DAMN! Drugstores rock… Imagine how much damage you could do with $150 at a CVS, Rite-Aid or Walgreens. You could get all 15 of these drugstore beauty gems and still have a little left over for candy. 🙂
Here are 15 of my favorite drugstore beauties. Each of these gets an A+ from me.
Yes to Carrots Lip Tints
“They cost a mere $4.50 each (that’s my mid-morning latte, yo!) but have a super smooth, buttery texture that makes ’em feel a lot more expensive than that. Texture-wise they remind me of the $22 Guava lipsticks by Korres. That’s how slick and creamy they feel.”
Full Review | $4.50
Johnson’s Body Care 24-Hour Moisturing Body Wash and Lotion
“Moisturizing Body Wash … rinses clean and doesn’t leave a noticeable residue. Now, the humungo 20.3 fl-oz. bottle is bigger than Ernest Hemingway’s ego, but because it’s so big I feel like I’m getting a good deal. I even tried to see how it would work as an emergency shave cream, and it worked great.”
Full Review | $6
EcoTools Bamboo Bronzer Brush
“Compared to department store brushes costing $20 and up, it’s a bargain superhero — affordable, with dense, super-soft bristles that deposit just the right amount of color on my skin. Not only that, but it’s quite the multitasker, too…”
Full Review | $12
Sonia Kashuk Synthetic Flat Top Blusher Brush
“BOW DOWN before the mighty Sonia Kashuk Synthetic Flat Top Blusher Brush. Marvel at its multi-tasking prowess and how it applies blushes and foundations with ease. And don’t be surprised if you find yourself trembling — with glee! — at the cash register. Not only is this brush amazing, but it’s also cheap — $14.99. Holla!”
Full Review | $15
Soap and Glory Off Your Face Cleansing Cloths
“These wipes work overtime! You know how after you use some wipes you feel like you have to rinse? Like they’ve left a residue? I don’t feel that way after using Off Your Face. After wiping down with one of these … my face and neck feel squeaky clean.”
Full Review | $7
JK Jemma Kidd Fashion Palette
“Fashion Palette appears low-key in the box, I know. But trust me, if you like effortless makeup that looks elegant and doesn’t require too much fuss, then you’ll love this palette. [You get] two large pans of eyeshadow, a mini-kohl liner and two medium-sized pans of nude lip glosses.”
Full Review | $36
Vaseline Sheer Infusion Body Lotion
“Most of the body moisturizers I’ve tried can’t hack cold weather, giving up the ghost after a few hours and forcing me to have to reapply (the ashiness returns!). Sheer Infusion, though, seems built for winter. It even keeps my scaliest parts — shins, heels and elbows — soft, moisturized and ash-free for a good 24 hours.”
Full Review | $8
Neutrogena Rainbath Shower and Shave Body Wash
“As a shave gel it works great. It’s not as thick or rich as gels like Gillette Satin Care Alluring Avocado; consequently, it doesn’t clog my beloved Venus Embrace razor, and with it I get really close shaves. No nicks, razor burn or bumps, either.”
Full Review | $7.50
Garnier Fructis Body Boost Conditioner
“I mean, it costs more to cross the frickin’ Golden Gate Bridge (that’s $6). Good deals are hard to come by these days, and I love finding cheap stuff that really works.”
Full Review | $5
Burt’s Bees Aloe and Witch Hazel Hand Sanitizer
“Purell used to be my standby, but Burt’s stole me away. I think the liquid spray absorbs faster than Purell’s gel does, and it doesn’t leave a film. My nose feels Burt’s also beats Purell in the scent department. It smells like fresh cut lemons to Purell’s overpowering vodka.”
Full Review | $5
Diamond 12-Hour Lip Treatment
“These glosses are like non-stick, vanilla-scented (but no taste) drugstore versions of MAC Lipglass. Each tube packs may-jah color and shine, delivering added moisture as well, and they last for hours on my lips without budging one bit.”
Full Review | $6
Aveeno Active Naturals Eczema Care
“Since I’ve started using both of these Aveeno products, I haven’t gotten hives, and the itching has stopped — ’twas a sigh of sweet relief for my skin! Both are super moisturizing. Even after allergy season ends later this year, I plan to keep my bottles of both the body wash and the moisturizing cream handy.”
Full Review | $10
Crest Vivid White Toothpaste
“The formula doesn’t make my teeth feel tingly or weird and has a refined mint taste. The biggest pro: it actually works. The whitening effect is subtle yet noticeable. Granted, if you’ve been smoking for 20 years and sip coffee through your front teeth, I don’t know how white your teeth are gonna get. It’s a tube of toothpaste, not a Christmas miracle, people.”
