#drugstore dupes

[belladoesmakeup]

Hi guys,

I feel like everyone lately is obsessed with lip balms, peptide lip treats and anything glossy on the lips. I think we’ve all become obsessed thanks to Mrs Hailey Bieber bringing out her own Peptide Lip Treatments in her own skincare brand. As you can imagine lots of brands are creating dupes of this product and I think I found the most affordable dupes. So today we are chatting about the new MUA Hydra-Juice Peptide Lip Balm, £2.00!

Before we carry on, yes I said £2.00!! This blog post is going to be another reason why we need to give drugstore brands more hype. Hailey Bieber's Lip peptide lip balms are £16 which is actually really reasonable given that she could get away with charging more but since they aren't available in the U.K at the moment shipping bumps the costs up a lot. If you aren't familiar with MUA they are an affordable makeup brand that started getting a lot of hype for their quality of products when Makeup Revolution came onto the scene.

Currently there are 6 shades in the MUA range and since they were so affordable I picked up 3 shades. The first shade I picked up was Watermelon Sorbet which is the sheer pink shade. Then I also picked up Caramel Glaze which is a light nude tone and lastly Heartfelt Hun which is a slightly more deeper nude. These lip balms contain Peptides & Vit E, they help to deliver hydration & moisture, reducing the appearance of lip lines & helping stimulate collagen production.

Personally I love the formula of these balms because they are so easy to wear, look really natural on the lips and are very easy to replace when needed. When you look at the shade range compared to the high end collection, they shades are very similar so if like me you wanted to try out lip peptide balms but don't want to spend a lot I really recommend you checking these out. They are available at all MUA counters in Superdrug or online.

As always all products mentioned are linked above.

Lot's of love,

Bella x x

[psychoticscare]

i don’t understand people that constantly purchase stuff at sephora

[bylrndgm]

i think the most canon event as an italian teenager is going to a drugstore and buying one's first tesori d'oriente perfume.

[suicidesiren]

why would you even look at the dior lip oil when these exist? i’m telling y’all this gloss really is viral for a reason. non sticky, hydrating, and they have so many colors and delicious scents. it has such a gorgeous shine and they’re all pretty sheer but leave a tint. i’m really hooked on these ugh new holy grail tbh. the size is great and the applicator is a huge doe foot and it’s so soft

[phinoli]

call me bougie but i don’t like dupes of any luxury brand. to me i want the entire experience—from the packaging to the actual product itself. no hate to anyone who likes dupes or actively tries to find them. they just aren’t for me personally

[asurashi]

I think i just got my hands on a very very good dupe of Good Girl.. for literally 9% of the original perfume price... hoky shit...

[cheekydimplesblog]

I Found The Best Mielle Rosemary Mint Oil Alternative

I Found The Best Mielle Rosemary Mint Oil Alternative

The internet seems to be losing its mind over the Mielle rosemary mint oil that was suggested by some big names in the world of influencers and now it is sold out everywhere. So, I thought why not try to find a dupe of Mielle rosemary mint oil that I can suggest as a worthy alternative for Mielle rosemary mint oil. And guess what I did found it! So if you’re looking for a high-quality hair oil…

[sergle]

Your taste in nail polish and nail art is impeccable, every time you post pictures of your nails they look amazing 😍. What are your favourite nail polish brands? Holo Taco looks amazing but they're a little too expensive for me at the moment. I'm thinking of saving up to get some polishes from ilnp..

AH THANK YOU!! I buy a little from a lot of nail polish brands, I'd say I favor them all for totally different reasons. ILNP is absolutely fantastic so I'd definitely get a sampling from them!! some of their special effect polishes are sheer jellies, so don't expect one-coat opacity, but this trait also means they layer well. their cremes are incredibly opaque, though, and they recently made a one-coat-black (Ink) that is an easy dupe for Holo Taco's polish by that name. Holo Taco absolutely is great, but bc there's a personality attached to the brand, the polishes can be a little overhyped- some of their stuff is really original, but a lot of it can be duped from cheaper brands! The upside to their popularity and the hype is that HT polishes have lots of swatches available, whereas some brands don't actually show you how the colors look on the nail, just a pic of the bottle. Aside from Holo Taco and ILNP, I like: Sally Hansen, Mooncat, ORLY, colorclub, essie, Enchanted Polish, OPI, Rogue Lacquer, I Scream Nails cirque colors, Starrily, and Cadillacquer. some of these are mainstream/drugstore brands, some are indies, but they all have some shades/formulas that I like!!

