We all have that one friend who’s made Sephora their second home. If you’re looking to buy them a gift, know that you don’t have to break the bank just to get them luxury cosmetics.
We’ve rounded up 13 of the most affordable items under $10 that will impress even the most hard-to-please makeup junkie.
1. NYX Cosmetics HD Blush, $7
This HD blush has a variety of colors that work well on all skin tones! It’s a soft pressed powder with a buttery texture that blends perfectly and doesn’t fade. It’s a steal to get a product of this quality for the amount you’re paying for.
2. The Ordinary High-Adherence Silicone Primer, $7.90
A great primer will leave your skin as smooth as porcelain and can help your makeup last all day. The Ordinary’s primer is formulated with adaptive silicone which gives you the same effect as the blurring tool on Photoshop. When you put foundation on top of this primer, you’re left with a non-greasy, matte finish that’s perfect for high-def photos.
3. L’Oréal Voluminous Carbon Black Volume Building Mascara, $8
With this product, you’ll have those thick and fanned-out lashes that you thought you could only achieve by wearing falsies. This mascara’s unique formula will give you good volume without the clumps. Oh and did we mention that you don’t need 10 makeup wipes to remove it?
4. Maybelline’s Fit Me Matte+Poreless Foundation, $6
The best gift you can give to someone is perfect skin in a bottle and this might just be the product you are looking for. It’s an ultra-lightweight foundation that could be the ultimate dupe to Rihanna’s Fenty foundations but for only a fraction of the cost. They’ve got 39 shades that you can match your skin tone to. It’s guaranteed to erase pores and leave you with a matte finish all day.
5. Colourpop Super Shock Eyeshadow, $5
This long-wearing eyeshadow is unlike any other on the market. It’s a thin, cream shadow that completely sets after you put it on. It doesn’t come off even when you smudge it with your finger. This product comes in several shades and is highly pigmented. Colourpop really super shocked us with this one!
6. L.A. Girl Beauty Brick Eyeshadow Nudes, $7
This eye makeup is comparable to Urban Decay’s Naked eyeshadow palette but you won’t be paying over $50 dollars for it. LA Girl is truly a brand that proves that affordable products aren’t necessarily low quality. They’re also known for their high-definition concealers. It’s not surprising that they came up with an eyeshadow palette that you can compare to a luxury brand.
7. Lorac TANtalizer Baked Bronzer, $9.97
If you can’t buy your friend a ticket to the Caribbean, this bronzer will give her that sun-kissed glow comparable to a tropical vacation. It’s a travel-sized compact with a highly pigmented shimmer. It comes in three shades: the original, Matte Tan, and Golden Glow and is ideal for those who want to that summer look all-year round.
8. Nyx Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick, $9.99
We’ve all heard of matte lip creams that dry out your lips after you swipe them on. This inexpensive lipstick though? It’s magic. It glides on like velvet and leaves your lips feeling soft and looking beautiful. This product has 28 shades from pretty pastels to shocking neons and you won’t need to put so much of it as it’s highly pigmented.
9. L’Oreal Paris Infallible Paints Eyeliner in Black Party, $9.99
Who doesn’t love a good winged liner look? The Infallible Paints Eyeliner can be compared to many high-end liquid liners because of how bold and black it is. The tip is super thin (0.1mm) and ideal for creating sharp lines to create that flawless cat-eye.
10. Wet n Wild Illumi-naughty Highlighting & Concealer Pen, $5
This 2-in-1 highlighting and concealing pen can hide blemishes and illuminate your best features. It’s almost identical to the cult-classic YSL’s Touch Eclat and it doesn’t crease or wear off all day. It’s a click-pen brush applicator so it regulates the amount of product you get. Plus you don’t need much because it’s a high coverage concealer.
11. 10-piece Arctic Brush Set, $9.99
This 10-piece brush set is a great gift for those beauty gurus who are always on-the-go. It’s complete with contouring, highlighting, and shadow brushes made of high-quality bristles. The brushes come with a gorgeous matching arctic blue bag that anyone would adore.
12. E.L.F Contour Palette, $6
The E.L.F. Contour Palette is a quad that chisels out your features all in a compact case. The shades are sheer but can be applied for buildable coverage, and it’s got a creamy yet powdery texture that makes it super easy to blend. It’s a contour kit must-have that can fit in a purse!
13. Revlon Brow Fantasy Pencil and Gel, $6.74
If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then the eyebrows must be the curtains. A well-groomed and lined brow can make or break an entire look. The pencil on one side gives a subtle and defined look which you can set with the tinted gel on the other side. Talk about #browgoals! This double-sided stick deserves to be in everyone’s makeup arsenal.