Drugstore Beauty Products You Need, Stat
Nowadays, great skincare and makeup products are not hard to find, nor do they have to be pricey! It is a great time for all things beauty, with a plethora of life-changing formulations to choose from, swatch, try, test, buy, and hoard.
As we beauty lovers stay hungry for the best of the best, hundreds of new, promising products find their way to the drugstore shelves with the aim of finding their way onto our own makeup and skincare arsenals. With so many to choose from, where do we even begin? We ask three industry-established makeup professionals what their top three drugstore beauty buys were and what’s to love about them. Read on to see their favorite picks and excuse us while we make a beauty run! Happy shopping!
1. Xeng Zulueta's Picks
Clients: Maggie Wilson, Katrina Tantoco-Lobregat
1. Mumuso Hyaluronic Acid Cleansing Foam: “Possibly the best foaming facial wash. I never leave home without it. Have one at home and one for when I travel/go out of town.” What’s to love? “I love that it’s Asian skincare, affordable, feels fresh and freshens up the complexion but it doesn’t strip my oily skin.”
PRO TIP: Massage the foam as you apply onto face, allowing the wash to rinse clean. The hyaluronic acid content leaves skin feeling plumper, softer, and more hydrated once you finish cleansing.
2. Garnier Miracle Anti-Fatigue Sleep Cream and the Eye Serum: “I know several brands of sleep cream but this is the only brand I know that is specifically anti-fatigue. You put it on before you sleep and then when you wake up, it looks like you have had 8-9 hours of sleep.”
PRO TIP: Need an instant lift while you’re on the go? Try dabbing a bit during the day onto areas that need it. “It actually lifts and makes the skin look plump!”
3. Vice Cosmetics Bullet Lipsticks: “Swipe it on at the start of the day and it’s still there midday. Hands down, the best bullet lipstick in the Philippines.”
PRO TIP: Can’t pick a shade? Xeng recommends being fearless with your choices. “I like all the bold colors. My go to shade is Ka-Vogue.”
READ: This Is The Long-Lasting Lipstick Heart Evangelista Swears By!
2. Cats del Rosario
Clients: Patty Ang, Bea Tantoco-Reyes
1. Maybelline Volum Express in Waterproof Black: “Maybelline is known worldwide for having one of the best formulations for reasonably priced mascaras. I need to stress out that I always just buy waterproof. As a professional makeup artist, we toss mascaras every 3-4 months. (Yes ladies, all makeup products have a specific lifespan before it expires!) Unfortunately, mascaras are one of the fastest to expire and harbor bacteria from daily usage.”
PRO TIP: Avoid pumping in and out the spoolie (brush wand) when you want to get more product out from the tiny tube. This causes more bacteria growth! Instead, swirl the spoolie on the sides of the tube.
2. NYX Eyebrow Marker: “It’s a pen-type marker, long-lasting, but not waterproof. If you make a mistake, it’s easy to remove by just using your fingers, sponge, cotton buds—no need for makeup remover! This is what makes it so perfect for people on the go. Mine lasts the whole day with no retouch. They have two shades, medium and deep.”
PRO TIP: “I usually use 3 products for my eyebrows. NYX Medium (lighter shade) for the inner part of my eyebrows and blended with a spoolie, then NYX Deep (darker shade) for defining the bottom, top, and tip, but starting from the mid part of each brow. Then, brush every hair upwards with a clear mascara to give this polished but natural looking brows.”
3. BYS Contour Stick: “I have yet to actually use it for its purpose (to contour the face) but I always use it as a base eyeshadow or sometimes on its own. I love how it glides seamlessly on the eyelids and I feel the color is pretty universal for us Asians and even Caucasians. It’s my go to eyeshadow base for natural looking makeup. It also holds and acts as my primer for lids and keeps other eyeshadows in place for hours!”
PRO TIP: To avoid creases due to our eyes’ natural oils, always top it off with eyeshadow (either powder or pigment) to set it in place.
READ: It May Be Raining, But You Still Need Your SPF!
3. John Pagaduan
Client: Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Joey Mead-King, Lauren Reid
1. Vaseline Petroleum Jelly: “They have the little one that comes in 5 different flavors. For myself, I use this one I use for my lips. I’ve tried other lip balms but this one hydrates my lips for a long time—leaving it soft and supple.”
PRO TIP: Did you know you could highlight cheekbones with this classic beauty product? It’s a super easy and a super budget friendly way to get glowing skin. Just dab a bit of petroleum jelly on your cheekbones for a natural, dewy finish.
2. K-Palette Eyebrow Liner: This cult Japanese brand is known for its waterproof, sweatproof, and smudgeproof formulas and their well-loved eyebrow liners. Beyond lasting all day, the new formula also nourishes and conditions with beauty essences. “I love how it can draw fine hair like strokes on the brows” Another plus? “It’s super long wearing!”
PRO TIP: Use the flat tip to define brows easily then use the translucent ink to gradually darken the brows for a very natural look.
READ: Jasmine Curtis-Smith’s Simple But Luxurious Skincare Picks
3. Simple Micellar Water and Wipes: The most awarded product from Simple thoroughly cleanses skin of impurities, boosts skin hydration by 90%, and is formulated with triple purified water, and vitamins B3 and C. “Very helpful! I always want to put make up on a clean face. This product removes makeup instantly and respects the skin’s natural moisture at the same time.”
PRO TIP: Another use for micellar water? Clean your makeup brushes! Because the formula is made to get rid of dirt and oil, it also works to clean and get rid of all the buildup on your makeup brushes.
Lead photos via @matteprojects and @intothegloss
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