This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at DCU chapter.

As the end of the academic year approaches, money can get tight, even for the most frugal of students. If you want to update your makeup bag and still have enough money for a train ticket home, here are some budget beauty essentials that won’t break the bank.

Maybelline “Fit Me” Foundation – €8.99

This non comedogenic foundation was formulated specifically for oily skin, so contains no oil or wax, and sits on the skin (without felling cakey on the skin.)

In 2017 Maybelline added 16 new shades to the FitMe brand, making it one of the most inclusive ranges in it’s price category as a drugstore brand.

With 40 shades for a wide range of skin tones. Maybelline also has a matching FitMe gel concealer, also priced at €8.99, which works amazing on under eye bags.

FitMe foundation and concealer can be found at most Irish pharmacies, Boots, Superdrug, and online at BeautyBay.com.

2. Essence “I Love Extreme” mascara- €3.50

This heavily pigmented mascara is perfect for building volume and adding the illusion of length to lashes. The wide brush spreads the ultra-black colour evenly across the eyelash, allowing for quick application and volume even with one coat. But take care to wipe off excess liquid for the first few uses to avoid small clumps.

The I Love Extreme mascara narrowly beat out it’s sister range, the Volume Stylist Lash Extension which comes in at the even cheaper price of €2.99. But ultimately, the dark pigmentation and instant volume of the I love extreme mascara make it a must buy.

Essence low budget mascara’s can be found in most local pharmacies, Boots, Superdrug and Penneys.

3. Nyx “Professional Makeup Butter Lip Gloss” lip gloss- €7.00

A great alternative to the Kylie lip gloss range that won’t empty your purse, or line the Kardashian pockets more than necessary.

With a whopping 34 desert themed shades like “Apple Strudel” “Cherry Pie” and “Eclair” to choose from, the Professional Makeup Butter feels soft and creamy to apply and manages to give a long-lasting shine without drying out the lips or feeling too sticky.

Often worn on top of lipstick to give an extra shine, this gloss is pigmented enough to work on its own.

Nyx isn’t as easy to find in Irish pharmacies as the previous entries, but some Boots stores, along with Superdrug, Arnotts and Debenhams all stock the brand, which is also available online at BeautyBay and Littlewoods Ireland.

Beauty Hacks

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