Drugstore Makeup That Lets You Look Your Best For Less

One of the hardest parts about being someone who cares about their appearance is the goddamn price of it all. From hair products to nail polish to makeup, that shit is expensive as FUCK. In order to keep your wallet from collecting dust, I decided to swap out some designer brand makeup for drugstore brands and guess what? I’m doing just fine. At the end of the day, all makeup is pretty much the same when you’re trying to cover up a nasty pimple or a hangover, so why spend so much money on foundation and lip gloss when you can get the same product at a lower price? Treat yourself to some extra guac on that Chipotle burrito, without sacrificing your beauty game and check out these awesome products for a fabulous look.   L'OREAL Paris Voluminous Mascara 

I have used many different mascara brands throughout the years and L’OREAL has never let me down. For someone with very sensitive skin, it gets difficult to find eye makeup that doesn’t irritate my face. This mascara is perfect for keeping me rash free and open-eyed. I even went ahead and purchased a blue version of the mascara just so I could look bomb at tailgates. I have tried designer brand mascaras from Dior to Benefit, and have had reactions to almost all of them.  

Maybelline Fit Me!

When looking for foundation at the drug store you don’t have any of those fancy Sephora machines that scan your skin like a barcode to match your foundation. You got to do the picking the old fashioned way – take a terribly uneducated guess. With that being said, it becomes a lot easier when there are so many shades to chose from. That’s why I love this brand of foundation so much. Last year, Maybelline added 16 new shades to the Fit Me! line to create more inclusive makeup. The foundation is smooth to the touch and does not appear cakey on the skin. It’s oil absorbing powers are perfect for long days of heaving your way to class. Fit Me! has proven that everyone deserves cheap, good quality foundation.  

Studio 35 Beauty Blending Sponge

Recently, a friend of mine gave me a gift I had been dreaming of – the beauty blender. This 20 dollar ultimate makeup blending sponge is used by every YouTuber. But you’re not sponsored and let’s not forget, we’re glorifying a pink sponge here. Both sponges work exactly the same and there is literally no difference between the two. You can apply your foundation, blend your concealer or perfect your contour with this sponge just as well as any other. Serious judgment for those of you who shell out the extra 14 dollars on an egg shaped sponge.  

elf Eye Makeup

A recent discovery of mine has been the brand elf. It has a whole range of products that cost only $1 to $3; you really can’t beat that. While a variety of drugstores carry the line, they’ve also started opening their own stand-alone stores. One of their new stores even opened up in my town and since then, my life has never been the same. Huge eyeshadow collections go for ten dollars and the pigmentation is just as good as the 40 dollar ones. They’re a cruelty free brand and there’s always some kind of giveaway if you spend a certain amount of money. Bonus: You get a super cute gift bag with every purchase!    

So the next time you get that Sephora temptation and are ready to splurge 200 dollars on three products, treat yourself to the glowing isles of Target. And the next time you want that extra pitcher at happy hour you know you don’t have to feel guilty for it – you just got your mascara for six dollars.