I have £75 to spend on make up...

[Mammabear31]

...help me do it please! I have been surviving on cheap Maybelline/Rimmel foundations and blushes for about a year but now I need to get something decent, that won't leave me looking totally orange. I had a Benefit foundation that did nothing for me - just left my skin dry and parched. Clinique is usually best for my skin, but which foundation and what do I need to complement it? Any primer/blush/bronzer recommendations? I want to get as much as possible for my money, so help me fill my make up bag please

Oh and I suppose it would help if you knew.....wear foundation, blush, brown eyeliner and eyebrow pencil daily. Wear eyeshadow and mascara every now and then. Pale skin with pink tones, blonde hair.

I think Dior does the best foundation, particularly for pale skin.

So I would get Dior foundation, a really good primer* - very important particularly if you get dry skin, Dior Exstase or Lancôme Hypnose mascara, and a Nars blusher. (I think that will be slightly over £75).

*I used to use Clarins Instant Light Complexion Perfector for primer but they've just changed the formula and it's not as good. So I'm on the lookout for a recommendation myself.

Have you looked at blogs? I like Ruth Crilly (a model recommends), she has lots of reviews.

I second rightsaid - go to the counters. I would start with Bobbi Brown, Nars, Laura Mercier or Armani. Having said that, I also love Mac's Studio Fix despite the man on the Armani counter telling me it was rubbish! I bought some foundation from him and don't like it as much!!
I am a foundation junkie - all the good brands will give you a decent sample which you then can try at different times of day etc. Get the foundation right and everything else will follow. I use

Primer - Estee Lauder Idealist but I often don't bother
Foundation - Mac Studio Fix, Bobbi Brown Moisturising Balm or Estee Lauder Double wear.
Concealer - Estee Lauder Double wear or Touche Eclat
Bronzer/ contour - Lancome or Charlotte Tilbury (no glitter in these)
Blush - Nars Orgasm stick or Mac
Lipliner - Plumberry by Laura Mercier (goes with every lip colour I wear)
Lipstick - Clinique 'soft Bloom' my ultimate favourite - just discovered Nars Satin Lip pencil in red which is just fantastic!
Eye liner - soap and Glory do a fabulous liner pen. Also love laura Mercier when I want smudgy.
Shadow - lots of Mac but haven't used anything else since I bought the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette
Mascara - dior or Lancome
Brows - Shavata gel colours when I have time otherwise Mac 'Spiked'.

Sorry - just realised that was a bit mammoth about all the products I own
They are just all things that I would highly recommend - I have tons of other stuff that I wouldn't!!!

Get your foundation, concealer, the Nars Multiple stick in Orgasm and a great Mascara - the rest you can build on.

Yy, go and get samples for the foundations. Lancôme are very generous with theirs and I personally love their shades for my pale skin. Most counters will give you samples. Not keen on Clinique for foundation, it goes orangey on me.

Definitely worth spending on foundation and concealer. Also a lipstick in a good everyday shade. Chanel do gorgeous ones.

You can save, if you need to, on mascara, blusher and eyeshadows. There are some really good ones available for £6-10.

Enjoy yourself choosing. Lots of swatches, (fingertip for lipsticks, jawline for foundation, hand for everything else), ask if they'll try products on you, walk away with a thank you if you're not sure or you want to have a better look in natural light before you decide. Have fun.

^ I love Dior for mascara and Urban Decay eyeshadows too.

Maybe try the new Clinique foundation/concealer hybrid (£25ish?). Pick up a chubby stick blusher (£18?) or an eye or brow pencil at the same time, and if you buy from a Debenhams counter, (and they can be persuaded to treat the foundation as an item of skin care - they usually do), you'll get this gift. This might sort you out for eyeshadow and mascara, and includes a chubby stick for lips?

That leaves some money to try a Laura Mercier primer? Or a Bobbi Brown bronzer (try Aruba), or their new brightening brick (a blusher/bronzer combo)?

Just spotted this.

check out the Doll 10 set on qvc today, Looks great and the foundation and brush have great reviews.