My top 4 beauty products to save on

With a little extra holiday cash hopefully still available, and a new year just days away, what better time to get some brand new beauty products? Saving money doesn't have to mean scrimping and getting poor quality items, but can actually mean getting more bang for your buck, and having more money available for splurge items. Here are a few of my favorite beauty products I love to save on:

Eyeshadow: Many cheaper eyeshadows can be chalky, and not very pigmented but NYX is the exception. Being a MAC girl, I was a bit skeptical at first, but boy was I impressed. NYX shadows are highly pigmented, come in a variety of finishes, and most importantly they last! They even have dupes of  popular MAC shades. At $3-5 a piece (depending where you purchase from) get every color your heart desires, without breaking the bank.

Two of my favorites Silver and Rust (Rust is a dupe for MAC's Cranberry.)

Hair Treatments: Some of the best deep conditioning treatments can be found right in your own kitchen. Olive oil, avocado, mayonnaise, honey and eggs, in various combinations based on hair needs, help protect, condition, and moisturize hair. Over the summer, instead of selling me one of the salon treatments, my hairstylist recommended using a mixture of honey and olive oil once a week, to give my hair much needed moisture as well as shine. Like she said, "Its from nature, so it is better".

Mascara: Diorshow and Lancome Hypnose are wonderful mascaras. I have used both and love them. However, the truth of the matter is mascara needs to be replaced at least every three months and at $24 a tube, four times a year, that's a total of $96/year.  Drugstore brands, such as my personal favorites CoverGirl LashBlast and L'Oreal Voluminous, get my lashes as fabulous as their high end counterparts, at a fraction of the cost. Average savings? $72 a year.

Brushes: Makeup brushes are an essential part of the makeup application process. With brands like Sigma Beauty and Sonia Kashuk making high quality brushes at affordable prices, there is no need to spend a fortune for "designer" brushes. My favorite eyeshadow brushes are actually by Loew Cornell. Never heard of them? That's because they are painters brushes from Michael's Arts and Crafts! They are the best shadow brushes, and are identical to my MAC brushes. They come in a variety of sizes, and are under $4 a brush.  They are a staple in my makeup stash.