Best Fall Makeup Looks Under $50, According to Editors
The Best Fall Makeup Looks Our Editors Are Loving Right Now — For Less Than $50
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Nine times out of 10, you'll see more change in Trader Joe's inventory come Fall than you will your beauty routine, and that's fine and cool. But to make a case for switching up something other than your pumpkin pie order: the best makeup trends of the season can be created with a handful of affordable products that do little damage on your wallet, but leave a big impact.
Want proof? We challenged four editors to share the makeup staples behind their newly-adopted Fall beauty looks, with one caveat: the final results have to total up to less than $50. Cheap and oh-so-gourd thrills, coming right up.
Physicians Formula Butter Highlighter
"I'm a pretty bare-minimum kind of person, meaning the odds of me using the Physicians Formula Butter Highlighter ($11) for its intended purposes is slim. Still, I think the pinkish-beige colour and shimmery finish looks even prettier as an eye shadow, so I've been sweeping it across my eyelids and in my inner tear ducts on days I want to look like I've gotten more sleep than I have (so, every day?)."
Beauty by POPSUGAR Be Relentless Stay Put Eyeliner
"In Summer, I run in the opposite direction of pencil eyeliners (before they can run all over my face). But this Fall's modern smoky eye trend has me reconsidering my methods, and the Beauty by POPSUGAR Be Relentless Stay Put Eyeliner ($18) has made the transition infinitely easier. Not only does it have the familiar darker-than-dark pigment payoff of a liquid, it's also equally budgeproof."
Clinique Even Better Pop Lip Colour Foundation Lipstick
"I don't wear a lot of neutral lipsticks (I'll usually opt for a pink if anything at all) but when I tried the Clinique Even Better Pop Lip Colour Foundation Lipstick in Delicate ($20) and got a big thumbs up from my girlfriend — who usually dislikes when I wear lipstick because the colour almost always ends up on her — I changed my mind. Somehow, the shade feels like it was made for me, and for good reason: turns out the team at Clinique used colour-matching technology across thousands of people to pinpoint exactly what lipstick hue works best with each skin tone. I can't vouch for the rest of the line, but for me? This was damn near perfect."
Total: $49
ColourPop Cheerio Super Shock Blush
"This ColourPop Cheerio Super Shock Blush ($8) is a warm shade of blush, so I use it on my cheeks — but sometimes, because the colour is so rich, I cheat and use it as bronzer and eye shadow, too."
Nyx Professional Makeup Micro Brow Pencil
"Now that it's Fall I love to explore darker, bolder brows, and I've been using the Nyx Professional Makeup Micro Brow Pencil ($6, originally $10) to add more character to my eyebrows."
Be The Boss Lip Gloss Be The Boss Lip Gloss Need Help? Looking To Buy?
"I opt for nude lips when my eye shadow colours are dark or super pigmented, and this Be The Boss Lip Gloss in Time After Time ($18) is a perfect finish to my look. It's both non-sticky and easy to build."
Total: $32
E.l.f. Cosmetics e.l.f. xo Nabela Noor Gleaming Loose Highlighter
"The E.l.f. Cosmetics e.l.f. xo Nabela Noor Gleaming Loose Highlighter ($8) is a finely-milled, golden shimmer that never fails to create a gorgeous reflective glow on my medium-tan skin tone, whether I decide to sweep it on with a brush or mix a tiny amount with my liquid foundation. It's the perfect way to get a pretty Fall glow that matches the season's colour palette, and for just $8, the versatile, high-impact highlighter is a steal."
Florence by Mills Cheek Me Later Cream Blush
"If you're a fan of the 'backseat face beat' (you know, when you apply your makeup in the back of a car), you need products you can use on-the-go. That's why I love the new Florence by Mills Cheek Me Later Cream Blush ($14). A few dabs of this cream blush buffs onto skin to give it a pop of colour, without leaving behind any stickiness. My go-to for my medium skin with red undertones is the Zen Z shade, which is a brownish-mauve."
Nyx Professional Makeup Jumbo Eye Pencil
"Nyx Professional Makeup Jumbo Eye Pencil ($8) has been a part of my beauty collection since I first got my hands on it a few years ago because of its highly pigmented and creamy consistency that allows tons of playtime before it sets. Once it does, the pigment stays locked in (so long as the area doesn't get too oily). I'm bringing it back out this season because it's now a key part of the brand's new Wonderland After Dark bundles, which are curated to create some of the most memorable Halloween costume makeup of all time."
Sigma Liquid Lipstick in Fable
"A good lipstick, to me, withstands what I call the ice cream test. If it doesn't budge and remains just as bright after I devour a scoop of Cookies and Cream, it's earned a permanent place in my lipstick collection. Two coats of Sigma Liquid Lipstick ($20) does exactly that. One swipe creates a vibrant, opaque lip look across my lips, while additional layers just ensure it stays on all day. My go-to shade is Fable, which swipes on to be a neutral pink against my medium-tan skin tone."
Total: $50
Ciate Microblade Brow
"During Fall, I'm all about creating a polished look in a quick few steps: full brows, a cat eye, and bold lip. To make my sparse brows really look fluffy and full, the Ciate Microblade Brow ($16) has been life-changing due to its ability to create natural-looking hairs with one stroke."
Maybelline New York TattooStudio Liquid Ink Eyeliner
"I always finish up my eye makeup look with my everyday cat-eye, courtesy of Maybelline Tattoo Studio Liquid Ink Eyeliner ($6)."
Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Matte Lipsticks
"I've loved the Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Matte Lipsticks ($28) for years because of how easy they are to apply and how comfortable they are to wear, and am currently loving the new berry-red shade, Femme."
Total: $50
