45 Amazing Beauty Products Under $25 That Seem Much More Expensive Than They Are
Whether you’re looking to treat yourself or buy a gift for someone else, beauty products are always a good idea. The right product can make your nightly routine feel more luxurious, add a touch of calm to stressful mornings, and can even — dare we say it? — actually change your life. And finding a beauty product that does one or all of these things doesn’t have to be an expensive affair, because as these 45 amazing products under $25 prove, decadence doesn’t have to equate to a high price tag. Thanks to a combination of stylish packaging, elegant formulas, and — most importantly — a reputation for excellence, these fan-favorite products seem much more expensive than they are.
Ahead, find our curation of the internet’s most decadent (yet affordable) beauty products, from innovative skin care tools to the personal-care products spotted in every fashionable bathroom.
Daily Dose is one of the best products you could buy for your hair, regardless of your hair type. It’s a smoothing, shine-enhancing leave-in conditioner that also detangles, nourishes, and strengthens, and it has the added benefits of being lightweight, subtly scented, and vegan. As a bonus, the holographic-pink packaging just feels expensive, and will look chic lined up next to your other, aesthetically-pleasing beauty products.
With over 15,000 five-star ratings and reviews, Vivienne Sabó Cabaret Premiere is one of the most popular mascaras on Amazon that doesn’t come from a drugstore brand (though at just $10 a tube, it does boast a drugstore price tag). Its thin wand and jet-black pigment enhance both the length and volume of your lashes without clumping together, and it doesn’t feel crunchy or transfer easily, since it dries down almost instantly. The sleek gold packaging gives it a luxurious touch, and at the end of the day, it’s easy to wash off.
Oval makeup brushes are the best-kept secret of professional makeup artists, as their densely packed bristles allow for better blending and a smoother finish. For less than $10, you can try the technique out for yourself with this five-pack of round brushes from Beauty Kate. Featuring sleek, rose-gold hardware and matte-black handles, these are some of the most luxurious makeup brushes you can buy for the price.
If your curling iron could use an update, you can’t do much better than this one for the price. Designed with 1-inch plates, Conair’s double ceramic curling iron has all the right features, like 30 heat settings, dual voltage for worldwide travel, a cool tip and auto-shutoff for added safety, and a versatile barrel size that allows you to create all types of waves and curls with ease. It does come in other sizes, too — from half an inch up to 1.5 inches — all in the same white and rose gold colorway.
Keep your brows and lashes nourished and strong with this 100% pure castor oil serum, which has been certified organic by the USDA. Not only does its packaging look expensive, but it’s functional, too, since once side features a spoolie for your eyebrows, and the other, a thin, pointed brush for applying the serum to your lash line.
Eye creams and serums can easily cost upwards of $100, but why spend that much when one of the best eye products on the market costs less than $25 on Amazon? Enter: Vichy Mineral 89 Eyes, a lightweight, fluid serum that instantly refreshes and hydrates your skin. It’s made with all the best ingredients your eye-contour area could want, like caffeine, hyaluronic acid, and Vichy Volcanic Water, which work together to soothe, smooth, and depuff without leaving behind a greasy residue. It’s a lovely choice for both A.M. and P.M. routines.
Made from naturally derived ingredients, including organic shea butter and argan oil, this multi-use stick can be applied to your lips, cheeks, and eyes for a natural, monochromatic look. It’s sold in the prettiest pink and red shades, and the creamy formula both applies and blends like a dream, even onto dry skin.
- Available shades: 7
Give your face a spa-quality peel with these Bliss That’s Incredi-peel pads. Made with glycolic acid to resurface and brighten your skin, these pads just need to be used once a week to promote a clearer, glowier complexion. Obviously, they’re super handy for travel, too.
Add a touch of decadence to your makeup-prep routine with these under-eye patches from K-beauty brand Mizon. They’re made with snail mucin, which has all sorts of purported skin care benefits, and 24-karat gold to smooth and nourish your under eyes. While they’re undoubtedly great for at-home spa days, they’re especially handy for makeup prep because they help catch eyeshadow fallout, and can also act as a guide for shadow or liner.
This lipstick/lip liner hybrid from Lady Gaga’s makeup line, HAUS LABORATORIES, is a sheer delight to use. The super creamy formula glides on like a dream, and the pointed tip allows for neat lines at the Cupid’s bow and edges. The color options are stunning, too, with everything from bright purple and true orange to rosy-pink and brick red.