[isolated-maiden]

beauty on a budget

due to consumerism, several aesthetics/subcultures often promote certain products as “staples” or “necessities.” the idea that some products — especially those at prices not everyone can go out of there way to buy — are needed to belong in a community is stupid. if you would like to engage in the style associated with a specific aesthetic/subculture, but are unable to buy expensive products, here’s a guide you can use!

fashion

thrift stores: an obvious choice for a relatively* cheap price (*relatively because some stores have been raising prices above what usual shoppers are comfortable with)

tips for thrifting: be patient & check every aisle; take glaces at the floor below racks to see if something is being hidden by an employee; keep in mind that you can modify what you buy; wash ALL clothes you buy before adding them to your wardrobe

target/walmart: if you sign up on their apps/websites, you can get access to coupons relating to their clothing departments & learn about sales

skincare + hair

TIP: keep in mind that everyone’s hair type and skin type is different; pay attention to what your hair and skin need

target/walmart: if you sign up on their apps/websites, you can get access to coupons relating to their beauty departments & learn about sales

walgreens/cvs: can be cheaper in comparison to supermarkets; signing up on their apps/websites can give you access to coupons & sales

tjmaxx/ross/marshalls: SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper in comparison to supermarkets & drugstores; contains k-beauty brands

skincare recommendations: cerave, cetaphil, store-brand products

hair recommendations: not your mother’s, dove, suave, ogx, aussi

makeup + nails

target/walmart: if you sign up on their apps/websites, you can get access to coupons relating to their beauty departments & learn about sales

walgreens/cvs: can be cheaper in comparison to supermarkets; signing up on their apps/websites can give you access to coupons & sales

tjmaxx/ross/marshalls: SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper in comparison to supermarkets & drugstores; contains k-beauty brands

makeup recommendations: e.l.f., wet n wild, maybelline, nyx

nail recommendations: KISS nails (each pack comes with a small tube of glue), essie, sally hansen, olive & june

fragrance

TIP: buy a body wash that matches a prominent scent note among you fragrances (ex: vanilla wash for strawberry poundcake and vanilla bean noel)

target/walmart: if you sign up on their apps/websites, you can get access to coupons relating to their beauty departments & learn about sales

bath & body works: a bit pricier, but signing up on their app/website can give access to coupons (XX% off, one product FREE or $X) and sales (all products in this category are $3-5)

tjmaxx/ross/marshalls: have a small fragrance section; either legit or dupes

fragrance recommendations: bodycology, philosophy (clearance store), beloved, dove, tree hut, body fantasies

do NOT use vaginal cleanser: the chemicals used in vaginal cleanser are harsh on the vagina’s PH level; furthermore, the vagina cleanses itself, so don’t waste money on something that harms your body

[belladoesmakeup]

Hi guys,

A few days ago I went on my shopping trip and decided to browse the Makeup Revolution counter because it’s been a hot minute! While I was browsing the counter I saw the most stunning highlighter and honestly think I found a product to give a lot of high end brands a run for their money. Today we are chatting about the Makeup Revolution Beam Bright Highlighter Pink Seduction, £6.99

Makeup Revolution is one of my favourite drugstore brands because it gives you amazing quality at a great price. Anytime I’m in a drugstore I have to shop the counter and recently on blog posts I saw people saying these highlighters were just as pigmented as Rare Beauty. As you can imagine this is a massive claim so I had to find out myself! There are 5 shades in the range but I decided to get Pink Seduction because it’s a stunning soft pink glow. I wasn’t expecting the formula to have an almost iridescent finish so when the light catches, it looks amazing!

