Best Drug Store Makeup?

Jun 30, 2015

Alisa M.

I definitely need a upgrade. I've been using the same brand since I was in middle school. and I don't know if I just didn't realize quality makeup or the formulas have changed. it just doesn't work for me like it used to. I need to invest in a new brand of makeup!

Jun 30, 2015

Yaira D.

It can be both in the change of formulas and your skin.
What's your skin type?
Any skin issues you'd like to cover?
What kind of coverage are you seeking?

Jun 30, 2015

Alisa M.

My skin isn't oily but it isn't really dry either. but I do have some acne I'd like to cover here and there. but mostly I just like the overall look of stuff such as foundation, it makes my face look (feel) a little flawless. and I also pretty much use every kind of makeup there is, eyeshadow, eyeliner, foundation ect. I even attempt to contour and highlight my face

Jun 30, 2015

Alisa M.

Foundation also covers the bags under my eyes and helps to cover up the redness on my face, which seems to be a natural thing for me

Jun 30, 2015

katie s.

According to how you describe your skin, it's either combination or normal.

Foundation- It depends on the coverage you are looking for. If you are looking for light-medium coverage, I recommend the Loreal anti-redness bb cream. For medium-full coverage, I like Revlon colorstay and Loreal true match lumi.
Powders: I like the Rimmel stay date if you want a matte finish or Maybelline fit me for a natural finish.
Concealer- I like Maybelline fit me. It's medium coverage.
Bronzer: I like NYC smooth skin sunny bronzer
Blush- I have yet to find one I really like at drugstores
Eyeshadow- I use mostly high end eyeshadow a, but I do like the Almay trios
Eyeliner- I use my VS mascara and use an angled eyeliner brush to create the perfect line
Mascara- Covergirl clump crusher and Maybelline rocket mascara
Eyebrows- I use a high end eyeshadow that matches my brow color perfectly, but I set it with a clear brow gel from E.L.F.
Primers: For face, I use the Loreal instant blur and for eyes, the only drugstore one I've tried is E.L.F. I do like to use the Maybelline color tattoos as a base which acts as my primer sometimes.
Lips- I like the Covergirl smoochies, Wet n' Wild lip stains, Revlon lip butters, and VS glosses

Jun 30, 2015

Yaira D.

You sound rather combo or normal.

Concealer : I've heard great things about Physicians Formula Rx Concealer and NYX Full coverage concealer in a jar as well as Nyx HD concealer for undereye circles
Foundation: It's trial and error so I can only say from those I've heard that have satisfied girls yet didn't fully meet their expectations. Some of these foundations are Maybelline Fit Me (Oily to Normal skin), Cover girl 3-in-1, Revlon Colorstay and Boots c:
Powders: I have enjoyed Rimmel Stay Matte on my oily t-zone
Mascara: Maybelline Falsies (When used after a lengthening mascara, I like use this mascara for fuller eyelashes), Loreal Telescopic (great length) or Voluminous, Rimmel Manga (:

Jun 30, 2015

Yaira D.

Eyeshadow: Maybellines new Nude pallet. It is nice for a drugstore pallet :3
Lips: Rimmel, Wet n Wild, Revlon lip stains
Primers: Nyx HD, Loreal Miracle Blur

Jun 30, 2015

Yaira D.

Before I forget again, Highlight and Conotur: Covergirl TruBlend fix sticks to cream highlight and contour. If you like powder contour then resort to NYX taupe eyeshadow to contour

Jun 30, 2015

Yaira D.

NYX Taupe blush*

Jun 30, 2015

Dilara K.

I don't really like to use drugstore makeup I personally like nars and mac but maybelline and revlon are ok.

Jun 30, 2015

Emily M.

I really like rimmel's stay matte powder!

Jun 30, 2015

Shaye M.

Loreal true match foundation, rimmel brow pencils, maybelline fit me concealer.

Jun 30, 2015

Shreya S.

Loreal true match
revelon color stay
maybelline fit me
^ foundations^
maybelline fit me
mufe
sonia kashuk
^concealer^

covergirl quads
maybelline color tattoo
maybelline the nudes
^eye shadow^
maybelline gel liner
sephora felt tip liner (I know it's not drugstore but it's $14 and I love it!)
^eye liner^
maybelline great lash (the one with the bigger end)
maybelline the rocket
^mascara^
rimmel stay matte
maybelline fit me
^powder^
nyc smooth skin sunny bronzer 
^bronzer^

Jun 30, 2015

Emily W.

I live in the drugstore...

You didn't mention your undertone, which really limits your selection of foundations at the drugstore. If you are pale and warm toned, forget it- all of the pale foundations are pink. If you are neutral, you might have some luck with L'Or?al True Match or Maybelline Fit Me, or possibly even Almay or Neutrogena (which tend to get overlooked).

As for everything else...

Primers for foundation aren't strictly necessary if your skincare routine is in place, and the type of primer depends on the formula of the foundation anyway. I've heard positive things about e.l.f.'s mineral primers and NYX's primers, but be sure to match the formulas to the foundation (e.g. silicone to silicone, water to water, and so on).

