On a Budget? Here’s 6 of the Best Affordable Makeup Brands You Need to Know About
Madison is Adore Beauty's Videographer. When she's not directing and editing skincare, haircare and makeup videos for the Adore Beauty YouTube channel, you'll find her rocking a bold eyeshadow look, usually with matching statement earrings.
With the cost of living crisis not slowing down any time soon, we're splurging on and investing in must-have luxe items but also looking to incorporate budget beauty buys that do the job just as well as their pricier counterparts.
Sounds like you too? Keep reading.
If you want your beat to look hot on a budget, Adore Beauty has you covered.
Below are the top 6 affordable makeup brands stocked on Adore Beauty as well as our top picks to try.
Disclaimer: of course "affordable" is subjective, so we will include the price range of each brand so you can see which ones suit your personal budget.
Adore Beauty highlights six affordable makeup brands—including e.l.f., NYX, Maybelline, AB LAB and L'Oreal Paris—covering price ranges from $7 to $45 and top-selling picks like e.l.f. Power Grip Primer ($24) and Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High ($25.99). The article lists each brand’s price range and best sellers to help you pick budget-friendly primers, mascaras, bronzers and lip oils.
Fast Facts You Need to Know
- Pick e.l.f. for the cheapest staples; Power Grip Primer $24 and eyeliner $7.
- Choose NYX for bold colour and longwear brows; The Brow Glue holds up to 16 hours ($18.99).
- Go Maybelline for iconic mascaras and inclusive shades; Lash Sensational Sky High $25.99.
- Opt for AB LAB when you want Aussie-made formulas; Pep-Pro Brow Gel and Lip Oil $25.
- Buy L'Oreal for glow and lasting finish; Lumi Glotion $39.99 and setting spray 75ml $29.99.
Whether you’re topping up daily essentials or hunting viral buys, this roundup compares price ranges and standout products so you can choose the best primers, mascaras, bronzers or lip oils that deliver results without blowing your budget.
e.l.f. Cosmetics
e.l.f. price range: $7 - $24
You've definitely heard of e.l.f. cosmetics, in fact, you likely have some of their products at home already (their viral grip primer is a crowd fave).
This is about as affordable as (good) beauty gets, which is why it has had such global success.
Best selling elf products:
- elf Cosmetics Power Grip Primer $24 - e.l.f. has a plethora of primers for every need, but the power grip is the most popular due to it's impressive staying power.
- e.l.f. Cosmetics Waterproof Eyeliner Pen - Black $7 - all you need to know is this black eyeliner pen is $7. Seven. Dollars.
- elf Perfect Finish HD Powder - Sheer $14 - this pressed powder is translusent and suitable for all skin tones to mattify any oily or shiny areas of your face.
NYX Professional Makeup
NYX price range: $18 - $42
NYX is big on self expression and inclusivity, providing professional quality makeup at accessible prices.
Plus they're just straight up fun!
The NYX Professional Makeup Plump Right Back Primer serum-primer hybrid is a bit of a hidden gem, their "Buttermelt" bronzers and blushes are iconic, and you probably have someone in your life using the NYX Professional Makeup Marshmellow Smoothing Primer. This is a really hard list to narrow down because they have so many amazing and viral products but here's some top sellers:
Best selling NYX products:
- NYX Professional Makeup Fat Oil Lip Drip $20.99 - Lip oils have been huge recently and NYX's Fat Oil is a standout! It comes in seven gorgeous shades (two of which include shimmer) and will leave your lips hydrated and glossy A.F.
- NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Shadow Palette - Warm Neutrals $41.99 - NYX has an awesome range of colourful eyeshadow palettes, but the 'warm neutrals' wins for being flattering on basically everyone, and having every neutral colour you could need.
- NYX Professional Makeup The Brow Glue $18.99 - this tiny powerhouse will hold your brows in place for up to 16 hours. It also has a teeny little brush so is great for brows of all shapes and sizes, coming in clear or 3 coloured shades.
