Ta-dahh! Introducing our new southern correspondent, Orlando. Writing for Cork Student News and a regular blatherer on Beaut.ie, this prudent student knows all about looking good on a shoe-string. Each Friday, she'll have the gen on getting gorgeous for all aspects of university life. This week, Orlando kicks off Student Style with the low-down on how to prep for a big night out when there's a mere €10 to spare. Will she manage it? Read on ...
It’s a Thursday. It’s a friend’s birthday. Where I’m standing, that means two cast-iron, un-get-out-of-able reasons to go out; throw in having just submitted two major assignments for merciless grading and you have the hat-trick. The spanner in the works is, as always – MONEY.
I don’t even mean money for actually going out on the town. No no: a frugal fashionista such as myself knows the fifteen-minute window when you can get into a club for €2 and get free drinks if you’re with the *wink wink* ‘Economics class party that just went in ahead of me’. No: I mean moolah for the warpaint to prep one for such a night.
And so, on this fateful day, I found myself in town, with nought in my hand save €10 in Dunnes Stores vouchers and €1.60 for the bus fare home. With this tenner, however, I could perform miracles. Like The Big Man Himself, I shall demonstrate its transformation by exponential proportions; not into eleventy million loaves and fishes, but into a plethora of Essence goodies.
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With clubbing on the cards and Summer in the air, my main requirement was bright colours. I settled on one of the Eyeshadow Quattros, €3.48. There are three to choose from, and mine consisted of acid green, yellow, purple and turquoise. Applied wet as a liner, the turquoise looked incredible and a little blend of the purple at the corners was enough drama for my face.
I teamed this with Lash Mania Ultra Volume, €2.98, a mascara with a nice fat brush that held the result of my eyelash-curler surprisingly well. My favourite buy was the mini Colour & Go nail polish in 17, €1.28: two coats of this sparkly, swimming-pool blue dried like a rock and eventually stayed flawless for days. Relying on the staples of my trusty makeup kit for foundation, blush and gloss, I had enough change from the vouchers to grab a Maltesers Bunny. Savage.
Now, I can be as thrifty as the next broke college student, but I’m not an eejit. Budget brands can often equal total tat, so drawing the distinction between ‘cheap and cheerful’ and ‘cheap and crap’ is a process of trial and elimination that borders on an artform. The drearily-packaged, typically talc-based poundshop plunder is likely to play havoc with our hormonally-tortured skin.
Basically, don’t be tempted to buy or use something on the sole basis of price. Flakey face is a good look for no one!