- Available shades: 22
Considering that most vitamin C serums cost $80-plus dollars a pop, it’s hard to believe you can buy one — and a good one at that — for less than $10. Dr. Song’s vitamin C serum pairs the brightening antioxidant with moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, and jojoba oil to pamper and protect your skin, while vitamin E and rosewater offer further nourishing benefits. It’s smartly packaged in a dark, opaque bottle to prevent the formula from oxidizing, like all good vitamin C serums are.
This elegant foundation serum from L’Oreal feels like it should cost five times the price. It provides light, natural-looking coverage with a luminous finish, and simultaneously protects your skin using a combination of SPF 50 and antioxidants. The perfect one-and-done product for rushed mornings and minimalist routines.
- Available shades: 29
This cult-favorite cream from K-beauty mega-brand Etude House has a devoted following worldwide because of its skin-plumping, glow-inducing effects. The secret ingredient is what the brand calls “super collagen water,” which is bolstered by glycerin, shea butter, and white lupin to infuse your skin with even more moisture. It’s a decadent, bouncy cream that feels much more expensive than its under-$20 price tag suggests.
This gorgeous blush from Drew Barrymore’s beauty line, Flower Beauty, is a must for every makeup kit. The formula is so delightfully creamy that it blends into your skin without even a hint of streakiness, and all you need is a tiny drop of product to suffuse both cheeks with a radiant, natural-looking flush.
- Available shades: 6
A true does-it-all product, this Naturium serum contains all the heavy hitters of the skin care world, like niacinamide, zinc PCA, vitamin E, and hyaluronic acid. Together, these ingredients help promote a more even-looking complexion and balance out oily areas while delivering a dose of lightweight moisture to dry spots, too. Hard to believe it costs less than $20 on Amazon.
A favorite among beauty insiders, COSRX’s Aloe Soothing Sun Cream feels refreshing and comfortable on dry skin — so much so that you may not need to wear any moisturizer underneath. It isn’t greasy or suffocating, though, and it wears beautifully under makeup. To top it off, it’s formulated with SPF 50 to keep your skin protected on even the sunniest of days.
Sold in 30 truly stunning shades — from light, shimmering pink to bold emerald green — these Julep eyeshadow sticks are worth stocking up on. They have a unique, cream-to-powder formula, which means they glide on smoothly, but dry down to a waterproof finish that won’t budge once it’s set. You could even use the bronze, gold, and champagne shades as highlighter, depending on your skin tone.
- Available shades: 30
Even dry, sensitive skin types can use this retinol serum safely — that’s because it’s balanced out by strengthening ceramides, soothing niacinamide, and hydrating sodium hyaluronate (aka hyaluronic acid) to counteract retinol’s potentially irritating effects. Using the same reasoning, it’s a great retinol serum for retinol beginners, too. A surprisingly elegant formula for an under-$20 drugstore product.
The INCI list of this Belei eye cream reads like a “who’s who” of skin care superstars: There’s hyaluronic acid for hydration, caffeine for depuffing, and a blend of peptides, which are known for their firming and plumping benefits. You’ll also find shea butter, aloe juice, and squalane in the formula for even more nourishment and hydration. It’s fragrance-free, too.
Wake up to radiant skin with this overnight peel from DERMA-E. It’s made with glycolic and lactic acids (both alpha-hydroxy acids) to exfoliate and resurface your skin, while glycerin, jojoba oil, and green tea offer moisturizing and soothing benefits. (Also in the formula is vitamin C for an added brightening boost.) Use this once or twice a week to achieve your glowiest skin ever, and be sure to be diligent about daily sunscreen application, since AHAs can make your skin more sensitive to the sun.
Made of entirely naturally derived ingredients, this Bare Botanics salt scrub is the most pleasurable way to pamper your skin in the shower. It’s an exfoliating and moisturizing scrub, as it’s made with sea salt (for physical exfoliation) and a blend of nourishing botanical oils to leave your skin smooth and soft. Best of all, it’s made by a small business based in Wisconsin.
- Available scents: 8
Hada Labo is one of the most popular skin care brands in Japan, and their sheet masks are absolutely legendary. Featuring three types of hyaluronic acid and both collagen and peptides to plump up your skin, this is an especially nice mask to apply before doing your makeup, since it leaves your face so glowy and smooth. For less than $20, you’ll get four sheet masks with this order.
