Hi, my honeys! I figured it was time to do a blog post on my favorite, super affordable makeup items from the drug store! Of course I'd love to own all high end makeup, but I've got champagne taste on a beer budget, girl! I have assembled some holy grails, some ride-or-die drug store makeup products you'll love without having to break the bank! I also peppered in some lower priced items from Ulta as well. If you are new to makeup or looking to revamp your current makeup collection, you could make an affordable everyday kit out of all of these products! I am a firm believer that you don't have to spend a ton of money to look fabulous! Without further ado, here are my favorite drug store makeup products! Click on the images to shop!
Primer:
Price: $5.79
Why I love it: This primer is great for blurring large pores. I think it does a solid job at creating a smoothe canvas for my foundation to lay on. The price is great, too! I would recommend this for normal to dry skin, not for oily skin. If you have combo skin, avoid applying this to areas where you have a tendency to get oily. I like to use this around my nose, cheeks, t-zone, and chin to fill in my most prominent pores!
Foundation:
Price: $11.99
Why I love it: This product was recommended to me by my favorite beauty YouTuber Tati Westbrook AKA Glamlifeguru! She tests new products every week, so I truly trust her judgement! Boy, she was not wrong about the longevity you get with this foundation and the smoothe finish it gives your skin. If you're looking for a liquid foundation that won't break apart or break the bank, this is it, girl! Apply it by stamping it onto your skin with a damp beauty sponge for best results!
Concealer:
Price: $8.49
Why I love it: This concealer is excellent for erasing dark under eye circles, and I love that it doesn't bunch up or crease when you set it with powder. It does last all day as well! It also doubles as a treatment for dark circles harnessing the power of goji berries and haloxyl, which reinforces the firmness and tone of the eye area. Yep, there's all the technical talk, but really, it just works!
Setting Powder:
Price: $5.79
Why I love it: You're hard-pressed to find a setting powder cheaper and more effective than this one! Loved by all the YouTube beauty gurus and tried and tested by me, this powder sets your makeup with a silky smoothe finish and helps keep your makeup looking great all day! If you have oily skin, this will be your best friend because you can dust a little on throughout the day without it caking up on ya! This is wonderful for setting your under eye concealer as well because it won't flash back in photos!
Blush:
Price: $6.99
Why I love it: Aside from the adorable presentation of this blush, it actually works very well too! It's not splotchy, and it's not overly pigmented. I hate when I barely touch a blush with my makeup brush, and it makes a cherry red mark on my face that doesn't blend out. This is the opposite of that! You get enough pigment to make your cheeks look effortlessly flushed, but it blends out like a dream! Ok, I know this isn't that important, but it looks so cute on my vanity, too!
Highlight:
Price: $4.99
Why I love it: This is hands down my favorite drug store highlighting powder! If you're looking for a glassy, wet look highlighter, you'll love this! Use it on the high points of your cheeks, a tiny dot on the tip of your nose, the inner tear ducts of your eyes, and a bit on your cupid's bow to make your lips look fuller. The price is great, and the glow is real, y'all!
Contour:
Price: $9.00
Why I love it: This foundation stick from Makeup Revolution is a great way to contour your face. Choose a shade that's at least four or five shades darker than your skin tone and apply it on the outer points of your face and beneath your cheekbones for a more sculpted look after applying your foundation but before applying any powders to the face!
Mascara:
Price: $10.99
Why I love it: This mascara is pretty darn dramatic and only takes one coat! The best part is it will last all day long without flaking off! This mascara, I've noticed, is especially great at lengthening your bottom lashes! You can also pivot the wand of the brush, which really helps me to get into the inner and outer corners of my eyelashes with ease!
Lipstick:
Price: $7.00
Why I love it: I love this matte liquid lipstick formula and obviously, the price! There are a ton of shades, and many of them are super flattering on many skin tones. My professional makeup artist bestie Maggie from MKleinmanartistry recommended these to me, and I bought 12 of them! I love them so much and reach for them often. They aren't too drying and stay on a long time! My favorite pinky nude shade of theirs is called Bedtime Flirt--highly recommend!
Makeup Setting Spray:
Price: $4.49
Why I love it: This setting spray is great for setting your makeup after application. You can choose from a matte or dewy finish depending on your skin type and the look you're trying to achieve. I spritz this all over my face after doing my makeup and then use my beauty sponge and tap in the excess moisture.
Eyeshadow:
Price: $38
Why I love it: This might be the most expensive "drug store" makeup item on my list, but I've decided to include the Morphe x Jaclyn Hill eyeshadow palette in my list because actually the cost per eyeshadow is pretty low! You get 35 shades total, and this palette is so incredibly versatile! I reach for this every day and have been able to create many neutral and colorful looks with it! The pigmentation is top notch, and they blend like a dream, even for beginners!
Eyeliner:
Price: $4.19
Why I love it: This liquid liner is very easy to use for precise winged liner looks. It's also very black and pigmented. It won't flake off or rub away easy like some other liners do. You don't even really need a steady hand to achieve a good line with this one! Honestly, for a drug store liner, I'm highly impressed!
Eyebrow pencil:
Price: $1.99
Why I love it: This eyebrow pencil is awesome! It goes on creamy and smoothe, and it dries down matte and lasts all day! I also love the brush on the end to tame your brows before filling them in. For the price, you can't beat it!
Bronzer:
Price: $9.19
Why I love it: This is my favorite drug store bronzer because it warms up your face without appearing muddy or splotchy! That is a feat considering the amazing price! I love using this in winter months when I'm looking pale AF, lol! It also doesn't look orange or too warm on the skin!
Sponge:
Price: $10.99 for 2
Why I love it: These sponges are my go-to foundation sponges. I dampen them in the sink before use, and that helps to keep the sponge from soaking up product and create a nice even finish. These are definitely cheaper than the ever-so-popular Beauty Blender version, and I like that you can buy them in packs of two and four! Honestly, I would buy them in a pack of 20 if they sold them! Haha! They're that good!
Makeup Brushes:
Price: $10.50
Why I Love Them: I have this brush set from BH Cosmetics, and I absolutely love them. The price is a steal, and the brushes are extremely soft and easy to blend product. This is a great set for someone who is more of a beginner with makeup or needs a great travel set of brushes! You have everything you need here in this 9 piece set, including face and eye brushes! The handles are a rose quartz print, so they're super cute, too!
Hope y'all enjoyed this post and are able to to nab yourselves some killer new products! As always, I want to disclose to you that some of the links provided in this blog post are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission on purchases made using my links. This helps me keep this blog running and bringing you quality content, so I truly appreciate any purchases made using these links! Thank you for supporting me, and I'll talk to ya soon!
Hugs! -e