Serious question. Is there anything more satisfying in life than finding a “can’t live without you” makeup product at an unbeatably low drugstore price? I honestly can think of nothing. If I can have my cake and eat it too (translation: look my best without breaking the bank), you better believe I’m gonna take advantage! Luckily, finding ridiculously affordable, top-notch beauty products is becoming easier all the time. There are SO many high-grade drugstore beauty products on the market right now, many of which are rivaling those of the most expensive luxury brands! Discovering these hidden gems might be one of my favorite things ever.
If you’re wondering how many of these shockingly-great drugstore makeup finds I’ve stumbled upon myself, the answer is A LOT. And my collection continues to grow. In fact, I recently added a number of noteworthy drugstore products to my ever-growing assortment of makeup, and it got me thinking that it might be fun (and, hopefully, beneficial) to round-up a list of my current “can’t live without you” drugstore favorites to share with you guys!
Most of the products I’m going to be talking about are dupes for more expensive luxury-brand products, which makes them all the more enticing, in my opinion! If you aren’t familiar with a “dupe” product, it’s short for the word “duplicate”. Basically, it’s an inexpensive product that’s extremely similar in quality, formula, and/or color to a more high-end product counterpart. I’ve linked each of the products I’ll be talking about in this post in the sections below. However, all of these products can also be found at your local drugstore, Target, Ulta Beauty, or on Amazon (obvi.).
P.S. Read through to the end of this post for some additional “bonus products” that I’m dying to try out next! (They’re, also, ALL from the drugstore!)
HERE’S AN OVERVIEW OF THE 10 DRUGSTORE MAKEUP PRODUCTS I’LL BE MENTIONING IN THIS POST:
Wet N Wild PhotoFocus Foundation
Catrice HD Liquid Coverage Foundation
Flower Beauty Miracle Glow Satin Finishing Powder
Wet N Wild MegaGlo Loose Highlighting Powder
e.l.f. 16HR Camo Concealer
NYX Professional Makeup HD Studio Photogenic Concealer
Maybelline Total Temptation Eyebrow Definer Pencil
Maybelline Great Lash Mascara
NYX Professional Makeup Slim Lip Pencil (in “Peek-A-Boo Natural”)
NYX Lip Lingerie Gloss
1. WET N WILD PHOTOFOCUS FOUNDATION
PRICE: $6.00
DUPE FOR: Huda Beauty #FauxFilter Foundation
Okay, first things first, let’s talk foundations! Hands down, my most coveted drugstore foundation is Wet N Wild’s PhotoFocus Foundation. I know, I know, you’re probably thinking, “Wow, really? Wet N Wild? As in the crappy makeup brand circa early 2000’s?” YES. That’s the one! And news flash, they’ve totally re-branded since those days. In fact, their makeup products are consistently some of the very best products on the market to-date. Shocking, right?
So, what’s so great about this particular product?
The degree of airbrushed flawlessness that this foundation is capable of providing is truly remarkable. It contains blurring pigments intended to mimic the smoothness of the infamous “pretty filter” on Instagram. The one we all know and love (and use). Yeeeeeeeeeah, admit it, you know you use it! To take things one step further, Wet N Wild even tested the foundation out under 7 different lighting conditions, specifically to ensure it provided a #nofilter level of perfection regardless of the lighting situation you’re in. Pretty sweet, right?
I would say it offers a medium amount of coverage initially, however, if a full-coverage look is what you’re after, never fear! This formula is extremely build-able so you can always add more layers on top of your first one, if desired. As far as the consistency of the formula goes, it’s surprisingly thin, but magically dries into a gorgeous satin-y matte finish, which I love. Not too dewy, and definitely not drying, but somewhere right in between.
To make a long story short: this foundation is “WHERE. IT’S. AT.”
