Best Budget Friendly Beauty Products

MAYBELLINE Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation
One of the nicest looking foundations, so I use it when I’m taking pictures or videos. It’s got a light-medium coverage with some pore hiding abilities and a satin finish on normal-dry skin. Despite the name it’s not particularly mattifying and I’ve heard some with oily skin don’t like it, but it’s great formula to try, especially since there’s a bunch of shades in this line, which is a big plus for the drugstore.
BOURJOIS Healthy Mix Foundation
Great formula for dry skin, though the price is close to double since I bought my first bottle. It has a light-medium coverage and a natural, “invisible”/no-foundation-look, glowy finish. There’s also a Serum version, but I find on my skin the foundation looks better, which may not be the case for you. It’s a foundation that manages to hide dry parts and flakes well, but if the skin is oily it will slide off the face fast. 
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MAX FACTOR Facefinity All Day Flawless 3 in 1 Primer, Concealer & Foundation
One of the most photogenic foundations. It can look pretty and fresh on the skin – however, it’s not ideal for dry skin, at least without a well hydrated base. Coverage is about medium, finish is matte on my dry skin and despite the thick, creamy texture it blends seamlessly, especially with the help a good makeup sponge. I wear shade C40 Light Ivory.
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DERMACOL Make up Cover
If you’re looking for high coverage, this is it. This has full coverage with a small amount and covers everything on my face apart from two of my darkest freckles. However, if you want to avoid it looking heavy it’s best to use a damp sponge with it and combine it with a good primer. Finish is glowy and it needs a powder to properly set it in place. This is available in a good pale shade, 208, which is similar to Revlon Colorstay 110 Ivory.
GOSH Mineral Powder
My choice of foundation when I’m wearing a shiny SPF in the summer. It covers well when I layer it, it hides redness and doesn’t look flat matte. It combines coverage and powder for me, so it’s quick and easy – I just buff it into my skin with a flat kabuki brush. I wear shade 002.

MAYBELLINE The Eraser
A classic. It’s a formula with medium coverage and a natural finish, so it can even be used instead of foundation. It doesn’t slip into lines or have that matte, ageing effect, so it looks much better on the skin than high coverage concealers (on my dry skin). I wear 00 Ivory and Brightener.
BOURJOIS Healthy Mix Serum Roll-on Concealer
Not a typical glowy formula Bourjois usually has, which is why it may appeal to those who don’t have dry skin. It has a good level of coverage (medium, or medium/full with layering) and doesn’t look heavy on the skin. Finish is more satin-matte than the usual dewy one of Healthy Mix foundations. The applicator is unique, but I end up blending the concealer with a sponge or a brush, as the metal applicator is only nicely cooling, but not effective at blending or spreading the concealer evenly. I wear 49 Ivory
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NYX PROFESSIONAL Makeup Bare With Me Concealer Serum
One of my favourite concealers for dry skin. It layers well, it melts into the skin, looks natural, yet covers quite a lot for such a lightweight formula. I’d say the coverage is about medium, it’s not full, but it covers circles well and red spots reasonably well. I quite like this for blemishes because it looks a lot less cakey than pretty much all concealers I’ve tried, though it doesn’t stay on as well as matte formulas and it can slide off. I wear shade Fair.
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REVLON Colorstay Skin Awaken 5-in-1 Concealer
I’d rather put their PhotoReady Candid version here instead, but I believe it’s being discontinued. This is very similar and it contains caffeine and vitamin C, so it combines skin care with coverage. It’s got medium-high coverage without looking heavy and the finish is satin on me. It can cover an inflamed blemish without looking too cakey and well suited for under the eyes. Shades are not ideal, especially if you’re pale like me.
ESSENCE Stay All Day 14h Concealer
This is one of the cheapest formulas in the drugstore, but it’s regardless lovely. It’s got a good medium, buildable level of coverage, a natural finish that doesn’t turn too matte on me in time and it blends easily on a larger area. I often use this one instead of foundation when I’m in a hurry.
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MILANI Conceal + Perfect Concealer
Since my skin is dry, my selection reflects that and I don’t like wearing the most popular matte high-coverage formulas such as Catrice’s Liquid Camouflage, but from such formulas Milani gets my vote, as it’s one of rare formulas that doesn’t turn very obvious on my skin. I’ve even worn this for no makeup looks in the summer. It has a lot of coverage, it blends ok for a matte formula and it sets matte. Pale shades are available.
