Splurge or save? #instaGLAM gorgeous with COVERGIRL and Katy Perry

It’s no secret that I can be a bit of a brand snob. I like nice things, and I usually find that you get what you pay for.

And while a lot of my skin care and makeup is pretty high-end, I continue to give COVERGIRL products glowing reviews. Because it consistently blows me away.

I know it’s hard to believe that a drugstore-level makeup line has wow-worthy products, but this girl wouldn’t lie to you. I think we’ve established that by now.

One of my #instaGLAM selfies on concert night that I posted on Instagram. (Even though I was far from GLAM having just raced from my home office to get on the train to make it downtown in time.)

I recently got to see the awesome Katy Perry in concert on her PRISMATIC World Tour (thanks to its COVERGIRL sponsorship), and her makeup was stunning. So I wanted to share some of the products that she uses in concert and in her videos to prove that you don’t have to spend a lot to look glam.

And this got me thinking: if I only bought COVERGIRL makeup, how much would I save? What could I buy with all that newly found cash?

Here’s what I’ve been buying and spending per product (and I know I’m not alone here, ladies):

• Primer from Giorgio Armani = $75
• Foundation from Giorgio Armani = $75
• Concealer from YSL = $50
• Blush from MAC = $22
• Highlighter from MAC = $32
• Eyeshadow from MAC = $16
• Eyeliner from MAC = $16
• Lip gloss from NARS = $35
• Lipstick from Givenchy = $38
• Mascara. OK, I don’t wear mascara because I have eyelash extensions (that, realistically, I’m just never, ever getting rid of and I warn you that they’re so hugely addictive that not even the annual amount I spend on them will stop me), so I’m removing mascara from my comparison list
• GRAND TOTAL = $359 (remember: that’s for one product only in each category…holy crap)

And if I replaced it all with COVERGIRL makeup, which frankly would be pretty easy to do since I really do like just about everything I’ve tried:

• COVERGIRL + Olay Simply Ageless Serum Primer = $17
• COVERGIRL + Olay Facelift Effect foundation = $16
• COVERGIRL Ready Set Gorgeous Concealer = $7
• COVERGIRL Clean Glow Blush = $8
• COVERGIRL Bombshell ShineShadow by LashBlast (highlighter) = $10
• COVERGIRL Flamed Out Shadow Pot (eyeshadow) = $5
• COVERGIRL Liquiline Blast Eyeliner = $8
• COVERGIRL Lipslicks Smoochies Sizzle Gloss OR LipPerfection Jumbo Gloss Balm, depending on the look you want (lip gloss) = $5 OR $7
• COVERGIRL LipPerfection Lipcolour (lipstick) = $9
• GRAND TOTAL = $85-87

Some things I could do/buy with the $272 I’d save:

• A small but lovely piece of sterling silver jewelry from Tiffany & Co.
• Six to seven blow-outs (including tax and tip!)
• A couple’s massage
• A pair of designer jeans
• Shoes and boots for my kids for an entire year
• I think you see where this is headed…

A few notes about some of these COVERGIRL products:

The new COVERGIRL + Olay Facelift Effect foundation is awesome. Like, seriously awesome. I’ve been using it every day since it arrived and although I’m not sure I feel like it’s “firming” my skin, I do find that the coverage is so naturally good that my skin appears more flawless and younger.

COVERGIRL’s Bombshell ShineShadow by LashBlast is marketed as a highlighter for your eyes, or to give an extra bit of POW overtop of your eyeshadow, but it can absolutely be repurposed and used on your cheekbones and the little “V” on your top lip (your Cupid’s bow) as well. Just be warned: a little goes a LONG way.

The Flamed Out Shadow Pot colours are not as pigment-rich as MAC eyeshadows. If you’re used to deeply pigmented colour in one swipe, you may find that you need two or three swipes to reach that same intensity.

I really need to tell you about the new LiquilineBlast Eyeliner. I’m in love with it. I have used eyeliners that cost $2 and eyeliners that cost $20, and none go on as smoothly and easily as this. Now, if you’re looking for a really sharp, precise line, this isn’t your eyeliner; it’s definitely got a much more silky, smoky effect, especially coupled with the smudger on the opposite end of the eyeliner pencil. (Scroll to the end for a smoky eye how-to!)

The next time you want to wear lipstick but have a long night of wine ahead of you, try the LipPerfection Lipcolour. IT WILL NOT COME OFF! In fact, it may still be on the next morning. This is both a blessing and a curse. And the colours are very “true.” By that, I mean that the colour on the end of the stick (on the outside) actually ends up looking like the colour in the tube. Want to know which #instaGLAM shades Katy Perry’s wearing on tour? Check out Flame, Hot, Bombshell and Yummy (all of which I love to wear since I’m not afraid to rock a strong, bold lip):

Katy also uses LiquilineBlast Eyeliner in Black Fire, Flamed Out Shadow Pot in Molten Black and Bombshell ShineShadow in Ice Queen, which are the only three products you need to create a smokey eye like this:

BEFORE & AFTER HOW TO: Use a flat eyeshadow brush and pat on a couple of swipes of the Shadow Pot eyeshadow, then blend it with a blending brush across your entire lid and up into and slightly above the crease. Take the tiniest bit of ShineShadow on your finger and use it as highlighter on your brow bone, then a bit more goes into the inner corner of your eye and finally over the first third (or so) of your inner lid, right overtop of the shadow. This part of the shadow will now be a more glittery, metallic grey. Using the flat brush again, deeply imprint the crease in your eyelid with the eyeshadow so it’s nearly black; using a blending brush, work it into your crease evenly but keep it as dark as possible. Use the LiquilineBlast eyeliner to line the top and bottom of your eye (including the “inside”!) and flip it over to smudge it as little or as much as you like to achieve the smoky effect you like best. If you don’t have lash extensions like me, be sure to finish it off with mascara – lots of it!

 Need other makeup product recos to SAVE instead of SPLURGE? Just ask me.

DISCLAIMER: I am a P&Gmom. As part of my affiliation with this group, I receive products and special access to P&G events and opportunities. The opinions on this blog are my own.