Drugstore Staples | Cheap January
With the rise in quality of drugstore beauty products, I have been ogling affordable makeup brands more and more.
Here is a list of products I have been reaching for and stashing into my daily makeup bag over the past few months.
Base
has been a foundation revelation to me. It gives the perfect amount of natural-looking coverage (but is also very buildable), covering blemishes and redness while leaving the skin looking dewy and fresh. They've got this formula spot on!
is highly underrated. It is also the product I have used and repurchased for the longest time. Using this as a teenager when I was first introduced to makeup, it is still holding strong in my everyday makeup bag. It provides excellent coverage for larger spots without being cake and melts into the skin with finger application. It contains witch hazel to combat the imperfections through the day as well as hiding them.
is great for illuminating under the eyes, covering dark circles (although you may want to use a salmon-coloured concealer underneath if you have darker circles) and refracting the light to brighten the eyes and help you look more awake.
is a cult hit... and for good reason. It helps set your makeup in place without over-mattifying your complexion and never looks cakey. Coming in under a fiver, it's a steal.
is great for defining and filling in your brows. If you're into bigger, bushier brows like me, this is a great one for accentuating those face caterpillars. One half is a darker gel-like pigment for when you really want to go full out (and also helps set them in place if you want a sleeker look), the other half is a lighter powder, perfect for every day.
Cheeks
is an oldie but a goodie. Bringing the perfect shade of bronze, Bourjois has this bronzer not too orange, not too yellow, not too pink. It helps with an effortless application, never streaking and never blotching... and it last forever!
is perfect for highlighting anywhere on your face. If used lightly, it gives a subtle, dewy glow to the centre of the face, cheekbones, brow bones and cupid's bow. Used a bit more heavy-handedly, it still manages to give a great Hollywood glamour effect without being sparkly or overly shimmery.
Eyes
is an absolute bargain. This little guy really does keep your eyeshadows and liner in place, remaining smudge-free all day. A must have for any oily-lidded lady.
made quite a boom on it's arrival and, for me, has stuck around since. It's great for on-the-go girls, if you've got minutes to get out of the house or if you just like no-fuss makeup. It sweeps on so smoothly, blends like a dream and stays put for hours (all day if you use a primer).
is one I bought after watching a Lisa Eldridge tutorial a few year back. Having steered away from black liner in my late teens in favour of a more neutral look, I hadn't been tempted to go back until I saw how natural it could look if used correctly. Tight-lining just the top lashes seemed impossible, though, until she mentioned this Avon Glimmerstick, which is waterproof and smudge-free.
is a good, affordable felt liner pen. I've been converted to the felt tip side, leaving behind my gel and ever-loved liquid liners for an easier application. It was difficult at first to find one with both bold pigment and staying power, but this one does the trick nicely.
has been the only mascara for me since the day I bought it on a whim (it was on sale) while I was studying at University. I was not expecting to fall in love with it... but that's exactly what happened. The chunky applicator looks daunting, but gives the best volume and length mix without being clumpy.
Lips
is the perfect day-time shade... and a classic, too. When I visited my mum wearing this lipstick she went all nostalgic on me and told me her mother used to wear a similar shade and it was all the rage in the 50s. Revlon's lipstick formula is creamy and moisturising but brings strong pigment and last a long time.
What are your drugstore / high-street makeup staples?