Beauty on a budget: Five essential makeup products all Liverpool students need this spring

As the spring season is fully upon upon us girlies, the excuse for getting new makeup has never been so perfect. If you’re the kind of girl to do a full face everyday despite being scheduled in for just one lecture, or even the kind of girl to be up and out of the house within 20 minutes — you are certainly in the right place. Here are my five top picks of makeup products you and all your girlies will need this spring without breaking the bank!

NYX Ultimate Brights Shadow Palette

Spring swatches and overall look of the palette

Pantone declared “peach fuzz” as the colour of 2024, but according to iconic makeup god Pat McGrath, blue is making its comeback. “I anticipate we’ll be seeing quite a lot of blue makeup in the new year,” says McGrath. The powder blue Maxine Minx eyeshadow has been on everyone’s minds, and though Ti West’s hyper-successful movie X came out in 2022, coloured eyeshadow never falls out of trend and has been dubbed to “look striking on all skin tones” by Pinterest Predicts.

So if you’re feeling bold, blue is the move. If you want to keep it peachy, stick to the nudes and neutrals this season. Thankfully, NYX Ultimate Brights Shadow Palette is that girl. You have the best of both worlds with this palette, serving you Maxine Minx realness with powder-blue hues and absolutely stunning spring peaches for the natural girlies. Ultimate Brights is my top pick this spring — and at only £16 from Superdrug for a versatile, highly pigmented palette, you cannot go wrong.

Maybelline Fit Me Matte & Poreless Powder

Fit Me pressed powder in the shade “130 Buff Beige”

Maybelline’s Fit Me powder is one of the most versatile and budget-friendly makeup staples you need to have this spring (and all year round!). If you have never used this before, you will be astonished at its performance. Long-lasting, incredibly quick to apply and an absolute travel essential, Fit Me powder is a must-have in your collection. It is currently £6.99 at Boots, and caters to many different shades.

If you’re a normal-to-oily skin girl, this is perfect for your makeup bag. Personally, I don’t leave the house without it! I use mine with a Trigwell powder puff or a Real Techniques setting powder brush for a flawless finish, and to top-up and set my makeup during the day. Use this to set crease-prone areas after blending out concealer and foundation, or to mattify your skin’s shine throughout the day.

Whether you’re a full-coverage babe or a mascara, concealer and Vaseline kinda girl, take my word for it. YOU NEED THIS! It’s a classic.

Morphe Colour Pencil Lip Liner

Spring colour swatches

Right, one thing I’m grateful for as a self-proclaimed makeup lover, are these bloody lip liners. They are so (very!) pigmented, creamy and long-lasting on the lips. I recommend this lip liner to every one of my friends looking for a new go-to. With an absolutely stunning range of shades, you cannot and WILL NOT miss this slept-on gem. Not on my watch.

I heard grunge is making a comeback. Did it ever really leave, though? One thing the Morphe Colour Pencil does best is cater to this perfect springtime grunge resurgence. Backseat Love paired with Coffee & Kissy is the absolute it girl lip liner combo, and my personal everyday lip. It is equal parts pink as it is nude and natural, and these liners are currently on offer at Boots for £5.25. If you’re more of a brown lip liner kinda girl, Sweet Tea and Bite Me will be your new obsessions. So what are you waiting for? Just go and get it! Please.

e.l.f Halo Glow Liquid Filter

e.l.f Halo Glow bottle

It’s no secret that e.l.f sent TikTok into a frenzy when these were released. Coined as a dupe for Charlotte Tilbury’s Hollywood Flawless Filter, I vehemently agree with this title. And of course, e.l.f’s dupe only had to go and win Allure’s 2o23 Best of Beauty Award to prove it. This product is compatible for all skin types, dry through oily — and is currently £11.90 on BEAUTYBAY. Now as a girl on a budget, I know I’d rather not spend £39 on Charlotte Tilbury if i can avoid it. 

Seriously, though. If you don’t want to miss out on your slice of the luxury cosmetics pie, give it a try. You can wear it straight out the bottle, and off you pop! Or, if you’re slightly more high-maintenance, you should use this as a radiance booster under foundation or concealer for that glow-from-within illusion.

essence™ Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara

These mascaras have seen some sights…

Last but certainly not least is the viral Lash Princess Mascara. This little tube of wonder went viral on the makeup side of TikTok, and continues to be a staple in the makeup routines of baddies near and far. I have gone through countless tubes of this mascara — and for good reason. You could get your hands on this mascara for as little as £3.30 online. 

There are four different Lash Princess mascaras in the range, but my favourite will always be the False Lash effect. It comes in an adorable black and mint green tube, and the wand is thin and separates the lashes well. For a mascara that is this inexpensive and recommended on TikTok, I also had my initial reservations. However, it dries down quickly and lengthens the lashes like no other mascara I’ve tried within this price point. And the quality far exceeds its price. Just look at the state of my Lash Princess tubes. Absolutely ran through. If this isn’t the prime example of “bang for your buck”, then I don’t know what is!

Now go out there and serve face this spring! You have all the tools now, don’t you.

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