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REVLON ColorStay Blot Setting Powder
My preferred powder for taking away excess shine of SPF’s. It’s very finely milled, smooth and not very obvious on the skin. I find this makes my skin and makeup look smoother and just better, plus it never sticks to a certain area, leaving an odd textured patch like it happened to me at some other loose powders.
PHYSICIANS FORMULA Rosé All Day Set & Glow Illuminating Powder & Dewy Balm
Luminous Light
The vaseline-like highlighter in this is useless, but the powder is my favourite for dry skin. It doesn’t look powdery, it doesn’t make the makeup look more obvious, it takes away greasy/fresh makeup shine yet leaves a nice glow on the face. I pick Revlon’s Colourstay Blot powder over this in the summer months, but otherwise this is top choice all year.
MAYBELLINE Fit Me Matte + Poreless Powder 
A classic nice powder. Powder is fine, not drying and nicely mattifying without looking too flat. This comes in several shades, I wear the transparent one.
COLOURPOP Super Shock Cheek
Flexiterian
Best highlighter I’ve found so far. It’s got very fine shimmer for a natural “smooth” strong glow and the texture is something between a powder and a cream.
CATRICE Glow Lovely Oil-Infused Highlighter
010 Glowing Peony
One of the best natural-looking highlighters in my collection, so more on the subtle side, but it creates a nice radiant effect. It’s great especially in the summer when highlighters can look too shimmery in direct sunlight. It doesn’t emphasize pores, while the shade is neither too cool or too warm. In a light coat it even works as an all-over luminous powder.
MAYBELLINE Master Chrome Extreme Highlighting Powder 
200 Diamond
This rivals Colourpop’s Flexiterian in terms of strength and a swirl or two with a brush creates an intense glow on the skin.
CATRICE Holiday Skin Bronze & Glow Palette
010 Out of Office
Both powders are great quality in this palette. The bronzer side is matte, has a great smooth formula that blends out easily and is a shade that doesn’t pull orange on pale skin, so it suits me as a contour (although it’s not cool or ashy like popular shades for contouring pale skin). The highlighter is a classic champagne shade with fine shimmer that adds a nice level of glow.
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ESSENCE Blush Crush!
Some of the cheapest blushes you can buy, but they don’t lack in quality. I have several shades, but my two favourite are 40 Strawberry Flush and 50 Pink Pop. Both contain shimmer, so they are like a blush and highlighter in one and they add a great healthy glow to the cheeks. Some of the shades are matte, but all have a good medium-pigmented formula. Essence discontinues their products a lot, but their powder blushes are consistently good.
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ESSENCE Baby Got Blush Stick
One of my favourite formulas. Though it is in stick form, which means you can just swipe it on the cheeks if you wish, I find it’s better to use to brush or fingers. It blends into the skin beautifully, plus it smells like watermelon. I use 30 Rosé all Day and 01 Tickle me pink.
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BOURJOIS Little Round Pot Blusher
These are one of those good old classics. They are baked blushes, but the formula is harder than is usual and pigmentation is not the best when they are new. But a good dense brush makes all the difference and these create a lovely flush on the cheeks. This formula is one most long lasting blushes I’ve tried. I have 34 Rose D’or, which is one of the most popular shades and it has a nice glow on the skin. These are fragranced a gorgeous powdery violet scent.
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CATRICE Blush Affair Liquid Blush
I prefer these to Essence’s liquid blushes. They blend seamlessly to the skin and only a small amount is needed for a nice flush.
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CATRICE Cheek Lover Marbled Blush 10 Dahlia Blossom
A nice richly pigmented baked formula. It has tiny shimmer in it, like Catrice’s Glow Lover highlighter, so it adds a glow to the cheeks that doesn’t look obviously shimmery. But given how Catrice loves to discontinue things, it may not be on the stands for long.
DEBORAH MILANO Powdered Hi-Tech Blush
This is no different than the almost double the price Milani’s blush (price here in Slovenia). It’s a baked blush in a warm pink shade with tiny shimmer. It looks smooth on the cheeks, has nice pigmentation and a subtle glow. I use shade 64.
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MILANI Baked Blush
These are some of the most praised drugstore blushes, but formula is loose when they are new and it takes some time for them to become really good. Formula has a good pigmentation and a small shimmer that adds a glow. There are cheaper good baked blushes, but these are a gold standard. Shade Luminoso has been hyped to death, but it’s pure orange on me, so I wear Petal Primavera instead.
|video Luminoso|
MILANI Cheek Kiss Cream Blush
Not quite as nice as Essence’s stick blushes, but this is another lovely, very pigmented formula. They are very blendable both with fingers or a brush and I get diffused edges at both methods. Bronzers exist in this formula too.
