I know that many shoppers are wary of cheap products: "Why is it so cheap? There must be something wrong with it. The seller must know it's not very good." I'm not about to lie to you, I have said these things myself. Just yesterday I was wandering through the aisles of my drug store and cocking an eyebrow at the nail polishes marked $1.99. My mind immediately ran through the list of things that were probably wrong with them: they chipped like crazy, they stained your nails, the formula contained nail-eating acids. Did I walk by? I sure did. Guilty as charged. But in all honesty there are a lot of terrific products on the market that fly under the radar because of their cheap prices. Here are four of the cheapest but most worthwhile investments you can make in the beauty world. Don't let the price tag scare you!
E.L.F. cosmetics. In particular, their smudging, eye shadow, and liner brushes. For those of you who are unfamiliar with E.L.F. (Eyes Lips Face), they are a pretty revolutionary cosmetics company who has made a name for themselves selling cheap, quality products. How cheap? Everything on their website costs $1 (apart from the Studio line, which are still only $3 per item). One dollar. For a dollar each, these are the best little brushes I have worked with in a while. The bristles barely shed, they're easy to clean and the metal cap is pretty sturdy. For something that only costs you a dollar, these brushes are guaranteed to impress. E.L.F. sells everything from mascara to body spray, so you're bound to find something you can get good use out of without burning holes in your pockets.
Bath & Body Works. Not only is there a B&BW in almost every mall across America, they always seem to be running some sort of sale or seasonal discount! You can walk into the store with $30 and easily walk out with four bottles of soap and two or three incredible lip balms that last forever. If you have gifts to buy, this is a great place to start. Buy in bulk and pick up something for yourself, too! Not only are they inexpensive, but they have a ton of scents and come out with new scents every season. There's bound to be something that you love in there! Scent Recommendations: White Citrus, Warm Vanilla Sugar, Japanese Cherry Blossom.
Vaseline. Yup, I said it. I am probably the only self-admitted cheerleader for Vaseline on the planet, but ask me how much I care. Not a whole lot, as you can imagine. Why is this bargain product so good to own? Vaseline is probably the most versatile beauty tool there is. Buy a huge jar for $3 and keep it for years. Use it to remove your makeup, moisturize dry hands and feet overnight, as a light lip balm, run a bit through your hair... The list is endless. Vaseline might get a bad rap sometimes, but it's too good not to keep around.
Epically Epic Lip Balm in Red Velvet Cake. I have saved the best for last! I stumbled across this product by accident, and I haven't looked back since. This balm comes from a shop called Epically Epic Soap, based out of the website Etsy. Have you ever smelled a cake baking and wanted to eat it immediately? Well, that's the idea with this stuff. It smells so good, just like red velvet cake. It makes your lips nice and soft, it's a very light and smooth formula, and it has just enough color for your lips. At $3.50, this is a steal and is absolutely worth your money! Find the shop on Twitter or Etsy, you will not be disappointed.
Not all cheap products are created equal. Have you found a great, cheap beauty steal lately? These four deserve all the credit they can get!
