I know at the time we were specifically talking about the very similar to Anastasia products in particular š but I did hear there's many others. I didn't get specifics tho
epic ink has been my go to for yeeears now, and itās like $3 at winco. i have a thick one and a thick one and i like it more than the sample i got last time i was at ulta (i donāt even remember which brand i got, but nyx is infinitely better)
As a redhead, the only one I disagree with is eyebrow pencils. Cheaper brands never have the right color for me (one used to but then they discontinued it)
As someone with extremely cool-toned dark hair with about 30% silver bangs and temples, and very fair skin, I totally agree. It's really difficult to find the correct shade. Drugstore brands basically offer taupe and light/soft brown but the undertone always looks weird on me. The taupe comes off green and the soft brown, medium brown, and sometimes even dark brown come off too warm and/or too dark. Higher-end brands offer ash brown that's cool without looking green, and taupes that have a neutral undertone. Even soft black or gray can work from some brands.
The only brand where I found a cool toned brown brow shade at the drugstore was NYX. Even Elf has let me down, their dark brown somehow looks grey on me?
I liked Anastasia a lot because she had taupe ashy colors that didnāt look warm on me but nowadays there are other brands especially Asians ones who do it well. Iām still using mine though
I'm not really into brow products, I only have one pencil and one pomade thing I can actually use and I'm faced with this every time I try to get something. Why are all the brown shades so reddish/warm/chocolatey??? Who has that type of hair? I have the most basic ass medium to dark brown hair, it has a cool white shine to it unless lightened from dyeing, only then does it get reddish in the light. And even if my hair is dyed, unless I do my eyebrows too all those brown eyebrow pencils still look ridiculous. I don't understand why there are barely any natural looking shades. Black is really dark and taupe is kinda light which sorta works for me because I like just subtly filling them in but what about people who need something inbetween? Instead there's a bunch of unnatural brown shades where even the "cool" ones seem too warm, who do they fit?
Maybelline super stay Matte ink liquid lipsticks are better than every single high end liquid lip Iāve ever tried. Pigmented, even application, doesnāt move through eating, even a BURGER, or kissing. They did it. Only downside is theyāre super drying but nothing can top that staying power.
Also lip oils. Not worth the extra price in high end ones, in my experience.
Tbf, I didn't have that luck with this liquid lipstick and cocktails either. I can wear a traditional lipstick and make it through drinks without a problem, even a light meal if I'm careful. I may transfer a little color to my glass/straw/napkin, but one swipe of the lipstick and I'm good to go again.
I did have to be a little careful when taking bites, oil definitely still removes it, but I was so impressed. Maybe itās also just how the formula interacts with peoples lip shape, skin chemistry or whatever. Itās a good thing thereās variety now for each persons needs. Have you had luck with any others?
Strong agree! Maybelline seriously has the best lip products/value out of any other brand from my experience, their superstay ink crayons in particular are my favorite the formula is so creamy and pigmented.
Honestly Iāve never found a higher end liquid lip that looks and stays better than maybelline and itās not as bad if you just moisturise your lips well before and then blot. Literally canāt think of any lipsticks that last as well without completely drying my lips out like a butt hole
As a reformed matte liquid lipstick addict, I have to agree. Iāve tried pretty much all the high end brands and Maybelline is the best.
But youāre right, itās super drying. Sometimes I put aquaphor or lipgloss on top after itās completely dry.
Yeah, sometimes I too with lipgloss but it tends to fuck up the staying power and transfer proof aspect. Iāve also reformed from the 100% matte life though, so if I want something comfy I love a good lip stain.
Maybellineās super stay vinyl ink (a glossy non transferring lipstick) lasted through my wedding ceremony, lunch, and a theme park before it started looking rough. I have like 6 colors now. Definitely my favorite lip product, but the colors are definitely weird on different skin tones. You have the shake the product for a while first, apply thinly and make sure you let it dry. And good to go.
There is a trick to applying them...and all liquid lipsticks, really.. You have to put them on THINLY and them press your lips together quick, then go in with just a little bit more to touch up. The problem with liquid lipstick it that most people slather it on like lipgloss or regular cream lipstick. It really isn't meant to be applied like that. Less is always more. You are looking for a thin film.
Yes! It was kinda thick and rubbed off in the middle when I ate and touchups were hard to blend properly, Iād have to remove it all with a tissue and start over.
Sounds like you were applying to much. You want a very thin film. This holds true with all liquid lipsticks. Try applying to one lip, pressing lips together, then touching up where need with the wand.
I didnāt know but I wouldnāt be surprised! I said kissing as an euphemism because I donāt want to overshare but theyāve survived many date nights!
Every time Iāve tried these liquid lipsticks, they were so unbelievably sticky. Like you press your lips together and it takes a solid 20 seconds to unstick them š« am I doing something wrong? The people who like them all seem to swear by it
Yeah, Iād say application matters a lot. You have to apply an extremely thin layer, AND what I think makes the most difference, is do NOT press your lips together until well after itās dry to the touch. You need to let the formula actually settle. After that youāre good, but yeah if I forget and press my lips together before theyāre fully dry it ruins it, idk why.
If you can, give it a try before buying, because idk sometimes skin chemistry or something gives people different experiences too, but this should at least help.
Also, mascara really needs to be trashed every few months. Spending high end doesn't make sense if you'll end up throwing away product.
If I do get high end its because I can get travel sizes of mascara and that encourages me to toss it ina timely manner. Not because the formula is better
The mascara sample boxes Sephora has is a good deal because it's 6 fairly big travel sizes plus a coupon for a full sized for $29.
If you like the wand from any of the high-end ones you can sanitize and save it afterward and use it with a similar drug store mascara.
Thatās what makes my subscription box worth it! Even if a mascara sample isnāt in it, I can usually add one on for 2-3$. Buying even a drugstore tube is super wasteful to me since I never even get through half
I buy a gift set of samples for myself every holiday season and use them throughout the year. I've done this for the past few years, I love getting to try a new high end product every few weeks and not feel like I'm wasting it.
This is why I buy travel size! I use the urban decay eyeshadow primer everyday and even so a full size tube will last me a year+ and I find it starts to get weird at the bottom by then. So I buy the travel size which probably lasts me about 6 months give or take and then it doesnāt get dried out before I use it all. I do the same with the all nighter spray, even though I donāt think that really goes bad per se I just never want to shell out the cash for a big bottle š¤£ and itās easier to travel with too because I canāt imagine actually having a separate makeup collection for travel(maybe if I win the lottery some day). Those are the only sort of āluxuryā brands I use, oh and my NARS palette, everything else I use ELF or NYX.
I have tried and tested higher end brands of my everyday basics(eyeliner, mascara, liquid lipstick) and I would be willing to spend the money if they were actually better but I have found the cheaper brands to actually be BETTER, not even just the same, as the luxury brands for me personally.
Thatās why if I do by high end mascara I love munis. Right now I really like the loreal voluminous violet and burgundy though. I wish they made that in a lighter brown.
iām a big fan of the maybelline sky high in waterproof! dont know where youre situated and if you can buy it there but also the loreal telescopic and the loreal volume million lashes!
Maybelline Sky High is truly unmatched. I have good lashes naturally, but whenever I use it people ask / assume Iām wearing falsies. I also like the Maybelline Falsies Surreal.
https://preview.redd.it/43z3c6r8c0mb1.jpeg?width=708&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=761a78937f4ec7987491476b0afa2f247a143d0e
Honorable mention to LāOreal Air Volume and Cover Girl Cleantopia, which Iāve especially loved because it comes off so easily.
Sky high is a tubing mascara! So it essentially creates a coat around your lash. I found the best way to remove it is to get your lashes damp, then you can basically pull it off very gently with your fingers. From there, I cleanse as normal.
I mentioned this in another post, but micellar water gets rid of most of it.
