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What Are Your Most Reliable, Gotta-Get-It Drugstore Makeup Products?

by 75 Comments

That’s L’Oréal’s matte reddish coral Le Matte Colour Riche Lipstick in She’s So Matte on my pout…

I’ve been on a drugstore makeup tear lately, and I’m curious — what budget makeup products do you absolutely swear by? Is there a line of drugstore foundation you love? A particular brand/shade of lipstick you’ll always go out of your way for? An eyeshadow, waterproof mascara or liquid liner?

Let me know. Spill the beans in the comments. What are your most reliable, gotta-get-it drugstore makeup products?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. How’s it going? 🙂

P.P.S. Not drugstore related, but if you’re an MBB reader in NYC, Illamasqua’s Creative Director, Alex Box, will be at the 59th Street Bloomingdale’s today from 6:30-8:00 p.m. to celebrate the launch of the brand at the store. She’ll be doing live beauty demonstrations, so it’ll be a great opportunity to watch her work some serious makeup magic. How cool is that?! Wish I could be there, but Tabs wouldn’t give me the time off…

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Comments

  1. i really love the physicians formula shimmer strip bronzer in sand pink. it is a perfect beige/pink blush. i also love burts bees tinted balm, st ives apricot scrub, neutrogena chubby lip pencils and pond’s dry skin moisturizer. i have been using the maybelline fit foundation stick, but can’t decide if i love it or not. it applies flawlessly, but doesnt wear as long as i would like. and last but not least, the eco tools blush brush is the absolute best blush brush i have ever used.

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    • I’ve been researching this one. Glad to know it works for you. I’ve heard it compared to the latest NARS concealer.

      Reply

  4. I really like Sally Hansen Complete Manicure nail polish. It wears well, has very good coverage, and good color options.

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  7. My absolute favorite is the Maybelline color tattoo shadows. I use bad to the bronze ALL THE TIME. Currently loving Cover Girl whipped mouse cream applied withe a Real techniques stippling brush. Gotta give some love to Cover Girl clump crusher mascara and L’oreals new butterfly mascara. I also enjoys Revlon’s Naked foundation and powder. Last but not least I use one of those Rimmel shadow crayons all the time too in Bullet Proof Beige. The shimmery white one also makes for awesome inner corner brightness!

    Oh and this is a bit weird but the monistat chaffing gel makes for a fab face primer!

    Reply

    • Yes, a tad weird, but I would have to try it before I knock it 🙂 Thanks for the primer suggestion! I have become fond of Bare Escentuals Prime Time, but have been looking for a more cost efficient primer.

      Reply

        • I have use the Monastat chafing gel and love it. I know people’s first thought is Monastat is for yeast infections, but this in not, this is just another product in the Monastat line :). It is supposed to be almost identical to Smashbox primer, but this is only about $6. You could also use it wherever a shoe or clothing rubs your skin. It is really great and I have oily/combo skin and do not break out.

          Reply

  9. Milani Luminoso Blush, it is incredibly pigmented and just amazing! Also the Rimmel eyeliner in black…I can’t remember the name of it, but it just about the only black eye liner pencil that doesn’t smudge on me! Oh Maybe its the scandal eyes, but not the skinnier pencil.

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    • Me too! I love Luminoso. I also love the Wet and Wild color icon eye shadow line. I wear those as often as I do my Dior palettes. I also love the E.L.F. brushes and lip exfoliator.

      Reply

  10. I just picked up NYX butter gloss in cherry
    Pie yesterday. It is pretty pigmented,and super moisturizing. Plus it smells like cupcakes!

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  11. Karen! Yay, for drugstore finds! I truly believe in paying for quality, but sometimes, I can’t justify buying another $40+ foundation for “bleh” days.

    I think I found my Bobbi Brown Skin foundation dupe. It’s Revlon’s Nearly Naked. It’s not Bobbi, but pretty close. And at around $7 a bottle, I can add more things to my basket!

