Casual, Everyday Drugstore Foundation Routine

8:29 AM

Let's face it - us girls like drugstore products better. We watch tutorials and we see pictures and hope that whatever lip or blush color we love is cheap and from the drugstore so that we can go run out and get it on our way home. Who has time to run to Sephora or Ulta when the closest one is twenty minutes out of the way while the local CVS or Walgreens is only five minutes away?

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High end products are nice; they're little luxuries. I reserve high end purchases for eye palettes and when I want to treat myself, but I realized that the rest of my makeup collection is basically drugstore. And it's for a good reason: They work just as well as high end.

My entire foundation routine is basically drugstore, with the exception of my Smashbox BB Cream and my Too Faced Primed and Poreless Primer, which I don't use on an everyday basis to begin with, they're just good alternatives.

Primer:

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser ($3-5). I love this primer! You can usually find it for $3-5 bucks at your local drugstores or Targets. This one's lasted me for a couple of months. I love wearing this under foundation and on its own when I don't feel like wearing makeup. Sometimes I'll mix it with the Too Faced Primed and Poreless Primer.

BB Cream:

Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream ($6-8). I hate to use a heavy foundation every single day, which is why I love BB creams/tinted moisturizers. I tried this one out but unfortunately, it's too light for me but that's about the only downside to this product. It's lightweight and feels exactly like a tinted moisturizer without giving me too bad of a sheen. All I use to apply this is my clean hands - you don't need a brush all the time!
Alternative - I mix this shade with my Smashbox BB Cream in Medium, which is funnily enough too dark for me (I use this in the warmer months when I'm tanner). But if I don't want to waste this (since it's $40), I replace it with my ELF Cosmetics Tinted Moisturizer ($3).

Concealer:

LA Girl Pro Conceal in Natural ($4). This gives me the best highlight underneath of my eyes while still looking natural and not too overdone. I love that it comes with a brush tip so that it's easier to apply. I blend this out with my damp beauty blender.
Alternatives - Before I started using this, I loved the NYX Cosmetics HD Concealer in Light ($6) and the Hard Candy Glamouflage Heavy Duty Concealer in Medium Light ($6). The Hard Candy concealer is almost an exact dupe for the LA Girl Pro Conceal, but it definitely provides a heavier coverage if you really want to conceal.

Powder:

NYX Cosmetics HD Studio Finishing Powder ($10). This is probably the priciest of my drugstore foundation products, but it's definitely worth it. It is so finely milled and comes off beautiful on the skin! I buy it in the translucent shade. With a big fluffy brush this sets your under eye and T-zone perfectly.
Alternatives - If you don't want to splurge on the NYX powder, the ELF Cosmetics Studio High Definition Powder ($6) is a perfect, cheaper dupe! It's just a little messier. I carry the Neutrogena Shine Control Powder ($11.99) in my makeup bag when I go out, which I find is the best for touch ups on your T-zone.

Contour/Bronzer:

Physician's Formula Magic Mosaic Multi-Colored Custom Pressed Powder ($13.95). Okay, so this is definitely the priciest for a drugstore bronzer, but I got this with a Cartwheel coupon from Target and it was half the price (Keep an eye out for those great deals)! The best thing about this is that it doubles for a contour and bronzer, and even a highlight if you use the lighter half on the tops of your cheekbones. It's not too orangey and not too ashy and gives you a great, natural-looking contour.
Alternative - I also like to use the Loreal True Match Powders ($10.95) as bronzers, usually in the shades of Cocoa and Classic Tan.

Blush:

Lately I haven't really been wearing blush, and if I do it's usually this blush in the shade Chestnut. Unfortunately, I buy this from an independent organic makeup company that doesn't sell online.
Alternatives - I've found some great drugstore blushes by Milani and NYC Cosmetics. I love the Milani Rose Powder and Baked Blushes ($8.49) and the NYC Cosmetics Color Wheel Mosaic Face Powder Blushes ($5).

My Favorite Brushes/Tools:

Setting powder - This is just a standard fluffy powder brush. Any big fluffy brush will do, but I got this one from the same company I bought my blush from.
Beauty Blender ($19.95). This is honestly the best purchase you can make if you're into makeup! You can use it for foundation, concealer, powder, and it blends everything beautifully. Make sure to use it damp.
Real Techniques Contour Brush ($18 for the Core Collection Set). This fits perfectly into the socket of your cheeks! I've never had a muddy cheek day with this brush.
MAC Cosmetics 109 Small Contour Brush ($35). One of my more pricier brushes, but definitely worth it. I actually use it as a blush brush, but it works for both! This covers the apples of your cheeks without putting the blush all over your face.

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