This list of drugstore makeup must haves goes over the some of the most impressively amazing drugstore makeup products you’ll ever discover!
It can get overwhelming when looking for the best makeup products, so I am going to give you the ultimate list of the best drugstore makeup must haves. These products are not only amazing, but they are also affordable and comparable to luxury makeup products.
This post separates makeup products by category, and you can navigate below based on what type of product you are looking for.
This post goes over 36 insanely good drugstore makeup must haves for everyone!
36 Drugstore Makeup Must Haves
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Primers
If you love a dewy finish, the Revlon Skinlights Illuminator is the best product to use! You can apply this in many different ways, but I love applying this under my foundation. It gives the 'glow from within' finish that gives your skin a beautiful, natural glow.
I am in love with this primer. This is an amazing primer for people with drier skin because it has hyaluronic acid to help lock in the moisture on your skin. The e.l.f. Hydrating Primer Serum keeps your foundation from caking up or patching off throughout the day!
Foundations
L'Oreal's Age Perfect Foundation is truly the perfect everyday foundation for all skin types! It has SPF, it's lightweight, and gives a good amount of coverage. This foundation evens out the skin tone without being cakey or heavy on the skin. It was one of my go-to foundations when I was struggling with acne and acne scars.
The Maybelline Fit Me foundation is a classic drugstore makeup favorite and for good reason. It doesn't look cakey on the skin, and the coverage is very buildable! You can definitely build it up to a medium coverage.
This Milani foundation is a newer favorite for me, but since I got it, I have not stopped using it. The Screen Queen foundation is interesting because it is infused with a bluelight filter, which has been great for me during the pandemic. It feels like you don't have any foundation on, but it gives you great coverage!
Concealers
The e.l.f. Camo Concealer is well known as a dupe for the Tarte Shape Tape Concealer, which is $30! This concealer quickly became a cult beauty favorite because of its impeccable coverage and staying power. The elf concealer is definitely on the thicker side, but it blends in easily and naturally.
As it says in the title, the Maybelline Super Stay Concealer is truly a long lasting concealer. It is a full coverage concealer, so I prefer to use this as a spot concealer. This concealer has a creamy consistency, but it blends out smoothly on the skin.
This is a concealer everyone needs to have! I have been using this concealer for 7+ years now, and it's still my all time favorite highlighting concealer. The Neutrogena Brightening Concealer is a great dupe for the YSL Touché Eclat Concealer, which is $40!! It brightens your under eyes and the rest of your face. Note that this is not a coverage concealer - it's simply to brighten up the high points of your face and your under eyes.
Setting Powders
The Maybelline Fit Me Pressed Powder has been in my everyday makeup collection for years now. It smooths out your skin, and it does an amazing job at setting your foundation for it to last all day. This powder gives a tiny bit of coverage, which I also love, without looking cakey or powdery!
The Airspun Loose Finish Powder is a great setting and baking powder for everyday use. It is finely milled, and it does not cling on to dry spots or patches. This will definitely always be in my drugstore makeup must haves because of its impeccable quality, affordable price, and generous amount product in the package!
This is a powder you can keep in your vanity and rely on. It gives you a slight amount of coverage without being too powdery. The Revlon ColorStay Pressed Powder also stays put all day, so you don't have to worry about constantly touching up throughout the day.
Blushes
These classic NYX blushes have been (and will always be) my go to blushes. There are many shades to choose from, and they apply so beautifully on the skin. 'Pinched' is my favorite shade from this line because it gives you a cute, but natural flush of color - almost like someone just pinched your cheeks!
This blush is another makeup product from Maybelline's Fit Me line, but these blushes are truly so beautiful. They are very pigmented, so it doesn't take much effort to get the perfect amount of color on your cheeks. All the color options of this blush are very natural colors, so you get a seamless, flushed look on your cheeks.
I'm OBSESSED with these gel-cream blushes from Maybelline. They give the most seamlessly beautiful finish, and it is just so flattering on the skin. It is blendable and buildable, so you can get the desired look you want.
Bronzers
The Maybelline City Bronzer is probably one of the best drugstore bronzers I've ever tried. I have an olive skin tone, so I use the bronzer in the shade #200, and it looks amazing! The bronzer doesn't look orange at all, and it gives you the perfect amount of dimension on your face.
The Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer is another makeup cult favorite, and I think everyone should try this product out. It is VERY pigmented, so I suggested applying a little at a time to avoid looking orange. This bronzer has a strong, coconut scent (which I hate), but the smell does not transfer over once applied.
If you love a sun-kissed, bronzed look, the Rimmel Natural Bronzer in the shade 'Sun Bronze' is for you! It gives you a radiant bronze, without making your skin look chalky or orange. You can't go wrong with a $4 bronzer that makes you look glowy!
