Saturday, October 20, 2012

How Much Is My Face Worth?

I haven't done a tag on this blog before, and this one seemed to be the easiest one to start off with as it requires no thinking on my part. To my understanding, all you need to do is add up the price of all the products you usually use in the morning, and invariably become shocked at the total cost. I've picked items that I used on a particular day last week, so this is more or less my current routine. If I'd done this tag a month ago, the NARS Sheer Glow would be substituted for Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum or Missha Signature BB cream, the Benefit Hervana would be Rimmel or a Bourjois round pot blush, and the Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner would be a Maybelline gel eyeliner or Savvy by DB pencil.



For a long time now, I've been starting off with the eyes and then doing my base. I know that usually it's the reverse, but I just find it easier that way. I've been neglecting my powder eyeshadows for cream products, mostly due to laziness. I'd say that currently, I use cream eyeshadow for at least 3 of the 5 weekdays I wear makeup. I know I harp on about it constantly, but it's really been all about Maybelline Bad to the Bronze, usually darkened slightly with a deeper colour (here, I picked L'Oréal Infallible eyeshadow in Bronzed Taupe). I've been liking Benefit Busy Signal on my lower lashline and how it seriously doesn't budge. If I can be bothered, once or twice a week I'll use either of my Urban Decay Naked palettes, Wet n Wild Comfort Zone or Silent Treatment, or Revlon Polished Bronze. Cheap dual-ended Sportsgirl eyeshadow brushes, Bourjois Liner Feutre and my Shiseido eyelash curler are staples. Benefit They're Real has been my mascara of choice since I bought it.


I've been alternating between NARS Sheer Glow (applied with a Real Techniques Buffing Brush) and Make Up For Ever HD foundation (applied with a Real Techniques Stippling Brush). I figure I might as well use up my higher end/"better" foundations since I probably won't be able to finish up both before it's technically time to dispose of them thoughtfully. According to the instructions in the box, you're supposed to apply the NARS with your hands (presumably to warm up the product and have it blend more seamlessly into your skin), but I still use a brush for convenience. Lately, I've also been powdering using my Real Techniques Powder Brush with the middle section of the Australis Face-A-Holic palette, which contains their pressed powder in Deep Natural. I never used to powder, but I'm finding it does make a significant difference to how long my foundation lasts.


Lastly, I do my cheeks and highlight. Blush is probably the one thing I change up the most, but I just picked Benefit Hervana (applied with my Real Techniques Blush Brush) as it's a nice all-rounder. I've been liking the 4ml bottle of Benefit High Beam that was included in the Go TropiCORAL Lip & Cheek Kit for my highlight, though I also frequently reach for my Jemma Kidd Dewy Glow All Over Radiance Crème. I'll sometimes use bronzer to contour (Benefit Hoola, NYX Taupe or the matte contour colour in my Napoleon Perdis Ultimate Contour Palette), usually applied with either my Real Techniques Contour Brush or Multi-Task Brush.


So what's the damage? If something belonged to a kit or set, I've included the price of the whole thing just to make it easier.
  • NARS Sheer Glow in Fiji $46
  • Benefit Hervana $30
  • Maybelline Bad to the Bronze $12
  • Sportsgirl eye brush $3
  • Ecotools concealer brush (part of their Bamboo 5 Piece brush set) $26 (yes, you read right. The set's $26 in Australia. Crazy.)
  • Bourjois Liner Feutre $14 (usually $24, but I purchased it with a $10 off voucher)
  • Maybelline Baby Lips in Relieving Menthol $4
  • Benefit They're Real mascara $25
  • Benefit High Beam (part of the Go TropiCORAL Lip & Cheek Kit) $30 
  • Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner in Busy Signal $21
  • Shiseido eyelash curler $15
  • L'Oréal Infallible eyeshadow in Bronzed Taupe $10
  • Real Techniques Blush Brush $15
  • Real Techniques Buffing Brush (part of the Core Collection) $30

Total: $281

Cue shock and horror. If I'd included items that I sometimes use (along with primers), the figure would be well above $300. If I'd replaced some of the more expensive items with cheaper alternatives and ditched some brushes, it'd still be over $150. But in terms of cost per wear, I still think I get my money's worth. A more horrendous prospect would be a tag like, "how much is my makeup collection worth?". I don't want to know.

