Key Points
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Some of the best makeup brands are luxurious without that luxury price tag.
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Many of the best makeup brands are cost-effective and sold at drugstores.
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Brands like NYX Cosmetics, BH Cosmetics, and ColourPop all produce great products for under $20.
You’re probably tired of hearing about all the great, must-try luxurious makeup brands that aren’t the most cost-effective. While you want to see if the hype is worth it, paying for certain brands feels like you’re forking over an arm and a leg. It’s surprising how affordable some of the best makeup brands are.
From NYX Cosmetics and their excellent lipsticks and primers to ColourPop’s popular eyeshadow palettes, many of the best makeup brands create beautiful looks without breaking the bank. Drugstore brands and other non-expensive options still have something special to offer.
NYX Cosmetics
Since 1991, NYX Cosmetics has been a brand that makeup artists, amateurs, and everyone in between rely on for formulas that work great. The fact that most products come with price tags at less than $10 is just a bonus. Even professional cosmetologists with the most expensive tastes agree that NYX is cheap in terms of price, but its products give rich results. Plus, NYX Cosmetics is available for purchase at many drugstores.
“Nyx has been a favorite of mine for years. They have super-pigmented formulas and a huge selection to choose from,” celebrity makeup artist Judi Gabbay said in an interview with Who What Wear.
NYX Professional Makeup Epic Ink Vegan Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner
The NYX Professional Makeup Epic Ink Vegan Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner has a precision tip that makes winged liner easy to achieve. Its high-impact color lasts all day and doesn’t smudge. The eyeliner sells for $10 and is similar to other eye products like KVD Tattoo Liner which is more than double the price.
NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream
The NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream delivers a light mousse-like texture that spreads like silk on the lips. The highly-pigmented formula doesn’t transfer and the lippies come in many beautiful shades. The wallet-friendly product costs $7 and is comparable to other liquid matte lip kits from Kylie Cosmetics, KVD Beauty, and Anastasia Beverly Hills.
NYX Professional Makeup Pore Filler Blurring Primer
The NYX Professional Makeup Pore Filler Blurring Primer creates a nice flat canvas so the rest of your makeup glides on with ease. The primer blurs enlarged pores and other imperfections on the face and feels so smooth on the skin. It doesn’t feel tacky or sticky like other primers on the market. The NYX Professional Makeup Pore Filler Blurring Primer goes for $10.
Sephora Collection
Sephora created the Sephora Collection to give its customers an affordable luxury brand option. This is amazing given how expensive some of the brands at Sephora are. The Sephora Collection creates products that don’t disappoint when it comes to quality formulas.
Another bonus? All of the merchandise in the collection retails for under $20. The collection contains everything from pressed pigments to skincare and is definitely worth checking out.
Sephora Masque Visage Pearl Face Mask
The Sephora Masque Visage Pearl Face Mask is one of the most popular and reliable face sheet masks in the beauty world. The sheets are extra thin and enriched with hydrating and soothing properties. They are super cost-effective at just $6.
Sephora PRO Face Palette
Sephora’s PRO Face Palette fulfills your many makeup needs. The palette contains highlighters, blush, bronzers, and contours. The shades also work great as eyeshadows. The formulas perform well on a variety of skin tones and complexions. Plus, the pans are huge so the palette lasts a very long time. The Sephora PRO Face Palette costs $20.
Sephora Collection Lip Gloss Balm
The Sephora Collection Lip Gloss Balm offers sheer to medium coverage in color. The lip gloss hydrates and nourishes the lips without producing a sticky consistency. It contains moisturizing ingredients like mango and grapeseed oil and retails for $10.
BH Cosmetics
BH Cosmetics is one of the most underrated budget-friendly brands in the beauty world. Since 2009, the brand has produced many pieces that work universally on different skin types and tones. Known for their velvety and matte finishes, BH Cosmetics has some of the most supreme blushes, bronzers, and powder contours on the market.
The best part? All of their merchandise retails for under $20.
BH Cosmetics Doja Cat Flora Blush Trio Poppy
Powder blushes tend to be chalky and hard to apply on the skin. But that’s not the case with the BH Cosmetics Doja Cat Flora Trio Poppy. Its creamy formula melts into the skin, leaving a natural rosy appearance. It blends with ease and is reasonably priced at $16.
