As a professional makeup artist, it is easy for me to want to spend a ton of money on products each time I go to the store, but as a twenty-something-year-old girl who has other bills to pay, I know it's not the best idea for me to be spending money frivolously on them. So I went searching high and low to find five best products under $15! You will get the department store product and results for less than half of the price.
The Lip Crayon
Colored lips are all the rage this season and not everyone is a fan of a lipstick, and lip glosses have the tendency to leave you feeling sticky. Fortunately, the geniuses at cosmetics company got together and came up with the lip crayon, which does exactly what you would expect it to given its name. The Neutrogena Moisturesmooth Color Stick gives your lips an added amount of color, but doesn't stain like a stick or gloss. On top of that, it also works to condition your lips every time you apply it. You can find it at any drugstore for only $8.99!
The Foundation
Foundation is often the most expensive product you will buy, especially when you want a near flawless finish, so I am always unsure about trying to bargain shop -- that was until I found the Maybelline Fit Me Shine Free Foundation. First, the number of shade choices you can choose from makes it is nearly impossible not to find the shade that works for you. Another thing that drew me to this particular product is that it is shine free. A lot of cheaper foundations don't work to control shine and when you have oily skin like I do, that can be a huge problem. This one you can get for $6.99.
The Body Lotion
Finding a good body lotion can be difficult because you don't want something with an overly strong smell but you also don't want something with no scent. The L'Oreal Moisture Even Tone Tinted Day Lotion is oil-free and works to give the skin an add glow while not clogging your pores. The skin softening formula with make your skin feel hydrated and fresh for a full 48 hours while the SPF 25 will help protect your skin from the sun's rays. You can get this for $6.49.
The Makeup Remover
Removing your makeup after a night out is usually the last thing on anyone's mind, but it is usually one of the most important things to do in order to keep your skin healthy and fresh. In the summer this becomes even more difficult because the waterproof products we wear in order to beat the heat are tough to remove, which is why I love Almay Longwearing and Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover Pads. Instead of fighting with soap and water, you can remove water-resistant products with one pad, and unlike other products that are rough on your skin, these work to hydrate as they attack makeup. These range from $5.49 to $8.49 in your local drugstores.
The Matte Lip Color
There have been two big lip trends the past couple of seasons. The first was bold, bright lips and the second was neutral matte colors -- and again, the battle of the lipstick and lip gloss played out, but the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream helped solve this problem. The cream texture allows for the perfect matte finish instead of the clumps a lipstick could leave or the shine of a gloss. Also, NYX came out with a wide variety of colors ranging from bright pinks to neutral beiges. This product you can find for $6.00.