15 Best Drugstore Beauty Products To Make You Look A Million Bucks
What would you do with $225,000? Pay off your college tuition? Buy a house? Splurge on a Lamborghini? It turns out you may be spending that money on your looks. The average American woman spends $3,756 a year on their appearance which adds up to $225,360 over a lifetime.
Luckily, there are ways to reduce those costs. One of the best is to swap over-priced products for cheaper alternatives that are as good as their high-end counterparts. Check out this list of the best drugstore beauty products and start saving some cash today.
15) Best Drugstore Blemish Primer: e.l.f. Blemish Control Primer
Want to minimize pores and get that magazine-cover look to your foundation? e.l.f make some of the best drugstore beauty products for enhancing your other cosmetics.
This primer makes pores look smaller without clogging them, reduces redness and uses has 2% salicylic acid to treat acne. A little goes a long way with this product and the packaging makes it look high-end. You won’t even realize you’re using a bargain product.
$9.99
Buy e.l.f. Blemish Control Primer >
14.) Best Drugstore Finishing Powder: NYX Professional Makeup Studio Finishing Powder Translucent Finish
If you’re looking to give your makeup a professional finish that makes it look like you’ve just stepped out of the stylist’s chair, this finishing powder from NYX does the trick.
Apply a tiny amount of this translucent powder after all of your other products to keep everything looking smooth and beautiful all day long, even on oily skin.
$6.99
Buy NYX Professional Makeup Studio Finishing Powder Translucent Finish >
13.) Best Drugstore Mascara: Maybelline Falsies Washable Mascara
False eyelashes look amazing but can be a real pain, especially when you’re getting ready in a hurry. This mascara from Maybelline is like false eyelashes in a bottle!
It applies easily and will make your lashes look full and long. The curved brush means you don’t need to use an eyelash curler, so it’s perfect for saving time.
$5.99
Buy Maybelline Falsies Washable Mascara >
12.) Best Drugstore Shave Balm: Nivea For Men Moisturizing Post Shave Balm
Uuhh a post-shave balm? Seriously? Yes, seriously! This wonder balm may be designed to prevent post-shave discomfort for men but it also does other amazing things for your skin. It’s well known as one of best drugstore beauty products for men and women.
Kylee Jenner even let slip that she uses it as a primer before putting on makeup. If you have sensitive and oily skin, simply apply and let it dry before applying your makeup and you’ll have a perfectly matte base to apply your foundation.$5.99
Buy Nivea Moisturizing Post Shave Balm >
11.) Best Drugstore Lipstick: Maybelline Sensational Lipstick – Born With It
“MAC dupe” are there two more beautiful words in the English language? Here Maybelline proves once again that drugstore beauty products can be just as good as high priced alternatives.
This pretty pinky-nude dupe for MAC Angel has a rich satin finish and uses honey nectar to hydrate your lips. Bonus!
$5.50
Maybelline New York Color Sensational Pink Lipstick >
10.) Best Face Scrub: Bioré Baking Soda Acne Scrub
Sensitive skin and acne can be a painful combination as many products are too harsh for the skin to handle. This cleanser from the skincare experts at Bioré gently exfoliates and unclogs pores while simultaneously conditioning and softening the skin.
It’s so effective that it’s even recommended by dermatologists for both teens and adults.
$5.59
Buy Bioré Baking Soda Acne Scrub >
9.) Best Drugstore Foundation: L’Oréal Paris Super-Blendable Foundation
This foundation from L’Oréal is one of the best drugstore beauty products for summer skin. The lightweight, blendable formula doesn’t feel heavy in the summer and gives a natural glow instead of looking too made up.
Even better, it offers broad spectrum SPF 17 protection, which is vital for caring for your skin. There is a huge range of shades to choose from, so it’s simple to find the perfect match.
$8.19
Buy L’Oréal Paris True Match Super-Blendable Foundation Makeup >
8.) Best Drugstore Hair Dye: Manic Panic Semi-Permanent Dye
Sometimes I really want to transform my look with something totally different. That’s when Manic Panic’s semi-permanent dyes become my best friends. They come in so many different colors: Electric Amethyst, Wildfire, Inferno Red, Fuschia Shock… that’s not even scratching the surface. They last for around 4 washes, so you can spend your vacation with beautiful mermaid locks before heading back to work or school.
