With the summer in full swing, our cash seems to be dwindling due to constant rooftop bar outings, road trips and summer concerts. This results in less frequent trips to our favorite designer beauty counter to buy the latest $200 night cream (sigh...). Lucky for us, when it comes to beauty, quality doesn’t have to mean quantity. With all the amazing drugstore brands out there, we can still get great results in every department, all while saving our cash for some summer fun. We rounded up the newest “it” drugstore products (all under $30!) that work wonders without breaking the bank.
Have the urge to splurge on a relaxing spa day but don’t have the green to fund it? Sit back, relax and place these soothing and revitalizing eye pads on your peepers (while having your significant other treat you to a foot massage?). The pre-moistened pads by Earth Therapeutics, which resemble cucumber and orange slices, are made with green tea, chamomile and vitamins to perk up tired eyes. Try the Recover-E Cucumber Pads ($5.99 for 5 pairs) to erase puffiness and swelling, or the Rejuvenal-C Orange Pads ($5.99 for 5 pairs) to protect the eye area from environmental stressors.
Makeup remover wipes are a summer essential, but Almay just launched something that we think can wipe out wipes for good. Their new Makeup Remover Pads ($5.99) boast some added benefits to the eye area while you strip off your liner and mascara. The Lash Care Pads condition the eye area for stronger, healthier lashes, while the Soothing & De-Puffing formula soothes the eyes to decrease puffiness. Who would have thought you could get beautiful eyes with a makeup remover?
Forget about eyelash extensions, the latest mascara wands from drugstore brands like CoverGirl and Rimmel London will turn your lashes into Kardashian-like falsies. CoverGirl’s Flamed Out Mascara ($5.99), with it’s curvy silhouette wand, features unique wire bristles that coat every inch of your lashes for mega curve and volume. Rimmel London’s Scandaleyes Show Off Mascara’s ($5.99) breakthrough wand has a flat side for volume and a ball tip to lift every lash instantly.
Stay away from caking on thick foundation this summer and try these light and airy formulas for beautiful coverage that lets your skin shine through. CoverGirl’s Clean Whipped Creme Foundation’s ($6.99) lightweight formula moisturizes the skin without leaving a greasy residue behind. The matte finish leaves your complexion smooth and natural. Maybelline’s Fit Me Shine-Free Foundation ($8.99) is a unique, gel-like makeup in stick form that blends in beautifully and leaves a matte finish. L’Oreal Paris’ Magic Nude Liquid Powder ($12.95) has a silky, barely-there formula (with SPF 18!) that dries like a powder for the perfect no makeup-makeup look.
Did you ever think you needed a pre-shampoo treatment? Us either. But Pssst’s Clarify and Shine Scalp Treatment ($6.99) has given us a new way to care for our strands. This interesting product lifts away hairspray, dry shampoo, and other styling products to restore luster and shine and make shampooing much easier. It’s blended with good-for-you ingredients like ginger, tea tree and provitamin B5 to strengthen and condition. Simply spray it in and massage it into your scalp before you hop in the shower.
Kick your sticky glosses to the curb and switch to something with a bit more oomph. Almay’s Color + Care Liquid Lip Balm ($5.99) takes the benefits of lip balm and blends them into a super shiny gloss that won’t have your hair sticking to your lips. And, with 10 shades to choose from, you’ll have a hue for every occasion. Revlon’s Super Lustrous Lip Gloss ($5.99) has a hydrating formula that boasts mega shine and plumpness without the stickiness. Good luck choosing a favorite among the 12 stunning shades.
What’s the summer without a hearty helping of juicy superfruits? Before you feast on that yummy watermelon, treat your skin to some antioxidant-rich raspberry and cranberry fruit extracts for the cleanest complexion yet. Clearasil’s Daily Clear Refreshing Superfruit collection, made up of a Daily Clear Refreshing Superfruit Wash ($6.49), Scrub ($6.49) and Pads ($6.49), improves skin tone, fights acne and helps boost collagen production for clear and radiant skin all summer long.
Forget lasers, L’Oreal’s Youth Code Texture Perfector ($24.99) for day and night gets the job done at a tiny fraction of the cost. The luxurious formula uses Perline-P to tighten pores, erase fine lines and give you that petal-soft texture you've been dreaming of. Pretty soon, you'll find less of a reason to use those selfie beautifying apps. Thanks, L'Oreal!
It's about time we found an affordable matte lipstick that doesn't dry out our pout. Rimmel London's Lasting Finish Matte lipsticks ($4.92 each) come in 10 beautiful shades curated by Kate Moss herself. They offer intense color that's surprisingly comfortable. The formula is enriched with ruby powder for a beautiful velvet finish. We love it for every season!
When it comes to drugstore anti-aging products, RoC reigns supreme. Their reformulated Multi Correxion line features a breakthrough technology, dubbed Hexinol, that helps reduce five signs of aging caused by stress. This includes: fine lines and wrinkles, pigmentation and photo damage, firmness and elasticity, and dullness and dryness. It features a 5-in-1 Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30 ($27.99), 5-in-1 Eye Cream ($27.99) and 5-in-1 Restoring Night Cream ($27.99) to help you get the most young and radiant looking skin yet.