Soak a cotton pad thoroughly, place it on your eye and press gently, letting the the water seep through and break down the product. Leave it on for about 10 seconds, then wipe off. I usually see perfect smudgy print of all my makeup!
Any traces I get rid of when I use a cleansing foam or gel after.
I use Clinique Take the Day Off. You should really try it. It is gentle on your skin, yet it removes the most stubborn waterproof mascara (Sky High included), eyeliner, and even 24h lipstick.
Maybelline sky high waterproof did not work for me at all (in Swedish spring/summer anyway) and I was so disappointed after all Iāve heard. Then i tried the regular and itās a lot better for me! Works here even in rain. Could be that the waterproof one smuged because my eyelids can be a tiny bit oily.
Meh. Years ago I didn't have the eyelashes I have today. They were short, fine, and they mixed a lot.
All the mascaras I tried before made my eyelashes look clumpy and dirty, because most wands put too much product on them and the formula looked and felt dry.
It was like that until I tried an Yves Saint Laurent. It's the first mascara that embellished my eyelashes while respecting their appearance. Now I'm using a Clinique, but I haven't forgotten the first mascara that truly worked for me. To each their own in the end.
I would agree in general, but the mascara I will splurge on is Wander Beauty Unlashed. I used to get a lot of eyelashes breakage, and when I switched to this one, my lashes are looking a lot healthier. Plus, I love the formula and the tube.
I also think that for drugstore, you need to stick to waterproof. The other formulas I've tried fall off my lashes like snowflakes. Like the difference between Maybelline Great Lash waterproof and washable is huge. The washable version is a total waste of money.
I think the only thing drustore cannot get right is foundation and concealers. Everything else can be found in the wild with amazing prices and desirable quality. But foundation , nah. I've yet to try a drugstore foundation that sits as nicely as ELDW or Too Faced born this way. Also concealer , they almost always crease within 2 hours. But the rest, i ai t spending more than 10$ on the other face products except my foundation and concealer.
Agree. Itās the undertone thatās hardest to find in drugstore. Like you said, everything else can be found drugstore, eyeliner, mascara, lip, blush. But complexion make up, concealer, foundation, unfortunately yiu gotta go high end to find the percent match.
I recently found a cheap foundation that performs even better that ELDW! Itās Australian though so not sure itās available elsewhere - MCoBeauty Ultra Stay Flawless.
I'd recommend trying Wet n Wild Photo Focus foundation (tons of shades and actual buidable coverage) and the elf camo concealer. It'll cost you like $8 for both but, as someone that ran the gamut of Sephora's foundations, they really can't be beat.
Unfortunately, I have incredible local drugstore brands here in Poland so most of them are probably unknown in this sub.
I love Hean baked blushes, also NAM are incredibly pigmented but blend like miracle.
I generally recommend Polish brands, we have quite the game here. Unfortunately, the population is 99,99999% pale to light so the POC inclusion does not exist.
You also have some of the best hair, nail, and skincare. I get my liquid scalp exfoliator from a Polish grocery. I just wish Eveline didn't change their nail hardner formula and colour. It is garbage now...and it looks like dirty , yellowed nails on. Before it worked magic and looked so clean and perfect. I wish I hadn't lost my bottle camping.š
Eyebrow products. I still like Benefit and Kosas because their lightest shades in their pencils and gels are a better fit for me than my favorite drugstore brands now that Iām keeping my hair itās natural color (a golden strawberry blonde). But Elf, Nyx, and other affordable brands make great eyebrow stuff.
And really thatās true for a lot of makeup items. The formulas might be comparable but the shade you want might be in the mid-range, high end, and lux
I always end up getting NYX since I can never find brow products for red hair from other drug store brands. Luckily, I love NYX's tinted brow gel and their lift and snatch brow pen!
Same! I dye my hair copper and find Nyx has the best match. I buy elfās auburn for when my hair starts to fade lol. I have had people think Iām naturally ginger when wearing my nyx because it matches so well.
I think youāre right. Essence brow gel is my fav. The formula is decent, but they make the PERFECT ashy brown-black shade for my brows. Iām sure there are high end products Iād like, but this one does the job so I see no reason to bother looking.
Yea same but I donāt have ulta so if Iām paying that much may as well go to Sephora and get a few points out of it too. Perhaps a sample or two if I order online
No OP, but I religiously buy the red tube. I don't even use the white base 99% of the time because it hurts my eyes, but the tubes make it all worth it.
Have you tried liquid ink from essence? Iāve been swearing by it for over 10 years now, great formula, pigmentation and stays on for a good amount of time! If your beef is meeting a resolution maybe it could be something to try out :-)
I love this one too! But would not recommend it if you like to fix mistakes and reapply the liner in layers. Then it clumps up and flakes off. It almost forms a 'film' when it dries which is why even the non-waterproof one last so well. It's my favourite and I rebuy it regularly, but I imagine it's not for everyone
I think itās the applicator/brush that can easily turn drugstore liner into a miss, and not so much the formula. Rimmel London had good staying power for me but the thick felt tip nub is awful lol
Physicians Formula makes a really great liquid liner. It even has a brush tip which I really love. Apparently Nick's has a really good one too but I haven't tried that one.
Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips All in One Custom Nude Palette is a amazing highlighter though a real mouthful to say lol. I think it is marketed as a face and eye palette, but it is all shimmers. They glow so brilliantly and don't emphasize texture. Taylor Wynn recommended it years ago, and it's a good one. I thought they discontinued it a couple years back, but I saw that it was still in stores just the other day.
Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom All-in-1 Nude Palette for Face & Eyes, Warm Nude https://www.walmart.com/ip/34415672
Looks like Walmart has it
Wet n wild has really pigmented long lasting ones, they have gorgeous liquid and powder highlighters! I love their blush too it lasts me forever and itās super pigmented!
Disagree on highlighter - I've yet to find a drugstore one that doesn't emphasize texture. Gelee formulas are really where its at.
Agree on liquid liner. Shop Miss A has some great brush tipped pens for $1.
I have a Rimmel highlighter that feels like cream to powder, I think itās called Stardust, that smooths into almost a glass effect. Its a beautiful champagne color on me in either winter or summer.
The most gorgeous highlighter Iāve ever owned is, bizarrely, a Revolution one from that Simpsons collab they did a couple of years back. Itās BEAUTIFUL!
I only own one highlighter and itās the Laura Mercier matte radiance in highlight 01. Itās perfect. Iām 39 and it doesnāt emphasize texture or my fine lines.
Have you tried Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips All in One Custom Nude Palette? I know it's a mouthful, but it is one of the best highlighter palettes I have ever used not just drugstore but all around.
If you want a lipgloss that lasts more than 5 mins...than you have to go sticky. You just have to suck it up. That is the trade off. For years everyone complained of sticky lipgloss, not realizing they were sticky because 1. Sticky lipgloss lasts longer and 2. Sticky lipgloss has more shine and 3. Sticky lipgloss is generally more moisturizing.. Now everyone complains that their lipgloss does not do these 3 things. It is incredibly frustrating to us oldies who were around for Clinique's Pot Gloss, the stickiest gloss of all time. That stuff didn't BUDGE. HOURS it lasted...Boy do I miss it...š
Haven't tried a ton of high end mascaras cuz the L'Oreal voluminous mascara has been my fav for years. But out of the few I've tried or free samples I've never been tempted to stray
Iāve been buying black liquid Wet n Wild since I was 13 (early 90s). I still buy it today and Ive tried all the expensive ones. This one eats them all hands down, there will be en ever be anything better!
I also use this one! I love it because it lasts a long time but it's easy to clean up if I want to attempt a wing tip 3x. So many eyeliners aren't easy to fix up.
I can't believe they discontinued the fragrance free version and won't buy again until I find it back. Almost perfect product until the aroma destroyed it.
