The best drugstore makeup products can absolutely rival their more expensive counterparts—but finding them can also be like searching a needle in a haystack with floor-to-ceiling shelves of seemingly limitless options.
Many of us have a certain nostalgia for pilfering through affordable makeup products, as for many of us, the drugstore is the first place we frequint from to build up our beauty arsenal. There’s no reason to stop or outgrow affordable products, especially when they hit all of the significant checklist items: long-wearing, highly pigmented, easily blended, and budget-friendly.
Compiled through a process of first-hand testing, crowd-sourcing opinions from beauty-enthusiast friends, and undeniably viral products that TikTokers just can’t get enough of, we’ve narrowed it down to a refined list of the 15 best drugstore makeup holy grails for eyes, lips, and face.
Vogue’s Favorite Drugstore Makeup
In This Story
Best Brow Gel: Ardell Brow Glue
- Why We Love It: There are few brow gels that can live up to the hold of Ardell’s brow glue. Professional makeup artists El DeBratto and Kelly Howard agree, and reach for this unassuming yet high-impact brow gel regularly for clients with extra stubborn brows—but it’s still a great choice no matter how thick or sparse your brow hairs might be thanks to a blend of glycerin and panthenol that keep them soft and supple in their groomed shape. Plus, this vegan and cruelty free product has a nifty tool that comes with it: a double-sided spoolie with flat bristles to help comb brush hairs into place, with no pilling left behind.
- Best For: A long-wearing, laminated brow look.
- Shades: 1
Best Primer: E.l.f. Power Grip Primer
- Why We Love It: When you witness countless videos on TikTok with beauty influencers quite literally sticking the actual bottle of this product to their face like felt to velcro, it’s hard to deny its grip. Aloe vera, glycerin, and hemp-derived cannabis sativa seed oil blend together with polythene to create the product’s viral-worthy stickiness. Lauded as the ultimate long-wearing drugstore primer, the gel-based texture is safe for sensitive skin thanks to its fragrance-free and non-comedogenic formulation powered by hyaluronic acid.
- Best For: Prepping your skin to ensure that your makeup stays put—no matter what.
- Shades: 2
Best Skin Tint: L’Oréal Paris True Match Nude Hyaluronic Tinted Serum
- Why We Love It: A drugstore take on a skincare-makeup hybrid, this tinted serum is formulated with 1% hyaluronic acid to deeply moisturize skin. Meanwhile, mineral pigments reflect light, blurring the appearance of imperfections for for semi-sheer coverage. “This provides a beautiful glowy finish with buildable to light coverage,” explains Howard, describing L’Oréal’s tinted serum as both a win and a steal. “It’s a triple threat providing serum-like benefits, sun protection for the face, and complexion coverage in one price.”
- Best For: Normal to dry skin types in need of a dose of hydrating lightweight complexion coverage.
- Shades: 14
Best Concealer: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Multi-Use Concealer
- Why We Love It: This super creamy medium-coverage concealer will cover dark circles, hyperpigmentation, and unwanted acne spots. Despite its high-powered imperfection-covering abilities, the star ingredient glycerin makes for a surprisingly lightweight, serum-like feel.
- Best For: Medium, buildable coverage with a lightweight feel
- Shades: 16
Best Powder Blush: NYX Buttermelt Blush
- Why We Love It: In the market for a vibrant blush? NYX won’t disappoint with its new transfer and fade-resistant powder formula. Aside from the cheeky puns from NYX, which say this blush’s texture is “smooth like butta,” the formulation is powered by mango, almond butter, and shea butters for smooth application, easily blended and resistant against dreaded patchiness. This 2024 launch offers 12 gorgeous shades with an option for various skin tone, including a bright fuschia that would look gorgeous on deep complexions alongside the more classic baby pinks and peaches.
- Best For: Those looking for a Sabrina Carpenter-inspired bold blush look on a budget.
- Shades: 12
Best Mascara: Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect
- Why We Love It: A favorite of professional makeup artist Britty Whitfield thanks to this mascara’s unreal payoff, she jokes that her clients’ lashes “hit the ceiling” with just a few swipes of Essence’s viral volumizing drugstore mascara. The conically shaped fiber brush helps separate lashes (even the hard to reach inner corner hairs) to avoid clumping caused by excess product application. The result? dramatic curl, length, and volume for an instant falsies effect.
- Best For: Anyone who wants to mimic the look of falsies.
- Shades: 2
Best Eyeshadow Palette: ColourPop Nude Mood Shadow Palette
- Why We Love It: ColourPop truly dominates the eyeshadow game with its unbeatable combination of affordability and stunning color payoff. The cruelty-free brand’s Nude Mood palette is a total must-have, offering a mix of warm, neutral shades that range from silky mattes to subtle shimmers—perfect for creating every eye look from soft and natural to bold and smoky. And the best part? You can snag this for under $15.
- Best For: Any eye look from simple, soft glam to elaborate smokey eyes.
- Shades: 8 eyeshadow pans
Best Brightening Setting Powder: Maybelline Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder
- Why We Love It: Setting powders are one of the secrets (along with primer and setting spray) to keeping your hard-earned beauty artistry in place all day long. Maybelline’s Loose Setting Powder does precisely that, delivering a flawless finish with its mineral-based formula. Its light-reflecting properties brighten up undereyes and keep oily skin at bay. Providing up to 12 hours of wear, you can go about your day with confidence, knowing your makeup is locked in.
- Best For: With your favorite powder puff or makeup sponge, apply to set your concealer and brighten the appearance of under eyes, and keep your T-zone free from any unwanted shine.
