I don't like cheap make-up.
There.
I said it.
I've tried and tried to get on the Essence/Catrice etc. bandwagon, both for the good of my bank balance and because loads of people seem to LOVE the products, but I just can't. Not wholeheartedly anyway. The train of thought that goes 'Even if it's rubbish I only spent €4/€5/€10 on it so it's fine' just doesn't sit with me either - yes, these brands are cheaper and less of a financial loss if you hate what you've bought, but that's dependant on how much you buy. Go to Sephora and spend €50 on a palette but hate it? Chances are you will find a way to make it work or gift it. You've lost €50 and that's annoying AF, but on the other hand if you buy 10 drugstore products say, in two months, at a value of €8 each (for arguments sake) you've lost €80 and probably won't bother trying to make them work or gifting them as they were so cheap.
See what I mean?
I also generally just don't like the feel of most budget makeup products. To me, generally speaking, the lipsticks feel waxy or greasy, the shadows grainy/dry/crumbly, the powders unblendable, the brushes prickly, the liners watery. I used to be someone that made a beeline straight for the likes of Essence/Catrice/Rimmel/Maybelline etc whenever I entered a store but now 90% of the time I keep my purse closed and save up for the more expensive bits that I want - it's not often that I pick up budget bits unless I've heard amazing things about them or have used them before.
So in this post I'm going to give you a run-through of the budget beauty products that I do love. I initially decided just to talk about products that are readily available in pharmacies/Boots etc but then though what the hell, I'll include all the budget make-up I own and use regularly. Most of them I bought from Amazon so have provided the appropriate links😀
*Rimmel Lasting Finish 24 Hour Foundation - I talked about this in my post Summer Saviours so I won't go on about it again, but I love it.
*Pond's Age Miracle BB Cream - This was a FIND. My BF went to Asia last year and hauled in a way that left me clapping and cheering as though she had just knocked out Mayweather. Asian sheetmasks, primers, essences, BB Creams, treatments - she filled her case. One of the things she picked up for me was this BB Cream (she got me 3 for $10 in a pharmacy) and although it was supposed to be more of a stocking-filler it ended up being the star of the show. It is everything that I love about an Asian BB Cream - grey toned and neutral (cancels out my redness), light to medium coverage and glowy AF. I powered through the three she got me and immediately set about getting my hands on more only to learn, to my dismay, that it only seems to be available in Asia and the Middle East. Devastation ensued. My BF then moved to the UAE at the beginning of summer and although I now suffer with acute abandonment issues (yes, you, I know you're reading 😂) the silver lining is that she nowbuys my friendship sends me this in bulk.
*LA Girl Glazed Lip Paint - Bombshell, Tease and Wisp and ProConceal
I picked up Bombshell first on Amazon and then soon after Tease and Elude. These came to my attention around the time that Too Faced released their Melted Lipsticks. While I was unwilling to splash out €21.50 on a Too Faced product, I was intrigued by the idea of the product so when I saw a couple of YouTubers that I liked comparing them to the €7 Glazed Lip Paints I had to try them. These are liquid, a bit sticky and leave a stain. Sounds awful but they work! They are best applied with fingers or a brush and can be tricky to get in place (less is more, I put a dot on my forefinger and apply as though I would a lipbalm, building up the colour) but once on they don't move and fade in a nice way leaving a stain. (Pictured, Top to Bottom - Tease, Bombshell, Elude) ProConceal is the concealer I was using until #shapetapegate and I quite enjoyed it. At the moment I'm using Clarins Instant Concealer (review here) but in a pinch I would definitely buy it again - in fact I have the dark one in my Amazon basket as I want to try it for contouring.
Technic Cosmetics Colour FX Bronze Palette
Another Amazon buy. I ordered this last year as I was on the market for a bronzer but didn't want to spend a lot of money. It was an impulse buy and I don't regret it. Is it a high quality product? No, but with some work the powders blend well and the colour selection is nice. I use this both as blush (I love a brownish blush) and bronzer and, for the €4.91 it does the job.
