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Shopping for a foundation can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re searching for your perfect shade or trying to find the right formula for your skin type, the sheer number of options can be enough to make you want to give up. Trying to find budget-friendly foundations that still do what they promise canadd another layer of stress to the experience, especially when all those ads you’re served on TikTok and Instagram seem to suggest that the exorbitant prices equal quality. FYI, that’s not always the case.
Miranda Mendelson (aka @slashedbeauty on TikTok), a content creator specializing in budget-friendly makeup, explains that because larger beauty companies like L’Oréal own both drugstore brands (i.e Maybelline and NYX) and luxury brands (i.e. Yves Saint Laurent and Giorgio Armani Beauty), their drugstore formulas can be comparable to the formulas of the high-end brands that they own as well, so you can get practically the same amount of bang for much smaller bucks. That means some of your favorite TikTok “dupes” might just be made in close quarters to the higher-end versions. In this instance, budget-friendly and drugstore foundations are having a main character moment, thanks to the slew of viral videos from beauty lovers who uncover dupes and provide options that won’t dry up your bank account.
Ahead, you’ll find a curated list of 13 quality foundations that are ideal for those who are balling on a (small) budget. Keep scrolling to see beauty experts’ andTikTok’s favorite inexpensive foundation picks for every makeup and skin care concern.