    I have also been searching high and low for a mascara that is water RESISTANT, not proof. It doesn’t satisfy everything on my list for lash requirements, but Cover Girl’s Lashblast (purple tube) gives my lashes a bit more “oomph!” than naked lashes, and it doesn’t clump, or give me tell-tale smudges as the oils on my face produce during the day. LoL. And no make-up remover needed!

    NYX has been a good friend, since I found it. I wish I had the patience to try a lot of different brands, but I fear the cashiers at my local CVS would think I’m abusing their return policy. 🙁 And Ulta is too far. *sigh* I’ll get over my fears and try new things, eh? Have a wonderful thirsty thursday! Stay hydrated, even though it may be grey where you are 🙂

    Reply

  12. I’ve been slowly switching my entire product lines to drugstore after discovering some fairly amazing products. My foundation/base may be the only one that isn’t!

    Face: Maybelline Matte powder is amazing – keeps me matte longer than anything else I’ve tried! Plus, great color match.
    Milani’s giant pan of bronzer never runs orange, and it’s huge!
    Blush – Milani has the gorgeous shimmer colors with a ton of pigment. Lasts all day too!

    Eyes/Brows: CoverGirl single shadow in brown to mark in the eyebrows. I’m a longtime devotee of CoverGirl lashblast, and go through a tube every 6 weeks or so!
    Eyeliner: Physician’s Formula liquid liner with lash booster really works to lengthen and volumize my lashes, and it wears all day with no flaking or budging! The brush makes it easy to apply on the go, I do mine on the train in the AM!
    Shadow – Milani eyeshadow primer locks any shadow in place. I use the Maybelline Shadow tattoos as a great base or a sheer wash; and I put the Milani eyeshadow sticks to the same use. Now that those are coming out in more neutrals, I need to stock up!

    Lips: I haven’t found a good sheer but nonsticky lip gloss here, so if anyone’s got suggestions, shoot them over! I love Revlon’s Balm Stains, and use them all the time. i recently picked up L’Oreal’s Le Matte, and it’s pretty good. Solid mauve color and sticks around for a longgg time.

    At the end of the day, almost my entire face routine is drugstore – definitely saves in the long run!

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  14. Revlon Superlustrous lipstick line is fantastic, Revlon core line nail polishes, and Revlon Lash Fantasy double ended mascara- the primer end is great, i’d buy for that alone. Also Maybelline Full n Soft mascara is comparable to my fave Clinique Naturally Glossy at half its price. Second the vote for Sally Hansen Complete Manicure. Love all the designer collab colors, and good formula. Worth it at its price and even better when there is a coupon or a sale!

    Reply

  15. PS, Karen, if you come across the CoverGirl Queen lipsticks on your drugstore adventures, please please please pick some up for swatch and review? Pat McGrath collaborated on these shades- one of my fave MUAs, and they look awesome! HTF in my area, but Classy Coral and Mocha Locha are on my radar. So many shades are sold out on Walmart.com- I guess they are really good?

    Reply

  16. I don’t use much drugstore makeup, but I here are a few examples of stuff I use and enjoy:

    – Jordana Best Lash mascara (simply amazing, you have to toss it after a few weeks, but it’s worth it)
    – Wet N Wild nail polishes from the Megalast line (I think I have most of them… shhh!)
    – Physicians’ Formula eyeliners (I can always rely on these to last all day long in my waterline)
    – Revlon Nearly Naked foundation (I like the way this looks on my skin more than most high-end ones I’ve tried so far)
    – L’Oreal Infallible eyeshadows are amazing
    _ Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation (I’ve only recently bought this, but so far I really like it, I just wish they had a lot more shades)

    That’s about it… Hope it helps :).

    P.S. Tabs is a pretty strict boss, isn’t he?

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  18. Definitely Covergirl’s Lash Blast waterproof. It’s the only thing that keeps my stick straight lashes curled and adds tons of volume. I’ve gone through dozens of tubes. The only downside is that it’s a bit hard to take off, but Lancome’s eye makeup remover does the trick.

