Best Drugstore Beauty Buys

Looking oh-so-pretty for your holiday party doesn't mean parting with ridiculous amounts of cash. Many of the beauty products I use on a daily basis are from my neighborhood drugstore. Here are some of my favorite beauty products that will keep you looking beautiful on a budget.

I used to spend excessive amounts of money on designer foundation but I ran out while traveling and in a pinch picked up a bottle of L'Oreal's True Match Super Blendable Foundation. Turns out, I love this stuff! It's oil-free and comes in a full color spectrum of warm, neutral and cool shades. $10.99/1 fl. oz.

Rather than invest in a full tube of the season's hottest lipstick shade I like to test drive it first by finding a similar color from the NYX Cosmetics line. At $3.99 a tube I can can afford to go crazy with coral, flirt with fuschia or be prim and proper with a pretty pink without breaking the bank. This line is pigment-rich so each shade shows up at full intensity. If I like a color and it works well with my skintone then I'll be more likely to splurge on a tube from one of the designer lines like YSL or Tom Ford.

After spending years trying out numerous brow pencils on the market I finally came back to my first love: the original Cover Girl Brow pencil I used when I was sixteen. My favorite shade is midnight brown and the color is soft making the brows look natural and not over-done. $3.59/pack of two (plus a bonus sharpener)

My skin has been known to have a little mid-day shine, so I never leave the house without a pack of oil absorbing sheets in my cosmetics bag. My favorite blotters are from Clean & Clear and although I've tried numerous styles from other brands, this drugstore pick is still my favorite. The sheets lift oil without removing your make-up making them a budget friendly way to avoid looking like a hot mess.

Save time (and cotton balls) with Cutex Nailpolish Remover Wipes. One wipe cleans all 10 nails and the polish just slides right off. They are super easy to use and completely portable which makes them perfect for girls on-the-go. Allure Magazine even named this product one of their "Beauty Editor Favorites". $3.50/pack of 6 wipes.

Another drugstore fave is the Aveeno Positively Smooth Shave Gel. I started using this on a recent trip to a Florida where legs were bare and lots of swimming was involved and it's made me a believer. Formulated with natural soy this product helps you shave less often (I can vouch for this!) and works to prevent skin irritations including nicks, cuts and razor burn. My skin is noticeably softer after using this product and I highly recommend this to anyone in the market for a new shaving cream. It's even ok for sensitive skin! $3.99/7 oz. can

If you've ever been the victim of a static-related fashion faux paus you need to pick up a can of Static Guard Spray next time you're at the drugstore. This product is a staple in my fashion emergency kit and has saved me too may times to count. You can also use this product in a pinch to tame flyaway hair (just spray your brush). $3.99/1.4 oz.

Last but not least- for pretty peepers I really like Ardell DuraLash Naturals. They let me add volume and length where I need it without looking like a drag queen. The trick is to apply them as close to your natural lash line as possible. $4.99/pack