Falling in love with makeup can be an exciting journey, and one of the best parts of this passion is that it doesn’t have to break the bank! From spectacular concealers to must-have primers, drugstore makeup offers incredible value at great prices. As we all know, high-end luxury brands often come with a hefty price tag, however, these alternatives offer a budget-friendly option without compromising on quality. Seriously, it’s impressive how drugstore makeup continues to step up its game year after year!
When it comes to exploring the top drugstore makeup products in each category, you will find an overwhelming range to choose from. But do not worry friends! Whether you’re looking for a long-lasting foundation, a vibrant blush, a volumizing mascara, or a natural-looking bronzer, I got you covered. In this post, we will break down the top drugstore makeup brands in each category to help you make an informed decision on your next purchase!
Let’s dive in!
All products featured on BiedazzleBeauty were personally tried and independently selected by Ashley. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Best Foundation – L’Oreal Paris True Match Super-Blendable Foundation or L’Oreal Paris True Match Lumi
L’Oreal is my go-to when it comes to drugstore foundations, specifically the True Match line. I wanted to include both of these foundations because depending on my needs, I will switch between the two. For example, If I’m going for a matte look – I’ll stick with the L’Oreal Paris True Match Super-Blendable Foundation. But if I am looking for more of a glow to my skin, I’ll pick up the L’Oreal Paris True Match Lumi. Both of these options provide an awesome natural look!
Pro tip – When purchasing great foundations, always look for the ones that come with a pump. This is an important detail because, without it, many will find themselves wasting more than they need. This will result in needing to repurchase new ones. Thankfully, these two foundations come with a pump which is a HUGE win!
L’Oreal Paris True Match Super- Blendable Foundation is available in 47 different shades making it fairly easy to find one that matches your undertone. It’s free of alcohol, oil, and fragrance making it work well with all skin types.
The L’Oreal Paris True Match Lumi contains vitamins C & E to improve clarity and skin tone. It’s made up of 40% water leaving your skin hydrated and contains SPF. This foundation can improve your complexion the more you wear it.
Best Concealer – Maybelline New York Instant Age Rewind Concealer
Maybelline’s New York Instant Age Rewind Concealer is America’s #1 concealer for a good reason! It simply does an excellent job on young and mature skin. In addition, if you’re prone to dark circles under your eyes when you wake up, I highly recommend trying this concealer.
Not only can the concealer reduce the appearance of dark circles, but it can also correct the appearance of redness and brighten your under-eye area. It’s medium coverage and can last for up to 12 hours!
Best Primer – e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer
If you ever watch anything makeup or beauty-related on TikTok, you’ve probably seen this product featured! The e.l.f. Poreless Putty is ideal for all skin types and quite honestly the best primer at the drugstore. It’s long-lasting and guaranteed to last you all day! What makes this primer stand out is that provides a smooth canvas for your foundation, minimizes pores, and hydrates the skin.
Pro tip – Although this primer is hydrating, I would recommend still putting on moisturizer before for the best results. Apply a thin amount and wait a bit for it to set before applying the foundation. For great moisturizer recommendations, check out “The 6 Best Moisturizers in 2023“!
Best Finishing Powder – Maybelline New York Fit Me Loose Setting Powder
Maybelline New York Fit Me Loose Setting Powder has been compared time and time again to Laura Mercier’s setting powder. Its quality is just that good. This sheer powder is the perfect way to set your makeup and provides a natural look.
What I love about this setting powder is that it can control shine and smooth skin texture. It can either be applied light on the face or used with a makeup sponge for baking. I do find that it lasts quite a long time, however, if you tend to have oily skin, you may need to reapply to your T-zone throughout the day.
Best Bronzer – Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer
This Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer was featured in our “Top 5 Amazon Beauty Products” to watch out for on Prime Day 2023. This is the one drugstore makeup bronzer that I feel really stands up to some of the more popular high-end.
The bronzer is a powder formula and does have some shimmer to it. It blends out extremely well on the skin and is available in a good amount of shades. I think everyone should be able to find one that fits their needs. Physician’s Formula products are great for those with sensitive skin so this bronzer is a really good choice for all skin types.
Best Blush – Milani Baked Blush
I absolutely love baked powder blushes because of the natural look they give on the cheeks. For quite some time, I wasn’t able to find a suitable drugstore makeup brand that provided the quality and look. Then came Milani’s Baked Blushes. This blush does an excellent job giving off that natural look I’m very much used to and they’re super pigmented!
There are 12 different shades available and they vary between matte and shimmer. Milani does a great job providing something for every look and skin tone. The Luminoso shade is my absolute favorite and a keeper throughout those summer months!
Best Highlighter – Wet n Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Power
I love Wet N Wild products because they can be so inexpensive and they come out with some of the coolest collaborations. For those who know me, I absolutely love anything Disney. And sometime last year, Wet N Wild did a Lilo & Stitch collaboration that included a bronzing/highlighting palette. I immediately knew I needed to add it to my collection! Thankfully my husband surprised me with one as a birthday gift!
But in all seriousness, this is by far the best highlighter powder at the drugstore. Hands down. It doesn’t come off as super chalky, it’s blendable, buildable, and melts into the skin. It can give that light-catching effect to your cheekbones. The Golden Flower Crown shade is an absolute favorite! My next shade to try will be the Precious Petals!
