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TCNJ | Style > Beauty

Go-To Affordable Makeup Products

Mackenzie Mangan Student Contributor, The College of New Jersey
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at TCNJ chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

It can be so stressful trying to find makeup products that look nice, but also don’t break your bank account. I’m gonna give you my list of go-to affordable makeup products that I use in my daily routine!

  1. Milani SPF BFF Primer
    • This is a pretty solid primer that moistures well and feels so lightweight on the face. Retailing anywhere between $12-17 you get a two-in-one with spf 30 sunscreen mixed with your everyday primer to protect your skin with long makeup wear. Milani is also a popular drug store brand, so many of their products can be easily found at drugstores like CVS!
  2. Elf Cosmetics Hydrating Camo Concealer
    • I absolutely love and recommend this concealer from Elf. Retailing for about $8, you get bang for your buck with this concealer. This product has lasted me way longer than it should. It has amazing full coverage and only takes a little bit of product to work like magic. You can find this concealer at many stores including Ulta, Target, and even CVS!
  3. NYX Professional Makeup Tinted Brow Mascara
    • This is my favorite eyebrow product that I have used by far. I definitely prefer a brow tint/gel compared to a pencil, making this the perfect product. This brow mascara fills in my eyebrows so nicely and does not require a lot of it to be seen. This product retails for about $8.50 and can be found on the NYX cosmetics website or at stores like Ulta.
  4. Elf Cosmetics Clear Brow and Lash Mascara
    • This is another favorite eyebrow product of mine that I use after I fill them in! This product has two ends, one that you can use for your eyebrows and the other you can use for your eyelashes, but if you’re like me and only look to use it for one then you would use both on your eyebrows! This clear mascara works great for keeping your eyebrows to stay in place all day. This product retails for $4 in a pack of one or $6 for a pack of two and can be found at stores like Ulta and Target!
  5. Pixi On the Glow Blush
    • This is such a good cream blush that is also very pigmented. It is a stick blush that is great for on the go. It also offers a nice shine to the cheeks on top of giving that nice rosey look. I personally love coral tinted blush, so my go-to with this blush is the shade “juicy.” This retails for about $12 and you can purchase this product at a range of stores including Ulta, Target, and CVS!
  6. Revolution Beauty Highlight Reloaded
    • If you want a highlighter that can be strobing, but also natural, then this is the one for you. This is a powder highlighter that truly lasts you so long. My go to shade is “Set The Tone” which has a shimmery white pigment. Retailing for just $7-8, this is an amazing highlighter that I highly recommend. You can purchase this product at stores such as Ulta and Target!
  7. L.A. Girl Ultimate Lip Intense Stay Auto Lipliner
    • This lipliner is my holy grail of makeup products. This is a cream based lipliner which I personally prefer compared to a regular pencil liner. This product lines my lips so nicely. I have gotten so many compliments on the color choice which is the shade “Keep It Spicy,” my absolute favorite! This product retails for about $5-6 and you can purchase it at stores like Ulta and CVS!
  8. Elf Cosmetics Hydrating Core Lip Shine
    • This is such a nice lip tint that I also double as a lipstick. It has a nice pigment to it and gives a really natural gloss/shine. My favorite shade that I also like to pair with my lipliner is “Happy,” which is a nice darker color. Elf is infamous for making dupes of more expensive makeup products and this can be seen as an example of that. People would relate this product to Clinique’s Almost Lipstick in the shade “Black Honey.” That product retails for about $25 while the Elf product retails for only $8 and you can get it at stores like Ulta and Target!
  9. Essence Lash Princess Volume Mascara
    • This has been my go to mascara for years now. I have tried every mascara from this collection, but my favorite is the Volume Mascara as it makes my eye lashes look nice and long! The wand of the mascara is curved to give you that curled look after you apply it to your lashes. This product retails for $4.99 and can be found at stores like Ulta and Target! 
  10. Milani Make It Last Original Natural Finish Setting Spray
    • This is probably my favorite setting spray so far that I’ve used. You can get it in two different sizes, 2.03oz or 6.0oz. The 2.03oz which I get, retails anywhere from $11-14 and the 6.0oz retails for a bit more at about $21. This setting spray truly does help my makeup stay and helps my face feel refreshed immediately after using it. This is considered a dupe for the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray which comes in three different sizes, 3.3oz, 1.1oz, and 6.7oz. The price for the 3.3oz is $38 dollars, the price for the 1.1oz is $23, and the price for the 6.7oz is $58. A big difference in prices for sizes. You can purchase the Milani setting spray at stores like Ulta, Target, and CVS!

I hope this list of my go-to affordable makeup products can inspire you to check them out during your next shopping trip! These products have truly made a difference in my makeup routine and I hope they can do the same for you!

Mackenzie Mangan

TCNJ '28

Student studying marketing at TCNJ

Interests: Fashion, music, art, etc!