your Eyes Only in Smokey Eyes (left); 10 Color Eyeshadow Palette in Jazz Night (right); 10 Color Eyeshadow Palette in Haute Model (top). $11 (much cheaper in beauty supply stores)
Glitter liners: Candy glitter liner in Gold (left) and Disco Queen (right) $4.50
Jumbo Eye Pencils: Cherry (far left), Electric Blue (left/center), Pure Gold (right) $4.50
Eyeshadow Base in White $7
Lip glosses: 1. Mega Shine lip gloss in Smokey Look (left) 2. "Round" gloss in Doll Pink (center) 3. Mega Shine lip gloss in Beige (right) $5.50

Why I love NYX: Pigmentation, pigmentation, pigmentation!!! Also, staying power, color range, great packaging, and of course--affordability! 

• NYX eyeshadow palettes feature high quality shadows that are silky, vibrant and easy to apply. These palettes are perfect for traveling and the reason mine look so new is because I just bought replacements for all the ones I left for my cousins the last time I visited them :)))
• I can't rave enough about the jumbo eye pencils... these babies are amazing for anything eye makeup related. Use them as bases for shadows or alone for a quick burst of color that will stay put all day--yay!!!
• NYX eyeshadow base has replaced my all time winner Urban Decay primer potion and that's saying a lot!
• NYX glitter liners are my favorites among all brands and the color range is really impressive
• The lip glosses, although terrific, tend to smell a little like cheap cherry, but we forgive NYX because the colors are sooo gorgeous and flattering :)

2. L'Oréal--stands the test of time. This brand is available anywhere and everywhere: from large retailers to supermarkets to beauty supply stores. L'Oréal is the only brand I choose for mascaras and its HIP collection offers pigmented eyeshadows and lip products at great prices.

• Eyeshadow duos in Flamboyant (left) and Forgiving 
• Hip shine struck lip colors in Precarious (left) and Arresting
• Mascaras: Clean definition telescopic in Blackest Black (top) and Voluminous in Carbon Black 

Why I love L'Oréal: Bottom line--I simply trust this brand. The mascaras are the best out there (by far) and for about $10 each, I can basically afford to wear them every day and not feel guilty about going through them like they're food. Voila!

3. LA Splash for color mascaras. I'm a sucker for bright, bold, in your face lashes and because these pop mascaras are only $6-7, I now own every single color!!!

Check out my reviews and pictures for each of the above colors and read about why I love LA Splash :)

• Perfect Storm (bright blue) review in Pop SpLASHes
• Sea Squirt (teal) review in Teal SpLASHEs
• Purple Splash (purple) review in Purple SpLASHes
• Bohemian Nights (bronze) review in Leopard 101

4. Rimmel for lipsticks and some eyeshadows. This is for all you Londoners out there... London-town's own Rimmel is my go-to for QUALIFFORDABLE lipsticks!

• Eyeshadow quad in Smokey Noir ($5-6)
• Lasting Finish Lipsticks in Pink Blush (left) and Airy Fairy. Retails at about $6 (be on the lookout for 2 for 1 deals at Walgreens and Target)

As you can see, I use this eyeshadow quad quite often. I love the consistency of the shadows: the colors are easily "blendable" and perfect for every day use. 

The lipsticks are divine: not only is Pink Blush a great dupe for Nars' Roman Holiday, it is almost 4 times cheaper and quite comparable in quality. Here's a pic (to see the post for this makeup look, click here)

Hope I've answered your questions and if you have any more, don't hesitate to comment below or e-mail me :))) Merci for all your wonderful feedback!!! Next up are my favorite nail polishes :)))

bisous,

Maryam Maquillage

♡