How I budget my makeup spending

So, I know I'm not a professional budgeter or whatever (that's not even a word) but, you know, I think I'm pretty good at managing my money now-a-days. And I know there are other college girls out there who probably have the same problems I do when it comes to shopping for various things. I basically use the same system for everything I buy now: Makeup, Clothes, Hair products, Food. And it seems to work well. So I thought I would break it down for you and then show you what makeup I end up buying using this system. Let's give this thing a name though shall we? How about... The "Cent or Dollar?" method. I like it!

Okay so here are the steps:

1. Figure out what is most important to you in each category of things you buy
2. Figure out how much you want to spend on each product, each month, or each time you go shopping
3. Don't forget that you can splurge every once in a while. My rule is if you've been wanting it for longer than a month or two, then its okay to buy it. But at the same time, it's not an excuse to empty out your bank account!
4. Never underestimate old items you have or using one product for multiple things.

In the makeup realm, the two important products to me are foundation/concealers and mascara. I have Rosacea (self-diagnosed lol) so I am definitely looking for the best foundation and concealers I can afford to cover up that red mess on my face.

I've had this BB Cream since the summer and I really love it! I spent $13 on it, which may not be a lot for some people, but it's all about knowing your limits. I still have about 2/3 of it left too! Good purchase.

I am also always looking for a good mascara because my lashes suck. They are small and there are not a lot of them.

I use these two mascaras. The orange tube is Covergirl Lashblast Volume in brown. I use that on the weekdays when I'm really only just going to class. The purple is Falsies Volume Express and I absolutely love that one. I wear that when I go out and what not.  I can't remember how much I paid for these but I bet they were between $5-$7.

Everything else I can basically cheap out on more.

From top to bottom:
The top is actually this purple cream eyeshadow that is super old and I found in my room at home a few months ago. I use that in the dark spots around my eyes to brighten them.
The second is Wet 'n Wild Mega Glo which I use kinda as a highlighter. It just brightens up your face. That was $2.
The third tube is my green concealer, which I use a whole lot to cover up the red on my face when it's at its worst. It's by Physician's Formula and was about $12 I think (pricey I know but totally worth it).
Lastly, a pressed powder also by Wet 'n Wild that was around $2.

Another brand I like is e.l.f. This is their eyelash curler. I really feel like most eyelash curlers are the same and this was the cheapest one I could find. Only $1!

These are the two blushes I have. The top is called "Iced Plum" by Covergirl. That was probably around $6. Which is more than I would spend on a blush now, but I bought it like a year ago and haven't even made a dent in it. The bottom blush is called Color Confetti by Avon. I have had this blush since like middle school and I usually mix these two together in spring and fall, wear the top in the winter and the bottom in the summer.

My favorite cheap item I can buy a lot of are lipsticks. Specifically the Wet 'n Wild kind. No joke people, the $2 you pay goes a long way.

None of the Wet 'n Wild lipsticks have names for some reason. And the red in the top left actually came with some fake eyelashes I bought for Halloween senior year of High school. and the top peachy color was actually one I just found in my house a few years ago and never liked on me until now. 

Another tip I will say along with this is that I am a firm believer in how you apply it is more useful than how much the product is. And that's why I urge everyone to buy some makeup brushes.

I have makeup brushes that I bought from Walmart and from e.l.f.'s website. They were both $10 per kit. The container they are in is just an old ceramic container I got as a gift in middle school that I painted and decorated.

 Also, something I've discovered recently... Halloween makeup!

I use this palate as a base for my eyeshadows. They last so much longer with a base color and the eyeshadows just pop. You just can't use a lot because the makeup is pretty oily. A little bit goes a long way with this one.

Last thing, You can save some money and get a lot of perfumes. Victoria's Secret offers a box of these little tester sized perfumes for around $20. Seven come in the box (I lost one when I went to Georgia over the summer) and they last a really long time. I've had these since Christmas last year.

If you prioritize your life and your spending, you're more likely to love the things you buy and not have any of that "after-shopping regret" us girls usually get. I hope this works for you! Stay tuned for some easy made Thanksgiving cookies I'll try to post before Thanksgiving! Bye Bye Bye!