A beauty journalist has shared her favourite makeup products under £10, drawing on nearly a decade of testing products across all price points. She argues that affordable formulas can perform as well as, or better than, premium counterparts.
Budget beauty picks
The list includes the essence Brow Lifting Gel Set at £3.79, which sets and holds brow hair with an angled spoolie brush, lasting all day without white residue. The Collection Lip Liner at £2.99 comes in shades including cappuccino, a classic brown, plus nudes, pinks and reds, and is creamy enough to wipe off mistakes but waxy enough to stay in place.
The e.l.f. Soft Glam Medium Coverage Concealer at £5 has a small doe-foot applicator and a long-wearing, non-cakey finish suitable for blemishes and dark circles. The Maybelline Express Brow Ultra Slim Defining Eyebrow Pencil at £9.99 lasts four months and offers precision for sparse brows.
Long-wearing formulas
The Catrice Magic Shine Eraser Gel To Powder at £5.29 is a clear jelly balm that melts into a mattifying powder on contact, without adding extra coverage. The L'Oreal Paris Infallible 3-Second Setting Spray at £9.99, recommended by a bridal makeup artist, locks in makeup without stickiness, despite a subtle hairspray smell.
The NYX Cosmetics Pro Fix Stick Colour Correcting Concealer at £7.99 comes in green, pink and yellow; the pink shade has been a staple for nearly two years, offering medium coverage for pale, redness-prone skin without an orange tint.
Finishing touches
The Maybelline Lifter Gloss Hydrating Lip Gloss at £8.99 provides high shine without stickiness, with a lip-oil-like texture and a wide doe-foot applicator; the shade Stone is a peachy taupe. The Real Techniques Expert Concealer Brush at £8 is densely packed and versatile, blending concealer, cream eyeshadows and liquid highlighter, and washes well without shedding.
The 17 Tinted Lip Butter at £4 offers a pink-toned nude shade with a smooth, balmy texture that needs only one swipe for full coverage, never feeling sticky.