Personally I’m a massive fan of the formula because it has this lightweight, high shine finish that doesn’t cake your makeup or show up texture. It’s a flawless formula that blends like a dream and honestly it’s a dupe worth comparing to Rare Beauty because the high shine finish is incredibly similar. So if you’re a highlighter fan you gotta check out this affordable alternative!

As always all products mentioned are linked above.

Lot's of love,

Bella x x

[bitterwaters]

Lacquer Brands

so one day I went to a fugue and wrote a 2000 word essay on nail polish brands

We got four tiers of nail polish brands: overpriced luxury bullshit, drugstore, boutique, and indie. 

Overpriced Luxury Bullshit

Don’t buy these! Just don’t! You’re paying for name, not quality. Chanel charges $32 for an 11 ml creme, the second cheapest polish type there is. That’s ludicrous. Every review I’ve seen of a “high-brand” from a real swatcher has been negative. Fuck ‘em all.

Drugstore

This is every other mainstream brand, whether it’s from CVS, Walmart, or Ulta. Wide range of price and quality. In general, you’ll probably get what you pay for. Sally Hensen Insta-Dry is classic and Acceptably Okay; if you don’t have the patience for a full manicure, just slap some of that on. Look for brands that are 3-free or 5-free--that means that won’t have a few nasty chemicals. Anything over 5 is fake and doesn’t matter.

My preferred drugstore brands:

Zoya: Jellies, glitters, shimmers. Tends to have a very thin formula--leave the cap off for a few minutes to thicken it up.

Orly: Cremes! The absolute best, well-pigmented, buttery smooth cremes. Persistent Memory is my perfect dark red. The bottles are generously sized, they have a nice paddle brush, and I love the big rubberized cap. They’re just really pleasant!

OPI: I only use their matte top coat but I use a lot of it. It’s the best! Get their matte top coat! I’ve seen recs to use their polishes over Essie’s, but I’ve never tried either.

Boutique

Now we’re getting into the Good Shit. There’s a price jump here, but there’s also a huge jump in quality. These are small- to medium-sized online-only businesses with semi-industrial production and ample stock. They’re big enough to ship within a few days. They use a LOT more pigment and glitter than drugstore brands, and have far more variety in finishes.

You might see them on Amazon or Etsy--skip it and go order from their sites instead. Shipping costs the same and you can save up reward points.

Charmed Lacquer: Brand new, recently announced, will open in a week or two. Started by a streamer named Janixa. I’m not familiar, but her followers seem excited enough to check it out.

Cirque Colors: CONTROVERSY! I like Cirque. I have a ton of their polishes. A little pricey, but they have frequent small sales and are high-quality. Best known for the jellies and some really stunning magnetics like Mood Ring and Black Swan (which have since been rampantly duped). So why the controversy?

Mystery bags: idk people get het up about ‘em. I kind of feel like if you gamble on a bunch of polishes you don’t choose, you risk pruglies.

Coronation: This is a purple polish with a red-green shift shimmer pigment called, I shit you not, Unicorn Pee. UP was made unavailable for public sale years ago (the suspicion is that it’s now used in some currency). Cirque keeps finding stashes and re-releasing Coronation. There have been complaints that it’s not the same shade as the original, that it’s over-priced ($18.50 is a LOT for a polish), and the FOMO marketing. It always sells out fast. I have a bottle. It’s okay.

Jaritos: The current teapot tempest. Cirque just put out a Jarito-themed line of jellies that’s FOURTEEN FUCKIN FIFTY a bottle. Their regular jellies are two bucks less because JELLIES ARE CHEAP. They have less pigment than other finishes. Cirque has also been caught editing pics from swatchers. Some of the Jaritos shades are outright dupes of existing Cirque colors--but when Cirque reposted swatcher pics that compared them, they changed things to make them look different. Little shady!