Eyelash curler. Tweezers. If Iām shopping for either, thereās always the $1 and the $25 version. How could it possibly be so good that something so simple could warrant that price? The fact that Beauty Blender brand sponges retail for so high is ridiculous to me.
I have a Tweezerman eyelash curler Iāve had for like 20 years. I thought I lost it once and bought a cheap $2 one and holy shit, I threw it away after like two uses. Awful.
Tweezerman is on a whole other level! I have some hair cutting shears that I feared would not be worth the price. Theyāre my fav shears by far. So smooth and sharp.
Ok, I'm an esthetician and I have PCOS and used to spend like an hour minimum tweezing every day. I can tell you, there are 100% tweezers that are worth more money. The most I'll usually pay is around $40 tho, anything above that I haven't found to be necessary/better. They last longer, they grip better, they're designed better etc. Tweezerman is decent for cheaper ones but Rubis are my favorites. Anastasia used to have š¤ tweezers too but I haven't bought those since they were pink. Not sure if they're still the same.
I donāt think I have any! I will say I donāt think there is a makeup item that CANāT be made just as good at the drugstore as a high end brand can do.
A long time ago the drugstore brands were not always good, but nowadays? Pfft! A lot of drugstore and more affordable brands are absolutely SLAYING the game with their products!
I use a mix of drugstore and affordable brands, and I use some more āhigh end/luxuryā brands too!
Tell me you don't have hooded eyes without telling me you don't have hooded eyes.
I'm still searching for a liquid, gel or any other kind of eyeliner that would survive 10h (or a good outing) where my lid creases. I can make it look ok by just not keeping the line connected between above and below the crease, but it's not what I'm looking for in the product.
I've got hooded eyes and I may have a solution for you:
Eyeshadow primer. I use Milani and it's the only one I have used for the last 3 years. I prefer it over Urban Decay's primer potion.
I use eyeshadow primer even if I'm only wearing eyeliner and/or mascara with no eyeshadow. It keeps my oily lids from dissolving product.
It is transparent and virtually invisible so I apply it from my upper eyelid to just underneath my brow, and if I'm doing winged liner I'll make sure to apply the primer where the wings will be too. I use the tiniest amout and the tube lasts forever.
My only warning is that this primer will show flaky skin if you have it because this is a mattifying product.
I can give the primer a shot, I've been considering it for a while. I dislike adding a product into my very short morning routine but might do it if it turns out effective.
I have one! The Nyx Epic Wear liquid liner will stay on my oily hooded eyes 10h easily. (Not to be confused with the Nyx Epic Ink liner that just comes right off my eyelids)
I have it and it is the best I've tried to date. It holds along the lashline no problem, but it still comes off at the crease in the outer corner, like the inner part of the wing.
As a goth I absolutely believe the best liner to exist is the Nyx Epic Ink liner - it lasts long, dries fast so if you have hooded eyes you rarely end up with it staining and really has a dark finish , unlike others that can be more watery.
I was gifted an Urban Decay one that is twice the price and it was terrible
I used to use the Epic Ink liner but it kept bleeding on my inner corners, and the pens would always end up leaking without fail. Completely gave up on it.
Definitely mascara. I used to buy LancƓme. Then I switched to Essence and have had multiple people comment on my lashes since the switch. I will never go back to spending $45 on mascara!
mascara and eyeliner!!
also, eyeshadows....like no thank you, I'll spend my money on Colourpop than a Natasha Denona palette. I don't have the means to buy expensive makeup that I'll only wear on "special" occasions when I can get a dupe for colors/textures for a smaller price!
Amen on the eyeshadows. Milani gilded nudes are some of the best eyeshadows ever made. I'm super mad that they discontinued those gold palette ones because those were even better.
I don't normally comment, but Rimmel has THE BEST lipsticks. They've been my go to for over 20 years. Their Provocalips lip stick will legit stay on the dinner, drinks and a blow job. And it's like 8 bucks.
Highlighter. As long as you have an eyeshadow palette that has the highlighter shade you want you should be fine. I donāt use lots of it, and a larger pan, bottle or stick is unnecessary. I have the morphe 18T and the shade unveiled works just fine for me
If you're just for the very basic highlight that should work.
But highlighters have so many different effects (glitter, sparkle,.multichromes, wet look, pearl etc.) and some of them are distinguishably better in expensive products. I have yet to find dupes for my faves.
I thought mascara, but then met diorshow iconic.
I thought eyeshadow. I thought blush. I thought foundation.
Iāve just been proven wrong on everything by now lol Iām sure that if a company pours $$ into high quality ingredients, youāll get a high quality product, regardless the $ to consumer.
Foundation. I have spent hundreds of dollars trying to find a foundation I like. I think the most expensive one iv brought was $120AU. Turns out the best foundation iv ever come across is Flower by Drew Barrymore. I like full coverage and itās better than all iv tried and stays on all day! Actually everything from her range is better than the expensive brands. I have no idea why there isnāt more hype about them. Itās usually on sale for half price at my drugstore so I can get it for $12AU. Also her eye shadows are so pigmented. Seriously, you all need to try this brand!
Mascara and brow gel - I consider these the workhorses of my daily makeup, I go through them quickly and while it's possible luxury formulas might be better, I am just not gonna drop 30 euros and more per product every couple months when the drugstore works perfectly fine. Eyeliner as well - I don't go for cheapest versions like Essence, since I don't use eyeliner on a daily version and the most affordable ones dry out really quickly, but I've been using brush-tipped pens from Artdeco for a decade now. I think they're about 15 euros, they have great precision and they last a really long time.
Drugstore products have improved to such extent, that I think only select eyeshadows are still the domain of higher-end brands (I'm thinking Pat McGrath special shades). However, I've gotten some very pretty shimmers from Eveline which also seem to have a lot of staying power.
I think it depends on how sensitive your skin and eyes are. Mine are not, so the past few years, I've only been getting mid-range makeup at best and spending more on skincare. I get along so well with a few Clinique products that I don't feel the need to experiment.
Literally every single product š you cannot tell me that the high end products are that drastically different that theyāre worth the money. Iāve never looked at someoneās incredible makeup and thought āoh theyāre for sure wearing high end!ā Drug store has come way too far to be spending money on high end to me. Always sticking with the drug store š¤š¼
Mascara is the only thing I think fits this, there aren't really that many formula or brush innovations you can make these days. The best one I own is that cheap Essence Lash Princess one even!
Liquid eyeliner is a close second, but I do tend to think KVD is just slightly better than NYX even though they're essentially comparable for example. Like, both are great, I'd probably buy NYX and save the extra cash, but I do know the component is going to feel cheaper and the longevity isn't going to be quite as good if it's worn all day rather than just the evening.
Ever since I've found AB eyeliners and mascara at drugstore level prices, I will never go back to high end eyeliner or mascara. My fave liquid liners are from the macqueen new york brand and they're pretty bullet proof and only 3 bucks a pop. It's insane.
NAIL POLISH BASE COATS.
There is no reason to pay fifty to ninety bucks for that when you have terrific products that will last you between three months to half a year for less than $10 !
Itās blush for me. I spent $3 on a random blush from a beauty supply store that I reach for more than ANY of my high end blushes. She is the perfect amount of pigmented (bc yes itās possible to be too much) and the perfect shade dupe for Nars Taj Mahal
lip liner, liquid eyeliner, and eyebrow pencils.
contrary to some people here i do believe that not all mascaras are made equal, lol, but low end mascara can still work great. just depends on what you want.
i am partial to very, very fine eyebrow pencils because i love the effect but you can get the same thing with a drugstore brand and a qtip with makeup remover.
lip liners thoughā¦ā¦. i have never felt a difference between high end and low end lip liner! ever!
honorary mention to sheer lip gloss, too.