Infused with the warm, comforting scents of vanilla and coconut, this Deep Steep bubble bath is the perfect complement to your wintertime bath ritual. Indeed, the formula is filled with ingredients that belong in a seasonal baked good, like organic coconut oil, organic molasses, and shea butter, which all leave your skin feeling ultra-soft — and sweetly scented — when you step out of the bath.
A true multitasker, Briogeo Farewell Frizz works to protect hair from temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, smooth away unwanted frizz, and provide light hold and shine, all while infusing your hair with nourishing ingredients like coconut, argan, and rosehip oils — and a deliciously fruity scent. You’ll look like you’ve just stepped out of a salon chair, but with minimal investment.
A step up from your standard makeup sponges, these JUNO & Co. sponges are woven with ultra-thin microfiber strands, each thinner than a strand of silk, which gives them a velvety-plush feel. They absorb less product than traditional sponges, resulting in less product waste in the long run, while their unique shape fits every curve and contour of your face. Amazingly, a pack of four costs the same amount as a single sponge from a prestige brand.
There’s something inherently decadent about cream foundations, but this Honest Beauty foundation is particularly luxurious. Infused with good-for-skin ingredients like jojoba seed oil, calendula, and chamomile, it leaves your skin feeling plush yet comfortable, as the texture is surprisingly weightless and non-greasy. The coverage is medium-to-full, but the finish is fresh, not powdery, so your skin will look like real skin.
- Available shades: 9
A cleansing oil is one of the most luxurious ways to remove your makeup, but using a USDA organic cleansing oil, like this one from Badger, is even more impressive. This uses a blend of oils rich in fatty acids and antioxidants, like sunflower, olive, jojoba, and sea buckthorn, which leaves your skin soft, radiant, and smooth. Every oil is chosen specifically for its non-comedogenic properties, so it’s a foolproof choice for all skin types, including oily and acne-prone.
Though it’s spawned countless imitators, no brow product has yet to out-perform Anastasia Dipbrow. And lucky for its many loyalists, the brand is an authorized seller on Amazon, so you can have a fresh tube of the fluffing/molding/defining gel delivered to your door in as little as two days. You’ll find all 10 shades on offer here, including tough-to-find hues like Granite, Auburn, and Taupe.
- Available shades: 10
Ask any self-tanning enthusiast about their product of choice, and they’ll likely point you to Bondi Sands Self Tanning Foam. It’s a light, fluffy foam that blends smoothly and develops into a natural-looking, golden-bronze hue. Aloe vera and coconut extract in the formula keep your skin feeling hydrated, not sticky. It’s available in three shades: ultra dark, dark, and light/medium.
- Available shades: 3
Every luxury beauty lover worth their salt should have a tube of L’Occitane Almond Delicious Hand & Nail Cream on their bedside table. A true cult-classic, this rich, decadent cream is made with sweet almond oil to replenish dry skin and strengthen brittle nails and cuticles. Plus, it smells just like a fresh almond croissant. An all-around decadent product, only belied by its $12 price tag.
There are so many reasons to swap out your terry cloth towel for a microfiber one: They’re gentler on hair than abrasive terry, they absorb moisture more quickly, and they’re lightweight, so they won’t strain your neck and head. The playful prints adorning these microfiber towels (including retro palm leaves, leopard print, and polka dots) is just one more draw. You’ll also appreciate the loop and button at the back that keeps the turban secure to your head.
If you favor warm, spicy fragrances over florals, consider adding the cult-favorite Pacifica Indian Coconut Nectar perfume to your scent collection. A blend of creamy coconut and warm vanilla offers a hint of sweetness, while vetiver contributes its earthy muskiness. It’s an altogether sophisticated and subtle fragrance, with a complexity on par with scents double its price. There are eight other fragrances on this page to suit a range of scent preferences, from herbal florals (French Lilac) to fresh citrus (Tuscan Blood Orange).
- Available scents: 9
It’s safe to say that Bioderma micellar water is the most iconic cleanser in the beauty world — not to mention the most effective — which makes its $15 price tag all the more amazing. Whether you use it as a refreshing morning cleanser, a makeup remover, or to clean your makeup brushes (or all of the above), this simple yet elegant cleanser deserves a spot on your shelf.
