Check out these beauty products the next time you duck to the shops

The next time you step out to the shops to pick up a carton of milk, venture into the beauty aisles. For a $50 note you can probably get enough products for a full-face makeover; more if they’re on sale – and they often are.

I’m a big sucker for packaging so sometimes I forget that we should not always judge a book by its cover.

Much good and well-priced makeup is sitting right there in the supermarket aisles.Credit: IStock

There are some things more expensive, department-store brands can offer such as colour range, innovative formulas and an Insta-friendly prop. But besides that, there’s no reason why you can’t find the same amount of enjoyment and end-result from the brands in aisle 13.

Face

First up is a Revlon foundation-concealer combo. The packaging of the Revlon PhotoReady Candid Natural Finish Anti-Pollution Foundation ticks all the boxes for me. It’s easy to transport and it’s got a handy pump. It’s got quite good coverage but doesn’t look cakey on the skin. It’s not a dewy finish, more of a soft glow. Mix in a bit of the Revlon SkinLights Face Glow Illuminator with the foundation, or prior, to add some luminosity.

The Revlon PhotoReady Candid Antioxidant Concealer is also great for on-the-go application. It’s got a fairly large doe foot applicator so one swipe can be used for both under-eye areas. The product has a creamy consistency and blends beautifully. Maybelline’s Fit Me Concealer is also a good option if you want to add some lightness under the eyes and Age Rewind Concealer if you need additional coverage.

For a base a bit more on the glowy side, I like Rimmel’s Wake Me Up Foundation. It gives you a bright complexion and feels quite light on the skin. Pair it with the Lasting Radiance Concealer. The only negative I have is that the shade range is very limited. Ditto with the Mud CC cream. Bright, sheer coverage but even more limited in colour choices (there are only two options).

If highlighting is your thing, try the Maybelline Master Chrome in Molten Gold if you’re after a powder formula. Otherwise, try MCoBeauty’s Highlight & Glow Stick in Champagne. The same product in the shade Nectar is a blush/highlighter combo in one and gives you a skin a radiant peach flush.

Okay this is slightly cheating as it’s not technically in a supermarket, but if you’re in the shopping centre and pass by a Chemist Warehouse, check out Flower Beauty.

Founded by actress Drew Barrymore, the Light Illusion Foundation is incredible. It comes in a weighty glass bottle and offers natural-looking medium coverage, but is definitely buildable. The formula is slightly thick, so I like to apply it with a damp Beauty Blender (no streaks!), but the warmth of your fingers is fine. The product gives your face a lovely lit-from-within glow. While you’re there also give the Flower Beauty Pot Powder Blushes a go - I like Warm Hibiscus.

Eyes

A great dupe for one of my all-time favourite mascaras, Kevyn Aucoin’s The Volume Mascara, is MCoBeauty’s XtendLash Mascara. It’s half the price and is very often on sale at Woolworths. It’s a great everyday tubular mascara and will last you from day to night.

If tubular mascara sounds too fussy, try Maybelline’s Lash Sensational. The curved wand reaches even the most annoyingly-positioned lashes and gives your good definition, curl and volume. It also layers very well. Apparently the Duchess of Sussex is a big fan.

Controversial but I think L’Oreal’s Lash Paradise mascara is better than the cult Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara. This one has a much thicker brush but has a very soft effect on your lashes; no spider legs here - just feathery length and volume. It also impressively doesn’t clump, smudge or budge. You only need one swipe to see instant effects.

I’m very basic when it comes to eyeshadow; I love a bronzey-gold product. Maybelline’s City Mini Eyeshadow Palette in Rooftop Bronzes provides a pigmented, neutral sheen. If you’re after a bit more colour, the MCoBeauty Eyeshadow Palette in Burgundy/Nudes is very similar to one by MAC and has a selection of mattes and satin finishes.

For brows, there are actually a few items in the low-midrange pricepoint that are quite decent. MCoBeauty More Brows Fibre Gel and Rimmel Wonder'Full Brow are both very effective at brushing and holding up your brow hairs, whilst adding a slight tint.

Lips

I like anything that is low maintenance. The Revlon Kiss Lip Balm is a fruity delight and offers you that barely-there stained look. I use the shade Crisp Apple when I need to breathe some life into my face. I also love the Revlon Cushion Lip Tint in Naughty Mauve, which has a delightful vanilla-caramel scent.

Rimmel’s Exaggerate Lip Liner in Snob is perfect if you’re after a dusty pink, your-lips-but-better hue. Use it to line your lips or as an all-over, long-wearing lip shade.

In case you need another lip balm for that other handbag or your glove compartment, grab a Burt’s Bees lip balm. They come in convenient and hygienic stick packaging, are made from natural ingredients and are super nourishing.

Hair

I no joke buy about four cans of Batiste dry shampoo every time it’s on sale. I prefer their invisible formula range and usually opt for the Hydrate and Damage Control options. There’s no real difference between the two to be honest, I just like to mix it up. Both are very effective at soaking up oil, giving your hair extra zhoosh and don’t have an offensive smell.

I also love Garnier’s Hair Food Mask in the banana scent - it’s absolutely lush. I like to use a hair mask in place of a conditioner a few times a week to really give my thick locks some R&R. This leaves your hair so soft, silky and shiny, and, is cheap-as-chips.

Skin

This is the one category I’m more likely to spend more money on. But there are a few cleansers I can recommend for each skin type. If you have dry skin Sukin do a great gentle cream cleanser, which comes with a handy pump. If you’re on the oilier side, check out Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost Cleanser. And you can’t go past Garnier’s Micellar Cleansing Water if you’re after an effective make-up remover and first cleanse.