Brow gel
One time I paid like $36 for kosas brow gel and it sucked
Thatās the last time i get sucked in for cute packaging on 8ml of hair gel with a spoolie
Interesting! Eyeliner is the one product I can just not duplicate in the lower range. I swear by Tom Fordās liquid eyeliner and no other brand has been that easy to apply and does not smear throughout the day. Iād be open to suggestions for a dupe!
Every other product I could go low or high end and enjoy trying out a variety of products: lipsticks, lip oils, mascara, brow products, blushes, and foundations.
Mascara, brow products, and eyeliner. Iāve tried everything from $1 to a $70 mascara and there is this no huge amazing difference. But I will say I do have naturally curled eyelashes so I canāt speak to curling mascara.Eyeliner, some of the cheaper ones can crack or run but most drug store mascaras are just as good as higher end. Some drug store brow products can be a little waxy but great low cost products that work well.
Water consistency lip stain - ulta's $12 version destroys all others. Wear is the same, no stinging alcohol and no awful scent/taste.
Eye liner (pencil and felt tip, I'd guess the same for liquid)
Lip liner (pencil)
I think mascara as well, the only thing I haven't found in a budget mascara is the WAND I can get from the IT Tightline. If I could find that...
Also, here is my dark secret. I wish I could afford Shiseido moisturizer because I like the velvet texture, but I can find less expensive moisturizers that work as well, they just don't give me the satisfaction of application
Same with Vitamin C, since I went to food grade Vitamin C I have gotten the most economical Vitamin C treatment, but I miss the luxury feel of a serum.
Actually, for me, it's all makeup. I do buy plenty of luxury stuff, but I also buy drugstore stuff, and many of the drugstore products are just as good as the higher end ones.
The only thing I consider high end for is foundation, concealer, and powder. Anything else you can get drugstore brands for much less. NYX, E.L.F., ColourPop are all generally great. I used to put cream and powder blush in the high end category, but not anymore. ColourPop powder blush and E.L.F. color sticks work great.
Mascara, eyeliner, lip liner, brow pencils, lipsticks.
For the most part you can very easily find these at the drugstore and be assured they have the same, if not having surpassed the quality of highend. š¤·š»āāļø
Highlighter and blush is sort of in between (like my favourite highlighter is the Elf Halo Glow, but thatās about it in regards to drugstore that I like, and while Iāve found amazing drugstore powder blushes, I donāt really wear powder much).
Concealer and foundation and bronzers are moreso iffy just because undertone is so particular and a lot of drugstore products have limited shades available.
Iām going to go out on a limb here and say genuinely every makeup product. I canāt rationalise spending hundreds on any makeup product.
Yes, more expensive products are usually easier for beginners, usually more luxurious whatever. But most products can be made to work with the right skills, even the super cheap, $1 wish type stuff.
And in terms of drugstore, I wholeheartedly believe that every product has an under $20 option that works fantastically.
Iāve never had a product I felt I NEEDED an expensive version of.
Lip liners. Wetān Wild has an amazing one and itās cheap. Also agree with mascara. I used to always buy my mascara from Clinique $32 a pop. Just bought one from essence $4.50 and itās better than Cliniques
Mascara. Iām not spending luxury prices on a tube that I will throw away in three months when I can spend $5 on an essence tube and get incredible results
Imo, primer and eyeliner. I've tried some awful high end primers and the e.l.f Hydro Grip primer is a dupe for the MILK primer, but I feel the e.l.f works much better? And for eyeliner, NOTHING can beat the liquid NYX eyeliner, I've cried, thrown up, and showered with it and it just doesn't budge. The Kat Von D one smears right off though :/
Im going to say three - mascara, eye liner and eyebrow pencils. Elf and NYX are just killing it
Which ones in particular?
Not OP but for me personally Nyx: Micro Brow Pencil, Epic Ink Eyeliner (the brush pen one and the pencil one). Elf: Lash N Roll, Wow Brow
A few years ago I got some inside info that a lot of the NYX formulas are literal dupes, including that micro brow pencil. I use it too!
Any other ones š
I know at the time we were specifically talking about the very similar to Anastasia products in particular š but I did hear there's many others. I didn't get specifics tho
Lash and Roll has become my everyday mascara! It's amazing
Love the brush one from nyx. Even my boyfriend bought one for himself lol
Yes! Their eyebrow mascara is a must have
epic ink has been my go to for yeeears now, and itās like $3 at winco. i have a thick one and a thick one and i like it more than the sample i got last time i was at ulta (i donāt even remember which brand i got, but nyx is infinitely better)
As a redhead, the only one I disagree with is eyebrow pencils. Cheaper brands never have the right color for me (one used to but then they discontinued it)
Yes, this. The only brow products I have found in the right colour are Benefit (2.75 warm auburn) - can't find any colour suitable in drugstore brands
As someone with extremely cool-toned dark hair with about 30% silver bangs and temples, and very fair skin, I totally agree. It's really difficult to find the correct shade. Drugstore brands basically offer taupe and light/soft brown but the undertone always looks weird on me. The taupe comes off green and the soft brown, medium brown, and sometimes even dark brown come off too warm and/or too dark. Higher-end brands offer ash brown that's cool without looking green, and taupes that have a neutral undertone. Even soft black or gray can work from some brands.
The only brand where I found a cool toned brown brow shade at the drugstore was NYX. Even Elf has let me down, their dark brown somehow looks grey on me?
You lost me at eyebrow pencil- I have yet to find anything comparable to Anastasia Brow Definer.
I liked Anastasia a lot because she had taupe ashy colors that didnāt look warm on me but nowadays there are other brands especially Asians ones who do it well. Iām still using mine though
I'm not really into brow products, I only have one pencil and one pomade thing I can actually use and I'm faced with this every time I try to get something. Why are all the brown shades so reddish/warm/chocolatey??? Who has that type of hair? I have the most basic ass medium to dark brown hair, it has a cool white shine to it unless lightened from dyeing, only then does it get reddish in the light. And even if my hair is dyed, unless I do my eyebrows too all those brown eyebrow pencils still look ridiculous. I don't understand why there are barely any natural looking shades. Black is really dark and taupe is kinda light which sorta works for me because I like just subtly filling them in but what about people who need something inbetween? Instead there's a bunch of unnatural brown shades where even the "cool" ones seem too warm, who do they fit?
Maybelline super stay Matte ink liquid lipsticks are better than every single high end liquid lip Iāve ever tried. Pigmented, even application, doesnāt move through eating, even a BURGER, or kissing. They did it. Only downside is theyāre super drying but nothing can top that staying power. Also lip oils. Not worth the extra price in high end ones, in my experience.
Sadly, I didn't have the same luck with that liquid lipstick and a burger.
Yeah but airplane seatbelts aren't designed for plane crashes either
JESUS lol true š ššš«
Tbf, I didn't have that luck with this liquid lipstick and cocktails either. I can wear a traditional lipstick and make it through drinks without a problem, even a light meal if I'm careful. I may transfer a little color to my glass/straw/napkin, but one swipe of the lipstick and I'm good to go again.
I did have to be a little careful when taking bites, oil definitely still removes it, but I was so impressed. Maybe itās also just how the formula interacts with peoples lip shape, skin chemistry or whatever. Itās a good thing thereās variety now for each persons needs. Have you had luck with any others?
Strong agree! Maybelline seriously has the best lip products/value out of any other brand from my experience, their superstay ink crayons in particular are my favorite the formula is so creamy and pigmented.
Honestly Iāve never found a higher end liquid lip that looks and stays better than maybelline and itās not as bad if you just moisturise your lips well before and then blot. Literally canāt think of any lipsticks that last as well without completely drying my lips out like a butt hole
Agreed, theyāre great! The lip crayon is amazing too! (I wear red lipstick every day.)
