The economy may be rough but let's face it, you're not going to stop buying makeup to save money. Chances are you will start looking for ways to save on those essentials and cut down on any extraneous spending - including not going in the hole this Christmas.  It’s been reported that as many as 40% of consumers intend on spending much less this year on gift-giving.

Makeup remains one very popular gift idea for your girlfriends or female family members and if you know where to look … you can still get some pretty great makeup at affordable prices!

Here are a few of my recession-proof makeup favourites:

e.l.f. (eyes, lips, face) Cosmetics

This line is cheap and cheerful, and we are fans of this eyelash curler.

e.l.f. has a huge selection of makeup for only $1 USD! YES, you read it correctly, I did say $1! We’re talking about $1 lip gloss, $1 eye shadow, $1 eye liner, $1 blush, $1 nail polish and the list goes on. These bargain basement prices have been creating quite a lot of commotion in the cosmetic industry. The well-priced cosmetics have also caught the attention of a lot of major magazines and a number of consumers looking for some relief in their beauty budget. Heck, Oprah, who can afford pretty much anything she wants, also talked about the product line.

I know that some people would wonder what kind of quality can you expect for $1 USD?  Well, that was one of the top questions on my mind. After testing a few of their selections, I have to say that for $1, the makeup looks fairly good.

You can only purchase e.l.f. Cosmetics online.

Cover Girl Holiday 2008 Signature Looks

I’ll admit that since discovering Cover Girl’s Lash Blast mascara and their Purple Pop eye shadow, I seem to be unable to walk out the door without wearing them!

For holiday 2008, Cover Girl has a large number of great makeup and a few gifts sets that are VERY recession-proof including their new limited edition eyeshadow palettes: “Ice Princess”, “Drama Eyes”, “Blossoms, and “Berries and Cream” (pictured). At only $6.99 CAD/ $5.69 USD, these makeup for great stocking stuffers!

Maybelline New York XXL Extensions XX-TREME LENGTH Microfiber Mascara

The latest mascara to join the Maybelline New York family, it retails for $10.99 and is the perfect way to finish your look.  Have you tried this mascara yet? Be the first to rate it on ChickAdvisor!

What are your recession conscious makeup must haves?

by Krizia