Photo: Michael Hession

Hidden among the aisles of your local drugstore are some true gems: cheap-but-effective skin care, makeup dupes for much pricier brands, great hair products, and more. Wirecutter’s beauty editors used their combined four decades of experience to put together our brand-new, ultimate guide to the best drugstore beauty products. Below, we’ll walk you through a few standouts, including the ones your newsletter editors love the most.

Read the guide

The best drugstore makeup, skin care, and more→

An elegant cream eye shadow: Cream shadow sticks are ideal for people who are not particularly skilled at eye shadow artistry. E.L.F.’s No Budge Eye Shadow Stick has a foolproof, crayon-like tip that’s shimmery on the lid. The color Thrift Shop, a matte mushroom-taupe, is a go-to for several members of our beauty team.

A bright, blendable blush: Our editors like Milani’s richly pigmented and buildable blush, which comes in 10 pearlescent shades. “My expensive pressed-powder blush recently broke into a thousand tiny pieces,” laments newsletters editor Haley Jo Lewis. “So I might get a cheaper alternative like the Milani, it case it suffers a similar clumsy fate.”

Easy-to-apply nail polish: Newsletters editor Brittney Ho never leaves home without a manicure. Essie is one of her (and many other Wirecutter staffers) go-to polishes, thanks to its non-drippy formula and well-designed brush. Her all-time favorite shade? Ballet Slippers, a classic pink that looks great year-round.

An all-purpose balm: Aquaphor has a cult following for a reason. Our beauty experts think everyone should have a tube or jar of this thick, unscented salve on hand. Newsletters intern Etta Washburn applies it everywhere from her lips to her fingernails to the soles of her feet.

A non-traditional lipstick: Senior editor Jennifer Hunter’s favorite nude lip is Maybelline’s soft and creamy crayon lipstick. Its opaque, near-matte finish is more forgiving than traditional lipstick. Plus, it comes with an attached sharpener, which pops off from the opposite end.

Simple and supple lip balm: Spotted at the bottom of every single one of Haley’s bags? A tube of this humble Dr. Bronner’s lip balm that leaves lips supple, not slick.

Overnight pimple patches: Our experts love Hero Cosmetic’s overnight acne fighters for deflating unsightly whiteheads and helping prevent below-the-surface pimples from erupting.

We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more ›

Illustration: Dana Davis; Photos: Hannah Morrill, Day Rate Beauty

“A mom bun is fast, functional, and don’t-give-a-damn,” writes supervising editor Hannah Morrill. “But six years deep in parenting, sometimes I want to look like I do give a damn.” And that’s where this chic little pin comes in.

This oblong U has absolutely no wiggle or give, and it doesn’t snap or buckle with tighter hairstyles. It glides into hair smoothly, with no snags or snarls. “It’s elevated. It’s considered. And it makes me feel a little more like who I was before I had kids. Or better yet, who I’m becoming now: a grateful and tapped-out woman with very good hair.”

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This luxe lip balm is worth the splurge It’s velvety, moisturizing, and sophisticated→

Looking good.

You can reach the Wirecutter Newsletters team at newsletters@wirecutter.com. We can’t always respond, but we do love to hear from you.

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