So, I saw this video over at Tati (or GlamLifeGuru)’s channel and even though it’s not exactly a tag, I thought I’d go right ahead and do it. This video basically shows you some of my favorite luxury products under $25. It’s called Top 10, but it’s entirely possible that I’ve been able to try some awesome new high-end products that are under $25 that I might like better than these… we’ll see!

For this video, though, I ended up picking some not-so-luxury brands that aren’t exactly drugstore. So, I’ve got a mix of high-end (e.g. BECCA, Hourglass, Le Métier de Beauté) and mid-range (e.g. MAC, bareMinerals, Urban Decay) products here.

To watch Tati’s original video, click here. She did it as a collaboration with Fleur (FleurdeForce) and they gave 5 products each. Heh, I got to pick all ten. 😀

// PRODUCTS MENTIONED:

1. Le Métier de Beauté Hydra-Crème Lipsticks: Cashmere, Sahara, Signature Red ($25 ea)
These are some of the easiest things to wear, I swear. LMdB’s older range of lipsticks (aka Colour Core Moisture Stain) are a bit more thicker in formula than these, and I think those have better colors. They’re also more expensive at $32 each. These ones are easier to swallow and a bit easier to wear for everyday.

Signature Red seems to be a matte version of this range, which is kind of shiny. They released a few limited edition shades in the matte version, most of which are still available at Net-a-Porter.

2. NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil: Bahama, Dolce Vita, Damned ($25 ea)
I don’t even know why I even bothered to get even one of these because now I want to get them all. Don’t be turned off by the truly inefficient packaging (who even sharpens lip crayons anymore!), the formula is honestly worth it. I like all of the colors I got, though Damned is a crowd favorite, for sure.

3. Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer, 1 oz. (0.33 oz at $18)
MY FAVORITE PRIMER OF ALL TIME. Even though I am a total primer h0-bag, I always come back to this one. It is honestly the best I’ve ever tried. The other primers I have—and I have a lot—are great and work well enough, but this one is the best performing of the bunch. It really primes (ha) my face and makes it all nice and smooth for the foundation to go on. A lot of people don’t care about primers, but they seriously make a difference, especially if your skin is like mine, which doesn’t play well with foundations generally.

4. Urban Decay Primer Potion: original ($24)
Again, my favorite, holy grail eye primer. I’ve tried a few of these, too. The NARS one didn’t work for me; the e.l.f. was utter trash; the Etude House was meh, okay. This is like the Muhammad Ali of eye primers (get it? The Greatest?), at least in my life.

5. butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer: Blagger ($15 ea)
I’m a freaking lazy nail person, so when a nail lacquer snakes its way into a “favorites list,” it means something for sure. I love butter London Nail Lacquers, especially the cremes. I have a bunch of them in colors I don’t really like on my nails, it turns out, so I’ll be on the hunt for ones I’d love to own (e.g. Nude, grey, pale pink, maybe?)

6. BECCA Beach Tint: Guava, Raspberry ($25 ea)
These are great! Truly something for the laid-back person. I’m not that at all, but I do find myself in a hurry a lot of the time and this is easy-to-apply, easy to blend out and hard to over-apply. Yes, yes, and yes! These are great for travel, too.

7. OCC Lip Tars: Strumpet, Lydia ($20 ea)
I am in a love/hate relationship with OCC lip tars. Sometimes I like them, sometimes I don’t. They are on this list, however, because I appreciate their cruelty-free and vegan stance, plus their amazing color range. I am a little miffed about some of their names (i.e. Tarred/Feathered… I mean, really), and I find them to be a bit expensive for what they are, but I like them all the same.

8. bareMinerals READY 2.0 Eyehadow: The Scenic Route ($20 ea)
One of my favorite eyeshadow formulas ever! This little quad here is the reason for this love for eyeshadow blooming inside of me. For reals. I am on the lookout for more shades, but every time I look and try to pick one, I manage to always want something else more and never follow through with purchasing. I don’t even know how I managed to pick just this one when I was swatching these!

9. Sara Happ The Lip Slip ($24)
Faves lip treatment of life. Probably wouldn’t repurchase because it’s too expensive, but I’ve had this pot for a long time, and it has given me nice lips, so maybe I will elect to not suffer a yuckier formula and just repurchase. Maybe. I don’t know yet, but this stuff is good. I know some people don’t like it because of some ingredients, but I’ve been fine…? I think?

10. Rouge Bunny Rouge Long-Lasting Eyeshadow Refill Pans: Bohemian Waxwing, Delicate Hummingbird, Eclipse Eagle ($22~ ea)
Again, just amazing, buttery eyeshadows. I kind of hate that they don’t come in palettes or anything like that, because all my singles are all over the place. I don’t want to depot the singles I have because I am more of a packaging fan than a fan of organization. Anyway, truly amazing eyeshadows with a sophisticated range of shades.

BONUS! Here are 3 more things I love that are not from CF brands.
— shu uemura eyelash curler ($20)
This is just basically what I use everyday. I also have one by Le Métier de Beauté that retails for $18, but this one gives a firmer curl, which I need.

— shu uemura eyeshadow refill pan: ME medium brown 885 ($15)
OK, so this is probably my most favorite eyeshadow of all time. Probably. (More yes than no.) It is a great reddish brown that has a metallic finish and a super buttery formula that glides on smoothly and with amazing pigmentation, is easy to blend, and it is something that I love wearing on its own. Seriously, if you have a shu uemura counter near you, swatch this little baby and tell me it’s not butter.

— MAC Paint Pots: Bare Study ($ 20 ea, I think?)
Aside from the UDPP, I use these cream shadows a lot as my bases. They are freaking amazing—creamy, long-lasting and comes in a lot of various shades. My favorites are all of them. Seriously, I feel totally bad for picking any over the other because I love them all so much.

And that’s that! What about you? Any favorite luxe beauty item that won’t break the bank? Let me know… and perhaps I shall be once again enabled.

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