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Unfortunately, I have a recurring problem where all of my beauty products run out at the same time. My bathroom waste basket, full of empties, is the pesky flag that waves for a restock at Sephora—but in this economy, that can cause half a paycheck. Until things start looking back up, I’ve made it a mission to find affordable alternatives for my high-end beauty products.
Make no mistake, not a morning goes by without a quick swipe of my Valentino blush, but if there’s one thing that I’ve learned throughout the years, it’s that there are loads of money-saving products that rival some of the more expensive ones. The downside to that? Finding budget-friendly products that perform as well as luxury ones is like finding a needle in a haystack. Luckily, I’ve been doing years of research, and I’ve found what I believe to be the best of the best. These are are my 15 can’t-live-without beauty products under $20.
A few months ago, I held up what I thought was the most elite moisturizer on the market, only for my dermatologist to advise against it and suggest swapping it for Eucerin’s daily moisturizer instead. I promptly tracked down the nearest CVS and located said product before proceeding to walk the entirety of the length home in utter disbelief that this $16 bottle of moisturizer was somehow going to perform better than the $78 jar in my medicine cabinet. Well, you know what they say: Trust the professionals. Thanks to my doctor, I’ll likely never pay more than $20 for a moisturizer again.
The other day, I was out shopping when I popped into The Ordinary to restock my long-time rose hip seed oil. I use it primarily for my morning Gua Sha routine (which I still swear by), and occasionally for nighttime use if I’m experiencing a dry spell. When I got home later that day, my husband mentioned that “someone” had charged $11.97 to our card. He knew I was stopping for a few beauty refills, but being the notoriously big spender that I am, he believed the charge seemed a bit too low to be one of my own accord. That’s when I explained that it was indeed me, restocking on a face product, to which he replied with “You got a serum for under $15?” Yes, yes, I did. And it really works, too.
I’ve been using e.l.f. ‘s Power Grip Primer for years. Many moons ago, I experimented with other primers at higher price points, but felt like the difference in quality didn’t warrant the difference in cost. Coming in at under $10, its grippy, gel-like constituency keeps my makeup in place all day, while its hyaluronic acid composition plumps and smooths my skin’s appearance.
A former enthusiast of Urban Decay’s cult-favorite All Nighter Waterproof Setting Spray, I went out on a limb and tried NYX’s Matte Makeup Setting Spray after realizing that I had accidentally arrived in sunny Orlando, Florida, without my setting spray and nary a Sephora in sight. Almost $30 cheaper, I thought to myself, “No way is this going to work.” Boy, was I surprised when my makeup was still perfectly intact after the ultimate test of makeup survival: a long day at Disney.
Growing up in the ’90s, a jar of Vaseline was somewhat of a permanent fixture under the bathroom sink. As I got older, for some reason, I had completely written off petrolium jelly until I discovered the brand’s healing formula in stick form. Enter: Vaseline’s Body Balm Stick. Although it’s an all-over body balm, I’ve been using it for years as an overnight lip mask alternative before bed. If you want a bronzed, shimmery glow, check out Vaseline Cocoa Shimmer Body Balm Stick—one swipe over your collarbone and it’ll look like you spent a day at the beach.
If there’s one thing I’m protective of, it’s my undereyes. They’ve been an insecurity of mine for as long as I can remember. Naturally, I’ve tried every concealer, serum, and color corrector on the market, so if there’s one thing I’m qualified to advise on, it’s undoubtedly this. After spending more than $100 on an over-hyped, under-performing eye serum, I became so irritable over the matter that on a whim, I picked up The INKEY List’s cult-favorite Caffeine Eye Cream. For just over $10, it’s a quality daytime undereye serum that helps to reduce dark circles and blur fine lines.
I’m not one to use traditional self-tanners for the sheer fact that I can’t stand the idea of waking up to orange-tinted sheets; however, I started using Jergens Natural Glow Self Tanning Lotion back in high school and haven’t been able to wean myself off tanning lotions since. Unlike a classic bronzing mousse, a tanning lotion is intended for everyday use and is infused with natural properties for a buildable, natural sun-kissed glow. I’ve since transitioned to Tanologist’s Hydrating Gradual Tan Lotion, and find that it mirrors the formula of similar formulas with much higher price tags.
I’ll never be a proponent of expensive mascara. Be it growing up with Maybelline’s Great Lash Volumizing and Lengthening Mascara (the “pink and green” mascara, if you will) or the idea that a great mascara is dependent on the health of your lashes, I’ve yet to try a $30 mascara that inspires me to hit the repurchase button. Maybelline’s Sky High Mascara is the perfect balance of lengthening and volumizing—proof that you don’t need to spend more $10 to have great lashes.
If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s spending money, but one thing you won’t catch me spending money on? Hairspray. Instead, I’ve been known to rock the Nexxus Flexible Hold Hairspray for the last few years. The hold is as good as any $30 bottle, but comes in at under $15.
My issues with struggling to pay top-dollar for my haircare routine don’t just stop at hairspray–rarely do I spend money on high-end styling products, especially when you can buy one that’s this good for just $20. I’ve been a fan of the Kristin Ess Hair Instant Lift Thickening Spray, and the rest of her collection, since the 2017 Target launch. For someone with fine hair in need of all of the lifting and volumizing help I can get, I stay restocking this product—but not often, since it seems to last me for months at a time.
Back in college, I felt pretty rock-and-roll for applying my cat eye with Kat Von D’s Tattoo Liquid Eyeliner before class (yep, I was the girl showing up to an 8 a.m. in a full face of makeup). But as I entered adulthood and started to wear less and less makeup, I slowly forgot about wearing eyeliner entirely. After letting my infamous KVD liner dry up, I decided to pick up an inexpensive replacement at the drug store, and to my surprise, found a new liner that was right on par with Kat’s.
As much as I want to spend $47 on Laura Mercier’s Translucent Loose Setting Powder, I fear that I can’t find it within me to fork over my hard-earned dollars on it when e.l.f.’s $7 version works just as well for me. It has a light, silky texture that sets my makeup in place for an all-day photo finish that’s never cakey.
I’d be hard-pressed to turn in my Dove Beauty Bar for an expensive body wash, and even less likely to swap my Tree Hut Body Scrub for a jar of anything more expensive. In this economy? Although Tree Hut’s version has been around forever, I still stock my shower with it regularly, and find that it does exactly what it’s intended to.
Again, my Dermatologist did me a solid and let me know that it was recommended to swap my expensive night cream with CeraVe’s Skin Renewing Night Moisturizer. The results of this cream prove to be incredible effective, thanks to its triple ceramide formula that helps to hydrate, reduce the look of fines, and restore my skin’s barrier, all for less than half the cost of my old tried-and-true.
Don’t get me wrong–I’m a sucker for Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk Lip Cheat Lip Liner–but I run through it so quickly that spending $25 every month or so was starting to add up. Though I’m not ready to give up on my tried-and-true liner entirely, I find that Sephora’s line of Rouge Gel Lip Liners work as a solid alternative. In my opinion, the formula is a bit smoother, making application a bit easier—not to mention, the pencil is retractable so there’s no need for a sharpener.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tinsley Crisp, Fashion & Beauty Staff Writer
Tinsley Crisp is a Fashion & Beauty Staff Writer at The Everygirl and specializes in reporting on the season’s latest trends and hottest products. As a New York City-based stylist, she’s committed to injecting joy into the art of getting dressed and delivering attainable yet aspirational content to our readers.
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