2. CATRICE HD LIQUID COVERAGE FOUNDATION
PRICE: $10.99
DUPE FOR: Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation
Okay, so I know I just raved about Wet N Wild’s Photofocus Foundation, but I absolutely HAVE to rave about another brand’s foundation now. Because, honestly, I really do love them both! And no one ever said a girl can’t love two foundations at once, right?! This Catrice HD Liquid Coverage Foundation is a favorite of mine for MANY reasons, but what impresses me the most is how shockingly long-lasting it wears. It literally stays on my face ALL. DAY. LONG. If I have a jam-packed day to evening situation ahead of me (and no time in-between to freshen up), this is the stuff I grab for!
For the sake of providing you guys with ALL of the necessary details needed to make an informed decision, I’m gonna let you in on a dirty little secret about myself: I am a full-on repeat ‘sleep in my makeup’ offender.
I know, know.. it’s so terrible! Listen, it’s not something I’m proud of, okay? But, at the same time, if I’d never slept with this foundation on I wouldn’t be able to stand here and corroborate the ‘lasts up to 24 hours’ claim on the label. And now I can! So here you go: the allegations are true. I have legitimately awoken from a full night of sleep with this stuff still on my face. Obviously, it looks horrendous at that point. But, there is no denying the fact that it stays way more in-tact than any of my other foundations do after sleeping in them.
A few final details about this product: I’d say it’s pretty dang close to being a full-coverage foundation upon just one application, but it’s also very build-able so more layers can be added, if preferred. The formula is extremely liquid-y (almost water-like) but dries into the most beautiful, matte-like, powder-y finish. If you have more oil-y skin, this foundation will probably work better for you than the dewier finish of the Wet N Wild Photofocus Foundation.
3. FLOWER BEAUTY MIRACLE GLOW SATIN FINISHING POWDER
PRICE: $10.00
DUPE FOR: Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder Glow
If using a setting powder is currently not part of your makeup routine, that needs to change ASAP. I went YEARS without using a setting powder, too, so I won’t judge you for it. But, honestly, you’re really missing out if you don’t! When I finally decided to cave and see why it was that everyone and their mother was using a setting powder, I immediately understood why. The stuff makes your makeup last HOURS longer than it would otherwise. A setting spray will also do the trick, but I’ve yet to find a drugstore setting spray that I adore as much as Flower Beauty Miracle Glow Satin Finishing Powder.
This stuff rivals even the most glorified of high-end brands (I’m looking at you, Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder). It goes on silky-smooth and leaves behind a beautiful finish (with a very subtle amount of “glow”). I fluctuate between using either this product or my higher-end setting spray product to set my entire face full of makeup once I’m finished with it. When I use this powder to “set” my entire face, I like to apply it with a fluffy powder brush.
The other way that I like to use this setting powder is to “set” my under-eye concealer. This is probably my absolute favorite usage of it because it works SO unbelievably well at keeping my concealer in place all day and prevents any creasing from happening in those fine lines and eye wrinkles. After I apply my under-eye concealer, I will apply Flower Beauty’s Satin Finishing Powder on top of it using a dampened beauty blender sponge. It’s the greatest.
4. WET N WILD MEGAGLO LOOSE HIGHLIGHTING POWDER
PRICE: $5.99
DUPE FOR: Dior Highlighters
(DISCLAIMER: I haven’t personally tried Dior’s highlighter line myself, but it’s all over the internet that these two products are ridiculously similar in their pigmentation, texture, and colors.)
Before I divulge my obsession with this product, I do have a small confession to make… I originally ordered this Wet N Wild Loose Highlighting Powder by mistake. It’s true. I meant to order the pressed powder version of Wet N Wild’s Megaglo Highlighter (which looks like a hardened powder/bronzer) but accidentally ordered this loose powder version instead. Don’t worry, though, it’s all good guys! Cause, guess what? I totally fell in love with this product.
What do I love about it? I’m obsessed with how insanely pigmented this highlighter is. I’m talking like ‘level 10’ status of “glow-i-ness”, you guys. The tiniest coating of this stuff will go a REALLY long way and leave your skin as radiant as ever. It’s definitely not something I wear everyday though, because it is quite dramatic looking. However, I LOVE to add a pop of this shimmery glaze to highlight my cheekbones, brow bones and inner corners of my eyes before a night out on the town. The powder is super-finely milled which helps it to glide on like magic and it comes in 4 different shades, all of which look equally beautiful and pigmented. The shade I’ve been using is called “I’m So Lit”.
