Makeup Recommendations Please!

YellowFreesia

Hi there!

I am trying to find out what is the best products on makeup that others prefer that are budget friendly and can be purchased at a drugstore. Also, if there is a must have splurge item to get at a department store, let me know!

1. Primer
   
2. Foundation
3. Concealer
4. Powder
5. Blush
6. Bronzer
7. Eye Shadow
8. Mascara
9. Eye Liner
10. Lip Gloss/Stick/Liner 
11. Anything else that you use that you like?
    

TX-Bride

These are the products I use:

1. Primer: YSL
2. Foundation: Chanel Vitalumier Aqua (I don't use it everyday, only for evenings/going out)

3. Concealer: MAC (again only for going out)
4. Powder: MAC
5. Bluch: MAC Dainty
6. Bronzer: Sample size from Dior
7. Eye shadow: I have a variety of brands, my favorites are Chanel
8. Mascara: Dior black out
9.Eye Liner: Don't use one on a regular basis, for going out, wet'n wild (it's only $0.99)
10. Gloss: I have variety from MAC, Dior, and L'oreal Juicy tubes
11. Anything else: I have been wearing a bb cream instead of foundation for couple of months now and I like that it's light weight, mine has SPF 50, I only dust a little of powder and gives me enought coverage.

 

 

SJU1982

I wear almost higher-end makeup exclusively.  A couple of months ago, I tried incorporating a few drug store items into the mix.  For the most part, I wasn't pleased with the results. However, there are a few things that I've continued to use.

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara - I only used to wear Dior Show, but after a couple of months, it would clump up like any mascara. Now, I buy this $5 mascara and don't feel bad throwing it out and buying a new tube every couple of months.

Neutrogena Moistureshine Lip Soother for every day wear in Shine.  Very glossy and sheer. 

Neutrogena Moistureshine Lip Gloss for night time in Copper Power.  Not as glossy as the lip soother, and the color lasts longer.

I am not picky about pencil eyeliner. In fact, I like any of the drug store brands better than the Dior version I've had in the past.  Maybe i would appreciate high-end eyeliner if I was good at using it . 

And two name brand makeup products that I can't live without are:

Dior Skin concealer.  It provides amazing coverage. In fact, it is so amazing that I only need a tiny dab.  A tube is $40+, but it lasts me a year, easily.  Hands down, my #1 product.

And bronzer, either MAC or NARS.  I read a lot of positive reviews on Physician Formula bronzers, but was not happy with either of the two that I purchased.  I love bronzer, and the upgraded version is worth the extra $10-$12. 

hienmachine

Hi There!

I think the best thing to do if you want to get an array of makeup from both high end brands and drug stores, it's best to spend a bit more money on the products that are closest to your skin, i.e. primer and foundation.  My picks for you are below

1. Primer - Mally (it feels like butter going on without the grease and really keeps your make up face in place for a whole day!  I also use it as my eye makeup primer)
2. Foundation - Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick and Shiseido
3. Concealer - Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick doubles as a concealer!
4. Powder - Shiseido
5. Blush - MAC mineralize blush
6. Bronzer MAC mineralize bronzer - can be used as a
7. Eye Shadow - l'oreal
8. Mascara - drug store brand, maybelline and covergirl is always a great bet
9. Eye Liner - drug store brand.  I love love love gel eyeliners and they stay put!  I think covergirl and maybelline make them in gel.  The l'oreal and covergirl pencils are good.
10. Lip Gloss/Stick/Liner - any drug store brand.  I like covergirl and l'oreal
11. Anything else that you use that you like?  I think if you're trying to cut costs, the best thing to do is get things that serve as multiples such as lip and cheek color.  My favorite brand that does this is Jouer - it's pricey, but a little goes a long way and if it also doubles as another product, you've got it made!  Another thing I would suggest is to skip foundation if you don't need it and try to do a tinted moisturizer such as Jouer tinted luminizing moisturizer with spf on top of your concealer.  Summer is upon us and this look won't look sloppy if you happen to get a little sweaty.  Happy beauty hunting! 
    

gorjush

1. Primer: I use the Monistat anti-chafing gel occasionally and it works well
   
2. Foundation: L'Oreal true match for lighter coverage; Revlon colorstay for more coverage
   
3. Concealer: Physician's formula Conceal RX
   
4. Powder: Physician's formula magic mosaic custom face powder/translucent
   
5. Blush: (not drugstore but very affordable) Coastal Scents (online)
   
6. Bronzer: Physician's formula magic mosaic bronzer
   
7. Eye Shadow: Coastal Scents
8. Mascara: Revlon photoready 3D volume or Rimmel Sexy Curves
   
9. Eye Liner: Revlon colorstay or Milani
   
10. Lip Gloss/Stick/Liner: n/a drugstore, I prefer MAC
    
11. Anything else that you use that you like? Physician's formula healthy wear tinted moisturizer
    

jessicah628

I can't really help with drugstore brands, but I agree that if you're going to choose somewhere to splurge, I'd do it on your primer and foundation.

