Tried And Tested: 7 Drugstore Makeup Products You Can Actually Trust

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I’m cheap. I hate spending large chunks of money. Walking into Sephora makes me want to cry from happiness, and walking out makes me cry from the pain of spending money.

I seem to spend money faster than I can make it. And naturally, it’s not my fault. I mean, I HAVE to have 50 lipsticks in every shade, and don’t even try to tell me otherwise.

But it’s time for us makeup addicts to put our foot down, and try to explore the world of drugstore makeup.

I know what you’re thinking! “No. No. MAC 4ever.” Girl, I’m with you. And while there are those high-end products that never will, or can, be replaced by a drugstore mock-up, it’s worth exploring some of the other products that are hiding among the dirty aisles at your local CVS.

Luckily for you, I’ve put together a list of my favorite drugstore steals, so you don’t have to go through trial and error to find the good ones.

I’m a lazy girl at the core. I like my daily makeup routine to take no more than 15 minutes, maximum. And so if I can keep the makeup off my fingers, then there’s a bonus.

1. Revlon’s Photoready Foundation Stick 

2. CoverGirl Whipped Creme Foundation 

3. Hard Candy Glamoflauge

4. L’Oréal True Match Lumi Highlighter

I’m somewhat new to the highlighter game, but I looked around and asked my friends and I tried the ones that seemed to get the best rep. The “ice shade” is my favorite that I’ve found at the drugstore. It’s not super strong, so it doesn’t get you a very high glow, but baby, it goes on so smooth.

5. e.l.f. Shimmering Facial Whip

I almost didn’t mention this just because I hate how sticky it is. But it’s so incredibly cheap, and if I mix it with my Lumi highlighter, I get a beautiful highlight with less stickiness left on my fingers. It’s also a little too rosy for my liking, but again, I mix it, and it’s perfection.

6. CoverGirl Plumpify Mascara

For probably about 5 years, I never branched out from Maybelline Great Lash. I mean, I did, but never for long. It was cheap, it worked, and I loved the brush. And while that’s still a good mascara, I have to sing praise to this mascara. It is amazing. I’m in love. It makes your lashes long, lusious, and plump as hell.  

7. NYX Lipstick

Most lipsticks that I pick up at the drugstore promise to be beautiful, but then have such a low pigmentation that I hate them and cry. But there is one brand that I’ve grown to love. The most reliable drugstore lipstick that I’ve found is from NYX. They offer a higher pigment in their colors than most of the other brands, and they have some amazing eye-popping colors.

I’m not trying to convince you to stop shopping at Sephora, because I know that’s a lost cause. Sephora and MAC counters will always have my heart, really, because the quality is hard to ignore. But it’s okay to let a few drugstore brands into your makeup family.
What drugstore products are your favorite that didn’t make the list?

Featured image via cottonbro on Pexels