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REVLON ColorStay Lock Setting Mist
I don’t really use setting sprays much, but this is one of my favourites because I feel my skin looks best with this one. It’s nothing specific, but the makeup on a whole looks smoother. Otherwise it’s made for oily skin, so it can be drying for me. It really prolongs the staying power of makeup a lot, also in hot weather.
MILANI Make It Last Setting Spray
Original, Matte and Dewy
These all do the same on me, so simply prolong the staying power of makeup, plus they have 2% niacinamide. The Dewy, Matte and Original one all look matte on me, but Dewy promises to add a glow and Matte has charcoal particles that absorbs oils. They promise to make the makeup waterproof, though I never tested that, but the makeup is harder to remove with these over the top. The atomiser sprays a fine mist.
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BOURJOIS Healthy Mix Hydrating Primer
My favourite glowy primer. It’s a light liquid formula with no big visible shimmer in it, yet it leaves a lovely glow on the skin. Even after the primer becomes dry to the touch, the skin has that shine. There’s no blurring at this formula and I don’t find it particularly smoothing, so it just adds a glow while leaving the texture and skin tone like it is.
MAX FACTOR 2000 Calorie Volume Mascara
A golden standard. This mascara is so good – it creates a beautiful effect of enough volume, length and definition, it just makes the lashes look their best. Waterproof version is as not impressive.
PUPA Vamp! Mascara Regular and Waterproof
This one is more expensive, but the effect it creates is so beautiful. The regular formula is better, as it creates big lashes that are nicely fanned out and separated fast. The waterproof version is a touch less volumising because it’s drier, but it’s still creates a great effect and it keeps my lashes curled.
 |video Waterproofcolor versions|
REVLON ColorStay Xtensionnaire Mascara
A very impressive formula, even for a regular one when it comes to my lashes that don’t hold a curl. It adds a lot of length with one coat, it’s also nicely volumising and it’s very decent at definition because it has good hold. It can make the lashes look big and “glamourous”. Revlon has great mascara formulas in general and I also like their So Fierce! range.
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ESSENCE I <3 Extreme Volume Mascara Waterproof
One of my oldest, affordable favourites. It gives me more of a dishevelled look of a lot of lashes compared to Pupa Vamp, but it creates a lot of volume and it holds my lashes in place all day. The minus is the big, clumsy brush.
ESSENCE Lash Like a Boss Mascara Waterproof
This is a better version of I <3 Extreme. It didn’t impress me when it was freshly opened, but with time it became a top performer. It adds plenty of volume, even more length and defines the lashes, though when it was new it was definition where it performed poorly. It holds my lashes curled well. Formula is very similar to Essence’s I <3 Extreme formula, but the brush is smaller and that makes all the difference.
REVLON Volumazing Waterproof Mascara
Another great waterproof formula, similar to Essence one and it manages to stay fresh for a long time, which is a plus since waterproof formulas tend to be drier. It creates a good amount of volume, adds length and it’s defining enough. Only the price isn’t as friendly as Essence’s.
CATRICE Ink Eye Liner
Catrice discontinued their Liquid Liner Matt, which was fantastic and this isn’t a perfect replacement, but so far I haven’t found anything better, especially for the price. It looks the same as the old one and in many ways performs the same, only it’s not quite as long-lasting. It’s an intensely black formula, it’s matte and it has a felt tip applicator that allows enough precision.
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DEBORAH MILANO 24 Ore Waterproof Eye Pencil
A great soft and pigmented formula that lasts well and glides on the skin easily. My shade is 5 Golden Green, which can also be smudged as a cream eyeshadow.
ESSENCE 24 Ever Ink Liner Intense Black
Though dip eyeliners are better, since they stay fresh longer, this is a great budget felt tip pen eyeliner. It’s very black, it doesn’t need a pause between application on both eyes as is common for such eyeliner and it lasts all day on my non-oily eyelids without a base. The applicator is small, smooth, very precise and it’s also softer than some other ones I’ve tried, so it feels very comfortable to use.
MILANI COSMETICS Stay Put Eyeliner
I thought Maybelline’s Tattoo eyeliner is unbeatable, but this is even better. It’s the blackest, most intense pencil eyeliner I’ve tried so far. It’s such a deep black and it manages to stay in the waterline even at the end of the day and it’s only somewhat faded. It’s not as creamy as Maybelline’s, so it doesn’t glide quite as smoothly on the top lash line, but the line it creates is intense and it stays put.