Eyeliner and lip gloss are definitely the easiest to do cheaply, IMO. You can find nice eyeshadow colors at the drugstore, but there is definitely a difference in the pigmentation between that and more expensive brands.

-auntie-

YellowFreesia:

Hi there!

I am trying to find out what is the best products on makeup that others prefer that are budget friendly and can be purchased at a drugstore. Also, if there is a must have splurge item to get at a department store, let me know!

Best to keep an open mind. You can find a lot of good things at lower price points. I have a friend who works for J&J and who gets Neutrogena for next to nothing; her boyfriend works for Estee Lauder and gets about $5K of Estee stuff each year for free. BTW- Estee makes EL, Bobbie Brown, MAC, Smashbox, Origins, Clinique and LeMer- some real high end stuff. Comparing the two, sometimes Neutrogena is better and often Clinique is comparable or even identical to the pricier cousin's product.

1. Primer The go to for a lot of folks is Monistat Chafing Gel, it's very similar to the Smashbox original. Or you could use a BB cream in place of primer, Garnier makes a nice one. I love the smell.
2. Foundation Getting the right color can be tricky. But a lot of drugstores will exchange for color since they don't offer testers. L'Oreal True Match has a complete range of colors, Neutrogena's Healthy Skin is a fave of mine, a lot of people here like Revlon's Color Stay.
3. Concealer A lot of people really like the Maybelline Age Rewinder Concealor and Corrector. L'Oreal's Lumimagique gets good reviews, too.
4. Powder I am currently using Sonia Kashuk powder; it's fine. I hear good things about Physicians' Formula, but haven't tried it.
5. Blush I tend to spend for blush. I am currently switching between Tarte's Dollface and Benefit Bella Bomba. Revlon's Colorstay Mineral Blush is decent. Lady Burd is one of my favorite brands if you can find it.
6. Bronzer I'm using the Tarte Amazonian right now, but also have Too Faced Snow Leopard and a matte Physician's Formula in my tackle box.
7. Eye Shadow I don't do a lot with eye shadow. Mostly I use a Too Faced Naked Eye kit.
8. Mascara Color Girl Lash Blast and L'Oreal Double Extend are two of my favorite mascaras. Double Extend is a knock-off of the Too Faced tube mascara and I like Lash Blast better than the Benefit They're Real I bought in a sample-size last week. Ulta and Sephora often have smaller trial sizes for mascara which is a cheap way to compare higher end mascaras to drug store stuff.
9. Eye Liner I like Too Faced's Lava liner because it's so soft and almost smeary. I also like NYX for any eye makeup- mascara, shadow or liner.
10. Lip Gloss/Stick/Liner Right now I'm using Stila, but I also like the Neutrogena line for gloss.
11. Anything else that you use that you like?
    

MCRM22011

 Primer -- I don't use one
Foundation -- currently Bare Minerals or Garnier BB CreamConcealer -- Benefit Erase PastePowder -- Bare Mineral Mineral VeilBlush - NYX (these are ok, I'm looking forward to finding better ones when I am thru with these)Bronzer - n/aEye Shadow - I am enjoying Darling Girl Cosmetics and Fyrinnae, two indie companies. You can find them both only online.  When foiled, these eye shadows are just sparkly and amazing. You can buy petit sizes from both companies for cheap (between $2 & $4). I also have Wet and Wild Comfort Zone, The Silent Treatment, Knock on Wood, and the Greed Palettes and these rival my 4 Mac eye shadows (I bought Plumage, Beautiful Iris, Copperplate, and Vex and I am disappointed in all but Vex). The Naked Palette is pretty decent, but again, I'm not dying over the quality of Urban Decay eyeshadows either.Mascara - I'm currently not happy with what I am using - Voluminous False Lashes and Telescopic both from Loreal. Cover Girl Lash Blast was pretty good. I have Maybelline Full N Soft on deck and I am looking forward to trying it, as it seems to get pretty good reviews. I remember using it in the past, but I don't know what I thought of it. Eye Liner - I'm pretty happy with L'Oreal Voluminous Smoldering EyelinerLip Gloss/Stick/Liner -Revlon Lip Butters and NYX Megashine lipglossesAnything else that you use that you like?

misspunky

I purchase drug store makeup for everything but my bronzer.  My bronzer is Clinique, my powder foundation is Physician's Formula, which offers me enough coverage without making me break out--and I have a lot of discolorations that I like to even out.  I use Maybelline cover up, Maybelline Great Lash waterproof mascara, elf eyeshadow, but I use Too Faced eyeshadow primer and it works great and stays all day. For eyeliner, I use different ones, but all waterproof.  I've learned that when I keep my skin hydrated and drink tons of water, all makeup looks better on the skin, no matter the cost.