Splurge or Save?

Every time I see a new and exciting launch from a very high-end makeup brand, I wonder whether it's worth the money to try it out. There's nothing worse than splurging on a really expensive product only to find out it's terrible (and of course, you never remember to save the receipts, so returning it isn't usually a possibility). Well, this time, I have done the research for you! Read on to hear whether I think you should splurge or save your money on 6 luxury makeup products.

My rating system:

I'll be rating products two ways: whether or not the product is actually good quality, and whether or not I think you should buy it. This is because sometimes I do not recommend buying products that are good quality, just because you can find something similar at a lower price point.

Product Quality Scale:

     Good - this is a good product; it does what it claims to do and you won't be disappointed by how it

     performs

     Meh - this is an "ok" product; it isn't so terrible that I'm surprised it made it on the shelves, but it

     isn't great either

     Bad - this is just a poorly made product; it doesn't do what it is supposed to do, and the fact that it 

     is sold for this much money is just outrageous

Verdicts:
     SAVE your money and buy something else
     SPLURGE on this if you're interested in it; it's worth it!

Jouer Matte Moisture Tint

Price: $36.00 at Nordstrom

Product Quality: Bad

Verdict: SAVE

This is probably the most disappointing product on the list. I had heard really good things about it, but unfortunately, it did not live up to the hype. The idea behind this product was to create a tinted moisturizer that works for oily skin; most tinted moisturizers are dewy and shiny by nature, not matte. This one, however, did not keep me any more matte than any other product, and even looked cakey and weird on the face. It was hard to blend out and didn't last very long throughout the day. Overall, it was a huge thumbs down.

Looking for a similar, but better product? The IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream is two dollars more, but looks three times as good on the skin. It doesn't claim to be matte, but it remarkably holds up better on oily skin than this Jouer product that makes that claim! It also has a LOT more SPF, if that is something you are seeking.

Kevyn Aucoin The Eyeshadow Duo - "210"

 

Price: $42.00 at Nordstrom

Product Quality: Good

Verdict: SPLURGE

This was such a pleasant surprise! These shadows are creamy, rich, blendable, and pigmented, and the colors have a little something unique about them. At first glance, it may look like a boring "champagne and bronze" duo (like any other), but I find that on the eyes, the "Sugared Peach" has a really strong pink/peach undertone that is extremely flattering, and the "Rust Brown Shimmer" shade can have a hint of plum in certain lights. If you're looking to treat yourself, I think this is a great product to choose.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush - "Mood Exposure"

 

Price: $38.00 at Sephora

Product Quality: Good

Verdict: SAVE

Since I love the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette so much, I really wanted to try one of the Ambient Lighting Blushes. The quality of the product is not bad - it's pigmented, smooth, blendable, and lasts a long time. However, I was not impressed by the color, which came off much more brown and less flattering than I expected. Also, I was hoping for a beautiful, "lit from within" appearance to this blush, since that's what I get from the powders, but I didn't see that. I definitely think the shade would look better on darker skin tones than it looks on me, but even then, I think you can find blushes of just as nice quality for less money.

The product that does what this one didn't do for me is the Benefit Rockateur Box O' Powder Blush, and it's almost $10 cheaper!

Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder Compact - "Highlight 01"

 

Price: $42.00 at Sephora

Product Quality: Good

Verdict: SPLURGE

One notch up from some of the super natural looking highlights I have raved about on this blog (i.e. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette, Laura Mercier Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder, Essence Pure Nude Highlighter), this Laura Mercier highlighter has the same qualities of not looking glittery or too detectable, but gives off a gorgeous glow. I like to wear this one when I'm doing a more "glam" makeup look or when I'm doing makeup for a nighttime event.

NARS Audacious Lipstick - "Anita"

 

Price: $34.00 at Sephora

Product Quality: Good

Verdict: SPLURGE

This is a pretty crazy price for a lipstick. As such, it needed to really impress me in order to get the "SPLURGE" designation. These lipsticks are some of the most pigmented, rich, full-color, smooth products I've ever used, and they last a really long time without being the least bit drying. If you are the kind of person that just likes a sheer wash of color on the lips, then stay far away. But if you like a bold, impactful lip look, this might be your new favorite.

Viseart Theory Palette - "Cashmere"

 

Price: $45.00 at Sephora

Product Quality: Meh

Verdict: SAVE

I take back what I said earlier: THIS was the most disappointing product on the list. The Viseart eyeshadows are so talked up that I have been curious for months. Their full-size eyeshadow palettes are $80.00, so I definitely wanted to give a smaller, less expensive version a try before investing that much in eyeshadow. Now, I don't know if maybe the smaller Theory Palettes are a different formula than the eyeshadows in the main palettes, but these were so underwhelming. They were really lackluster in impact, difficult to blend, and couldn't hold a candle to less expensive eyeshadows - even the $8 drugstore palette I mentioned recently on the blog. I'm calling them "Meh" rather than "Bad" just because it's not like I couldn't make them work decently; I just think that for that much money, and for a product that so many rave about, it should have performed better than most of the other eyeshadows I own. Thank goodness I didn't go for the full $80 palette!