For anyone trying to stick to a budget, makeup might seem like something you can skimp on, but when you apply products to your skin every day, you want to be sure you’re spending your pennies on quality ingredients such as those found in mineral makeup. Plus, the perfect lipstick truly can make you look and feel your best.

Tackle your limited beauty budget head-on by giving yourself a monthly spending limit, and hold yourself to it. Each month when you’re debating what product to purchase next, make a list of priority makeup items that you need, and that will tell you where to put your money. Focus on the seven essential steps: prime, base, conceal, set, eyes, cheeks, lips. Make sure you have one item from each category before you build up the rest of your collection.

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Primer – Spend Now, Save Later

Primer might sound like an extra step, but when you prep your skin the foundation applies more evenly, resulting in less product used, and when your foundation last longer, you won’t need to touch up as often. After all, the most expensive item on your list will likely be your base.

Base – Stick with What You Love

Luckily, a powder compact or tube or liquid foundation will last you several months with daily use, and even longer if you go makeup-free on the weekends. Once you find your holy foundation, stick to it! At most you might need two foundation shades, one for the summer and one for the winter.

Conceal – Determine Your Needs before You Buy

Depending on your skin concerns, concealer might be a step you can skip. If it’s not, narrow in on your desired result: do you want to brighten? hide a blemish? conceal redness? Then you can determine if you need an all-over camouflage, under eye concealer, color-correcting concealer or a brightening concealer. If your foundation offers enough coverage, you may find yourself needing less concealer.

Set – Reapply Less, Re-buy Less

Setting powder is another way to extend the wear of your base. When you’re starting your mineral makeup collection, begin with your primer and base, see how it wears throughout the day, and then select your perfect setting powder. If your skin is oily, you’ll want a clay-based powder or if you’re going for a smooth, flawless finish, try a translucent powder.

Eyes – Kits Go Farther

For your eye makeup, begin with a neutral eye shadow palette that will work for any time of day and every season. Value sets and palettes pack in both the products and the savings. When you’re trying to get the most bang for your buck, a mineral makeup kit could be a great way to try new mineral makeup without spending a fortune.

Cheeks – Consider Multi-tasking Options

Cheek color can last for what seems like forever, so opt for a multi-tasking mineral blush shade that can double as bronzer or eye shadow. If you’re not a fan of rosy cheeks, choose a contour kit that covers bronzer, contour and highlight all-in-one.

Lips – Have Fun and Switch it Up

If you’re looking for an easy way to update your look on a budget, cheeks and lips are going to make the most noticeable difference in your look. Do you typically rock a nude lip? Try a bold, berry, like Suede Matte Crayon in sorbet, instead. Plus, lip products are usually the most affordable, so you can switch it up more often!

Once you have your core set of product, expand your shade selection and start building your arsenal of makeup brushes.

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