Back to School Beauty: Your Drugstore Makeup Shopping List

August 09, 2022

By: Ariel Wodarcyk | Makeup.com by L'Oréal

Whether you’re returning to a real classroom or are trying to look picture-perfect on Zoom, it’s always exciting to refresh your makeup bag with some back-to-school beauty goodies. We rounded up our favorite drugstore makeup purchases for fall to help you return to school fully stocked.

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Best Drugstore Mascara

L'Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara

Get voluminous inky black lashes that last all day with this thickening formula. We love how full and dramatic it makes our lashes look, without looking clumpy or feeling stiff.

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Best Drugstore Eyebrow Pencil

Maybelline New York Express Brow 2-in-1 Pencil and Powder

On mornings when you’re running late, it’s essential to have products that are easy to swipe on. This dual powder-and-pencil combo has a sponge applicator on one end to quickly run a tinted powder through your brows as you’re dashing out the door, and a stiff pencil on the other end to add hairlike strokes when you have an extra minute to spare.

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Best Drugstore Lip Gloss

NYX Professional Makeup Butter Gloss

You can never go wrong with this drugstore-favorite lip gloss. Now available in a clear shade, it’s the perfect topper for your go-to nude lip liner (we love the NYX Professional Makeup Line Loud Vegan Longwear Lip Liner in Global Citizen).

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Best Drugstore Liquid Lipstick

Maybelline New York Super Stay Vinyl Ink Liquid Lipcolor

For a lip gloss-like shine that lasts all day, we swear by this liquid lipstick. It goes on glossy and highly pigmented and stays that way for up to 16 hours, with no cracking, fading or smudging.

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Best Drugstore Lip Tint

L'Oréal Paris Glow Paradise Balm-in-Lipstick

A lip tint makes it easy to achieve lips that are glowy, hydrated and comfortable. This one comes in soft petal pink and coral shades that look naturally beautiful on every skin tone.

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Best Drugstore Primer

NYX Professional Makeup Marshmellow Primer

Shop this vegan, cruelty-free primer for 10 major skin benefits, including smoothing, hydrating, evening tone and minimizing texture. Plus, the silky formula grips onto your makeup and extends its wear by up to 16 hours.

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Best Drugstore Foundation

Maybelline New York Fit Me! Matte + Poreless Foundation

This foundation has a lightweight, breathable formula that helps you avoid a cakey look while still providing medium to full coverage. The matte finish is perfect for controlling shine for normal to oily complexions, and we love that it’s available in a range of 40 shades with varying undertones.

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Best Drugstore Concealer

Maybelline New York Fit Me! Concealer

This concealer costs less than $10 and does a great job of covering up redness and breakouts without creasing or caking. It’s super lightweight and oil-free, which means it’s less likely to clog your pores. Paired with the matching foundation, your face makeup is guaranteed to turn out flawless.

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Best Drugstore Skin Tint

L'Oréal Paris True Match Hyaluronic Tinted Serum

On days you want to let your skin shine through, reach for this sheer, glowy tint. The formula helps hydrate your skin with hyaluronic acid, giving you a glowy, well-moisturized complexion.

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Best Drugstore Bronzer

L'Oréal Paris Infallible Up to 24H Fresh Wear Soft Matte Bronzer

Bring your summer glow into fall with this bronzer. With a range of eight shades, the powder formula blends easily into any skin tone.

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Best Drugstore Blush

Milani Cheek Kiss Cream Blush

One of the fastest ways to look more awake before an early class is by dabbing on a wash of blush. A cream compact like this one is easy to apply and blend out with your fingers, making for a fast, seamless application.

Photographer: Chaunte Vaughn