"I love looking up your reviews", the email from beaut.ie reader Charan began. "You have always said that you ladies are high maintenance and buy the most expensive products", she continued. Oops, we are slightly guilty of that - but by God do we love a bargain too.
So what Charan has challenged us to do is the following: "can you do some beauty stuff which is an absolute must under €10 - like eyeshadows, foundation, concealer?"
I can't resist a project, so I got to thinking about it. Lipsticks by Rimmel, pots of Barry M shadow pigment and Dazzle Dust and their eye liners are well represented in my makeup bag. Barbara Daly's Make Up range for Tesco is awash with under-a-tenner spends, including her excellent chunky little concealer pot and liquid liners. Bourjois are on the money with their 1 Seconde Nail polish range, which comes in a whiff under budget and is available in great shades. L'Oreal Paris's excellent Colour Appeal Eye Shadows are chock-full of pigment and are particularly good for metallics and shine. 17's Sheer Shine Eye Creams are also great for night and super-easy to use with a brush or your fingers - try the gold with a slick of red lipstick for a sophisticated look. Rimmel's single shadows, while not available in the most fashion-forward shades, are decent, and provide a bigger colour hit when used wet.
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Rimmel, 17 and Maybelline all do foundations that hit the money-spot, and while I'm not 100% sure if Maybelline's Dream Matte Mousse squeaks in under a tenner, it's surely not too much more. For a normal skintype, it's ideal for day wear. Powder-wise, I always go for a loose product, to dust lightly on and avoid smearing my liquid base. 17 do a loose face powder and an oil-control one - great if you've got sebum-prone skin. Rimmel's pressed powders would also do the job admirably, just make sure you use a light touch, or swirl a big brush around the pot and apply that way.
Buy in Boots to save more. You'll often get 3-for-2s on big brands and when a new line comes into store, it's often heavily discounted. Plus, Boots are always giving away those €7.50 off vouchers, which is a brilliant way to buy something a little more expensive than you normally would.
And now I'm going to open the floor to you guys - I know you're all a mine of info, so leave your comments and let Charan (and us) know what's brilliant under €10.
