The Best Of Drugstore Makeup

OUTFIT DETAILS

Top ($45!) | Denim | Watch | Vanity Details [end of post in widget] | Wedges are the brand See By Chloe | Acrylic Stand was a local find but this is the most similar I can find.

Get ready because this could be a looonnnggg post. Ahh! Todays post has been requested numerous  times for many months now and to be honest, it has taken some time to put this post together. Not the “post” but the content – I have been trying product after product after product from the drug store (or affordable website) for several months determined to round up the best products at the lowest price points.

If you are new ‘here’, I do beauty posts 3-4x per month where I update you on products I am loving, that have been implemented into my daily routine. After years of reviewing products and trying out new products/PR, I have come to the conclusion that you truly get what you pay for when it comes to cosmetics. For example, I have 4 high end foundations that really work/cover/wear/etc. and just a couple of drug store foundations. Drug store/affordable makeup is much more “hit or miss” than high end. Not to say that high end is always better, because it isn’t! I just tend to have better luck with higher end products. I believe that is because I have ‘bad’ skin (lots of scarring from acne/texture) & I did Accutane ab 2 years ago to get rid of acne and help with the insane amount of oil. Anyway, I say all of that ^ to say that when I try a product out, it has to be good and really work – not matter how affordable it is. I’m not one to shy away from a product just because it is $4 or $40 – if it works then I am a fan.

So as I was saying, I have spent a few months buying products from CVS, Amazon, Walgreens, Ulta, etc. and trying them 1-3x. I had so many ‘misses’ to be honest, but I did find some hits that I absolutely LOVE. I am so excited to share all of my finds. Also, I’m writing this as we fly into Florida so I do not have all of the products with me and I don’t know the shades I wear – I usually don’t memorize shades but I will try to do guess work on a few if something rings a bell.

FOUNDATION

LA Girl Pro Matte Foundation: I saw this on Casey Holmes YouTube channel and she’s like my skin-soul-sister. Anytime she loves a foundation, I always purchase it because she has the same ‘standards’ I do. She used this one 3 videos in a row so I went to get it and accidentally purchased a different foundation from their line and it was awful!! Literally the worse foundation ever (for me!) and I was so disappointed. I re-watched her video and realized the foundation she was using was new and I finally was able to hunt it down. This foundation is SO good. Right now I am on a plane flying to Florida and if I take a foundation on a trip, that means it’s serious business. 🙂 And this one is what I packed. I love it because it covers, it’s smooth, velvety, & actually wears. I have dry skin now and I was wondering if the “matte” formula would make it a miss but it is not super matte like I was expecting. I also prepped using this gel-like moisturizer & then this cream both of which keep my skin from getting dry. If you have dry skin, definitely try those to products BUT if you are oily, prep with a mattifying primer. || BUY IT ON ULTA HERE OR AMAZON HERE.

Maybelline 24 HR Wear Foundation: I saw several YouTubers reviewing this when it came back out this past winter. It’s a new formula and I really, really like it. It wears LONGGG term! That is the one thing I really noticed. It doesn’t budge! But, I did find that it looked best applied with a Beauty Blender which makes it more luminous and less ‘dry’ looking. In order to get great coverage, I did go over it a second time with by BB as the BB tends to soak up product and I need a little extra coverage on my cheeks where I have scarring. || BUY IT ON ULTA HERE OR ON AMAZON HERE.

Dermacol: Woah. This stuff! It’s something I found on Amazon and it’s technically a stage makeup and it is serious stuff! Be warned that Amazon has a ton of fakes so make sure you are cautious about where you buy it. But here’s the deal, its $12 and it cooovveerrrrss all. I think its a little too heavy alone so sometimes I take a little bit of it and mix it with oil or with a hydrating, light foundation for the perfect concoction. It wears long term and the main thing it does is cover like no other!! Again, it is thick so start off small or just plan on mixing with something to dilute it a little bit. 🙂 BUY IT HERE ON AMAZON.

BRONZER

Model’s Own Sculpt & Glow: This is a cream to powder formula so it’s a little tricky to use (similar to this Chanel product), however, it can look really pretty and natural if you don’t use too much. In all honestly, I am not *obsessed* with any drugstore/affordable bronzers, but if I had to have one, I’d have this one or the next one I list since neither are glittery, sparkly, and have more of a matte look. || BUY IT FROM ULTA HERE.

