Buying makeup is all fun and games until you’ve spent £50 on 2 products and your mum is looking at you with shame in her eyes. To decrease the rate at which that bank balance steadily descends into the minus numbers, here’s a rundown of our top 10 budget friendly drugstore products!
- Nyx Professional Makeup Studio Perfect Primer: £10.50
Nyx Studio Perfect Primer provides a smooth surface for foundation and helps make your makeup last on a night out. It’s a perfect dupe for Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer, which is over double the price at £26.
http://www.boots.com/nyx-professional-makeup-studio-perfect-primer-clear
2. My Kit Co My Flawless Blender Droplet: £7
This sponge is a good dupe for the original Beautyblender at only £7 (the original is £16). It expands significantly in water to become really soft and blends makeup seamlessly. You can purchase it from Beauty Bay, with free delivery if you spend over £15.
https://www.beautybay.com/accessories/mykitco/myflawlessblenderdroplet/
3. Revlon Colorstay Foundation: £12.99
Revlon Colorstay foundation is available for both oily skin to control shine and normal/dry skin to provide hydration. The formula is buildable, giving medium to full coverage for up to 24 hours.
4. Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer: £4.19
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer provides full coverage for dark circles and blemishes without feeling too thick and cakey on the skin. The only downside is the shade range (there are only 4 shades).
http://www.boots.com/collection-lasting-perfection-concealer-10196692
5. Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder: £3.15/3.99
Rimmel Stay matte powder provides even and long-wearing coverage, ideal for setting foundation. It is fragrance and oil free (so can be used by all skin types!) and is also available in a translucent shade.
https://www.rimmellondon.com/en_gb/products/face/stay-matte-pressed-powder
6. Sleek Solstice Highlighting Palette: £10
The Sleek Solstice Highlighting Palette includes two baked powders, a shimmer powder and a cream formula. The lightest shade is ideal on the inner corner to brighten up the eye, whilst the others can be used along the cheekbones, brow bone and cupid’s so you can channel your inner glowing goddess.
http://www.sleekmakeup.com/uk/solstice-highlighting-palette
7. Maybelline Volum’ Express The Colossal Smoky Eyes Mascara: £7.99
Maybelline Colossal Volum’ Express Mascara is my go to mascara, creating lash volume and separation.
https://www.maybelline.co.uk/eyes/mascara/volum-express-the-colossal-smokey-mascara
8. Ardell Natural Multipack Demi Wispy Lashes: £11.99 (for 4 pairs)
Ardell Demi Wispies have a tapered lash style with varied lash lengths to create a wispy looking, fluttery but natural finish. These are my ride or die lashes and one pair can withstand several nights out (if you don’t lose them all the time like I do!). I recommend ordering them from falseeyelashes.co.uk for free delivery and 10% off your first order.
https://falseeyelashes.co.uk/products/ardell-demi-wispies-multipack-4-pairs
9. e.l.f. Lip Scrub Exfoliator Clear: £4.50
e.l.f. Lip Scrub Exfoliator exfoliates lips to remove dry, chapped skin. It is infused with Vitimin E, Shea Butter, Avocado, Grape and Jojoba Oils to nourish and protect, giving a conditioned feel. It is ideal to apply this before using a matte liquid lipstick to minimise the appearance of fine lines or cracks on the lips. It tastes quite nice as well, although they probably advise you not to eat it (oops).
https://www.superdrug.com/Make-Up/Lips/Lip-Scrub/e-l-f-Lip-Scrub-Exfoliator-Clear/
10. ColourPop Liquid Lipstick: $6
ColourPop Liquid Lipsticks have an impressive range of shades and are available in a variety of consistencies. The Ultra Matte lips give an intense colour payoff and dry down to a long lasting, smudge proof finish, whilst the Ultra Satin lips dry satin-matte for a more comfortable feel. They also come in unique metallic shades. Although the matte formula is a bit dryer, they are very similar to Kylie Jenner’s liquid lips but cost only $6 in comparison to Kylie’s $29 lip kit (which comes with a lip liner but liners are also only $5 from ColourPop). Unfortunately for now they are only available in the US so have to be bought online, but here’s hoping they will come to the UK soon!
https://colourpop.com/collections/liquid-lipsticks
It’s goodbye to blowing your entire food budget faster than you can say ‘treat yourself’ and hello to guilt-free glam!