Often, it’s the simplest formulas that are the most expensive-seeming, as is the case with this serum. It relies on just a handful of plant-based ingredients — including purified water, glycerin, rose flower oil, and hyaluronic acid — handpicked to hydrate, strengthen, and boost your complexion’s overall clarity and radiance. It’s gentle enough to use every morning and night, and it’s beneficial for even the most sensitive skin types.
This at-home facial kit contains everything you need to amp up your skin care routine (and some things you didn’t know you needed). There’s an ionic facial steamer that opens your pores and enables your products to more effectively penetrate your skin, plus two silicone brushes to hygienically apply your face and body masks. As a bonus, this kit also comes with a soft microfiber hair band, complete with cheeky animal ears.
Keep your scalp fresh between wash days with this Design Essentials detoxifying tonic. An invigorating blend of eucalyptus, lemon, peppermint, and witch hazel cleanses your scalp of excess oil and product buildup and tempers any itching and irritation, without weighing down your hair or interrupting your style. The pointed nozzle allows for precise, mess-free application, which makes it handy if you have braids or locs. This feels especially soothing on dandruff-prone scalps.
You may already have jade or rose quartz facial tools in your arsenal; but this set, made of sleek, jet-black obsidian, is an even chicer option. Both the included facial roller and the gua sha work to stimulate blood circulation and lymphatic drainage, reducing facial tension and inflammation as a result. For best results, use them with your face oil or slippery serum of choice (the pressure of the tools pushes the product deeper into your pores).
This Caudalie face mist works wonders to rejuvenate dull skin. It’s made with a blend of plant-based, mostly organic ingredients, like bitter orange flower water, rose flower oil, and peppermint oil, which work to visibly boost your skin’s radiance and impart refreshing hydration. Spritz this on as a gentle toner in the morning and at night — and then as many times as you like throughout the day.
An exfoliating version of Sol de Janeiro’s famous Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, the Bom Dia Bright Cream is spiked with mango and banana acids and vitamin C to retexturize skin, stimulate collagen and elastin production, and give your skin a radiant glow from neck to toe, while cupuaçu butter nourishes. But the best part is the brand’s signature Cheirosa ‘40 scent, an intoxicating blend of black amber plum, crème de cassis, and white florals, which will transport you straight to the sultry streets of Rio.
Judging from the gleaming, tubular packaging, you might mistake this tool for a gold-plated lipstick bullet — but in reality, it’s the gentlest electric razor on the market. Awarded with over 60,000 five-star ratings on Amazon, this cult-favorite tool is equipped with a built-in LED light and a precise stainless steel razor that painlessly removes unwanted hair anywhere on your face, including tricky spots like the curve of your chin, between your brows, and your upper lip. It comes in six chic metallics, including Blush (pictured), Rose Gold, and Parisian Blue.
Considering its near-legendary status, it’s always surprising to be reminded that Mario Badescu Drying Lotion is actually quite affordable. Just remember not to shake the bottle, as the blend of salicylic acid, sulfur, zinc oxide, and soothing calamine lotion (the pink sediment at the bottom) needs to remain separated for it to work its pimple-healing wonders. Don’t question it.
Everything about this lip scrub is pure luxury, from the sweet Nordic Berry scent to the organic formula filled with high-performing ingredients, like antioxidant-packed blueberry and raspberry seed, and nourishing jojoba oil and shea butter. And that deep berry-red color is nothing short of gorgeous.
These Rael pimple patches are incredibly effective at healing pimples overnight, and this pack of 96 costs just $16 — a steal if there ever was one. The hydrocolloid patches absorb bacteria, sebum, and other impurities from whiteheads, without drying or irritating your skin like topical acne medications can. The ultra-thin edges blend invisibly into your skin, so if you sport one on a Zoom call your co-workers will be none the wiser.
Marvis toothpaste proves that toothpaste can, in fact, be devastatingly cool. It has all the trappings of a cult-favorite, from its Florentine roots, to its heritage aluminum packaging, to its subtle flavor, a gently refreshing blend of mint and jasmine. The formula is also vegan and cruelty-free, but note that it doesn’t contain fluoride (which can be a plus for some).
Mented Cosmetics Semi-Matte Lipsticks are rapidly ascending to cult status. They’re long-lasting and defy smudging, but the creamy texture feels so moisturizing on your lips. The nine-shade range of skin tones is designed specifically for people of color, but everyone will find something they love among these eminently wearable peaches, reds, and berries.
- Available shades: 9
