The $30 Face Makeup Challenge – Makeup Wars

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Have you ever tried to create a complete makeup look with just $30 worth of products? Sounds easy, right? Well, that was the challenge posed to the Makeup Wars bloggers and it was much more difficult than I anticipated.

With so many mass brand products ranging from $8-12 or more, you really have to scour the sale ads and take advantage of drugstore rewards program to get quality. Keep reading to see how I did it.

$30 Face – The Products

Eyes

Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil (Drugstore.com) – With its built-in brush, I had great hope for this budget brow pencil. And considering that it’s been four weeks since my last wax (I’m going tomorrow), my brows need help. Unfortunately I wasn’t impressed. It didn’t blend well or give me the control I’m used to with my usual brow pencils.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Liner (Drugstore.com) – I’ve been using the original Kohl Kajal liners from Rimmel for years, Jungle Green is my jam, so I thought I’d give the waterproof version a try. It’s just as soft and smudge-able but once it sets, it really does stay put.

Milani Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow (Drugstore.com) – Everyone has been raving about these shadows since their recent launch so, since I was going for a simple one shade look, I thought I’d give them a go. The claim is a single stroke application but I didn’t find that to be the case with Bella Champagne. I needed to really pack it on to get any kind of coverage and even then, I wasn’t terribly wowed. I’m hoping this shade is the exception, not the rule.

L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara (Drugstore.com) – My lashes are sparse, short and straight, generally sad, so I’ve been loving the volume and separation I get from Miss Manga. It can get a little clumpy so have an eyelash comb at the ready.

Lips & Cheeks

L’Oreal Paris Glossy Balm (Drugstore.com) – I told you how much I adore Glossy Balm last week when I shared my Top 10 Drugstore faves. It’s so creamy and pigmented! Even better, it can serve as a multi-tasker. I employed Vintage Rose to give my cheeks a natural flush.

Face

E.L.F. Under Eye Concealer & Highlighter (Drugstore.com) – I wish I didn’t need a concealer but my dark circles and acne scars tell me otherwise. As much as I wanted to use my latest drugstore obsession, it blew my budget so, a quick Target run was in order. It led me to this E.L.F. concealer. I figured the 2-in-1 was an added bonus. I’m sure this is a great product for people with less problematic or younger skin but I found it creased easily as I wore it. For $3, it was worth a try.

L’Oreal Paris Anti-Redness BB Cream (Drugstore.com) – Even at full price, this is totally worth it. I would have done anything to make sure it was on my list. This anti-redness BB instantly calms my flare-ups, smooths out my pores and gives me a nice, even glow. The “universal” shade is definitely too light for women of color so it’s not a one-size-fits-all wonder but it’s perfect for me.

The Final Look

7 products for $30 is pretty impressive, if you ask me. Yes, you can hit the E.L.F. display and come home with 30 for $30 but will they all work? Don’t get me wrong, the brand has some great items but they’re not all winners, especially if you don’t have flawless skin.

Now, even though some of the products were sent to me for review, I shopped as though I purchased everything. If I couldn’t score it somewhere locally to fit the budget, it was tossed, like my COVERGIRL Ready Set Gorgeous Concealer (oh how I missed you!).

To get it done, I took advantage of the L’Oreal Paris 40% off sale at Rite Aid. I also used my 25% Off CVS ExtraCare Rewards coupon plus a Rimmel BOGO 50% off. Finally, a quick Target run to make sure I wasn’t concealer-less.

Have you ever done a budget makeup challenge before? What are your fave budget beauty products? Any genius drugstore shopping strategies? Have you tried any of the products I used?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by reps for L’Oreal Paris. I purchased everything else. Affiliate links appear in this post. When you purchase through an affiliate link, you help support this site. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.