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Makeup has become essential to me over the years. I almost never leave for school without my eyebrows on and a touch of mascara. Even though I do the bare minimum, I have always loved a full glam with all the intricate steps. As a tween (and still to this day), I loved watching makeup reviews even if I couldn’t afford the latest product. As a middle-class child, I believed that expensive high-end makeup was the only makeup of good quality. It wasn’t until I found makeup YouTubers like Jessica Bruan that I learned that drugstore makeup could be just as good and even beat expensive brands when it comes to quality. As a poor college student, I found my only options now are drug store products. To bring out the makeup-loving side of me, I tested new Maybelline products to see if they were not only budget-friendly but worth the hype.
The Look
On this day, I had work which I had to look professional for, and then I had a class. For light days like these, I usually go with a light makeup look. I usually use BB cream for light coverage to balance my skin tone and to cover blemishes. I wasn’t aiming for a high coverage Nikkie Tutorials look but more of a “my skin but better.”
The Products
1st: Eye shadow blocks
Price: $13.49
I love the idea of this three-shadow block. It is nice to have all the shades you need in one compact spot; a color for the crease and a color for the inner corner are all you need. However, I like to use a matte shadow for the outer corner or my crease, but the darker shadow of this block had a shimmering finish. I didn’t love how there was no actual matte shade and the “shimmer shade” provided a little highlight to the eye look. It lasted a decent amount of time and still added shape. I think if I were to purchase this again, I would choose a different color selection. This product is mediocre; if you are looking for something quick that you can throw in your bag, then this is perfect for you.
2nd: Hyper Easy Eyeliner
Price: $10.00
To start off, I do not know how to wear eyeliner at all. Pencil, liquid, or pomade, I don’t know how to use it. So I thought a pencil would be the perfect product to start learning how to use it. I tried applying it, but it left no color or line and it broke immediately after. I tried it on my other eye, and it broke again. This product is definitely not worth the price considering it failed twice. For a cheaper eyeliner, try the Essence eyeliner pencil!
Price: $10.99
I don’t know if it was just me, but it feels like every mom used this concealer back in 2016. I used it back in my early makeup days, and when I tried it again, I was surprised that I stopped using it. It applies smoothly and does not drag or break apart makeup underneath. It gives medium coverage that doesn’t look cakey or fade throughout the day. It provided just enough coverage for a no-makeup-makeup look. It didn’t crease underneath my eyes or in my forehead lines. It is overall an amazing concealer that is worth every penny for someone needing a light coverage concealer!
4th: Lasting Fix Banana Setting Powder
Price: $11.99
We all remember James Charles’ famous flashback Mary meme. Well, a banana setting powder is supposed to prevent that because it has a yellow color. It is meant for all over the face and not for under the eyes. This powder did help the oil and shininess in my T-zone for most of the day. However, it did not sink into my skin as much as I would have liked it to. It gave a powdery finish to my makeup look and made it look cakey. A better (cheaper) alternative would be the Coty Aiurspun loose powder.
5th: Filter Gloss
$7.99
I have seen this gloss all over social media, especially in the beauty community on YouTube. Let me just say, I see why now. It has hyaluronic acid, which is great for moisturizing your lips, especially in the colder months. It adds such a nice shine and color to the lips and layers perfectly on top of other lipsticks. It doesn’t crack or lose its shine throughout the day. The only drawback of this product is that it does transfer if you drink from a cup or eat so you will probably have to reapply throughout the day
Final Thoughts:
Maybelline overall is a decent brand for its products. However, most of these products were mediocre for their price, especially for something more than $10 (which honestly, is a lot for a college student). Everyone’s skin is different so everybody has different makeup products that work for them. But in my opinion, I believe that you could find mind-blowing products for a cheaper price at the drugstore.