66 comments:

  1. Oh no! I read these posts and I kind of cringe, but then I think, well my face is worth a lot to me so I don't think I really mind the dollars going there :D
    x

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  2. :D
    Dw, many people's faces are worth heaps! It's worth looking fabulous ;)

    omg "how much is my makeup collection worth" ...

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  3. Hi, Great post! That is a very scary thought for me at the end. An eyeshadow here and a lipstick there, it all adds up very quickly!

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  4. I worked out a while ago my daily face is about $500-$600. But I didn't include brushes. Eeek! I think I'd have a panic attack if I ever added up the cost of my entire make-up collection.

    $281 isn't bad at all, especially since you've included the cost of whole sets.

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  5. I was so excited to see this post on the Blogger Reader. Where did you get your Shiseido eyelash curler? And I wish that brought the L'Oreal Infallible Bronzed Taupe to Australia! It's the prettiest colour of the whole lot, imo! I thought about doing this but I'm sure everyone's sick of seeing the same products on my blog. And I don't want to know how much I've wasted on makeup... Hahahaha to calculate how much you've spent on your whole collection, especially after the crazy US haul... Definitely something you're better off not knowing. ;)
    Good on you for using the price of the whole kit rather than dividing it or whatever. $26 for the Ecotools set is ridiculous. That's insane.
    I got the RT Blush brush(!), and I'm actually a little disappointed- I thought it would be more dense, but I'm sure it'll grow on me after a while. And I'm very tempted to order the Bourjois Lineur Feutre from ASOS, especially after seeing your Benefit They're Real! post because I'm getting back into liner and pencils aren't cutting it for me anymore.
    PS: just read through this comment- sorry to pack it with so many things! :P

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    1. I wish they had Bronzed Taupe in Australia too - it's frustrating the different shades that L'Oreal make available depending on where you live (and the confusing different names of the same shades as well!). I would still read the tag on your blog, even if it features products you've written about before :) I do not know how much my makeup collection would be worth, probably thousands of dollars given that the products I've featured here are only a fraction of what I have :S Oh dear.

      The blush brush isn't meant to be dense, especially with the tapered end. Couldn't you preview it at your local Priceline that sells Real Techniques? The one they always put out as the tester (at least where I live) is the blush brush, lol. It's beautifully soft though, I hope you do grow to be more fond of it after your initial disappointment! I actually used a Revlon felt tip eyeliner in the They're Real post, but Bourjois for every day (just a line, I don't fill in the corner like in that post). The Revlon is a bit drier, not as pigmented, harder and shorter in terms of the tip. The Bourjois is softer, more black, longer but not as hard. I really like it, but I don't know how you would find it. Maybe wait for Priceline to have some kind of sale or Target? Otherwise you could order from ASOS (it is the cheapest) but you know how much I hate waiting for online shopping to arrive :p

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    2. Also, my Shiseido was from bonjourhk.com :)

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    3. Your Priceline leaves a brush out as a sample?! Mine doesn't! I'm thinking of using the blush brush for contour but I'm so used to the Ecotools blush brush that the RT will take some getting used to. I'm thinking of going back to get the Stippling brush because I hear Youtuber after Youtuber singing its praises (for applying powder blush, it seems) and it's the last one on my list that I haven't already gotten. :S
      I got the Bourjois $10 off voucher but then commenced the spending ban and kicked myself for forgetting about it! I was planning on getting the Healthy Mix concealer with it and completely forgot. ASOS is my safehouse online shopping site because I think they use a private courier service and the tracking is really good- my previous orders have arrived in under 5 days. I'm even contemplating the Stila In The Light palette instead of the Urban Decay palettes because I find ASOS so much more reliable. I can't decide which Naked palette to get so I'm thinking of opting for the Stila one instead. For the meantime, anyway. Have you seen the In The Light palette? What do you think?

