Ever since Ulta opened in my neighborhood, I’ve been discovering many cruelty-free cosmetic brands that are both high quality and affordable. Here are some of my favorite brands and items. They have to be under $20 to make it on the list and most of them are actually under $10. My reviews are based on my experience of using them for a month.
Proof It! Waterproof Eyeshadow Primer $6.99: Works just as great as a 20 dollar one.
Soft Matte Lip Cream (Budapest) $6.49: Incredibly pigmented and matte, but not drying. This collection also has a wide range of colors.
Faux Blacks Inner Eye Liner (Blackhole) $7.99: Ever since Tarte discontinued their clay pencil eyeliner, I’d been searching for a replacement. My experience with this eye liner has been a positive one.
Patel Pout Lip Color (Autumn Rose) $7.99: I was blown away when I used it for the first time. It’s very creamy, moisturizing yet still matte. I love all the colors that are available right now. I picked this mauve color for fall and winter.
Light Illusion Full Coverage Concealer (Light Medium) $9.99: Could this be real? From the coverage to the color selection and its price, you can’t beat this. JUST WOW.
Amore Matte Lip Crème (Loved) $8.99: I got this on sale for only $6.29! I must say this liquid lipstick is a quite drying for me, so I would use a very moisturizing lip balm before applying it. However, it’s super smooth and pigmented. I also love that they have a wide selection of nude colors.
Mega Cushion Foundation SPF15 (Neutral Beige) $8.99: This is one of my favorite everyday products. It doesn’t break out my skin and it’s very light. It also has a medium-coverage that makes my skin looks flawless and ready to go.
On-The-Go Style Kit $9.99: I love the pouch this set comes with and the size of the brushes that’s perfect for travel. The brushes are decent and get the jobs done perfectly, especially when you consider its quality and price .
Beaming Highlight Palette $18: A great highlight palette to have thats both light and buildable. I find the shades also suitable for eye make-up enhancement. The packaging is sleek and travel friendly (thin and easy to pack.) I also like other products from ColourPop, their eye shadow palettes are in great price range, and the ones I’ve tried are very pigmented and smooth not patchy.
*All photos are mine