Best Mascara – Maybelline Great Lash Mascara
We simply can’t get enough of the Maybelline Great Lash Mascara! We previously featured this mascara in our “Top 5 Drugstore Mascaras in 2023“! There isn’t much to say that hasn’t been said, it’s just that good. This mascara continues to stand the test of time. Many will recognize its iconic pink and green tube which has been around since 1971!
This mascara provides both length and volume. It also leaves lashes looking fuller and more dramatic. It’s available in a waterproof formula that can withstand any weather and is known to condition lashes as it thickens.
Best Eyeliner – L’Oreal Paris Makeup Infallible Never Fail Eyeliner
The L’Oreal Paris Makeup Infallible Never Fail Eyeliner is the closest drugstore makeup product comparable to Urban Decay’s 24/7 glide-on eyeliner. However, with Urban Decay being under the L’Oreal Paris umbrella, it doesn’t surprise me that they make both my favorite eyeliners! There’s a sharpener built in and a smudging tool on the opposite end, so you don’t need to worry about buying anything extra to utilize this pencil.
I absolutely love how it’s long-lasting and smudge-proof. It’s a huge peace of mind knowing that I can wear this on my waterline without the fear of it smudging and leaving me looking like a raccoon during the day.
Best Brow Pencil – L’Oreal Paris Brow Stylist Definer Waterproof Eyebrow Pencil
This mechanical brow pencil is one of the best drugstore makeup dupes out there! The L’Oreal Paris Brow Stylist Definer Waterproof Eyebrow Pencil is often compared to the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz. The L’Oreal pencil is mechanical meaning you don’t need a sharpener and it also has a spoolie brush on the opposite end just like the popular Anastasia product.
Its ultra-fine 0.5mm tip makes it great to fill in your brows while still creating a natural look. The waterproof formula is available in 8 different shades and it’s designed to mimic your brow hairs without having to use a light hand.
Best Eyeshadow Palette – NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Shadow Palette
This eyeshadow palette features 16 highly pigmented shadows in both matte and shimmer formulas. The shades are long-lasting and blendable, allowing you to create full-eye looks with just one extremely affordable palette. You can’t beat 16 shades for under $20!
Personally, I love the Warm Neutrals option for an everyday look, whether it’s for work or a quick errand. If I’m going out and having fun with a couple of friends, then Utopia would be my go-to. Among many drugstore makeup brands, the NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Shadow Palette provides the best pigmentation thus far.
Best Lip Liner – NYX Professional Makeup Loud Lip Liner
This long-lasting lip liner is currently available in 18 different shades. It’s very comfortable to wear on the lips and doesn’t feel dry like many pencil liners out there. Additionally, it doesn’t bleed onto the skin. A huge plus!
The pencil has a matte formula, glides on easily, and is waterproof. Infused with Vitamin E and jojoba oil, it gives lips a soft and smooth look. With its range of shades, you can typically find something to complement almost every lipstick or gloss.
Best Liquid Lipstick – NYX Professional Makeup Shine Loud, Long-Lasting Liquid Lipstick
If you’re looking for long-lasting liquid lipstick from the drugstore, NYX Shine Loud is the one you want! This liquid lip is highly pigmented and can last for up to 16 hours. I love the fact that it doesn’t feel sticky or uncomfortable to wear like some liquid lips out there.
Applying this liquid lipstick is simple, as you don’t have to go over it again and again to achieve the desired pigmentation. One simple swipe is honestly all you need. As an added bonus, there’s a clear gloss included on the other end!
Best Lipstick – Maybelline New York Color Sensational Lipstick
I think this category was the hardest for me to narrow down. There are so many excellent lipsticks at the drugstore right now! In the end, I decided to go with Maybelline New York because these lipsticks are incredibly creamy, never dry, and don’t bleed onto the skin.
The Maybelline New York Color Sensational Lipsticks are formulated with shea butter, making them feel ultra-smooth throughout the day. Although they don’t have the largest of selections, the ones available are enough options to complete any look!
Best Lip Gloss – NYX Professional Makeup Butter Gloss
This lip gloss is so good that it surpassed every other gloss on the market! We featured this lipgloss on “The Best 17 Makeup Products in 2023.” It truly outperforms anything I’ve ever tried from a high-end brand. I love the wide range of shades available and how well they complement traditional lipsticks.
These lip glosses, known as butter glosses, are incredibly smooth. They can also be built up to provide medium coverage if you prefer wearing them without lipstick underneath. The best part is that they are completely non-sticky, which is often difficult to find in a lip gloss.
I hope this article has provided you with valuable insights and helped you discover some exciting new products to try out at the drugstore! It’s important to remember that when you’re browsing through the cosmetics section, the best makeup doesn’t always come with a high price tag.
Drugstore makeup brands offer numerous affordable options available that can deliver exceptional quality and performance! I encourage you to explore the different drugstore makeup brands and product lines to find hidden gems that suit your preferences and budget. Enhancing your beauty doesn’t have to break the bank, and with the right choices, you can achieve stunning results without compromising on quality!