Most Wantedis a weekly series in which one editor, staffer, or influencer shares their top 30 must-haves or current wish-list items.
I’ll be totally honest, there are luxury beauty products out there that I think are totally worth the extra dollars and ones that I would never spend a dime on. Although I love the idea of a high-end mask, serum, or oil that will give me glowing skin overnight, I also resonate with the philosophy that you don’t always have to spend a ton of money to have great skin. Case in point, I have at least 30 beauty products on my “all time favorites” list that are all under the $50 mark—shocking, I know!
I also don’t like to keep any secrets. These products deserve the spotlight and I’m here to make sure that they get it. If you’re in a spending type mood, but don’t want to go too overboard, keep scrolling. I’m sharing my list of under-$50 beauty products I just can’t imagine myself without.
I’ve been using this viral TikTok sunscreen for months and have to say it’s the best sunscreen that doesn’t feel like a sunscreen. It goes on like a creamy, hydrating moisturizer and never gets greasy—even after applying a few times throughout the day.
Sometimes, I can’t believe how inexpensive this eye cream is. It promotes a brighter, smoother appearance and leaves my under-eye area so hydrated after use.
I recently tried this TikTok-famous brand (color me influenced) and was incredibly impressed by how well everything worked considering each product is under the $20 mark. This facial oil in particular is so soothing and hydrating, I use it at night and wake up with the softest skin of my life. As a bonus, it’s also completely noncomedogenic, meaning it’s safe for acne-prone skin.
I don’t know what I was doing before I was using this silky cleansing balm from Oak Essentials. I love organic skincare and this moisture-rich balm just melts my makeup right off without leaving a greasy residue.
When I tell you I have been obsessed with this mascara. I know there are a ton of formulas that out there that promise no clumping, flaking, or transfer, but this one truly lives up to that promise. My eye area tends to get oily and I’ve used this both with a primer and without one and experienced 0 transfer. I was shocked, TBH. The length it offers is also superior and has fast become my number one mascara, knocking a former favorite out of the top spot.
Surprisingly, I haven’t given anything from Millie Bobby Brown’s beauty line a go yet, but I’m definitely thinking about changing that. These energizing eye patches are oh-so-cute and I wouldn’t mind popping them on in the morning for a little self-care moment.
I’m a huge Rare Beauty stan so it should come as no surprise that I’ve been completely in love with the brand’s tinted lip oil. The unique gel-to-oil formula starts off glossy and dries down to a gorgeous tint that looks just like a lipstick. It’s basically impossible to pick a favorite shade, but this rosy brown is definitely a standout.
I try not to go overboard on the exfoliants, but I do keep a healthy rotation of skin-renewing masks like this one. It’s really gentle with exfoliants like apricot seed powder and supports natural skin cell turnover with beta carotene.
Although this is really just a fancy water spray, I’ve found that I now can’t imagine my skincare routine without it. Evian mineral water is delicious to drink, but I find that it hydrates my skin so well and works great for adding moisture on top of my makeup or works great as a setting spray.
Okay, I’m cheating a bit because this is technically the travel size of Grande Cosmetics’ legendary lash serum, but it’s so good that I think I need a travel size to make sure I’m never without it. Not only does half our staff love it, it’s truly the best lash serum I’ve ever used. There is definitely noticeable and significant growth to my lashes since I started using it four months ago. I’m incredibly happy with the results and will probably never stop using it.
This new styling cream from Maria Nila is a dream for all the curly-haired folks out there. Although it is extremely hydrating with ingredients like avocado oil and shea butter, it’s never too heavy and doesn’t weigh my curls down like some other creams can.
I’ve basically used this foundation exclusively since it dropped. The formula is a tad runny and needs to be applied quickly, but once it’s on, wow. I also just love that it’s silicone-free, keeps me hydrated throughout the day, and offers great buildable coverage.
Nécessaire can do no wrong in my eyes. This deodorant gel is one of the best formulas I have ever used. I’ll wear it during the day while running errands, doing a workout, and more. It definitely helps reduce sweat and odor is basically nonexistant. As a bonus, the AHAs in the formula help with dark spots, razor bumps, and ingrown hairs around the armpit area.
This creamy, delicious-smelling body wash has been on my “to-try” list for ages. It’s packed with vitamins, super hydrators, antioxidants, and extracts to really nourish your skin—all for a pretty decent price, if you ask me.
This nourishing and detangling leave-in from Fable & Mane locks moisture into my hair and can double as a heat protectant.
I was never a huge fan of pimple patches or drying lotions in the past because I felt like most of them didn’t really work, but these patches changed all that. I leave them on overnight and wake up with a highly-reduced pimple or an almost non-existent one.
I’m impatiently waiting for this new liquid lipstick from Charlotte Tilbury to arrive in the mail. It has a gorgeous matte finish, but is still creamy, hydrating, and comfortable enough for all day wear. The shades offered are also just *chef’s kiss.*
These eyeshadow sticks from CTZN Cosmetics totally blew me away. The shades are gorgeous, creamy, easy to blend, and pigmented enough to really stand out on darker skin tones. This shade called Deep Earth is a standout.
When I’m not using my Beauty of Joseon SPF, I opt for this primer-sunscreen hybrid from Naked Sundays. It gives you such a gorgeous glow and never causes my sensitive skin to break out.
This gentle body exfoliant is right on par with my other favorite one from Nécessaire. It’s formulated with fine grain volcanic pumice to gently lift away dead skin cells and glycerin to leave skin soft and hydrated.
This is a holy grail product that will probably never leave my routine. It does such an incredible job of deep cleansing (and hydrating) acne-prone skin without using harsher acids and exfoliants.
I literally never shut up about this face oil because I think it’s one of the best noncomedogenic options on the market. It provides your skin with deep hydration without clogging pores and just gives your skin this supernatural-looking glow. I know it’s a few bucks over $50, but I definitely believe this one is worth it!
This palette has always been a no-brainer for me considering how inexpensive it is. It’s the perfect everyday palette that has such rich shades of gold, brown, and deep red. I’ve been using it since college and it never gets old.
I have to have a salt bath at least two to three times a week. I make it a full experience by adding salts that are rich in essential oils and smell amazing like these are.
I’m immediately snatching up the limited edition, palo santo-scented leave-in from Pattern. My hair can be picky, but I think it will love this hydrating conditioner infused with honey, biotin, and nourishing jojoba oil.
This lash primer has been a game-changer for me. I don’t normally love lash primers that are white, but this one provides the perfect base for mascara application and really adds some additional length to my lashes.
This blush always helps me create the perfect summer glow. It adds just enough warmth to the skin and is so easy to blend that it looks totally seamless once it dries down.
I’ve used this cleanser from Shani Darden for years. Somehow it manages to calm, clear, and hydrate my skin all at the same time. The ingredients work so well together to nurture your skin’s barrier and helps you avoid any excess moisture loss. It has worked wonders for my dehydrated, barrier-damaged skin.
This Kosas concealer is so packed with hydrating and nourishing skincare ingredients that it can almost double as an eye cream (peptides, hyaluronic acid, panthenol, and arnica to name a few!). It really perks up my eye area and camouflages blemishes like no other.
I rarely bust out a lip mask because that feels extremely extra, but this one from Lawless just goes on like a balm and keeps my lips ultra hydrated even during the day. It’s a continued staple in my nighttime routine.