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    4. Hmmmm, never tried the stippling for powder. You should go for it though, I have warmed to it as a foundation brush (but only for my MUFE). It's a good "all rounder" brush, in that you can use it for pretty much anything. Including random purposes like brushing away eyeshadow fall out :p I like it for blush as well, or just for blending away harsh lines of blush/bronzer, or if you've overdone part of your face and want to take away some product.

      I wanted to get some more products with the $10 voucher, but I ended up with 2: Healthy Mix Serum in #52 and the Liner Feutre. It would've been a bargain to use for nail polishes though - they'd be like $3 each! I do like ASOS in that they minimally provide a tracking service and are generally reliable, however, I still find it takes just under 2 weeks for orders to arrive. Their prices for some products are also a bit more expensive than other websites, but I guess you could take that as insurance for the superior delivery service (BeautyBay for example, don't offer tracked shipping).

      I highly recommend you get the Naked palette rather than Stila! I do not have a Stila palette, however, I've swatched them multiple times at Mecca Cosmetica and also when I was in the US at Sephora. In the Light is a very pretty palette and similar to Naked1, but the UD is superior in my opinion (you also get more shades). But I think the Stila is a bit cheaper - like $36 rather than $50, so that might make a difference. I don't think you would necessarily be disappointed with In the Light, so if you're set on it, go for it :) (Haha, I'm such an enabler...)

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  6. I did my one and it was roughly $400. I included everything though (not sure about my brushes) I'm keen on trying Benefit's They're Real Mascara, Heard a lot of good things about it but I'm trying to restrain myself from getting more mascaras since I need to get through so many.

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    1. Me too! I still have a few still wrapped up in their packaging but I couldn't resist trying a Benefit mascara - I've always heard good things about them :) I remember reading yours, but you included a lot more products that I omitted in mine.

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  7. Just imagine how much is my makeup collection worth... the post will take days to calculate and I think I will be mortified.

    http://kitschsnitch.blogspot.com.au/

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  8. Oh god, a how much is my make up collection would make me feel sick I think, I haven't done this tag cause of fear haha!
    I really want to get sheer glow, it looks like such a good foundation! Love your picks :)

    Xoxo

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    1. Lol, I think the "How much is my makeup collection worth" should totally be a tag! Imagine it! It would totally force people to come to terms with what they don't want to face, and be compelling reading for the rest of us as well ;)

      I think you probably can get something similar to Sheer Glow in a cheaper foundation. Maybe Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum? It has quite decent coverage and lasting power and I like the relatively subtle glowiness it gives you when you first apply it. It might not be the best option for those with oily skin though.

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  9. I love these posts but I'm terrified of doing it! God forbid we ever start doing what is my makeup collection worth? posts. I think I'd have a nervous breakdown.
    S xx

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    1. LOL best not go there then ;) Ignorance is bliss!

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  10. i've been meaning to do this post, but it's been sitting in my drafts for so long now idk if i should even put it up anymore haha.
    i'd be scared of knowing how much my makeup collection is worth too haha

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    1. I liked reading your post! Especially with all the budget buys and savings you managed to make :) It was impressive, lol.

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  11. Lol if we were to do a 'How much is my makeup collection worth' tag, out calculators would be on fire from the amount of input we'll have! XD Somehow I think the $300 range is pretty ok considering the whole set would last you AT LEAST 6 months if used everyday and your makeup tools won't actually 'run out'. So I guess it's quite an acceptable amount! =D

    I really enjoy posts like these, they're so fun!

