Can You Get GREAT Makeup for under Ten Bucks?

Drugstore Makeup under $10 - the good, the bad, and the ugly

Overview

Drugstore Makeup Under $10... Hmmm... As an Amazon Influencer, I review beauty products to guide my followers in their purchasing decisions. Recently, I decided to test out drugstore makeup items priced under $10 each and create a full face of makeup using only these budget-friendly products.

I originally planned to try them out live on camera, but I’m glad I changed my approach. It turns out there were a few "duds" that I had to swap out to achieve the final look.

In this week’s blog, I’m sharing what I discovered about drug store makeup under $10 — the good, the bad, and the ugly. Read on to find out which products are worth your money and which ones you might want to avoid.

Decisions, decisions... Have you read my blog all about Finding the Perfect Pink Lipstick? You'll learn everything you need to know about finding a shade of pink that's right for you!

First Things First
Makeup Primer

My first task was to find a makeup primer under $10 that would give my foundation some staying power. The obvious choice to me was Elf Power Grip Primer since I had already seen it featured on TikTok and mentioned on several beauty editor "best of" lists.

This primer from Elf is a gel that absorbs quickly and thoroughly. The directions suggest waiting 30 seconds before applying foundation. Elf Power Grip Primer doesn't leave your skin feeling sticky or tacky and is extremely lightweight. I actually loved the feel and I thought it made my pores appear smaller after I applied my foundation.

My recommendation is that you give this primer a try!

Conclusion: GOOD

Popular Variations of Elf Makeup Primer

• Power Grip Primer

• Power Grip Primer with 4% Niacinamide

• Power Grip Primer

• Hydrating Face Primer

I'm all about primer! Find out why in It's a Crime Not to Prime: the importance of makeup primers.

Please note: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Understanding foundation

Before I can give an honest and accurate review of the drugstore foundation under $10 that I tried, we need to go over some facts.

Foundation is very much a personal preference. Regardless of price, our opinion can be influenced by coverage, consistency, and other preferred features such as sunscreen or anti-aging benefits. The tools used to apply foundation have an impact on performance as well.

That being said, I was specifically looking for a full-coverage foundation that was luminous and hydrating (and less than ten bucks). I decided to try Maybelline Fit Me Dewy + Smooth Liquid Foundation* in Pure Beige. It is a best seller on Amazon and the shade was described as a medium neutral beige.

I did NOT like it.

I usually apply foundation with a brush or a sponge, but to stay true to only using drugstore brand products under $10, I chose to apply using my fingers. My first observation was that it was very thin and watery. I'm used to foundation being thick enough to squeeze from a pump or a tube and this was a bit of a surprize for a full-coverage foundation. I also felt that it was much too yellow/orange for my skintone, but that is not the fault of the brand, it's the fault of the description. So I tried to keep an open mind. However, within an hour or so, I felt like the foundation was already wearing off.

Conclusion: BAD

*Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Liquid Oil-Free foundation is the #1 best selling foundation on Amazon. Since I wanted a dewy option, I chose to try Dewy + Smooth. Perhaps I would have had a different conclusion with Matte + Poreless.

Foundation - take 2

Next I decided to try Almay Anti-Aging Foundation. I was really focusing on my under $10 stipulation and hoping to find a true full-coverage.

This foundation comes out like a white lotion... I thought I had bought the wrong thing! Turns out that this little beauty actually adjusts to your skintone and becomes the perfect shade for you! I'm not even kidding! I was totally stunned.

I went back to re-read the description, and sure enough, the full title of this product is Almay Anti-Aging Foundation, Smart Shade Face Makeup with Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide. You basically just select the intensity of your skintone (medium, tan, deep, etc.) and the foundation does the rest, under becoming your perfect match. WHAT?!!

I loved the matte finish and the shade, but I had a hard time building it up to cover my age spots. So I would consider this a medium coverage.

Overall, I loved it!

Conclusion: GOOD

Concealer

Moving on, I needed a full-coverage concealer. I am used to concealers coming in a limited number of shades. However, I noticed that the drugstore options under $10 all seemed to offer an endless array of skin tones. This actually turned me off a bit since I was already having a difficult time finding the right foundation!

Concealer - do-over

So back to the shopping cart I went! This time I decided to give ELF Hydrating Camo Concealer a try. I chose the shade called Medium Sand. 

The concealer went on beautifully and definitely offered full coverage. In addition to loving the full coverage, I also like the large applicator. However, the shade I chose was too dark for me, so be aware that the shade you see in the tube and in the swatch online isn't very accurate. 

My overall opinion is that it is a great product.