Kiko Cosmetics - Eyeshadows and Lipstick and liner
Kiko is an Italian brand based in Milan. They do reasonably low-priced products that are generally great quality, both product and packaging. I have four Kiko eyeshadow singles and two lipsticks at the moment, and have bought more in the past. Their eyeshadows are pigmented, blendable and the powders have an almost creamy feel. They are far superiour to, for example, the shadows in my Naked 3. One of the ones to look out for are the Water Eyeshadow singles - they are stunning. A little expensive at €8.95 but Kiko have the best sales and I got mine for €4. The lipstick I have at the moment is the Gossamer Emotion in 117 (€6.95) which is a beautiful reddish orange, it's a cream finish, highly pigmented and comes in surprisingly heavy metal casing (much more substantial than, say, Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks which are very light) and has a 'click' closure which I LOVE. I also have the creamy liner that is pigmented and, well, creamy...!
Top to Bottom - Smart Colour Eyeshadow 12, Eyeshadow 133 and 123 and Water Eyeshadow 123.
Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Mascara
I'm not very good at doing my brows. I don't go in for all the gels, pencils and products that are all over social at the moment and I don't spend longer than 3 or 4 minutes doing them so this product is right up my alley. It adds some colour, keeps them in place and is perfect for anyone who isn't too high maintenance about brows. It's also on the cheaper side at around €8.
L'Oreal Lipsticks
L'Oreal is a brilliant brand in general. It's an absolute powerhouse of a company with luxury beauty brands like Lancome, Armani, YSL and Shu Uemura under it's umbrella. I always keep an eye on their skincare as generally with big brands that own other more luxe names you find that the technology trickles down. While I'm not a fan of their foundations or powders, I do love a lot of their skincare and their lipsticks. My two favourites at the moment are ColourRiche 453 Plum My Nights, £4.49 here and €7 here and 335 Carmin St Germain €5.30 here or £4.64 here.
Sleek Cosmetics Blushes and Highlight
Sleek is a bit of a hit and miss for me. I don't like their lip products, but enjoy their blushes. I have 926 Rose Gold (€5.97, here, £4.99 here) and Lace 367 (€10.55 here), which is a palette of 3 blushes that I used almost every day last summer (I was in an orange phase that has largely worn off...!). While the powders are a bit dry to the touch and don't really swatch well, with a big fluffy brush they are quite lovely.
Essence Maximum Definition Volume Mascara
I used to be a fan of Essence lipsticks, I still think that they are some of the best when it comes to budget lipsticks (around €3 I think) but I don't have any at the moment. I do, however, have this mascara. I have quite short lashes and while this isn't thickening or lifting (although in fairness it doesn't claim to be) it does give you a small bit of length and lovely definition, it's one that I use on 'no make-up make-up days'. I can't remember the price but it can't have been more than €6.
Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso
This is a really beautiful blush. It's a perfect peachy pink, very soft and blendable. It's what I reach for on days when I don't want to think about it, it goes with everything. Milani is not sold in shops in Europe but you can find it on Amazon for €10.55 here or £8.39 here.
Yves Rocher Light § Luminous Powder
I've been using this setting powder for about a year now. I had the NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Powder but after a few weeks found myself having to scrub at it with a brush to get at it, it went hard - I would definitely buy it again but in loose form. I ended up wandering into an Yves Rocher store and picking up two of these for a tenner (they are usually about €20 but YR always have sales and offers). It's a lovely powder for the price and doesn't mattify too much which I like. If you are in France you can find it here.
Carli Bybel Palette, BH Cosmetics
I probably spent the best part of 6 weeks trying to get my hands on this after it released. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to have it, the colours are beautiful. The packaging is cardboard and cheap (it doesn't travel well at all - I ordered two and when they arrived one was pulverised, but BH Cosmetoics were kind enough to send me a second free of charge) but I really like colours. Again, they are not the best eyeshadows in the world but the shade in the centre top row is one of my favourite colours ever (neutral and perfect for transitioning or laying all over the lid as a base colour) and the highlighters are lovely. Two are too bronze for my pale skin but I use them as shadows. This palette was limited edition but the new and bigger version (which I will be buying) is now on the BH Cosmetics site for $22.50 (I don't remember how much shipping is but it's not expensive). The old version is available in France here on the Etam site for €15.90.