    ♡ M.May

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    1. Hahaha, it would be too much strain on them :p Thanks for attempting to make me feel better about my expenditure :p

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  12. I'd usually go for cream shadows too over powder. They're so much quicker! I think the price tag is worth it considering the amount of use, so you ARE getting your money's worth. :D I usually just do mascara and lipstick/lip balm, sometimes eyeliner, but otherwise, if I did this tag, it'd be pretty boring, haha! :)

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    1. I don't think so! Especially if it was in contrast to people posting elaborate routines or mainly products to do a full face of makeup. Sometimes simplicity is a breath of fresh air :)

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  13. Great tag post! I am scared to calculate mine. But maybe it's a good way to stop myself from buying any more cosmetics for a while haha!

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  14. I am PETRIFIED on calculating my daily face products. If I would calculate the cost of all my makeup collection, I'm pretty sure I would question my existence :D Great post! xo

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  15. I am always blown away by your photos! Lovely makeup choices and the price isn't bad when you think about how long each product lasts :) xo

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    1. Thank you Sophia :) Yes, you're right - in terms of cost per wear, it's probably only a couple of dollars, if that, every day.

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  16. Love all the product you use, I need to get my hands of some of those Benefit goodies :p x

    http://bowtiedbeauty.blogspot.com/

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  17. woah, that's a lot!, now I wonder how much mine would total, lol ^_^
    btw, we are using the exact same variant of Maybelline Baby Lips.

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  18. Great post! Love the products.. :) I'm forever a NARS fan.. ;)

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  19. Love those real techniques brushes <3 this post so interesting!

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  20. I love this tag, but am also terrified of the amount I'd get in the end. You definitely use some favourites of mine too. Love the real techniques brushes and NARS sheer glow. I use Benefits skinny jeans on a regular basis. <3

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  21. this is really exciting tag!! I'll do it too later in my blog hihi ;D
    oh btw, how do you like the nars foundation? I've been wanting to try it, but I can only buy it online, and I dont want to risk that amount of money buying foundation online ..:/

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    1. Yay, I'm looking forward to reading it! :)
      I will definitely be doing a post on the NARS. I like it but I don't lovelovelove it. Personally I find it very similar to Make Up For Ever HD foundation, but a touch more glowy (HD is a touch more matte). I'm not sure what shade you'd be, I honestly used Temptalia's foundation matrix as a starting point, but thankfully we have lots of NARS testers at a department store where I live, so I ended up swatching it on my face as well. If you're fairer than me, maybe go with Deauville?

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  22. Holy! Ok, I am going to do this. Eep. x

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  23. Love this tag!! I'll probably do it soon. It seems like a lot of money for the products but since it's an every day use I think you get your money's worth. And the thought of how much my makeup stash is worth is just too scary, I wouldn't want to know either lol...

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  24. Wow. I wish I had your makeup bag haha. I should do one of these posts at the moment, because it would come to $13.99 - the cost of Olay Complete 30+ moisturizer. Bad beauty blogger I know, but I haven't worn makeup in three weeks! haha

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    1. That's so cool, I commend you for giving your skin a break and having the guts to go bare-faced :) I don't even know why that's considered out of the ordinary since something like not wearing any makeup should be perfectly normal/natural, but since I started to become interested in it, I rarely go out without at least a little bit of eyeliner on :S

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  25. So happy to see you doing this tag - I just had to do a quick currency converter calculation for your total :D x

    http://wewereraisedbywolves.blogspot.co.uk/

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  26. I think would be horrified if I added up how much my face it worth ha ha! Oh well, if you look good and can afford it, it's up to you how much you spend. I just don't tell the other half ha!!

    http://themakeupjunkieblog-catb.blogspot.co.uk

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  27. "how much is my makeup collection worth?" <-- never has there been a more terrifying question! except maybe "how many shoes do you own?"!

