My Top 5 Drugstore Picks

1.   L.A. Girl Pro Conceal

These are some of the best drugstore concealers I’ve ever tried! They come in a number of shades ranging from porcelain to deep dark shades, and, also include color correctors. In the US, they range between $3 and $5 and here in S.A. we pay around R70.00 for them at our local drugstore (Dischem). I am totally and utterly in love with these as they are high-medium to full-coverage, are super creamy, and blend out like a dream with sponges or brushes. My go-to shades for my make-up routine are the following: Orange colour corrector, Pure Beige (for highlighting) and Espresso (for contouring). The brush tip applicator also makes it easy to apply and because it’s so precise, it allows you to place the product exactly where you want it.

2.   NYX Pigment – Ultra-Pearl Mania

Although NYX has been slaying the drugstore scene for a while now, South Africa just started stocking them around last year. The brand is pretty affordable and has some really great products. However, the one standout product for me are their pigments. Early this year I was a Clicks and picked up the pigment in the shade Sky Pink on sale. These pigments are multipurpose products. They can be used as an eyeshadow or a highlighter. Being warm toned, it’s sometimes difficult to wear pink highlights, but, this shade complemented my skin tone beautifully and I have not been able to stop wearing it! It retails in the US for around $6 and I picked it up on sale here for approximately R50.00. By the way, they are blinding!

3.   Wet n Wild Liquid Catsuit

Wet n Wild has been consistently getting better with every product that they put out. But their catsuits (liquid lipsticks) have changed the game! They are ridiculously cheap and are top quality. They are pigmented from the first swipe, dry down matte, they are not drying on the lips and wear ALL DAY LONG! Although we don’t have the full shade range in South Africa we do have a decent amount of shades, and after trying the first one, I knew I needed them all! They retail for $5 and R99.00 in South Africa.

 

4.   Maybelline Fit Me Foundation – Matte and Poreless

This has been around forever and only hit SA late last year. We were dreaming of the day it hit our shelves and when it did, everyone was lining up to get their shade. For the longest time, it was hard to find a good matte long-wearing foundation that’s budget friendly. But, when I tried the fit me foundation, I knew I had found the one! Being on the normal-to-dry side of life, sometimes matte foundations are harsh on my skin and can show texture and dryness, but this one doesn’t. It maintains the matte look, but my skin still looks healthy and hydrated. It also wears very long and looks good all day long! It retails for $7.99 and R99.00. The only downside is that here in South Africa we don’t get the glass bottle, rather a plastic tube. But the plastic tube packaging does have its advantages: it’s extremely travel friendly and it’s perfect to pop in your weekender and go!

5.   Essence Matt Blush

I am not a blush girl! I have been wearing ‘proper’ make up since I was 15 and I never wore blush until this year. I was browsing the essence stand at my local drugstore and came across this blush. I spotted the shade ‘Its Berry Time’ and swatched it. It was STUNNING! I instantly picked it up and decided to give it a try. When I finally got around to using it, I was blown away. It is pigmented and super flattering for my skin tone. I am now addicted to using it and can rock it plain when I’m feeling the matte vibes or use a shimmery blush topper for a slightly more dewy and glam look! It retails for around R39.99. I’m not too sure about the US retail price.

These are all from either Dischem or Clicks in South Africa. I hope you guys have enjoyed reading about my favorite drugstore must haves and I’d love it if you’d let me know what your drugstore favorites are too!