The Best Drugstore Beauty Products the Top Makeup Artists Swear By
1/38It’s no secret that professional makeup artists test hundreds of products a year and have exclusive access to the most high-end products on the market—way before most people see them on the shelves. And while the beauty pros love a luxe designer lipstick as much as the next person, it turns out that they’re also obsessed with the two-buck tube of lip color they can pick up on their next drugstore run. We asked some of the industry leading makeup artists to spill their must-have cheapie essentials. Many cult classics were easy no-brainers, but we were surprised to discover a ton of lesser-known drugstore beauty all-stars that truly work, too. Click through to find your new favorite.
2/38The Artist: Allan Avendaño, celebrity makeup artist
The Clients: Shay Mitchell, Sarah Hyland, Zendaya
3/38“Once when I was traveling my nude eyeshadow palette broke and I ran to the closest drugstore and found the Maybelline The Blushed Nudes Palette. I thought at the very least, I could diffuse some of the darker eyeshadows I already had in my kit. To my surprise, every single one of the colors in the palette were so much more versatile on their own than I thought they would be. I used it to create a beautifully fresh look for day and transitioned it easily with a smokier eye for night.”
4/38“I've been in love with L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara for years. As makeup artists, we usually use disposable wands so we’re not transferring bacteria, but we also never get the benefit of a mascara's brush. I finally starting buying individual ones of these because the wand truly makes a huge difference. It creates so much volume with just one coat.”
5/38“My client, Sarah Hyland, introduced me to this lip tint! One day she said she didn't need lipstick and she was just going to use Maybelline Baby Lips. After trying it on her, I’ve been obsessed ever since. The color she chose for that day was Peach Kiss. It's a beautiful neutral color that's not heavy and perfect for the summer.”
6/38“I use the Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser on myself and recommend it to all my clients. Its charcoal ingredients make it spectacular at removing makeup and leaves a refreshing tingling feeling while reducing the appearance of your pores. Sometimes I use it with my Clarisonic brush if I want an even deeper cleanse.”
7/38“One of my clients with super sensitive skin brought her own bottle of Maybelline Fit Me Dewy + Smooth Foundation and asked me if I could use it on her. I fell in love with how creamy it is and allows for your natural glow to show through the foundation. It’s buildable so you can play around with the amount of coverage you’re looking for and I apply it with a wet Beauty Blender sponge for a really seamless application.”
8/38“The Burt’s Bees Renewal Firming Day Lotion with SPF 30 is fantastic for prepping skin before makeup. I like that it’s infused with SPF, which helps to not only skip a step, but it’s essential to prevent sun damage especially this time of year. The SPF somehow doesn’t make it overly shiny, but enough dewiness to give a great finish that allows for foundation to apply smoothly.”
NBC/NBCU Photo Bank9/38The Artist: Andrew Sotomayor, celebrity makeup artist
The Clients: Emmy Possum, Liu Wen, Kieran Shipka
10/38“The chubby pencil style of the CoverGirl Turbaned Fixstick Concealer is the perfect shape for covering dark shadows and circles around your eyes—the consistency makes it look like your natural skin. I like to gently sketch from the inner corner to the outer corner, and tap it in place with my finger to melt it in.”
11/38“I sort of have an emotional connection to CoverGirl Classic Color Blush. I remember as I kid, smelling the subtle scent of my mother’s CoverGirl blush and hearing the sound of her hairdryer in the evening meant that they were going out to dinner and a babysitter was on the way. My aunt also wore the same blush to work, which carried the familiar scent. Those were some of my earliest memories of women wearing makeup for different occasions and I’ve relied on its fool-proof formula ever since.”
12/38“When I first tried this Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner during New York Fashion Week several season ago, it literally changed the way I do makeup. I used either an angled eyeliner brush or a precision point brush to create a thin line across the upper lashes which I can the smudge to make a smoky look, or simply retrace with a clean brush to help it look smoother. I usually prefer this over liquid liner because the gel texture doesn't run when you apply it, which means you will get a crisp line without skips or drags—perfect for a cat eye. For the longest lasting effect, prep lids with an eye primer, and set the liner with an eyeshadow in a similar shade.
13/38“I'm a total neat freak when it comes to eyeliner so I like using a brand new brush as often as possible. I love the EcoTools Flat Eyeliner Brush because the synthetic fibers are very gentle on eyelids, the handle is made of sustainable bamboo, it's inexpensive, and the whole thing is recyclable so I don't feel wasteful when it's time to buy new ones. Dip the brush into a gel eyeliner, then press it straight into the roots of the upper and lower lashes. Use you finger or a smudger brush to blend the line smooth.”
14/38“I like to have my clients ‘shine strategically’. A pearlescent highlighter across the cheekbones makes even dry skin look bright and glowing. I like the light color from Sonia Kashuk Chic Luminosity Highlighter Stick for a translucent glow. The Sparkling Sands shade (shown here) is universally flattering, but Persian Sunset is a bronzey pink that works particularly well with deeper skin tones or for someone who wants to give their skin more warmth. Drag the stick directly across your cheekbones, and dab it on the inner corners of the eyes, then tap it smooth with fingertips, a foundation brush, or a damp sponge.”