Highlighter
The wet n wild MegaGlo Highlighter is great for people who like a subtle, dewy sheen to your skin. However, you can also build it up to get the desired amount of highlight you want on the skin. All in all, this highlighter is a great, everyday makeup product.
Although this looks super gold in the packaging, it sits naturally on the skin. I love using this in my makeup routine for a subtle highlight. I use the shade 'Twilight Gleam,' and it reflects off the light so beautifully. This highlighter doesn't emphasize any texture on the skin, which is a huge plus for me.
If you like a dramatic highlight, you will love this wet n wild Loose Highlighting Powder. Since the powder is loose, you get a lot more pigment when you apply this. I personally apply this under my foundation to give me a subtle highlight. However, I love to use this on my nose bridge to give my nose a slimmer illusion.
Eyebrows
The Maybelline Eyebrow Pencil is one of the most creamy and blendable eyebrow pencils I've used. You can create a strong brow look with this pencil or blend it out with a eyebrow spooly for a natural look. The shape of the pencil also allows you to draw narrow or thick lines, based on your preference.
I would say this L'Oreal Eyebrow Pencil is the closest dupe to the Anastasia Brow Wiz pencil. The tip of the pencil is this, which helps to draw hair-like strokes and create that naturally, full brow look. It doesn't smudge throughout the day, and it has great staying power!
It's no secret that people love using the Great Lash as a brow gel, and that's exactly what I use it for as well. This clear mascara allows your brows to stay put all day, but it doesn't make your brows look wet or stiff.
Eyeshadow
These eyeshadows are *chefs kiss*. I LOVE these creme eyeshadows from Revlon. They are super creamy and apply on your lids very easily. It works as a base or just an eyeshadow, but either way, it blends amazingly! My absolute favorite shades of these eyeshadows are 'Caramel' and 'Honey.'
If you're looking for a new eyeshadow palette, I highly recommend the Color Icon Eyeshadow Palettes from wet n wild. These palettes come with 10 shades, and they are only $6 each! Not only are they super affordable, their quality is amazing. The shadows are insanely pigmented, and the shades blend together seamlessly.
The title of the palette says it all — it's the ultimate eyeshadow palette for any makeup lover. I would definitely recommend this as a must have makeup product for beginners as well. This palette has an amazing array of matte, satin, and shimmery shades so you can create a ton of amazing looks with this one palette. Once you start using this palette, it will become one of your drugstore makeup must haves as well!
Eyeliners
The L'Oreal Liquid Eyeliner is my go-to drugstore eyeliner. It is a felt tip eyeliner with a very pointed tip to give you that precise and snatched wing. This eyeliner is also very easy to use because of the felt tip and the small grip on the packaging. I love this eyeliner because it is super black, and it does not smudge throughout the day.
This pencil eyeliner from NYX is a high quality, creamy eyeliner pencil that belongs in everyone's makeup collection. You can smudge it out to create a smoky look, but once it sets, it will not smudge. This is also a great eyeliner to use for both your lower lashes and your waterline.
Mascaras
The Telescopic Mascara will ALWAYS be my favorite mascara. It will hold your curled eyelashes all day, even if you have stubborn eyelashes. If you purchase this mascara, I recommend you to get the waterproof mascara because it holds the curls much better.
If you're looking for a drugstore mascara that's all about volume, the L'Oreal Lash Paradise mascara is for you. You don't need a lot of coats of this mascara to achieve that voluminous look, and it leaves your lashes looking full all day. Again, I recommend getting the waterproof version, as it holds the curls much better!
I love The Rocket Mascara because the small, plastic bristles allow you to coat every single eyelash. This mascara also gives great volume without many coats needed, so you won't deal with crazy clumps on your eyelashes. Every time I stop using this for a while, I get impressed all over again when I bring it out of my collection.
Lip Products
If you don't have a NYX butter gloss in your makeup collection, please go get one as soon as possible! This is the ultimate drugstore lip product, and I don't know anyone who hasn't like these butter glosses. They glide on the lips so seamlessly, and truly makes your lips look gorgeous. I can't say enough good things about this lip gloss!
First off, the Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick line has so many options to choose from, so you will definitely find a color for you. These lipsticks are so beautiful on the lips, and they give your lips a beautiful, sheen finish. Although they don't last long, they are easy to apply, so I don't mind reapplying.
The SuperStay Liquid Lipsticks are great because it doesn't chalk up and emphasize the creases on your lips, like many liquid lipsticks do. These lipsticks truly do last all day to the point where it can get difficult to take off (I recommend using a cleansing balm). It also doesn't transfer, so your lip color will truly stay on all day long.
These were the 36 Drugstore Makeup Must Haves That Every Makeup Lover NEEDS To Know About!
What are your drugstore makeup must haves? Leave a comment below!
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