When I was re-organizing my makeup collection, I realized that I have a fair amount of drugstore products. Most of my makeup is from Sephora or Nordstrom, but I’ve always mixed in drugstore buys into my everyday makeup routine. So, I wanted to challenge myself to see if I could do a full face of makeup only using my drugstore products. Turns out, I can! I actually really love all of the products that I used, so I’ll need to make a point to reach for them more often.
Foundation
These two L’Oreal foundations are amazing! I used the L’Oreal True Match Lumi Cushion in W8 for this look, and I LOVE the light and glowy finish. I had been wearing this nearly every day for a couple of months but set it aside to try some new foundations. When I wore it for this makeup look, I was reminded how good it is! This is one of my current favorite foundations because it is so light (can be built up to medium coverage) and has a beautiful finish.
During the summer months, I like to go for something more matte. I discovered L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte last summer, and it’s become my favorite matte foundation. It has a beautiful finish, and it seriously lasts all day long. Here’s it in action in my Everyday Professional Makeup Tutorial.
L’Oreal True Match Lumi Cushion is available at Ulta for $17, and L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte is also at Ulta for $13.
Mascara & Brows
Maybelline Lash Sensational is one of my favorite mascaras, so I was definitely curious about the new Maybelline Lash Sensational Luscious Full Fan Effect Mascara. Luckily, it did not disappoint. I love how black and glossy this formula is, and the brush makes it easy to get all of my lashes. Maybelline Lash Sensational Luscious Full Fan Effect Mascara is available at Target for $7.
For my brows, I filled in sparse areas with Boots No. 7 Beautiful Eyebrow Pencil in Black and then used Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Clear to keep everything in place. This clear mascara is a staple in my makeup routine because it really does the trick and it’s so affordable. Boots No. 7 Beautiful Eyebrow Pencil and Maybelline Great Lash Mascara are available at Ulta for $7 each.
Eyeshadow
I have just been loving these Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24HR Concentrated Crayons! For this makeup look, I used Bronze Truffle all over my lid, and then I used Creamy Chocolate along the outer corners.
Here are swatches of the gold colors (there are 10 shades in all).
The Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24HR Concentrated Crayons are available at Target for $6.
Blush
Well, this isn’t exactly a drugstore buy, but this blush is from H&M, and its the Pure Velvet Cream Blusher in Cameo Brown. It’s a perfect neutral blush, and it’s available at H&M for $10.
I’ve tried a few H&M beauty products so far, and I LOVE everything. I’m wearing the H&M lipstick in In a Nutshell in this picture on Instagram, and I’m obsessed! I picked up a few items during my last visit to New York in January but haven’t seen them in any stores in California yet. Luckily, mostly everything is online, but it would be great if they were in more stores.
I actually don’t own any blushes from actual drugstores, so if you have any favorites, let me know!
Lipstick
Well, you guys know I liked the Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid lipsticks, so I decided to wear Nude Flush. In case you missed it, here are swatches of the pinks:
I have more details on drugstore favorites in this post, but I’d love to hear your recommendations! Let me know what drugstore products you love in the comments.
You are so cute and gorgeous, and I love that nude pink on you!
Aw, thanks Vero!
I need to go on the hunt for the Maybelline Color Tatoo Crayons. I’ve never heard of them before & the pigmentation looks stellar. It’s also a plus that they’re in pencil form, which means I might actually use an entire product!
Go and hunt them down! They are amazing (full review and swatches coming)!
I think I could do a full drugstore face except for mascara. It is not that I am only using high end, it just happens that I don’t have a drugstore one open at the moment.
What drugstore products are you using right now?
My problem is getting stuff light enough for me that works with my skin. Most of my stash for lips is drugstore. I usually prefer drugstore mascara too.
Yeah, the main drawback is that it’s so hard to gauge colors for foundation! Lipsticks and mascara are much safer bets 🙂
I love me a good drugstore face! Those new Maybelline crayons look fantastic! I like how they’re a little more convenient than a pot.
Yes, Carly, they are so good and super convenient! I will have a review and swatches of all of the colors soon 🙂
I love your eye makeup! I don’t think the Color Tattoo Crayons have launched here yet, but if they do, I’ll definitely check them out.
Oh Carolina it must be so frustrating to have to wait for things to come to Italy! Def keep a lookout bc they have some colors that I think are right up your alley 🙂
So pretty! It looks like you aren’t wearing makeup. I love the Maybelline Eye studio shadows. I think that I have the palettes in all the colors that suit me! I’ll have to check those shadows out.
Thanks Sakura! I’ve been meaning to try the Maybelline palettes! They look super convenient for travel.
The top lippie is my fave on you! Natural and makes a statement at the same time. Both blends and stands out.
how would you compare Lash Sensational to Theyre Real? I’m looking for a cheaper dupe. 🙂
And how would you compare the Color Tattoo crayons to the Boots No. 7 eye pencils you reviewed recently?
