Beauty On A Budget: The Best Makeup Products Under $50

An out-of-this-world makeup look doesn’t need to cost the earth.

Like painting on a canvas, testing out different makeup looks can be a fun and inspiring creative outlet.

From blue liner to peachy blush or a bold burgundy lip, makeup trends are ever-evolving. In turn, we are constantly bombarded with new products and formulas to help us re-create this season’s latest runway look. Can’t afford to keep up? Neither can we.

There are plenty of you-beaut makeup products that come in under the magic $50 mark. Makeup artist Georgia Hull (AKA the maestro behind this shoot) shares her insider knowledge on how to pick affordable cosmetics that punch way above their weight.

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Some days, you just nail your base. Your highlighter sits just right, your concealer is smooth and your blush blends into a natural flush. Fortunately, you can achieve this look with just a few budget-friendly products.

“Priceline and Chemist Warehouse regularly go on huge sales and this is a great opportunity to stock up on products you’ve been wanting to try but didn’t want to part with the extra dollars for,” says Hull. “[Also] make sure you get samples where you can as trying the product yourself is the only real way to judge the efficacy of it.”

To give your complexion an all-over radiant glow, Hull recommends cream products – they’re much easier to use than their powder counterparts. “I love to use the warmth of my finger tips to apply the product.” Above, she used the new Fenty Beauty Match Stix Glow Skinstick in Purrrl: “I gently tapped the product onto the cheekbones, balls of the eyelids and bridge of the nose.”

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Foundation:
L’Oreal True Match Foundation – $24.99

Concealer:
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer – $15.95

Highlighter:
Fenty Beauty Match Stix Glow Skinstick in Purrrl – $39

Blush:
Mecca Max Chic Cheek Blush Powder – $22

Bronzer:
M.A.C Cosmetics Bronzing Powder – $47

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Whether you love the fox-eyeliner trend, a glittery eyelid moment or a smokey bronzed crease, eye makeup can make (or break) a look. However, contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to spend your life savings on a palette for pigment or quality, you just have to do your research.

“I like to colour swatch for proof of pigment and to test the texture of the product,” recommends Hull. “Powder products, like eyeshadows, should be fine and the application smooth.”

In terms of application, Hull advises the use of a small, dense eyeshadow brush. These firm, short hairs are great for picking up and placing product exactly where you want it to go. Read: ideal.

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Eyeshadow:
McoBeauty Liquid Eyeshadow – $15
Morphe 3502 Second Nature Artistry Palette – $36

Brows:
Benefit Gimme Brow – $45

Mascara:
L’Oreal Volume Million Lashes – $24.95

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And for the finale… LIPS. A swipe of lipstick is the easiest way to spice up your look.

Finding the perfect shade and formula is hard – but once you find The One, you’ll know. It’s a matter of trial and error.

Hull starts by concealing the lip line and applying a powder to mattify the lip first; this base will make for a clean, crisp application. Rather than applying straight from the bullet, Hull uses a brush to give her more control. “Using the product straight from the bullet sometimes means there is excess colour which can run and bleed,” she says.

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Lipstick:
Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lip in Red Hot – $24.95

Lip Liner:
Essence Soft Contouring Lip Liner – $2

Do you have a budget-friendly makeup product that you swear by? Leave it in the comments below!