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ARTDECO Eyeshadows
These are technically more expensive than most when building a whole palette, but individually they aren’t pricy. ArtDeco’s eyeshades are great quality – have a good pigmentation, they are creamy, smooth, they blend well and last well, plus there is a large selection to choose from.
COLOURPOP Shadow Palettes
These are my favourite palettes, quite a bit better than your average Catrice palette for example. Formulas are smooth, pigmented and they blend with ease. They have so many palettes to choose from, but my favourites are the cool toned That’s Taupe and Stone Cold Fox.
ESSENCE The Nude Edition
In general I find Essence’s eyeshadows better that Catrice’s. This is a very decent starter nude palette with a mix of cool and warm tones. Other versions exist too. Matte eyeshadows are very smooth and nicely pigmented and shimmer performs well too.
L’OREAL PARIS Colour Riche Les Nus Intense Lipstick
173 Nu Impertinent
A formula that feels more expensive than it is. It’s comfortable, smooth and has great pigmentation, plus it lasts well. Some say this shade is a dupe for a very famous lipstick, but I don’t know if it’s true. This shade is very close to my natural lip colour, so it’s a great shade for a natural makeup, which adds more definition to my lips.
MAX FACTOR Color Elixir Moisture Kiss Lipstick 
005 Simply Nude
A simple creamy formula with a bit of shine that’s pleasant for dry lips. This shade is one of the best nude colours I found for my pale skin tone.
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REVLON Super Lustrous Lipsticks
Such a nice, hydrating, smooth, creamy and very comfortable formula. A great one for dry lips and I can see why it’s still a best-seller.
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BOURJOIS Rouge Velvet The Lipstick
A formula that’s smooth like butter, is very lightweight and once it sets it has one of the best matte finishes.
BOURJOIS Velvet The Pencil
These are one-swipe lip colours with great pigmentation and a creamy formula that doesn drag on the lips. They are matte, but not dry/fully matte, so they feel comfortable, however, they aren’t nourishing/moisturising.
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CATRICE Scandalous Matte Lipsticks
Catrice changes their matte line of lipsticks frequently, but they are all about the same. Formula is light, glides on the lips with ease, has good pigmentation, looks smooth and has a semi-matte finish (later it settles to a completely matte one when the creaminess goes away).
REVLON Colorstay Suede Ink Lipstick
My favourite lipsticks. These are fully opaque with one swipe and once they set on the lips, they don’t wipe off or smudge, they just stay in their place like a liquid matte lipstick. Formula is thin and matte, so don’t expect any nourishment from these. I can handle them fine and don’t find them drying, but some may want to use a lip balm under or over them.
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MAYBELLINE Super Stay Matte Ink
These are aside from Revlon’s Overtime the most long lasting lip colours in my collection. On most days they can look like freshly applied after 12 hours, provided you don’t eat a lot of greasy food. This also means they need a waterproof remover to get it off completely and they may not feel comfortable to a lot of people.
REVLON ColorStay Limitless Matte Liquid Lipstick
These feel great at application, almost buttery creamy. The applicator has a good shape and allows a lot of precision with its tip. It takes about a minute to dry and then I don’t feel these on the lips (most of the time). They don’t feel drying to me, are very lightweight and last well on the lips (like all such matte formulas do). They also work well as liquid blushes.
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REVLON Colorstay Overtime Lipcolor
This thing survives anything from drinking, eating, touching lips a lot – it just lasts and doesn’t transfer. It’s a two-step product with a semi-opaque liquid lipstick that by itself lasts a long time. The second sealer part adds shine and locks the lipstick in place. Despite the great staying power and the fact it eventually turns matte, the glossy sealer makes sure that it doesn’t feel dry.
REVLON Colorstay Satin Ink
These are another long-lasting lipstick formula, but unlike the others above, this one starts off glossy and it’s a lot more suitable for dry lips. It later settles into a satin and eventually a matte finish. Pigmentation is fully opaque with one swipe and it wears off nicely without creating flakes, peeling off or making the lips dry
MAYBELLINE Color Sensational Shaping Lip Liner
A pencil that doesn’t need to be sharpened with a soft formula that’s easy to apply all over the lips. I wear shade Dusty Rose. It has a better staying power than Essence’s lip liner despite having a similar formula.
MAYBELLINE Lifter Liner
A creamy lipliner with great pigmentation and better staying power than most formulas. I wear 006 Line Leader.
