Long gone are the days when you could feel perfectly put together wearing Love’s Baby Soft, Dr. Pepper LipSmackers and your Great Lash mascara.  My makeup drawer is certainly a mix of high and low-end products, and while I still love my drugstore beauty finds, I feel like some things are just worth going to the next level.    Here are some strategies for how to best spend your beauty budget (depending on your age group) at the temple of luxury items, Nieman Marcus.

♥  20’s  ♥

If your perfume was one you wore dating an old boyfriend, now is the time to replace your signature scent with something a little more sophisticated.   Check out exclusive brands like Maison Francis Kurkdjian or Byredo.  You’ll never find these complex fragrances wafting through the air at happy hour.

Your twenties are the perfect time to bling up your makeup for evening.  Shimmery highlighter can be worn at all ages, but can be worn with abandon when your skin is at its peak.  Try Kevyn Aucoin’s The Neo-Highlighter to add subtle radiance or a full glam pop anywhere you want to add light to your face.

♥  30’s  ♥

If you haven’t done it already, it’s time to get super serious about sunscreen–Every. Single. Day.  Use one under your makeup or alone before you step foot outdoors.  Your 40-year-old self will thank you. I love Nars Radiance Primer with SPF 35 for under makeup–your skin is primed for makeup and protected in one step.

If your lifestyle is compromising your sleep quality (new job?  new baby? too many evenings out?), you might think about investing in a better quality concealer.  Nars makes amazing concealers with a shade range that enables you to find exactly the right one for your skin tone.  Check out both the Radiant Creamy Concealer and Soft Matte Complete Concealer.

♥  40’s  ♥

This decade is all about adding extra hydration to your routine especially in the eye area.  Natura Bisse’s Diamond Extreme Eye is simply a gold standard product.  It’s an investment for sure, but a little goes a long way.

Your foundation may need an upgrade now–especially if you are wanting something with skincare-grade ingredients or light reflective properties.  Try Chantecaille’s Just Skin Tinted Moisturizer–more coverage than you’d think with a believable glowy finish.

♥  50’s  ♥

If you are like me, you’ve passed that big mile marker–and used it as an excuse to break out the big guns on the war against saggy skin.  Using the Nu Face Trinity facial microcurrent device is a little scary at first, but the mild electrical currents are purported to lift and tone your face with regular use.  I swear my eyes look less tired after I use this thing–so I’m in.

Rodin’s Olio Lusso is just the thing to add to your skincare routine.  As your skin loses natural oils, supplementing with this heavenly blend of essential oils is not only effective, it’s downright decadent.  Its jasmine fragrance is an added bonus.

♥  60’s  ♥

This decade may leave you wondering “Where are my eyebrows?!!”  It’s true, eyebrows do thin with age, so amp up your brows naturally with NeuBrow Enhancing Serum and then add color and volume with my personal favorite, Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz Pencil.

Omorovicza Intensive Hydra-Lift Cream is so decadent and nourishing you’ll want to bathe in it–but sadly that would require a second mortgage on your house.  Use this over face and neck for a firmer, more hydrated appearance.

♥  70’s  ♥

Now’s the time for a killer lipstick shade that makes you feel happy when you put it on.  This is the decade for “I’m worth it” so treat yourself to a luxury lip color. Chanel’s Le Rouge Duo Ultra Tenue uses liquid lipstick for longlasting color and a clear top coat for moisture and shine.

If you haven’t already, replace your powder blusher with a cream formula like Tata Harper Volumizing Lip and Cheek Tint.  This stuff is like sunshine in a jar–it just makes you look healthier and more alive.

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