It's Guest Beauty Blogger Wednesday, and we've got Nadine Jolie, a former beauty editor who blogs at Jolie Nadine, and has authored the books Beauty Confidential and Confessions of a Beauty Addict.

One of the most frequent questions I get is: "What should I splurge on and how can I save?"

I think only with hair do you really get what you pay for. Splurge on a gorgeous cut and artful highlights and your hair will be easier to style, will grow out more evenly and you'll be more likely to love what you see in the mirror every morning.

Is this a hard and fast rule? No. You can get nice color from a box – although from-a-box highlights truly are dicey – and you can get a good cut from Susie Q at the local salon. The more complex the style and intricate the color, however, the more you'll benefit from a pro. If you have the same color God blessed you with, rarely blowdry your hair because it air dries perfectly, and haven't the foggiest why everybody moans about frizz and damage, then Supercuts and Feria away! For the rest of us – you know, us split-ended, monthly root-touch-up requiring, coarse-stranded, thick-haired gals with cowlicks? You'd better believe we'll see results from a great stylist. ("Great" means, say, $100 - $200 ... not $1000. We are not billionaires here, people.)

Now. As for pretty much everything else ... with the exception of powders (more on that below) ... more expensive does not equal better! Cleanser, face moisturizer/serum, nail polish, intensive conditioner ... you can find genuinely amazing buys for all at the drugstore! Below, my all-time favorites (all of which are currently carving out real estate in my bathroom).