I did it. I went out of my comfort zone and purchased drugstore-brand foundation. As I said previously: I’m a beauty brat and although there are some drugstore-brand products I enjoy, I don’t like to skimp when it comes to foundation. After my Benefit Hello Flawless powder shattered, I haven’t been able to afford purchasing a new one and decided I’d give drugstore products a try — and it actually wasn’t too bad.
After perusing reviews on beauty websites and blogs, I decided on the Stay Matte powder foundation from Rimmel London. This foundation cost $5.69, which is nothing in comparison to its predecessor, Benefit Hello Flawless, which costs about $35.
The Stay Matte powder promises shine control for five hours, which I believe it lives up to. I did find myself touching up the powder in my T-zone and cheeks after a long day, but it wasn’t too much of a hassle because I actually felt comfortable toting this product around because it is cheap and therefore easily replaceable. Besides the short face-life, the product covered well over moisturizer and concealer, and it did a pretty good job at setting my liquid foundation. I still am a sucker for my Hello Flawless though, because I have yet to find a powder foundation that is sheer yet buildable in areas that need a little more coverage. The Sheer Matte didn’t do much justice in that regard, but it’s still a good, cheap option if you’re in a pinch.
While I was at CVS, I also picked up a new concealer, Physicians Formula Conceal Rx, because I read rave reviews about it and it seemed similar to the concealer that I’ve been using, Stila Perfecting Concealer. Conceal Rx cost $9.79 at CVS, a fraction of the price of the Stila concealer, which costs about $23.
I like the fact that this concealer is in a tube, because I think that products with doe foot applicators are unsanitary and the application is not as efficient. This concealer is a thick consistency and covers blemishes, hyper-pigmentation and under-eye circles very well. If you aren’t in need of a “physician’s strength” concealer, then I would go with a lighter formula because this product can seem a little cakey. A few days this week I have applied this product over my moisturizer and blended it in with my foundation brush in lieu of liquid foundation. It covered my imperfections very well and the color matched up great with the shade of Stay Matte I purchased. I will definitely be using this over my Stila-brand concealer from now on, because it is a great dupe for a lot less.
These new products have made my makeup routine easier and my bank account happier. If you can’t afford a top-end foundation or concealer, I definitely recommend these products because they work very well considering their very low cost.
Taylor LaPuma is a junior studying journalism and a columnist for The Post. Have you tried any drugstore-brand products that you recommend? Email her at tl674710@ohiou.edu.