I still got Mxcn Cola

Holo Taco: I don’t go to this school. It seems fine. Owned by a YouTuber with a pretty big following, Simply Nailogical. The brand has devoted followers, but I’ve never been real impressed. I feel like I can get everything they do somewhere else for a buck or two cheaper. Lots of limited-time bundles.

ILNP: MY LOVE! Shimmers, glitters, holos. Their formulas are just fantastic. If you follow lacquer reddits you’ll see a TON of posts featuring Flower Child and Fairy Dust; they aren’t for me but I see why people love them. They’re really good with shimmers--Flicker glows like a candle in a dark window. I also like their flakie toppers and magnetics. You really can’t go wrong with anything from ILNP. 

One of the rare lacquer companies that doesn’t do FOMO. They never remove anything from their line-up. New collections get a 10% discount for a week at release, and they have an annual Black Friday sale.

KBShimmer: They’re pretty good! They don’t get as much love as I think they deserve--probably because they aren’t quite as flashy and highly-marketed as other brands. They also aren’t as heavily pigmented/glittered. Still pretty good though! I really love All Fired Up. They have big 15 ml bottles for only $12, no matter what finish. KBShimmer is a great place to start if you’re just dipping your toe beyond drugstore brands. Pick up their polish thinner (suitable for every brand except Orly) and glitter smoothing top coat. 

Lights Lacquer: Don’t. They have some nice shades, though they tend to be as subdued as drugstore polishes. I was really disappointed by their cremes--the formula isn’t at all self-leveling. That’s just weird in this day and age. And then I found out that black swatchers refuse to work with them because the owner has been openly racist. Her non-apologies did not improve relations. Skip it.

Mooncat: CONTROVERSY! I have over a dozen Mooncat polishes and do love most of them, but it's getting harder to recommend the brand. They specialize in intense shimmer/glitter/holo/flakie/magnetics--all the fancy stuff. They have a few unique polishes that I haven’t seen duped elsewhere. Their formula can be gloopy, especially their flakies; easily fixed by a few drops of thinner. Why controversy?

they’re fukkin expensive bro. Like $15 a bottle. I do feel that you get what you pay for--it’s good stuff. I’ve never been disappointed by a Mooncat. But part of what you’re paying for is brand aesthetic.

they’re fukkin annoying bro. Their site, marketing, and even customer service emails are all lower-case dramatic gothy stuff. Never “nails,” always “claws.”

Their bottles keep shattering. This has happened occasionally in the past, then become more frequent starting in April. Seems like there was some supply change that thinned the glass. Mooncat was also filling about 14 ml instead of the promised 12 ml. Temperature and air pressure changes during shipping started to cause a lot of bottles to break. One person ended up in urgent care to get her hand stitched. Mooncat has promised to make changes and has been quick to refund/replace broken bottles, but there’s still a lot of ill-will simmering in the community. I think we’re past the tipping point--I’m no longer seeing broken bottle posts, just love for their new Power Puff Girls collab--but if you like something, I would wish list and wait another month. That should be enough time to make sure the bottles are safe and the weather has cooled.

Indies

Every single indie nail polish company is one or two people working out of their basement. That is not a joke. They hand-makes every small batch, fill the bottles, pack, and ship by themselves. That’s in addition to designing and testing polishes, and just living their lives. 

That means that if you order from an indie, expect to wait. Most list a turn-around time of up to a month (they usually say 7-21 business days--people read three weeks but it’s a month). That’s padded to give them safety--nearly all will ship within a week, maybe two. But if they get hit with life stuff or a ton of orders, it really can take a while. My longest order took over a month arrive. It was entirely worth it.

Indies tend to have a big focus on fancy finishes. The biggest trend right now is sheer lacquers that are loaded with aurora shimmer. They’re color-shifty and glowy, and a lot of fun. That’s starting to stagnate a bit--every base color/shimmer combination has been done, so a lot of dupes are emerging--but it’s also starting to evolve. I’m seeing more and more shimmers that also have holo, flakes, or reflective glitter. I’m betting we’ll get some thermal shimmers as fall rolls in and temperatures drop.

