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Estee Lauder, Lancome, Clinique
You will hear brand names like these frequently in the blogging world, especially when it comes to fashion and beauty bloggers. These are FABULOUS brands, and I own many of their products, but let’s be honest. I can’t always afford to go out and buy a $60 tube of mascara every time I want my eyelashes to be on point. I usually use brand names for my foundation and pressed powder, and that’s about it!
So where do I buy the rest of my makeup from (since it’s pretty obvious I wear more makeup than just foundation and pressed powder)? Well, normally a drugstore like CVS/Walgreens, Walmart, or Target! You would be surprised how many great makeup products these kinds of places sell, that are usually just as good (some, if not better!) than the more expensive name brands!
Here are some of my favorite drugstore items I buy to save money where I can on makeup and beauty products. ♡
Illegal Length Mascara by Maybelline New York
Okay this stuff is my favorite makeup product of all time, so I had to put it first. I LOVE this mascara. I’ve used it ever since I was in the 7th grade (except for a 6 month period where they discontinued it and I had to stockpile it in my house until they brought it back… dark times) and I can honestly say I have yet to find a mascara I like better. I’ve tried a ton of other kinds from the brand names that are supposed to be “the best” and make your real eyelashes look like falsies, but all have fallen short when compared to my Illegal Length. ♡
I get asked all the time if I wear false eyelashes or use a serum or anything and I always say, no and it’s all thanks to this mascara! It has fibers in the mascara that attach to your eyelashes to make them longer with the mascara. I usually put one coat on, let it dry and then put a second coat on to really make them long and dark! I use the blackest black color too, so that also helps give my lashes a deep, dark lasting color. This is the one thing I would recommend over anything else, I couldn’t go without this mascara!!! ♡
*No, I’m not sponsored by Maybelline or anything, I just seriously love this mascara THAT much!*
Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner by Maybelline New York
So don’t laugh, but I actually started using this after I watched “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” for the first time when I was in the 9th grade and I fell in LOVE with Audrey Hepburn. (Now I’ve seen so many of her movies & documentaries that I could probably write a book about her!) But in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” they zoom in close to her face a few times and I (duh) noticed her eyeliner and how she winged it at the ends. After consulting YouTube and watching different Audrey Hepburn makeup tutorial videos, I finally figured out how to do the winged liner and this gel eyeliner by Maybelline was what I used! I’ve used it ever since and I love it. I won’t ever change from gel eyeliner! I’ve tried liquid eyeliner many times, and I just can’t get my line how I want it.
I use this in the blackest black color as well, but I don’t use the brush that comes with it. I use the e.l.f. Angled Eyeliner Brush (that I talk about below in the next product!) instead because I feel like it creates a more clean and precise line.
*Tip: When I’m putting on my eyeliner, I also fill the lid of the container with water and then dip my brush in the water before dipping it in the gel eyeliner and putting it on my eye! This helps make it go on smoother and creates a more even looking line! (I actually learned this from Cher by watching “Burlesque” but it really does work!! Also she’s one of my heros so I had to try, and I’m so happy I did!*
e.l.f. Angled Eyeliner Brush
Now we enter the e.l.f. products… For those of you who have never tried e.l.f. you are really missing out! This brand comes out with some great products and the best part is all their stuff is crazy inexpensive! I’m talking $3 for a makeup brush! And this isn’t a brand that has a cheap price tag, but cheap quality either. I still choose to use some of my e.l.f. products even though I have some of the nicer brands handy.
One of their products I specifically love is this Angled Eyeliner Brush. It’s perfect for applying eyeliner and the brush head and bristles are super small and thin so you are able to get a really precise line on your eyelid for your eyeliner! It’s only $3, and has seriously been my favorite brush for eyeliner. I would definitely recommend giving this a try (especially with my little tip above about wetting it first!)
*Little side note but I can’t tell you how many times I was late for class because I was putting on my eyeliner and got my line SO precise so I had to take a million snapchats to send to my friends about my eyeliner being “on fleek.” 😂 To all my friends, thanks for not judging me (or at least judging me silently, but still making me feel loved!) ♡
e.l.f. Eyeshadows
These are soooo great, I love e.l.f. Eyeshadows! The colors are so rich and look really great on. I like to use their California palette because it has such earthy colors that blend well together and look natural, while also containing a few that can be used if you want to go for a more dramatic or bold look.
*I specifically like to use the light pink (top row, 4th over) and dark purple (bottom row, 5th over on the end) colors. They make my hazel eyes POP tremendously (especially that purple!) and really brings out the green in them!)
I WILL say that I’ve noticed the Baked Eyeshadows have a tendency not to last as long if you just put it on your eye without any primer or anything. However, if you apply it with your finger or use a sponge eyeshadow applicator to apply the eyeshadow instead of a brush, it stays on perfectly and lasts all day long! The shadow is very packed so the pigment is a little difficult to apply with a brush because it doesn’t pick up a lot of pigment. I would recommend applying it with your finger and then using a brush to smooth it out. This is what I do and it works perfectly for me!
e.l.f. kabuki brush
Lastly, this brush is one of my all-time favorites that I’ve come across! I used my last one for years before I finally switched to a new one because this one had become so worn from me washing it. I love kabuki brushes in the first place for applying pressed powder and for blending everything together after I’m finished with my makeup, and the fact that this one is only $5 is insane! It holds up through washing and you’re able to get it really clean to get the makeup out of it. The bristles are also super soft, so it’s gentle on your face when you go to blend or apply your powder. I actually miss this brush a lot (although I do love my new one I bought from EcoTools), so I’ll probably end up buying another one of these to have around as a back-up or to use when my other one is being washed and dried!
*If you missed my post on “How to Choose the Right Makeup Brush“ where I talk about quality to look for in a brush and include some great options for high quality, inexpensive makeup brushes make sure to check it out!*
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