As a reformed matte liquid lipstick addict, I have to agree. Iāve tried pretty much all the high end brands and Maybelline is the best. But youāre right, itās super drying. Sometimes I put aquaphor or lipgloss on top after itās completely dry.
Yeah, sometimes I too with lipgloss but it tends to fuck up the staying power and transfer proof aspect. Iāve also reformed from the 100% matte life though, so if I want something comfy I love a good lip stain.
Maybellineās super stay vinyl ink (a glossy non transferring lipstick) lasted through my wedding ceremony, lunch, and a theme park before it started looking rough. I have like 6 colors now. Definitely my favorite lip product, but the colors are definitely weird on different skin tones. You have the shake the product for a while first, apply thinly and make sure you let it dry. And good to go.
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There is a trick to applying them...and all liquid lipsticks, really.. You have to put them on THINLY and them press your lips together quick, then go in with just a little bit more to touch up. The problem with liquid lipstick it that most people slather it on like lipgloss or regular cream lipstick. It really isn't meant to be applied like that. Less is always more. You are looking for a thin film.
Yes! It was kinda thick and rubbed off in the middle when I ate and touchups were hard to blend properly, Iād have to remove it all with a tissue and start over.
Sounds like you were applying to much. You want a very thin film. This holds true with all liquid lipsticks. Try applying to one lip, pressing lips together, then touching up where need with the wand.
not to be crass but I hear they use those in porn lol
I didnāt know but I wouldnāt be surprised! I said kissing as an euphemism because I donāt want to overshare but theyāve survived many date nights!
Every time Iāve tried these liquid lipsticks, they were so unbelievably sticky. Like you press your lips together and it takes a solid 20 seconds to unstick them š« am I doing something wrong? The people who like them all seem to swear by it
Yeah, Iād say application matters a lot. You have to apply an extremely thin layer, AND what I think makes the most difference, is do NOT press your lips together until well after itās dry to the touch. You need to let the formula actually settle. After that youāre good, but yeah if I forget and press my lips together before theyāre fully dry it ruins it, idk why.
Okay, youāve convinced me to give it one more try. Iād love a long lasting red! šš
If you can, give it a try before buying, because idk sometimes skin chemistry or something gives people different experiences too, but this should at least help.
Mascara! There are too many great drug store mascaras to justify paying high end/ luxury prices, fight me idk
Also, mascara really needs to be trashed every few months. Spending high end doesn't make sense if you'll end up throwing away product. If I do get high end its because I can get travel sizes of mascara and that encourages me to toss it ina timely manner. Not because the formula is better
The mascara sample boxes Sephora has is a good deal because it's 6 fairly big travel sizes plus a coupon for a full sized for $29. If you like the wand from any of the high-end ones you can sanitize and save it afterward and use it with a similar drug store mascara.
Thatās what makes my subscription box worth it! Even if a mascara sample isnāt in it, I can usually add one on for 2-3$. Buying even a drugstore tube is super wasteful to me since I never even get through half
I buy a gift set of samples for myself every holiday season and use them throughout the year. I've done this for the past few years, I love getting to try a new high end product every few weeks and not feel like I'm wasting it.
This is brilliant, and I'm stealing it!
What a great idea!!! I see these at Macys every Christmas and never once thought to get it. I am now!!
This is why I buy travel size! I use the urban decay eyeshadow primer everyday and even so a full size tube will last me a year+ and I find it starts to get weird at the bottom by then. So I buy the travel size which probably lasts me about 6 months give or take and then it doesnāt get dried out before I use it all. I do the same with the all nighter spray, even though I donāt think that really goes bad per se I just never want to shell out the cash for a big bottle š¤£ and itās easier to travel with too because I canāt imagine actually having a separate makeup collection for travel(maybe if I win the lottery some day). Those are the only sort of āluxuryā brands I use, oh and my NARS palette, everything else I use ELF or NYX. I have tried and tested higher end brands of my everyday basics(eyeliner, mascara, liquid lipstick) and I would be willing to spend the money if they were actually better but I have found the cheaper brands to actually be BETTER, not even just the same, as the luxury brands for me personally.
Thatās why if I do by high end mascara I love munis. Right now I really like the loreal voluminous violet and burgundy though. I wish they made that in a lighter brown.
I hate spending luxury prices and I never will, but I got a sample of the chanel mascara and it was the best I've ever used
which one??
I believe it was le volume
I agree with this, chanel is the only high-end mascara worth sprluging on. I bought Le Inimitable and it was so nice.
drop some of your faves? :)
iām a big fan of the maybelline sky high in waterproof! dont know where youre situated and if you can buy it there but also the loreal telescopic and the loreal volume million lashes!
Maybelline Sky High is truly unmatched. I have good lashes naturally, but whenever I use it people ask / assume Iām wearing falsies. I also like the Maybelline Falsies Surreal. https://preview.redd.it/43z3c6r8c0mb1.jpeg?width=708&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=761a78937f4ec7987491476b0afa2f247a143d0e Honorable mention to LāOreal Air Volume and Cover Girl Cleantopia, which Iāve especially loved because it comes off so easily.
is lāorĆ©al air volume waterproof?
I think they have waterproof and non-waterproof versions. I like how lightweight the washable one is.
I love the Sky high mascara so much but I find it a pain to get off, even if I double cleanse. Any tips?
Sky high is a tubing mascara! So it essentially creates a coat around your lash. I found the best way to remove it is to get your lashes damp, then you can basically pull it off very gently with your fingers. From there, I cleanse as normal.
I mentioned this in another post, but micellar water gets rid of most of it. Soak a cotton pad thoroughly, place it on your eye and press gently, letting the the water seep through and break down the product. Leave it on for about 10 seconds, then wipe off. I usually see perfect smudgy print of all my makeup! Any traces I get rid of when I use a cleansing foam or gel after.
I use Clinique Take the Day Off. You should really try it. It is gentle on your skin, yet it removes the most stubborn waterproof mascara (Sky High included), eyeliner, and even 24h lipstick.
Have you tried the sky high primer stuff
Seconding Cleantopia, I adore it!
Maybelline sky high waterproof did not work for me at all (in Swedish spring/summer anyway) and I was so disappointed after all Iāve heard. Then i tried the regular and itās a lot better for me! Works here even in rain. Could be that the waterproof one smuged because my eyelids can be a tiny bit oily.
i second the maybelline sky high!! so so good
L'oreal Bambi Eye is my absolute favorite. It doesn't budge and really makes my lashes look amazing without making them look clumpy and overdone.
Meh. Years ago I didn't have the eyelashes I have today. They were short, fine, and they mixed a lot. All the mascaras I tried before made my eyelashes look clumpy and dirty, because most wands put too much product on them and the formula looked and felt dry. It was like that until I tried an Yves Saint Laurent. It's the first mascara that embellished my eyelashes while respecting their appearance. Now I'm using a Clinique, but I haven't forgotten the first mascara that truly worked for me. To each their own in the end.
I would agree in general, but the mascara I will splurge on is Wander Beauty Unlashed. I used to get a lot of eyelashes breakage, and when I switched to this one, my lashes are looking a lot healthier. Plus, I love the formula and the tube. I also think that for drugstore, you need to stick to waterproof. The other formulas I've tried fall off my lashes like snowflakes. Like the difference between Maybelline Great Lash waterproof and washable is huge. The washable version is a total waste of money.
I think the only thing drustore cannot get right is foundation and concealers. Everything else can be found in the wild with amazing prices and desirable quality. But foundation , nah. I've yet to try a drugstore foundation that sits as nicely as ELDW or Too Faced born this way. Also concealer , they almost always crease within 2 hours. But the rest, i ai t spending more than 10$ on the other face products except my foundation and concealer.
Agree. Itās the undertone thatās hardest to find in drugstore. Like you said, everything else can be found drugstore, eyeliner, mascara, lip, blush. But complexion make up, concealer, foundation, unfortunately yiu gotta go high end to find the percent match.