Maybelline
Maybelline price range: $15 - $29
We all know Maybelline - creators of the only mascara teens in the 2000s and 2010s used: Maybelline Great Lash Mascara - Blackest Black in the cult green and pink tube. They have the widest range of mascaras known to humankind.
Maybelline also has some other truly iconic products. Our senior beauty editor recently wrote about their colour correctors, if you're curious.
Best selling Maybelline products:
- Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara - Brown $25.99 - Lash Sensational is one of the most beloved mascara formulas ever. It's a tubing mascara which means it lasts all day, doesn't smudge and you can take it off with just warm water and your fingers. The brown is particularly popular for a "natural" look (but it comes in black too).
- Maybelline Fit Me Matte & Poreless Foundation $25.99 - this may surprise you since the past half decade has been all about dewy skin, but the Maybelline's famous matte foundation is still going strong. Perhaps because there are 40 shades to choose from, making it truly inclusive and very affordable for a full coverage foundation.
- Maybelline Lifter Gloss - Hydrating Lip Gloss $20.99 - super popular for a reason, this is your classic, good quality lip gloss. It has hyaluronic acid for hydration and is non-sticky with 13 super cute, sheer shades.
AB LAB
AB LAB makeup price range: $25 - $30
Here's one you might not have heard of, Adore Beauty's very own brand, AB Lab (pronounced ay-bee-lab).
How did this Australian affordable makeup brand come to life?
We collated years worth of info on what our community actually wanted and we created a few really cool products for you all at affordable prices.
Most of the range is skincare but we have a few makeup products that our staff are obsessed with.
Best selling AB LAB makeup:
- AB LAB by Adore Beauty Pep-Pro Grow Brow Gel $25 - this is the perfect brow gel for a softer, natural look, with flexible hold, no crunch and skincare ingredients like peptides, panthenol and vitamin E to keep those brows healthy.
- AB LAB by Adore Beauty HA Plump Hydrating Lip Oil $25 - this is a favourite in the office, loved for it's hydrating ingredients (hyaluronic acid, jojoba oil, avocado oil and vitamin E) leaving lips soft and lightly tinted.
- AB LAB by Adore Beauty HA Plump Lip & Cheek Multistick$30 - a creamy blush for those days you want to avoid powder, with easy to blend pigment and 4 super cute shades.
L'Oreal Paris
Price range: $26 - $45
L'Oreal Paris is a slightly higher price point, but still objectively affordable compared to some brands with foundations in the triple digits.
They have makeup formulas that just work, and their beloved True Match and Lumi Glow ranges are as popular as ever.
Best selling L'Oreal Paris products:
- L'Oreal Paris Lumi Glotion Natural Glow Enhancer $39.99 - if you want the glow, this will give you the glow. If you're sick of streaky powder highlighters, this one is a game changer with a super natural, pearlescent glow.
- L'Oreal Paris Infallible 3-Second Setting Spray Mist 75ml $29.99 - this micro-fine mist applies evenly and widely to make your makeup stay all day with no sticky feeling (also newly comes in a big 150ml size).
- L'Oreal Paris Back To Bronze Matte Bronzer - 03 Back To Bronze $29.95 - this is your classic powder bronzer for every day use. No shimmer and shine, just matte, sun-kissed goodness.
More of the Best Affordable Makeup Brands...
There were too many to feature in this list so here's some other brands you might want to check out:
- Rimmel London ranges from $15 to $26, has been around since 1834 (whoa!) with a really solid range of mascaras and complexion makeup.
- Max Factor pioneered non-greasy film makeup back in the 1910s and changed makeup forever, now they have makeup from $23 to $39 with excellent formulas and super pigmented colour.
- Designer Brands is an Australian brand ranging from $13 to $25 with some truly affordable basics.
- Consider tinted lip balms from Dermal Therapy ($9.99) or Lanolips ($14.95)
- Barry M also has some really affordable lip products and setting sprays under $20.
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