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Buying beauty products is seriously so much fun, especially when things are cheap or on sale at Ulta Beauty (my second home). Sadly, things add up even if a store is having a BOGO sale. When I buy beauty products, I make sure I do my research. I also make sure if I’m going to spend money on a product, I better get more bang for my buck! There’s no use in spending over $20 on a mascara unless it’s literally the best mascara ever. There are plenty of products under $20 or even $15 that definitely get the job done at a much lower price point. So without further ado, here are my tried and true, favorite beauty products under $15 for any broke college student.
- Morphe Beauty Sponge
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Beauty sponges are a must-have for anyone into makeup. They make my makeup application way more fun and effective with sponges of all shapes and sizes for people to use. My personal fave is the Morphe Highlight and Contour Beauty Sponge ($8). It has just the right amount of squishiness and doesn’t absorb a huge amount of foundation. It’s super good at blending my foundation and concealer, and I love that it has the flat part for helping me blend in harder-to-blend areas, like under my eyes.
- Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara
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When mascara is a product that should be thrown out every three months, it makes no sense to spend an insane amount of money on it. Drugstore mascara is always the way to go, making it an easy, on-the-budget buy when you have to replace it. As someone with almost nonexistent, Asian lashes, the Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara ($10) does such a great job separating my lashes and giving them length without being clumpy. And yes, I have both the regular and waterproof formulation just in case I know a cry fest is inevitable on a specific day. I trust it that much!
- Ardell Lashes/Duo Lash Glue
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This is kind of a double whammy because you can’t have good false lashes without good lash glue. I’m still a newbie in the false lash world, so the Ardell Natural 174 Lashes ($5) and the Duo Dark Lash Adhesive ($7) are great for a beginner lash-user. Once you try your OG pair of lashes, it’s so hard to stop buying more. In a case like this, I’d definitely wait for the Ulta BOGO sales, especially for Ardell. Save that coin!
- Colourpop Blush and Lite Stix
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For my last makeup pick, I always prefer to use cream formulas for my blush and highlight in the summer. Colourpop came out with these Lite Stix recently, and I just had to try them. They’re super creamy and not super pigmented, which for blush, I actually prefer. I have the shades Sidewayz in the Blush Stix ($8) and Urth in the Lite Stix ($8). Colourpop also has Afterpay, so if you spend over thirty-five dollars, you can pay in installments instead of all of it upfront, which is so helpful for broke college students.
- COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patches
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When it comes to my spending, I definitely spend more money on skincare than I do on makeup. Skincare has very specific ingredients that tend to be a little more expensive, so for me, it’s been hard to find products that are under $15. Thankfully, this little guy is a lifesaver I will literally always rave about. If you have a pimple, especially a day before a big event, these COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patches ($5) are perfect. Leave one of the clear patches on a pimple at night and in the morning take it off to find your pimple almost completely flattened. They’re a great quick fix for large, painful pimples. Best budget skincare find, hands down.
- Schmidt’s Deodorant
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My best friend and I are always on the lookout for products that are vegan, cruelty-free, and mostly natural. After one trip to Target, we found these guys on the shelf and obviously had to get them. The Schmidts Natural Deodorant ($5) contains no aluminum, which can be harmful to your body. I will say these guys are a little unique in comparison to normal, chalky deodorant, as these are kind of like stick versions of an exfoliating scrub. If you go overboard, you might be left with a little bit of a “sugary” kind of residue, unlike normal deodorant which can leave everything white and powdery. These smell great, are effective and potentially better for your body.
- Nordstrom Lingerie Disposable Breast Petals
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This last product is kind of a funny one in the sense it’s not skincare or makeup related at all. If you like to free your boobs and pull a no-bra day like me sometimes, I definitely recommend these gems from Nordstrom. These Disposable Breast Petals (3 pack for $6 or 6 pack for $12) are amazing at letting me go bra-free with any outfit. Bonus: these are so thin you can’t see the outline. Most petals I’ve tried weren’t thin enough to the point where you could totally tell I was wearing them under my fitted clothes. These babies are so thin, though, so going to work without a bra has been the best thing ever.
All of these budget beauty buys are under $15, and they’re all so good! I know it’s hard to find quality stuff under $15 nowadays as companies are hiking up prices on much of their products, but don’t fret! If you look hard enough and experiment, you might just find some gems that won’t break the bank. Spend wisely out there, everyone!