26 budget-friendly beauty finds that *actually* work

Even though they’re inexpensive, we have pretty high expectations of the best budget beauty products. Namely, they need to *work* because what’s the point of wasting your hard-earned cash on stuff that doesn’t? Read on for our top picks for skincare, makeup, body care, and hair goodies that’ll deliver the results you’re looking for — without breaking the bank.

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

Gentle enough to use every day, reviewers say this stuff will leave your face feeling fresh, smooth, and thoroughly cleansed. The formula’s a powerful combo of colloidal oatmeal (great for sensitive skin!), papaya extract, and rice bran that’ll gently scrub away dead skin and buildup without ruining your moisture barrier. You can even mix it into your regular cleanser for an added deep-cleaning boost.

Get it from Amazon Canada for $27.

Rael Miracle Invisible Spot Cover

No matter how many different pimple patches I’ve tried, I always come back to these ones. They suck up goop like nobody’s business (and better than other brands’ spot covers) without drying out my skin and leaving my poor pimple desiccated and flaky. The package contains two sizes, so I can get more precise with my zit fighting.

Get a pack of 96 from Amazon Canada for $24.99.

e.l.f. Glow Reviver Lip Oil

Lip oils are having a major moment, but if you’re not looking to invest your hard-earned cash into testing every single formula, start with this version. It’s ultra-glossy, with a plush, velvety texture that feels majorly moisturizing (but never sticky). I’m a huge fan of the lightly minty scent and fluffy applicator that’ll let you coat your smoocher in just one quick swipe.

Get it from Amazon Canada for $10.99. Available in six shades.

CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum

Tipping your toe into retinol can be a bit scary, but this gentle serum will give you all the benefits and none of the side effects. It’s formulated for sensitive skin and has plenty of hyaluronic acid to ensure that dryness and flakes don’t make an unwanted appearance. Reviewers say they noticed a serious improvement in dark spots and blemishes in about a week, too.

Get it from Amazon Canada for $23.99.

I Dew Care Tap Secret Mattifying Dry Shampoo Powder

No big surprises here — this stuff will absorb oil and dirt while reviving your locks between washes. But what makes this particular version a standout is the packaging. You’ll get to forego harmful aerosols and messy sprays by simply tapping the sponge onto your roots. That’s it! It’s easy to travel with (aka won’t get tossed out at security checkpoints), and dark-haired reviewers say it leaves much less of a white cast than other brands they’ve tried.

Get it from Amazon Canada for $24.66.

Peter Thomas Roth Hello, Mask Besties! Mask Kit

It’s like a choose-your-own-adventure set, except for skincare! With five formulas to choose from (each designed to tackle a different skincare concern), you’ll be able to mix and match to your heart’s content or multi-mask like a total pro.

Get it from Sephora Canada for $26.

Garnier Green Labs Pinea-C Brightening Serum Cream

Vitamin C and SPF 30 come together for a high-powered serum/cream hybrid that layers well under makeup (don’t take it from me — reviewers say it’s a great dupe for more expensive brands, too). It also leaves no white cast, so you won’t end up looking chalky.

Get it from Amazon Canada for $20.91.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser

According to satisfied reviewers (over 130,000, to be exact), this radiant-finish concealer is perfectly creamy, blends well, stays puts, and never settles or creases — what’s not to love? You won’t even need any special tools to apply it, thanks to its spongey tip that’ll blend and buff things out in a snap.

Get it from Amazon Canada for $11.09+. Available in 16 shades.

Aveeno Repairing Cica Hand Mask

You may have noticed your grabbers feeling a lil’ parched lately, and that’s thanks to factors like extreme cold and harsh indoor heating (winter in Canada, amirite?). Slipping on a pair of these moisturizing gloves is just the ticket for solving dryness, itchiness, and irritation, keeping your skin from cracking, peeling, or splitting. You’ll only need to rock them for 10 minutes, so you won’t have to dedicate a whole evening to getting your hands back to tip-top condition.

Get it from Amazon Canada for $5.99. Also available for feet.

Grace & Stella Eye Masks

While a celeb endorsement is not necessarily a sign of a great product, in this case, it is. Stars like Jessica Alba (not to mention tons of #beautytok influencers) are obsessed with these hydrogel masks that promise to tackle things like puffiness, dark circles, fine lines, and dryness — and tackle them they do. Unlike other brands’ eye masks, these are extra juicy, delivering tons of hydration in just a few minutes. Reviewers find them soothing and say they make their peepers look more awake in a flash.

Get a pack from Amazon Canada for $14.95+. Available in three formulas and several multipacks.

OPI Nail Envy Strengthening Treatment

My mom is a professional aesthetician, and she always pointed me to this stuff when my nails were weak, brittle, or just plain icky. The formula’s full of nail-boosting ingredients, like biotin, calcium, and vitamins A, E, and C, which translates to talons that are reinforced and strengthened (reviewers say they saw less peeling and breakage after just a few uses!). It also helps rehabilitate nails damaged from biting, too.

Get it from Amazon Canada for $22.49+. Available in nine colours.

Pyunkang Yul Calming Moisture Barrier Cream

K-beauty has entered the chat with this repairing face cream that reviewers say works actual wonders on redness and irritation. Even though it’s pretty dang potent, the cream itself is lightweight enough to not clog pores or leave your face greasy for hours after. Ceramides and tea tree oil join the party to protect and balance things out.

Get it from Amazon Canada for $14.99.

Nyx The Brow Glue

This stuff delivers not only the *perfect* amount of tint and hold, but also never flakes or smudges while you’re rocking it. If that sounds too good to be true, don’t just take my word for it: reviewers swear it’s the most long-lasting brow product they’ve ever tried and are particularly fond of the fact that they don’t need to do touchups throughout the day (because who has time for that?).

