I’m your typical beauty junkie on a budget. I lust after MAC brushes and drool at MUFE palettes as much as the next makeup lover, but as a penny-pinching freelance writer, I just can’t rationalize the price. It’s not all bad, though; being strapped for cash has given me the chance to hunt down some seriously amazing budget beauty products.
Whether you’re a struggling university student or just can’t resist a great bargain, you’ll love my list of 7 tried-and-true beauty products under US$10. Let’s get started!
#1 NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk
Price: $4.49 USD
When working with discounted beauty products, like extremely cheap eye-shadow palettes, it’s essential to start with a good eye-shadow base. This will help you get the best possible performance and pigmentation from your products.
The NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk ticks all my boxes. The creamy texture makes this jumbo pencil a cinch to blend out while the anti-crease formula helps to keep your shadow looking perfect all day long. You can also use this chubby pencil to line your inner eye and waterline for that bright eyed, doe look. Did I mention that just one lasts me up to a year? So much bang for your buck!
#2 EcoTools Essential Eye Set
Price: $7.99 USD
It’s time to toss out all your sponge applicators, ladies. They might do the trick for a simple, one colour look, but if you’re ready to move onto blending, highlighting and all that creative stuff, it’s time to invest in a proper brush set.
Fortunately, you don’t need to spend a fortune anymore to get a good quality, cruelty-free set of makeup brushes. The EcoTools Essential Eye Set comes with five incredibly soft eye brushes, including a large eye brush, angled crease brush, highlighter brush, shading brush and smudge brush. These brushes are super durable, don’t shed and come in a practical, environmentally friendly bag. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, the value of this essential eye set will have you impressed.
#3 Kleancolor Hawaiian Splendor Palette & Neutral Zone Palette
Prices: $3.99 USD/ $6.99 USD
It’s natural to be sceptical beauty products under $10, but I own some fab $4 eye-shadow palettes that I reach for almost as frequently as my cherished UD palettes.
A great example is the Kleancolor Hawaiian Splendor palette in Bold and Sexy. This palette includes twelve eye-popping shades in all the colours of the rainbow. Each eye-shadow is highly pigmented and sinfully easy to blend (even for beginners). I paid $10 for this baby in Australia, but after countless looks and most colours hitting the pan, I can say it was absolutely worth the jacked up price. Definitely pick this one up if you love to play with colour!
If wild colours aren’t your thing, Kleancolor has also come up with a trendy neutral palette. The Neutral Zone palette in Born With It is often compared to UD’S cult favourite Naked palette. Boasting eleven shimmery shades and ten smaller matte shadows, the palette’s pigmentation is out of this world for the price.
#4 Maybelline The Falsies Mascara
Price: $7.99 USD
Now that we’ve got your eye-shadow sorted, it’s time to talk mascara. A good mascara will expertly frame your eyes and instantly tie together almost any eye-shadow combo. Don’t let the adverts fool you, though. You don’t need a $50 mascara with a vibrating wand to get results – some discounted beauty products are just as effective.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Maybelline is the queen of budget mascaras. Of all their brilliantly affordable offerings, it’s The Falsies Mascara that takes the cake. The formula is infused with pro-keratin fibres and holding ingredients to create sensational volume and lift. It’s also buildable and comes with an innovative wand, so you can keep adding to the intensity until you’ve got the dramatic lashes you desire. After all, who doesn’t crave that false lash effect?
#5 Maybelline Fit Me Foundation
Price: $7.99 USD
Should foundation really be included in your beauty products under $10? That’s completely up to you. However, think of your face as a canvas for the rest of your makeup. If you’re going to splurge on anything, it should be foundation. But if you’re a beauty on a seriously tight budget, don’t despair. There are some pretty reasonable cheap foundations on the market right now.
Maybelline Fit Me Foundation is a solid choice with a very friendly price tag. Recommended by Youtube MUA Wayne Goss, this easy to blend foundation comes in a wide range of shades and offers SPF 18. The non-comedogenic, lightweight formula will keep your skin happy while the medium coverage disguises any minor redness and blemishes to give you the picture perfect complexion you deserve.
#6 NYX HD Photogenic Concealer Wand
Price: #5.oo USD
No matter how much sleep we get or how well we take care of our skin, dark circles and occasional breakouts are a fact of life. Fortunately, we can usually cheat our way to perfect skin with a good concealer!
NYX HD Photogenic Concealer Wand is my top pick. Why? Because the formula is deliciously emollient, which stops it from creasing and looking cakey under the eyes. The coverage is medium but buildable and easy to blend. The concealer wand also comes in several different shades to treat various different skin problems. For example, you can use green to counteract redness or pick up lavender to address a sallow complexion. Clever, huh?
#7 Wet N Wild Silk Finish Lipsticks
Price: #1.49 USD
Our list of beauty products under $10 wouldn’t be complete without lipstick. And hey, even if you’re not broke, discount lipsticks are a very sensible way to try out some bold, new colours without the risk.
At $1.49, the Wet N Wild Silk Finish Lipsticks are perfect for doing just that, with pigmented colours ranging from traditional reds to gutsy fuchsias. Infused with vitamins A & E plus aloe vera for a formula that glides on smoothly and won’t dry out your lips, these lippies are absolutely worth hauling.
Next time you’re running low on one of your must-have beauty products days before payday, take a chance on one of these awesome budget friendly alternatives. You’ll be amazed at the quality and even more thrilled by the jingling of the change left in your purse!
What are your favourite beauty products under $10?
Cover photo: weheartit.com
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