53 Must-Have Beauty Products Under $30

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22-05-2025

E.l.f's Lash Xtndr Tubing Mascara so you can finally have the thick, full lashes you've dreamed of, even if your flimsy natural lashes hardly hold up standard mascaras. This uses a unique "tubing" formula that boasts being smudge-free. And if you have fragile lashes? This can be easily wiped clean! It's also available in *brown*, which is a huge deal for folks with warm hair colors and blonde lashes, as it doesn't clash with your natural coloring (speaking for my own red-headed self here).
A bottle of Elizavecca hair treatment, which, like Olaplex, has repairing properties like collagen and protein extracts to aid in hair health. Apply this after you shampoo, let it sit for 5 minutes (where you can race through a shave or a song in the shower — you do you), and then rinse it out. Stronger hair care, here we come!
Olay Super Serum Body Wash (the body wash version of Olay's cult favorite facial Super Serum) — this is so soothing it's basically gonna feel like giving your dry skin a niacinamide-forward bottle of red, with notes of shea butter and a whiff of collagen peptides that'll treat your ~full body~ to 24-hour hydration. Ahhh, drink that all in.
A nail concealer with a brilliant blend of biotin and keratin to save your nails from yourself — years of acrylics and gel manicures were murder on your cuticles. Get yourself a nail polish that nourishes! Plus, if you like a clean, uniform look, you're sure to love the sheer hint of pink color this has.
E.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Filter for achieving the same dewy no-makeup-makeup effect of Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter (but at a price that doesn't make you sweat). This also has a healthy dose of hydrating hyaluronic acid that your skin is gonna be glad to drink in every day.
Medicube's "Zero Pore" Pads, a beloved Korean skincare secret with a magical mix of lactic and salicylic acid that'll redefine what "smooth" means to your skin. The dual-textured toner pads both exfoliate and refine your pores, making your face feel positively silky soft.
Nyx's Lip IV Hydrating Gloss Serum for people who are sick and tired of their lip glosses lacking color, their lip balms lacking interest, and their lipsticks drying out their lips. This acts as a gloss, lip stain, and balm all in one for up to 12 hours of happy, hydrated, and good-lookin' lips!
A sulfate- and paraben-free dry shampoo *foam* because washing, conditioning, and drying your hair is a LOT — and you don't wanna do a lot! This uses cactus water (that dries in 60 seconds!) instead of powder, so it's gonna give your hair a clean and voluminous look *without* making your scalp look and feel like it's covered in dandruff. Suuure wish I'd known about this stuff sooner. I look like I have gray roots every time I use a typical dry shampoo.
Gold Bond's firming neck and chest cream — whether you've noticed your neck skin practically hanging on for dear life thanks to that darn gravitational pull or find your décolletage creased in the center from side sleeping, the glycerin and aloe in this formula can give that delicate skin some much-needed hydration, while the salicylic acid can gently exfoliate dead skin cells. Reviewers say patience is worth it with this one, so give your body time to soak it all in and enjoy those results!
A root touchup powder great for folks with fine hair who would like the appearance of a fuller hairline *and* for anyone who wants to take longer breaks between coloring appointments. This includes a sponge for applying the powder — just rub it directly onto your hair. I learned about this product when looking for solutions for postpartum hair loss, and was awed that this had over 18,000 5-star reviews. Sold.
EOS' Shea Butter Vanilla Cashmere body lotion sure to be the TikTok obsession you *too* are about to be obsessed with. This lightweight formula provides a soothing and long-lasting moisture barrier so your skin feels silky. Which is great, as it's what we want lotion to do, but people are also losing it over how great this smells...many comparing the scent to $$ brands like Philosophy. Nice.
Kahi Wrinkle Bounce Hydrating Multi-Balm, a must-have K-beauty product for anyone trying to achieve gorgeous, glowing, glass skin. This all-in-one moisturizer is formulated for your lips, eyes, and neck, which is one of the many reasons it's been such a sensation on TikTok. This uses salmon complex and collagen to reduce fine lines while enhancing your skin with a smooth, hydrating glow for a "just out of the shower" effect.
A set of "Golden Glow" under-eye gels made with a 24-karat gold collagen formula that'll ease the look of dark circles and bags under your eyes and make your skin look positively ~golden~.
Cosrx's Snail Mucin Repairing Essence reviewers love for the extra boost of hydration it gives their skin, helping clear up acne, inflammation, peeling, fine lines, and even eczema! Stop being ~sluggish~ about investing in your skincare routine and get this on your face. Fast.
Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream formulated with cupuaçu butter, coconut oil, and açai oil to give your skin a powerful dose of hydration. It'll also wake up and temporarily tighten your skin with the same stuff you use to become awake and alert for the day...caffeine! That's right, our skin enjoys the stuff as much as the rest of us. This smells like vanilla and caramel, which means it's basically a latte for your skin. Delicious.
John Frieda Frizz Ease Dream Curls Air Dry Waves Styling Foam for folks who know in their heart their bedhead could look beautiful, but also know they'll never get into a beauty routine (am I just talking about myself at this point?). This non-sticky product WANTS your hair to look gorgeous, and it's happy to do all the work! Just scrunch it through your wet hair and air-dry your way to a beautifully styled 'do.
