The Thousand Rupee Makeup Challenge

The Thousand Rupee Makeup Challenge

Hi Everyone!

By Amrita Sarkar

The Thousand Rupee Makeup Challenge

I have recently become a huge fan of Youtube makeup guru Emily Eddington.  Here’s an article that Nafisa wrote about her.  I watched a video of her’s called the $20 Makeup Challenge. This tag has been doing the rounds on Youtube for quite a while.  The idea is to do all your makeup (by which I mean your “full on” blushes and bronzer included makeup) with all products adding up to $20 or less. As soon as I saw this video, I thought there should definitely be an Indian edition to this.

Now, we all know that, sadly, the value of the rupee has been dipping this financial season. The lowest it reached this year is $1 = Rs. 56. Therefore, $20 would be Rs. 1120. However, I will approximate the value to Rs. 1000 and would let it stretch to Rs. 1120 at the most, if needed. Also, I am going to use MRPs and not discounted prices because different stores have different discounts. Please note that CTM products and makeup removal products (such as wipes) are not included in this challenge whereas I am including brushes and tools.

So, let’s get started!

1. Foundation:

Lakme Invisible Foundation

I am skipping primers (like most of us ladies do!) and moving straight to foundation. In this challenge, I am suggesting the Lakme Invisible Finish Foundation which costs Rs. 185.  This foundation has a small brush which can be used as a wand for application. However, I advice you strongly against using it directly on your face. Take the brush applicator and apply some on the back of your hand. Rub it into your fingers and blend onto your face.  This foundation is water-based, so those with dry skin, do suggest an alternative!

2. Concealer:

There are almost no cheap but good concealers out there. The Lotus concealer costs Rs. 325, which is still too pricey for this challenge. Therefore, I suggest doubling up your foundation as a concealer (which is Michelle Phan’s idea too!). Just pat some on till its fully blended.

3. Powder:

Lakme Compact

For this, I suggest Lakme Radiance Complexion Compact, which costs Rs. 104. This is usually the powder that most of us started our makeup journey with. Remember how it enhanced your teenage skin on application? This is still an affordable, good quality powder and it is perfect to set our foundation and concealer. Instead of a powder brush, use the puff that comes with this compact.

4. Blush:

Maybelline Blush

An affordable quality blush was the Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush in Peach Satin, but sadly, it has been discontinued (you may still find old stock at stores), but instead of going for the more pricey Maybelline Dream Touch blush, I would suggest the Tips and Toes Dual Blush.  There are four different shades in twos in the blush kits and there is a brush provided with the package. At Rs. 295, it is a good, affordable blush.

5. Eyeshadow:

Elle 18 Eye Sparklers

This step is tricky because there are hardly any eyeshadows that we can afford here with our budget. The Maybelline quads that cost Rs. 225 have been discontinued. (Again, you may find old stock in stores). As a practical nude eye kit, I would suggest the E.L.F. Essential Flawless Eyeshadow in Golden Goddess which is priced at Rs. 399. You could also use single cream shadows by Street Wear which cost Rs. 110 each, though the color payoff is bad (I have one in silver and its fully sheer).  The best thing for us to do is grab a couple (or three maybe) of Elle 18 Eye Sparklers! You can do a blue or purple smokey eye by just using the blue/purple, and grey (I would suggest the silver pencil for highlighting, but we have a budget to meet people!). The sum total of 2 pencils would be Rs. 85 * 2 = Rs. 170

6. Eyeliner:

Elle 18 eyeliner

Personally, I haven’t seen much of a difference between Elle 18 Black Out Liner and Lakme Insta Liner. The first one costs Rs. 65 while the second one is Rs. 80 and the brush as well as color pay off is more or less the same. So, we will include the Elle 18 liner in our challenge. To do the smokey eye, apply the liner on the outer corner of your eyes and then smudge with a Q-tip.

7. Mascara:

Lakme Lash Artist

We will not curl our lashes or use falsies in this challenge. Gently press against your lashes just to curl them a little. Use Lakme Lash Artist Mascara, which costs Rs. 225. I have used a cheaper one by Street Wear and it melts if your eyes get even a little irritated, NEVER buy it!!

8. Lip Color:

Maybelline Liquid Diamonds

Most affordable lip glosses like Maybelline Liquid Diamonds or Street Wear are quite sticky. On the other hand, most affordable lipsticks (and there are a lot of brands as far as affordable lipsticks are concerned) are mattifying. Here we shall use a little trick. Moisture your lips with plain old Vaseline a few minutes before applying lipstick. Apply your lipstick. Now, gently and lightly apply some Vaseline (Rs.5) in the middle of your lower lip. A wand would do the trick well but since we are on a budget, we will use our fingers. Don’t press against your lips too deeply otherwise the lip color will come off. Just spread that tiny amount of Vaseline lightly, staying well inside your lips and see a glossy effect added to it.  Of course, this has very little staying power, but you can do this every time you re-apply your lipstick. I don’t really like Elle 18 lipsticks (Rs.100) as they are very sheer, Street Wear (Rs. 160) as it is very matte or Lakme Enrich Satin Lip Color (Rs. 225) as I don’t like the smell and it doesn’t have a great staying power. But, you can use any of these for the challenge. I am going for Elle 18 because when it comes to budget makeup, there’s no one who does it quite so well. Also, I am not including lip liners.