Make-Up Revolution Bronzer: This is like your normal, everyday order bronzer and the darkest shade is my favorite. It gives you that summery, sun kissed look and doesn’t look especially ‘muddy’ like many of the drug store ones tend to do. Again, I don’t pack either of these if I go on a trip, but I did want to mention these since they are more affordable and look good! Many YouTubers like Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer but none of their shades are dark enough for skin tone. | BUY IT FROM ULTA HERE 

EYELINERS

NYX Liquid Liner: Yikes. I have purchased tons of drugstore liners for both the lid (I use liquid there) and waterline and honestly I am never thrilled with them. I like a bold, black winged look on my lid and I like my lower waterline to have some black on it but it is really tough finding products that wear long term and show up well to begin with, ya know?! This NYX Liquid Matte Liner is SO great for the upper lid – it is very liquidy- so it takes some getting used to but it looks so bold and wearings very long term.  || GET IT ON ULTA HERE & AMAZON HERE.

I honestly have had so many misses in this category. But, I will say that L’Oreal & Revlon both of pencils that are longer wear and good. I don’t travel w/those since I like a product to really stay for hours and hours through all weather conditions.. but I think both brands have some good pencil liners.

CONCEALERS

Makeup Revolution Conceal & Define: This concealer just came out about 4-6 weeks ago and everyone compares it to Tarte’s Shape Tape – and shockingly enough, I don’t like Shape Tape. I’m literally the only person who has used that sentence it feels like?! Everyone is so obsessed but for me – it just doesn’t really impress me. Now, the Makeup Revolution one is around $8 and is pretty good. I set it w/translucent powder and it stays all day and doesn’t move or budget. I wouldn’t say it has the best coverage by any means – but it is build able and is great for the price point. You can get them in different shades and use them to highlight and contour your face… if you are into that! 🙂  || BUY IT FROM ULTA HERE 

NYX HD Concealer: I have not tried this one as much as I’d like to have – but I got it in a PR package a couple of weeks ago and used it here and there and really liked it. It is similar to the one above – it covers decently, wears well, etc. I’m picky about concealers… I like them to really cover. My under eye are is pretty dark and I like the area to be much brighter. Both of these are great for the price point – they are comparable to many of the luxury/high end concealers in my opinion. Neither of them are quite as good as my go-to/daily concealer (holy grail) but I use these often when I am just running errands or working from home and hanging out with Luke. || BUY IT FROM ULTA HERE OR AMAZON HERE.

PRIMERS/PREPPING/SETTING

L’Oreal Lumi Lotion: Oh my gosh! I love adding a couple of drops of this into my foundation to kind of ‘dilute’ it and make it more luminous and glowy. It also helps if I am a little tanner – I’ll add a drop or two of the darker shade and it kind of gives a subtle bronzy look! Aside from that, this product is great alone or even just on your neck and chest if you want to get a little glow going! || BUY IT ON ULTA HERE OR AMAZON HERE.

NYX Dewy Setting / Pixie Dewy Setting Spray: I’m not going to say a ton because neither of these are ‘musts’ but I feel like setting sprays are sometimes a hoax – as in they don’t really do a lot. I am picky with these because I want my makeup / powders to kind of melt together and make the look more seamless and not dry! These two are ones I’ve actually liked – I have tried a ton that I was not thrilled with at all! I have heard great things about both brands matte and dewy setting sprays so make sure you try them if you haven’t. [Pixie on Amazon here.]

Coty Airspun Powder: Oh gosh… it took me like 2 years to ever break down and try it because I thought it was some sort of joke. I grew up seeing this in the bottom shelf of Walmart and when everyone started raving over it I thought it had to be a joke of some sort! I broke down and tried it and it is a favorite of mine – and call me crazy, but I like the smell!! It’s like five bucks?! And it really is great – I just always use my Fix+ at the end to get rid of any kind of powdery look. || BUY IT ON AMAZON HERE.

MASCARA

L’Oreal Double Extend: If you are a long time follower, you already know about this one. I love love love the white side of the L’Oreal Mascaras! It’s the best primer but the black side works as well. The primer is amazing and really builds and lengthens your lashes to make them look longer and thicker! Also, I do like a lot of Mayebelline’s mascaras too – btw. I feel like they area really great about making good mascaras. || BUY IT ON ULTA HERE OR AMAZON HERE.

Essence Lash Princess: I found this totally randomly and didn’t expect much but I have purchased 4 bottles since and so many of my friends and family have gotten it too! Its just really good and I get a lot of compliments when I wear it because its just black and separates lashes but leaves them longer and thicker looking. I can wear it w/o lash extensions or primer and it looks good! || BUY IT ON ULTA HERE OR AMAZON HERE.

A few other random things I have liked are the NYX Lingerie Matte Liquid Lipsticks [wearing ‘Push Up in the photos!] & the Flower Beauty liquid lipsticks. I did a post on my favorite matte lip sticks HERE!

As far as affordable brushes go, I use a lot of Morphe brushes – in fact probably 4 of my favorites that I can’t leave home w/o are Morphe! I also really love their palettes!