Beauty on a Budget

Aside from makeup, I am also a student. At 25, I made the bold move to go back to school full time and pretty much aggressively pursue my BA. I have never looked back and currently I am looking at finishing next Fall (for those who are curious, I will finish with a degree in Psychology and from there get my teaching certification). Being a student comes with some perks, such as waking up later and less pressure in terms of employment. That being said, it is also hard because financially I am not making a salary, which means I am on the dreaded BUDGET. However, over the years the drugstore sector of the makeup world has stepped their game up tremendously, meaning I can still get great products without breaking the bank. Here is one of my favorites........

Normally a primer from Sephora or other high end department stores will retail anywhere between $30-50. To me, that is an insanely high mark up for a product that is typically 2oz at best (not to mention, costs very little to make). So, what is a girl (or fabulous dude) to do when she needs a primer? I myself, have gone back to a staple of mine by Loreal, it is their Magic Perfecting Base.

Beauty Breakdown

• What it does: Smooths and refines lines and pores before makeup application
• Why it is great: The formula is lightweight and absorbs into the skin quickly
• Other uses: Can be used for target areas, such as the T-zone and the under eye area
• Fun Fact: It is non-comedogenic <--click there to get a little knowledge on this frequently used makeup industry term! 
• Works best with: Normal, Oily, and Combination skin types, If Combination skin type, simply apply it where you are oily and avoid the dryer areas. 
• Retails at: $12.99 (luckily drugstores often have sales, so the price can vary from time to time)
• Extra Advice: Use this product sparingly. A little goes a long way!! 

For my dryer skin ladies, I would recommend this primer by Glossier. Although it is a higher price point, it is still less expensive than the primers offered in the high end cosmetic stores. Their entire line of skin care is perfect for dry skin! 

Makeup Deals

Here is a list of my favorite websites for shopping inexpensive makeup online!

1. Amazon Makeup and Beauty  If you have Prime you get free shipping (who doesn't like free shipping?), AND drugstore brands are typically a little less expensive via Amazon. An example being the primer I was just talking about! It is $10.99 on Amazon, where as in Walgreens it was $12.99. 
2. Drugstore.com They constantly have promotions aka coupon codes! There is also a wide array of makeup on this site, including products not typically sold in stores as well as international beauty brands. Free shipping only applies with $35 purchase, but if you sign up for their email they will sometimes offer free shipping as a promotion. 
3. Ulta.com, this company is truly the holy grail of cosmetics. Why? Because they mix high end makeup and drugstore brand, all in the same store! They constantly have promotions and sales as well. 
4. Bed Bath and Beyond, I believe the "beyond" part is referring to MAKEUP. My best friend adores her BB&Beyond coupons, she has the right idea, because often times they can apply to the makeup as well! I have purchased many of my Nyx cosmetics products here, they are usually cheaper and with the coupons it lowers the price even more. 

Final Words

This is not makeup related, but I thought I would share this bit of advice with anyone out there in a similar situation. For any of you out there considering going back to school (any school: college, grad school, beauty school, technical, culinary) stop waiting around and do it. When I first wanted to go back to school, I set up a meeting with the director of early childhood education at my university. She could tell I was having trouble committing to the idea of going back to school again, to which she said "the time is going to pass anyway". So here I am, a few years in and almost at the finish line. This journey certainly tests my patience at times but I have learned so much about myself through this process, not to mention it being an extremely humbling experience (being in a class with people ten years younger than you will do that). Also, don't get caught up in what you "should of did a few years ago", for whatever reason you weren't ready. Wanna go back? Call up the school, get some information, take a visit and before you know it you'll be complaining with the rest of us about tuition, the price of text books, and finals week (I get chills just thinking about it). I hope that helped, if not then you just learned a lot about me. Exciting, I know. 

Once again, THANK YOU for reading. I have been keeping up on my stats and seeing who has been checking out my page and it's amazing to see that some of you are from other parts of the world. Shout out to my friends in India and my neighbors in Canada :). 

With Love,

Gogogabz

Follow me on IG! @gogogabz

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