7 Beauty Products Worth Their Price Tags

I’m a smart shopper. Notoriously frugal when it counts, but not afraid to spend when it matters. When it matters is, of course, purely subjective, but my beauty consumerist philosophy is simple: I will happily spend to ensure that I get the best quality and most effective product for the job. It certainly helps that my habits are pretty minimalist—thus justifying certain price tags—but it’s because I’m minimalist (and belief in a self-love meets you-only-live-once mentality) that I insist on only buying the best.

There’s no art to just accumulating stuff for the sake of having things; it’s both a waste of money as well as unnecessary physical/mental clutter. Plus, I’m a real lady now, and real ladies have perfectly curated makeup collections that sit atop their perfectly organized vanities. I need clean and concise and beautiful things that work well. Equal parts utilitarian and hedonistic, because I’m human. These are the things that I’ve come to thoroughly enjoy and believe are well-worth their (relatively) expensive price tag:

1. Josie Maran Argan Oil ($16-$96). I’m fairly holistic when it comes to my skincare regimen and am a huge advocate of using natural oils for all skin types. Organic coconut oil is an absolute must in my collection—I have a massive, wholesale-size tub—but right along it is my prized vial of Josie Maran’s argan oil. One cheap as chips, one worth a pretty penny, both miracle workers in beautifying skin and hair. If I was somehow constrained to having only one beauty product in my life, this would be it.

2. TokyoMilk Dark Femme Fatale Collection Lip Elixirs ($7). So $7 isn’t exactly breaking the bank—it’s certainly not cheap for a lip balm—but it’s worth that, if not a bit more. It hydrates and actually shields the lips, non-greasy, long-lasting, and incredibly delicious to boot. I’d go so far as to say it’s divine; few lip balms moisturize sans shine, but TokyoMilk just leaves a matte/natural finish.

3. NARS blush ($30). The only powder blush worth getting.

4. MUFE HD Microfinish Powder ($16 -$34). I don’t believe in foundation for everyday use, much less powder (oil-blotting sheets are much more effective) but this HD powder is a special-occasion  must. A light dusting leaves skin flawless—it kind of just glides over everything and blurs any imperfections—and keeps the skin, no matter what (and I’m talking through sweat, it’s been tested through pretty brutal conditions!), shine-free yet radiant. It’s beautiful on stage and in photography as well.

5. Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler ($20). There is most definitely a noticeable difference between this and all other alternatives on the market, drugstore and otherwise. A game-changer of epic proportions.

6. Urban Decay All-Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray ($14-$30). It does exactly what it claims to do. Period.

7. NARS Satin Lip Pencils & Velvet Matte Lip Pencils ($25). Both the satin and velvet formulas are incredibly pigmented, creamy (yes—even the mattes!), and long-wearing. They’re so good that I’m tempted to replace my little lipstick collection with just these and YSL Rouge Pur Coutures.

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xx