Welcome back to another blog post! I do have to apologise for my absence, I was sick majority of last week. However, I am back and I have promised myself to be consistent! No really, I already have next week's post in the works (more on that at the end of this one!) Anyway, I was rummaging around in my vanity today and I was looking at a particular eyeshadow palette and thinking, "Why did I buy you?! You weren't even worth it!" And that got me thinking, that there are probably other females out there with the same life struggle. So I decided to compile a list of a few of my favourite affordable makeup products you too might cherish instead of curse.  I know some women believe that quality can only be found in a high-end product with a high-end price tag and I know of some other women who laugh at this concept. (But girls, let's not be each other's worst enemies!) I think that while yes, there are some beauty products that are worth every cent, and we all love a good splurge (guilty!) There are also some budget-friendly products that are so good, that honestly you wont even feel the need to save up for the luxury makeup you were eyeing! 

So I bring to you, in no particular order, a few of my favourite underrated beauty finds you have been sleeping on. Thats right guys, stay woke. I have also included two lip options which are basically the budget-friendly equivalent of a higher-end product! (Because why not use that extra cash for brunch?) 

Okay lets get into it!

The Sportsgirl 'Eye Shade It' Burgundy Eyeshadow Palette.

So I know people don't usually go into Sportsgirl if they are looking for makeup, but guys, Sportsgirl has revamped their entire beauty range and it is actually decent. No, it's better than decent. It is good. If you're a beauty aficionado then you would already have guessed their burgundy palette is a copy of the Kylie Cosmetics burgundy palette. The thing is though, it's not a cheap knock-off you would buy off of eBay for $5. The quality is great. I personally think it looks more like a mix of both the Kylie Cosmetics Burgundy and Bronze Palette's in one. You can compare them for yourself below. Sorry for the not so clean Sportsgirl palette-it has become my go to in recent weeks!

Photo by: KylieCosmetics.com

As you can see, the price difference (and that is not including international shipping) is substantial. The price point for the Kylie Cosmetics eyeshadow palette plus shipping was just something I wasn't willing to pay for (Around $50AUD) since both the palette's include shades that I was sure I could find on Aussie soil, and most people who purchase Kylie products are paying for the name. (Not that there is anything wrong with that. Your money, your choice!) However, these shades are so on trend right now, and the palettes were so hyped up on social media, I couldn't get away from them. So when I saw similar shades for half the cost and not to be shady towards Kylie Cosmetics, probably of equal quality-I picked it up, and I love it. I think it will definitely be my most reached for palette. The shade names are a little dorky but the colour pay off and blendability makes up for it. 'Damn Gina' is now my go-to crease colour. And I am definitely taking this bad boy with me on my next trip, it has all the colours for a neutral glam look-perfect for travel.

Australis Metallix Cream Eyeshadow

I came across these bad boys a while back and before purchasing (despite the swatches being very impressive) I decided to look online for some reviews. I actually didn't find that much back then, but I think this product has blown up in recent times. I still decided to include it incase anyone reading this doesn't own a pot themselves, because they are actually one of my favourite eyeshadow products ever. Again, if you're a beauty-fiend you would instantly be able to guess this product is a dupe or copy of the Stila Magnificent Metals foiled eyeshadow pots.





The thing is though, The Australis Metallix Eyeshadows are $9.49AUD for 1.9g in comparison to the Stila product which, according to the Stila website is $32USD (Around $40AUD) for 1.9845g. Quite a price jump for the quantity you're getting, hey. 





Now before those who do own the Stila foiled eyeshadows kick up a stink--I won't claim that both products are of equal quality. But what I will say is that the Australis Metallix eyeshadow are incredibly pigmented, insanely creamy and you will only need the smallest amount for an opaque finish. Wait a minute--that's what all the reviews have said about the Stila eyeshadow. Interesting. But hey, let's not be shady now.

NYX Full Coverage Concealer and NYX Dark Circle Concealer Corrector

Okay so these two are a new addition to my collection, and I had to include them because they are an absolute steal! Brief backstory: I had been noticing a little bit of pigmentation around my mouth area for a few weeks and realised my concealer just wasn't doing the trick. Not a big deal, most South Asian women like myself have pigmentation on the skin or darkness under the eyes. And so because of this, I had been eyeing the Bobbi Brown correctors for a little while but didn't know if I truly needed so much concealing because I am quite new to the colour correction world. 

Photo by: bobbibrown.com.au

That being said, I didn't want to purchase a $45AUD pot for only 1.4g. Again, if you do use the Bobbi Brown corrector, fair enough-your money, your choice. And I understand that you only need a tiny amount and it will last you a while. But listen, there are girls who use orange and red lipsticks they have in their top drawer for colour correcting so why does Bobbi Brown feel the need to make me pay that much for such little product? Instead I looked online for any alternatives because at this point I wasn't even sure if colour correcting was for me. I found a cheaper alternative in the NYX range of concealers. The NYX dark circle concealer I bought on sale for $8 AUD (Praise Target for their random unadvertised beauty sales!) but it is usually around $12 AUD. 





