As much as I’d like to say I’m bad and boujee, I’m more like a medium and middle-class betch who still goes to the drive-thru at Taco Bell. Like, I have my own money, but I hate spending it. That’s why I rarely set foot in Sephora, for example—it’s a trap. For some reason, if I go anywhere other than the drug store for makeup, it’s like all my money suddenly evaporates. So when I’m in the mood for a new highlighter to enhance my fall glow, I’m hitting up CVS. Don’t judge me; my $4 e.l.f. does the job just as well as a $40 Urban Decay highlighter. Don’t believe me? Try out these amazing drugstore highlighters for yourself. You can send your apologies for doubting me in the form of Sephora gift cards. Please and thanks.
1. Milani Strobelight Instant Glow Powder
This intense strobe highlighter comes in super radiant, warm shades. All are diverse, buildable, and def non-fading. The sheen glow is healthy for most sensitive types and designed to look phenom regardless of skin tone.
2. e.l.f. Baked Highlighter
My secret weapon to achieving supermodel-esque cheekbones comes right in this $4 little packaging. Don’t let the cheap price deter you, though. The Insta-worthy highlighter is full of hydrating goodness, vitamins, and a bunch of other healthy shit we like such as sunflower, rose, and apricot oils. You can apply wet or dry for a non-dramatic reflection. Bless.
3. Physicians Formula Powder Palette Mineral Glow Pearls
This one is also a huge life-saver for me. Since it’s multi-colored, it gives the most natural-looking results without making me look like I’m a Cullen sister (sorry for the Twilight reference). Illuminating in all the right ways, it also blurs imperfections, doesn’t clog your pores, and has the most subtle sparkle.
4. L’Oréal Paris True Match Lumi Liquid Glow Illuminator
L’Oréal’s True Match line is designed to match and blend seamlessly with everyone’s cheekbones, regardless of shade or undertone. Each shade consists of its own unique warm or cool undertone, so you can easily mix with your foundation and use it all over. Since it’s v creamy, it blends in well, and like, honestly, you can pick this up on your next Target run. What’s not to like?
5. Revlon Photoready Insta-Fix Highlighting Stick
For the inner Snapchat thot inside of us, this highlighting stick is everything we never knew we needed. Making you look selfie-ready at all times, the must-have pink light shade looks amazing on everyone (seriously, even our fave celebs) with no filter required. It reflects perfectly under some good lighting, so you hardly ever need the flash for your next photoshoot, and since it comes in the easiest applicator ever, it’s basically mistake-proof, too.
IDK about you but I feel like I’ve aged 20 years this week and it’s barely Thursday. There’s something about America’s impending doom and a racist Cheeto in the oval office that’s making me feel v v old rn. It’s either that or the 3-5 glasses of wine I chugged last night in order to cope with the state of our country and also the icky feelings I had while watching BiP address sexual assault allegations to a crowd of reality TV rejects in casual beachwear. It’s honestly 50/50 at this point. I mean, just looking at Twitter gives me crow’s feet. CROW’S FEET. Nope, I won’t let a man the color of a Halloween peep and Chris Harrison do this to me and my selfie game. You won’t get away with it, you bastards! And if I can’t combat the signs of aging with sheer force of will then I guess I’ll resort to throwing money at my problems anti-aging beauty products.
Now, we’ve already given you a v important guide to anti-aging beauty products for every stage of your life (you’re welcome btw) but, like, some of that shit is expensive. If I’m going to accept the fact the I won’t be young forever I need to do so by pretending those feelings don’t exist with massive amounts of alcohol a decently priced bottle of wine. At the very least. But that’s not going to happen if I’m shelling out $80 plus for a tube of eye cream the size of my index finger. So here are the best drugstore anti-aging products that will keep you looking young AF.