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MILANI Color Statement Lipliner
(not on the picture)
Another creamy pencil with good pigmentation that glides easily on the lips.
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BOURJOIS Contour Edition Lip Liner
This formula is a bit less creamy than the rest, but it’s still great. I mostly wear shade 02.
CATRICE Glossin’ Glow Tinted Lip Oil
These are brilliant for dry lips. It’s a very thick and rich lip gloss formula that feels nourishing and most importantly stays on the lips for hours. They have a great level of shine and feel like an oily gloss.
CATRICE Plump it Up Lip Booster
These are a bit richer and thicker than glosses usually are, but they are not sticky. The shine level is intense and these manage to hold on for a while, by that I mean longer than an average lip gloss (not like Glossin’s Glow, but good). It’s a Catrice formula that tingles, like many do, but it’s not strong and it doesn’t last – it’s more cooling than tingling.
MAX FACTOR 2000 Calorie Lip Glaze Plumping Lip Gloss
A thick and comfortable formula that feels balmy almost like a lip oil, so it’s a great substitute for a lip balm.
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MILANI Fruit Fetish Lip Oil
Another great lip oil that nourishes and stays on the lips for hours. Unlike Catrice’s ones, these are fruity scented, which is a nice plus for me.
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LABELLO Blackberry Shine
A tinted lip balm in a deep berry shade that some say is a dupe for Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey.
ESSENCE Lip Care Jelly Sleeping Mask
Though it’s not quite the dupe for Laneige, which is softer and feels better on extremely dry lips, this sticks on the lips better and for longer. It’s nicely nourishing and has the scent of Kiki candy (soft taffy candy scent). It’s tinted and gives the lips a nice light shade of pink.
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LIP SMACKER Lippy Pal Lip Balm
Cuddly Cream Puff
This doesn’t just look cute, it’s also a great lip balm that smells amazing. It has a creamy, soft, nourishing formula and it smells similar to The Body Shop Vanilla Pumpkin body butter, so like vanillary-almond goodness. The unicorn version is nice too, but with a fruity scent.
MELEM Lip & Cheek
Dreamy Rose & Fresh Magnolia
A lip balm/lipstick-blush hybrids. These formulas work well on lips and cheeks. They blend easily and don’t feel greasy, despite being nourishing lips balms. On the lips the colour payoff is like from a classic moisturising lipstick.
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CATRICE ICONails Gel Lacquer
Catrice does consistently nice nail polishes no matter their current name or packaging.
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CATRICE Quick Dry Top Coat
This dries the nails quick, though it’s not the promised 40 seconds, but in a minute or two it’s dry to the touch.
ANNY Nail Polish
These are more expensive than is usual for drugstore nail polishes, but worth it. Formula is smooth and easy to apply, while similar cheap nude shades have a thicker formula. I wear shade 300 Makeup which is a gorgeous powdery pink nude that is similar to my skin tone in depth.
ESSENCE Gel Nail Colour
Same thing as I said at Catrice: Essence always has great nail polishes no matter how many times they change their packaging.
PUPA Vamp! Scented Nail Polish Gel Effect
These have the added benefit of smelling like perfume for the first 1-2 days. The lightest shade have a powdery-floral scent, the red one a rich floral-patchouli fragrance similar to Armani Si Passione and the deepest have a fragrance that’s something along the lines of YSL Black Opium. Formulas are smooth and last ok.
CERAVE Micellar Cleansing Water
A simple formula with niacinamide, ceramides, cholesterol and no fragrance. It removes makeup well, even hardcore foundations like Dermacol and intense matte liquid lipsticks (but of course not waterproof mascaras). Skin feels comfortable after removal and there’s no residue.
MAYBELLINE Makeup Remover Waterproof
My favourite remover for waterproof mascaras. It never fails to do the job unlike some cheaper one or those in the same price range.
GARNIER Micellar Cleansing Water All-in-1
Light as like water and it removes all regular makeup. It’s not scented.
MIXA Baby & Adult Soothing Cleansing Oil for Body & Hair Atopiance
Not an oil, but a simple cleanser gel in a very convenient pump packaging that I use for cleaning my face either alone or as a second cleanser after oil. It’s gentle, not scented, it cleans well and it doesn’t irritate my eyes.
BALEA Niacinamide AHA Peeling
A weak AHA exfoliant that is very light and gentle, plus it has 5% niacinamide. I use it when I have spots since it helps heal them faster.
THE ORDINARY Lactic Acid 10% + HA
Most like TO’s stronger 30% AHA version, but that one didn’t impress me. This again feels very weak to me, but it helps the skin look a bit better.