The orange full coverage concealer corrector I actually ordered online for again about $12 AUD but it is even cheaper in the US of course. You get 7g of product which is a steal since you only need the tiniest amount. It claims to be lightweight and crease free, and these claims check out. Honestly, they're little pots of gold for those with pigmentation or dark under eyes who are on a budget or even just starting to figure out what works for them in regards to colour correction. I use the orange to cancel out pigmentation around the mouth and the medium shade for dark circle correction. Of course you can use them however which way you want! The orange can also be used under the eyes and the medium shade for acne scarring elsewhere on the face and so on and so forth!

Affordable Liquid Eyeliners: BYS Smudgeproof Waterproof Eyeliner

I don't think I can reiterate this enough-If you are not the best at liquid eyeliner application, trying the most expensive one you can find won't fix your unsteady hand or make your wings even. Sounds like common sense right? Well you would be surprised at the number of women who I have personally encountered who own high-end eyeliners, yet still just can't seem to get it right. I know that sounds cruel, but let me explain. I get it, eyeliner can be difficult. Maybe you're a beginner or even a pro who is in a rush. (And sometimes, you're just having an off day.) And honestly, if the more budget-friendly eyeliner is decent in regards to formula and doesn't crack, smear or smudge---why are you paying extra? More importantly, why do luxury brands feel the need to bring out eyeliners when there are so many for a fraction of the cost? I will never understand. Anyway, I bring to you an affordable eyeliner that will make the job easier, faster and is actually great for beginners (and pros!)

This BYS eyeliner is for every woman who has at one point in their life, felt discouraged about their eyeliner. Like there is no hope left for them--(okay that is a bit dramatic, but at the same time, it isn't!) Just have a look at that curve, that fine tip...it is what dreams are made of people. And maybe I'm crazy but I just feel like it curves to the shape of my eye. Like it was made just for me. Okay that's enough praise, let's get into specifics. Basically, this eyeliner was the first one I ever purchased as a young teen. Mostly due to the price point which at the time was around $3 or so. It now sits at $4.95 which is still such a steal for what this baby can do. It is well-formulated and does what it claims too. It doesn't crack, it isn't streaky and best of all-it dries down completely matte and then doesn't move. Actually no, that isn't the best part. The best part is it does not smudge. 

So if you're like me, and you have just applied the rest of your makeup and you have to say a prayer before reaching for your eyeliner-this is the product for you. You can mess up your wings, accidentally make your line too thick and you don't have to stress. Because although this eyeliner is waterproof, you can still clean it up so easily before it fully dries without it smudging everywhere and ruining the rest of your face. I usually just take a finger and wipe it away, no need for a q-tip or makeup remover. The sad part is, this eyeliner is so underrated, to the point where I know of women who have dismissed the brand because it is known for being so inexpensive. I had someone compliment me once on my winged eyeliner and upon hearing it was BYS, actually laughed. Do I care though? Nope. Because this eyeliner will make your wings sharp enough to cut anyone who scoffs at you for using BYS. *Snaps fingers in a Z formation.*


Okay for the next budget beauty finds, I have decided to have them face off against more expensive makeup products in a 'dupe' test. (Dupe meaning duplicate/cheaper version of a higher priced product-incase you don't know what that means!) I thought I would let the lipsticks do the talking for this portion of the blog post, since the swatches pretty much say it all. 

First up we have:

Too Faced Melted Liquified long-wear lipstick in the shade 'Melted Berry' VS. Colourpop Ultra-Matte Liquid Lipstick in the shade 'More Better.' 

I decided to include the Colourpop liquid lipstick for those who like Colourpop as a brand, and the fact it still ends up being cheaper even after conversion from USD to AUD. The one pictured above is actually a mini which came in a set of 5 liquid lipsticks but the full sized is $6USD ($7.55AUD) and the Too Faced liquid lipstick is $30AUD. I really like Colourpop lipsticks and there is a reason the brand is so popular over in the states: its affordability, with majority of their single products being around the $6-$8 mark. So it still works out cheaper than a single Too faced lipstick. The shipping to Australia isn't too bad either, if you spend $50 you get free international shipping. Team Colourpop all the way. 

See the swatches below:



As you can see, theyre pretty much the exact same shade. However, the Colourpop is far more opaque in comparison to the Too Faced lipstick which is slightly less pigmented. Theyre both great in regards to wear time, but I do feel the Too Faced bleeds a little where as the colourpop stays put but it can be a little more drying. So while they both have their pros and cons, for the price difference, I would go for the Colourpop. 

Wet n Wild Megalast Lip Color vs MAC: Velvet Teddy

Okay, so I know Wet n Wild is not a very well known brand in Australia, but their products are quite good. They actually recently released some highlighters and eyeshadows that have beauty bloggers in the US raving about the brand. The colour range is great and the formula is decent you guys. You can purchase Wet n Wild in Australia here for $6. And if you get the shade 'Bare it All' which is almost an exact dupe for the extremely popular shade Velvet Teddy by MAC, you're saving yourself $30. Winning. 

I mean look, they're basically fraternal twins:




That's it for today's blog post you guys! 

I hope you enjoyed it and maybe learnt about a product you perhaps hadn't heard of previously. If you have any budget beauty finds you would like to share (I am always up for a bargain!) then let me know!