Full Review | $4
Aussie Opposites Attract
“Holy crap! Do you ever have good hair days? I had a string of them this week, and you can too. I owe it to the shampoo, conditioner and spray gel from the Aussie Opposites Attract Collection — a reasonable $3 each.”
Full Review | $3
Band-Aid Friction Block Stick
“With shoes and sandals, I usually apply a Band-Aid or Moleskin to cover the sore spots, but I wanted a less obvious alternative to use with flip-flops. Who wants to see a ratty Band-Aid hanging on by a thread, ya know?”
Full Review | $8
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. If you’re new here, thank you for visiting. Makeup and Beauty Blog is a makeup blog with daily product reviews, beauty tips, giveaways and the random shenanigans of a crazy cat lady/makeup enthusiast named Karen (that’s me!). 🙂 Before you jet, beauty lover, check out the home page for more makeup reviews.
Some of my most favorite products are from the drugstore! I love how you can go there, buy things like crazy and not feel guilty (sometimes 😉 )!
Totally! And while you’re there you can also pick up candy and a trashy magazine like Us Weekly! Gotta love that. 🙂
yes! i love drugstore products! the things i splurge on are blush and eyeshadows.
🙂 Which drugstore products are your faves?
I LOVE drugstore beauty products! I mean, having $150 to spend in Sephora would be great, but you could really only buy five or six really nice things (if even that many!). Gimme $150 in CVS and I could buy at least 10 awesome products, easy! I’m a big fan of Yes to Carrots and Aussie in general ^_^
.-= Rebecca’s last blog post… Frederic Fekkai: making the world more brilliant, one hair at a time =-.
Cool! Have you tried any of the Yes to Carrots hair stuff? I haven’t gotten around to it, but I’m curious.
Amazing! The only thing I potentially recognize from our drugstores are the Johnson & Johnson and Neutrogena body washes! I gotta admit that even here drugstore products are getting better in quality. Great for consumers 🙂
.-= ParisB’s last blog post… Red Accessories for a touch of auspicious colour =-.
It seems like drugstore products have been stepping it up over the last few years. I hope the trend continues!
Thanks for sharing! =) I always loved the Johnson&Johnson moisturising body washes, although the lotion isn’t quite moisturising enough for my extremely dry skin. And I haven’t seen Aveeno here in the UK, even though I’ve heard so many great things about it.
I love the Ecotools too! But recently, my blush/powder brush from the 6 piece set has fallen apart! (The handle has come out of the aluminium bit) and I swear I haven’t been abusing it!..So er, good thing I own a glue gun! =D
Glue guns are super handy, aren’t they? I bought one for some crafts a few years ago and it’s saved my bum on more than one occasion.
I hope you guys get Aveeno soon. It’s fantastic for uber-dry skin!
Awesome post, thanks so much! Love several of the same items- especially the EcoTools! You have to try the Neutrogena body oil- typically located next to the shower/shave gel. It’s so great with no smell and keeps ya SUUUPER moisturized!
.-= Amanda’s last blog post… Shadow Box Gift =-.
That’s an old school fave of mine. 🙂 I love to use it in the summertime — gives the skin a lil’ bit of shine!
I need that Ecotools brush SO BAD.
.-= SilhouetteScreams’s last blog post… Bubbly Champagne =-.
Yes you do! It’s an awesome brush. 🙂
I’m all about drugstores! I swear I could drop a bundle in one and never blink an eye. Great list! I gotta try that Yes To Carrots balms, I haven’t indulged yet.
.-= Niki’s last blog post… Sinful Colors Innocent =-.
I have some favorites drugstore beauty products and sometimes they are even better than brand products 🙂
Thanks for the tip on the Carrot lip tint & the Diamond gloss! I will be trying them soon – always looking for the ultimate lip color! XOXO
.-= MissAmy’s last blog post… Lane Bryant Splurge =-.
LOVE this post! I have a bunch of EcoTools brushes, but not that one – I need to scope it out!
I love drugstore products too, brands like Clinelle & St. Ives are those that are constantly in my regimen.
.-= AtelierGal’s last blog post… Elizabeth Arden White Glove Extreme Pre-sampling =-.
Soap & Glory Wipes and Band-Aid Friction Block….two of the best products EVER!!!
I have to go to Staples and PetSmart in a lil bit … and what do you know – theres a Target in that lot. I think im going to buy those Soap and Glory Off Your Face Cleansing Cloths. Shhh dont tell the Hubs.
