We’re all for treating yourself — but splurging when we don’t have to? Not so much. That’s why we’ve rounded up some seriously awesome bargain beauty buys that work just as well as their pricier alternatives.
Click through for our favorite makeup, skin, and hair products that won’t break the bank. In fact, many of them are just $10 or less!
What's your holy grail drugstore beauty item?
Images via batistehair.com, revlon.com, target.com, maybelline.com, and birchbox.com
Batiste Dry Shampoo
While we're obsessed with the retro candy-colored packaging of the Batiste Dry Shampoo ($8, ulta.com), it's the performance that has made this product a cult-classic and a stylist staple. We’re pretty much sold: Just one spritz gave our hair a second wind without weighing it down. Now our blow-outs have a secret weapon against the summer heat!
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Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm
We’re big fans of Clinique Chubby Sticks ($17, clinique.com), but the Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm ($10, ulta.com) does the same job for half the price. In fact, we’ve heard a number of makeup mavens admit to actually preferring the Revlon Matte Balms to the Clinique Sticks! All ten of these creamy colors dry matte and don’t budge — amazing!
Avène Thermal Spring Water
Think this is just a bottle of water? Think again. Avène Thermal Spring Water ($13, drugstore.com) is bottled from the medicinal springs of Avène, France. Chock-full of minerals, it soothes dry and irritated skin. Try it on a sunburn, as a toner, or even as a makeup-setting spray, and trust us — you’ll be sold on this fancy French mist, too.
St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub
The award-winning St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub ($4, drugstore.com) not only smells divine, but it makes our skin look ah-mazing. As far as we’re concerned, no other scrub can compare. Others seem to agree — it’s been featured in Allure’s Reader’s Choice list from 2007 to 2015!
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John Frieda Beach Blonde Sea Waves Sea Salt Spray
When the John Frieda discontinued its Beach Blonde Ocean Waves Spray, we shed a tear. The product had such a die-hard following that bottles of this stuff were going on eBay for upwards of $100! Now ten years later, it’s back — just like crop tops and platform shoes. Some things have changed, though: Like the name (John Frieda Beach Blonde Sea Waves Sea Salt Spray, $9, target.com), the fancy new bottle, and the fact that it works even better than the original!
Wet 'n' Wild Mega Liner Liquid Eyeliner
We've gone through a lot of liquid eyeliners in our day. But the one that always prompts compliments whenever we wear it out? Wet 'n' Wild's Mega Liner Liquid Eyeliner ($3, drugstore.com). Big bonus: You can buy ten of these babies for the price of a high-end alternative. Perfecting our cat eye has never been easier!
Maybelline Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Shadow
Eyeshadow is something you should usually splurge on — higher end brands have less talc, less filler, and more pigment for long lasting-color and better blendability. Luckily, there are lower cost gems that go against the grain, like Maybelline Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Shadow ($7, ulta.com). One swipe will give you super-saturated color that will stay put for hours.
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Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara
You don’t have to drop big bucks to make your peepers pop. The mascaras available at drugstores are really just as good (if not better) than what you can get at department stores. The trick of a truly great mascara is entirely in the brush. We love the Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara ($7, target.com) applicator — it’s dual design with short bristles on one side and longer, curved bristles on the other to first separate and then fan your lashes out.
Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream
Dry elbows and callouses are never a good look. That’s why every girl needs a holy grail lotion. Cult-fave Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream ($10, target.com) is free of fragrances, parabens, and lanolin, so it’s perfect for just about everyone — even if you have sensitive skin.
Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque
Queen Helene's Mint Julep Masque ($3, drugstore.com) has been around for 60 years, so it’s safe to call it an oldie but a goodie. In the 15 minutes it takes to dry, it shrinks pores, battles blackheads, and dries up acne. Tip: Apply to your oily problem areas instead of your whole face on the first go, and be sure to patch test if you have sensitive skin.
Tend Skin Liquid Skin Care Solution
Tend Skin ($15, target.com) is a product that straddles the line between drugstore and high-end. Once upon a time, it was available in Sephora. But now it’s back to being exclusively stocked in drugstore aisles. It's strong-smelling, but dries quickly. Best of all: Razor bumps and ingrown hairs simply do not stand a chance against it.