    Lately, I’ve really been liking Maybelline’s Color Whispers in Made-It Mauve. They smell super yummy too!

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  20. I use Maybelline Dream Lumi Concealer in Ivory on a daily basis for my undereyes, love it! Coastal Scents isn’t drugstore, but definitely inexpensive, and I love using their Camo Quad in light on blemishes and red spots. I sometimes use Color Tattoo shadows as liners (particularly Tough as Taupe and Audacious Asphalt), but I’ve been addicted to my Khaki Precieux Chanel Liner as of late.

    Other than that, I haven’t been using much in the way of drugstore products recently! I want the Revlon Matte Balms that I saw on other blogs, but haven’t found them yet. I wasn’t a fan of the L’Oreal Le Matte pencil, the smell was too much for me.

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  21. L’oreal True Match Liquid Foundation–Not my HG, but they get major bonus points in offering shades fair enough for me (yay! so hard for me to find) AND in cool, neutral, or warm choices. A warm truly fair shade is hard to find.

    Almay Get Up and Grow Mascara–One of the only mascaras my very sensitive eyes can wear

    Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadow

    L’oreal liquid eyeliner–Not quite Stila, but close and half the price!

    Reply

  23. Rimmel lipsticks are a must have! My go to shade is #101. I am also loving L’Oreal Lumi foundation. That’s huge for me because I used Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer for years.

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  24. A Holy Grail drugstore product that I use every day and have like, 9000 backup tubes of is NYX Butter Lip Gloss in Tiramisu, a gorgeous opaque peachy-beige that plays well with any lipstick in that shade range. I also use it to darken up too-light lipstick shades. One other HG cheapie product is NYX cream blush in Tea Rose (I have 5 cream blushes by Le Metier de Beaute and this one is just as good with a price difference of $22) and lastly, Almay Non-Oily Makeup remover pads.

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  26. Jordana pen eyeliners are great! They last all day and they rival high end eyeliners.Also love Loreal, and Maybelline lipsticks esp. the vivid collection. I use Aveeno positively radiant daily moisturizer with spf and the face wash everyday.

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  27. Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Foundation! It makes my face so beautiful that I just want to hug everyone in Revlon. The downside is that there’s a limited range of shades, but that doesn’t matter to me because True Beige matches me perfectly. Sooo in love.

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  29. The Max Factor Clump Defy mascara is probably my favorite mascara out of all brands! And I love the Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation. Their new Java powder is great too, the finish makes me think of Guerlain’s Météorites!

    Reply

  31. I am a huge fan of NYX. I only started using their products about 3 years ago, but everytime I try something new it always is a nice surprise!
    I swear by their soft matte lip creams, I love their butter glosses and their eyeshadows are of the best quality (silky and pigmented).
    And most of it is sooo cheap! I’m giving them an A+!

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  32. Oh there are sooo many:

    Mascaras: Loreal Telescopic Waterproof Mascara (great for lengthening and great for lower lashes), Jordana Best Lash Extreme.

    Eyeshadow: Hands down Loreal’s Infallible eyeshadow singles! They are amazing! Just as good as my UD shadows. I especially love Amber Rush, Iced Latte, Taupe, Continous Cocoa. My favorite is Endless Pearl. I use it all the time.

    Foundation: Revlon’s Colorstay Whipped Foundation

    Blush: Milani’s baked blushes. I especially love Berry Amore and Corallina. Also, NYX’s blushes.

    Concealer: I just discovered this too..Femme Couture’s Get Covered Maximum Coverage Concealer. It’s really creamy and has great coverage. You can buy it at Sally’s Beauty Supply.

    Eyeliner: Milani’s Ultra Fine Liquid Eyeliner is great. For a stick, I like Milani’s Liquid Eye and Rimmels ScandelEyes Waterproof Kohl eyeliner in Nude and Taupe.

