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Post by A F Beauty
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I love beauty products. I love them more than my wallet loves them. So to try and balance desire with budget I like to keep my ear to the ground for bargain products that do a great job at a brilliant price. I wanted to test genuinely well priced products, not just a fabulous lipstick on 90% discount so I have aimed for items under AU$15.
Budget Beauty Reviews
First the oldies but goodies. I’ve been re-testing Rimmel’s Hide the Blemish concealer – AU$9 and Barry M’s Showgirl Extra Lengthening Mascara – AU$10.
Hide The Blemish. So, it transpires I am the biggest idiot! This concealer is great – why did I stop using this as a teen?!! I’ve gotten on great with the texture and coverage and the way I can layer to build coverage – I will add this as a staple to my make-up bags. (Yes, both!)
Barry M Mascara. This says it is extra lengthening; maybe it is, but in that case, so is it extra time consuming! The wand is one of those plastic spikey ones, not an old fashioned brush, which I think do a better job of lengthening or volumising. That said, it goes on well without clumping, it’s great colour and texture, you just have to apply a few coats to get the extra lengthening.
Next the supermarket products. Here I got lucky! I was in Aldi, which has some well-reviewed products at amazing prices. I tried the 3-in-1 Primer at AU$5.
At $5 I didn’t have massive expectations, but Aldi consistently receives great write ups for their budget skincare line. I really liked the primer, much more than I expected. I am not a huge fan of the silicone type primers which feel overly silky but this is more of a light moisturiser. I used my daily moisturiser followed by the primer, then foundation. The primer instructions were to apply over the face concentrating on fine lines – this seemed odd to me given the lightness of the fluid, but I think my foundation applied well, evenly and smoothly. Although much lighter, I found this similar in concept and result to Clarins Beauty Flash Balm, smoothing the face and leaving me looking marginally, inexplicably, better, but it was less sticky (good!).
Lastly, a wildcard, an eyebrow kit from Priceline (Walgreens/Boots equiv), a brand known as Model’s Prefer. Model’s Prefer Eyebrow kit from Priceline AU$13, the most expensive item in this group, but worth the little extra.
The kit contains a brow powder, coloured gel, a slanted brush to apply and a mini tweezer. I’ve learned to spend 30 seconds of the few minutes I spend on make up each morning on brows to frame the face. I used just the coloured gel usually and this is both reliable and easy to give a decent lasting result.
I have happily added the concealer, primer and eyebrow palette to my daily routine and it’s some of the best money I’ve spent! What are your favourite budget beauty products?
A F Beauty xx
Australian Perfume Junkies 
Hiya A F Beauty,
I have some serious cheapies in my kit. Maybelline mascara, it is black and gives me a little extra zing. Also my Etude House blushers and liquid eyeliners from South Koreea. LOVE!
Portia xx
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Hey Portia, is that the pink and green packaging Maybelline mascara? It was (is?) a bit of a beauty cult product back in the day. I need some korean beauty products, there is a store in World Square I’ve seen, I need to take Jin to translate for me! 🙂
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Yes, the green & pink one. Nothing fancy but it does the job.
I LOVE World square, lets shop and eat.
Portia xx
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Hi AF Beauty,
Maybelline coversticks, PencilMeIn natural formula eye pencils, City Color color corrector sticks, Shany lipsticks and Wet and Wild MegLast matte lipsticks are my favorite cheapies. In every case I use these for the colors that I can’t seem to find in any other brand at any price. Also it helps that they are cheap, cheap, cheap! Once again loved your post and will try to find these bargains at the drugstore and supermarket:)! I know I can get Rimmel locally.
Azar xx
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Hey Azar, more teasers of the Wet and Wild brand!! I need this in my life!! 🙂
I’ve seen the maybelline coversticks, but I had never bought one thinking they were too like the Rimmel I had already prejudged incorrectly. I’ve learned my lesson, I will now try things again that I might have rejected years back. Chances are a lot of these products have also reformulated, so that’s another reason to try them again.
thanks for your comment 🙂
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Maybelline mascara is the best I have found, and often half price at Chemist Warehouse. I spend, ahem, a bit too much on skin care, but shop smarter for colour cosmetics.
Also I found Byphasse which makes great face and eye makeup removers, no oil and no stinging, 200 mls for about $10.
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Hi Jackie b – I’ve not seen Byphasse – it looks very reasonably priced, I will definitely take a look next time I’m near a chemist warehouse, I could use a reliable portable makeup remover. Thanks for the tip! 🙂
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A F Beauty,
The L’Occitane Oil Make up Remover!! UNBELIEVEABLE!
Portia xx
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Maybelline’s Great Lash mascara, Revlon’s Colorstay eyeliner pencils, and Trader Joe’s micellar cleanser towlettes to take it all off.
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Hi Holly, you are lucky! I would **love** to have a Trader Joes to try out all their products, I’ve not seen micellar water towelettes here in Oz yet, will pay more attention just in case!!
I think I also have the Revlon pencils 🙂
Thanks for the comment.
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I love cheap makeup. Maybelline Lip Elixirs, Rimmel pressed powder, Revlon lipsticks, Cover Girl Lashblast mascara are some of my favorites at the moment.
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Hi Poodle (great name!) I also use the Rimmel pressed powder, one of them pretends to be a bronzer but suits my skintone in summer while giving a little glow, I am looking forward to summer again 🙂
thanks for the comment!
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Terrific! Much as I love my Chanel and Lauder lipsticks, who has the budget for that for every day in every prodcut?!
I’m always on the lookout for mascara that does not smudge or flake, but is easy to remove. It’s surprising how few products deliver on their promises. I’ve just bought a Paula’s Choice mascara ($19, but that was 20% off), and on first wearing it was great, but today I noticed it flaked a little. Sigh.
I’m making notes of all the comments here!
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Hi annemariec, just between you and me – don’t tell the people above who swear by Maybelline, my go-to brand for mascara is Max Factor. I find them pretty reliable. I might add mascara to my list for reviewing 🙂
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🙂
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