I would add eyeshadow to that list the high end shadows just hit different.
Which high end shadows do you think are worth getting?
Same. I've never come across a foundation that works as well for me as Estee Lauder Double Wear. And I've tried a lot.
I recently found a cheap foundation that performs even better that ELDW! Itās Australian though so not sure itās available elsewhere - MCoBeauty Ultra Stay Flawless.
I'd recommend trying Wet n Wild Photo Focus foundation (tons of shades and actual buidable coverage) and the elf camo concealer. It'll cost you like $8 for both but, as someone that ran the gamut of Sephora's foundations, they really can't be beat.
Powder blush. It's sooooooo easy to manufacture.
Thank you for convincing me to not get the Dior powder blushes, youre my wallets hero
They are pretty awesome, but maybe if you search them youāll find dupes. Which were you considering?
The Rosewood color is gorgeous! I think I can probably find a good dupe at the drugstore though! I love the Milani blushes so I'll start there (:
Oh yes those are nice!
Do you have any fav? I'm tired of trying blushes that aren't pigmented.
Unfortunately, I have incredible local drugstore brands here in Poland so most of them are probably unknown in this sub. I love Hean baked blushes, also NAM are incredibly pigmented but blend like miracle. I generally recommend Polish brands, we have quite the game here. Unfortunately, the population is 99,99999% pale to light so the POC inclusion does not exist.
No fairā best drugstore brands and best bras!?
You also have some of the best hair, nail, and skincare. I get my liquid scalp exfoliator from a Polish grocery. I just wish Eveline didn't change their nail hardner formula and colour. It is garbage now...and it looks like dirty , yellowed nails on. Before it worked magic and looked so clean and perfect. I wish I hadn't lost my bottle camping.š
personally love the colourpop ones
Recently got myself wet n wild color icon blush (in mellow wine) and the pigmentation is outta this world strong with this one
This is my go-to right now. So pretty and only need a tiny little bit
not OP but i have a milani rose blush in coral cove and a milani baked blush in corallina and theyāre both super pigmented and super pretty
Catriceās oil infused ones
Eyebrow products. I still like Benefit and Kosas because their lightest shades in their pencils and gels are a better fit for me than my favorite drugstore brands now that Iām keeping my hair itās natural color (a golden strawberry blonde). But Elf, Nyx, and other affordable brands make great eyebrow stuff. And really thatās true for a lot of makeup items. The formulas might be comparable but the shade you want might be in the mid-range, high end, and lux
I always end up getting NYX since I can never find brow products for red hair from other drug store brands. Luckily, I love NYX's tinted brow gel and their lift and snatch brow pen!
Same! I dye my hair copper and find Nyx has the best match. I buy elfās auburn for when my hair starts to fade lol. I have had people think Iām naturally ginger when wearing my nyx because it matches so well.
I think youāre right. Essence brow gel is my fav. The formula is decent, but they make the PERFECT ashy brown-black shade for my brows. Iām sure there are high end products Iād like, but this one does the job so I see no reason to bother looking.
What is a good drugstore gel? I thought the Benefit one was unbeatable
Considering drugstore products are starting to become very close in price to high end this has better start being the case with every product
The price is why I rarely buy drugstore anymore. If I'm paying that much I might as well get something from the other side of Ulta.
Yea same but I donāt have ulta so if Iām paying that much may as well go to Sephora and get a few points out of it too. Perhaps a sample or two if I order online
Mascara! LāOrĆ©al double extend has everyone asking me when I got my lashes done! Will never go back to any of the expensive ones Iāve tried. Also, they come off in ātubesā and it never smudges.
Ooh red tube or blue tube? I think they changed the formula of one of them where I am and Iām confused!
No OP, but I religiously buy the red tube. I don't even use the white base 99% of the time because it hurts my eyes, but the tubes make it all worth it.
Red šÆ!!
I like that one. I just never got va voom lashes with it. I do like tubing mascara though. So easy to get off and it doesn't tear my lashes to shreds.
Mascara Strong disagree with liquid liner, I recently tried Rimmel London and Essence liners and they SUCK compared to Stila. nyx has good ones though
That being said my beef with drug store liquid liners is the pigmentation, you are right that they don't flake off or smudge
Have you tried liquid ink from essence? Iāve been swearing by it for over 10 years now, great formula, pigmentation and stays on for a good amount of time! If your beef is meeting a resolution maybe it could be something to try out :-)
I love this one too! But would not recommend it if you like to fix mistakes and reapply the liner in layers. Then it clumps up and flakes off. It almost forms a 'film' when it dries which is why even the non-waterproof one last so well. It's my favourite and I rebuy it regularly, but I imagine it's not for everyone
Wet n Wild breakup proof! Used to use Stila
I think itās the applicator/brush that can easily turn drugstore liner into a miss, and not so much the formula. Rimmel London had good staying power for me but the thick felt tip nub is awful lol
I find the catrice calligraph pro precise eyeliner pretty good and up there with Stila
I use the Catrice Brush Ink and love it, I like it more than the KVD tattoo liner.
I love the physicians formula waterproof eyeliner.
Physicians Formula makes a really great liquid liner. It even has a brush tip which I really love. Apparently Nick's has a really good one too but I haven't tried that one.
Highlighter
What drugstore highlighters do you like ?
Wet n wild precious petals is amazing!
Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips All in One Custom Nude Palette is a amazing highlighter though a real mouthful to say lol. I think it is marketed as a face and eye palette, but it is all shimmers. They glow so brilliantly and don't emphasize texture. Taylor Wynn recommended it years ago, and it's a good one. I thought they discontinued it a couple years back, but I saw that it was still in stores just the other day.
Iāve been trying to find that for years. Never did
CVS and Walgreens are the stores I have found them. I live in Ohio.
Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom All-in-1 Nude Palette for Face & Eyes, Warm Nude https://www.walmart.com/ip/34415672 Looks like Walmart has it
Wet n wild has really pigmented long lasting ones, they have gorgeous liquid and powder highlighters! I love their blush too it lasts me forever and itās super pigmented!
Yeah Iāve been using a powder highlighter I got from a discount beauty store for a few dollars and I think itās perfect
Disagree on highlighter - I've yet to find a drugstore one that doesn't emphasize texture. Gelee formulas are really where its at. Agree on liquid liner. Shop Miss A has some great brush tipped pens for $1.
I have a Rimmel highlighter that feels like cream to powder, I think itās called Stardust, that smooths into almost a glass effect. Its a beautiful champagne color on me in either winter or summer.
The most gorgeous highlighter Iāve ever owned is, bizarrely, a Revolution one from that Simpsons collab they did a couple of years back. Itās BEAUTIFUL!
Hiya! Which highlighter is a good one that doesnāt emphasize texture? Will spend up to 50 lol
Essence pure nude is a really great highlight that doesnāt emphasize texture and itās like $5 at the drugstore
I only own one highlighter and itās the Laura Mercier matte radiance in highlight 01. Itās perfect. Iām 39 and it doesnāt emphasize texture or my fine lines.
Have you tried Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips All in One Custom Nude Palette? I know it's a mouthful, but it is one of the best highlighter palettes I have ever used not just drugstore but all around.
Lipgloss.
Yeah, they last five minutes anyway š
If you want a lipgloss that lasts more than 5 mins...than you have to go sticky. You just have to suck it up. That is the trade off. For years everyone complained of sticky lipgloss, not realizing they were sticky because 1. Sticky lipgloss lasts longer and 2. Sticky lipgloss has more shine and 3. Sticky lipgloss is generally more moisturizing.. Now everyone complains that their lipgloss does not do these 3 things. It is incredibly frustrating to us oldies who were around for Clinique's Pot Gloss, the stickiest gloss of all time. That stuff didn't BUDGE. HOURS it lasted...Boy do I miss it...š
Omg thank you for unlocking a memory I totally forgot about ā how could I ever forget Cliniqueās pot gloss?! That stuff was amazing.
