If you’re like me, you’re too poor for Sephora! That’s okay, though, because most drugstores still have a pretty good selection. It takes a long time to find good makeup when the options aren’t great, but as a seasoned thrifter and “sales only” kind of girl, I have some budget-friendly suggestions.
My favourite drugstore brand for base makeup is Covergirl, because a lot of their stuff is lighter weight but still gets the job done. Since my tan from the summer is gone (so sad), I’m sticking to their Skin Milk foundation in a light shade. This goes on super easily and is light enough that it never looks cakey in the weak winter light. Plus, it’s vegan!
For concealer, I’m using a mix of Revlon Colorstay Skin Awaken and the camouflaging concealer Master Conceal by Face Studio. Revlon describes their Colorstay as 5-in-1 and lasting 24 hours. It definitely doesn’t last for 24 hours, but it’s super versatile in that it works to lighten you undereyes and cover up blemishes. It’s very light, so I go in with the Master Conceal for stubborn areas that just won’t conceal. This is my favourite concealer because it’s super pigmented and actually does last a long time. It’s really cheap too!
When you’re mixing brands, especially drugstore brands, it’s really easy for your makeup to become cakey or get that weird separated and patchy look. This is because base makeup products are either water or silicone based, and mixing them doesn’t work. You want to get products that are all water or all silicone based. For example, if you have a silicone based primer, you want silicone based foundation on top. You can usually find this info on the back of the item in the ingredients list. If not, a quick Google search goes a long way and helps to ensure that your makeup not only blends smoothly, but stays on longer!
My favourite makeup hack is mixing cheaper products with ones that cost a little more in the areas that matter for me, like my eyes and lips. The best eyeliner I’ve ever found at a drugstore is the Milani Stay Put eyeliner pencil in the shade “semi-sweet”. I love brown eyeliner for slightly lining my eyes, because I usually don’t want full black eyeliner every day.
The black eyeliner I use is also by Milani, and is called The Tank in the shade “noir.” This is a really good eyeliner that lasts forever. This Milani eyeliner has withstood the test of my frequent tears as exam season approaches and it’s absolutely something to add to your list.
Amazon/Milani
The best (and most expensive) product I’m using right now is the Benefit lip and cheek stain. I’m using “Floratint,” which is pink, but they have red options available. This looks so good even without a base layer, and it lasts a really long time. It’s such a good way to amp things up even on no-makeup days.
When I’m not in the mood for the Benefit lip tint, I use a Dr. Pawpaw’s balm, which I have in the original clear shade and in “tinted peach pink.” Benefit dries smooth, but Dr. Pawpaws dries super glowy, making it one of my favourites for the summer. I still use it during the winter once in a while, because highlight goes on nicely over top and gives a dewy finish!
I hope these suggestions are helpful as we move into holiday makeup season! Though it’s always nice to treat yourself with nice makeup, having good, cheap, basics goes a long way when you’re on a budget.