Indies have some phenomenal variety and creativity. They’re doing the coolest stuff with the most love. Many also rely heavily on FOMO, and some are just plain not open much of the time. Instead, they have monthly or seasonal release windows. They usually drop a new collection and may retire old ones.

How do you keep track? The Reddit Laquerists (sic) Nail Polish Release Calendar. You can also subscribe to brand newsletters--most give a small coupon on your first order. A lot are on Instagram and Facebook.

There are at least two dozen indie brands, and it’s hard to know where to start. I highly recommend Lyn B. Designs. I love her lacquers, absolutely flawless formula. She has big bottles, fast turn-around, and lots of variety. Get her top coat! It’s the best. But most importantly, she has a 50% off code for ALL products every time she launches a new collection. You can get top-quality lacquers for $6 each, and the big top coat refill for $12.50. No brand of any size can match that value. You can either follow her on Facebook for the code or check the calendar on launch day.

Others I like, in no particular order:

Bee’s Knees, Dam, Polished for Days, Great Lakes Lacquers for fantastic shimmers and reflectives. Garden Path and Rogue Lacquers have great flakies. Lurid Lacquer is pretty new, and she’s doing some really interesting things with intense shimmers and color-shifty chromes. Sassy Sauce keeps a small, tidy line-up, but it’s all quality and creative stuff. She’ll also have some nice thermals once October hits--she doesn’t ship them during summer, which I respect. 

Cupcake is kind of a workhorse brand like KBShimmer: nothing too spectacular, but everything is solid and reasonably priced. Likewise, Glisten & Glow isn't too exciting but IS cheap and high-quality. Emily de Molly is Just Good. Drunk Fairy has really nice jellies and cremes. Wildflower Lacquers is closed for rebranding, back 09/06; I don’t have any from her yet but I gotta give props for big bottles, a fan brush, and surviving in Oklahoma. 

Death Valley Nails is a little pricey but they’re doing the weirdest, most absolutely unique shit out there. They’re making polish out of rocks and wildflowers. One looks like the sink after your boyfriend shaves. It’s great.

Clionadh gets some hype but IMO they’re overpriced and overrated. They definitely up the saturation on swatch pics. I’m unimpressed by Femme Fatale’s formula and teeny 9 ml size. Shleee polishes don’t self level at all. Stella Chroma still sells Harry Potter themed polishes and I'm very over that.

But really, the best way to check out indie brands is…

Indie Preorders

There are two big indie collabs every month that work on a pre-order basis: Polish Pickup and Hella Handmade Creations. They open for a week each month and feature unique, one-time only products from a ton of indie brands. They can cause major FOMO. If you feel that might not be healthy for you, stay away! But if you’re okay with the possibility that you may never be able to replace a bottle you finish off, you’ll find some great stuff. They’re an excellent way to explore new brands, and creators get to be a little experimental. PPU has fun monthly themes; HHC doesn’t have a general theme, but many creators do a series of fandom-themed designed. Indie polish creators tend to be pretty nerdy.

If you want to try non-US brands, go to Color4Nails.They’re a stockist that carries several brands, drugstore, boutique, and indie. They also have monthly pre-orders for a few Brazilian brands like Phoenix Indie Polish and Penelope Luz. I find the Brazilian brands to be a little pricey, with smallish bottles and fairly thin consistency, but they’re doing some interesting stuff. I’m pretty consistently impressed with Phoenix; PL less so.

[bunny584]

me and my girlfriends two year anniversary is coming up, she's been into makeup as of recent and I was wondering if there are any good yet affordable brands that you like to use or would recommend for others?

And while we're at it, what's the nicest thing anyone has ever gotten you for an anniversary? What's the worst?

Much love as always girly, hope you've been doing well

Hi little love, happy almost two year anniversary 🥹💕 I love anniversaries almost as much as I love weddings. It’s so warm and mushy and full of love. Proud of you two love birds.

