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1. Study up on your makeup brushes — each one has a specific function and purpose to make your overall look appear ~perfectly done~. For example, a kabuki brush will give you an airbrushed effect, while a contour brush brings out your angles (hello, cheekbones).
2. Opt for a holographic peel-off mask that'll allow a luxurious dose of ~self-care~ many more times than you would if you only bought sheet masks (this formula comes in a tub). Plus, it brightens your complexion, minimizes pores, AND hydrates, meaning you get more bang 👏 for 👏 your 👏 buck 👏 than expensive routines.
3. And! Apply it with a set of face mask brushes to easily upgrade your beauty routine with tools that'll feel like h-e-a-v-e-n on your skin *and* prevent you from wasting product, therefore cash.
4. Conquer your fears of the cat-eye by secretly stamping in the winged tip with a double-sided eyeliner. Apparently it *is* this easy to look extra sharp.
5. Dry your natural curls with a diffuser (and hold it at an upwards angle) instead of air drying so that your ringlets have more volume, yet a heck of a lot less frizz. Overpriced hair products? NOT ANYMORE. A future of deceptively sleek blowouts is calling.
Just 👏look👏 at 👏that👏 definition!
6. Add some Radha rosehip oil to your nightly routine that requires merely a few drops to tackle redness, scarring, pimples, and everything in-between. Reviewers use this before bed and wake up to ✨glowing✨, healing skin! Nothing will get in your way of clear skin again...not on this bb's watch.
7. Say a final farewell to frizz by turning to an Elizavecca hair treatment. Just pack on collagen-infused ingredients to undo heat and bleaching damage, and bring back the shine you DESERVE. Five minutes of wearing this mask, and your mane will be ready for its shampoo commercial debut. Commence slow-mo hair toss.
8. Compare popular makeup dupes to their more expensive versions before making any splurges. Chances are a highly-reviewed drugstore product does the exact same job and makes you feel just as ~sophisticated~!
A big winner: NYX Micro Brow ($4.31) vs. Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz ($21). Both are great products, but if you're looking to save, NYX is for you!
9. Bring out clearer skin with just a flick of the wrist by adding some Nip + Fab glycolic cleansing pads to your nightly routine. Not only will it feel like a ~luxurious~ last step, but their formula of exfoliating 2.8% glycolic acid, hyaluronic acid, and witch hazel will get you a brighter complexion before January is even over.
10. Keep your brushes clean to ensure a flawless makeup application. An easy-to-use scrubber will help you avoid breakouts (hello, bacteria) and apply makeup a whole lot better when there isn't icky residue in the way. Your eyeshadow deserves to SHINE — and you should start your day with nothing short of super soft, clean bristles.
11. Update the updo (can you say that three times fast?) with wrap-around braids. If you have curly hair, there's no pre-styling required, and within 10 minutes, some bobby pins, and a little styling paste, you'll look effortlessly polished.
Here it is broken down for you:
12. Keep pro-level nails ~on hand~ without the hefty bill by using a powder mani starter kit so you can drastically reduce the amount you spend on manicures (especially if you get regular or even gel). This'll last three to six weeks every time you use it, look professional, take 15 minutes to soak off (with water!), and won't make your nails as weak as gel.
13. Bolden your eye game *without* tricky eyeliner by simply applying a highly-pigmented, colorful eyeshadow and swiping on lots (and lots) of volumizing mascara.
14. Brighten your smile with a teeth-whitening pen that'll give you pearly whites without costing you a lot of *green*. Plus, its soft-bristle brushes are easier to use on uneven teeth than strips, thanks to their 360° application.
15. Research what foundation methods are best for *you*, especially if your current routine just isn't cutting it. If you have oily skin, maybe a powder foundation is actually better than liquid. Not getting enough coverage? Time to start with a primer! One small change will have your makeup feeling ~custom-made~.
The easiest yet most important tip to remember? Test foundation on your neck, instead of your arm so that your makeup seamlessly matches the rest of you! Your ~look~ will seem 10 times more expensive when properly shaded.
16. Take skincare up a level by incorporating a microneedle roller into your routine. When combined with a serum, it essentially *boosts* the product's usual benefits to exfoliate, brighten, and repair irritated skin so that you're left with a dewy glow. Plus, you get to end the day with a soothing yet effective ritual.
17. Switch to an all-natural dry shampoo that's formulated to perfectly match brunette hair (so long, annoying white streaks) AND add major volume between washes so you start every morning with the feeling of fresh blowout — and the hairstyle to prove it.
18. Groom your eyebrows to your liking, whether that means full, thin, bushy, WHATEVER to you. A Schick dermaplaning razor helps shape and neaten your brows in a way that's not only cheap, but super easy. It's a lot harder to mess up with this than with wax.
