Good news: Achieving glam, red carpet-worthy makeup doesn’t have to be expensive.
The proof was on the red carpet in 2018. From the Grammys to E!’s People’s Choice Awards, celebrities and their trusted makeup artist opted for products that you can purchase from your local drugstore or add to your Amazon shopping cart. They’re affordable, impactful and effective—truly, what more could you want from a makeup product?
Even if you’re aware that products from Target can offer your desired glow, figuring out the best products while pushing your cart through the beauty aisle is difficult. All of the advertisements repeat the same promises: healthy hair, hydrated skin, long lashes, etc. How do you know if the product your holding is a winner?
Let Hollywood guide you. If it’s good enough for the likes of Yara Shahidi, Bebe Rexha and more to wear in front of flashing cameras, it’s worth giving it a try.
To make life even easier, we’ve tested out the best drugstore hair, skin and makeup products from the red carpet and awarded the best of the best, so you can shop with ease. Check them out below!
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Yara Shahidi’s Picture-Perfect Manicure
For the 2018 Emmys, the Grown-ish star sported a nail polish that’s timeless and subtly glam with its peal-like iridescence, courtesy of manicurist Emi Kudo.
If you want a nail polish that gives you the versatility of a nude, but the impact of a statement color, this pearl-toned nail is a must-buy.
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Lili Reinhart’s Acne Solution
After telling E! News “There’s only so much you can do at the end of the day for breakouts. Your skin will do what it wants to do. My skin is my own, and as much as it stresses me out, I try to love and appreciate it for what it is,” makeup artist Adam Breuchaud applied a clearing mask to the Riverdale star and Dermalogica ambassador’s face prior to the 2018 Teen Choice Awards.
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The Best Drugstore Acne-Fighting Product
BUY IT NOW: Dermalogica Clear Start Blackhead Clearing Fizz Mask, $21
Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for ELLE Magazine
Vanessa Hudgens’ SPF Moisturizer
For Elle’s Women in Hollywood event, Differin ambassador and makeup artist Allan Avendaño used a moisturizer that control oil production and includes SPF.
“I always say that you have to start with a clean, clear canvas before you can cover anything up and that’s where the Differin Oil Control Moisturizer comes in,” he told E! News. “It doesn’t clog anything, but it absorbs the oil and it gives you that primer finish.”
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Camila Mendes’ Multipurpose Lip Balm
To create her beauty look for E!’s People’s Choice Awards, celebrity makeup artist Beau Nelson applied a $4.99 drugstore must-have to her lips and apples of her cheeks. While the product has the shea butter and natural oils of a lip balm (the brand’s signature product), the new version, launched in time for the holidays, contains a red tint.
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Bebe Rexha’s $3 Rose-Infused Shampoo & Conditioner
In preparation for the 2018 MTV VMAs, celebrity hairstylist Ursula Stephen used shampoo and conditioner that will cost you $6…together. Beyond the sweet fragrance of the set, the lightweight formula, infused with rose oil, were the heroes of her platinum blond hairstyle.
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The Best Drugstore Shampoo & Conditioner
BUY IT NOW: Suave Professionals Shampoo Rose Oil Infusion and Conditioner, $2.97 each
Danny Moloshok/Invision for the Television Academy/AP Images
Betty Gilpin’s Heat Protectant
Before applying heat to the Glow star’s hair for her 2018 Emmys hairstyle, OGX Brand Ambassador and celebrity hairstylist, Jillian Halouska, used an OGX spray with hydrolyzed silk and quinoa. When applied sparingly, the product dries quickly and promises to protect tresses from heat up to 450°F.
The Best Drugstore Heat Protectant
BUY IT NOW: OGX Protecting + Silk Blowout Quick Drying Thermal Spray, $6.97
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Lily Collins’ Styling Cream
The actress’ 2018 Met Gala hairstyle required a product that would keep her hair in place. Hairstylist Gregory Russell opted for a foam-based product with a nourishing formula that will cost you less than $10.
The Best Drugstore Styling Cream
BUY IT NOW: Marc Anthony True Professional Strictly Curls Perfect Curl 7-IN-1 Leave-In Treatment Foam, $8.99
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The Dry Shampoo Behind Rita Ora’s Met Gala Hair
To complete the singer’s 2018 Met Gala beauty, hairstylist Brent Lawler applied $5 dry shampoo to the star’s tresses, adding to the movement and volume of the look.
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