Drugstore Survivors

Ah the great beauty purge of 2015!

Every time I sit down at my vanity to put on my makeup in the morning the happier I am to have done what I did.

Now when I took stock of what was left after I made all of my cuts it was pretty obvious that most of my high end goods kept their spots while a lot of my budget buys got the axe. 

That isn't to say I don't love a good budget buy but as an educated consumer I tend to spend more money on things I know I will like whereas at the drugstore I'm more inclined to pick up something I've never heard of. 

Inevitably this creates a higher ratio of success for the more costly pieces. 

Having said that though, there are quite a few budget friendly bits that have managed to make the cut. 

Lippies are easily the most reliable drugstore purchase in my opinion. The formulas have grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years and if you are looking to try and new shade I always always suggest you see if you can find it at the drugstore first before shelling out on a high end formula. You may come to find you don't like or wear it as much as you think and can stick with the budget option. 

I am like...93% of the time a matte lip person and the two formulas that have maintained a constant position in the collection are the Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm and the Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Mattes. They are long wearing, comfortable and, have a brilliant shade selection the Revlon's a little more adventurous while the Maybelline lineup is a little safer.

As far as skin goes the only drugstore foundation I kept is the Revlon Nearly Naked. This is by far not an everyday option for me. I like it and reach for it occasionally (and have used about half the bottle) but in truth this is a category I have yet to find something I truly on a budget. 

Concealer is another story. I had a million drugstore concealers (and have since bought more) but the L'Oreal True Match has weaseled it's way into a home in my daily routine. It is lightweight, light looking and easy to blend. It also belongs to what I think is one of the best devised techniques for skin color matching at the drugstore so it's easy to find a shade here that works for you. 

As far as some of the other basics go I have almost always and always will be as far as I can see a champion of the Essence Lash and Brow Clear Mascara. It's $2.99 doesn't get crispy or flake off but keeps my brows from going wild all day long. Boom. 

The only cheek product that stands out is the Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blush in Pinched. This formula is stellar and the closest thing to the Chanel and Illamasqua Velvet formulas on the budget market. It applies and blends smoothly and dries down to a powder finish without looking powdery. I just wish this came in a better selection of colors. Pinched is a lovely apricot shade with a hint of shimmer but the bright matte pink and orange that come in this line are harder to use and I think not as good as this shade. 

On to the eyes. Generally speaking on a budget single shadows typically deliver a better payoff. The L'Oreal Infallible, Milani Bella Eyes and Maybelline Color Tattoo are all great examples of this. While there are almost always a few dud shades by and large the line performs up to par with brands that cost 2 or 3 times as much. 

On the palette front Sleek reigns supreme. A competitive $12 a palette and while you don't get an over abundance of product you get a quality product that performs well. Only now are domestic (Sleek is UK based.) budget brands venturing into palette territory I have yet to see one work as well as my Sleek Storm Palette. 

Finally the eyeliner. The Rimmel Scandal Eyes is a hard formula to beat. For less than 5$ you get a creamy and long wearing formula that rivals some of the heavyweights in the category. The US color selection is slim compared to the UK but they do have some interesting shades to choose from including a Light Blue in case you wanted to channel your inner Marilyn.

So that's the best of the best when it comes to drugstore products in my collection. 

No matter what kind of budget you have for your beauty routine just remember there is no need to buy blind. There is so much information out there on every product beyond magazines and marketing so spend wisely and stay informed and you will always wind up with something you use and love.