Modelite BlackShow EyeShadow Palette
I wanted some purple/pink eyeshadows but didn't want to spend a fortune as I knew I wouldn't use them that often so picked this up for €3 in Tati. They are surprisingly soft and blendable and a pleasure to work with. Purple eyeshadow is the most difficult to formulate and many high end palettes often fall short with this colour but these are brilliant if you like the colours and can get your hands on them. It's a French brand and I'm not sure if it's sold outside of France but their site is here.
Yue er Gong Zhu lashes
I love false lashes, LOVE THEM. My favourites are Huda Beauty (€17.95, Sephora France, £12.50 - £18 Cult Beauty) and Ardell Demi Wispies (Amazon France, €9.74 click here, Amazon.co.uk £8.59 click here) but I may have discovered the best and cheapest lashes ever. I have no idea who this brand is, but from what I can tell they are Japanese and cost next to nothing. I get mine, a pack of 5 for 97 cents. Yes, you read that right. They are natural but add a touch of drama, nothing too dramatic. They look cheap and plastic in the tray but are so nice on - better than Penneys lashes, for example, which were so-so and very cheap looking on. The band is extremely flexible and needs to be blackened as it's transparent (I just colour it in with an eyeliner) and they are a bit fiddly to get on (I recommend using a tweezers or lash tool) but once on are really, really lovely. If you are in France click here, Ireland or the UK click here.
So those are all of my budget recommendations. I do actually have more budget stuff knocking around my make-up drawers but I haven't mentioned them because I don't use them. These are the things that I use regularly, if not every week then a couple of times a month. If I had to pick, say, three it would have to be the Pond's BB Cream, the Carli palette and the lashes!
I'm not ruling out the possibility of more budget favourites in the future (I'm waiting for L'Oreal to release a foundation that I love, I know it will happen!) and I will keep you updated if I find anymore via my social media✌
What are your budget favourites? Always open to recommendations!
Find me at
My FaceBook
My Twitter
My Instagram
Have a fab weekend everyone! 😙
A x
There.
I said it.
I've tried and tried to get on the Essence/Catrice etc. bandwagon, both for the good of my bank balance and because loads of people seem to LOVE the products, but I just can't. Not wholeheartedly anyway. The train of thought that goes 'Even if it's rubbish I only spent €4/€5/€10 on it so it's fine' just doesn't sit with me either - yes, these brands are cheaper and less of a financial loss if you hate what you've bought, but that's dependant on how much you buy. Go to Sephora and spend €50 on a palette but hate it? Chances are you will find a way to make it work or gift it. You've lost €50 and that's annoying AF, but on the other hand if you buy 10 drugstore products say, in two months, at a value of €8 each (for arguments sake) you've lost €80 and probably won't bother trying to make them work or gifting them as they were so cheap.
See what I mean?
I also generally just don't like the feel of most budget makeup products. To me, generally speaking, the lipsticks feel waxy or greasy, the shadows grainy/dry/crumbly, the powders unblendable, the brushes prickly, the liners watery. I used to be someone that made a beeline straight for the likes of Essence/Catrice/Rimmel/Maybelline etc whenever I entered a store but now 90% of the time I keep my purse closed and save up for the more expensive bits that I want - it's not often that I pick up budget bits unless I've heard amazing things about them or have used them before.
So in this post I'm going to give you a run-through of the budget beauty products that I do love. I initially decided just to talk about products that are readily available in pharmacies/Boots etc but then though what the hell, I'll include all the budget make-up I own and use regularly. Most of them I bought from Amazon so have provided the appropriate links😀
*Rimmel Lasting Finish 24 Hour Foundation - I talked about this in my post Summer Saviours so I won't go on about it again, but I love it.
