Beauty, these days, is some- thing difficult to master. With so many products fighting for your attention, it can be hard to figure out which one is right for you and at the right price. While some stores endorse brands such as Ur- ban Decay and Smashbox, which make my wallet ten pounds lighter, I have found that other local drug store products like L’Oreal and Maybelline are just as good.

Take, for example, your basic face items. I have found that a BB cream is better than a regular foundation. It does not clog your pores and is very easy to apply. My favorite is Rimmel BB Cream for only $6.99. It comes in three different shades and has personally cleared my face of all blemishes. To perfect the face look, I suggest a mineral powder. It is easy to apply and does not have that “cakey” look that can come with some combinations of creams and powders. My favorite mineral powder is Bare Minerals, which is $27 a pop. However, for a smaller price, I recommend L’Oreal Bare Naturale Gentle Mineral Makeup for $14.99. It is a cheaper alternative while still achieving the lightness of a mineral powder.

Now onto the eyes. To succeed in a beautiful and long-lasting eye makeup look, there are a few essentials needed. First off, you need an eye shadow primer. My favorite eye shadow primer is the $1 Sheer Eyelid Primer by e.l.f. Cosmetics. I found this at Target and I couldn’t have been happier. This primer al- lows you to apply any color of eye shadow and it lasts over 12 hours. Next, you need eye liner. Person- ally, I use pencil for my lower lid and liquid eyeliner for my top eye- lid. While searching around Walgreens in Thornwood, I found a $5 package of e.l.f Cosmetics with a black eye pencil and two liquid eyeliners, coffee and black – the perfect find! To finish off the eyes, I like Covergirl Lash Blast Water- proof Mascara for $8.99. It doesn’t clump and makes your eyelashes stand out.

Finally, the lips are my favorite part. I like to go a few different ways with my lip color. I first start with a lip liner – a few shades lighter than my lipstick. It makes the color pop, in my opinion. For a fair price, I prefer Rimmel Lip Liners for $6.49. They have a large variety of colors and each match one of their lipsticks that range from $5.49-6.99. However, for a quick on-the-go look, I like Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain for $9.29. It is soft with beautiful pigment.

For less than $50, you can have all of the products you need customized to your preferences. All of this you can find at your local drug store.