BH Cosmetics Hangin’ In Hawaii — 16 Color Shadow Palette
by BH Cosmetics
The Hangin’ In Hawaii eyeshadow palette is perfect for that summertime golden and bronzed look. Although the product is meant for the eyes, the brown tones in the palette work wonderfully as bronzer and contour, and the pinky shades for blush. The versatile palette is priced at $16, giving you a big bang for your buck.
BH Cosmetics Iggy Totally Snatched 6 Color Face Palette
The BH Cosmetics Iggy Totally Snatched 6 Color Face Palette beautifully highlights and adds dimension to the face. It’s flattering on a wide range of skin tones and is nicely pigmented. The palette retails for $10, making it an excellent choice for those looking for dupes to the KVD Shade + Light Palette and the Smashbox Cali Contour Face Palette.
ColourPop
ColourPop has an amazing reputation in the makeup world for its top-rated yet super affordable eyeshadow palettes. No matter which palette you buy, the product is always packed with pigment and blends like formulas that are quadruple the price. Many of their products sell for under $15 but perform like luxury brands.
ColourPop Super Shock Shadow
If you swoon over eyeshadow that glides onto the lids and blends without much effort, then the ColourPop Super Shock Shadow is a must-have. Apply the formula with either a brush or even just your finger. It leaves a beautiful glistening finish. It’s incredibly affordable at a price of just $6.
ColourPop Truly Madly Deeply Shadow Palette
The neutral Truly Madly Deeply Shadow Palette is filled with 16 nude, mauve, and peachy shades. The palette features matte shades, glitter hues, and gorgeous shimmers. It’s comparable to Huda Beauty’s The Nude Eyeshadow Palette yet it’s a fraction of the price, retailing at $20.
ColourPop Party Proof Eye Primer
Applying eye primer before throwing on some eyeshadow is a must if you want the shadows to perform and blend to the best of their ability. The ColourPop Party Proof Eye Primer enhances pigments in eyeshadows so your eye look stays on throughout the day. Not only is this formula excellent, but it’s also very cost-efficient, selling for $6.
Maybelline
Maybelline is a classic drugstore brand that even the most bougie makeup artists turn to because their products are really just that good!
Maybelline is known for its base products — concealers, foundations, and setting powders — and their ability to never crease or become patchy. Not only do the formulas help you look your best, but the company provides a huge range of foundation shades for different skin tones. Plus, none of their products cost more than $15.
Maybelline Instant Rewind Concealers
When it comes to great drugstore concealer, Maybelline holds the throne. Maybelline’s Instant Rewind Concealers highlight, conceal, contour, correct, and hydrate all in one. The moisturizing consistency is crease-resistant, so it doesn’t set in any fine lines around your eyes or other areas on the face. It also gives off a skin-like finish. The Maybelline Instant Rewind Concealer retails for $6.
Maybelline Fit Me! Matte + Poreless Foundation
The lightweight Fit Me! Matte + Poreless Foundation minimizes the appearance of pores and leaves the skin with a natural, matte finish. It’s a great choice for everyday wear and is budget-friendly, selling for $8.
Maybelline Great Lash Mascara
There’s a reason why the Maybelline Great Lash Mascara has been one of the most popular mascaras since the 1970s. It was the first to use a water-based formula, inspiring a myriad of other makeup brands to release similar formulas. In just one application, the mascara conditions, thickens, and lengthens the lashes. Better yet, it’s one of the cheaper options on the market, retailing for $8.
Don’t Break the Bank for Makeup
Many affordable makeup brands offer high-quality products at reasonable prices.
Brands like Maybelline, NYX Cosmetics, and ColourPop are all known for their affordable yet high-quality products. These lines provide a wide range of merchandise, from foundation to eyeshadow, and are easily accessible at most drugstores and online retailers.
There’s proof that looking fabulous doesn’t have to cost a fortune. From excellent drugstore finds to budget-friendly up-and-comers, there’s no shortage of amazing makeup brands that don’t break the bank.
Go ahead and indulge in that extra lipstick or eyeshadow palette, because now you know where to find the best deals without sacrificing quality. Happy shopping!
