A New Bag of Tricks

A couple of weeks ago, Julia and I presented in Chicago’s annual Seedcon Fast Pitch contest. One of our biggest challenges was explaining the virtues of getting one’s makeup done to a predominantly male group of judges. With the help of our mentors at Booth, we crafted a presentation that was chock-full of visuals, enabling those unfamiliar (dudes) to understand the concept of special event makeup. I used my teeny tiny makeup bag as a prop, illustrating the point that I don’t have the tools in my arsenal (let alone the skill) to make the magic happen.

When we were done presenting, I was filled with adrenalin and ready for the open bar. In a rush of excitement, I dropped my prop in what I thought was my purse… but it wasn’t. When I went to my purse the next morning to get ready for the day, my makeup bag (and all of the makeup I own) wasn’t in there. 

So, instead of hitting the books, I hit the stores. In a way, it was nice to have a clean slate. There are products I can’t live without, but there are also those products that I continue to replenish out of laziness and ignorance of alternatives. So here was a fresh start  - a complete makeup overhaul. Of course, as a student and bootstrapping entrepreneur, I was in no position to go crazy. So, I started at my neighborhood Walgreens.

I am a firm believer that drugstore mascara brands are not only cheaper, but often better because the cosmetic powerhouses have the resources and competitive push to innovate.  My logic is echoed by Oprah Magazine Beauty Director Valerie Monroe who says, “there are terrific [mascara] options at the drugstore, home of big brands with great research and development teams. Because they're vying for your loyalty, these companies are constantly developing cutting-edge applicator and pigment technologies.” So mascara, check. I also picked up brushes which some of you might be thinking is dicey, but bare with me. Big brand brushes are incredibly expensive (and I had to replace every single brush at once). I have also come to love EcoTools brushes. They are cheap, soft, don’t shed, keep their shape, and are available in almost all drugstores. When I did some Googling, I found that many of you out there also think they're an incredible alternative to the “good stuff.”

Of course, there are some things I will shell out for. Don’t get me started on moisturizers... let’s just continue the makeup discussion for now. Benefit bronzers (i.e. Hula) and Nars blushes (love the cream variety), cannot be replaced by a drugstore alternative. So, of course, I quickly picked up a new one of each after I left Walgreens. I was also introduced to Benefit’s Hello Flawless powder compact and liquid foundation, and I am loving both.

Well, that’s about as girly as I get. But hey, this stuff can make a big difference to how you look and feel. Very curious to hear what everyone thinks – what are the luxury products that are worth your hard earned cash and where does the budget brand more than fit the bill?