    Highlighter: Femme Couture’s Mineral Effects Baked Bronzer in Summer Kiss. It says it’s a bronzer but it’s more of a highlighter. It’s lovely! I’ve been using it for like 2 years and I adore it. It’s totally a dupe for MAC’s Mineralize Skinfinishes. You can buy it at Sally’s Beauty Supply.

    Setting Powders: I dont like many..but I do like Rimmels Stay Matte Pressed Powder. I nice, cheap powder that keeps you matte.

    and Lipstick: There are several….
    Revlon’s Kissable Balm Stains, Covergirl’s Lipslick Smoochies in Tweet Me (been my recent fave), NYX’s Xtreme Lipcremes, Revlon Super Lustrious Lipstick in Primrose, and Coralberry, Loreal’s Project Runway Lipstick in The Muse’s Kiss, and Milani’s Color Statement Lipstick in Nude Creme.

    LOVE these!!

    Reply

  33. Revlon color stay whipped foundation is incredible!!! Can’t live without NYX butter glosses, Rimmel London Kate Moss collection, Maybelline falsies flared mascara and last, but not least Maybelline eye studio gel liner (WAY better than MAC fluidline)

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  34. OMG I almost forgot to mention Rimmel Kate Moss Matte lipsticks (with the read packaging)!!! this lipstick formula is absolutely fabulous: super-pigmented, creamy, moisturising, very long-lasting…. and the finish is very classy. I swear I can’t get enough of these bad boys.
    A bought pretty much the whole collection! Thanks god they made it permanent.

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  35. Obssesed with Maybelline’s 24hr eyeshadow tattoo line-they’re cream shadows that have tons of pigment & actually last. Also, i love BabyLips!

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  36. Physician’s Formula BB Cream. Maybelline’s Color Whisper lip balms are perfect. Covergirl’s Lash Exact mascara is my favorite, even after trying so many high-end mascaras. I use Milani’s Luminoso blush everyday. Milani’s brow tint pen has made filling in my brows a lot easier. I love the luxurious feeling of high-end cosmetics, but for when times are tough I like to have backup drugstore items to fill the void. The only drugstore item I haven’t been able to find is a primer that works for me without making my face itch. Loreal’s Youth Code Texture Perfector is the only thing that comes close, but it’s almost the same price as my Tarte primer.

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  37. L’Oréal Colour Riche and Colour RIche Caresse are some of the best lipsticks I have found at any price point.
    The original Maybelline Color Tattoos and the Metals line are awesome.
    Rimmel Scandaleyes pencil liner is amazing, best pencil liner ever (though I tried the Scandaleyes jumbo shadow pencils and they were horrible!).
    NYX blushes, face primers (pore filler and shine killer), and Black Label Lipstick. I actually blew $22 on the MAC Mineralize Rich Lipstick, and when I got it home I realized it was exactly like NYX Hot Tamale. EXACTLY. Not just color, but texture (creamy, moisturizing, opaque) and wear time.
    Lisa recently posted … LOTD: Grays Matter

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  41. I really love Maybelline color tattoos in “Audacious Asphalt” and 2 limited edition shades in “Mossy Green” and “Rich Mahogany”. They are great shades for everyday for my skin tone and super easy for “lazy” days. I use a brush to apply, line my eyes with black liner and 2 quick coats of mascara…SUPER SIMPLE!

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  44. I love Covergirl Lash Blast mascara! I have been using it for years. I’ve tried some higher end mascaras (including Lancôme and MAC) but I haven’t found them to be special in any way, and I have found everything else I’ve tried to be flaky or clumpy. I don’t use the waterproof version of Lash Blast. As a previous poster mentioned, the waterproof formula is really hard to remove. The non-waterproof formula stays put really well anyways, so I don’t find waterproof necessary!

    Sally Hanson Salon nail polishes are amazing too – they have a huge brush to make application super easy and they don’t get thick and unusable as quickly as other brands. I find them very similar to OPI and you can often find Sally Hansen on sale!