Conclusion: GOOD

Setting Powder

Setting Powder is optional, but I like that it not only helps foundation last longer, it takes away any oily shine and replaces it with a beautiful glow. 

I chose to try Wet n Wild PhotoFocus Translucent Loose Setting Powder. I was actually impressed! It felt light and silky and seemed to do everything I was hoping it would. And what an amazing price! Just over $5 on Amazon.

Warning: keep the clear plastic liner on! I removed mine and now the powder is very messy. User error.

Conclusion: GOOD

Moving On to Eyes

Eye Primer

The notion of finding a great eye primer was especially appealing since the brand I've used for years recently discontinued eye primer.

After looking at several drugstore brand options under $10 and reading reviews, I decided to give Milani Eyeshadow Primer a try. 

I love that it has a little bit of pigment to help hide discoloration, went on smoothly, and helped my eye shadow last all day.

Conclusion: GOOD

Makeup Brushes

I thought long and hard about whether to use my favorite professional makeup brushes, but decided to find a few basic brushes that came as a set for under $10 on Amazon. 

The first set from BS-Mall, which is currently the #1 best seller, was an epic FAIL!!!

I cannot believe that others give these brushes a good review! The foundation brush would not apply the foundation properly and the eye shadow brushes did not deposit any color on my lids. Totally frustrating! Before trying any more brushes in the set, I chose to return it, because foundation and eyeshadow brushes are key to having a great overall look.

Conclusion - UGLY

Makeup Brushes - redux

Drawing from my own experience, I recalled being impressed with EcoTools brushes in the past, so I ordered a kit under $10 that had a large fluffy brush, a small to medium brush, an overall eyeshadow brush, an eyeliner brush and a makeup sponge.

The performance was as expected. I especially liked the feel of the brush handles in my hand. They were very easy to work with. 

Conclusion: GOOD

Eye Shadow

Judging eyeshadow is tricky because the deposit of color is greatly impacted by whether or not you use primer and the type of brush you are using. 

During my first attempt, I sampled Covergirl Eye Enhancer Trio in Sweet Plum. I was extremely frustrated that I could not get any color payoff. But after giving it another go with the EcoTools brushes, I was able to get some satisfaction. This is another bestseller on Amazon, so I don't know what I'm missing, but I don't think I could strongly recommend this product.

Conclusion: BAD

Eye Shadow - part deux

I then ordered NYX Hot Singles Eye Shadow in Cupcake to use as an all-over shade and two Julep eyeshadow 101 sticks,** Champagne Shimmer and Orchid Shimmer, to add dimension. And I absolutely loved them all!

Yes, you can get quality drugstore brand eyeshadow for less than $10!

The NYX shadow had amazing color payoff*** and the Julep eyeshadow sticks were so easy to work with and did not budge after they set. Not to mention the gorgeous shades! These are keepers, for sure! Conclusion: VERY GOOD I'm giving away a NYX eyeshadow in Cupcake! Be sure to comment on this post and sign up for my email list. *Julep eyeshadow 101 sticks sell for more than $10 on average. I was able to find Orchid Shimmer under $10 on Amazon.

Conclusion: VERY GOOD

** I'm giving away a NYX eyeshadow in Cupcake! Be sure to comment on this post and sign up for my email list.

***Julep eyeshadow 101 sticks sell for more than $10 on average. I was able to find Orchid Shimmer under $10 on Amazon.

Eyeliner, Mascara, and Brow Gel

Eyeliner

Eye liners under $10 are plentiful, so to narrow things down I decided to take a different tack. 

I started looking for one that offered plum, a shade that I loved in the past but haven't used in years. Thankfully, I found a waterproof gel eye liner from Almay and was super happy with it! 

The application was smooth and it didn't smear throughout the day. What more could you ask for in an eyeliner?

Conclusion: GOOD

Mascara

Mascara was another no-brainer. I've been hearing about Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect for months and was excited to try it. I loved the applicator (yes, that's important too) and I am a big fan of a thin, natural consistency. Lash Princess lengthened and separated my lashes beautifully. However, I don't think it gives a true "false lash" effect. Yet I definitely see why it is so popular.

Conclusion: GOOD

Brows

When it comes to brows, I actually already had two popular products that sell for less than ten dollars in my makeup bag: Elf Instant Lift Brow Pencil and ColourPop Feather Effect Brow Pen. But I wanted to challenge myself to try something new. I haven't ever used a brow pomade (gel) so I chose to try Milani Stay Put Brow Color. It comes in a great variety of shades and includes a nice brow brush to apply it with. I chose Medium Brown but I think I might try Light Brown if I purchase it again. Milani Brow Color looks beautiful and lasts all day (and night). There is a bit of a learning curve as far as the amount of product to use and how to maneuver the brush, but once you practice a few times, it's a breeze! And, btw, you'll probably need eye makeup remover to get it all off.

