- Kiara K.
My Top 10 FAVORITE Products Under $10!
When it comes to buying makeup, while I do love my MAC lipsticks and have no problem handing them that $17 plus tax , I am also ALL about saving a few coins and finding products that work just as well, if not better, than some of the more expensive products I already own or tried. Because not only do I shop for products for myself, but I have to shop for my professional kit as well and that can definitely get expensive. This is because I am a crazy, psycho makeup hoarder and I always want something new or I just have to buy a new palette that's just been released or a get a new lipstick in a shade I probably already have. It's really sad.
So with my makeup buying habits, I have learned to substitute a few items in my kits for cheaper items that work just a great as other items I used to buy that were way more expensive. There are definitely still things in both my personal and professional kit that I insist on spending that top dollar on simply because I want to still provide good quality items to my clients faces as well my own. But, for the most part I find that I can easily incorporate a lot of my less expensive items in with my more expensive ones and still come out with a really great makeup look.
So because I love to share my secrets, tips and tricks with my readers, I have come up with this list of my favorite products that I have tried and loved enough to buy time and time again. Every single item is something I regularly keep stocked in my kit and use on a regular basis. Not only do these products work really great, but they don't break the bank. Each item costs under $10 and to me that's definitely a coin saver. Some of these items listed you may have already been in tune with , and that's OK because it further proves my point that they are bomb products! ;o)
1.) ColourPop Cosmetics Ultra Matte Lip - $6
So of course I'm starting this list with the amazing brand that is ColourPop Cosmetics! Whom I must admit get the most OF MY MONIES, because I love this brand so much. They are the home of the Ultra Matte Liquid lipsticks, which I am super obsessed with. With SO MANY options for liquid lipsticks these days I will say that ColourPop is one of the most affordable coming in at $6 a pop. They have a very broad range of really fun and cute colors, that go from nudes to pinks to deep, dark purples. Their lippies are super pigmented and have the staying power of a permanent marker. (OK, that's a bit dramatic, but they do stay on really, really long). Needless to say I have purchased about 15 of these liquid lipsticks, JUST for myself and just about that same amount for my kit. They have recently expanded their collection to satin lipsticks and glosses, which are also $6. To hand ColourPop your coins for their bomb liquid lipsticks, I've listed their website here ----> www.colourpop.com
*Here is a pic of my personal ColourPop lippie collection...the colors are just so pretty!
2.) L.A. Girl PRO Conceal - $3-$5
I'm sure this product is on everyone's list of bomb products that don't break the bank and if it isn't then it NEEDS to be! L.A. Girl's pro concealers have easily become one of my favorite products because they work amazingly well to be so cheap. Prior to trying the L.A. Girl I was an avid user of MAC's select cover up in NC50, but after finally giving the L.A. girl a try I was sold. It blends out very easily when used with a damp beauty blender sponge and comes in a great array of colors to suite almost every skin tone and works perfectly for highlighting and contouring. It also now comes in corrector shades to help with coverage of dark marks, scars and redness in the skin. The best part is these concealers can easily be found at your local beauty supply store for $2.99 to $5 depending on where you're located. Get in tune with L.A. Girl!
3.) BH Cosmetics Wild and Radiant Highlighter Palette -$8
Highlighters and highlighter palettes are super hyped up these days and may have even surpassed the matte lipstick frenzy and has become the most sought after product in the makeup market. I completely understand why because everybody wants that bomb ass "glow" when they finish their makeup.... including me! And of course as an artist I have a million different highlighters and palettes, but not all of them are under $10. I must say that BH Cosmetics came all the way through on this product, because I swear by this palette! I watched a tutorial on YouTube with another artist using this palette and the amount of shimmery glow that she had at the end of the video sold me. So for $8, I ordered it and it really does its job! It has major pigmentation and color payoff that gives you a really gorgeous highlight on your cheekbones or wherever you like your glow. It comes in 4 different shades of shimmery pearl, gold and bronze and it's definitely comparable to some other high end highlighter palettes which I won't name lol but I am sure you all have heard of. I definitely suggest grabbing this palette from the BH Cosmetics website, it's only $8 and it really compliments women of darker tones. I use this palette on a lot of my clients and they seem to really love it.
4.) Maybelline Great Lash Mascara - $6
If you're an avid shopper I know you've seen the little Pink, green and black tubes of mascara in the cosmetics section of your local Walgreen's, CVS or even Target stores. Have you ever noticed that those little tubes have been around for YEARS, and in 2016 it's STILL being sold next to newer, more current mascaras. Wondering why? Because it really is a great mascara, no pun intended. Lol! Seriously it works really well for lengthening your natural lashes and it's a staple in my kit. The mascara wand is made with thin bristles, so it can really get in between each lash to help them reach their full potential! One thing I have learned as a makeup artist is that most mascara's that are more expensive are only that way because of the wands. Thinner wands without the extra thick bristles ALWAYS work best for length! So another way to save a few coins is to invest in a really good wand(ed) mascara, and save the wand from the old tube after it's run out and use that wand in a cheaper mascara to get the most out of your money! Trust me, It's ALL in the brush. Not the mascara.