Thanks, Amy. I’ve only tried the They’re Real primer, but the brushes are the same so if you like that type of brush then you should check out Lash Sensational. Lash Sensational is also pretty glossy and “wet” which people either love or hate. OK, re the Boots vs. Color Tattoo, I would def pick Color Tattoo. The Boots ones are very nice, but the Color Tattoo are way more vibrant. Also, I think the Color Tattoo will maintain a point while the Boots will not, so the Color Tattoo will be better for lining the eyes or just being more precise. Another big difference is that the Color Tattoo set faster, so I did one eye at at time. The Boots give you longer to blend out before they set. Hope this helps!
This look is very pretty! A few drug store blush options are the mabeline bouncy blush in the plum color (it’s sheer,but buildable) and the milani baked blushes.
Thanks for the recommendations! I have heard good things about the Milani blushes, so now that a couple readers have endorsed them I think I’ll give them a try 🙂
I just picked up the L’oreal Voluminous Superstar liquid eyeliner and I love it for a quick fix. I also like the NYX Lingerie Liquid Lipsticks and Milani matte lipstick in Teddy Bare for work. I like to go for the Olivia Pope look at work.
“Olivia Pope look at work” = perfection LOL. I keep seeing swatches of the NYX Lingeries on IG, but haven’t seen them in a store. I really want to try them though. Thanks for the recommendations!
There is so much good drug store stuff out there. For drug store blushes I’d recommend Wet n Wild Color Icon (Rose Champagne is soooo good), Milani Rose Powder Blush, Milani Baked Blush, e.l.f. Blush, e.l.f. Powder Blush Palettes (I haven’t tried the creams yet), and City Color Cosmetics Be Matte Blush. Sleek’s blushes are flat-out amazing. (They make some great eyeshadow palettes, too.) They can be bought through Amazon or ordered from their website & shipped to USA. Makeup Revolution’s blushes are supposed to be great, but I haven’t tried them yet. I love their eyeshadows, so if the blushes are as good, I’ll be happy.
Thanks so much Rachel! Literally copied and pasted your comment into an email to myself. I feel like I need to buy Rose Champagne just due to the name!
I hope you find some that you like. Keep us posted! 🙂
You’re very pretty! I’ve heard good things about the Loreal Pro Matte, gonna have to try it! My biggest problem with drugstore foundations is getting the right match.
Thank you Rachel! Matching drugstore foundations is tough. I know Walgreens has a great return policy and will take back opened products as long as you have the receipt. I def think it’s worth trying though because it really lasts and has a nice finish.
This is a fabulous idea for a post! I have several Maybelline lipsticks myself, bur I couldn’t live without their volume express mascara.
Thank you! I think drugstore mascaras are definitely on par with high end ones.
Creamy Chocolate looks beautiful! As do Nude Thrill and Nude Flesh, I’d wear the cr*p out of those two! 🙂
Gorgeous, natural look! So pretty!
Thanks, Lisa!
The entire new H&M beauty collection is STUNNING! I have a lipstick, a cream blush, and an eyeshadow from them and they’re all amazing. I’ll pay for a holy grail high end product, but there are some products at the drugstore that are better than anything I’ve tried at any price point!
My top drugstore loves are:
– Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer (literally the best concealer I’ve ever used, full coverage but it feels super creamy, and yet somehow doesn’t crease as much as any other concealer I use)
– NYX HD Photogenic loose setting powder (I use it to set the Age Rewind and it gently mattifies and sets without looking caky or powdery, and it makes the skin look and feel so silky)
– L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara (a cult classic, and one of the blackest-black and most volumizing mascaras I’ve ever used)
– Milani Baked blushes (Luminoso is a go-to, the formula is indistinguishable from MAC Mineralize blush but $20 cheaper)
– Maybelline Creamy Matte lipsticks
– L’Oreal Silkissime eyeliners (I love using the gold shade on my lower lashline to add a little pizzazz and excitement to a neutral matte look)
And I could keep going! And this isn’t even including online-only or specialty budget friendly brands (Makeup Geek, Colour Pop, etc.). Plus, all of my haircare is drugstore (and I’ve tried high end haircare, I just don’t think it’s overall better? You can’t get better than good-old-fashioned Head ‘n Shoulders).
I don’t have great luck with drugstore foundations unfortunately. Either the color is off and I love the formula, or I have a great color match but hate the formula.
Thanks so much for the recommendations! I am DEF going to check out the concealer because I’m not particularly happy with anything that I’m using (except maybe for Glossier). Most of my haircare is drugstore too. I go through products too quickly to buy high end stuff. I think foundations are the biggest area for improvement because even within a brand, the shades can be inconsistent! For both of the foundations I mentioned, I bought other shades before I found a match.