Most of us don’t start our beauty experimentation at a department store counter. The prices there don’t let you play as much, and I discovered in my teens that drugstore beauty products can be extremely effective and affordable. When I started my first minimum wage job at the New York Public Library my paycheck was often spent on Cover Girl & Maybelline.

Although now I am older, there are still a lot of really great, affordable, and widely available beauty products that I cannot live without. I can spend just as many hours perusing the beauty aisles of Target or CVS as I do at the department store counters, MAC, or Sephora.

Lashing Out

Drugstore Mascara: Cover Girl Lash Blast
My very favorite drugstore mascara, hands down, is Cover Girl’s Lash Blast. It’s available at Target, Wal-Mart, and pretty much every drugstore nationwide. Why do I like this the best? While I have long, thick, black lashes, they tend to be lighter on the ends and fade into oblivion. Lash Blast beefs ‘em up and gives a great boost of color. My lashes look like they are about 8 miles (slight exaggeration) long! The best is that I don’t need to use several coats, and a light stroke to the lashes lets me have just a natural bit of color, but applying full force means you can see my lashes from space. At about $8, it’s an affordable treat.

Department Store Mascara: DiorShow by Christian Dior
Available at department stores and Sephora, DiorShow by Christian Dior will run you about $24. Consider it like investment piece; it’s the black peep-toes of your makeup wardrobe. Like my favorite drugstore mascara, this one is effortless. It gives you length, volume, and color – without clumping or making you look like you glued spiders to your face (gross).

Get Stranded

Drugstore Shampoo/Conditioner: John Frieda Brilliant Brunette
I just love John Frieda’s Brilliant Brunette or Sheer Blonde. It runs about $6 each per bottle, but I love the way it moisturizes, shines, and plays up my highlights (whether or not I am brunette or kind of blonde that week). I have sensitive skin, and I noticed that this does not irritate my skin at all, which is always a plus. I also notice my hair seems to get less sun and styling damage.

Salon Shampoo/Conditioner: Kerastase Reflection Bain Miroir #2 Shampoo & Conditioner
For salon products, I have to go with Kerastase Reflection Bain Miroir # 2 shampoo and conditioner. Since I have been coloring my hair the past few years, I’ve noticed my hair gets damaged more easily and can sometimes get frizzy, which it never does naturally! I love Kerastase Reflection because it gives my hair back its shine and healthy appearance. Although it’s about $28 a bottle, which means I use it a lot more sparingly!

Drugstore Styling: John Frieda Frizz-Ease Straight Fixation
If I am going to blow dry my hair, I have to have John Frieda’s Frizz-Ease Straight Fixation smoothing cream. My hair is naturally straight, but like I said, coloring combined with sun and other environmental factors tends to dry out my hair a little bit. When I use this before drying my hair, I get a great finish and it looks as healthy as my hair does when I don’t color it, which is always a plus. This will run you about $7.

Salon Styling: Tigi S Factor Heat Defender Flat Iron Shine Spray
To finish off my look, I always use Tigi S Factor Heat Defender Flat Iron Shine Spray. While I never use a flat iron, I spray this onto my palms 1-2 times and then carefully run my fingers through my hair to get a shiny salon finish. It’s not priced too extravagantly at $22 a bottle and I find that it lasts a long time!

Solid Foundations

Drugstore Foundation: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Foundation
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Foundation is my absolute favorite! I love Neutrogena products in general as they seem to work really well on my sensitive skin. This foundation will set you back about $12, which isn’t bad considering it lasts a long time. It provides a good amount of coverage but goes on relatively light and doesn’t get all caked up. I feel like my skin looks and stays clear when I use this, and best of all it contains antioxidants and it is SPF 20.

Department Store Foundation: Clinique Superbalanced Makeup
Back to my sensitive skin issues! I am totally a Clinique girl, and I love their Superbalanced Makeup (about $20). It’s a liquid foundation that provides oil-free coverage. It moisturizes and absorbs oil where needed and gives me moderate coverage that doesn’t get cakey or make lines on my skin. I love that Clinique.com has a foundation matcher that helps you choose the ideal foundation for your skin type, tone, and lifestyle.

Powder Puff Girl

Drugstore Powder/Bronzer: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Blends
I am going to pick Neutrogena’s Healthy Skin Blends again! I use either the Translucent Oil Control Powder or the Natural Radiance Bronzer in Sunkissed (or I mix them together). They retail for about $11 apiece, and they don’t settle into fine lines or make me breakout.

Department Store Powder/Bronzer: Clinique True Bronze Pressed Powder Bronzer
I love Clinique’s (surprise, surprise!) True Bronze Pressed Powder Bronzer, also in Sunkissed. It’s about $23.50, but it gives me lightweight and natural color. I also use a Clinique powder, Almost Powder Makeup SPF 15 in Neutral, $22.50. I like that it gives my makeup a flawless finish, and I know that I can depend on Clinique to keep my skin from getting irritated. Because my skin is so sensitive, I get attached to products I know will work without any problems!

Shiny Kisses

Drugstore Lip Gloss: Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss
I like Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss, it comes in a variety of shades and doesn’t get all sticky, which is a plus. I am sick of getting strands of my hair stuck to my lips. Some of the shades are a little glittery, but it works great alone or combined with lipstick. About $8.

Department Store Lip Gloss: MAC Tinted Lipglass
My very favorite department store lip gloss is MAC’s tinted Lipglass. It comes in over 35 colors and retails for about $14. This is the one tinted lip gloss that I think is foolproof! It’s impossible for me to mess it up. I wear it alone, or over just a lip pencil or even lipstick. You can apply as much or as little you want, depending on how much color you desire.

For me, I love knowing that I can get great products in a variety of price ranges. My makeup bag contains everything from Cover Girl and Revlon to MAC and Clinique. I like to mix and match products, and no matter where I am, I am always on the lookout for new products and shades! What are some of your favorite drugstore or department store beauty products?