a day ago
35 Indulgent But Cheap Beauty Products
A limited edition (!!) Eos Marshmallow "Super Balm" lip treatment from the brand's "secret menu" so good that reviewers say it's better than Carmex for healing and better than Summer Fridays for quality. Lip care that also tastes like you're perpetually eating a s'more for less than $6?? My friends, life is good.
And a tinted lip balm so close to the same magic as "Black Honey," TikTok's beloved $25 ~universal shade~ from Clinique, that it will genuinely startle you — especially when you see the price. This is a perfect, non-sticky "go-to" lippie that's just a step above the "no makeup makeup" look, giving the perfect subtly polished effect.
Lottabody's Coconut Oil Foaming Curl Mousse designed for all hair types to give you satisfyingly hydrated, volumized, frizz-free curls at a FRACTION of the price of its competitors.
Gold Bond's firming neck and chest cream your skin will be SO happy to soak up — this is formulated with aloe, salicylic acid, and jojoba oil to help hydrate, tighten, and gently exfoliate your skin so effectively that you should be able to see early results in two weeks. (For some reviewers, it only took a few days!)
The Ordinary's Multi-Depth Hydration Serum helps you achieve that "glassy," plumped effect *without* breaking the whole bank. This delightfully affordable, super effective serum helps hydrate and protect your skin barrier so you wake up with firm, refreshed skin.
Tree Hut's iconic Moroccan Rose Whipped Shea Body Butter, aka *the* way to keep your skin hydrated, glowy, and nourished while also smelling like you stepped out of a garden in an early era Taylor Swift music video.
Billion Dollar Brows Eyebrow Powder fills in your brows so naturally and realistically that you'll be like, "Wait, are these mine??" Reviewers are stunned by how effective it is and how long it lasts, especially at such a low price point.
Monday Haircare Dry Shampoo with all the oil-absorbing, refreshing power of its competitors, *plus* added keratin for protection against frizz and breakage. The subtle gardenia scent is just extra extra credit after all that.
A reviewer-beloved Choco Musk concentrated perfume rollerball that's taking the affordable perfume world by storm — this is perfect for anyone who loooooves the smell of warm vanilla, spicy amber, and musky cocoa. Bonus: it's made without alcohol, so it doesn't have that chemical smell and will effortlessly blend with other scents!
Catrice "Instant Awake" Under Eye Brightener, which will be your holy grail for concealing and brightening dark circles under your eyes when schedule is throwing you for a loop. This lightweight, color-adapting formula is designed for truly ~invisible~ coverage that makes a drastic difference — one that a lot of reviewers compare to the $33 Becca version.
Plus Good Molecules Yerba Mate Wake Up Eye Gel, a cult-fave product for your beauty arsenal that will quickly help minimize eye puffiness and swelling thanks to its winning combo of caffeine and hyaluronic acid. It's basically an alarm clock for your eyeballs, because boy howdy are they awake now!!
Olay's Firming Body Lotion full of collagen peptides and a Vitamin B3 complex for *ultra* hydration designed to visibly plump, firm, and moisturize your skin — all at a fraction of the price of other firming lotions, like the internet's beloved $48 Elasti-Cream.
E.l.f's Lash XTNDR Tubing Mascara, a GODSEND for anyone with thin or fragile lashes. This uses lightweight ~tubing~ technology to wrap around lashes and give them a natural-looking, smudge-proof extension so good it almost looks fake. The real boon, though, is how easily the "tubes" slide off in clean, easy swipes at the end of the day when you're washing your face — absolutely no smudging, over-scrubbing, or special eye makeup removal products required.
Eos' Cashmere Skin Collection Shave Oil — yes, that's right, the astronomically TikTok-famous Eos "cashmere" body lotion now comes in shave oil form, so you can lock in that ridiculously compelling whipped vanilla, musk, and soft caramel scent *and* protect your skin from razor burn. Reviewers are notably impressed by how close of a shave they can get with this, particularly in sensitive areas!
A delightfully affordable instant foot peeling spray for anyone ready to go full YEEHAW!! on a pedicure, without the big salon price tag. This not only helps gently remove dead skin, but moisturizes dry and cracked heels, so you'll really get some refreshing bang for your buck.
L'Oreal Paris Infallible 3-Second Setting Spray Mist so darn phenomenal at its job that one reviewer calls it "hairspray for your face," and several compare it to the $34 One/Size setting spray at triple the price. This ultra-fine formula sprays on lightly and leaves a natural finish, but just one spray is designed to LOCK IN your look for 36 hours.
The Face Shop's Rice Water Bright Foaming Facial Cleanser, a gentle, cult-fave Korean beauty product reviewers swear by as an alternative to the pricey Tatcha Rice Wash. This hydrating cleanser removes waterproof makeup and sunscreen with ease, has an ohhhh-so-satisfying lather, and leaves skin moisturized after use.
Sally Hansen's iconic Insta-Dri nail polish perfect for anyone who wants quick touch-ups on their fingers and toes but has ZERO time to spare. If you're looking for a reliable, long-lasting, fast-drying polish to save not just time, but big bucks at the salon, I cannot recommend these enough!