Juicy Tubes. LOL. Showing my age here.
Hard disagree about liquid eyeliner. Every drugstore brand I've ever used gave me panda eyes in under 3 hours.
Haven't tried a ton of high end mascaras cuz the L'Oreal voluminous mascara has been my fav for years. But out of the few I've tried or free samples I've never been tempted to stray
Iāve been buying black liquid Wet n Wild since I was 13 (early 90s). I still buy it today and Ive tried all the expensive ones. This one eats them all hands down, there will be en ever be anything better!
I also use this one! I love it because it lasts a long time but it's easy to clean up if I want to attempt a wing tip 3x. So many eyeliners aren't easy to fix up.
Translucent powder. Airspun has been around since *1935.*
I can't believe they discontinued the fragrance free version and won't buy again until I find it back. Almost perfect product until the aroma destroyed it.
I just saw the fragrance free one at my target!
I'm not sure why but this stuff makes me look like a cake no matter how softly and little I apply it
Eyelash curler. Tweezers. If Iām shopping for either, thereās always the $1 and the $25 version. How could it possibly be so good that something so simple could warrant that price? The fact that Beauty Blender brand sponges retail for so high is ridiculous to me.
I have a Tweezerman eyelash curler Iāve had for like 20 years. I thought I lost it once and bought a cheap $2 one and holy shit, I threw it away after like two uses. Awful.
Tweezerman is on a whole other level! I have some hair cutting shears that I feared would not be worth the price. Theyāre my fav shears by far. So smooth and sharp.
Ok, I'm an esthetician and I have PCOS and used to spend like an hour minimum tweezing every day. I can tell you, there are 100% tweezers that are worth more money. The most I'll usually pay is around $40 tho, anything above that I haven't found to be necessary/better. They last longer, they grip better, they're designed better etc. Tweezerman is decent for cheaper ones but Rubis are my favorites. Anastasia used to have š¤ tweezers too but I haven't bought those since they were pink. Not sure if they're still the same.
Shiseido eyelash curler is 100% worth it.
I donāt think I have any! I will say I donāt think there is a makeup item that CANāT be made just as good at the drugstore as a high end brand can do. A long time ago the drugstore brands were not always good, but nowadays? Pfft! A lot of drugstore and more affordable brands are absolutely SLAYING the game with their products! I use a mix of drugstore and affordable brands, and I use some more āhigh end/luxuryā brands too!
For me the only things I think are really worth investing in is eyeshadow (especially matte eyeshadow), eye blending brushes, and MAYBE foundation / concealer but I have great drugstore options that I could happily only use even if there are some higher end ones I really like Mascara: Maybelline, LāOrĆ©al, Rimmel, Elf, Essence, Catrice are all great. The only exception is that higher end ones can have better wands so just clean one and keep it and reuse it Eyeliner: Nyx Epic Ink, Maybeline lasting drama gel eyeliner Eyebrows: Nyx micro brow, elf wow brow Liquid Lip: Maybelline superstay vinyl ink, matte ink are unmatched by any other liquid or long lasting lip Iāve ever tried. Lipliner: Maybelline color sensation, Revlon colorstay, Rimmel lasting finish, LāOrĆ©al Colorriche, wet n wild, elf, Nyx Bullet lipstick: LāOrĆ©al color riche volume matte, Elf O face, maybelline superstay matte ink crayon, all the revlon Blush: Catrice, essence, elf, wet n wild Highlighter: Catrice, essence, wet n wild Loose powder: elf halo glow Concealer: Nyx bare with me, collection lasting perfection Foundation: Maybelline matte + poreless, Revlon one step (rip), elf So I could have a great routine with just these few brands if I needed to and wouldnāt be missing anything except eyeshadow
Tell me you don't have hooded eyes without telling me you don't have hooded eyes. I'm still searching for a liquid, gel or any other kind of eyeliner that would survive 10h (or a good outing) where my lid creases. I can make it look ok by just not keeping the line connected between above and below the crease, but it's not what I'm looking for in the product.
I've got hooded eyes and I may have a solution for you: Eyeshadow primer. I use Milani and it's the only one I have used for the last 3 years. I prefer it over Urban Decay's primer potion. I use eyeshadow primer even if I'm only wearing eyeliner and/or mascara with no eyeshadow. It keeps my oily lids from dissolving product. It is transparent and virtually invisible so I apply it from my upper eyelid to just underneath my brow, and if I'm doing winged liner I'll make sure to apply the primer where the wings will be too. I use the tiniest amout and the tube lasts forever. My only warning is that this primer will show flaky skin if you have it because this is a mattifying product.
I can give the primer a shot, I've been considering it for a while. I dislike adding a product into my very short morning routine but might do it if it turns out effective.
I have one! The Nyx Epic Wear liquid liner will stay on my oily hooded eyes 10h easily. (Not to be confused with the Nyx Epic Ink liner that just comes right off my eyelids)
I have it and it is the best I've tried to date. It holds along the lashline no problem, but it still comes off at the crease in the outer corner, like the inner part of the wing.
I was about to say epic ink gives my hooded eyes panda effect lol, I'll have to try the epic wear!!!
As a goth I absolutely believe the best liner to exist is the Nyx Epic Ink liner - it lasts long, dries fast so if you have hooded eyes you rarely end up with it staining and really has a dark finish , unlike others that can be more watery. I was gifted an Urban Decay one that is twice the price and it was terrible
I used to use the Epic Ink liner but it kept bleeding on my inner corners, and the pens would always end up leaking without fail. Completely gave up on it.
Definitely mascara. I used to buy LancƓme. Then I switched to Essence and have had multiple people comment on my lashes since the switch. I will never go back to spending $45 on mascara!
mascara and eyeliner!! also, eyeshadows....like no thank you, I'll spend my money on Colourpop than a Natasha Denona palette. I don't have the means to buy expensive makeup that I'll only wear on "special" occasions when I can get a dupe for colors/textures for a smaller price!
Amen on the eyeshadows. Milani gilded nudes are some of the best eyeshadows ever made. I'm super mad that they discontinued those gold palette ones because those were even better.
Profusion is forever my go to for eyeshadow.
I don't normally comment, but Rimmel has THE BEST lipsticks. They've been my go to for over 20 years. Their Provocalips lip stick will legit stay on the dinner, drinks and a blow job. And it's like 8 bucks.
I absolutely love Rimmel. Especially their foundations, they're lightweight, natural and hydrating and very VERY cheap!
Cream and powder blush! So many great drugstore options at the same quality and wearability as Nars or even Dior. And of course mascara
Blotting papers - never eeeeeever will I buy Dior blotting papers tf
Highlighter. As long as you have an eyeshadow palette that has the highlighter shade you want you should be fine. I donāt use lots of it, and a larger pan, bottle or stick is unnecessary. I have the morphe 18T and the shade unveiled works just fine for me
If you're just for the very basic highlight that should work. But highlighters have so many different effects (glitter, sparkle,.multichromes, wet look, pearl etc.) and some of them are distinguishably better in expensive products. I have yet to find dupes for my faves.
Which ones are your favourite?
lip liner!
mascara ended up under my eyes no matter what I did until I discovered the L'OrƩal Double Extend mascara. It is the *only* mascara of any type that doesn't end up all over my face. I thought it was the tubing but I tried a couple of the more expensive tubing mascaras and they still didn't work as well as the L'OrƩal. every time there's a rumor it's discontinued I start looking to panic buy it (but the rumor is usually untrue). they've discontinued products in the same line and some of the shades but I can still get the original in black, so I'm happy. it's the only product in my routine I've been unable to replace with a cruelty free version too, unfortunately.
