Beauty On A Budget: A Guide To Affordable Makeup & Skincare

Healthy, hydrated skin is essential for a look that’s glowy and radiant. The good news is you don’t need to spend a million bucks to look like a million bucks – as long as cleansing and moisturising form the basis of your daily beauty routine.

It’s also important to ensure your skin is protected from the harsh Aussie sun, to prevent dryness and damage. Let’s take a look at the best value moisturisers, serums and sun milk products to deliver quality nourishment and protection at a fraction of the price.

Curated by ‘skin whisperer’ James Vivian – a dermal therapist based in Melbourne – Viviology makes it easy to bring out your skin’s best. If you’re looking for affordable makeup in Australia, Viviology moisturisers and serums will keep your skin glowing without the confusing jargon or unnecessary expense.

AB LAB is Adore Beauty's very own in-house brand that includes a range of skincare and suncare products that are proudly made in Australia with cruelty-free formulations. With a focus on effective yet inexpensive products, AB LAB offers a lineup of SPF, cleansers and moisturisers destined to become your new go-to skincare essentials.

Once you’ve prepped your skin in readiness for the day, you can start to apply your base makeup. You might be surprised to learn that there are plenty of cheap makeup options available that don’t compromise on quality – including foundations that enhance the natural beauty of your skin, and bronzers to create a sun-kissed glow.

Let’s take a look at some of the most affordable foundation, concealer, blush, highlighter and contour products for stunning beauty on a budget.

L'Oréal Paris is a pioneer of affordable makeup, with a brand philosophy built on making top-performing products widely accessible. Committed to excellence, L'Oréal Paris believes that all people have a right to feel self-confident and beautiful, as well as the right to grow old with self-assurance and grace.

The L'Oreal Paris True Match Liquid Foundation is one of the best value foundations around. It’s widely regarded among beauty enthusiasts as a holy grail product that blends easily to suit all kinds of skin tones, offering a smooth texture that provides lasting coverage.

There are many highly effective and reputable eye makeup brands that are also inexpensive – the key is in knowing which products are right for you. Fortunately, Adore Beauty has done the work to make sure that all available products are gentle on your eyes, so you can relax in the knowledge that low-cost doesn’t mean low quality!

Here are our top picks for budget-friendly eyeshadow, mascara and eyeliner to create all kinds of looks – whether you want to keep it understated and neutral, or you want to go for a show-stopping smokey eye with shimmer and glitz.

Delivering on performance and affordability, MaybellineMaybelline is a go-to brand for expressing your creativity. Their scientifically advanced formulas make Maybelline a reliable and trustworthy go-to for makeup products that look great without breaking the bank.

Maybelline’s range of eyeshadow includes trendsetting shades, delivering a radiant colour payoff to enhance the beauty of your eyes. Beauty experts around the world continue to praise Maybelline for their mascara, which is easy to apply, and provides impressive lash volume without clumping or flaking. Complete your look with a Maybelline eyeliner for beauty on a budget that never fails to impress.

Cleansing your face at the end of the day is important for keeping your skin in top condition. By washing away makeup, dirt and other impurities, you will reduce the risk of developing blemishes, while promoting cellular renewal for a youthful complexion.

With so many excellent makeup removal products available at a variety of different price points, you can maintain a complexion that’s luminous and healthy. Keep reading to discover affordable products for nighttime cleansing.

Developed by dermatologists, CeraVe makes skincare products enriched with a blend of essential ceramides, fatty acids and other lipids to support the skin’s protective barrier. These accessible skincare products have been made to suit all skin types, working to prevent dehydration and keep the skin balanced. If you’re looking for a no-fuss way to keep your skin cleansed and fresh, CeraVe is a winning choice.

La Roche-Posay is another advanced skincare brand offering nourishing products for cleansing and protection. We love their range of cheap beauty products because they use simple yet effective formulas using active ingredients developed through dermatological research. Perfect even for sensitive skin!