- Shades: 8
Best Lipstick: Revlon ColorStay Suede Ink
- Why We Love It: Revlon’s soft matte lipstick features a built-in primer formulated with vitamin E to keep lip pigment from drying out—so just as the name implies, your lips will be hydrated and the color will stay put. The vegan formulation was made without any insect-derived pigments (often used for classic red tones) and boasts up to 8 hours of wear. Simply swipe on your lipstick at the start of the day, then perhaps touch up before jetting off to happy hour drinks after work. Sip away—there won’t be any smudgy lipstick stain left behind on your glass!
- Best For: A transfer-proof pout
- Shades: 18
Best Cream Blush: Milani Cheek Kiss
- Why We Love It: This ultra-creamy blush offers a buildable, non-sticky formula that delivers a vibrant wash of color while nourishing your skin. Infused with antioxidant-rich pomegranate and rose extracts, it not only moisturizes dry skin but also creates a naturally beautiful flush of color. Whether you apply it with your fingers for a seamless blend or use your favorite flat brush for precision, this blush is versatile and effortless. Oh, and as a bonus, it can double as a lip balm.
- Best For: A creamy vibrant blush look, that pairs well with a powdered blush on top.
- Shades: 4
Best Contour: E.l.f. Halo Glow Contour Beauty Wand
- Why We Love It: Oh, the woes of finding a cool-toned contour that sculpts your face rather than creates a sun-kissed bronze glow. E.l.f. cracked the code for a drugstore contour that stands up to its pricier competitors, with five shades covering fair to deep complexions. The user-friendly cushion tip wand allows for easy application, dispensing just the right amount of buildable product, with the added benefit of skin-loving squalene starring in the formula.
- Best For: High-performing cheek and jawline sculpting that won’t hurt your wallet.
- Shades:
Best Lip Liner: Maybelline Lifter Liner
- Why We Love It: A combination of hyaluronic acid and jojoba oil are the two reasons Maybelline’s lip pencil glides on with ease and stays in place for hours. The two skin-loving ingredients add slip to prevent tugging while keeping lips moisturized to avoid flaking or patchy fading. With 10 shades from neutral to bold, take your pick to give your lips a bit of oomph for a poutier result.
- Best For: Perfectly pouty lips
- Shades: 10
Best Lip Stain: NYX Lip I.V. Hydrating Gloss Stain
- Why We Love It: Say you love a glossy lip but need something more hydrating. NYX’s Lip I.V. wraps all the benefits of a lip gloss, stain, and oil into one product, promising up to 12 hours of wear and hydration. The secret behind the extra dose of hydration is a blend of ingredients like magnesium, vitamin B12, and coconut water, all rich in vitamins that act as humectants to prevent dryness. Unlike traditional glosses or balms, once the wet finish fades, this NYX lippie will leave behind a gentle flush of color so your lips won’t be left undone with one wipe or sip.
- Best For: Glossy, hydrated lips with a flush of color.
- Shades: 16
Best Setting Spray: Milani Make It Last Setting Spray
- Why We Love It: Sure, there are plenty of drugstore setting sprays out there, but Milani’s stands out as one of the best you can score. Packed with glycerin, this viral setting spray gives your skin a dewy, refreshed finish while keeping your makeup locked in place—no creasing or flaking in sight for up to 24 hours of wear. Plus, niacinamide fights against unwanted pore clogging from long days of wearing a full face beat.
- Best For: Spritzing your finished makeup look, as the final step to make sure it lasts throughout the day and night.
- Shades: N/A
What are the best drugstore makeup brands?
While the pros often have makeup kits packed with prestige products, they all agree: don’t discount the drugstore makeup category. Professional makeup artist Kelly Howard offers a straightforward approaching for overcoming choice paralysis in the stacked beauty aisles: sticking to a tried and true brand. “For my beauty baddies on a budget, L’Oréal has always been that girl,” says Howard. (She adds that the brand’s skin tint is a go-to for her own everyday makeup.) And while not all drugstore beauty brands are billed as vegan or clean, you can still find cruelty-free options in NYX, E.l.f., and Milani.
How To Choose the Best Drugstore Makeup Products:
The pros suggest thinking less about the brand and more about the product’s benefits. For mascaras, professional makeup artist Nicole Bueno argues the wand’s shape is of equal importance to the formula itself. “Mascara wands matter! If your lashes are on the shorter side, you’ll want a wand with shorter bristles to avoid a messy application and get into the root of the lash,” explains Bueno. “Though, if you are one of God’s favorites and have been blessed with long, luscious lashes, you should have no problem with a longer bristled wand.” Professional makeup artist Saisha Beecham advises taking a closer look at packaging for buzzwords that give you insight into the formulation. “Look for key words like, non-flaking, non-smudging, and long wear to get the best results for all day wear,” Beecham tells Vogue.
Beyond mascara, Howard suggests looking out for skin-loving ingredients to help boost the texture and efficacy of products. Lastly, when all else fails, crowd-sourcing opinions or watching quick makeup tutorials and reviews on social media can help provide clarity, giving a virtual “preview” of products before adding them to your cart.
Meet The Experts
- Kelly Howard is a Los Angeles based professional and editorial makeup artist whose worked with brands including Smashbox, Savage X Fenty, and more.
- Britty Whitfield is a celebrity makeup artist, groomer, and esthetician whose clients include Tinashe, Queen Latifah, and Joan Smalls.
- El DeBratto is a non-binary New York-based editorial makeup artist whose clients include Coco Rocha, Flower Beauty, Kristen Ess, and Glamour Magazine.
- Nicole Bueno is a celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Mariah Carey, Michelle Williams, Danai Gurira, Laverne Cox, Leyna Bloom, and more.
- Saisha Beecham is a celebrity makeup artist, hairstylist, and groomer whose clients include Tarajii P. Henson, Sanaa Lathan, and Sheryl Lee Ralph.
