Drugstore Beauty Buys That Totally Rock

"Best drugstore makeup" is probably a search term that I enter into Google's search bar A LOT. It's not that I'm totally opposed to shopping at Sephora, it's just that shelling out $30-$40 on a tiny little tube of concealer or paying upwards of $50 for foundation isn't really an indulgence my shoestring barista budget allows for all the time. Especially when, for whatever reason, ALL of my most used makeup runs out at the exact same time. My makeup shopping trips tend to leave me in need of two or three different beauty essentials at once, and when you're still a week out from your next paycheck and just paid your cellphone and internet bills and still need to go buy groceries there's not exactly much left in the bank to go blow $75 or more at Sephora. 

Enter my makeup (and wallet) savior: the drugstore! 

The drugstore beauty counter really doesn't get enough credit in my opinion, and there's a stigma that drugstore beauty products are inferior to more expensive designer labels. I will readily admit two things: 1) that there is a lot of really BAD cheap makeup out there, and 2) there are some high-end makeup products that just can't be equaled by anything at the drugstore counter. However, I will point out that there are a lot more beauty companies starting to emerge that are committed to delivering makeup that is both affordable and good-quality, which makes for a lot more choices when shopping more makeup. Target, a company that is increasingly making a name for itself through its collaborations with bloggers, creatives, and small companies across multiple industries, has been known to offer exclusive makeup and skincare lines at a fraction of the price of comparable beauty lines. 

The makeup industry is worth about $382 billion globally, and when you consider that large beauty companies often charge you WAY more than the product actually cost to produce, it starts to seem really ridiculous paying designer brand markups. In fact, some cosmetic chemists insist that any product over $25 is a waste of your money. Which is why I'm excited to share some of my favorite tried-and-true "drugstore" beauty products that deserve a spot in your makeup bag today! 

My 8 Favorite Drugstore Beauty Products:

1. Sonia Kashuk Radiant Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 15 (discontinued): I love this tinted moisturizer, it provides just enough color to even out your skin tone just a little bit while also giving your skin some much-needed love. On days when I'm going for a more natural makeup look (or when I'm just downright lazy) I'll use this in place of foundation. Bonus points for a little bit of SPF protection. ($13)

2. e.l.f. Aqua Beauty Molten Liquid Eyeshadow: I have this in the color Liquid Gold and it is such a beautiful color, especially for summer. I will insert an * on this product by saying that the applicator wand is not a thing of beauty. The first coat tends to go on a bit unevenly, but it dries really fast and is very buildable and blendable with other eyeshadows. Once you've applied a second coat and added a darker color to your crease, the gold pops so beautifully and I get compliments every time I wear it. ($4)

3. Pixi Skintreats Glow Tonic: I've been meaning to try more products from Pixi, but for now I've just been using their glow tonic. I've had it for months now and it is AMAZING. Even after I've washed my face with a cleanser and think I'm good I'll go in with this stuff and it'll remove even more dirt and makeup debris from my skin that I didn't even know was there! It leaves my skin feeling smooth and bright, and it smells great too! ($15)

4. Covergirl TruNaked Eyeshadow Palette: I have this palette in the Goldens set although the Nude palette looks beautiful also. I really only use neutral eyeshadow (I don't really know how to apply colorful eyeshadow without looking crazy), and when I saw this one I knew I had to have it. I'm usually pretty wary of drugstore eyeshadow because I've had so many that were either hard to apply or didn't blend well, but this palette handles that all amazingly. Even the shimmery shades go on beautifully so long as you use primer, and I've been using it almost every day. This palette has a tendency to sell out (I snagged the last one!) so make sure to get it while you can. ($10)

5. e.l.f. Makeup Remover Cleansing Cloths: If I've learned anything it's that not all makeup wipes are crated equal. I've used many wipes that felt like they left a layer of residue on my skin or a vague after scent, but these wipes don't do that. They do the job of removing dirt and makeup while also hydrating your face with aloe vera. Plus they're only $3 so you can buy several at once and stock up (the less trips to the store the better). ($3)

6. e.l.f. Matte Lip Color: I bought this lip color on a quick (and slightly panicked) trip to the store just hours before a wedding upon realizing that I'd forgotten to pack my makeup bag and needed to grab some cheap makeup. I basically raided the e.l.f. aisle because their products are the most affordable and while I walked away with some items I wasn't that happy with (and later there away), this was not one of them! I have this lipstick in the color Wine and I keep it in my purse at all times. It's ridiculously easy to apply and it's another one of those things that I tend to get compliments on. Plus that price... ($3)

7. Mane 'n Tail Original Shampoo: That's right everyone. Horse shampoo. The kind that you find at farm supply stores and in Dover catalogs, and, thanks to it's popularity, at the grocery store too. Shampoo and conditioner have always been two things that I change up almost every time. There was never really "the one" that I felt obliged to repurchase whenever I ran out, that is until I went for a bottle of good old Mane 'n Tail. Wow. My hair has NEVER been as soft and smooth as it has in the last year or so that I've been using it, and it comes in a giant 32oz. bottle that will literally last you forever (I had my last bottle for something like 7 or 8 months). I still play around with different conditioners, but this shampoo is hands down my "it" shampoo. ($7)

8. e.l.f. Highlighting Brush: Can you tell yet that I'm a huge e.l.f. Cosmetics fan? I really love using highlighter, and for the longest time I was either using a stick highlighter or applying it with my normal foundation brush. When I finally decided to look into getting a highlighter brush, places like Sephora were charging $30-$40 for one. Like, why? Then I found this nifty little brush at Target for about 10x less and it's been great. It's soft and has a really good shape for applying highlighter; it's really all you need. ($3)

Thanks for following along with me! Let me know in the comments below what your favorite affordable beauty products are!

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