Milani Brow Color looks beautiful and lasts all day (and night). There is a bit of a learning curve as far as the amount of product to use and how to maneuver the brush, but once you practice a few times, it's a breeze! And, btw, you'll probably need eye makeup remover to get it all off.

Conclusion: GOOD

Last but not Least... cheeks and lips

I am always doing a happy dance by the time I get to lips and cheeks since I know they go pretty quickly. LOL! Let's find out which drugstore brands under $10 qualify as good, bad, or .

Fun Fact: If you have a hard time getting the right amount of blush, try applying your lipstick first so you can see what depth of cheek color works with that particular shade of lipstick. (You're welcome!). That being said, we're going to begin with lips...

Lip Primer, Liner, Lipstick, and Gloss

Lip Primer

A product that I haven't used in a while but I miss is a lip primer. I was hoping to find one that also had some age-defying ingredients to soften the lines around my lips but I couldn't find one for less than $10.

I chose to try ColourPop Lippie Stix Lip Primer because I have really enjoyed their other products in the past. It was a winner! The application was smooth and creamy and it did what it was supposed to do - keep my lipstick on and prevent it from bleeding and feathering. Word of warning: be careful how much you apply. Too much can leave a cakey, white film on your lips.

Conclusion: GOOD

Lip Liner

DI rarely use lip liners but they are an important staple in a makeup bag, so next I decided to give Wet n Wild Perfect Pout Gel Lip Liner a go. Gel liners and lipsticks are growing in popularity because of their smooth application. I loved the shade I chose, Lay Down the Mauves. And the tiny tip allowed me to be very precise with my application. It's a keeper for me!

Lipstick

Conclusion: VERY GOOD

Trying drugstore lipstick was a blast from the past! I used to love Revlon and L'Oreal lipstick and can still remember some of the shades (Wine with Everything, anyone?) 

Revlon claims to be the best selling lipstick in the US so I snagged their Super Lustrous Lipstick in Plum Baby. In my opinion, one can never have too many plum lipsticks and this one has been quickly added to my repertioure. It's a gorgeous color! And the consistency is spot on, not to mention it doesn't have a funny taste or smell.

Lip Gloss

I've very recently become a fan of lip gloss. If you are over 50 and think it's too "young", well, you're right about it being youthful. But that's not a reason to avoid it, it's a reason to try it!

This decision was totally based on the "look" I wanted. I love a shimmery gloss, not with glitter, but with a "frosty" finish. I found it in Wet n Wild MegaSlicks Lip Gloss, Bronze Berry. 

It was much lighter than I expected, but gorgeous just the same. 

Ooh La La! This one is a winner!

Conclusion: GOOD

Cheek Color Under $10

I go between powder blush and creamy cheek color and was open to trying an all-in-one product likes ELF's Monochromatic Multi-Stick. Sparkling Rose was a great shade for me. And I can not only use it on my cheeks, but eyes and lips too!

Conclusion: GREAT

Grand Finale - Finishing Spray

I like to complete my look with finishing spray, also called setting spray. Elf Power Grip Dewy Setting Spray is extremely popular, but since I already used Elf as my all-over primer, I decided to try something different. Enter Milani Make It Last Original Natural Finish Setting Spray. It boasts up to 24 hour wear (but I can only speak for about 12 hours. Bedtime is very important to me!) 

I absolutley loved the fine mist that it produces. You have to try it to understand how amazing it feels!

Conclusion: GREAT

Wrap Up on Drugstore Makeup Under $10 - the good, the bag, and the ugly

Although the first few products that I tried were big disappointments earning the labels BAD and UGLY, I seemed to get better at making selections over time. 

I think you can definitely get a decent makeup look with drugstore makeup less than $10 each. Do I prefer them over my prestige brand? Not necessarily. 

The products that I can see myself reordering are: Julep Eyeshadow 101 Colorsticks; ELF Instant Lift Brow Pencil, ColourPop Lippie Stix Lip Primer, and possibly ELF's Monochromatic Multi-Stick. 

But I'll definitely use up my Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick!

Please take a moment to share in the comments your favorite drugstore makeup less than $10. And if you have any other comments or questions, I always personally reply to every one of them.

In order to be entered into the giveaway, you must Comment below and Subscribe to my mailing list by September 30, 2024.

Isn't girlfriend time fun? See you next time!