Department Store & Drugstore Makeup

Lots of you who follow my Instagram posts see that I like mentioning my favorite makeup product of the moment. I wanted to share some of my long-time favorites, from both the department store and drugstore!

I would love to hear what your must-have products are right now! Leave me a comment below, and I will give them a try.

Clarin's Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector ($25) is an awesome gloss to wear alone or to pair on top of your favorite lipstick. This NYX Butter Gloss ($4.99) in the shade Creme Brûlée is a creamy gloss that softens the lips but adds just a hint of color. But both are great to transition any look from day to night with a little extra sheen.

A good lip color can pull any look together. The Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche ($26) lipstick in the shade Meringue is the perfect creamy, peachy nude. But when I'm going for a sleek, matte look, I reach for the NYX Matte Lipstick ($5.99) in Couture, a super pigmented pinky nude.

We would all love to wake up with flawless blemish-free skin and perfectly even-toned under eyes - but that's rarely the case, is it? Thank goodness for concealer! This Urban Decay Naked Weightless Complete Coverage ($28) is definitely a favorite among bloggers and makeup artists - and for good reason. But I also love this drugstore find. Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind ($8.99) is my go-to when I need a quick cover job or want to refresh my under eye area.

A good concealer is nothing without a great powder to keep it in place. Laura Mercier's Secret Brightening Powder ($25) is transparent and weightless, so there is no heavy, cakey mess after applying. Recently, I've been using the Frends Beauty RCMA No Color Powder ($12). Some of my beauty YouTuber friends are obsessed with this is super-fine setting powder. Plus, it's a good fit for every skin tone.

Foundations are my OBSESSION, and my two favorites could not be any more different. My department store fave is the La Prairie Skin Caviar Concealer + Foundation ($220). It has a full but natural looking coverage, and it is actually infused with caviar extracts, which can help lift and firm skin. I also love a long-wear foundation that can give a boost of radiance when I need it, which is why I regularly go back to the Bourjois Healthy Mix Extension Serum ($19.99).

Now that summer is winding down, most of us will need a little pop of color to keep a summer sun-kissed glow throughout the fall. Chanel's Soleil Tan de Chanel ($50) and Too Faced's Sun Bunny Natural Bronzer ($30) give that "just returned from the beach" luminosity.  

Every girl needs a flush of color on the cheekbones. The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush ($38) is a soft plum color for a natural glow. My drugstore favorite is the Physicians Formula Powder Palette Multi-Colored Custom Blush Ultra Glam Bombshell Glow ($12.99) - now say that 5 times fast! I love this blush because each shade is crafted to complement your hair color, so (of course!) my shade is blonde.

The bold brow trend is in, and it's here to stay. I prefer an ultra-fine tipped pencil to get that well-defined look. Both the Dior Diorshow Brow Styler ($29) and L'Oreal's Brow Stylist Definer ($8.99) have the retractable tip that I love and the perfect little spoolie for softening hair-like strokes.

Choosing a signature eye shadow color is difficult! Experimenting with shadow combinations is the easiest way to change my whole look. But if I had to pick a daily favorite, I would go with a cool, red-plum-brown shade, like this Mac Eye Shadow ($16) in Folie or this Ulta Eyeshadow ($7) in Eggplant. 

I don't wear eyeliner every day, but when I really want to pump up a smokey look, I reach for a well-defined, long-lasting eyeliner. The Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen ($56) has a calligraphy tip, which makes for a super precise and fluid line. I also like the Maybelline Waterproof Liquid Liner ($7.99), which stays put for hours without fading. 

Last, but certainly not least, an absolute staple in my makeup routine is mascara. I refuse to leave my house without it! When I'm feeling demure and looking for instant volume, I go for my Chanel Le Volume de Chanel ($32). If the goal is long, dramatic lashes, I reach for the L'Oreal Voluminous Volume Building Mascara ($8.49).


xo

Colleen