5. e.l.f. COSMETICS 16HR CAMO CONCEALER
PRICE: $5.00
DUPE FOR: Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer
Of all the products in this post, e.l.f.’s 16 Hr. Camo Concealer is perhaps the one that I feel most closely resembles it’s higher-end counterpart. You guys, I cannot for the life of me tell the difference between this e.l.f. concealer and Tarte’s Shape Tape concealer. Because of that, I would choose this more affordable drugstore version over the more expensive version 10 times out of 10.
This concealer has an amazingly lightweight, hydrating formula and is capable of providing a full-coverage look, which (in my experience with concealers) has been practically unheard of. Most full-coverage concealers I’ve used have dried-out my under-eyes horribly and they always leave a heavy, caked on layer which is horrendous looking. Yet somehow, miraculously, e.l.f. has managed to accomplish the impossible. Their full-coverage formula is remarkably creamy and hydrating. I also love that it has the same large, doe-footed applicator as Tarte’s Shape Tape. It comes in a TON of different colors and shades, too, which is amazing and makes finding that elusive “exact color match” so much easier.
You guys, for real…. this is hands-down the best concealer I’ve EVER come across to-date. You can thank me later.
6. NYX HD STUDIO PHOTOGENIC CONCEALER
PRICE: $6.00
DUPE FOR: Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer
This NYX HD Studio Photogenic Concealer comes in at a VERY close second to my beloved, most prized, e.l.f. concealer. But there was no chance that I was going to just leave this product off my list. I actually think a lot of people might possibly prefer this NYX concealer over the e.l.f. one. Mainly because it offers a much more subtle, natural-looking application that can both “conceal” while simultaneously remain fairly undetectable. I think it really just comes down to personal preference here and whether or not you like your concealer to be a noticeably full-coverage product or a less-noticeably medium-coverage kind of deal.
This NYX concealer’s formula blends into the skin beautifully and has just the right amount of water-y creaminess to prevent under-eye dryness. Like I said, it offers a medium amount of coverage upon first application, but as has been the case with most of these products, a more full-coverage look can be achieved by building more on top of that first layer. Oh yeah, and it’s available in 20 different shades! Score!
7. MAYBELLINE TOTAL TEMPTATION EYEBROW DEFINER PENCIL
PRICE: $5.00
DUPE FOR: Benefit Cosmetics Goof Proof Brow Pencil
I was hooked on Maybelline’s Total Temptation Eyebrow Definer Pencil from the moment I discovered it. I remember using Benefit’s Goof Proof Brow Pencil at one time and thinking I’d never use any other brow pencil again. That was until I heard that there was a drugstore dupe for it. Maybelline’s Total Temptation Eyebrow Pencil incorporates all of the qualities I loved about the Benefit brow pencil but at a fraction of the cost. If you’re wondering what these brow pencils have that others don’t, allow me to fill you in.
It ALL comes down to the unique tear-drop shaped tip. It makes customizing your precise brow coverage incredibly easy. If you’re anything like me, your brows have probably been giving you a hard time since those awful ‘tweeze them till they’re barely there’ days. No joke, I’ve legitimately been trying to grow my eyebrows back ever since. For those of you too lazy to do the math there, I’m talking a solid 9-10 years of my life has been dedicated to the growing back of my eyebrows. Honestly, the two of us are mortal enemies at this point.
But then I was introduced to the magic of the tear-drop shaped tip of both Benefit’s and Maybelline’s brow pencils. It’s funny how something so seemingly insignificant about a product can become the most vitally important thing about it. And a tear-drop shaped tip has become vitally important to me and my brow-filling in abilities. Here’s how it works: the wider part of the pencil’s tip is used for filling in the meatier sections of the brow, while the smaller pointed edge of the tip can be used to precisely carve out your brow shape and/or define any sparse-looking tails. It’s practically cut my eyebrow ‘filling-in’ time in half and I finally feel like I know what I’m doing.