And since its Target were talking about – who knows what other damage I might do? 😛
love all these products! here in spain, you can only buy YES TO CARROTS stuff at sephora but i’ll be sure to pick up something when i go back next week *ahem* ;D
Great post, Karen! It’s always fun and interesting to read about great drugstore finds, because if you’re a makeup freak, finding a cheap classic is almost as much fun as hitting the Chanel counter (and a whole lot cheaper). I will definitely try the Soap & Glory cleansing cloths on your recommendation. I use the L’oreal Skin Genesis ones now but am always ready to try something new. I will throw in a couple of my Holy Grail drugstore faves: NYX Goddess Of The Night Megashine Lip Glosses ($5.99 at Ulta and every bit as good as MAC Lipglass) and Almay Non-Oily Eye Makeup Remover Pads…been using these for about 10 years and there is nothing better, IMHO.
Drugstore products are usually the highest quality and best working personal care products you can get. And best of all, they are also the least expensive!
.-= Left Brain’s last blog post… Are Ceramic and Ionic Hair Dryers Different? =-.
Neutrogena Rainbath = LOVE! Also, I could spend hours upon hours in drugstores, just in the makeup alone! 😉
I’m all about drugstore mascaras, L’Oreal Infallible lip glosses (THE best, hands down), and Burt’s Bees! Just went yesterday for some glosses and clearance Max Factor mascara 😀
.-= Celine’s last blog post… maravi: Gamestop is text messaging me. Bioshock 2 is being released Tuesday. So. Excited. Can’t say I’m getting it at 12:01am tho. =-.
John Masters Organic Lip Balm is my latest budget obsession. It has oils to mositurize and not just waxes to form a barrier. Feels fab on. About 6 bucks at Whole Foods.
I also rely on drugstore for cleanser — Cetaphil and Cerave. Love.
Mascara — L’Oreal Voluminous Naturale and Maybelline Full and Soft.
Aquaphor — winter savior — heels, cuticles, elbows all need some loving in this bitter cold
Whole Foods Shampoo — sulfate free, silicone free and with a great grapefruit scent that helps wake me up in the morning.
hi karen! omg im SUCH a believer in drugstores lol… especially considering that since i work at walgreens, by brother at cvs and my hubby at riteaid so i get all of the drugstore employee discounts!! LOL. from your lists, my favs (or the ones i tried anyway) are the J&J bodywash and lotion (and their body oil!!!), garnier shampoo, vaseline sheer infusion (seriously one of the BEST lotion ever) and the eco tools.
other stuff i love:
curel itch defense lotion… seriously excema/dry skin sufferers MUST try it. my #1 lotion.
loreal true match foundation… my HG… more then my mac studio fix.
physicians formula mosaic blush… much a pretty shade!
physicians formula shimer strips eyeshadows.. ive got almost all the ones they have out there except their new collection
Loreal HIP eyeliner (pencil) and their e/s… their quality is def. comparable to MAC.
covergirl lashblast luxt, maybelline lash stilleto
omg i can go on forever LOL. im such a d/s junkie
i have to try that bandaid thingy! after wearing uggs forever, i slipped into my comfiest flats and they chafed the back of my foot!
I love drugstore items esp the Johnson’s Body Care 24-Hour Moisturing Body Lotion. You can’t get it in my country so I have to ship this in but it’s totally worth it 🙂
.-= Cas’s last blog post… Biggest News Of 2010 =-.
Great post. There are so many awesome dg brands that I often overlook. I was using Aussie for hair care and really liked it. I switched shampoo & conditioner just for the sake of variety but I will probably go back to Aussie once I am done with the products I currently have.
.-= marisol’s last blog post… Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang =-.
Hi Karen,
Have you tried Boots products from Target? I’m a Boots Beauty Advisor and our products are the bomb dot com!! Our most expensive thing on the shelf is our glycolic peel and it’s only $24.99. I can definitely recommend some products to get you started if you haven’t tried anything yet 🙂
PS: To all those that heart the Soap and Glory wipes, you all would *heart* Boots No. 7 Quick Thinking 4-in-1 wipes. Only $6.99 for a pack of 30. They cleanse, tone, moisturise AND even take your most stubborn waterproof eye makeup off. I can’t keep ’em on the shelf.
