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Makeover your cosmetic bag: 5 Inexpensive beauty swaps

There’s no denying that the price of beauty can really add up. The next time your favorite lipstick runs low or your foundation cakes up, try saving some cash by replacing it with one of these high-quality, low-cost beauty swaps.

1Swisspers Cosmetic Cotton Applicators

Makeup brushes are great, but if you’re the kind of woman who forgets to clean your brushes regularly, replacing your old brushes with new ones may not be worth the cost. You see, brushes that are left un-cleaned can lead to clogged pores and breakouts. To avoid this problem altogether, consider picking up Swisspers Cosmetic Cotton Applicators. For less than $4.00 you get 80 disposable applicators that enable easy application of eyeshadow and lipstick, as well as easy blending of liners. You can also purchase Swisspers Cosmetic Application Wedges to apply foundation, blush, bronzer and highlighter. A package of 32 costs roughly $2.50.

Swisspers Cosmetic Cotton Applicators

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2Revlon Colorstay 12 Hour EyeShadow Quad

When it comes to eyeshadow, you want variety, versatility and quality. The best products will go on smooth and won’t fade or crease as the day progresses. Josephine Fusco, a New York City-based freelance makeup artist suggests the Revlon Colorstay 12 Hour EyeShadow Quad because you get four colors with each purchase and you can choose from 18 different palettes. Also, there’s no smudging or creasing. You can pick up a quad for roughly $6.99 from local supermarkets and drugstores.

Revlon Colorstay 12 Hour EyeShadow Quad

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3Wet n Wild Liners

Wet n Wild may be the brand you purchase when buying your daughter’s first lip gloss, but the inexpensive lip and eye liners are a favorite of makeup artists and beauty experts. Fusco says “They offer great color and durability and keep your lipstick from bleeding outside your lips.” Constance Dunn, author of the style book Practical Glamour also loves Wet n Wild liners, “It’s good to have a white eyeliner on hand to brighten the look of your eyes and enhance your eye makeup shades. When it comes to pure white, there’s not a lot of differentiation among makers, and the Wet n Wild Kohl Kajal Eyeliner Pencil works great. It pencils on easily and lasts all day.” Wet n Wild cosmetics are available at most drugstores and liners cost roughly $1.00 to $2.00 each.

Wet n Wild Liners

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4L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara

For a mascara that makes your eyelashes look longer and thicker without clumping, check out L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara for roughly $7.50. Dale Janee Steliga, an image consultant, fashion stylist and founder of popular blog SavvySpice.net says, “My lashes are on the shorter side, so after using my curler I always apply this mascara and find it’s the best to thicken and lengthen my lashes.”

L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara

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5Rimmel Fix & Perfect Foundation Primer

If you want your morning makeup application to last all day, you need to apply a primer first. Steliga recommends Rimmel Foundation Primer because “It sets my foundation for the day. Also it goes on smooth and doesn’t clog pores, which is extremely important to me.” She goes on to note that, “I have tested many different primers and I like this one as much as higher-end primers like Smashbox.” Pick up Rimmel Foundation Primer for less than $7.00 from your local drugstore.

Rimmel Fix & Perfect Foundation Primer

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“I add my favorite false eyelashes (Andrea Modlash #53) for a more dramatic ‘going out’ effect. They are easy to apply and then I add the L’Oreal mascara on top to blend with my regular lashes. It’s amazing how much of a difference this can make on any woman’s eyes.” – Dale Janee Steliga, SavvySpice.net

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Makeover your cosmetic bag: 5 inexpensive beauty swaps

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