15/38“I'm obsessed with perfect brows, and whether you want really soft natural brows, or slightly more defined brows, I think you get the most natural look when you use two shades. The E.L.F. Studio Eyebrow Kit gives you complementary colors and so easy to use. Use an angled brow brush to first apply the waxy formula across the entire arch of your brows. Then use the powdery shade to set the wax in place and to help fill in sparse areas. The colors are really great because they don't get too red or bronze, which can look artificial. The cool toned taupe shades look natural on just about everyone.”
Getty Images16/38The Artist: Mylah Morales, celebrity makeup artist
The Clients: Rihanna. (Mic drop.)
17/38“Whenever I want a gorgeous tint to my lips, I grab any one of the Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmer sticks. They’re sheer enough to glide on your lips without necessarily having to use a mirror, but it gives you more color than a regular balm.”
18/38“Summer is all about waterproof makeup, and it used to be that you needed to use a separate eye makeup remover and cotton pad to take off waterproof liners and mascaras—until these Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Wipes came along. They truly get everything off without having to scrub your sensitive eye area.”
19/38“I’m always traveling, and the Evian Brumisateur Facial Spray is a life saver for rehydrating my skin. I found that since the spray is really fine, it’s also great for cooling down in the summer heat without feeling damp.”
20/38“Whether you’re new to at-home spray tans or you’re a seasoned pro, everyone needs to try the L’Oreal Paris Sublime ProPerfect Salon Airbrush Self-Tanning Mist. The design of the pump is everything—it releases the perfect amount of product so that it sprays on evenly and doesn’t leave splotchy areas that you have to rub in.”
21/38“I’ve tried out tons of mascaras, but L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara has a thickening formula that doesn’t clump. The wand makes it easy to distribute and length in one swoop, making it great for rushed mornings or a quick touch up.”
22/38The Artist: Katie Jane Hughes, Butter London Global Colour Ambassador
The Clients: Whitney Port, Solange Knowles, Anna Kendrick
23/38“When I’m on set, I slather on Nivea Essentially Enriched Body Lotion on my clients to create the most gorgeous, glossy skin against the light. In real life, it gives this soft glow to your legs and arms without using obvious shimmer.”
24/38“The individual lashes in the Kiss Ever EZ Trio Lash Collection are amazing because of their easy application. I remember using them on the models at a Rachel Zoe presentation a few seasons ago to create a lush, but natural-looking lash and everyone couldn’t get over how great they turned out.”
25/38“Some of the best brushes I have in my kit are from Real Techniques. They quality is amazing and the long-lasting bristles don’t shed.”
26/38“I bought L’Oreal True Match Super-Concealer on a whim once when I was asked to do light makeup for the band, The XX, as they were headlining at Coachella. I didn’t have my usual kit on me and I was impressed with how they seamlessly blended into the skin. They’ve been a staple ever since!”
27/38“These Prestige Lipliners apply like a dream. They glide over your lips and provide full coverage if you fill the lip in with it. This color (shown in Sand) is a great brown/mauve that feels very on trend.”
WireImage28/38The Artist: Quinn Murphy
The Clients: Karlie Kloss, Odeya Rush, Lily Aldridge, Kate Upton
29/38Maybelline Great Lash Mascara is one of those classics that live up to its name. The unique shape of the wand gets really into the base of the lashes and the pigment is as black as it gets.”
30/38“I actually use the clear Maybelline Great Lash Mascara as well—but for the brows. It doesn’t leave any kind of sticky film and the slightly bigger wand is an easy and fast way to keep trendy fuller brows in place.”
31/38“I redo my entire makeup kit every season around Sonia Kashuk’s new makeup brushes. They design of the brushes are smart and thought-out—plus, the colorful prints make them so fun to use.”
32/38“Anytime I’m feeling a little uninspired, I pull out a shocking, neon orange lipstick like the Revlon Super Lustrous Shine Lipstick in Carnival Spirit. I’ve used it a number of times on shoots and it never fails to give the most eye-catching, yet wearable pop of color.”
FilmMagic33/38The Artist: Tonya Brewer, celebrity makeup artist
The Clients: Bella Thorne, Maddie Ziegler, Olivia Culpo, Stefanie Scott
34/38“The first thing I pack in makeup kit are Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Wipes. I’ve tried tons of other wipes, but nothing else compares. It’s tough enough to remove waterproof makeup, yet doesn’t irritate your eyes or sensitive skin.”
35/38“As a budding makeup artist, I borrowed L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara from a friend and I’ve been using it ever since. The formula is buildable, yet it doesn’t clump if you go over the lashes with multiple coats.”
36/38“Sometimes when you buy eyeshadow palettes, you only ended up really using just a few of the colors, but with the Sonia Kashuk Eye Couture Eye Palette, you’ll use every single one. This one has every neutral shade you’ll ever need whether you’re going for a no-makeup makeup look or something more dramatic. The compact case is also great for travel, especially if you’re not entirely sure what your itinerary will be.”
37/38“I’ve never been big on contouring—I prefer a really natural take on sculpting and bringing out your face shape. The Sonia Kashuk Chic Luminosity Bronzer and Highlighter Duo doesn’t give you this heavily hand-drawn look, but more of a pretty, illuminated glow. It’s lightweight and you can use them separately or blend them together for a nice sheen.”
38/38“This particular shade of Revlon Colorburst Balm Stain (shown here in Cherish) is my go to for elevating your natural lip look. I personally don’t wear a lot of lip products, but this stain is everything I need to quickly look pulled together—plus, it fades in a really cool way where you don’t have to worry about reapplying.”
