If you’ve gone to repurchase your favourite high street makeup products in the past few months, you’ve probably noticed they’ve undergone a serious price hike. Typically affordable products are now being bumped up out of our budgets due to the ongoing cost of living crisis, making the search to find economical yet efficacious products even more difficult.
While we tend to lean into our skincare in the winter months to fight dryness and dullness, spring and summer tends to be when we’re looking to our makeup bags to inject some colour into our lives — whether that involves getting creative with our looks for festival season or going all out glam for date night.
But fear not, because here at Eliza we’re dedicated to helping you find the best beauty products that won’t break the bank, whether that be spotlighting our favourite budget lines such as Boots’ Everday Range or highlighting the best luxury dupes.
With the hundreds of products on the market and a million contrasting reviews on social media, it can seem impossible to know what’s good and what’s all fluff. That’s why Eliza asked professional makeup artists to share their personal recommendations for the best makeup under £10. Read on for the crème de la crème of affordable makeup.
Lottie London Super Fake Mascara, £7.95
Recommended by Tilly Ferrari
“I will never use any other mascara. Lottie London’s Super Fake mascara delivers huge and impactful lashes and that last and hold a serious curl every time.”
The Body Shop Lip and Cheek Stain, £8
Recommended by Jessica Kell
“Nothing says summer like a splash of colour and one of my favourite go-to’s is The Body Shop’s Lip and Cheek Stain. It delivers a saturated juicy colour in the first swipe and can really build to a full on lip colour with a complementing blush. It has great staying power, and is an easy fix by the pool or on the beach.”
The Ordinary Serum Foundation SPF15, £5.98
Recommended by Jennifer Oliver
“This performs as well as high end skincare-infused foundations for a fraction of the price. You’d be hard-pressed to pick this out as the budget foundation amongst a high end lineup. It has a beautiful lightweight feel and glowy finish that doesn’t feel heavy.”
“I’m all about speed with my makeup in the morning, and I love mixing this with my regular moisturiser to create a tinted moisturiser for a quick, easy, natural-looking base. The shades can be tricky to match if you’re ordering online, so try findation.com. Pop in your usual foundation brand and shade, and it’ll give you the recommended colour.”
Bourjois Little Round Pot Blusher, £9.99
Recommended by Ruby Hammer
“I love Bourjois Little Round Pots, which are only £9.99. I was thrilled to see that they have relaunched in the UK; the textures apply beautifully and they smell divine. I adore all the colours, especially Brun Curve.”
NYX Professional Makeup Epic Ink Liner, £9
Recommended by Lan Nguyen-Grealis
“I use liquid liner every day, not only on myself but for my clients from all areas of the industry. When it comes to fashion week, events and my creative work, this is a go-to because I run out so quickly, so it makes sense to have something affordable which works, and have plenty to hand.”
E.L.F Putty Blush, £5
Recommended by Yasmin Salmon
“I’ve always been obsessed with blush, it was the first makeup product I ever tried from my mum’s beauty cabinet. The blush shade Turks and Caicos from e.l.f is the perfect combination between peach and coral and my go-to shade for summer. It melts into the skin so beautifully and leaves you with the most natural sun-kissed finish.”
No7 Lash and Brow Perfector, £9.95
Recommended by Joy Adenuga
“I’m a huge fan of groomed eyebrows and the Lash & Brow Perfector is one of my go-to products for achieving this look. It comes in a clear gel and I apply it to my clients to set their brows. I love that it’s versatile and you can use it on your lashes as well as your brows; it separates lashes brilliantly, making them look fuller and bolder.”
e.l.f Monochromatic Multi Stick, £5
Recommended by Mira Parmar
“This multi-use stick for eyes, lips and cheeks is brilliant for all skin shades with a range of gorgeous colours; it’s lightweight on the skin and super easy to blend. The product is also perfect for makeup on-the-go without a brush and to streamline your makeup bag for travel. It also doesn’t break the bank, leaving pennies in your purse for other things. An absolute steal for £5.00!”
L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Mascara, £9.99
Recommended by Adeola Gboyega
“This is a cult classic with makeup artists and rightly so; it is a great mascara if you want to make your lashes look visibly thicker and longer without that heavy clumpy look. I love that this is also a true black mascara with a conditioning formula to strengthen lashes.”
Max Factor Colour Elixir Lipstick – 010 Toasted Almond, £8.99
Recommended by Madeleine Spencer
“Perfectly balanced nude lipsticks are surprisingly hard to come by; loads are chalky, or lean into flat browns a little too much. This is the perfect balance and as a result it works on a range of skin tones. If I want to deepen or lighten it, it’s easily done with a little lip liner to add a punch or soften it. I also love the creamy formula and hydrating finish.”
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