Established during the glory days of Hollywood glamour, Redken is a hair care brand that offers affordable quality for all. Co-founder Paula Kent was an American actress who worked with dermatologists in the 1960s to create a range of hair products suitable for those with sensitive skin and fine hair, and today the Redken range is beloved worldwide.

We also love the L'Oréal Professionnel range of hair products because they’re fantastic for restoring life and lustre to dry and damaged hair. A world leader in hair care, L'Oréal Professionnel products can be found backstage at fashion shows, making it easy to create looks that are at the cutting edge of the latest trends.

When it comes to skincare, there are certain items that are simply non-negotiable. Beauty basics include a good cleanser and moisturiser to keep your skin clean and hydrated, plus any makeup items you use frequently - which might include foundation and mascara.

For these essentials, you want to invest in quality, since they form the basis of your beauty routine. Fortunately, it’s possible to find excellent quality makeup basics that aren’t overly expensive.

Okay we get it, the word ‘budget’ isn’t very sexy! However, it really does help to plan your monthly spending, so you can make smarter choices on beauty products that you actually need – rather than impulse purchases that you don’t end up using very much.

All you need to do is make a list of the beauty products that form the foundation of your basic beauty routine, so they don’t get overlooked when you’re shopping. Then, allocate a monthly budget of funds to go towards makeup and skincare, and try to stick to it.

With so many great deals available on leading beauty brands, beauty on a budget has never been easier. Plus, if you’re a Cashrewards member, you can use the cash you get back to buy special makeup items that you might not have otherwise been able to afford.

There are a wide range of beauty brands available at more affordable prices, which don’t compromise on quality. For top tips on cheap makeup in Australia, you can read reviews on beauty products to see what people are saying, making it easy to select a good value bargain.

With a little bit of research, you can discover budget-friendly makeup, skincare and hair styling products that are also made from quality ingredients. It really does pay to keep an eye out for the latest deals, so you can stay looking great without breaking the bank.

Keep an eye out for beauty sales and promotions, because these events often feature major discounts on leading brands. If you time your shopping to coincide with major sales (such as EOFY and Black Friday), you can snap up amazing deals on sought-after products.

Cashback initiatives such as Cashrewards make it easy to stay informed about the latest deals, and help you pocket a bit of extra cash every time you spend. Cashrewards partners with over 2,000 leading brands, so you can find cheap make up that’s also great for your skin.

We understand that life is busy, and you might not always have the time to go hunting for sales. That’s why it’s a good idea to sign up to newsletters so you can find out when your favourite brands are on sale, and also take advantage of exciting introductory offers.

Adore Beauty’s Subscribe & Save gives you 10% off your subscription orders, so you can top up on your favourite cleansers and shampoos while enjoying substantial discounts. You can browse hundreds of cheap makeup brands that come recommended by our beauty experts, to stay up-to-date while also taking advantage of incredible deals.

If you’ve been given a gift card for your birthday or Christmas, why not use it to stock up on your most-loved beauty products? This is a great way to enjoy the best beauty products to suit your style, without spending money!

You can also get cashback when buying an Adore Beauty gift card through Cashrewards! It couldn’t be easier: simply buy an Adore Beauty gift card through Cashrewards, and then watch as the cash comes back to you through your Cashrewards account.

You can give your friends and family a special treat with an Adore Beauty Gift Card. These can be delivered right away, allowing your favourite people to shop online from a truly epic selection of skincare, hair care, fragrance, makeup and wellness brands.

This is a sponsored feature by Adore Beauty, Australia’s number one pure play online beauty retailer, and an official stockist of over 260 leading beauty brands.

Explore Adore Beauty offers to earn cashback when you shop on Cashrewards. Sign up to Cashrewards today and join the two million Aussie members already saving with cashback.

Cashrewards does not verify any claims made by a merchant. Representations appearing in this article are made by the merchant and not Cashrewards.