Splurge or Save? The Smartest Beauty Buys

Splurge or Save on Blush?

Splurge.

The pigments in blush are very similar to those in eye shadow―the less expensive the product, the more likely it is that the pigments have been diluted with talc and other powder ingredients or are not milled as smoothly. "Inexpensive blushes might leave streaks, and they rarely give you a silky feel," says San Francisco makeup artist Hillary Clark. If you want to add color and dimension to your face, it's worth the money to buy a blush that stays on. And you shouldn't have to swipe your cheek 18 times to get the color you want. Recommended product: Nars Blush ($27, narscosmetics.com) is loaded with pigments that are finely milled.
 
 

The Exception

"Inexpensive cream blushes tend to have more lasting color than powders in the same price range," says Turnbow. Because you dab them on the apples of the cheeks (rather than brushing them across the entire cheekbones), you can get a rich shade.