By Amanda Gabriel
Elm Staff Writer
Not everyone can afford Kylie Lip Kits, MAC foundations, and Urban Decay Nude Palettes. Many beauty bloggers have taken on the task of trying to find the best price and quality make-up for their viewers, but there are so many videos and articles out there that one may not know where to begin. Although I’m not a famous beauty blogger, I have tested the following products, and as an average college student on a budget, I can attest to the following staples as great alternatives better than (some even better) the expensive brands.
Foundation: Covergirl Clean, $6. This foundation is water based, which I have found works the best for blending with a make-up sponge. I opt for a more natural look with my foundation, which is also why I love this product. It blends out easily into the skin and absorbs well, something I find is hard to do with name brand concealers, with cost around $30 or more. If you do enjoy a fuller coverage, this foundation is great for layering too. The trick is to wait for each layer to dry.
Concealer: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind, $10. Before this concealer, I had used $24MAC products every day, but once I tried this I was convinced they were the same. This concealer gives you great coverage, and the sponge applicator helps eliminate waste because it can be dabbed right on your skin instead of on the back of your hand before application. As with the Covergirl foundation, this blends out well and can be layered for a heavier concealment.
Eyeliner: Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Liner, $11. I had never tried gel liners before Maybelline’s; I only used pencils. Although this eyeliner is a little pricey, it is still less expensive than the average $20.00 name brand, and comes with a small brush. It is great for applying the perfect cat-eye, and the gel goes on smoothly.
Mascara: Covergirl Lash Blast Volume, $7. Covergirl is one of my favorite brands for mascara, but the lash blast volume is my favorite. This mascara does not clump your lashes, and leaves them voluminous and long. I normally use a few layers of this product to really pump my lashes, and it lasts a long time.
Eyeshadow: Revlon Color Stay Crème Eyeshadow, $5. This eyeshadow really does just that—the color stays. I wore this product to birthday ball and the color lasted all night. Other products I have tried end up smearing off when I get sweaty or a few hours pass, but not this one. Although it is crème and soft, once applied to the eyes the color dries and will stay on all night.
If you normally find yourself spending money on expensive products, perhaps once you run out you can try a less expensive one on the list, all of which can be found at Walgreens. Drug store products tend to get a bad reputation, but in my opinion they are usually just as good, if not better, than what they sell at Sephora or any other make-up store.