SKINFOOD Black Sugar Mask Wash off
A sugar scrub that’s quite harsh (I’m sure those who are very into skin care just gasped collectively), but it gets me the smoothest and softest skin that I can’t achieve with any other product. I use it very occasionally.
COSRX Galactomyces 95 Whitening Power Essence
A product that improved the texture of my skin. It’s not a miraculous product, but it’s a lovely thicker toner that with prolonged use helped my pores to look less prominent.
CEZANNE Skin Conditioner High Moist
This is such a great deal for the money, as you get a generous 500 ml of product. It’s a light toner-like lotion that absorbs fast and feels very hydrating. It contains ceramides, 3 types of hyaluronic acid, collagen and amino acids, so all the good stuff.
A’PIEU Madecassoside Fluid 2x
My skin barrier repairing product with Madecassoside and Beta-Glucan, but also 30% of centella asiatica leaf water, ceramides, panthenol, aloe vera and several extracts. Formula feels richer than a watery toner, so it instantly alleviates the tight feeling when my skin feels thirsty.
COSRX Full Fit Toner Propolis Synergy
A toner that contains 72.6% of Black bee Propolis extract and 10% Honey extract. The texture is nice – thicker than toner, but not as thick as a serum. My skin likes propolis products, as they keep it looking good and add a healthy glow.
LA ROCHE-POSAY Effaclar Duo + M
A moisturiser with salicylic acid, niacinamide, ceramides,… Formula is light, gel-like and it leaves a layer on the skin, like a primer. This helps heal breakouts and works as a nice base for makeup.
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GEEK & GORGEOUS A-Game 5 and 10
An affordable retinal product that is very gentle. I like the light texture, which is easy to combine with the rest of my routine.
SKINCYCLOPEDIA 1% Retinol and Squalane Face Serum
An oily retinol serum that’s quite light. I like the texture and I’ve had zero irritations or dryness despite this being 1%.
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SKINCYCLOPEDIA 10% Matrixyl® 3000 Face Serum
A serum with peptides. It’s a light formula that’s easy to layer.
A.H.C Ten Revolution Real Eye Cream For Face
An eye cream that has everything from hydrolysed collagen niacinamide, centella asiatica, a ton of extracts, allantoin, adenosine, ceramides, peptides, arganine…. It’s a medium thick cream and it sits on the skin for a time.
BEAUTY OF JOSEON Revive Eye Serum Ginseng + Retinal
This has 2% liposome retinal, but also ginseng extract (10%), niacinamide, adenosine, hyaluronic acid, cholesterol, ceramides, a peptide and a couple of oils/butters. Texture is a light lotion, but it feels like a moisturiser on the skin and I experienced no irritations or dryness. It has a ginseng scent
AFRODITA Young & Pure 3 in 1 Cleansing Gel + Peeling + Mask
I use this only as mask. It has no scrubby bits worth mentioning and as a cleansing gel it’s best for second wash or when the skin is bare. It helps heal breakouts faster.
BALEA Niacinamide Day Cream SPF 30
This is affordable, has a decent SPF and 10 % niacinamide. It’s kind of a typical cream that sits on the skin for a while, but it’s not a heavy, rich moisturiser, nor does it feel “sunscreen greasy”. It’s nicely hydrating, I can wear it under makeup, it doesn’t peel and it doesn’t irritate my eyes.
BIORE UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence spf 50 / PA++++
A great sunscreen for under makeup because it dries to velvet, primer-like finish.
CANMAKE Mermaid Skin Gel UV SPF 50+ PA++++ 01 Clear
This is not much different from Biore UV Aqua Rich (or Oriflame’s Novage+ UV-age Day Shield). It’s feels very lightweight on the face, not greasy, it’s comfortable and it doesn’t move or irritate my eyes. Two finger amount can easily be applied on the face with zero white streaks. Sometimes it stays shiny and sometimes it becomes matte.
GARNIER Ambre Solaire Ultra-Light Sensitive Face Fluid SPF50+
My old favourite. I had a few backups, so this version of packaging may not exist. It’s a liquid sunscreen that feels very light on the skin. There’s zero white cast and not much shine – the latter eventually disappears on my dry skin.
NIVEA SUN Dark Spot Control Luminous 630 SPF 50
Again as with Garnier one I had backups, so this version of packaging may not exist. This has Isobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol (Thiamidol), which fades pigmentation. It’s a non-greasy formula with a “Korean sunscreen level” of shine that looks more like healthy glow. It always protected well in strong sun and it can be used under makeup too.