Personally I've never tried a NYX product that I haven't liked. The entire brand is affordable and has some nice offerings. Some standouts include their eyeliners, the Jumbo Eye Pencils (which make great eyeshadow bases when used over a primer), and all of the lip products.

e.l.f. is a hit and miss brand. I've tried almost everything they offer, and use about a third of it regularly. The special palettes that come out around holidays tend to be higher quality than the regular shadows that are available in the quads or singles, in my experience. The eyeliners and cream shadows are terrible, same with mascaras. Lip products tend to be sticky, but otherwise okay. The things I use the most and love are the Eyelid Primers (both white sparkly version and regular nude), the Mist & Set spray, the Studio (black) brushes, and the 144 Bright and Beauty Books eyeshadow palettes.

Those are my go-to brands, everything else I pick and choose.

Mascara: (Remember mascara is very subjective)
- Maybelline makes some good mascaras. I'm not too picky about it, since I am pretty lucky with long lashes already. I've tried MegaPlush, Volum' Express, and some other one from that family in a yellow tube and they were all pretty similar, at least on me.
*e.l.f. mascara is awful

Eyeshadow:
- e.l.f. Palettes: holiday palettes are great value, quads are hit/miss but only $1 so maybe worth a shot if you see a color you want to try. purples are almost always chalky.
- NYX: nice individuals, palettes are great too
- Wet'n'Wild: they have some nice trios and little palettes now, much better than they were in 1990s
- Maybelline: good basic nudes, heard good things about tattoos as bases
- LA Colors: yes, that brand at the dollar store has CRAZY good eyeshadow! Buttery smooth, super pigmented, and blends like a dream. I know it seems sketchy but I researched the hell out of the brand and I have been wearing this stuff for years with no problem (and I have had my blood tested for heavy metals and toxins recently too so yes, it's clean lol). Other dollar store brands have been pretty good too!

Concealer:
- Maybelline Fit Me
- NYX Concealer in a jar
*e.l.f. concealer is TERRIBLE

Powder:
- e.l.f. Pressed Powder
- NYC Pressed Powder
- TKB Trading Silica Powder (not "drugstore" but I refuse to pay $36 for MUFE HD Powder when I can buy it wholesale from the supplier at a fraction of that cost)

Highlighter:
- Manic Panic "Vampire's Veil" Pressed Powder (not typical drugstore; probably not necessary for you anyway because you probably don't need to have something close to stark white as a highlight because nothing else shows up against pasty pale)

I don't use bronzer. (It doesn't look right when you have the same skin tone as Casper the friendly Ghost.)

Lip stuff:
- Wet'n'Wild: good lipsticks
- Jessie's Girl: liners, some cool glosses
- NYX: matte lip creams, butter glosses, all of the lipsticks

Eyeliners:
- NYX: gel smudge pot good for smokey eye, waterproof pencils, liquid liners are okay not great, felt tip pen liners are nice
- Wet'n'Wild: nice cheap pencil liners, lots of colors
- NYC: same ^
*e.l.f. liners suck

I have yet to see a drugstore contouring product that is truly a contouring product. Everybody recommends the NYX Blush in the shade "Taupe", but here is the problem with that: it is a blush. It may seem like it is fairly cool compared to the other blushes, but it is STILL A BLUSH. It is still, ever so slightly, warm hued. That warmth, no matter how subtle it seems, is what makes it wrong. Shadows are not warm. Shadows are neutral, grey. On skin they are grey-brown. Not warm. That's why we don't create shadows with bronzer. That's why we don't contour with blush. So sorry folks: that is NOT A CONTOURING PRODUCT.

As for actual blushes:
- NYX
- Maybelline: the bouncy blush line was amazing if they still make them

Brows:
- Rimmel: brow pencils
- Sally (brand not store): powder
- e.l.f. Clear gel
*note: don't waste $20+ on tweezers just because they offer "free sharpening". Sharpen a $2 pair yourself with a metal file.

I think that's everything right? Base, brows, eyes, lips, cheeks... Right on. Good luck!

Jun 30, 2015

Alexis C.

Primer: NYX Photo Loving Primer. I use the clear but they also make it in green to help cancel out redness in the skin.

Unfortunately I don't have a foundation suggestion.

Concealer: NYX HD Concealer

Powder: NYC Smooth Skin Loose Face Powder

Brows: NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder

Eyeshadow: NYX

Liner: Maybelline Rye Studio Gel Liner

Mascara: Maybelline Great Lash

Contour: NYX Blush in Taupe or NYX Contour Pallete

Blush: Maybelline Blushes

Highlighter: NYX Illuminator. I love he shade Ritualistic

Lipsticks: NYX

Jun 30, 2015

Alma M.

Great suggestions, What helps make finding a great drugstore product is by looking into the origin of the line who owns the line and another tip is who is behind the line like for example if you like Nars look into who has worked for that line and came out with their own like Sonia Kashuk she worked for Nars and actually Mentioned her line is based off of the same ingredients and some other's. E.L.F = Scott vincent Borba he has his own line of high end but thought to also help create E.L.F for those who wanted a higher end quality at a lower cost. L'Oréal is great and owns a good amount of both high end and low.. As for contouring I've found that a shadow by Salma hayek Nuance line in the color Putty is absolutly a dead on color for contouring effect, I've been on a mission for a while to find what drugstore product could compare to a actual sculpting powder and BAM I finally found it. :)

Jul 2, 2015

Kylie R.

I love Revlon color stay but I've found they're a bit warm and since I'm so far I look the slightest bit orange so I just use the maybelline loose powder in light and it takes away any warmth

Jul 2, 2015

Harry W.

I use revlon colorstay and love it! It's good for oily skin but I recently learned you need to remove it with an oil not just makeup wipes otherwise will end up giving you breakouts because it's so long lasting!