How to Score Designer Makeup on a Budget

Designer makeup is all the rage right now. Walk into any department store and you will see Chanel, Mac, Benefit, Urban Decay and much more! I have tried a few of these brands and they are fabulous, but paying $40 for an eyeshadow just isn't in the budget. I've come to realize that I can get all of those wonderful designer makeup items at drugstore prices.

You ready to hear my secret?

Most drugstore brands are a knock off of a designer brand! Drugstore brands are made to replicate those high-end brands and in most cases drugstore makeup is just as good!

This list will give you the ends and outs on which brands to avoid and which brands to seek out when shopping for makeup at a drugstore.

Loreal

I can't speak for all Loreal products but their eyeshadow is amazing! If you are in love with Mac eyeshadow then I would be willing to bed you will love the Loreal eyeshadow line. Keep in mind that the Loreal eyeshadow has a little bit more sparkle then Mac eyeshadow

Sonia Kashuk

A good makeup brush can really make or break the way your makeup comes out. Typically, I wouldn't suggest buying anything other than high-quality makeup brushes. However, I recently discovered Sonia Kashuk's line of makeup brushes and let me tell you these brushes are simply perfect! In the past I have found that drugstore brushes fall apart easy and sadly aren't made with any quality. This is not the case with the Sonia Kashuk line.

The best thing about the Sonia Kashuk brushes is they are sold at Target and you can often find them on clearance.

Elf

Elf is a brand of makeup sold at Target and is made to be very similar to designer makeup. I have tried several products from the Elf collection and been extremely pleased. I will say that I'm not a huge fan of the brushes but the actually makeup has been great.

My favorite items from the Elf collection are the face primer and the eyebrow kit. The face primer works just as good if not better than the Studio Press face primer. The eyebrow kit sold by Elf is very similar to the eyebrow kit sold by Benefit but cost about $25 less!

Most of the Elf items are priced between $1 and $3 making them a bargain!

Nars Blush

Nars blush is an extremely popular brand of blush that will normally run you about $30. I don't know about you but $30 for blush is pretty expensive! The Milani blush sold at Wal-Mart and most other drugstores is very similar and will only cost you about $6. That sounds a lot better than $30!

Cover Girl Lipstick

I have tried all different brands of lipstick and the Cover Girl Outlast All-Day Lipcolor truly stays on all-day! There are so many different colors to choose from and you will not have to worry about reapplying it during the day. This lipstick will cost you around $6 but will last you a very long time!

Maybelline Mascara

Both Mary Kay and Mac have mascara that will make your eyelashes look amazing. The problem with Mary Kay and Mac mascara is the price! I was so thankful when I found the Maybelline Colossal Volum Express Mascara. This mascara makes your eyelashes look great without the clumpy mess. Best part is you can find it at any drugstore for less than $7 and there are usually coupons available.

Resources:

If you are dead set on using name brand makeup there are ways to do just that at a fraction of the price.

Ipsy is a monthly service that sends you a makeup bag with name brand goodies inside. This monthly service will cost you $10 a month.

Glossy Box is another monthly service that sends high-end makeup right to your door. This service will run you $21 a month but most people say it is worth the cost.

Starlooks will run you $15 a month and sends you full-size makeup every month.