Low-budget beauty picks

There is no denying that luxurious makeup with pretty packaging makes my heart beat faster (YSL and your golden packaging, I'm looking at you!). But when I inspect my makeup collection I see there is a lot of makeup from the drugstore too that I've been using and loving for years. Just because something is more expensive doesn't guarantee the quality, and I feel like drugstore brands have really upped their game in the past few years. I picked six of my most used low-budget makeup products to show you today. Just a heads up, this blog post turned out to be longer than I expected!

Under €5
s Catrice Eyebrow Stylist pencil €2.59
I have filled in my eyebrows a thousand times with this pencil and it looks as if I've barely used it. I wonder if I'll ever finish this product, so for the price it's an absolute bargain. The colour is ashy enough to use on my sparse, blonde brows so it's a great low-budget option.
s Essence All About Matt mattifying powder €2.99
Hands down the best mattifying powder I've used. And the cheapest! I usually dust this powder on my forehead, nose and chin to take away the shine. It is white in the tin, but applies transparent and unlike some powders it doesn't make skin appear dull. I may have to re-apply after a few hours, but overall I think its lasting power is fine.
s Catrice Camouflage Cream €3
Best. Drugstore. Concealer. Ever. I'm starting to sound repetitive here. Anyway, this concealer covers up blemishes and pimples like no other. It has a thick consistency so applying thin layers is key to avoid it will look cakey. Moisturising well beforehand helps too. I use Camouflage Cream in the lightest shade, which is 'Ivory'.
s Hema clear brow gel €3.75
I'm not overly excited about this clear brow gel by Hema, but that's probably because brow gels just aren't that exciting in general? This product sets my brows and it costs under €4. Win-win situation.
s Catrice lipstick in 'Plum & Base' €4.99
This lipstick from Catrice is one of my latest makeup additions from the drugstore. The main reason why I bought it was because of the formula, which sounded quite promising - oh, and I'm a sucker for the slim packaging. 'Plum & Base' is a cool-toned plum. I haven't worn it a lot yet, because my lips have been dry for a while and the lipstick tends to emphasize dryness, but overall it's a colour I will be grabbing for a lot in autumn and winter. I usually pat this on my lips for a stained effect & wore it *here* with MAC's Diva on top.

Under €10
s W7 In The Nude eyeshadow palette €7.99
One of my favourite purchases of 2014 is this eyeshadow palette by W7. In The Nude is supposed to be a dupe for the Naked 3 palette by Urban Decay. While I don't own the original Naked 3 palette, I really enjoy using these eyeshadows. I also never thought I'd like pink-hued eyeshadow until I started using this. There's always some fallout when I use them and blending several colours won't work as well as you'd want, but the quality is definitely okay for the price. My most used shades are the first, third and fourth. I also like to smudge darker colours from the palette along the upper lash line.

And next?
These are just a selection of what's available in Belgium, but there are so many more brands out there that I want to try! Like NYX Cosmetics - their concealers/correctors in particular, or Make Up Revolution and Milani for their baked blushes. And I'm sure you've noticed that LA based brand ColourPop Cosmetics have taken over the world wide web, as their products are loved by numerous bloggers and YouTubers. $5 for a single eyeshadow, really!? I can't wait to order a bunch of products and see for myself if the quality works as well for me as it does for others.

Are there any low-budget brands or products you've been excited about?