^^Honestly, high compliments
1. Aveeno Positively Radiant
If you want to do the absolute least with your skin then invest in a good AF daily moisturizer, particularly one with a good SPF. Your skin does not have time for you and your day drinking for the Insta antics. So if you, like, want to avoid fucking up your skin I’d start making moisturizing a bigger priority than backwards stalking your ex. I’ve repped Aveeno before but that’s because this shit is amazing. I use it every day and it is the reason I still look damn good in my selfies underneath the dog filter and manufactured lighting. Fucking duh.
2. Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream
If people say the eyes are the windows to the soul, then my soul must be saying “spends 2-3 hours googling ‘Kardashian kids’ outfits’ a night.” Seriously, guys, I’m available. Don’t all line up at once. Obviously, I need all the help my money can buy I can get from the clearance section of a CVS. Neutrogena’s eye cream is more legit than your last boyfriend’s job as an influencer *cough* Robby Hayes *cough* and it’s cheap AF. Retinol-packed eye creams are the only way to banish wrinkles from your face, and Neutrogena’s is fast-acting so you can look younger by Friday’s happy hour.
3. L’Oréal Hydra Genius Water Cream
Getting old also means your skin starts to retain less water and my younger self is literally rolling her eyes at me and all my wacky self-care ideas *internally sobs*. If your skin needs some major hydration before the age of 30 then I’m guessing it’s 40 percent age, 60 percent the fact that your daily liquid intake consists of coffee and wine (hi). I suggest drinking more water, which is v boring but will make you look less like a dehydrated monster. I also suggest incorporating L’Oréal Hydra Genius Water Cream into your daily beauty routine ASAP. Mixed with aloe water, this product feels like you’re getting a facial every damn day without the sketchy Groupon. You should use it before you put on any makeup and at night for amaze results.
4. RoC Retinol Correxion Sensitive Night Cream
Investing in a good retinol product is going to be the key to everlasting youth. And here I thought is was actively not acknowledging the passage of time. Huh, the more you know. Though retinols have amazing anti-aging benefits, sometimes the retinol-based creams can be harsh AF on your skin. The RoC Retinol Correxion Sensitive Night Cream contains a milder concentration of retinol, so your skin won’t look ratchet while your cells work to erase your fine lines. Plus the hyaluronic acid in it helps hydrate and plump skin, so you can look like a college freshman again (sans the sign on your forehead that screams, “I AM BEGGING TO BE GROPED IN A FRAT BASEMENT DANCE FLOOR BY SUPER SENIORS!”).
5. Boots No 7 Protect & Perfect Intense Beauty Serum
This is the shit you’ll need in your 30s when you’re wishing it was still socially acceptable to bong beers on a Tuesday reminiscing about your youth. Beauty serums like this one are super important because it stimulates the production of collagen AND protects you from you and your shitty life choices environmental factors. This serum in particular has vitamin C and glycerin in it, which will leave your skin looking softer, brighter, and dewier—and it works faster than Donald Trump crafting a racist tweet.
I may or may not have talked a little bit about my ongoing battle with the woman who works the checkout counter at Sephora. Let’s call her Sheila for the sake of this article. The root of my vendetta against Sheila probably has something to do with the ridiculous amount of money I spend on eyeliner. Because let’s face it, I would be nothing without my eyeliner. Mostly because it enhances the Bitch in my Resting Bitch Face, but also because it serves as a sort of last defense against the psychopaths commuting from Brooklyn to the city. I sincerely believe my on-point eyeliner is the only reason why tourists do not ask me stupid questions like “will this train get me to Brooklyn” when they’re standing on the Manhattan-bound side and it fucking says it on the sign right in front of them, or when children don’t try and start some shit with me for stealing sitting in the open subway seat. So yeah let’s talk about eyeliners. Drugstores actually have some really good shit in there—and for a price that doesn’t make me want to question my priorities more than my mother already does. So here are seven eyeliners you can buy at any drugstore that won’t break the bank (take that, SHEILA):
The Best Eyeliner For Cat Eye
Trying to perfect the cat eye technique is a bigger mind fuck than listening to a fuckboy try and evade the question of “what are we?”
