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My roundup of the best lipliners got so much love, I realized you might be looking for more makeup recommendations out there 🙂
I went through a phase where I was trying to buy “nicer” makeup to see if it was worth it. And you know, of course, some of it was.
But I always come back to drugstore picks because there’s something about them that is just more approachable and fun. Plus, I love finding things that give me the look I want at an affordable price.
So, here are the drugstore cosmetics I’ve been using lately:
Primer: Essence Hello, Good Stuff! Glow Serum Primer
I’m always pleasantly surprised when an Essence product is good, and I love this one! It’s vegan and cruelty-free. Plus, it hydrates the skin and preps it for makeup. Skin prep is vital to any makeup routine, so hydrate!
Foundation: Milani Conceal + Perfect
This has clean ingredients and is cruelty-free, plus it provides full coverage. I still use concealer with it, but you can use it however you wish! It has a natural matte finish, so you can follow it up with a full-glam look or go for the clean-girl aesthetic.
Concealer: Maybelline Fit Me Concealer
This vegan concealer offers a natural finish and is so lightweight. I love using it under my eyes to conceal puffiness.
Powder: Maybelline Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder
This has been my top loose powder pick for years! It’s vegan and mineral-based; I pack it under my eyes for full coverage and then use a large fluffy brush over other areas of my face to set it.
Contour: NYX Wonder Stick Cream Highlight & Contour Stick
Okay, I’ll admit it immediately: I don’t like the highlighter on one end of this stick! But, I love the contour side so much, I keep buying it. You might like the highlighter though; you could also swipe the highlighter end on your eyelids for a glowy, easy look.
The contour is buttery and so easy to blend, and I love that I can just draw it right where I want it.
Blush: Pixi On-the-Glow Blush Tinted Moisture Stick
I love this! I’ve been using the shade “Ruby” and applying it after foundation but under any powder and it provides such a nice flush of color. This is a hydrating formula that’s actually good for your skin. I also love that it’s huge, so you can use it for a long time.
Powder blush: Milani Baked Blush – Radiant Powder Blush
I like to set the Pixi cream blush with a powder blush so it’s just a bolder blush look — I mean, why not? My favorite is the Milani because it has a bit of a glow to it that rounds out the bold ruby underneath. All of the Radiant powders are gorgeous!
Brow pencil: NYX Micro Brow Pencil
This vegan brow pencil is super thin so you can draw individual hair in your brows, or blend to fill it in. It comes with a built-in spoolie on one end to fluff and perfect as you go.
Lash Primer: Essence Curl-Fixing Lash Base
Been using this for a few weeks now and am pleasantly shocked at how much it curls my lashes back so they really fan out. The color is a dark navy, and the wand really separates the lashes.
Mascara: Milani Highly Rated Volume Mascara
I only look for mascaras with the simple, classic, Christmas-tree shaped brush. The Milani Top Rated builds and gives fantastic volume — it reminds me of very high-end mascaras!
Eyeshadow: Undone Beauty Curator Wet to Dry Eye Palette
This is a little bit of a cheat because I don’t *think* you can buy Undone Beauty at the drugstore, but the prices are on-point and it’s totally vegan and clean. Their eye palette is amazing because it has so many usable colors to wear in different ways!
I have the palette in shade “Soul” and I like to mix the lighter side all together and use it on my eyelids, and then I wet an angle brush and use the black or purple as my eyeliner.
The gold is really nice in the crease.
Setting spray: NYX Matte Finish Long Lasting Makeup Setting Spray Vegan Formula
This was one of the first setting sprays I ever tried and I still use it! It’s affordable and keeps my look in place… there’s a reason it’s the number one setting spray in the country!
Highlighter: Wet n Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Powder
You cannot go wrong with a Wet n Wild Highlighter! I’ve been using their various highlighters for years and am never disappointed. Go for a pink shade if you’re looking for a soft glow, or grab a champagne hue if you want more of a pop. Use the bronze-tones for a sun-kissed look.
Lips: Maybelline Color Sensational Shaping Lip Liner; Maybelline Super Stay Vinyl Ink Liquid Lipcolor
I use the “Totally Toffee” lip liner to line and fill my lips, then top it all with “Captivated” liquid lip and it stays ALL DAY LONG. Truly love this combo!
And there you have my full-face of drugstore makeup! I’d love to know what your favorite affordable makeup recommendations are.
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