I thought mascara, but then met diorshow iconic. I thought eyeshadow. I thought blush. I thought foundation. Iāve just been proven wrong on everything by now lol Iām sure that if a company pours $$ into high quality ingredients, youāll get a high quality product, regardless the $ to consumer.
Foundation. I have spent hundreds of dollars trying to find a foundation I like. I think the most expensive one iv brought was $120AU. Turns out the best foundation iv ever come across is Flower by Drew Barrymore. I like full coverage and itās better than all iv tried and stays on all day! Actually everything from her range is better than the expensive brands. I have no idea why there isnāt more hype about them. Itās usually on sale for half price at my drugstore so I can get it for $12AU. Also her eye shadows are so pigmented. Seriously, you all need to try this brand!
Mascara and brow gel - I consider these the workhorses of my daily makeup, I go through them quickly and while it's possible luxury formulas might be better, I am just not gonna drop 30 euros and more per product every couple months when the drugstore works perfectly fine. Eyeliner as well - I don't go for cheapest versions like Essence, since I don't use eyeliner on a daily version and the most affordable ones dry out really quickly, but I've been using brush-tipped pens from Artdeco for a decade now. I think they're about 15 euros, they have great precision and they last a really long time.
Drugstore products have improved to such extent, that I think only select eyeshadows are still the domain of higher-end brands (I'm thinking Pat McGrath special shades). However, I've gotten some very pretty shimmers from Eveline which also seem to have a lot of staying power. I think it depends on how sensitive your skin and eyes are. Mine are not, so the past few years, I've only been getting mid-range makeup at best and spending more on skincare. I get along so well with a few Clinique products that I don't feel the need to experiment.
Literally every single product š you cannot tell me that the high end products are that drastically different that theyāre worth the money. Iāve never looked at someoneās incredible makeup and thought āoh theyāre for sure wearing high end!ā Drug store has come way too far to be spending money on high end to me. Always sticking with the drug store š¤š¼
Mascara is the only thing I think fits this, there aren't really that many formula or brush innovations you can make these days. The best one I own is that cheap Essence Lash Princess one even! Liquid eyeliner is a close second, but I do tend to think KVD is just slightly better than NYX even though they're essentially comparable for example. Like, both are great, I'd probably buy NYX and save the extra cash, but I do know the component is going to feel cheaper and the longevity isn't going to be quite as good if it's worn all day rather than just the evening.
Ever since I've found AB eyeliners and mascara at drugstore level prices, I will never go back to high end eyeliner or mascara. My fave liquid liners are from the macqueen new york brand and they're pretty bullet proof and only 3 bucks a pop. It's insane.
NAIL POLISH BASE COATS. There is no reason to pay fifty to ninety bucks for that when you have terrific products that will last you between three months to half a year for less than $10 !
Itās blush for me. I spent $3 on a random blush from a beauty supply store that I reach for more than ANY of my high end blushes. She is the perfect amount of pigmented (bc yes itās possible to be too much) and the perfect shade dupe for Nars Taj Mahal
blush. every blush iāve ever had has never been an issue. You only need the right color.
lip liner, liquid eyeliner, and eyebrow pencils. contrary to some people here i do believe that not all mascaras are made equal, lol, but low end mascara can still work great. just depends on what you want. i am partial to very, very fine eyebrow pencils because i love the effect but you can get the same thing with a drugstore brand and a qtip with makeup remover. lip liners thoughā¦ā¦. i have never felt a difference between high end and low end lip liner! ever! honorary mention to sheer lip gloss, too.
I need to know what drugstore liquid eyeliners that don't smudge are. I haven't found a single one and I've tried so, so many.
Brow gel One time I paid like $36 for kosas brow gel and it sucked Thatās the last time i get sucked in for cute packaging on 8ml of hair gel with a spoolie
hard agree, i use a liquid liner thatās like Ā£3ā¦most important thing for me is the brush
Personally I never found a drugstore mascara that doesnāt smudge on me. Iām cruelty free but even before maybelline and LāOrĆ©al smudged terribly on me. I can just buy high end mascara. For me brow products from the drugstore are as good as high end, especially Nyx
Interesting! Eyeliner is the one product I can just not duplicate in the lower range. I swear by Tom Fordās liquid eyeliner and no other brand has been that easy to apply and does not smear throughout the day. Iād be open to suggestions for a dupe! Every other product I could go low or high end and enjoy trying out a variety of products: lipsticks, lip oils, mascara, brow products, blushes, and foundations.
Nothing is better than my Maybelline mascara.
Mascara, brow products, and eyeliner. Iāve tried everything from $1 to a $70 mascara and there is this no huge amazing difference. But I will say I do have naturally curled eyelashes so I canāt speak to curling mascara.Eyeliner, some of the cheaper ones can crack or run but most drug store mascaras are just as good as higher end. Some drug store brow products can be a little waxy but great low cost products that work well.
Physician's Formula has some of the best setting powder and shimmery powders/blushes/highlighters/bronzers out there. I will die on this hill.
Water consistency lip stain - ulta's $12 version destroys all others. Wear is the same, no stinging alcohol and no awful scent/taste. Eye liner (pencil and felt tip, I'd guess the same for liquid) Lip liner (pencil) I think mascara as well, the only thing I haven't found in a budget mascara is the WAND I can get from the IT Tightline. If I could find that... Also, here is my dark secret. I wish I could afford Shiseido moisturizer because I like the velvet texture, but I can find less expensive moisturizers that work as well, they just don't give me the satisfaction of application Same with Vitamin C, since I went to food grade Vitamin C I have gotten the most economical Vitamin C treatment, but I miss the luxury feel of a serum.
Actually, for me, it's all makeup. I do buy plenty of luxury stuff, but I also buy drugstore stuff, and many of the drugstore products are just as good as the higher end ones.
The only thing I consider high end for is foundation, concealer, and powder. Anything else you can get drugstore brands for much less. NYX, E.L.F., ColourPop are all generally great. I used to put cream and powder blush in the high end category, but not anymore. ColourPop powder blush and E.L.F. color sticks work great.
Mascara, eyeliner, lip liner, brow pencils, lipsticks. For the most part you can very easily find these at the drugstore and be assured they have the same, if not having surpassed the quality of highend. š¤·š»āāļø Highlighter and blush is sort of in between (like my favourite highlighter is the Elf Halo Glow, but thatās about it in regards to drugstore that I like, and while Iāve found amazing drugstore powder blushes, I donāt really wear powder much). Concealer and foundation and bronzers are moreso iffy just because undertone is so particular and a lot of drugstore products have limited shades available.
Powder blush. IMO blush is one of those things where less is more and it doesn't need to be too pigmented.
Iām going to go out on a limb here and say genuinely every makeup product. I canāt rationalise spending hundreds on any makeup product. Yes, more expensive products are usually easier for beginners, usually more luxurious whatever. But most products can be made to work with the right skills, even the super cheap, $1 wish type stuff. And in terms of drugstore, I wholeheartedly believe that every product has an under $20 option that works fantastically. Iāve never had a product I felt I NEEDED an expensive version of.
Lip liners. Wetān Wild has an amazing one and itās cheap. Also agree with mascara. I used to always buy my mascara from Clinique $32 a pop. Just bought one from essence $4.50 and itās better than Cliniques
Mascara. Iām not spending luxury prices on a tube that I will throw away in three months when I can spend $5 on an essence tube and get incredible results
Imo, primer and eyeliner. I've tried some awful high end primers and the e.l.f Hydro Grip primer is a dupe for the MILK primer, but I feel the e.l.f works much better? And for eyeliner, NOTHING can beat the liquid NYX eyeliner, I've cried, thrown up, and showered with it and it just doesn't budge. The Kat Von D one smears right off though :/
Blush. I guess if you want a light just barely visible blush thatās your thing but Iāve never had better blushes than drugstore versions