So, time to face the truth. Have we been able to meet the challenge?

Our Products are:

Foundation+Concealer = Rs. 185

Powder = Rs. 104

Blush = Rs. 295

Eye color = Rs.170

Eyeliner = Rs. 65

Mascara = Rs. 225

Lip color = Rs. 105

Our Grand Total is : Rs. 1149!!!

Yay!!! So, it is possible to do full on makeup using good quality affordable Indian brands! I am sure if we count discounted prices, we will be well within the Rs.1000 mark. Even if we missed our mark by Rs.149, I am sure that we all can vary this around (like using Lakme Perfecting Liquid Foundation or going for an Elle 18 Lip Smoothie instead of lipstick). However, I tried to give as finished a look as possible with my take on the challenge.  We also managed to do this without any additional brushes (doing smokey is hard without brushes and using only eye pencils, but I am sure we can give it a shot using q-tips and fingers to blend and smudge as required. I am not saying it will be neat or easy, but it is worth a try).  I am not saying I will actually try this look and go out and spend a day with it, but those with a Rs. 1000 budget can definitely try this. There are a lot of teenage girls who are very dependent on Elle 18 and they can definitely try this makeup plan to go full on at a college fest or some other event.

I hope you ladies enjoyed my take on the $20 challenge. Please suggest your own products to meet the Rs.1000 challenge. I would love to hear your personal take on it!

Also, does anyone think that bronzers and highlighters can be fit into this? Suggestions please!

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32 thoughts on “The Thousand Rupee Makeup Challenge

  1. Thnaks dear..I am already bankrupt…but need to restart my makeup kit….this is so helpful….U have come as a real help…just cant stop thanking u

  2. this is an eye-opener.. even if we put only lakme and elle 18 on our faces it still comes to a 1000 bucks…each face is worth at least 1000 bucks… wow.. no wonder everyone says “our hubbies shout at us for wasting money”…. i wanted to buy that lakme foundation cause it suits indian skin tones to a T. but good only for winters since it transfers like crazy.. hmmm..
    Thanks for the post..

    1. that’s what most youtubers did, use a lipstick as a blush. but even then they went out of the budget by including brushes. i think my compilation has the most number of necessary products because there were people who even skipped foundation and used only primer and powder! there were others who “pretended” they had wedges and brushes already but the challenge is to have your entire kit within $20.

    1. Hey Amrita, I have been writing here for quite a long time. Just very infrequently. What’s your surname? Mine is Sarkar.

      1. HI… I am Amrita Sinha…. Bhattacharya actually… but I still prefer going by my maiden name…. The few articles I have written have been posted on the name Amrita S…

  3. since elle18 n lakme owned by same company.. the just make in same factory and put in diff bottles… n slap on diff prices..thts why the eyeliners are the same 🙂

  4. come on people, make your own lists! I am thinking of doing one without elle 18. yeah, elle 18 is part of Lakme, just as Maybelline is part of L’oreal. The mother company is always more pricey lol!

  5. Hi Rati,
    I am Radha…and new to this blog.Really loved your all reviews.very useful…:) Can you please suggest me cosmetics for sensitive skin…

  6. Wowies nice 😀 Really enjoyed this read. : Congos for trying out this challenge. Btw I personally wouldve skipped foundie and gone with concealer and setting powder 😛 (dunno about the 1000 rupee mark though hehehe ) Super post. The eye sparkler – shadow idea was a winner.

  7. Ohh this is exciting! If I had to do my face in 1000 bucks, I’d use- a pink lipstick doubled as blush (around 500), Maybelline collosal kajal and mascara, Maybelline pressed powder. Tada..

  8. Jomo this is so cool!!! I own some stuff from Elle 18 – one eye sparkler and one lipstick and they really are sasta and tikau types 😛 am gonna try the new Maybelline Dream Touch blush though it seems lovely.

  9. Lakme daily wear souffle is a good option for those who dont use foundation. Lakme rose powder can be used instead of compact! 🙂

  10. u can try miss rose eye shawdow pallette….its dead cheap..got 18 colours for 145 rs only…staying power pretty good and some really beautiful colours….will do a review son and let u know….can do smokey eyes with it as well…available at all local stores beauty stores and good choice for beginners……u can try…

  11. and street wear eyeliner for eyes its cheap and really good..comes in really pretty blue as well…can give a real pop to the brown eyed beauties…for blush revlon lipstick cum lip gloss sets are good and really good pigmenation and satying power…i would use nude shade to give a sutle blush…worked for me all the time

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