TREACKLEMOON Brazillian Love Shower Gel
A shower gel that smells like the popular Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Cream/Cheirosa 62 fragrance mist.
DOVE Deeply Nourishing Shower Gel
/Not on the picture/
My favourite shower gel formula because it’s thick, creamy and nice for dry skin. Plus I’m a fan of the classic Dove scent.
NIVEA Care & Apricot Shower Gel
One of my favourite shower gel scents, as it smells just like apricots.
SUBRINA Oil Shower Gel
A big selection of scent for an affordable price. Good Vibes is my favourite. Scent lingers on the skin like a perfume.
DOVE Crème Dusch-Peeling
Macadamia & Reismilch
A very pleasant creamy formula with lots of small scrubby particles. It’s not a harsh scrub, so nothing like sugar or salt ones, yet it does the job ok and it’s not abrasive at all. The scent is typically for Dove a nice creamy.
NIVEA Care Nourishing Cream
Nivea’s body moisturiser have a great long term effect when I use them regularly and don’t just moisturise the skin for a few hours, but my skin becomes noticeably softer and nicer in time. This one is their favourite formula of mine. It’s a rich body cream that absorbs quickly and feels properly nourishing. Scent is the typical Nivea cream one.
CERAVE Moisturising Cream
Cerave have very simple, but effective formulas that contain ceramides and have no scent. A rich moisturiser, but not so thick like a body butter and it spreads easily on the skin. It absorbs fast enough and it leaves this velvety finish on the skin.
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CERAVE Moisturising Lotion
Lighter than the Moisturising Cream, but still nicely nourishing and it absorbs faster. I use it also as a face moisturiser.
TREACKLEMOON Brazilian Love Body Moisturiser
This has a similar scent like Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum cream. I compared it to my original and I smell more plain vanilla instead of the much richer salted caramel and pistachios, so they are not the same, but it’s instantly recognizable as a sort of a dupe, especially if you’re not fussy. Texture is lighter that SdJ, but it still does the job.
PANTENE PRO-V Molecular Bond Repair Shampoo and Conditioner
A great drugstore formula. It foams well on the first wash already and it doesn’t leave the hair with that squeaky clean, overly-stripped feeling that I need to avoid. Together with the conditioner from the same line they are an excellent combination.
L’OREAL Elseve Extraordinaire Oil Nourishing Shampoo
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A great shampoo for very dry hair and I’ve used up plenty of bottles so far. It’s like it already has some conditioner inside plus it has silicones, so it makes my tangly hair easy to comb after washing and it doesn’t leave it stripped.
BALEA Fresh Up & Style Trocken Shampoo Schaum
A non-traditional dry shampoo, but it’s impressive. It’s like a regular styling mousse with no hold. Hair actually feels like it’s been freshly washed and it has a very pleasant, gentle and fresh fragrance. There is a slight powdery feeling, but much less than at for example Batiste dry shampoos.
SUBRINA Recept Sensitive Action
This is an anti-dandruff shampoo, but I mostly like it because it foam really well and it’s not at all drying.
ELIZAVECCA Cer-100 Collagen Ceramide Coating Protein Treatment
This is hailed as a dupe for Olaplex – it’s not, it’s more of a dupe Joico K-Pak Intense Hydrator as both are packed with hydrolised proteins and aminoacids. It makes my hair feels so nice – airy, nourished and silky. Along with some leave-ins even the bleached part of my hair dries smoother. Texture is easy to spread in a small amount.
PANTENE PRO-V Miracles Intense Hair Rescue
This leaves my hair feeling silky, detangled and it’s nourishing enough for my very dry hair. It’s one of the best formulas in the drugstore, but Bond Repair is very similar.
PANTENE PRO-V Molecular Bond Repair Conditioner
Another drugstore winner. Together with the shampoo these two make my hair feel so nice, almost like I used high-end products. My hair is properly nourished, it feels silky and the ends feel better.
KERATIN RECODE Repair Mask
Another nice nourishing mask, but not easily available. It’s silicone free, but doesn’t feel like it is and my hair dries smoothly when I use it.
CANTU Shea Butter for Natural Hair Hydrating Cream Conditioner
A very nourishing conditioner that great for very dry, thick hair. It’s silicone free, so not best for taming my hair, but I just combine it with Gliss 7 Sec. The packaging has a generous 400 ml and the conditioner smells like Pina colada.
