News flash! Contrary to what you may have read at the nail salon or in the checkout line, celebrities are not just like us. Last time we checked, we didn't have a private chef, driver, or trainer — although we're totally open to all three — nor do we live in a gated community or vacation on yachts. (Again, we wouldn't mind...) But one way celebrities — even the richest, the most famous, the most successful, and the most otherworldly — actually do seem relatable? They love cheapie beauty scores that actually work.
Yes, even Kylie Jenner hits up her local CVS. Even Beyoncé runs out of shampoo. And when you're filming or singing or appearing in some random corner of the world, drugstores are likely your most reliable bet. What's more, celebrities are surrounded by the absolute best hairstylists and makeup artists in the world. You better believe that crew knows its way around a drugstore aisle.
That's why we're rounding up the products the rich and famous rave about and that we can actually afford. (Important note: None of the products that follow are ones the celebrity is paid to endorse. This is the real deal, people.) So check 'em out in the slides ahead. Yet another reason to frequent the drugstore: You never know who you'll meet in aisle 4.
Beyoncé
Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage.
Back in 2011, when Beyoncé was rising to her Queen B status, she told Allure that this product is a must-have. “I wear it with my lipstick. I did this trick last summer, when I was on vacation: I used it to prime my lashes before curling. It was like a natural mascara. It made the lashes hold the curl and look shiny. I use it for everything!” In that case, point us in the nearest direction to buy this magic in a tin, stat.
Smith’s Rosebud Salve, $6, available at Sephora.
Kim Kardashian
Photo: Mike Marsland/WireImage.
Kim’s beauty routine comes with a hefty price tag; happily, we can all afford the facial wipes she stands by. She’s even Snapchatted her morning routine and these double-duty towelettes made an appearance. “But 1st I scrub with these wipes! #obsessed,” she captioned the snap.
Kiko Pure Clean Scrub & Peel, $9, available at Kiko.
Zoe Saldana
Photo: Mindy Small/FilmMagic/ Getty Images.
This gentle drugstore cleanser is Zoe’s everyday staple. “My skin’s not very sensitive," she told us. "But because I travel so much, it sometimes reacts to the change in environments.”
Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion, $13.99, available at Ulta Beauty.
Eva Mendes
Photo: Angela Weiss/Getty Image.
“Those are amazing drugstore buys!” Eva told us about the Queen Helene face masks. “You know, when I am shooting in the middle of nowhere you can always find a drugstore...and those are great to get.” With 11 types of masks in the range, these picks are seriously #key.
Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque, $3.99, available at Walgreens.
Kylie Jenner
It’s hard to beat King Kylie when it comes to an Insta-worthy aesthetic, but luckily for us she spilled her secrets. When getting her makeup done professionally, she told The New York Times that fake lashes are a go-to — specifically Ardell’s Natural Wispies, which are believable, soft, and fluttery.
Ardell Demi Wispies Natural Multipack, $9.99, available at Ulta Beauty.
Photo: JB Lacroix/WireImage.
Lupita Nyong'o
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.
The award-winning actress told InStyle that for her, nothing works better than avocado oil. “This is what I use to wash off my makeup,” she said. “It's gentle and natural, and my skin tends to be pretty dry, so I need the extra oil.”
Now Solutions Avocado Oil, $7.69, available at GNC.
Anna Kendrick
Photo: Robin Marchant/Getty Images.
One of Anna's top picks is a throwback some of us can appreciate — hello, annoying razor burn — especially if we want silky skin. "If you're not using Intuition razors, you're wasting everybody's time," she told The New York Times. "Whenever I hear someone is still using a separate shave gel, it's like hearing they still use dial-up internet.” (For the record, the Intuition has a built-in shaving-cream cartridge.)
Schick Intuition Sensitive Care with Natural Aloe Women’s Razor, $9.97, available at Walmart.
Shay Mitchell
Photo: George Pimentel/WireImage.
This badass actress tends to keep her makeup light and fresh. She told Teen Vogue: “In the morning, I only use CoverGirl Lash Blast (I purchase 10 at a time in case they discontinue!). It just works really well.”
CoverGirl LashBlast Volume Mascara, $8.99, available at Ulta Beauty.
Mindy Kaling
Photo: Jerod Harris/WireImage.
"It’s the greatest texture and evens your lip tone, so any lipstick looks perfect over it. I have like 30 shades of brown and pink in my natural lips. It’s maddening. This is super-helpful,” Mindy posted on Li.st. So basically, she's giving us BFF-worthy tips — because if we met in real life, we'd obviously be BFFs.
CoverGirl LipLiner in Sublime, $7, available at Drugstore.com.
It seems as though this product has a lot of fans among the celebrity community. Joining Zoe, Mindy told us she loves Cetaphil, too — she even called it her “old faithful” cleanser. Although for her, it's not just a cleanser. “I use it to loosen up my makeup," she said.
Cetaphil Cleanser, $14.49, available at Ulta Beauty.
Emma Watson
Photo: Karwai Tang/WireImage.
“A makeup artist I met recently used a nude pencil around my lips to give them a perfect outline that’s not as obvious as a red liner,” Emma told Marie Claire a couple years back.
L’Oreal Colour Riche Anti-Feathering Lip Liner & Sharpener Pencil, $8.29, available at Walgreens.
Olivia Wilde
Photo: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images.
Olivia swears by this true-blue winner. “I’ve been using the same hippie shit my whole life,” she told Byrdie. “It’s the greatest! You can even use it in your hair when you go camping.”
Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap, $16.29, available at Target.
Viola Davis
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.
Viola is a self-proclaimed skin-care and makeup obsessive. And she swears by Vaseline. She told Elle that she dabs it under her eyes to blur wrinkles and fine lines.
Vaseline 100% Pure Petroleum Jelly, $4.17, available at Walmart.
Lucy Hale
Photo: George Pimentel/WireImage.
“At the end of a long day, wiping my makeup off and feeling so clean, it’s the best feeling in the world,” Lucy told Into the Gloss. She praised the wipes' ability to “take everything off without irritating [my skin]."
Neutrogen a Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes, $8.99, available at Ulta Beauty.
Laverne Cox
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.
It's certainly not an easy task to find an SPF that works for you, but Laverne has it on lock. She told InStyle that she swears by this non-greasy face and body sunscreen.
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 55, $11.99, available at Ulta Beauty.
Easy to use, matte, and hydrating? Sign us up. As she told InStyle, Laverne credits her your-lips-but-better look to this chubby balm.
Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Sultry, $9.49, available at Ulta Beauty.
Jessica Alba
Photo: Gary Gershoff/WireImage.
You're not the only one who's been strangely tantalized by As Seen On TV beauty scores. Jessica told Into the Gloss that she lives for the Turbie Twist. "It’s the greatest thing in the world," she raved. "It’s like a towel that you pull your hair up in after the shower."
The Original Turbie Twist Super-Absorbent Hair Towel, $9.99, available at Bed Bath & Beyond.
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