Autumn Glam on a Budget: Makeup Finds You’ll Love

As the weather cools down and the leaves turn golden, some of us get the irresistible urge to refresh our makeup bag with new fall finds. Here are some I recently found under $20 to create this look:

Let’s break it down to individual components…

Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Longwear Liquid Lipstick (Renegade)

Price: $5.98

You won’t need to worry about your lipstick fading after your fourth (or fifth) pumpkin spice latte with this long-lasting liquid lipstick.

I’m really impressed with the Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink lipstick in the “Renegade" shade. Right away, I loved its gourmand smell and the shape of the applicator. The applicator’s tip is fine enough to line my lips with, and the applicator is soft enough for a smooth transfer. Applying the product was really easy — since this is such a pigmented lipstick, I recommend building the color up. After lining and filling in the rest of my lips, I blotted them once with a tissue, and it was on for good!

The lipstick will transfer a bit when it’s wet, but after drying, it didn’t budge. I wore it comfortably the whole day, and even after eating and drinking, it looked freshly applied. The finish is slightly sticky but not dry, and it didn’t get crumbly throughout the day. When applying a second coat later (purely for science), the fresh coat melted in with the original. To take the lipstick off, use micellar water or makeup remover.

Whenever I come across such a pigmented liquid lipcolor, I love to play around with how I can maximize its wear. After placing a decent amount on the side of my hand and making sure my skin was moisturized, I took a fingertip and lightly dabbed the lipstick high on my cheekbones, blending it in with the moisturizer. Since the lipstick dries fairly quickly and I want to avoid streaks, I did this one cheek at a time. The color was very pretty and buildable; I like a dewier finish, so I added a touch of highlighter after it dried.

I also used the product on my eyes. After priming and moisturizing my eyelids, I lightly tapped a few dots onto my outer crease, then blended it out with a fluffy brush (one lid at a time to avoid drying). With an angled liner brush, I also created a matte winged eyeliner, which looked amazing with a healthy coat of mascara!

NYX Professional Makeup Jumbo Eye Pencil, All-in-one Eyeshadow and Eyeliner Multi-stick

Price: $5.97

For all of your Halloween looks, this NYX jumbo eye pencil is a total game-changer. With a wide variety of shades, ranging from everyday neutrals to bold colors, you’ll easily transform into any character.

I purchased the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in two colors: the shimmery, light-gold Frosting shade, and the matte, dark brown Frappe. Personally, I had a better time with Frosting than frappe, and I think that’s mostly to do with the shimmer. Frosting was easy to apply all over my eyelid as well as spots I’d like an extra highlight to like under the brow and my inner corner. I blended this shade out pretty easily with my fingers and a fluffy eyeshadow brush.

Frappe was a bit more challenging to work with. Although the product is creamy and smooth to apply, when I blended it across my lid, the finish was pretty patchy (something I think wouldn’t have been so noticeable if there was a shimmer to this formula). When smudged, the product isn’t super pigmented, so I didn’t love using this color as a liner. However, I liked the end look after smudging Frappe all over my upper lid and swiping a gold shimmer shadow over it.

While looking over reviews, I noticed some confusion regarding sharpening the pencil. The plastic is thin enough that it can be sharpened with a jumbo pencil sharpener, but since I couldn’t find mine, I took off the bottom end cap and successfully pushed the product up with a Q-tip. This is a good option in a pinch, but be prepared to have a lot of product transferred onto the Q-tip!

e.l.f. SKIN Bronzing Drops (Pure Gold)

Price: $12.48

Since one of this season’s most anticipated makeup trends is bronzer-as-blush, I mixed a drop with a pigmented liquid blush. I applied that mixture to my cheekbones, temples, and hairline and got a dewy, sun-kissed glow.

First and foremost, don’t apply this straight onto your skin unless you want a really streaky finish. Instead, shake the bottle, mix a few drops into your moisturizer or foundation, and then apply. I found it handy when I used it sparingly, but I think I may prefer L’Oreal’s Lumi Glotion in terms of glow, blendability, and convenience, and it’s only couple dollars more. (If you’re a fan of bronzer, you may have more luck with this than I did!)

Need a few other recommendations? Here you go:

• L’Oreal Paris Colour Riche Original Satin Lipstick (Caramel Latte): This lipstick from the iconic Colour Riche line is the perfect companion for all of your fall festivities. With its neutral, cool-toned finish and luxuriously moisturizing application, you’ll never have to worry about chapped lips as the weather gets colder.
• L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Lip Liner (Au Naturale 780): A lip look isn’t complete without lip liner. The listed shade “Au Natural" works as a great pair to the neutral tone of the Caramel Latte lipstick, but if you’re looking for a vampy, bolder look, don’t be afraid to switch it up with a darker shade (might I suggest “Toffee to Be"?).
• e.l.f. Soft Glam Satin Foundation: Speaking of glow, this breathable, hydrating foundation is the ultimate base for all of your fall looks. With medium, buildable coverage and 36 shades to choose from, it’s ready to complement every look you create.
• NYX Professional Makeup Wonder Stick, Cream Highlight & Contour Stick (Universal Light): Whether you’re going for a soft look for those crisp fall nights or a full transformative glam during Halloween, the Wonder Stick by NYX does the trick in a flash. Featuring dual-ended colors for both highlighting and sculpting, you won’t need to buy a separate highlighter and contour product. Plus, it’s compact enough to toss in your bag to keep you photo-ready all day long.

Crystal Chang contributed to this article.