A bottle of Bio-Oil, beloved by many a skin-having human, made with a powerful blend of moisturizing oils and vitamins that'll aid in fadin' scars you'd rather have bippity-boppity-boop off your body.
A retinol body lotion — sure, retinol is great for your face, but there's a whole *body* of skin it can help out! This particularly dreamy, creamy formula helps promote skin cell turnover using retinol, while the ferulic acid firms skin to promote natural skin tightening.
A RobeCurls heatless hair curler — this satin-covered rod is designed to curl your hair while you sleep, and it's damage-free! Skip the heat tools and just wrap damp hair around the plush curler at night. Then FALL ASLEEP, and it'll do the rest. Wake up, pull this outta your hair, and enjoy your blowout-worthy bouncy curls.
Cerave eye repair cream, which is cooked up with their famous blend of ceramides (a skincare "secret sauce" if you will) and a healthy dose of hyaluronic acid to boost hydration and niacinamide to help tighten and brighten the appearance of skin. If you're revitalizing your skincare routine, add this to the mix and reduce the appearance of dark circles, under-eye puffiness, *and* fine lines. ~Eye~ love to see it.
A hyaluronic acid serum — this can save your dry skin thanks to its *intense* hydrating properties that improve a dry complexion's softness, smoothness, and ability to retain moisture. I feel soothed just thinking about it.
Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment to help you embrace color theory with confidence. Take it from someone with skin the color of printer paper — nothing helps reduce redness better than a touch of green! This lightly tinted cream is designed to combat that blotchy redness while protecting your skin from the sun with a useful daily SPF 50.
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Moisturizing Face SPF 60 Serum that'll do its very darndest to protect your skin (without a white cast) no matter how much you're out in the sun this summer. Reviewers rave about using this as a priming moisturizer. Any way to sneak some SPF into your makeup routine is a real win. My pasty self is buying this as we speak. Seriously.
An E.l.f. Camo Liquid Blush — a blendable and buildable blush (say that five times fast) with a lightweight formula and a powerful pigment. If you've worked hard on your glass skin technique, finish off your routine with a blush that's dewy and glossy to stay looking as smooth as glass.
Elizavecca's carbonated bubble clay mask that'll exfoliate your skin and banish blackheads (according to reviewers). The selfie potential of this face mask alone is...overwhelming.
L'Oreal illuminating moisturizer infused with glycerine and shea butter — if you're looking to add a lightweight alternative to your thick foundation and want an extra *glow*, then you're gonna adore this! Reviewers say it's basically like if Glossier's Futuredew and Drunk Elephant's Bronzing Drops had a brilliant, beautiful skincare baby.
A plant-based gel-cream made from a formula that's nongreasy and completely transparent. Even if you just pull your hair up into a greasy bun in the morning, smoothing out your baby hairs makes a big difference! Get this, and your flyaways are instantly gonna, you know, fly away.
A magnetic cat-eye gel nail polish kit for anyone who knows all things can be fixed with a killer manicure. Not only will you get an onslaught of compliments, but you'll also be able to say, "Why thank you, I did them myself!" to boost your cool kid ego even higher.
A tattoo aftercare salve to make both colored and monochrome tattoos look out-of-this-world lovely. This soothes, protects, and enhances the look of your ink, both fresh and faded.
A caffeinated butt mask that'll wake up your skincare system if you've been a bit behind on your routine lately. These potent masks are designed to tone and smooth your cheeks with just a 15-minute mask sesh!
Maybelline's Fit Me Matte foundation — this liquid, oil-free foundation is sure to satisfy folks with oily skin as it covers pores and creates a smooth base *without* irritating your skin. BTW, this product is available in a whopping 35 SHADES, so it's got your face covered. Literally.
A Revlon volcanic stone face roller that'll absorb excess oil on your face as you swipe it away *without* ruining your makeup. Now that this exists, there's no better product to have in your bag when the summer sun brings back your extra oily skin. Oil blotting sheets WISH they were this sexy. Keep your makeup looking great all day with this OG TikTok beauty sensation.
A glazed donut Lanolips lip balm because if it really chaps your hide (my Grandma's favorite phrase, Hi Grandma!) when your lips are chapped during allergy season, then you need to be using a healing combo of lanolin oil and vitamin E to moisturize and nourish that extra thin skin. This is also recommended for cuticles and cracked heels!
A foot peel mask formulated to soften dry, cracked, and aching feet. These are coated in a paraben-free formula of fruit acids. After putting your feet up and relaxing for 60 minutes, you're done! You can expect your hard skin to start shedding in 6–11 days.
Lottabody's Coconut Oil Foaming Curl Mousse worth getting into your haircare kit. If you want voluminous curls without a hint of frizz, then this is the mousse for you!