My favorite anniversary gift was a weekend charter to Nantucket. We stayed in the most GORGEOUS East Coast, Blue Blood home on Nantucket Island. Played on the yachts. Watched the sailing races (it was during Figawi weekend) and spent entirely too much time in the bedroom 😅

Worst anniversary gift: he forgot. And I broke up with him. Fair exchange of gifts, yes? (The relationship was a disaster anyway).

Okay, time for girl talk 💋

First and foremost, I’d be a bad bestie if I didn’t hammer home that the underlying skin is the MOST important makeup base. The skincare: retinoid, AHA, moisturizer, SUNSCREEN. And Botox because plastic surgeon and wrinkles are against our religion 🙂‍↕️

Most days I love a good no-makeup-makeup look. So mascara, skin tint (with SPF), a little lippy (balm/mask). I splurge on skin base stuff (Chanel, YSL). So you can dupe everything else.

Best Mascara: Maybelline lash sensational IS HANDS DOWN THE BEST. I look like I’m about to take off the airport runway and it doesn’t clump.

Best lip: Morphe is an excellent dupe brand for expensive liquid and cream lipsticks/stains. You’ll be kissing it off anyway. Don’t waste your money on expensive stuff.

Eyeshadow palettes: COLOURPOP. Omg. For less than 10 bucks there are incredible shades, high pigment, very rich colors. Obsessed.

Blush: literally any strawberry drugstore pigment is fine enough

Happy gift shopping baby 🤍

[recomvery]

Hi, hope you're doing well :)

I was wondering if you had any recommendations for small/inexpensive self care items

Thanks <3

Hello dear ♥︎

Small self care items are the best, because you can always bring them with you and feel like you have some "tools" to cope when you start feeling bad.

♥︎ I like going to the drugstore and picking out the prettiest lipbalm that I am gonna cherish,

♥︎ I like solid soap for the face to use in the shower,

♥︎ I also like to sniff some rose or lavender shower gel/ shampoo and even mix more essential oils (just a few drops) in there at home for a nice aromatheraphy experience in the shower.

♥︎ I like the thick Nivea facecream,

♥︎ I like body lotion with a strong soothing scent.

♥︎ I bought these peppa pig figurines off of Amazon that make the best stim toy ever because you can click their legs and turn their arms and they feel perfect in your hand (just the normal peppa pig figurines with the mom, dad, brother and peppa).

♥︎ I love love love to do a sheet facemask with tea tree oil, that's my favourite sent, also in face creams.

♥︎ I like oversized chunky hoodies to hang out in at home.

♥︎ But my biggest win was buying a stanley cup dupe on Amazon for 22 bucks and making the yummiest drinks that I sip all day long.

I hope this helped ♡

[mountsmase]

I’ve been summoned, I hear you want some makeup recs🤭

I’ll try and give drugstore & high-end so you’ve got some range!!

Concealer - Huda Beauty/ABH Magic Touch for your high end (the coverage is exceptional) but if you want drugstore The Beauty Crop concealer is unreal, and if you want a dupe for like Tarte Shape Tape, the Juvia’s Place concealer is AMAZING!!

Powders - Huda Beauty loose powder is the ONE!! But Charlotte Tillbury pressed powder is also great esp for oily skin! If you want a more drugstore rec, I’d say the Fit Me powder by Maybelline is gorggg although I’ve not used it in ages so I’m not sure if the formula has changed x

If you want recs for anything else, let me know! 🫶🏼🫶🏼

Bestie this is so so helpful thank you so much 🤭

[lemonhemlock]

TALK TO ME ABOUT MAKEUP PLEASE!!! What are your favorite brands? What product can you not like without? What are your everyday makeup go to's in terms of products you reach for and enjoy, which products do you hate? (Thank you for answering the perfume ask, I also love similar scents and elements!!)