And, like a fuckboy, my cat eye technique only does what I want it to do every day that is not Friday or Saturday. Like, some days I look like a very, very distant relative of the Hadids and other days I look like Jenny Humphrey after she became a drug dealer and it’s really a toss-up every morning. That being said, Physicians Formula Felt-Tip Eye Marker is going to be your go-to for all things cat eye. This fine-tipped marker goes on super soft instead of super pigmented, which makes it perfect for attaining those bedroom eye goals.
The Best Eyeliner For Color Range
CoverGirl, aka a brand The CW is low-key keeping in business by shamelessly plugging the shit out of their products, has the best eyeliners for color range. We recommend using the CoverGirl Perfect Point Plus, which comes in more color selections than Kylie Jenner’s wig room. Our three top picks are charcoal (perfect for taking your look from office professional to happy hour hoe), and if you’re feeling more adventurous, hunter green and midnight.
The Best Eyeliner For Smokey Eye
Like the cat eye, the smokey eye takes actual patience and work, which is the last fucking thing I want to do when I’m drinking alone in my room getting ready to go out. Like, I can barely drink wine while trying to take a decent filtered AF picture for my Snap story so my ex and the three fuckboys on my rotation will know exactly what they’re missing, and you expect me to also be good at making sultry eyes too?? That’s a hard no. But the Rimmel Exaggerate Eye Definer makes a smokey eye v v easy. Not only is it a retractable pen, but it also comes with its own smudging tool and sharpener so it’s like three things for the price of one. Praise Be.
The Best Liquid Eyeliner
WARNING: do not attempt to use liquid eyeliner after half a bottle of wine a casual night in watching beauty YouTube videos. You will look like this, and I of course know nothing about this from personal experience:
Using liquid eyeliner is an art form that I’m convinced should count as an accepted skill on your professional resume should you be one of the few that can pull this off. And Maybelline’s Line Stiletto liquid eyeliner is the best one in the game. It glides on easy and gives razor sharp lines with zero dragging. Plus it can stay on throughout a nuclear bomb night out with your friends.
The Best Eyeliner Endorsed By Celebs
I had to include this category because celebs are doing this new thing where they pretend they’re peasants just like us and visit CVS’s for beauty products and not just for opportunities to be spotted by the paparazzi being “real” and “normal.” Lol, K. But I also love them for this because I will buy any and all beauty products that celebs pretend like their assistants don’t buy for them. That being said, Reese Witherspoon’s makeup artist revealed that Reese would be nothing without L’Oréal Infallible Lacquer Liner (my words, not hers) and I squealed like a Belieber because apparently I only need to spend less than $10 to look like Elle Woods and that is a dream come true right there.
The Best Waterproof Eyeliner
Obviously I had to include this category because I’ve noticed this strange phenomenon where on any given weekend night after 2am, creatures start to prowl the streets of Manhattan looking for shitty pizza and their dignity. Ya know, the ones that look like this:
That’s where Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Liner comes in. Use this product if you don’t want to turn into an (iconic) internet meme. This eyeliner is the best of both worlds because it gives you a creamy formula while also staying on through a night of vodka sodas, shitty street pizza, and a search for your missing dignity.
The Best Pencil Eyeliner
I will never understand the type of person that uses pencil eyeliners. Is it just me or do they seem sort of archaic? Like some sort of medieval tool Cersei would use to torture one of her offspring with? I mean, we live in a world where people can literally order alcohol to be delivered to their homes without moving from the couch, we don’t need to be stabbing sharpened pieces of wood at our eyes anymore for the sake of beauty. But I guess some of you masochists like this sort of thing so I’m including it. YOU’RE WELCOME. If you’re into being tortured, L’Oréal Voluminous Smoldering Liner is going to be your weapon beauty product of choice. It’s perfect for smudgy “I woke up like this” vibes.