E.l.f.'s Holy Hydration! Thirst Burst Drops, another home run from the brand's moisturizing "Holy Hydration" line that reviewers are comparing to the $35 Watermelon Dew Drops from Glow Recipe. This lightweight formula is designed to brighten and plump skin for a dewy effect, whether you're wearing it alone, applying it under your makeup, or mixing it with your foundation.
Dove Brown Sugar and Coconut Butter Body Scrub designed to be oh-so-gentle on your skin, with a softer texture that isn't as coarse as other brands but leaves you fully exfoliated and smooth. Plus there's the added bonus of smelling so yummy that you'll be like, "Oooh, should I take a bite out of my own self?"
Black Girl Sunscreen's Make It Pop Sungloss with SPF 50 (!!) that reviewers *adore* both as a glossy shine on bare lips, or to make their signature lippies pop. Who knew sun protection could look so chic?
Tree Hut Vanilla Hand Wash infused with hyaluronic acid and ceramides to help hydrate and restore skin health so your hands can be super clean *and* super nourished. Now all you have to do is prepare to have the link to this handy whenever guests come over and are like, "WHERE DID YOU GET THIS DELECTABLE SOAP??"
Essence Loose Setting Powder Trio for three handy products for less than $5 — it's sectioned into different powders for brightening, color-correcting, and mattifying, so you can mix and match the shades to personalize your coverage based on your skin's needs.
Jergens Natural Glow Firming Self Tanner Body Lotion gives you a gradually-building, vacation-worthy ~sunkissed glow~ over the course of just a few days. Not only is this easy peasy to apply compared to other finickier, streaking lotions, but it's formulated with collagen and elastin to help your skin appear firmer *and* glowier.
L'Oreal Paris Bond Repair Oil-in-Serum for a blowout-style look for a FRACTION of the price — this helps revive damaged or color-treated hair for healthier looking locks, and helps make your hair even mightier by acting as a heat protectant. Reviewers love this formula for helping boost shine, reduce frizz, and overall make their locks look a whole lot more nourished.
Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Anti-Frizz Serum, aka humidity's WORST ENEMY. 😈 This super lightweight argan oil solution is designed for all hair types to help manage frizz and define waves and curls without weighing them down, and will be the MVP in your hair arsenal in the warmer temps.
Physicians Formula Butter Glow & Go Stick with similar energy as the $46 Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick for a smooth, rich, and ridiculously easy-to-apply contour to give your skin that ~sunkissed~ glow with as little effort as possible. This dual-ended stick is the definition of no muss, no fuss, and so versatile that when you're not using them on the go, you'll love experimenting with all the different ways you can make a subtle colorful *pop*.
Moodmatcher color-changing lipstick, an affordable WinkyLux alternative that not only adapts to the pH of your skin to create a personalized, perfect shade for your skin tone, but lasts for HOURS. Reviewers marvel at its all-day staying power even after meals and breaking a sweat. Look at that lil' green lipstick go!!
A set of "Golden Glow" under-eye gels made with 24-karat gold collagen formulated to brighten, nourish, and soothe your under-eyes so you can get that sweet, sweet de-puffing relief (and look ~expensive~ while you're doing it).
Kitsch's new "Ultra Petite" Satin Scrunchies for anyone who loves the hair-protective style of satin, but wants a lower profile that the big billowing versions. These are super gentle and prevent creasing, but still have an all-day firm hold.
L'Oréal Paris Collagen Daily Face Moisturizer so intensely hydrating, plumping, and smoothing that reviewers compare it to the $92 Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream. 👀 Not only is this super effective and affordable, but its nongreasy formula makes it play super well with makeup.
A shockingly affordable "Glow Up!" Vitamin C Face Serum that packs a powerful punch — reviewers swear by this for reducing dark spots, brightening skin, restoring tone, and giving skin a more radiant, firm look. This particular serum's secret is the 3-O Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, which helps boost ~radiance~, in addition to the hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, and vitamin E to help with hydration.
Catrice's Magic Shaper Face Cream Palette as an $8 alternative to the $88 (!!) Makeup Forever Palette. This includes a range of highly-pigmented, super blendable shades to help you contour, highlight, and bronze on days when your Gcal just say "GO GO GO" all the way down. (Psst — this is the same brand behind the TikTok-famous $6 Under Eye Brightener, so you know they mean business!)
A reviewer-beloved (and makeup artist–beloved!) beauty sponge blender that rolled up and ate up all the expensive name-brand versions for breakfast. This is firm and smooth when you use it dry for powder applications, and soft and flexible when you wet it for creams and liquids, making it the ultimate versatile sponge in your beauty trove ... for a mere $4 (!!) compared to the $20 BeautyBlender version.
E.l.f. Glow Reviver Melting Lip Balm for all the ultra fans of Summer Fridays, Rhode, and Laneige whose bank accounts are begging them to put a stop to the lippie madness. These new deliciously tinted, moisturizing, buildable glosses are just as buttery and decadent as the balms that inspired them, for a fraction of the price. (Brb, drowning myself in the "Strawberry Shortcake" and "Vanilla Toffee" flavors.)
