#3: Beauty and the Budget: My Guide to Affordable Glam, Fragrance, and Self-Care
By Sarah Wexler
Sooooo, I’m broke.
I’m in my last semester of grad school, and honestly, it’s embarrassing how little money I have. Every dollar I spend is stretched to its absolute limit. I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but let’s be real—trying to live the life I want and envision on this budget is a struggle! I love keeping up with my health and beauty, but the lifestyle? Expensive.
God really chose the wrong girl to be high maintenance.
This week, I’m diving into ways to feel and look good—without spending a fortune. Here are some recs and tips to sparkle without breaking the bank.
Tip #1: Drugstore Makeup Gems—High Quality Products Without the High Price
Foundation:
💖 For Full Coverage:
Milani Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation – Thick texture, full-coverage formula that’s perfect for photos and nights out. Works well on both oily, dry, and acne-prone skin.
L’Oréal Infallible 24H Foundation – A thinner, medium-to-full coverage formula that’s perfect for everyday wear. Best for combo/oily skin.
💖 For Light Coverage:
L’Oréal True Match – Light-to-medium coverage, blends beautifully, and comes in an impressive range of shades with multiple undertones. Perfect for beginners to makeup.
Wet n’ Wild Bare Focus Tinted Hydrator – The best “tinted moisturizer” at the drugstore. Hydrating, lightweight, light-medium coverage, and gives the skin a fresh, healthy glow.
Blush & Bronzer:
💖 Cream:
Milani Cream Bronzer & Cream Blush – Super blendable, comes in gorgeous shades, and can be easily sheered out or built up for the desired look.
💖 Powder:
Milani Baked Blush – The gold standard for powder blush at the drugstore. Glowy, perfectly pigmented, and available in stunning shades.
NYX Buttermelt Bronzer – A powder formula that melts into the skin like a cream! Super pigmented, ultra-blendable, and has a gorgeous, subtle sheen for that effortless, sun-kissed glow.
Eyes
💖 Mascara:
Maybelline Lash Sensational (Waterproof Version) – My holy grail mascara! Long-lasting, holds a curl perfectly, and completely transforms my lashes. I get compliments all the time. While I love Benefit mascaras when I have a coupon, Maybelline has been my go-to since middle school—budget-friendly and gorgeous!
💖 Brows:
NYX Brow Glue: The best for that laminated, clean-girl look. Holds brows in place all day and comes in multiple shades (including clear). So underrated—why aren’t more people talking about this?!
Lips
Milani Lip Oils – Smell amazing, super hydrating, and make your lips look juicy and healthy. If you’re obsessed with the high-end lip oils and treatments at Sephora, this is the best dupe for a fraction of the price. I recommend this to everyone.
These are just a few products I love at the drugstore. If you guys want a whole post dedicated to this, let me know! I can yap about makeup literally all day.
Tip #2: Perfume & Fragrance – Smelling Expensive on a Budget
This is when my expensive taste gives me a run for my money (literally and figuratively).
Anyone who has an appreciation for fragrance knows its one of the most expensive hobbies/interests to have. $300 for a single bottle of perfume is not ideal for anyone, let alone a struggling college student.
But don’t worry—I’ve found ways to smell expensive without actually being expensive.
Buying High-End, Low
In my journey to find the perfumes I want for less, I stumbled upon Walmart.com—and it blew my mind. They have so many high-end perfumes that you’d normally see at Sephora and Ulta for <$100. I don’t know how they do it, but I am not questioning it.
Another great spot for affordable high-end fragrances? TJ Maxx. Searching for a deal definitely takes more effort, but there is some satisfaction in it in the end. It’s hit or miss, but when you hit, you hit.
Dossier and Scentbird
Two companies that also support my perfume addiction without putting me in debt are Dossier and Scentbird.
Dossier fragrances are “inspired by” designer scents, meaning you get luxury-level perfumes for a fraction of the price. The best part? They’re high quality, long-lasting, and often smell almost identical to their high-end counterparts. (If we’re being fr, they straight-up copy these scents and slap their name on it—but I’m not complaining.)
Scentbird, on the other hand, is perfect for fragrance lovers who want to try before they buy. Their monthly subscription lets you test high-end perfumes without committing to a full-size bottle. If you’re indecisive like me, this is a great thing to do and it fulfills the itch to get a new perfume without dropping a lot of cash. It also helps to try the perfume on your skin, since fragrances smell differently on everybody depending on your body chemistry.
Tip #3: Hair & Nails – Look Salon-Ready From Home
Hair
When it comes to affordable hair products, my two favorite brands are Kristen Ess and Eva NYC.
Kristen Ess has some great products that I think everyone should have in their routine! My absolute favorite is their Clarifying Shampoo—it removes product buildup and leaves your hair feeling super clean without stripping it. It’s perfect to use once a week before a hair mask for that fresh, salon-like reset. And the best part? You can grab it at Target! Convenient and affordable.
Eva NYC is every girl’s dream hair brand—not quite drugstore cheap, but still SO affordable. The packaging? Gorgeous. The results? Even better. Their 10-in-1 Shine Mask makes me excited to do my weekly hair mask—it smells amazing and leaves my hair feeling silky soft. I also swear by their leave-in treatment for fine hair and shampoo/conditioner. So underrated!
Nails
I may or may not have had a years-long addiction to getting acrylic nails. And wow—what an expensive addiction it was. $50 every three weeks? Yeah, no more.
Recently (like literally last week), I tried the Impress Press-On Nails from Target, and they are amazing! If you’re on a budget, you don’t have to give up cute nails altogether. It may not be the luxury salon set you want, but until you have the means for it—fake it ‘til you make it, girl.
Final Takeaways
Envisioning the life I want pushes me to work toward it.
I’m not ashamed to admit I like the finer things in life. Hair, makeup, nails—some people may see it as shallow, but to me, it aligns me with the woman I envision myself becoming.
No one should feel ashamed if they don’t have as much money as their peers. College makes it so easy to compare yourself, especially when some people spend like they already have a six-figure salary.
In a world that can be so dark, find what makes you happy. Find what makes you confident.
Even if it’s press-on nails from Target.
