In a world where there are so many beauty looks to try, endless products to swatch and sample, and finite budgets, it can be hard to know where to start when it comes to upgrading your makeup bag — let alone deciding on what to spend and what to skip.
Thankfully, in 2024, it’s easier than ever before to both upgrade what’s in your makeup bag and stick to your budget. With a little strategy, we really can have our cake and eat it too.
Sample Everything & Narrow Down Your Faves
To figure out what you want to add to your beauty bag, first try as much as you can and don’t skip the well-priced options. You might even surprise yourself with how much you love a dupe or how immaculately the well-priced option actually serves the look.
Assess Your Makeup Bag by Categories to Elevate Without Overwhelm
Then, view your makeup bag like a makeup artist and think about the products you want to try, add or replace in each category of makeup. Are you always yearning after more eyeshadow colour options? Maybe you’re still waiting to try that viral blush. Breaking up your makeup into categories: eyes and brows, lips, foundation and blush/contour will help bring order to your makeup bag — and generally cover all your makeup bases.
Category One: Eyes
The saying goes that your eyes are the window to the soul — so it’s only natural that you’d want to frame them well with eye makeup and accessories that make them stand out.
Eyeshadow palettes are the key to upgrading your makeup bag without breaking the bank. Having more shades in a single palette lets you quickly figure out which shadows you typically gravitate towards — and gives you the freedom to experiment with new makeup looks and colour combos. Finding one or two eyeshadow palettes that meet multiple needs from formal occasions to brunch with the girls can offer versatility and make your budget go the extra mile.
Also, never underestimate the transformative power of a well-groomed brow and the various eyebrow gels, shadows and pomades that exist solely to dress up the frames of your face. From the waxed brow look to fluffy natural brows, it can be difficult to trial new styles in an affordable way. Dare we say it, but more expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better when it comes to brow products. A good brow product doesn’t have to break your budget and often a more affordable product can exceed expectations. Trial an affordable brow product to achieve a new look and switch them out with your expensive products to make your makeup routine budget-friendly.
Category Two: Lips
From glosses to matte lipsticks to lip liners and balms, it’s not an exaggeration to say that there are more lip products out there than one person could ever try in a lifetime. But that doesn’t mean we won’t try.
Focus on colour payoff, wearability and longevity when choosing a new lippy. And if you’re branching out and experimenting with new colours, opt for well-priced products — they’re often virtually indistinguishable from their break-the-bank counterparts.
Category Three: Foundation
Nothing great starts without solid foundations and getting your base foundation right is key when it comes to putting your best beauty look forward. There really is no shortcut to finding your personal holy grail foundation and concealer — it’s all about trial (and trial and trial) and error. Kmart is a great place to start your search with their selection of budget-friendly OXX foundations. The collection features a variety of finishes and coverage options to suit your style.
To really add a makeup artist’s touch to your beauty bag, have a few different concealers in the rotation for different purposes. Some will be better for spot concealing, while others were made to brighten under-eyes.
To make sure you get the most out of your base application, be sure to add a longwearing primer into your beauty bag too. It’s one extra step, but can completely enhance how your other products wear — helping your budget out in the long run!
Category Four: Blush and Contour
As important as having a well-matched foundation and concealer is, blush and contour are the complexion products that will give your face dimension and make you look flawless in photos. If they’re not already in your beauty bag, these are immediate adds that will completely level up your beauty game.
To stay on budget, look for clever formulations like a blush that also illuminates, a highlighter that also sets your makeup, or a complexion palette that has highlighter, bronzer and blush all in one.
Category Five: Tools
Finally, a well-stocked makeup bag is incomplete without a selection of workhorse makeup brushes and tools. From eyelash curlers to beauty blenders, brushes and tweezers, these are the beauty essentials that help prime your makeup canvas and equip you with the tools to serve looks.
By rotating in fresh brushes and tools, you can breathe new life into your existing beauty products. How your makeup applies can vary vastly depending on the tools you’re using, and a new brush can help you unlock the full potential of a product, while an eyelash curler can take your mascara to a whole new level.
Now you’ve sorted and sifted your way through your makeup bag and cosmetic collection, perfect your strategy by stocking up on what you need at Kmart. Their cosmetic collection is full of affordable makeup faves to
