Beauty On A Budget: Eyes
Written By Shreya Wadkar
When it comes to beauty and makeup, one of the first things we like to focus on are the eyes. A dynamic, well-done eye look will instantly make you look glamorous, regardless of whether or not you decide to go through with the rest of your makeup routine. High-end department store brands of makeup have some seriously amazing eye products that everyone loves, and it can be a little bit harder to find the same quality in a drugstore product. But, it’s not impossible to find a few things that are highly comparable. And with that, I have for you lovely pageant ladies some amazing drugstore steals for your eyes.
Step One: Eye Primer
A flawless eye-makeup look starts with priming the eyes. And eye-shadow primer is a must if you want your makeup to last throughout the day and look just as impeccable at the end of the end as in the morning. It’s especially important if it’s a beauty pageant day and you want to keep that eye makeup in place when you’re under a spotlight for most of the day. My favorite drugstore eye primer is the NYX High Definition Eyeshadow Base. This product is incredible for a drugstore find and it will keep your eye-shadow in place all day long. You won’t get any tell-tale creasing or wearing off, and your makeup won’t budge. Just remember to let the base dry completely before putting on the rest of your eye makeup!
Step Two: Eye Shadow
Now once you’ve primed your eyes, the obvious next step is to apply your shadow. Finding a good drugstore eye shadow is tricky, because many of them are too powdery and don’t stay in place. Because you’ve already put on a primer, it’s not too big of an issue, you still want the best quality you can find on a budget. And it’s always a better deal if you can find a palette that you like rather than buying the individual shades. Palettes are also put together with shades that generally go well together, so that gives you one less things to worry about. One of the best drugstore eye shadow palettes by far is the Sonia Kashuk Eye Couture Eye on Neutral Matte . All of the shades in this palette are highly pigmented and will work well on just about any skin tone. Additionally, while these are pressed powders, the application is creamy and smooth, and it’s super blendable. You get twelve gorgeous shades in this palette so overall, it’s an incredible deal. I also recommend the Sonia Kashuk brushes as well, which are great if you’re on a budget.
Step Three: Eyeliner
For me, eyeliner is an absolute must. If I do nothing else with my makeup, I will at least apply an eyeliner. Eyeliners instantly widen and brighten the eyes, adding depth to any look you create. You can simply tight-line the eyes by applying a pencil eyeliner along your upper and lower waterline, you can create a winged look with a liquid eyeliner, or smudge it out for a bit of a smoky eye effect. It’s always good to have one pencil and one liquid eyeliner on hand. I use a liquid liner on my eyelid, and I use the pencil eyeliner for tight-lining and smudging along my lower lash line. Black eyeliner creates a bold look, which is great if you’re on stage for a pageant and want your eyes to pop, but brown eyeliner creates a soft, more subdued look when you want to look a bit more natural. My favorite liquid eyeliner is the L’Oreal Infalliable Super Slim Liquid Eyeliner. The felt-tip makes for easy application, and though felt-tipped liners have the tendency to dry out quickly, this one will last quite a while. You get an intense color pay off and the pigment won’t fade away or bleed. As for pencil eyeliners, L’Oreal is a winner again, with their L’Oreal Extra Intense Liquid Eyeliner Pencil. This product is incredibly pigmented, and black shade is super intense, which is exactly what you want if you’re going for a black liner. It’s got a creamy formula as well, so it glides smoothly along the eye without tugging. It also has a smudger on one end of the product so that you can smudge it out for that smoky look.
Step Four: Mascara (+ Eyelash Curler)
Eyelash curlers aren’t entirely necessary for a day-to-day basis, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t useful. Eyelash curlers open up the eye and make the lashes look longer and give them that extra help curling them when mascara alone isn’t doing the trick. ELF Mechanical Eyelash Curler is a great one to use, and it’s such a bargain at only $1. Next, it’s time for mascara. Mascara can do any number of things include adding depth, volume, curl, and length to your lashes. One of the best drugstore mascaras, in my opinion, is the Maybelline Volum’ Express Falsies Flared. The curled brush helps fan out the lashes and increases volume while adding depth and dimension to the eyes. I like using a waterproof formula the best, so that it doesn’t wear off throughout the day. Tip: You can easily remove waterproof makeup with olive oil, which quickly breaks down the product.
With that, you’ve got a fabulous and flawless eye makeup routine with 100% drugstore products and quality results!
