The Drugstore Starter Makeup Kit

One of my friends, who's been thinking of dabbling a little more with makeup, asked me a while ago what products she would recommend to start out with, which gave me the perfect idea for a post! The drugstore can be a pretty confusing place when you're first starting out with makeup - there's just so much to choose from these days! I've put together what I think are the very basics you would need if you were putting together your first makeup kit on a budget.


First off you'll need a good base. One of my favourite ever foundations, and one that's really affordable too, is the Rimmel Match Perfection (£6.99). It gives a medium coverage and leaves a very natural looking finish to the skin. For covering up pesky blemishes I'd recommend the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer (£4.19). This has been raved about for very good reason, as it covers up any blemishes you may have without looking cakey. The rest of the face I've got covered in one little palette. Sleek blushes are really good quality, so I'd definitely recommend picking one of those up on their own for £4.49 if that's all you're after. But, if you fancy getting into contour & highlighting too, then the Sleek Face Form Palette (£9.99) become your go-to for all your cheek sculpting needs. It comes in a variety of shades to match your skintone, so the contour shade isn't going to look too orangey for pale girls, and the blush shade that comes with it is beautiful.

For eyes, I couldn't not mention the Maybelline The Rocket Waterproof Mascara (£7.99). I've lost count of the amount of times I've repurchased this! It's a really good mascara for lengthening lashes and holding a curl. In terms of eyeshadow, both MUA and Makeup Revolution have really good quality, affordable palettes, though MUA does appear to be more widely available on the high street (in my area at least!), so I've chosen the MUA Undressed Palette (£4.00) as my pick. It's a really good dupe for the Urban Decay Naked palette, if that's out of your price range. For eyeliner I've chosen the Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Liners (£3.99) as they are really good quality for a drugstore brand - really easy to apply and long lasting. Of course, there's your staple black liner in the range, but they also have a small selection of bolder colours if you fancied being a little more adventurous.

Lips was a really tough one, as I feel so many high street brands have great lip products within them, and my makeup drawers are testament to that! But I feel you can't go wrong with a good Revlon Lipstick (£7.49). There's a range of finishes and a tonne of colours to choose from, so there's bound to be something you'll like. If these are a little too high in price for you, Seventeen also have a really good range for under £5. Lip crayons can also been a good product to have in your stash, particularly if you are starting out with makeup, as they make application really easy. The Maybelline Colour Drama Lip Crayons (£4.99) are a really good budget option that are really creamy but still long lasting. The shade range isn't quite so extensive, but there's some real beauties in there.

Brushes can be pretty expensive, especially if you want good quality, but the Real Techniques range have been the best I've found in the drugstore. I'd really recommend the Expert Face Brush (£9.99) for flawless foundation application, but if you're after a set that offers a bit of everything, I'd go for the Travel Essentials Set (£20.99) - a little pricey but it's got face, cheeks and eyes covered.

Extras

Primer - To be honest, primer is one thing I've really struggled to find in the drugstore, so my top pick is still a little pricey, but the Max Factor Facefinity All Day Primer (£10.99) keeps my makeup lasting all day without leaving my skin dry.

Powder - If your skin is more oily, you may wish to add a powder to your collection, just to touch up your makeup throughout the day. One I'd recommend is Rimmel Stay Matte (£3.99) as it does a great job of reducing shine on your face without the cakey look.

Liquid liner - This can be quite a tricky thing to master, but it you fancy giving it a go the Maybelline Master Precise Liner (£5.99) makes getting a good line a little easier and is really long lasting.

Brow product - For some, using a brow product isn't necessary (I sometimes just use a brown eyeshadow to fill in gaps), but for others it's a must. The Rimmel Brow This Way (£3.99) is a great all-in-one filling & shaping brow product. I have a full review of this coming up next week!

Lip liner - I feel like lip liners weren't talked about all that much until last year, but now everyone's wearing them! If the likes of MAC are out of your price range then the Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liners (£3.99) are a good alternative.

Lip gloss - If you would prefer a gloss to a lipstick, or would just like more options, the Maybelline Color Elixirs (£6.99) are a great product to have in your stash. They have the high shine of a gloss but still have really good pigmentation and don't feel uncomfortable to wear.

What products would you add to a makeup starter kit?