OH MY GOD I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ASK

i have been ITCHING to have some constructive conversations about makeup that are not so much about consumption as they are about techniques, artistry and just the joy of bringing different aesthetics to life. but unfortunately none of my girlfriends are into it to the level i am. i'm obsessed!!!! to anyone reading this, don't use me as a role model, but this is where i'm at LOL 😂 it truly is a hobby for me

What are your favorite brands?

in the past i wouldn't have said i had a favourite brand per se, but i've been converted to being a mac girl! as a result of them not really promoting themselves in online spaces i was not exposed to their products and they kind of flew under the radar, even though we do have mac stores here (quite a few, actually). also the price point lol so i much preferred to buy drugstore when i was younger. but, at this point, i have so much stuff already that i am planning to not buy as much in the future and just purchase one or two mac products every couple of months, because they have so many things!

for example, i love love love how all the mac girls combine their lipsticks and liners and honestly the idea of using a cool-toned lip liner or a contrasting shade for definition has been such a game changer in a world where so many makeup-wearers have taken to maintaining this uniform, dull look (sorry zoomers but clean girl makeup is just not that girl she will never be that girl!!). i also love the limited edition lipsticks they brought back for the 40-year anniversary and literally scoured every website & phoned every mac store in town to get my hands on bubbles, haku and fleshpot ☠️they are such unusual shades, like, first of all, i have to say that i love how the really nude fleshpot looks against a dark liner. it's soooo ~alternative and a fun way to reference the 90s. bubbles & haku are so colour-shifting in the light as well, i just keep staring at them sometimes :)) they are definitely not the type of colours i would usually wear and i'm not the biggest fan of frosts either. but you know what? looking back, this y2k trend did, in fact, slay

i also managed to snag the stone lip liner, which is always out of stock, as you know. they are releasing new ones at the end of the month and i have my eyes on 'greige' as an additional cool-toned liner (these are SO hard to find). to top off my collection, i managed to find the makeup forever liners in endless cacao and even whatever black (and, of course) our dependable drugstore girlfriend rimmel cappuccino.

but, to come back to the question of brands, i've always felt that maybelline are such an accessible source of good quality lipsticks on the cheaper side. their lip crayons are legit one of my favourites of all time. so lightweight on the lips and so easy to apply. the shade 'lead the way' is the best possible charlotte tillbury pillow talk dupe. the superstay vinyl ink liquid lipsticks are also quite good. the superstay MATTE inks will /not/ budge and probably survive the apocalypse if that's your thing. they have a wide selection of everything you might want, but i feel like the lips is where they are truly excellent

other brands from which i've purchased a lot are essence/catrice. similarly, they have a wide range of products of decent quality that you buy at a lower price point. i don't know about their foundations or powders, but i've bought lip liners, lipsticks, nail polishes, highlighters, blushes and they've all been more than fine

i should mention nyx here as well, as they often have cool stuff that goes viral. VERY good source of lip liners. the fixing spray is also very good. would not buy eyeshadow from them though. i did once and it was very patchy and all the purples looked gray and you couldn't really tell the colours apart. as far as eye palettes are concerned, my collection is mainly from urban decay and colourpop

What product can you not live without?

oooooooffff many! 😂 but, if i was in an absolute hurry, i suppose i would have to say concealer. i have dark circles and if, i just had to put one thing on my face, i would have to be practical and choose that instead of something more unhinged. :)) i'm currently using a cream concealer and realised, at my big age, that, if you apply it with a special concealer brush, you can use way less product and get better coverage 🤦 this technique is also a lot more effective at covering any pimples. before this i was using the same sponge i use for foundation application and was always left wanting. ☠️

