My 10 Holy Grail Drugstore Makeup picks
Makeup is considered an art by many and vanity by others. Be it art or vanity nobody can deny that if done correctly, it enhances beauty. For me personally, make-up is such a mood booster. On a bad day, I purposefully put on a nice winged liner and a bright lipstick and it immediately brightens up the mood. I love makeup to the point where it almost feels naked to walk out without it these days. For a makeup junkie like me, Sephora easily sets me back $200-$300. The bargain hunter in me finds it very hard to justify the exorbitant prices. This is the reason why I am always on the lookout for affordable makeup products without sacrificing quality. Today, I will be sharing with you guys My 10 Holy Grail Drugstore Makeup products.
Before I jump onto the products, let’s take the reverse gear for a moment. The first time I stepped on USA soil was in the year 2009. I came here to pursue my Masters and did many odd jobs. I was trying to earn enough to pay my rent, semester fees, and groceries. Between all the odd jobs and the classes, I used to find respite in finding affordable makeup products t local drug stores. This has led me to always mix and match high and affordable makeup products in my everyday routine.
My 10 Holy Grail Drugstore Makeup products
My problem with most of the foundations is that they look cakey and clogs the pores. I always end up mixing my foundation with face oil or moisturizer. However, True Match Super-Blend-able Original Foundation is already infused with 80% moisturizing cream. This causes the skin to look smooth without being patchy. The foundation provides medium coverage and comes in 45 different shades This might be the most options I have seen in terms of skin tones for a foundation.
This foundation almost feels like a second skin to me. Also to mention it has ProVitamin B5 and Vitamin E to keep your skin healthy and SPF 17 to keep your skin protected. In short, if you are looking for an affordable, true to your skin tone and medium coverage foundation, then this one might be just perfect for you.
If you’re a fan of the fan-favorite NARS Orgasm blush, then this one comes closest to it in drugstore makeup products. This blush was picked up by me two years back on a whim and was pleasantly surprised by it’s quality and pigmentation. It has a light shimmer to it which gives a nice glow to the skin. You can choose from 11 different shades to provide your cheeks the needed pop of color.
My favorite shade is Rose D’oro [02]. I like the peachy glow it gives to my face and my skin always looks sun kissed with this blush. I always keep on going back to this shade.
3. Neutrogena Healthy Skin Radiant Cream Concealer
I always had dark circles around my eyes which does not seem to go away. I have tried every trick and formula written to get rid of my dark circles to no success. Hence, Concealer is my best friend. I have tried both luxury and drug store concealers by now and Neutrogena Radiant Cream Concealer ranks pretty high when compared to other concealers. This skin-perfecting concealer blurs and conceals the imperfections of your skin. It is also infused with peptides and an antioxidant vitamin E blend leaving your skin with a radiant boost.
One of the cool tricks I have learned is to use this concealer s an eyeshadow primer. Just take a small dot and apply it on your lids before the eyeshadow and your eyeshadow stays on for long-lasting hours.
4. Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick
If you are a matte lips lover like me, this Maybelline SuperStay Liquid Lipstick is what your lips need. Maybelline takes the tag super stay quite seriously and this lipstick will be stuck with you throughout the day. Most of the time I need to use the cleanser to get rid of the color at night. SuperStay Matte Ink features a unique arrow applicator for precise application and is available in a range of super saturated shades.
5. Maybelline Eye Shadow Palette Blushed Nudes
Maybelline hands down have the best shades when it comes to drugstore eyeshadows. This palette consists of 12 shades ranging from light to dark. You would definitely find a shade suited to your occasion. You can also mix and match shades and to create a dramatic eye look. All the shades are infused with a little bit of shimmer to provide the right amount of glam.
I personally like this palette more than the original Maybelline nudes palette. The colors are very pigmented and I can easily dress them up or dress them down depending on the day.
6. L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Mascara
My biggest pet peeve is clumpy eyelashes due to mascara. I like each and every eyelash to be segregated and visible individually. After trying and researching multiple mascaras L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Mascara is my go-to when it comes to drugstore makeup products. Its brush is super soft and the eyelashes become visibly longer and thicker. The mascara is also waterproof and leaves your eyes dramatic and smudge proof through out the day.
7. Maybelline Tattoo Studio Eye Liner
If you would ask me what is one makeup product I cannot live without, my answer would be eyeliner. I cannot live or breathe without an eyeliner. I almost feel naked without stepping out without eyeliner. So now that my love for eyeliner is clear, let’s get to which drugstore eyeliner is the best. To be honest, I have been consistently using Chanel eyeliner for years now. But if and whenever I run out of it, Maybelline Tattoo Studio eyeliner is always my backup.
This long-lasting liquid eyeliner glides on smooth and delivers edgy eye impact in one stroke. It is fade, smudge, and sweat-resistant and lasts me easily for the entire day. As the name suggest the eyeliner indeed acts like a permanent tattoo for your eyes and won’t come off without makeup removal wipes.
8. NYX Professional Makeup Dewy Finish Long Lasting Makeup Setting Spray
If you are looking for a fresh and dewy makeup look that lasts forever, then NYX Professional Makeup Dewy Finish Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray is what you need. Imagine spending hours putting on perfect makeup and it begins to melt away the moment you get out of the car. Setting spray is as important as any other makeup product as it eaves your makeup last for hours and making your face look fresh throughout.
NYX Professional Makeup Dewy Finish Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray features a vegan formula with no animal-derived ingredients or by-products. Overall an amazing product with ethical sourcing, thus making to my list of holy grail drugstore makeup products.
9. Soap & Glory One Heck of A Blot Primer
As important as a setting spray is a good primer. Primer provides an evenness to the skin before putting on the makeup. My skin has very visible pores and the foundation gets clogged into them. Hence, I always make sure to use a primer before starting with the makeup.
Soap & Glory One Heck of A Blot Primer absorbs the shine from the base and provides an even base for the next steps. This primer can be used alone as well. A lot of times i don’t even use foundation with this primer and just slap on some blush, eyeliner and lipstick.
10. MILANI Strobelight Liquid Highlighter, Summer Glow
If you are into youtube makeup tutorials then you might know what strobing is by now. For those who don’t Strobing is a simple technique that involves putting highlighter on strategic places that gives an illuminating look to the face. It has replaced contouring as the next big makeup trend.
MILANI Strobelight Liquid Highlighter, Summer Glow comes in 6 different shades from light pink to pure gold pearl shimmer to provide a radiance glow. You can use it on your facial spots to highlight them or mix it with the foundation to provide your skin a luminous glow.
Finals Words
It never hurts to save some money especially when you can get quality luxury products at affordable prices. Drugstore makeup might not be considered a luxury but they definitely provide utility and variety. Above were My 10 Holy Grail Drugstore Makeup picks. They provide a great alternative when you are on a budget or test out different looks. Do you have any favorite drugstore makeup products? Let me know in the comments. Also if you liked the post then don’t forget to share the image below on Pinterest.
xo, Pavneet
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