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  45. I pretty much swear by loreal’s infalliable eyeshadow in amber rush, the pigment is absolutely gorgeous and the finish is fantastic.

    as for lip products my go to’s are revlon’s just bitten kissable balm stains in crush and honey and i recently purchased a rimmel show off lip laquer in celestial that seems to be working quite well.

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  46. Revlon Photoready. Revlon lipstick, I have a few colors I really love, but Toast of New York is probably my favorite. L’oreal True Match blush in Soft Sun. L’oreal Lineur intense. L’oreal voluminous mascara. Maybelline Lash Stilleto, Maybelline the Rocket. Coty Airspun powder.

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  47. I love a lot of the products already mentioned. In addition to those, I love the Maybelline Color Sensational High Shine glosses (very very pigmented and lasts forever), Jordana blushes/12 hr eyeliners, Palladio Herbal Eyeshadow Quad in Copper n’ Chic (beautiful!), Hard Candy So Baked Bronzer in Tiki (it’s really a highlighter), Maybelline Super Stay foundation, and Milani Liquid Eye eyeliners 🙂

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  48. Hard Candy Sheer Envy Primer, Covergirl Lash Blast Waterproof Mascara, Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer… just to name a few. Check out my blog for more drugstore picks!

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  49. Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara. For me, it doesn’t flake, budge, smudge and amazingly, lasts all day and well into the evening. I use all 3 in the line, it is my ole faithful.

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  50. Milani’s Liquid Eye eyeliner is AMAZING. The black one is very pigmented and lasts all darned day. I also love the Rimmel ScandalEyes liners, they are very comparable. I love almost any Maybelline mascara, too.

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  51. I have quite a few that are repurchase-worthy. Maybelline’s Define-a-brow pencil is a great formula and nice and slim for defining, plus Great Lash in clear to set brows. I also love Baby Lips in Cherry Me, almost more than Fresh’s Sugar tinted balm (especially for the price!). Ditto on Milani’s Baked Blush in Luminesso, its a lovely color and just a hint of shimmer. And for the last 6 months or so I’ve been using Wet N Wild eyeshadow sets, the color payoff is surprisingly fantastic! You can’t judge the color by the pan, always check swatches online. 🙂

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  52. Wet ‘n Wild Color Icon shadow palettes. Each one is a MAC dupe and at 4 bucks for 8 shadows, it’s a bargain. They shatter easily though, so you have to be careful that you don’t drop them. But, for the price, it’s easy to get another one. I also like Rimmel Stay Matte powder for my T zone.

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  53. A few of my favourites are Physician’s Formula Sexy Glow Bronzer, L’Oreal Infallible eyeshadow in Amber Rush, Maybelline Eye Studio gel eyeliner in Eggplant, Annabelle EyeInk and Smoothie eyeshadow pencils.

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  54. I have naturally long lashes (I know. Poor me.), and I find some brands smudge just under my brows if it’s humid, but I hate waterproof mascara removal. Rimmel Glam Eyes mascara comes off easily when it’s time to remove, but doesn’t smudge all day. Cover Girl Tapestry Taupe has been an eyeshadow staple since high school. I adore Revlon’s lip stains and just about everything I’ve tried from NYX has been great for the price.
    Daanielle recently posted … I Want to Be a Ballet Babe with Zoya and Zang Toi!

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  55. My drugstore favorites are Maybelline Full ‘n’ Soft waterproof mascara, Wet ‘n’ Wild Color Icon single and trio eyeshadows, L’Oreal True Match Crayon Concealer, and L’Oreal Colour Caresse lipsticks.

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  56. My Revlon Nearly Naked foundation, Revlon Just bitten kissable lip colors, Covergirl OUtlast 3-in-1 Foundation, Loreal Infallible Eyeshadows in Bronzed Taupe and Amber Rush, Loreal volumizing mascara with the “excess” packaging which removes exess product for less clumps, Rimmel Stay Matte powder, Rimmel scandal eyes jumbo eye shadow stick in Bulletproof Beige, Maybelline 14 hour lipsticks in wine and forever and please stay plum. 🙂 Love my drugstore products. LOL

    Reply

  57. I absolutely love Maybelline Soft-n-Full Mascara. Every now and then I’ll see a review of some mascara that sounds amazing, and nothing has made me switch.