What are your everyday makeup go to's in terms of products you reach for and enjoy,

for someone who has a lot of stuff (mainly lipsticks, liners and eyeshadows, to be honest), i have a lot of staple products as well that i don't really mess with and keep repurchasing. it's simplified my life a lot because i don't have the energy to keep trying makeup in every single category :))

the COTY airspun loose face powder - there is a lot of product in one unit (35g) and, since i have oily skin, i go through a lot, but one box of this lasts me a few months, which is amazing. before this i was using the fenty loose powder, but it's a lot more expensive and has less product

the MAC extra dimension blush, shade 'into the pink'. i've had this for two years, used it constantly and just managed to hit a little bit of pan. it's life-changing. finally, i had found a cool-toned blush. perfect for everyday and you do not have to think too much when applying because the colour doesn't build up like crazy to make you look like you've been stung by a bee

the essence liquid ink eyeliner. this thing is so cheap, lasts forever and does not smudge. idek how many of them i've used up over the years

the essence lash princess in green. i'm so pretentious about mascara and could never find one that didn't clump. this one is the best i've tried so far.

the rimmel brow this way crayon in the shade 'blonde'. like with mascara, i NEVER liked my eyebrow pencils, the shades were always off somehow, darker than i needed. this is legit the only one that is the exact colour of my brows and fits seamlessly. i go through these constantly. recently, out of curiosity, i've purchased a similar-looking tube, the alverde brow stick in the shade 04 macchiato (for my DM girlies!) and it seems to be doing the same job. relieved to know i have a backup if rimmel ever discontinue theirs!

the urban decay matte fixing spray. this is a holy grail for a reason. it's getting increasingly more difficult to find in my country though. also, i will have to put this under the microscope bc lately it felt a bit powdery on my skin so it's either i didn't shake it enough, they changed the formula or my combination-oily ass face is acting up again

i use these every time i put makeup on, except the mac blush and the urban decay fixing spray, but even so, i use those two very often. they've become regulars in my routine, but they're not the most exciting products (except the mac blush. that is such a pretty shade). but, for fun, i'm very much a glitter and highlighter person 😂 i recently, finally, bought some of the kaleidos highlighters and they truly are incredible in the way they catch the light and how the colours shift when you move. so those are what i'd label the products i look forward to the most atm, along with haku, bubbles, fleshpot and stone

which products do you hate?

so, no matter how much i try, i just cannot get along with lipgloss. unless i'm going to bed! then when i wake up it has done its magic and my lips are a little less dry and chapped 😂 but as a daytime product, it just gets everywhere, it's very sticky and smudgy and i don't like having to constantly check my lips in the mirror to fix it. just a major hassle overall. likewise with lipsticks that are too glossy and never stay in one place. lip oils? why.

i've also had the misfortune to purchase some foundations i really fucking hate and i have been painstakingly trying to finish them (i have a high chance of finishing two of them this autumn), as i don't really like to waste product. the MUP liquid waterproof foundation is way too thick and cakey and the shiseido revitalessence skin glow is way too liquid and patchy. formulation-wise, these products are the exact opposite but both of them turn me into an oil bath lol

i also don't like cream blushes, highlighters or bronzers. i have oily skin and have to set with powder, so it would be an extra hassle for me to make sure these products can still be seen after i apply the powder. i saw that some people set them with the powder versions of the same product, but that just sounds like extra steps to me and just an excuse to hoard even more products and complicate the routine even more

speaking of blushes and bronzers, cool-toned makeup is just so hard to find in general, everything is orange and peach these days. i have been really contemplating some products i've accumulated mindlessly over the years and i'm going to have to declutter a lot of my blushes and bronzers because they just make me look crazy. they are either way too orange or dark or hyper pigmented. i am very pale and do not tan so i really much prefer either just straight up taupe or pinkish blushes. here i really have to recommend c-, j- or k-beauty because there you can find these tones exactly and i can finally wear some flattering shades 😂

and, i have to say, erin parsons and not_another_hanna on TT, who like wearing cool-toned makeup on the regular, are absolute queens and have such a distinctive, stand-out style. you can tell they don't really care about looking conventional and really appreciate the artistry of playing with colours and formulas in interesting ways

i'm including this handy collage to illustrate the kind of looks i'm into atm ✨

(Thank you for answering the perfume ask, I also love similar scents and elements!!)

i'm glad to hear it!! birds of a feather, no? 🫶