*Pond's Age Miracle BB Cream - This was a FIND. My BF went to Asia last year and hauled in a way that left me clapping and cheering as though she had just knocked out Mayweather. Asian sheetmasks, primers, essences, BB Creams, treatments - she filled her case. One of the things she picked up for me was this BB Cream (she got me 3 for $10 in a pharmacy) and although it was supposed to be more of a stocking-filler it ended up being the star of the show. It is everything that I love about an Asian BB Cream - grey toned and neutral (cancels out my redness), light to medium coverage and glowy AF. I powered through the three she got me and immediately set about getting my hands on more only to learn, to my dismay, that it only seems to be available in Asia and the Middle East. Devastation ensued. My BF then moved to the UAE at the beginning of summer and although I now suffer with acute abandonment issues (yes, you, I know you're reading 😂) the silver lining is that she now
*LA Girl Glazed Lip Paint - Bombshell, Tease and Wisp and ProConceal
I picked up Bombshell first on Amazon and then soon after Tease and Elude. These came to my attention around the time that Too Faced released their Melted Lipsticks. While I was unwilling to splash out €21.50 on a Too Faced product, I was intrigued by the idea of the product so when I saw a couple of YouTubers that I liked comparing them to the €7 Glazed Lip Paints I had to try them. These are liquid, a bit sticky and leave a stain. Sounds awful but they work! They are best applied with fingers or a brush and can be tricky to get in place (less is more, I put a dot on my forefinger and apply as though I would a lipbalm, building up the colour) but once on they don't move and fade in a nice way leaving a stain. (Pictured, Top to Bottom - Tease, Bombshell, Elude) ProConceal is the concealer I was using until #shapetapegate and I quite enjoyed it. At the moment I'm using Clarins Instant Concealer (review here) but in a pinch I would definitely buy it again - in fact I have the dark one in my Amazon basket as I want to try it for contouring.
Technic Cosmetics Colour FX Bronze Palette
Another Amazon buy. I ordered this last year as I was on the market for a bronzer but didn't want to spend a lot of money. It was an impulse buy and I don't regret it. Is it a high quality product? No, but with some work the powders blend well and the colour selection is nice. I use this both as blush (I love a brownish blush) and bronzer and, for the €4.91 it does the job.
Kiko Cosmetics - Eyeshadows and Lipstick and liner
Kiko is an Italian brand based in Milan. They do reasonably low-priced products that are generally great quality, both product and packaging. I have four Kiko eyeshadow singles and two lipsticks at the moment, and have bought more in the past. Their eyeshadows are pigmented, blendable and the powders have an almost creamy feel. They are far superiour to, for example, the shadows in my Naked 3. One of the ones to look out for are the Water Eyeshadow singles - they are stunning. A little expensive at €8.95 but Kiko have the best sales and I got mine for €4. The lipstick I have at the moment is the Gossamer Emotion in 117 (€6.95) which is a beautiful reddish orange, it's a cream finish, highly pigmented and comes in surprisingly heavy metal casing (much more substantial than, say, Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks which are very light) and has a 'click' closure which I LOVE. I also have the creamy liner that is pigmented and, well, creamy...!
Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Mascara
I'm not very good at doing my brows. I don't go in for all the gels, pencils and products that are all over social at the moment and I don't spend longer than 3 or 4 minutes doing them so this product is right up my alley. It adds some colour, keeps them in place and is perfect for anyone who isn't too high maintenance about brows. It's also on the cheaper side at around €8.
L'Oreal Lipsticks
L'Oreal is a brilliant brand in general. It's an absolute powerhouse of a company with luxury beauty brands like Lancome, Armani, YSL and Shu Uemura under it's umbrella. I always keep an eye on their skincare as generally with big brands that own other more luxe names you find that the technology trickles down. While I'm not a fan of their foundations or powders, I do love a lot of their skincare and their lipsticks. My two favourites at the moment are ColourRiche 453 Plum My Nights, £4.49 here and €7 here and 335 Carmin St Germain €5.30 here or £4.64 here.
Sleek Cosmetics Blushes and Highlight
Sleek is a bit of a hit and miss for me. I don't like their lip products, but enjoy their blushes. I have 926 Rose Gold (€5.97, here, £4.99 here) and Lace 367 (€10.55 here), which is a palette of 3 blushes that I used almost every day last summer (I was in an orange phase that has largely worn off...!). While the powders are a bit dry to the touch and don't really swatch well, with a big fluffy brush they are quite lovely.
