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Better Than Luxury: Drugstore Face Bases & Powders

17 items

Staci Lamason

Stop overpaying for high-end foundations just for the name. This list is my personal "holy grail" collection of face products that I have used, repeatedly repurchased, and recommended to friends for years. Every item here truly stands up to its claim...

Sections

Primers & Prep

Foundations & Base Tools

Concealers & Color Correctors

Bronzer, Blush & Highlight

Finishing

Primers & Prep

The secret to makeup that lasts from morning until night is how you prep and seal your skin. These are the primers I trust to blur my pores and control oil, paired with the setting sprays that I have used for years to keep everything locked in place....

If you love the high-end, silicone-based primers that make your skin look like a real-life filter, this is the best dupe you will find at the drugstore. It has a clear, velvety gel texture that glides onto the skin to instantly blur the appearance of...

Hard Candy Sheer Envy Perfecting Primer, Smoothing

If you have truly oily skin, this primer is your first line of defense. It is an oil-absorbing, anti-shine powerhouse that creates a physical barrier between your skin and your foundation. Infused with charcoal—known for its detoxifying and oil-wicki...

NYX Professional Makeup Shine Killer Mattifying Primer - 0.67 fl oz

Foundations & Base Tools

Finding a great base doesn't have to be expensive. This section features my most-repurchased foundations and BB creams that provide everything from sheer, everyday hydration to full-coverage matte finishes. I’ve also included the specific brushes and...

Light coverage for every day wear, includes SPF 30, feels light on my skin.

Maybelline Dream Fresh Skin Hydrating BB Cream

This is my absolute most-repurchased foundation for a reason. It is the ultimate workhorse base that actually looks as good at 6:00 PM as it did at 7:00 AM. It is a 24-hour formula that truly resists heat and humidity. If you have oily or combination...

Revlon Colorstay Makeup for Combination/Oily with SPF 15 - 150 Buff - 1 fl oz

This pressed powder is a staple to set my bb cream or foundation and make it last all day.

COVERGIRL TruBlend Pressed Powder

This dual-ended brush is one of the best multi-tasking tools I have found at the drugstore. It is a fantastic affordable alternative to high-end double-ended brushes that often cost four times as much. The angled, dense buffing side is perfect for se...

e.l.f. Cream & Powder Makeup Face Brush

This 3-in-1 multi-functional sponge is a staple for achieving a streak-free, airbrushed base. Its unique design features three distinct surfaces: a flat edge for contouring around the eyes and nose, rounded sides for blending large areas of the face ...

Real Techniques Sponge + Miracle Complexion Sponge - 1ct

Concealers & Color Correctors

If you deal with dark circles, redness, or stubborn blemishes, these are the "heavy lifters" of my routine. I have included my favorite peach-toned corrector for neutralizing under-eye purple tones and the high-coverage concealers that I rely on for ...

If you are still mourning the loss of Benefit Erase Paste, this is the product you need. It is a highly pigmented, peach-toned corrector designed to neutralize the purple and blue tones of dark under-eye circles. The salmon-peach shade acts as a colo...

Pixi by Petra Correction Concentrate Concealer - Brightening Peach - 0.1oz

Hands down the best drug store concealer I've ever had. The coverage is unmatched and perfect for rosacea.

Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer Pencil 313

The NYX Can't Stop Won't Stop Contour Concealer is a true "Better Than Luxury" heavyweight that many MUAs compare to high-end favorites like Tarte Shape Tape or Cover FX Power Play. It is a full-coverage, waterproof liquid formula that is designed to...

NYX Professional Makeup Can't Stop Won't Stop Contour Concealer - 02 Fair - 0.11 fl oz

Bronzer, Blush & Highlight

To bring life and dimension back to the face, these are the color products I reach for every single day. From a classic matte bronzer for sculpting to highly pigmented blushes and glowing highlighters, these drugstore finds deliver beautiful color pa...

Classic matte bronzer for contouring

NYX Matte Bronzer

I have this blush in multiple colors – the small specs of shimmer are the perfect touch for a subtle, everyday highlight.

Milani Baked Blush Powder, Cruelty Free

Perfect stick highlighter for bare face days to brighten your skin up

e.l.f. Daily Dew Cooling Highlighter Stick

This is one of the most pigmented and long-wearing powder blushes you can find at any price point. The formula has been updated and improved over the years—it is now infused with jojoba oil, which gives it a velvety-soft, silky texture that blends ef...

Wet n Wild Color Icon Blush - Mellow Wine - 0.21oz

This highlighter is perfect to mix with your foundation or BB cream for a fresh, dewy finish.

L'Oreal True Match Lumi Glotion 902 Light

Finishing

Think of this section as the insurance policy for your face. After you have put in the work to blend your foundation and concealer, these are the products that ensure it stays exactly where you put it. Whether you prefer a matte look that lasts 15 ho...

This was my absolute go-to every single day during my oily skin phase because it is the only thing that would lock my face in from 7 AM until 10 PM. If you are looking for a spray that can actually survive a 15-hour day without your foundation breaki...

NYX Professional Makeup Long Lasting Makeup Setting Spray - Matte Finish - 2.03 fl oz

The NYX Dewy Finish Setting Spray is the sister to the iconic matte version, and it is a must-have for those days when you want a luminous, hydrated glow instead of a flat finish. Much like the matte formula, this is a budget-friendly powerhouse that...

NYX Professional Makeup Long Lasting Makeup Setting Spray - Dewy Finish - 2.03 fl oz