Get it from Amazon Canada for $10.07+ (originally $13). Available in five shades.

Schick Hydrosilk TrimStyle Razor & Bikini Trimmer

You’ll be able to shave your legs, pits, and other bits, then you can flip to the other side to take advantage of the powerful trimmer. It’s (of course) completely waterproof, and reviewers say that even though the blade guard’s handy, the trimmer is actually pretty darn nick-proof on its own. The razor end is also wrapped in moisturizing strips to help things glide smoothly and leave you razor-burn-free.

Get it from Amazon Canada for $10.98 (originally $14.29).

Nexxus Clean & Pure Scalp Scrub

Regular exfoliation will slough away dead skin and product buildup, keep itchiness at bay, and help your locks grow in strong and healthy. Of all the scrubs I’ve tried, I always come back to this one, largely because of its microcrystals that dissolve as you lather up, so I don’t accidentally over-scrub. Plus, it smells *phenom,* further incentivizing me to use it (as if I needed more convincing).

Get it from Amazon Canada for $18.93.

Crave Naturals Glide Thru Detangling Brush

Not only does it *not* tug at hair, but reviewers say they’ve noticed less fallout since using this brush. It’s designed to glide right through all types of locks (including thick and curly), causes minimal breakage, and can be used wet or dry.

Get it from Amazon Canada for $10.99+ (originally $17.99+). Available in eight colours and five multipacks.

Bioderma Atoderm Shower Gel

This one goes out to everyone with dry skin: this gel’s ultra gentle and won’t leave your poor dermis parched and tight after your morning shower. On the contrary, it actually helps soothe irritation, with reviewers saying it works wonders for those with sensitive skin (while smelling pretty damn great).

Get it from Amazon Canada for $21.58 (originally $26.98).

Verb Glossy Shine Heat Protectant Spray

A quick spritz will protect your locks from temps up to 425ºF while delivering hydration to parched strands. Reviewers say it left their mane shiny as heck, not to mention incredibly soft to the touch.

Get it from Sephora Canada for $27.

Innisfree Super Volcanic AHA Pore Clearing Clay Mask

Treating yourself to a facial is all well and good, but let’s be honest — it’s not always in the budget. A layer of this clay mask will exfoliate dead skin, absorb excess oil, and unclog your pores in 10 minutes and it does all that without leaving your face feeling dry and tight. Reviewers say they noticed an immediate cooling effect and seriously improved skin texture after just one use, which is the kind of science I can get behind.

Get it from Sephora Canada for $22.

Aveeno Tone & Texture Daily Renewing Lotion

Tackling persistent skin issues like keratosis pilaris doesn’t have to be a costly endeavour, which is where this lotion comes in. Unscented and packed with vitamin B3, prebiotics, and oat extracts, this stuff is specially designed to soothe and soften even the roughest patches. Reviewers with sensitive skin say they haven’t experienced any irritation and love that it soaks in pretty quickly.

Get it from Amazon Canada for $14.47 (originally $18.39).

e.l.f. Halo Glow Contour Beauty Wand

Thanks to its squeezable tube and cushion tip applicator, you’ll be able to achieve some serious contouring while ditching all the extra brushes and blenders. The formula’s buildable and extremely blendable, making this a great option for anyone just beginning their makeup journey. Reviewers say a little goes a long way, too!

Get it from Amazon Canada for $11.97. Available in five shades.

Nyx The Marshmellow Smoothing Primer

If you still, somehow, have not tried this viral primer, there’s no time quite like the present. Reviewers say it creates a perfect canvas for their makeup looks, locks things in place, and gives their matte foundations a gorgeous dewy finish (while outperforming other cult-fave brands like MAC and Smashbox).

Get it from Amazon Canada for $19.17 (originally $22.94).

DESIGNME Puff.Me Volumizing Hair Powder

Guys, I am so serious, you’ll only need one, MAYBE two, pumps of this powder to take your hair to new heights. The ultra-fine dust has no smell and works best when applied at the roots (you know, for max volume). You might feel some grit, but that’s actually a good thing — you’ll be able to restyle and ~zhuzh~ your hair in a snap, even if it’s been flattened by your toque all day.

Get it from Amazon Canada for $27.

Garnier Micellar All-in-One Cleansing Water

This oil-free, non-comedogenic cleansing water will easily whisk away makeup, sunscreen, sweat, and other debris, without stripping your face of precious moisture. Reviewers even use it to remove their eye makeup, saying it never irritates or stings (not to mention it doesn’t aggravate sensitive or dry skin, either).

Get it from Amazon Canada for $8.97 (originally $9.99).

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Gel B5

This stuff is *intensely* repairing — like, help-your-skin-heal-after-surgery kind of repairing. It’s designed to minimize scarring, protect against bacterial infections, reduce itching and dryness, and protect fragile skin, with some reviewers even saying they noticed a visible improvement in their skin’s condition after just one week.

Get it from Amazon Canada for $22.50.

Salt & Stone Santal & Vetiver Aluminum-Free Deodorant

I’ll be the first to admit that the one-time purchase price of this is a bit steeper than your ~tradish~ deodorants, but here’s the thing: one tube will last you FOREVER. I’m not kidding — my partner and I only buy a new tube every six to eight months! After using tons of different deos (including a bunch of natural ones), this is the stuff we come back to, because it smells phenomenal and actually works.

Get it from Sephora Canada for $27. Available in black rose & oud, bergamot & hinoki, neroli & basil, and for sensitive skin.

All products have been independently selected. Daily Hive may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

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