    Great tag post! I really want to try this one too :)

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    1. Haha I don't even own that many pairs of shoes! :p I'm much more of a bag girl, so I guess the shoe question doesn't frighten me as much ;)

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  28. Haha, I did not even try to include any brushes. :D

    Sandra from The Puzzle of Sandra's Life

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  29. haha this is such a fun post! But I don't think I will do it for myself. It's best not to know lol. :D

    ~ Yun

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  30. It's a really expensive face LOL, but all those products are awsome.
    I dind't know this tag!! i'd like to do it maybe soon :)
    hugs

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  31. Oh may! Well, like one of the first commenters said, my face is worth a lot to me so I shouldn't be that concerned, it is a lot of money though. I think I want to do this tag now LOL Even though I use pharmacy products, with shipping and sometimes customs, all my products end up being quite expensive. We'll see. Now I can't wait to do the math hahaha I'm so going to be in trouble, better not let my BF see it ^^ xx

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    1. Hahaha, men will never understand! ;) You're right though, my face in the end is worth more than the cost of the products I put on it. It's invaluable :p I hate paying for shipping when shopping online - and even if the shipping's free, I hate waiting for it, lol. I'm very hard to please in that respect. I am looking forward to reading yours!

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  32. i always love reading this tag! Real Technique brushes are really amazing, they look so luxurious :) your face products cost so much but i think they all worth purchasing in the long run :)

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  33. ahh i love these tags! beautiful and clean photos too c: being a pretty new blogger, i haven't done any tags yet but i'm too scared to do this tag...

    http://a-la-foliee.blogspot.com

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  34. I really enjoy seeing post on this particular tag. It's really surprising how much it cost to do a full face of makeup (and that is excluding skin care). I don't even want to know how much my entire makeup collection is worth either.

    I wished the Laura Mercier set came with a tinted moisturiser too but I think it's easier for them to include a universal product rather than one that comes in different shade so that it will be easier for them to make and stock it I suppose. Oh wells, at least it's still a nice primer.

    Liz
    chewylove.blogspot.com

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    1. It is - I didn't think I picked out that many products (especially since I included brushes), but it still ended up costing almost $300! But I guess that is factoring in the cost of the whole sets that the individual products belonged to. The price would be hiked up even more with skin care which technically is part of it :p

      You're right about the difficulties of including a universal shade, and hence why primer was perhaps a easier and more accessible option. At least you enjoy the primer. Have you tried the Laura Mercier TM?

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  35. This is quite enlightening but I guess the costs can quickly add up if you really include everything used including the tools for application. This makes me curious about the cost of my beauty arsenal now. I think blush is also the one product that I change up the most as well - enough that I had to put myself on a blush ban :)

    Rowena @ rolala loves
    Enter my Blogiversary Giveaway!

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  36. wow this is such a great post! i've been wondering whether to buy the benefit high beam or not x

    http://lorihearts.blogspot.co.uk/

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  37. nice photos

    chloe

    xx

    www.bloominfashion.blogspot.co.uk

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  38. Great products! Benefit always has great products! Ah, you would have loved the Olympics, the atmosphere was so great! xX

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  39. Great post, I think I will pinch this idea for a post on my new blog....hope you dont mind!?!

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    1. Of course not, I didn't come up with the idea! Would love to read your post on it when you write it up :)

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  40. I keep hearing amazing things about RT brushes, I really have to buy some!
    You're quite brave for doing this, I really don't want to find out how much money I spend haha
    x
    bellambeauty.blogspot.com

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  41. wow everyones faces are so expensive! I think mine would be under $150 :P
    Might have to try out this post soon! haha :P
    xx

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  42. I really love your blog!

    tobebioacaseofbeauty.blogspot.it

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  43. Oh wow, makes you worry if it all got stolen.. it'd do more damage than if your car got stolen !!
    I'd really appreciate it if you would have a look at my new blog? I update often so please follow my Bloglovin' :-)

    http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/12285285/posts

    www.racheljaynebeauty.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete

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