Beauty is pain. An expensive pain.
Never mind plucking and waxing and scraping and buffing. What about all the pricey decisions? MAC or Maybelline? Chanel or Cover Girl? And for the love of Pete, WHAT to do with all those powder compacts you dropped on the pavement and shattered to oblivion?
We chatted with Tampa, Fla.'s Lyz Brice, a professional makeup artist who spent eight years beautifying anchors at WFLA-TV in Tampa. She's now a free-lancer who works with models and guests on the Home Shopping Network.
Brice gave tips on where to spend, where to save and how to look hot when the economy is cold.
Quality canvas
When it comes to foundation, don't pinch pennies. A department-store makeup specialist can help match your perfect shade, and you can test it out before buying. Step outside and check it in the natural light to ensure you're not pulling a Marcel Marceau.
Try before you buy
Ask for samples -- and we don't mean a streak of eyeliner on your hand. Makeup counters often have freebies at the ready, but you have to pipe up. Some salespeople will give you a squirt of makeup in a Dixie cup. Brice said she's even sought samples at drugstores with her own Tupperware in tow.
Name counts
Spending a dollar or two more on a name brand may pay off when you realize Bob's Brand Mascara turns you into Tammy Faye. "There are a lot of no-name brands out there, and I think you run the risk of not necessarily buying something that has the testing behind it and has the quality standards behind it," Brice said.
Time your buys
Most makeup counters offer free gifts by the boat, but you have to time it right. Need to spend a few bucks on your favorite moisturizer? Hold out for a good promotion and you'll come away with free swag. Not to mention the 8-millionth makeup bag for under your sink.
Skip sponges
Think about it. They're designed to absorb. And what good does all your really expensive department-store foundation do inside a sponge? Instead, opt for a broad, blunt foundation brush for smooth application. Use sponges for blending edges.
Every last drop
Use a lip brush or Q-tip to scrape out the dark dredges of the lipstick tube. Clip the upper corner of the lip gloss like an icing bag to squeeze one more application. That blush you dropped and shattered? Dump the powder in a baggie and proceed. "I am the queen of using the compact until the very end," said Brice. "It's broken, but it's not ruined."
Back to basics
Don't forget a good moisturizer and sunscreen, Brice said. And guzzle water. Your skin will look so good, you won't need to spackle on the mother lode. "You're saving yourself tons of money."
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service www.scrippsnews.com)
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