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  58. Maybelline Color Sensation(al) Vivids Lipstick! SO AMAZING.

    I also really liked their bb cream in the summer.

    L’Oreal Telescopic Clean Definition was my go-to mascara but it’s been dc’d. 🙁

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  59. Revlon Whipped Creme Foundation is my HG foundation. I have weirdly sensitive and oily skin and many foundations can irritate it. Both low-end and high-end foundations can oxidize, not match my skin, fade too quickly, become a hot mess, etc. This has solved ALL these problems.

    L’Oreal Beauty Tubes Mascara: tube mascaras are the only one’s that don’t smudge on me. Everything else does.

    Most of my brushes are drugstore brands from sonia kashuk, elf, or real techniques.

    Nail polishes from L’Oreal, Maybelline Colorshow, Revlon Colorstay, Covergirl

    But the above is just for me. I also have reliable gott-get-it drugstore makeup products that I gift to others but my weird skin just can’t tolerate

    Milani: Shadow Eyez, Liquid Eye Pencils, Liquid Liners, Eyeshadow Primer, Makeup Remover,
    Revlon: Superlustrous and Colorburst line lippies,
    L’Oreal: Superblendable Blush, Infallible Eyeshadows,
    Maybelline: Age Rewind Concealers, Superstay Concealer, Color Tattoo 24 hr gel shadow,
    Neutrogena: Healthy Skin Foundation

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  60. I LOVE Almay wake-up liquid foundation. I have dry skin and this makes me luminous. My husband actually complimented my skin! Just before I was about to drop serious money for Laura Mercier, I found Almay. Brilliant!

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  61. Essence lip liners. They stay put, for a dollar a pop, that makes me ecstatic. I love the maybelline cat eyes mascara in waterproof. Holds my lash curl and gives me length volume and won’t move unless I say so. 😉 I adore the infallible foundation by loreal. Kinda pricy but it’s worth it because I don’t breakout and it lasts with my oily skin.

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  63. I keep trying high end mascaras and I always go back to my favorite drugstore brands. I only wear waterproof because of my contact lenses and for my lower lashes, Maybelline lash discovery is perfect – it has a tiny wand that gets every lash. And I love L’oreal voluminous – adds great volume and is the darkest black color.

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  64. I recently bought a little pot of lip balm from Neosporin “Lip therapy, overnight renewal treatment”(it was over in the chapstick area in Walgreens near the pharmacy, not the makeup area). It is amazing, I use it before bed at night. My lips are so chapped all the time and this has helped a lot. I recently bought some Nuxe Reve de Miel because of the reviews were so good, but this neosporin stuff is ten times better!

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  66. A few of my favorites:
    1. Maybelline Fit Me Concealer – creamy, blendable, good coverage, stays put, doesn’t cake or crease
    2. Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation – I used to work for a high end cosmetics line with a really popular foundation that is virtually identical to this one
    3. Milani Luminono Baked Blush – awesome natural look, little bit of illuminating shimmer
    4. Maybelline Nude Pink Color Tattoo (limited edition I think) – really nice everyday basic, use as base or by itself to brighten up the lid and even out discoloration
    5. Rimmel Lash accelerator mascara
    6. Loreal Telescopic Mascara
    7. Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters – sheer, hydrating, no-mirror application. Pink Truffle is my favorite although if you are ok with some sparkle/shimmer Peach Parfait is pretty. Papaya is a pretty color similar to peach parfait without the shimmer, but a little orangier and not quite as sheer
    8. Lumene BB cream
    9. Almay Liquid Lip Balm in Pink Pout
    10. Revlon Kissable Lip Stain in Honey

    Reply

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