Listen, we work for a living. And we know you do, too. That hard earned cash only goes so far! So while we might be Sephora dreamin', we often find ourselves ballin' on a budget in Duane Reade.
Here are all of our favorite drug store beauty and bath products right now, for those times when you're buying TP and lipstick in the same place.
Foundation
Maybelline Fit Me Foundation: Matte + Poreless ($7.99) goes on smooth, blends evenly, comes in a wide variety of shades, and leaves a photo finish. And it's NOT cakey, like many other drug store brands. While we kind of think it’s ridiculous to aspire to be “poreless” (they’re a necessary part of life, people) the evenness of this foundation gets the point across. *
Concealer
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer ($7.49) comes in a variety of skin shades and gives bright, natural coverage. Its very lightweight formula feels as if you’re not wearing any makeup at all. We're big fans of the Fit Me line! *
tinted moisturizer
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Glow Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer w/ SPF 30 ($13.99) Perfect for when you don’t want to wear a full face of foundation, just a little bit of coverage that evens out your skin tone and protects with a layer of SPF. A go-to for hot summer days. *
bb cream
Physicians Formula Super BB cream ($13.95) Hypoallergenic, paraben-free, fragrance-free and SPF 30, this is a great light layer that evens the overall appearance of your skin and protects at the same time. More coverage than a tinted moisturizer, but not as heavy as a foundation. Gives a slight dewy finish.
blush/contour
NYX Professional Makeup Cheek Contour Duo Palette ($9.00) If you like to contour but don’t need a huge palette with a whole bunch of options, this duo is perfect for you. Throw it in your purse and get ready on the go (or in the subway on the way to work). NYX shades blend really well and, if you apply them right, never look streaky or cartoonish.
Eyeliner
L’oreal Telescopic Liquid eyeliner ($10.79) Those of us, like Kat, who are forever-obsessed with the cat eye know the struggles of trying to find a liquid eyeliner that’s easy to apply and actually STAYS on. This is it. The felt tip takes some getting used to if you usually use a brush, but once you get the muscle memory down, you’ll love how precise it is. *
mascara
Almay Get Up & Grow Waterproof Mascara ($9.01) is safe for sensitive skin, and is our all time favorite drug store go-to. At this point, we’ve tried almost every mascara we can get our hands on, including the “fancy” brands. This is the only one that keeps us coming back. It’s light enough that it holds the curl, and doesn’t clump or give us spider lashes. It’s not the blackest black we’ve ever used but still gives enough drama for day or night wear. Definitely go with the waterproof version or you might end up with some transfer beneath your bottom lashes. *
brows
Rimmel This Way Brow Gel ($4.59) comes in a few different shades. We love how easy it is to apply. Its formula is smudge proof and helps fill in and tame brows. *
lipstick
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick ($4.99) is available in a variety of colors and finishes, including matte & sheer. It’s fairly long lasting, very pigmented and applies smoothly. Our favorite is Plum Velour from the Sheer collection because it looks great on any complexion. *
liquid lipstick
NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream ($6) Without a doubt the sexiest, most instagram-ready lipstick for the price. Smells great, looks perfectly matte, lasts a decent length of time. It comes in dozens of shades and we’re already in the process of collecting them all.
makeup remover
Burt’s Bees Face Towelettes ($6.29 for 30 wipes) These are the most gentle makeup remover wipes we’ve ever used. They aren’t full of oils and other ingredients that can irritate the skin, leaving your face feeling fresh and clean when you’re done.
Cleanser
La Roche Posay Toleraine line ($14.99-$23.99) is by far one of the best drug store available face washes. The whole line of products is formulated for sensitive skin. They are allergy tested, fragrance free, and paraben free. One of the more expensive products (the Dermo-Cleanser) even helped with Hannah’s eczema. *
moisturizer
No7 Beautiful Skin Day Cream ($14.99) This ultra-hydrating moisturizer keeps the skin plump and soft without feeling greasy. It’s got SPF 15 so it’s good for the daytime, but we’ve also used it at night after washing our faces for some overnight rejuvenation.
Body Wash
Shea Moisture African Black Soap Body Wash ($9.99) cleanses and calms the skin. This drug store go-to is packed full of aloe, oats, and vitamin E which will soothe the irritated chicken skin on the back of your arms and under your booty cheeks in a jiffy. It also feels pretty badass to lather a black soap all over your body😈
self tanner
Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer ($10.99) The only drug store tanning product we’ve ever used that actually looks real. Use it for a week and you will look like you’ve been sitting by the pool every day. If you’re going to Miami tomorrow and need to get a glow overnight, this probably isn’t your product. But it is amazing at what it does. We swear by it for those late spring beach trips.*
deodorant
Old Spice High Endurance Deodorant ($3.79) A classic, aluminum-free deodorant that actually WORKS. Plus, it smells nice and clean. Not too musky, just neutral and nice. *
toothpaste
Hello Toothpaste ($4.99-$5.49) Since you're at the drugstore anyway, we thought we'd mention that this yummy toothpaste is free from artificial sweeteners, dyes, sls, artificial flavors, microbeads, triclosan, parabens, glutens, and is cruelty free. They even have fluoride free options! We have tried a few different natural toothpastes and so far this one is our favorite. Plus the packaging is super cute and looks great on our sinks.
shampoo & Conditioner
Shea Moisture Shampoos & Conditioners ($6.99-$11.99) are free of parabens, phthalates, paraffin, mineral oil, DEA, petroleum, formaldehyde, and propylene. All of their products smell super nice and are available at almost any drugstore. They work especially well on curly and textured hair, but with so many different products to choose from, there is something for everyone.
dry shampoo
Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak Dry Shampoo($6.29) may not compare to some of the professional brands (let’s be honest with ourselves...) However, it does a great job of removing dirty hair odor and camouflaging oily roots. Works well for every color and texture of hair.
styling spray
Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray ($6.29) is perfect for adding a little texture to your tresses. It can be applied on dry or wet hair and scrunched in for a perfect beachy look. Never crunchy or sticky, and it'll help define waves. As with any sea salt product, we don’t recommend daily use as it can dry out the hair.
*At Beauty Dummy we encourage making informed purchases based on the ethics of brands. We would be remiss if we did not mention that these brands are not certified cruelty free. Subscribe to keep a look out for future posts on cruelty free products we love.
Go forth and save cash mons!