5.) NYC Liquid Eyeliner in Blacquer - $3
When it comes to eyeliners I am VERY picky! Because I don't always wear eye shadow, I like for my liner to look good and have that perfect winged out look, without being super difficult to apply. NYC liquid liner has been one of my best finds for a cheaper eyeliner that works!!!! It has an an easy to apply thin liner brush that is perfect for creating those very precise winged out liner looks. It goes on as a liquid but dries down to a dark, matte black finish which I love. It also dries really quickly which helps in eliminating smudging or mistakes. I definitely keep about 3 of these in my kit and these are the first liners I grab when I need something that's works quickly, easily and has lasting power! I can usually find this liner at Target or CVS for all of $3!
6.) NARS Eye/Lip liner Sharpener - $6
I have to keep multiple sharpeners in my kits, because I am constantly using them to resharpen lip liners and eye liners, and this one by far has been the best quality sharpener. I bought it a few years back from Sephora and it STILL sharpens as if I bought it yesterday! NARS always comes through with great quality products and this is no exception to that. A lot of cheaper sharpeners I have purchased have gone dull over time but this one has lasted wonderfully and it still remains a staple item in my kit! Surprisingly, It can still be found at Sephora stores and online for only $6.
7.) NYX Mega Shine Gloss in Natural - $5
I don't remember how I came across these NYX mega shine glosses but I am so glad I did! To date it's one of my favorite glosses to keep in my purse and my kit. Not only is it comparable to higher costing glosses like the Bobbi Brown Essentials glosses, but it's the PERFECT nude toned gloss for my fellow brown girls, and has just the right amount of shine. Sometimes nude glosses look too light or pale on darker women BUT NOT THIS ONE! It's so perfect, I need to go buy a new one just because this post is reminding me how much I love these glosses. One of my favorite looks to wear is a smokey eye, nude lip combo, and this gloss is my go to for the days I want a glossy nude lip look over a matte look. I pair it with a chocolate brown colored liner and I am ready for my day or night. They can be found on NYX's website or sometimes at your local beauty supply for only $5!
* Just for the heck of it I included a pic of myself wearing the NYX gloss just so you can see how perfect of a nude it really, really is! ;D
8.) Ardell Natural Lashes in 120 Demi - $3.99
Everyone who knows me, knows that I LOVE LASHES! They just give you that perfect finishing touch to your eye-makeup look and they just make a bish look so fabulous. Lashes can even be worn without eye makeup to give your eyes that flirty, sexy cat like look. Either way I wholeheartedly feel your makeup is just not complete without a lash. The Ardell 120 Demi's have been my favorite lashes since forever. They aren't too dramatic, too thick or too long and to me they just look really pretty. They give you that feminine, natural false lash finish without looking super fake. If I am not able to buy the Ardell 120's, then I am always looking for lashes that are as similar to this style as possible. Most clients I use this lash on LOVE them and always say how natural they look and to me that's all I need to hear to keep on buying them. Thank you Ardell!
9.) Wet N' Wild Color-icon Pencils -$2
Eyebrows are SUCH an important part of any girls makeup routine, especially mine, which means I go through brow pencils, and pomades like crazy! When I first started out doing my brows I was definitely a MAC spiked pencil girl, but at $17 a pencil and with the pencils running out as quickly as they were I was over it and so were my pockets. I was in CVS one day on my lunch break and saw these pencils were on sale for $0.99 so of course I grabbed one in black and one in a dark brown to keep at my desk for makeup emergencies. While the black one was horrible as eyeliner and didn't last very long throughout the day, the brown one was perfect, but for brows. I used the brown one to quickly fill in my brows one morning and it was actually a good substitute brow pencil. A little trick I learned was to put a little Urban Decay eye shadow primer (or any eyeshadow primer will work) on my brows first, then fill them in with this pencil and my brows stay filled in ALL day, with no moving or smudging off! Yes, this little $2 pencil in dark brown has replaced the MAC spiked pencils in my life and that's $15 saved.
10.) Neutrogena Makeup Remover Wipes - $7
I know I am not alone when I say I hate knowing that I have to wash all my makeup off when I come home from a night of FUN. Especially when all I want to do is pass out in bed. But these little wipes of heaven from Neutrogena makes it less of a hassle. They DO NOT do the job of completely cleaning your face so you definitely still need to wash after using them, but they do a great job of removing majority of makeup in one little towelette. They aren't harsh on the skin and people like myself with sensitive skin can use them. I keep packs of these in my kit to use on clients when they sit in my chair with makeup already on or even if I need to clean up some eye shadow fall out on the face before applying foundation or concealer. Even though they probably won't be under $10 anymore, I definitely wish they would come out with a pack of 100 because 25 wipes goes soooooo quickly :( but these Neutrogena wipes are easily the best makeup removing wipes I've tried as of yet.
I'm sure there are so many other great products under $10, so I want to hear from you guys! What are some of your favorite beauty products that are under the $10 mark and where can they be found ?
Let me know by leaving a comment or even sending me a message and I will be sure to add them to the list!
Until the next post….
(¯`v´¯) `*.¸.*´ ¸. ´¸.• *¨) ¸. •*¨) (¸.• ´ (¸.• ´ .• ´ ¸¸. •¨¯` •.*~* Kiara
