I usually try to research potential beauty buys prior to purchasing. I hate splurging on something that does not work out and more often than not ends up in the cosmetic graveyard that hogs our tiny bathroom closet. 
The splurges live there until I watch “Hoarders” and get freaked out that our dog is going to get buried under all my beauty rubble. The past few years I have discovered that I am much happier with my beauty products if I do a little research or get a recommendation first.
So, to help you out here is a handy list of online resources to help you with your own research:
Makeup Alley –
The first place I start when I am looking for a new type of product is Makeup Alley. You will need to create a log in but people are really, really honest about their opinions on this site. Makeup Alley is a great resource and they even have an app so you can do research while you are in a store. I have written many reviews for them over the years. http://www.makeupalley.com/.
Lisa Eldridge –
I mentioned Lisa Eldridge in my Oui Oui post. Lisa is a professional makeup artist and her makeup tutorials on Youtube are amazing. I have learned so much from her! She also gives very good advice and recommendations on what products that work well. http://www.lisaeldridge.com/
GWP Addict –
I just found GWP Addict and wish I had known about it sooner. GWP stands for Gift With Purchase and this informative blog gives the lowdown on all the GWP out there. I love getting free swag so this is very useful. http://gwpaddict.wordpress.com/
The Beauty Brains –
The folks behind the Beauty Brains are super smart. This website goes into serious depth dissecting makeup, hair and skin care formulations and does a great job of explaining how these products work. So many mysteries solved here! http://thebeautybrains.com/
Word of mouth is also always great and some of my favorite girl bonding conversations are about makeup. Do you do any research before you buy? or is it splurge city?
notesonpretty 