As a make-up collector and hoarder, I have so many products from all different price ranges – the good, the bad and the ugly. And I think when you’ve been doing make-up for a long time you can run the risk of becoming a bit snobby, almost, which is definitely something I have been guilty of in the past. Most days I find that I do use almost exclusively high-end products, but I do have my affordable gems that I consistently reach for and repurchase again and again. So let’s talk about them!
L’Oreal True Match Foundation (£9.99, buy here)
I have gone through three bottles of this foundation in the space of a year because it is one of my absolute favourite base products of all time. Dewy, lightweight, long-lasting, affordable and a perfect shade for me, and it’s my go-to to mix with foundations that are a touch too matte or that are difficult to work with. I have harped on about how much I love this foundation a thousand times on this blog, but I couldn’t do a post like this and not drop my favourite foundation from the drugstore in here!
Bourjois Radiance Reveal Concealer (£7.99, buy here)
Now I have only been using this concealer for around three weeks, which doesn’t seem like a long enough time to form this much of an attachment to it, but we’re definitely already in a committed relationship and you can expect to receive wedding invitations in the most in the near future. This is hands down the best affordable concealer I have ever ever used – it’s glowy, it doesn’t crease on me, the coverage is beautiful and makes my undereye look flawless, and it never looks cakey at the end of the day. I like this better than my Nars Radiant Creamy concealer and would actually repurchase this one over that one… yep, I know. I went there and I mean it.
(I hadn’t realised until I went to link the product that there are only three shades, which is appalling, but if you’re super fair the lightest shade will work wonderfully for you. If you’re a little darker you might want to swatch the shades in store to make sure they work.)
Maybelline Colossal Big Shot Mascara (£7.99, buy here)
I have tried Marc Jacobs mascaras, Too Faced mascaras, Tarte mascaras, Make Up Forever mascaras, Benefit mascaras… and yet this trumps them all. I love how black this is, I love how long-lasting this is, I love how it doesn’t smudge on my bottom lashline, I love that it doesn’t flake off during the day, I love how easy it is to apply on both my top and bottom lashes, I love that it gets better with age, and the list goes on. This is hands down one of the best mascaras I have ever tried and I can’t believe how affordable it is. You need to pick this up if you haven’t already.
MUA (Make-Up Academy) Burning Embers Palette (£8, buy here)
We all know I love any kind of warm-toned palette, but this one really is something special. 25 beautiful shadows and a good mix of mattes and shimmers for only £8, and even though they’re not exactly Anastasia quality, this is a bloody good alternative to the Modern Renaissance palette if you’re ballin’ on a budget. Some of the colours in this are so unique and you can create a crazy number of looks with this, warm and cool, day and night, soft or grungy. The only thing I don’t love is the packaging, but for £8 I can’t complain that much.
NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams (£6, buy here)
I don’t typically love a liquid lipstick because I don’t like the way they feel on my lips, but these are a giant exception to the rule. These are so comfortable and soft, like the name suggests, and the colour range they have is large and brilliant for such an affordable product. The lasting power is not ideal if you’re eating or drinking, but I am happy to reapply them as often as needed because I do favour comfort over longevity when it comes to lip products. My favourite is the shade London (left) but I also reach for Cannes (middle) and Amsterdamn (right) all the time.
Maybelline Brow Precise Fiber Filler (£7.99, buy here)
I have very sparse brows and I struggle to find a tinted brow gel that actually fills in the gaps without flaking off or looking too crispy – but this… this is probably my favourite brow gel of all time, and that’s saying a lot from someone who has two full drawers full of eyebrow products. But the thing I love about this brow gel is how little product you need for such a high impact. The brush is flat which makes it really easy to work into the hairs and really pack them full of fibers, but also easy to brush out any areas that are too clumpy. A tube of this will easily last me six months, and it’s one of those products that I purchased in a darker shade the same day I dyed my hair darker, which is when you know the obsession is real.
NYX Prismatic Eyeshadows (£5.50 each, buy here)
These eyeshadows perform incredible, more incredible than some higher priced shadows that I own. They are so crazy pigmented and apply beautifully wet or dry, with a finger or a brush, and the colour translates as bright as it is in the pan, which I don’t find as often as I like in lower priced shadows. They don’t flake or crumble and they are crazy long-wearing, and all in all if you’re looking for fun colours to experiment with every now and then but don’t want to commit to a palette, these are an amazing option! My two faves are these – Mermaid (an amazing teal green) and Girl Talk (a beautiful opalescent pink).
KIKO 3D Hydra Lip Gloss (£7.90, buy here)
These are, quite frankly, the best lip glosses I have ever tried. I can’t find my nude ones for some reason but this red gloss is my all-time fave red, a beautiful fire tone that works with so many of my favourite red lipsticks. The formula is long-lasting, hydrating, and it doesn’t get stuck in your hair, which is basically my deciding factor in whether I like a gloss or not. I could happily wear this lip gloss formula every single time I opt for a glossy lip and never be mad at it.
Sleek Blushes (£4.99 each, buy here)
I’m just going to come out and say it – Rose Gold by Sleek is an exact dupe for NARS’ Orgasm blush colour-wise, and is even better formula-wise. These blushes are bulletproof and look exactly the same in the evening as they do when first applied, and the colour selection is wide with something for every skin tone. They have muted colours, bright colours, fun colours – pretty much everything you could ever want, and my favourite is probably Suede, which is a lovely browny-nude that works with every single make-up look. I reach for these day in, day out, and I really want to grab some more shades.
Makeup Revolution Renaissance Glow Palette (£8, buy here)
Makeup Revolution aren’t exactly subtle when it comes for their duping of products, and this is, essentially, almost a carbon copy of the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow. And you know what? For £8 it is a bloody good dupe, with a beautiful bronzer and a blinding highlight. I’ve actually been reaching for this more than my CT one recently, and that is… well, unheard of for me, frankly. It’s a creamy formula which blends like a dream even on unset foundation (and with my mega-dry skin this time of year, that’s a big factor for me) and I am OBSESSED.
Let me know what your drugstore gems are in the comments! Thanks for reading, you da best xoxox
EllenKenty 