Girl Talk: Splurge-Worthy Beauty

Let's be honest, ladies. It would be great if we were all Hollywood starlets or pampered heiresses with huge beauty budgets, but we're living in the real world here. I'd love to luxuriate in a tub of $1600 moisturizer or indulge in a few $50 a pop eyeshadows... if it wasn't for those pesky student loan payments! The best of jobs can't fund our luxury beauty fixations when we've got little things like rent, mortgages, bills, and families to tend to. When high-end beauty cravings compete with the rent for our hard-earned cash, what wins out?

Nars EyeShadow
$21.00
Available at: Amazon.com

I've been dying to ask some real-world women which luxury beauty products are really worth their after-tax pennies. I called on the Stiletto Jungle Girl Talk Panel, real-world women with real-world jobs, to confess their splurge-worthy luxury beauty products. So, ladies, what do you splurge on?

"I really love Dermalogica's Pre-Cleanse," says Po, a 28-year-old attorney in Ceres, California. "It costs a bit more than department store cleansers but is well worth it. It is the only product that has made me feel like my makeup is actually being removed without leaving a dry, 'after-wash' feel."

I agree, Po. A face wash that gets rid of a day's worth of makeup and still makes your skin feel divine is well worth the extra cost. Now that we've got a great makeup removing wash, what about pretty little things to make-up your face?

Crest Whitestrips
$36.40 (was $39.99-- save 9%!)
Availablea at: Amazon.com

"I have so many products that I spend too much money on," confesses Pearl, a 28-year-old LA-based music industry coordinator. "I love Nars EyeShadow (photo top left). I consider this a pretty big splurge because you are paying $20-30 on just one single color. It's worth it, though. For girls with darker complexions, it's hard to find a good eyeshadow that actually shows up on the skin. Nars is great because of it's high pigmentation of color. Not to mention the fact that they always have the coolest colors. Some of my faves are: Night Clubbing, Night Fever, and Party Monster. See a theme? The Nars Cream EyeShadows are great too, Klondike is awesome."

Ooh, good call Pearl. I use Nars Night Clubbing as an eyeliner myself, and then smudge it around with Klondike for a sultry night out look. The world of fab beauty fixations is definitely small! Let's turn our attention to our tresses. Any suggestions?

Michael Kors Eau de Parfume
$61.99
Available at: Perfumania

"Okay well, I don't know how qualified I am on this topic because generally I don't 'splurge' on makeup/beauty products," says 'Random Chick,' a 31-year-old executive assistant and freelance writer. "Anyway, that being said, there are a couple things I've found that are by no means cheap and are worth every penny."

Ok, I'm listening.

"The first is Aveda haircolor. I've been dying my hair since I was 18, and Aveda is probably the best I've ever found. The coverage is phenomenal and it lasts forever. Furthermore its a rich, natural color, and what little inevitable fading there is looks like natural highlighting-- like you've spent time in the sun. Love, love, LOVE it!"

I'm with you on that one, "Random Chick!" I dyed my dark blonde locks a rich chocolate brown last year and I'm loving the yummy Aveda color I receive at my salon, Atelier Aveda. I can't tell you how much I love my colorist, Jennifer Bradford. She's a color goddess. Three cheers for Aveda salons!

Benefit "Touch Me..." Cream
$10.00
Available at: Amazon.com

Kim, a 23-year-old recent college graduate from La Jolla, California, also names hair products as one of her splurge-worth beauty items. "Pureology Shampoo and Conditioner... this stuff is insane," says Kim. "It made my hair soft and manageable and the product has never been tested on animals-- thats a plus. My other must have product is Crest Whitestrips (photo top right). This is definitely not the biggest splurge but every female should make sure her teeth create a beautiful white smile."

"The only thing I can not live without is my Michael Kors perfume (above left)," divulges Michelle, a 40-year-old SoCal nurse. "I love it and always get complemented on how great it smells."

Sounds like it's worth every dime. Anyone else got a soft spot for sweet-smelling goodies?

"Benefit's 'Touch Me Then Try To Leave Me' body cream (above right)," offers "Random Chick." "I think skin type probably plays a role in which creams/lotions work best for you, but yeah, this stuff isn't called 'Touch Me Then Try To Leave Me' for just anything. It makes my skin feel like silk. Just silk. No stickiness or any of that creamy-gooey-buttery ickiness some stuff gives you. A little goes a long way, and it has a nice light feminine scent that isn't too sweet, doesn't overwhelm you with floral/musk/spice, and won't out-compete any perfume you try to wear. Awesome for pampering yourself. And dates."

Ahh, great advice as always.

Click on any photo or linked text to link directly to where you can purchase that splurge-worthy beauty product online. Don't miss a single Girl Talk discussion. Subscribe to Stiletto Jungle and get free updates by e-mail or RSS.

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