19. Spritz your way to clear, happy skin (all while scoring a luxe midday pick-me-up) with a Mario Badescu misting trio. Each formula addresses a different concern from dull skin to stubborn breakouts. Are you basically a derm now? Yes.
20. Continue your newly luxe regimen even when you go to sleep! A Cosrx overnight mask plus a silky pillowcase will bring mornings of radiant skin and smooth hair *overnight*.
21. Trick people into thinking you take regular trips to the salon by maintaining blonde hair with some Fanola shampoo. Not only will it keep your hair from yellowing over time, but it'll actually INCREASE the brightness and platinum levels in your hair. *Color* me impressed.
22. Tackle only ~seemingly~ difficult hairdos that you see all over Pinterest — it's time to stop *pinning* and actually try one out! Most really only require a few steps (and a lot of patience). The end result: a very chic-looking you.
Behold: the easiest of them all! The deceivingly complicated braid crown requires four simple steps: two thin hair ties and bobby pins. I will pass you some tissues if necessary, but I promise you won't need them!
23. Take your *glow up* into your own hands — or fingers that is. Just a dab of this lip and cheek palette allows you to maintain a rosy glow all day in the easiest way possible. It'll give you the same effects as both a designer creamy blush and lip tint, but lets you decide how much you'd like to build.
24. Brighten your complexion from face wash alone with some Acure brightening facial scrub. This'll become your go-to to exfoliate away excess oil and treat breakouts — all while bringing out a clear, glowing complexion from underneath. Today is the day we all learned acne can't get in the way of making your routine feel high-end.
25. Master the art of contouring — or so it seems. By applying a darker foundation stick to highlight your features (aka your temples, cheekbones, etc.), you can easily create major definition with just a few swipes. Meaning you can look like you had your makeup professionally done every darn day with extremely little effort...or spending.
26. Put an end to painful brushing with a Lily England rose gold detangling hair brush. Its ergonomic handle and extra-gentle flexible bristles ensure you have a glossy mane without getting ~tangled~ up in bills. So long, teary unknotting. Hello, Rapunzel treatment.
27. Remove peach fuzz painlessly (and without paying for a wax) with a facial hair remover. It's gentle, precise, and won't leave irritation marks like most threading or razors. Aka your face will be as smooth as a baby's bottom and you'll never have to pay the price.
28. Enhance your makeup's radiance with some Physicians Formula illuminating primer. It won't cost you much money or time — it'll act as a concealer to reduce redness and blur pores, while also giving you a subtle *glow* (that works great under foundation!).
29. Treat eye bags with a healthy dose of luxury, aka 24K gold eye masks. They'll reduce puffiness, hydrate your skin, and add shine to dull skin so your complexion matches how rich you feel while wearing these.
30. Bring costly blowouts right to your bathroom by creating sleek, frizz-free 'dos in half the time. How? This Revlon one-step hair styler and dryer has flexible tangle-free bristles to smooth and style your hair as you brush, while negative ions condition and reduce static as you dry. The result: an easy-peasy glossy mane.
31. Discover which oil works best with your skin. Adding an all-natural oil to your routine is great, because they feel *super* soothing at the end of a long day, and quickly target specific problems. For example, jojoba oil tackles breakouts by neutralizing the pH levels of your skin. Translation: both you and your pimple will be left saying ahhh not AHHH.
32. Amp up your glow for little with a highly-rated Maybelline metallic highlighter. Its SUPER-pigmented formula has won over thousands of typically high-end beauty shoppers thanks to its nearly identical ability to show 👏 off 👏 those 👏 cheekbones.
33. Expand your makeup collection for cheap with a Jacob & Eli eyeshadow palette. It has 18 super pigmented nude shades, because you don't need to drop $100 to achieve the perfect smokey eye. Though your skills may lead people to believe you did.
34. Bend your mascara wand to fully fan out your lashes. The wand will be able to reach the base of your lash line and stamp the roots, instantly achieving full lashes and a widening effect. Drugstore beauty hacks > blowing all your money.
35. Turn your living room into your very own spa by subscribing to a monthly delivery of Facetory sheet masks with four monthly K-beauty masks. It's essentially the cheapest way to explore cutting-edge Korean skincare, because it gives your skin benefits usually reserved for high-end derm brands.
36. Experiment with different eyeliner styles so there's never a day you look the same — even when using the same products Monday through Friday (and of course, the same face). Pro tip: pick a liquid eyeliner with a thin tip so you have easier control while trying new looks.
37. Amp up your lashes volume with extremely little effort, courtesy of L'Oréal double-sided mascara with both a conditioning primer and an ultra-lengthening topcoat. Pricey falsies or a few quick swipes of this? I'll keep your secret between us.
Trying to live the ~high life~ for $5 like:
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