Best Of: Drugstore Skincare & Makeup

I have very fond memories browsing French pharmacies to find the best skin and hair care products to capture the oh so elusive "je ne sais quo."  So, when a French follower on Instagram requested that I do a roundup of the best drugstore makeup in advance of her upcoming visit to the U.S., I was beyond excited.

At first, I wasn't sure what to choose, but when I glanced through my makeup stash, I realized that some of my ultimate favorite products are from the drugstore.  So, without further ado, here are the best drugstore makeup and skincare products.

skin

I used Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash daily throughout high school and college and it was great at keeping my skin acne free.  Now, it's a bit drying for me, but I still use it from time to time when I'm dealing with breakouts.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Cetaphil is a super gentle cleanser that's perfect if you have dry, sensitive skin.  This is so gentle that it's recommended for babies, so this is something that I highly recommend.

CeraVe is another great drugstore skin care brand.  My dermatologist recommended the moisturizer with SPF, and it's very moisturizing and non-irritating.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel is one of my favorite moisturizers ever.  It's very gentle and super hydrating without being greasy.  I highly recommend this, especially as we head to cooler weather.  I have a more in-depth review here.

Shop my other recommendations for awesome drugstore skincare below:

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makeup

Mascara

All of my favorite mascaras come straight from the drugstore.  My current favorite is Maybelline New York Lash Sensational because the formula is volumizing, but the brush keeps your lashes from clumping.  I also love Miss Manga because it adds great volume and length.

Another daily staple is Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Clear, which I use to keep my eyebrows in place.

Eyeshadow and Eye Liner

Rimmel London Scandal Eyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Liner in Nude is the perfect inner rim eye liner.  I mention it here, and it's a great way to make your eyes appear larger and more open.

The Rimmel London Scandal Eyes Shadow Stick is a great eyeshadow stick.  I have the shade #003 Bad Girl Bronze and it's great for an easy bronze eyeshadow look.

Maybelline New York Eye Studio Color Tattoo Pure Pigments are awesome drugstore alternatives to MAC Paint Pots.  These are super long-lasting, and come in matte and metallic finishes.  I have #95 Chocolate Suede and it's a very pretty cool-toned metallic brown.

Lipstick

Maybelline also makes some amazing lipsticks.  The Color Sensational line has a wide range of colors and the formula is very pigmented and super smooth.  Some of my favorite shades are Tinted Taupe (bronze), Midnight Plum (deep purple) and Sin-A-Mon (perfect nude).

Rimmel London also makes gorgeous lipsticks.  I have #107 and it's the perfect berry red shade.

Foundation

L'Oreal Paris Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation is a gorgeous long-lasting foundation.  I used it in this tutorial about a Professional Makeup Look, and I also mentioned it here in my May Favorites post.  This is an amazing foundation.

I haven't tried other drugstore foundations, but I've heard great things about Maybelline Fit Me since this range comes in so many shades.

I've also heard great things about Milani, especially the blushes, but I haven't tried any (yet).

Shop more great drugstore makeup below:

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