For even more options, combine the dyes with the pastelizer to create a pretty pastel look. All of Manic Panic’s products are made with superior ingredients and are guaranteed vegan so your drugstore beauty bargain doesn’t have to cost the planet.
$9.50
Buy Manic Panic Semi-Permanent Dye >
7.) Best Drugstore Lipstick: Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Moisturizing Lipstick
This is my go-to lipstick for days when I don’t really want to wear makeup but want to give my lips a little blush. A gentle application will give lips a pretty color and the beeswax and other natural ingredients will keep them happy and hydrated.
A more intensive application will give full coverage and vibrant shade for several hours especially if you finish it with a little powder. The texture is satiny but not greasy, which is great for such a moisturizing lipstick.
$8.99
Buy Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Moisturizing Lipstick >
6.) Best Drugstore Face Cleaner: Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water
Another cleanser that proves that drugstore beauty products can also be wonder products. You can use Garnier’s micellar cleansing water both to remove heavy makeup but also as an everyday cleanser. It works well even on stubborn eye products and leaves skin feeling clean and refreshed but not tight.
Because it’s so powerful, you don’t need to scrub your skin raw. This gentle cleanser is oil-free, paraben-free, fragrance-free, sulfate-free and silicone-free.
$6.96
Buy Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water >
5.) Best Drugstore Lotion: Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula with Vitamin E
I’m not sure if this product belongs on a ‘best drugstore beauty products’ list or an ‘amazing, unbelievable miracle creams that you won’t believe really exist’ list. Palmers Cocoa Butter is the most magical moisturizing cream you will ever find.
It can be used for everything from facial moisturizing, to hand cream, to soothing chafed legs after shaving. It reduces stretch marks and scars, it soothes and repairs cracked feet, it helps prevents ingrown hairs… Oh and did I mention that it smells like cupcakes? Yeah, this product is iconic for a reason.$13.79
Buy Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula >
4.) Best Drugstore Eyeshadow: Makeup Revolution Redemption Eyeshadow Palette – Iconic 3
“Excuse me” I hear you say, “That’s the Naked 3 palette by Urban Decay.” That’s where you’re wrong my friend, this is the dupe to end all dupes. These eyeshadows are almost exactly the same in every way apart from the price.
They are beautifully metallic and all of the shades are gorgeous. This one is a no-brainer.
$15.99
Buy Makeup Revolution Redemption Eyeshadow Palette >
3.) Best Drugstore Beauty Products: L’Oréal Brow Stylist Definer
You’ll be surprised how much this tiny little pencil can transform your look. Whether you’re a dedicated brow queen or a beginner, I’m sure you’ll agree that this is one of the best drugstore beauty products available for eyebrows.
Unlike a regular brow pencil, this ultra-fine, retractable model is incredibly precise so that you can easily add definition and fill sparse areas. The brush lets you blend for a natural finish.
The product is waterproof and long lasting so you can apply it with confidence. Brow experts who are a fan of the Anastasia Brow Wiz will love this budget alternative.
$7.97
Buy L’Oréal Brow Stylist Definer >
2.) Best Drugstore Shampoo: TRESemme Botanique Shampoo
I absolutely swear by TRESemmé because their products are such good value and they have something to suit every hair type. They’re as good as professional brands which makes them one of the best drugstore beauty products available for your hair.
The Botanique range is fortified with a botanical blend of natural ingredients including aloe vera and coconut milk which means your hair is left clean without feeling dry and damaged or heavy and weighed-down.
This shampoo has a tropical fragrance that isn’t overpowering and it’s also free of parabens, dyes, and silicones.
$15.40
Buy TRESemme Botanique Shampoo >
1.) Best Drugstore Sunblock: CeraVe Sunscreen Stick SPF 50
Don’t consider sunscreen to be a beauty product? Well, you should start immediately. The fact is that most people simply do not give enough thought to protecting their skin from harmful rays and therefore are more likely to have skin that appears aged and damaged.
Save yourself a fortune in future skin treatments and purchase this excellent sunscreen stick from CeraVe. Apply it before makeup to protect your skin. Then, pop the handy little stick in your handbag for touch-ups during the day.
$9.99
Buy CeraVe Sunscreen Stick SPF 50 >
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