L’ORÉAL PARIS Elseve Glycolic Gloss 5-Minute Shine Treatment
This isn’t meant to be used as a stand-alone treatment, you are supposed to use it after conditioner. Formula is thin, yet creamy and a small amount can be applied on a large area. I love it in combination with Cer-100, as the make my hair look and feel so good.
SCHWARZKOPF GLISS 7 Sec Express Repair Treatment Oil
These are amazing – truly one of the best things I’ve discovered for my very dry, easy to tangle hair. Normally I have to leave a conditioner on for 20 minutes on my thick hair to have a proper effect, but these actually work in the shower in seconds. They all work the same, so it doesn’t matter which you pick up. These are liquid and transform into a rich emulsion when massaged on wet hair. They are silicone-free, yet make my hair feel like Pantene, silky smooth.
SCHWARZKOPF Brilliance Hair Glossing
Chocolate Brown
A tinted hair mask that matches my dark brown colour perfectly. It’s washing off the slowest out of all masks I’ve tried, so I’ve had no awkward phases with my semi-washed colour in various cool or warm shades. Formula is also nourishing enough for my hair. It’s a very messy business though, so I apply this in the shower. If your hair isn’t as dark as mine, this will likely turn your hair almost black, so don’t trust the colour on the packaging.
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LA CROA Protect & Shine Hair Oil Spray
A silicone hair oil in a spray that’s a brilliant dentangler, it smooths the hair, nourishes and adds shine. It may be a bit heavy for thin hair.
OROFLUIDO Beauty Elixir
This has a delightful amber-vanilla scent, a thick formula that’s similar to Moroccanoil and it’s effective at keeping my hair hydrated longer if I apply it on damp hair before drying. But I mostly use it as a finishing product, so taming the hair and adding shine.
L’OREAL Paris Elseve Glycolic Gloss Leave-in Serum
A classic silicone hair serum with dense shimmer. This adds a nice amount of glossy shine, plus it’s a type of serum that can be used anytime, so on dry or damp hair.
TIGI BED HEAD Blow-Out Golden Illuminating Shine Cream
I have this version which may not exist anymore, but Tigi After Party is the same, except it doesn’t have shimmer. It’s a hair cream that can be used on dry or damp hair and it smooth the hair, tames the frizz, adds shine and makes the hair look more put together.
L’OREAL Elnett Hair Spray
A classic. It’s so light and not at all sticky or stiff. Only thing that’s annoying is the strong scent (I think L’Oreal has a version without it).
SCHWARZKOPF GLISS Total Repair Shine Tonic
A very light mist, suitable for probably all hair types and it contains hydrolysed keratin. It adds such an amazing amount of non-greasy looking shine. It’s one of those products with which you can “fake” shiny healthy looking hair for a while.
GOT2B Got Gloss Spray
A heat protectant that doubles as a shine spray. It’s supposed to be like a Color Wow Dream Coat type of product, but it’s not effective in such a way on my hair (not like Moroccanoil Frizz Shield). I use it mostly as a shine spray, but it’s a bit heavier than Total Repair Shine Tonic.
NIVEA Care & Hold Soft Touch Caring Mousse
A brilliant hair mousse that feels like nothing on the hair yet it holds the hair style for days on me. I do no-heat curls on most days and this helps them lasts so well.
SCHWARZKOPF GOT2B Bye Bye Babyhair Anti-Flayaways Touch Up Brush
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A “mascara” for taming flay-aways. It’s like a hair gel in a mascara form, but it doesn’t feel stiff or heavy. This one is a bit nicer than the Balea one, but that one is ok too.
LA RIVE Solare
This is summer in a bottle to me. It smells just like (European) sunscreens, so along the lines of Nivea and Sun Dance. This is 10 €, so a cheap fragrance that loses much of its strength quickly, but I can smell the developed sweeter fainter version of the scent hours after application.
SABRINA CARPENTER Sweet Tooth 
eau de parfum
A girly-looking gourmand that in my opinion if it weren’t packaged in a pink chocolate bar, it may just pass as something a bit more mature. There’s a lot of sugar in it, but there’s also something that makes it smell a bit almost soapy and the candied ginger that gives it a bit of a spicy kick. There’s lots of vanilla & marshmallow and jasmine that adds a floral aspect to it.
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SOL DE JANEIRO Brazilian Crush Cheirosa ’62 Perfumed Body Mist
A great gourmand scent with notes of nuts and vanilla. It’s warm, sweet, a bit creamy and rich – definitely not a summer, beachy scent, but more for colder months.

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