Etude's Dear Darling Water Tint, with a luxurious vitamin and berry formula, that'll be exactly what you want if you prefer a "no makeup" makeup look that also doesn't FEEL like you have makeup on. This nourishing (and smudge-free!!) mix is comparable to Benefit's Lip Tint and is designed to look super natural. Not only is it super moisturizing, but it doesn't need a harsh wipe or cleanse like other lipsticks, which is a *real* gift to the super thin skin on our lips!
Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Daily Skin Therapy reviewers with cracked heels, elbows, and knuckles say it works fast without aggravating their sensitive skin. If you want your skin to feel Disney-princess smooth for the first time in forever, then let this stuff give you the 48-hour moisturizing protection you deserve.
A set of collagen-infused forehead patches for folks looking to improve their skin's elasticity with a *chef's kiss* hydrating formula. The mix of aloe, collagen, and vitamin E is a true treat for sun-damaged, dry, and aging skin. Whether you throw these on before bed and let your skin soak up that silky goodness for a full eight hours or simply have an hour to spare in the a.m. — these are designed for great results on your schedule.
Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil with the most impressive review photos I've seen in my little life! Reviewers swear up and down over how well this erases blackheads and sebaceous filaments. Use this as the first step of your cleansing routine, and then just rinse with water. Watch your blackheads disappear so quickly that they won't even have a chance to say goodbye. Aww, sad.
A 10% niacinamide serum for folks who fill their medicine cabinet with the very best K-beauty has to offer. This includes 4% tranexamic acid and 2% arbutin for super-smooth skin. With consistent use, you'll notice your skin looking smooth and dewey. And if you, like me, prefer fragrance-free, this non-sticky and non-scented formula is for you!
Butt Acne Treatment Cream — this is gonna be a great addition to the (rear) end of your beauty routine. It's designed for all skin types with a clean tea tree oil to help prevent breakouts, get rid of bacteria, and clear up folliculitis.
Bio-Collagen's Real Deep sheet mask so you can treat yourself to a rejuvenating facial while you sleep. The mix of hydrating hyaluronic acid, pore-minimizing collagen, and probiotics work together while you're resting to protect and heal your skin from the inside out. And don't worry about your pillowcase. This product is a professional. It's transfer-resistant — no mess included.
E.l.f.'s Holy Hydration! Thirst Burst Drops, frugal reviewers have excitedly compared to Glow Recipe's $35 Watermelon Dew Drops. If you'd like to see your skin bright and plump with a *chef's kiss* dewy glow, this is gonna be your favorite stuff! It's lightweight enough to wear alone or apply under your makeup. Bless.
A paraben-free self-tanner with a mousse texture so you can apply the product evenly (unlike thicker lotions that leave distinct lines behind). Use this if you'd rather not look like you spent all winter hibernating in a cave when swimsuit season arrives.
And an exfoliating mitten lots of folks love for preventing ingrown hairs, reducing KP, and smoothing out their skin before applying tanning lotion.
A brilliant biotin shampoo (with over 34,000 5-star reviews!!) so you can enjoy the feeling of fuller hair and a nourished scalp. This is sulfate-free and won't give your hair greasy, heavy buildup *but* the biotin can strengthen your strands. The one-two punch of this particular shampoo comes from the added rosemary and coconut oil — which both stimulate and moisturize the scalp, aiding in overall hair health.
PanOxyl Antimicrobial Hydrating Acne Creamy Wash — if you've been hoping their OG foaming wash worked on your sensitive skin, they heard your wish! Not only is this great on sensitive skin, but it'll also help clear up acne-causing bacteria on your whole body! It's designed to get rid of existing acne and prevent further breakouts by deep-cleaning your pores. A gift!
Catrice "Instant Awake" Under Eye Brightener (made with a *chef's kiss* mix of hydraulic acid and shea butter), which became a knockout success once reviewers started raving en mass about the product's instant invisible coverage. If you're looking for quick and easy results that suggest you don't even require sleep...you've come to the right brightener.
Or Good Molecules Yerba Mate Wake Up Eye Gel that'll be beloved by people who drink up yerba mate like it's water from the actual Fountain of Youth. And that's not the only powerful ingredient this gel has to offer! It also boasts three unique forms of hyaluronic acid to moisturize and revitalize the skin under your eyes. There are no dark circles here, my dear!
A Denman Hair Brush designed with bristles specifically spaced to detangle and shape curls that may otherwise feel frazzled and look undefined. Hit the snooze button and save time in the mornings with this brush by your side.
Rael "Miracle Invisible Spot Cover" Pimple Patches for anyone who thinks the best skincare treat they could possibly give themselves is pimple patches that don't shout, "Look over here at this vacuum-sealed pimple bursting from my face!" These have the same hydrocolloid formula for relieving the redness, swelling, and pus from breakouts *without* the usual show-and-tell.
The Face Shops's facial foaming cleanser formulated to help brighten, cleanse, moisturize, and remove your makeup all at once. If you like the idea of having *one* skincare product that does it all...this belongs in your bathroom.
A reviewer-favorite Alleyoop 4-in-1 makeup brush designed with an eyeshadow brush, a blush brush, a brow brush, *and* a blending sponge — all in one! This beauty tool is about to become your new best friend, adventuring with you (because it's small enough to fit in your bag for quick touch-ups) every single day.