Essence Maximum Definition Volume Mascara
I used to be a fan of Essence lipsticks, I still think that they are some of the best when it comes to budget lipsticks (around €3 I think) but I don't have any at the moment. I do, however, have this mascara. I have quite short lashes and while this isn't thickening or lifting (although in fairness it doesn't claim to be) it does give you a small bit of length and lovely definition, it's one that I use on 'no make-up make-up days'. I can't remember the price but it can't have been more than €6.
Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso
This is a really beautiful blush. It's a perfect peachy pink, very soft and blendable. It's what I reach for on days when I don't want to think about it, it goes with everything. Milani is not sold in shops in Europe but you can find it on Amazon for €10.55 here or £8.39 here.
Yves Rocher Light § Luminous Powder
I've been using this setting powder for about a year now. I had the NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Powder but after a few weeks found myself having to scrub at it with a brush to get at it, it went hard - I would definitely buy it again but in loose form. I ended up wandering into an Yves Rocher store and picking up two of these for a tenner (they are usually about €20 but YR always have sales and offers). It's a lovely powder for the price and doesn't mattify too much which I like. If you are in France you can find it here.
Carli Bybel Palette, BH Cosmetics
I probably spent the best part of 6 weeks trying to get my hands on this after it released. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to have it, the colours are beautiful. The packaging is cardboard and cheap (it doesn't travel well at all - I ordered two and when they arrived one was pulverised, but BH Cosmetoics were kind enough to send me a second free of charge) but I really like colours. Again, they are not the best eyeshadows in the world but the shade in the centre top row is one of my favourite colours ever (neutral and perfect for transitioning or laying all over the lid as a base colour) and the highlighters are lovely. Two are too bronze for my pale skin but I use them as shadows. This palette was limited edition but the new and bigger version (which I will be buying) is now on the BH Cosmetics site for $22.50 (I don't remember how much shipping is but it's not expensive). The old version is available in France here on the Etam site for €15.90.
Modelite BlackShow EyeShadow Palette
I wanted some purple/pink eyeshadows but didn't want to spend a fortune as I knew I wouldn't use them that often so picked this up for €3 in Tati. They are surprisingly soft and blendable and a pleasure to work with. Purple eyeshadow is the most difficult to formulate and many high end palettes often fall short with this colour but these are brilliant if you like the colours and can get your hands on them. It's a French brand and I'm not sure if it's sold outside of France but their site is here.
Yue er Gong Zhu lashes
I love false lashes, LOVE THEM. My favourites are Huda Beauty (€17.95, Sephora France, £12.50 - £18 Cult Beauty) and Ardell Demi Wispies (Amazon France, €9.74 click here, Amazon.co.uk £8.59 click here) but I may have discovered the best and cheapest lashes ever. I have no idea who this brand is, but from what I can tell they are Japanese and cost next to nothing. I get mine, a pack of 5 for 97 cents. Yes, you read that right. They are natural but add a touch of drama, nothing too dramatic. They look cheap and plastic in the tray but are so nice on - better than Penneys lashes, for example, which were so-so and very cheap looking on. The band is extremely flexible and needs to be blackened as it's transparent (I just colour it in with an eyeliner) and they are a bit fiddly to get on (I recommend using a tweezers or lash tool) but once on are really, really lovely. If you are in France click here, Ireland or the UK click here.
 | |
| Me in Yue Er Gong Zhu 97 cent lashes!! |
So those are all of my budget recommendations. I do actually have more budget stuff knocking around my make-up drawers but I haven't mentioned them because I don't use them. These are the things that I use regularly, if not every week then a couple of times a month. If I had to pick, say, three it would have to be the Pond's BB Cream, the Carli palette and the lashes!
I'm not ruling out the possibility of more budget favourites in the future (I'm waiting for L'Oreal to release a foundation that I love, I know it will happen!) and I will keep you updated if I find anymore via my social media✌
What are your budget favourites? Always open to recommendations!
Find me at
My FaceBook
My Twitter
My Instagram
Have a fab weekend everyone! 😙
A x
Comments
Post a Comment