Lastly, the formula is spectacularly creamy and exactly spot-on for what you’d want in a brow pencil. It glides on effortlessly with the lightest of touches which I love, because the product ends up lasting me so much longer. Seriously, a little really goes a long way with this one.
8. MAYBELLINE GREAT LASH MASCARA
PRICE: $6.00
DUPE FOR: I don’t have a high-end counterpart for this makeup product, but the fact that I’m still wearing it 20 years later, I think, speaks for itself.
It’s probably safe to assume that most of you have already heard of (or used) Maybelline Great Lash Mascara at one point or another. However, even if that’s true and every single one of you already knows about this product, I still had to include it in this post. It’s truly that good.
I started using this mascara in the seventh grade and have continued to use it on and off for the past 17 years of my life… Crazy, right? I’m pretty sure it’s the only makeup product I can actually say that about. Since it’s been around forever, I feel like an overly detailed description here is pretty unnecessary. You probably all already have the same information as I do.
I will say, though, that I highly recommend using the ‘blackest black’ shade. It just gives the eyelashes that extra ‘pop’ of color that they need to draw your attention. Also, always, always get the curved brush head. It works so much better than the other two brush heads do at lengthening and elongating the lashes.
This mascara has been around for a long time FOR A REASON. Because it really does work. And people really do love it. The End.
9. NYX SLIM LIP PENCIL IN “PEEK-A-BOO NATURAL“
PRICE: $5.00
DUPE FOR: Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Lip Liner in “Pillow Talk”
Before I say anything else, I should clarify that the NYX Slim Lip Liner Pencil in “Peek-a-Boo Natural” is only a dupe for the color of Charlotte Tilbury’s “Pillow Talk” liner. They are NOT formula dupes. The NYX liner is not as creamy as the Tilbury liner, however, it still glides onto the lips fairly well thanks to its coconut oil enriched formula.
The color of these two liners, though, is almost an exact color match, which is amazing because Tilbury’s “Pillow Talk” is a cult-favorite in the beauty world. If you love the color of the “Pillow Talk” liner, you will also love the color of NYX’s “Peek-A-Boo Natural” liner.
Lastly, I love this liner because of it’s “staying-power”. It usually lasts me all day long, which is typically my main concern when it comes to choosing a makeup product.
At the end of the day, I really can’t tell the difference between my NYX lip liners and my more expensive high-end liners, so the decision of which to purchase is a no-brainer.
10. NYX LIP LINGERIE GLOSS IN “SHY“
PRICE: $7.50
DUPE FOR: Kat Von D Liquid Lipsticks
Holy moly, you guys.. These glosses are PIGMENTED! This specific NYX Lip Lingerie Gloss line is particularly stunning and is made up of some of the most gorgeous pink-y-nude lip colors I’ve ever seen.
In general, NYX Professional Makeup products are pretty impressive considering they’re a drugstore brand (hence, the reason I’ve included three NYX products in this list), but when it comes to their lip products, that’s where they seem to have really gotten it right. Their lip products are consistently some of the best formulas out there, including high-end brands.
This ‘Lip Lingerie’ line feels absolutely heavenly. There’s both a gloss and a liquid lipstick version. Both are to die for. The glosses are lightweight, non-sticky and hydrating, falling somewhere between a lip oil/lip balm situation. All of the colors in the line are stunningly beautiful, but I’ve recently been having a moment with the shade “Shy” (shown in the photo above).
Okay, folks! That officially wraps up my top picks for affordable, high-quality drugstore makeup products! As promised, here are my ‘bonus list’ drugstore makeup items. All of them have received an insane amount of praise and super high reviews, so I’m dying to try them out next:
- Pixi Glow Mist
- NYX Studio Finishing Powder Translucent Finish
- Ardell Fake Eyelashes (Demi Wispies & Baby Wispies) – I’ve heard they’re the best of the best.
- e.l.f. Cosmetics Poreless Putty Primer
- Physician’s Formula Butter Bronzer
I hope you guys enjoyed reading and found this post useful! If you decide to try out any of the products mentioned, please let me know what you think of them in the comments section below. I’d love to hear from you!
XOXO,
Kenzie
