Drugstore vs. high-end makeup has been a decades-long debate in the beauty world, but finding affordable makeup products that actually outperform luxury favorites is the real challenge. If you were around during the OG beauty YouTuber era (circa 2014-2018), you probably spent hours watching drugstore dupe videos in search of the best products for less. Considering I spent most of that era commuting between community college classes and part-time retail jobs, drugstore makeup was often my only option.
Over the years—as both a beauty lover and former freelance makeup artist—I’ve tested nearly every product from e.l.f. Cosmetics to figure out which ones are genuinely worth buying. From viral primers and concealers to affordable alternatives to high-end bronzers and cream blushes, these are the best e.l.f. makeup products that have earned a permanent spot in my routine.
The Best e.l.f. Cosmetics Products Worth Buying
Best e.l.f. Primer for Long-Lasting Makeup
The Power Grip Primer is only $11 and makes my makeup last all day long, no matter what I do or how much I sweat. (I can testify to this thanks to living in the devil’s armpit, AKA Texas.) The gel-based, clear formula goes on tacky, which is exactly the point: it grips your makeup and holds it in place from your morning coffee through your last text of the night. It also doubles as a hydrating base, so it preps and smooths skin without that slippery feeling some primers leave behind.
Best e.l.f. Primer for Blurring and Smoothing
The Putty Primer is the one to reach for when you want a soft-focus, airbrushed base. The unique putty-to-smooth texture glides into pores and fine lines to blur texture before you’ve even picked up your foundation. A little goes a long way, and the result is a velvety canvas that makes the rest of your makeup sit more evenly. If you’ve been eyeing high-end blurring primers, this is one of the best drugstore dupes for pricier beauty products out there.
Best e.l.f. Concealer for Full Coverage
The Hydrating Camo Concealer is a full-coverage workhorse that somehow never looks cakey. It covers everything from dark circles to blemishes with a creamy, buildable formula, and the “hydrating” part of the name actually holds up, so it won’t settle into fine lines or go crepey by midday. A tiny bit covers a lot, which means one tube lasts ages. It comes in a wide shade range, too, so I found it pretty easy to find my exact match.
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Best e.l.f. Bronzer for Cream Contour
The Camo Liquid Bronzer & Contour is what I reach for when I want real, sculpted definition rather than just an all-over glow. The liquid formula blends out effortlessly and builds beautifully, so you can carve out cheekbones and warm up your face without any harsh lines or muddiness. I appreciate that it sits nicely under or over powder products, which makes it easy to layer into the rest of my routine.
Best e.l.f. Bronzer for a Natural Glow
The Bronzing Drops are my secret to looking like I just got back from vacation. A few drops are all you need to add a warm, sun-kissed glow, and you can wear them on bare skin, mixed into your foundation, or layered over your base. The liquid formula melts in for the most natural finish, so there’s zero risk of that patchy, muddy look powder bronzers can sometimes leave behind. These bronzing drops are endlessly buildable, which isn’t always the case, so it’s easy to control exactly how much warmth you want.
Best e.l.f. Cream Blush with Luminous Finish
The Luminous Putty Blush gives the prettiest dewy flush I’m always looking for in a new blush. The putty-to-skin texture melts in seamlessly and looks like a natural flush rather than a layer of product sitting on top of your cheeks. It’s buildable, so you can keep it subtle or layer up for more color, and the luminous finish adds that healthy glow without leaning greasy. One of our editors loves and trusts this e.l.f. blush so much, she wore it on her wedding day.
Best e.l.f. Setting Powder for Brightening
The Halo Glow Soft Focus Setting Powder sets your makeup while actually brightening and blurring at the same time. Unlike heavy powders that flatten your glow or settle into fine lines, this one has a soft-focus finish that keeps skin looking luminous rather than dry or cakey. It’s especially great under the eyes, where it brightens without creasing. I usually apply a light dusting to lock my makeup in while keeping that lit-from-within look intact.