Le list
1. Mood: Busy at work even though we had a 2 hour delay.
2. Highlight of your weekend: Super bowl game and watch my husband plowl the snow with his new snow plow!!!!!
3. Makeup or beauty confession:: I am not too iimpressed with the new Lancome Chris & Tell. It is Boring.
4. Small piece of advice: Plan your wardrobe at night.
5. Eyes/lips/cheeks: Channel Brunes/ Mac “O” Cheeks: : Calista..
6. I told myself this morning to : Start exercizing!_______.
7. I’d really like TO LOOSE WEIGHT!_______.
8. What’s the story behind your pet’s name? ” Georgie ” was born in Georgia.
9. Outfit:: Black turtleneck, Black jeans. Burberry-Scarf.
10. Weekly goals: Do screenings on all new students. Keep working on getting all of those old clothes in to the bags and off to Charity.
Karen :what are you doing with that stack of drawers from Ikea?
Michele
LOVE this article! Especially that you’ve mentioned the ecotools bronzing brush. I recently purchased a crapload of them from TJ Maxx (they were only three dollars each!) and they’re pretty comparable to my MAC brushes. The powder brush, to me, is much softer than my MAC 150. The blush brush is the same, and very comparable to my 116 🙂
My latest drugstore obsession is the John Freida Brunette Shine Release Moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. I’ve never had my hair feel so healthy and look so glossy. Also, Nivea Kiss Of Moisture hydrating lip care balm is amazing.
I like their drugstore finds.Their interesting! Before I bought a island girl glitter eyeshadow wheel with the slivery purple hues with a bit of shimmer and sugarcane 911 lipstick.A cube white powdered heart eyeshadow,pinapple flavored tube lipgloss,&askai falls eyeshadow pallete.I have the nail cuticle oil with potporri which I put on dry skin and Flower Power glittered perfumed dips with the gel glitter bases.They smell perfumey diligent but it’s case is greasy. The scented lip glosses are the best! I bought a set of that.It made my lips smoother and fine because of the ball which the the clear oil smears the oil out my pout.
Karen- so I don’t go completely insane. Please purchase a Rachel Ray March 2010 magazine. Look on page 38 and see the ad for VIF cosmetics. I cannot find them any where, I tiried to google it several times and I got nothing,
Michele
Michele! I am going crazy looking for the vif lipsticks from the Rachel ray magazine too! Did u ever find them?
I found the love my eyes liquid liner in Wal-Mart a month or two ago and I’m in love with it! It only costs 3.00$ and it works better than my old L’oreal liner. It doesn’t wear off as fast and it doesn’t fade very much! ♥
Drugstore for everyday use…
Sephora for occasional indulgence =)
Some of my fave drugstore ‘produits de hotness’ that save me a lot of cash are…
Revlon Colorstay Makeup (full coverage comparable to the expensive brands)
Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadows (super cheap & long wearing)
Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eyeliners & lip Liners (Stay put and are densely pigmented)
Rimmel Vinyl Lip Gloss (non-sticky great colors and texture)
L’Oreal True Match Powders & Foundations (sheer, flawless coverage)
Specialty makeup can be so snooty sometimes!
.-= keegan’s last blog post… Best Lip Plumping Glosses =-.
I love drugstore products! Except Johnson and Johnson- they test on animals 🙁
Hey! These are great. My brother suffered from horrible eczema for years but his doctor told him to try Abolene. It’s a huge jar from the drug store that was made to be a make up remover/moisturizer. My brother had tried hundreds of dollars worth of medications for his eczema so he was skeptical but he used it a couple times and his eczema hasn’t been back since! It’s worth a shot I promise!
Hey all,
To get a discount on Nu skin products just become a Nu Skin distributor, and you can purchase all the Nu Skin products at wholesale, saving 30%.
Go to nuskin’s website. Choose country. Click “sign up” then “individual” and in the sponsor distributor Id write: IL1138284 – Fill in the form and save up to 30% on all the products.
Usually there’s a $25 fee to become a distributor , but if you make a purchase it’s free
If you just want to purchase NuSkin wonderful products and not to become a distributor, just use this ID number – IL1138284 – to order.
Enjoy and have a young life,
Ofek 🙂
Awesome list! I’m going to go on a shopping spree tomorrow and pick up some of these lovelies:)
There are a lot of great products in this post. Especially the Band-Aid Friction Block – that’s a MUST if you wear heels (even more-so if you’re wearing them for the first time/breaking them in)!
Totally agree with you!!
I love and absolutely LOVE drugstore makeup! You can be amazed at the things you can find and their prizes!!!!! I live in Bogotá- Colombia had drugstores are in every corner here, so imagine the treasures hidden in these places! It is great.
Awesome post. I love drugstore makeup- there are so many fantastic products with such great prices! I feel like going shopping now!