Best e.l.f. Highlighter for a Natural, Weightless Glow
The Halo Glow Liquid Filter is the product responsible for that lit-from-within, “Is that her skin or is that makeup?” glow all over your feed. It’s a hybrid between skincare, makeup, and a complexion-blurring filter, and it can be worn under foundation, mixed into it, or on its own for a your-skin-but-better finish. The texture is genuinely weightless, so it glows without ever looking glittery or heavy.
READ: All of the Glow, None of the Hassle: These Beauty Products Were Made for Lazy Girls
Best e.l.f. Brow Product for Natural, Fluffy Brows
The Wow Brow Gel is the one to grab when you want that full, fluffy, brushed-up brow look. The tinted, fiber-infused formula adds volume and color in one swipe, gripping onto your natural hairs to give the appearance of thicker, fuller brows. It holds them in place all day without getting crunchy or stiff, so your brows stay laminated-looking from morning to night. It’s a genuine standout for anyone chasing that effortless, put-together brow look.
Best e.l.f. Brow Product for Precise Definition
The Ultra Precise Brow Pencil has a super-fine tip that lets you draw on hair-like strokes for natural, defined brows. The slim shape makes it easy to mimic real hair and fill in any thin eyebrow spots without that drawn-on, blocky look. It glides on smoothly, stays put all day, and has a spoolie on the other end to blend everything. Believe me when I say it’s foolproof, even if brows are usually your most intimidating step.
Best e.l.f. Lip Balm for All-Day Hydration
The Glow Reviver Melting Lip Balm is the hydrating, glossy balm I keep reaching for. It delivers a sheer wash of color and a glassy shine while genuinely moisturizing your lips, so it feels more like a treatment than a typical balm. The melting texture glides on smoothly and never feels sticky or waxy, which makes it easy to reapply throughout the day. It’s the kind of product that’ll live in your bag.
Best e.l.f. Lip Oil for a Glossy, Tinted Finish
The Glow Reviver Lip Oil takes that same nourishing formula we love from the Melting Lip Balm and turns it into a high-shine oil. It gives the prettiest glossy finish with a hint of color, all while conditioning your lips with hydrating oils instead of drying them out the way some glosses do. It’s non-sticky and comfortable enough to wear on its own or layered over a lip liner. Consider it the easiest way to get a juicy, healthy-looking lip with minimal effort.
Best e.l.f. Setting Spray for All-Day Wear
The Stay All Night Micro-Fine Setting Mist does exactly what the name promises: it locks your makeup in place from morning until you take it off. The micro-fine mist distributes evenly without leaving your face wet or disturbing the makeup underneath, and it melts powdery layers into your skin for a more natural, skin-like finish. It’s the perfect final step when you need your look to survive a long day (or a long night out).
READ: The 10 Makeup Products I’d Rebuy If I Had to Start My Collection from Zero
Best e.l.f. Duo Brush for Foundation & Concealer
The Complexion Duo Brush is a two-in-one tool that handles both your foundation and your concealer. The larger end buffs foundation into the skin for an even, airbrushed finish, while the smaller, more precise end is perfect for pressing concealer into the under-eye area and around the nose. The densely packed bristles don’t soak up product or leave streaks, so you get a flawless application every time. It’s an easy, affordable upgrade to your complexion routine.
Best e.l.f. Duo Brush for Contouring
The Liquid Bronzer & Contour Duo Brush is designed specifically to make cream and liquid sculpting products easy to apply and blend. One end places the product exactly where you want it, while the other diffuses any harsh edges for a seamless, blended finish. It’s the perfect partner for the Camo Liquid Bronzer & Contour, and it proves that e.l.f.’s brushes are genuinely underrated. You could easily mistake them for high-end makeup brushes.
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Steph Alleva Cornell, Branded Content Editor at The Everymom
Steph was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Texas at a young age, where she quickly discovered a love for writing as she learned English. With several years of marketing and content production experience, she finds joy in capturing life’s everyday moments creatively. As Branded Content Editor at The Everymom, she produces authentic editorial and social content for our sponsors that prioritizes our brand values and readers’ interests.
Andrea Navarro, Assistant Editor
Andrea is a writer and editor with 10+ years of experience in women’s lifestyle and commerce content. She is based in Los Angeles, California, and her work appears in Vogue, Glamour, The Zoe Report, and many more.
