Most pencil eyeliners are made of wax, which is not worth $18 when you can get a great pencil eyeliner for $3 from any drugstore. Don't like the way wax won't glide on easily? Try a kohl pencil or a liquid eyeliner. You can get either for cheap at your local Walgreens or Target. When it comes to eyeshadows, quality is quantity. A great eyeshadow (like the beauty editor's all-time favorite,Dior 5-Colour Shadow Palette , pictured here) will stay on your eyes all day long, while a cheap, $4 palette will have faded by the time you finish your mid-morning coffee. What's more, quality department counter eyeshadows typically have richer colors.
Don't want to spend upwards of $20 on a pricey palette? Invest in a small tube of M.A.C. Paints, which acts like a eyeshadow primer and will keep even the least expensive eyeshadow in place for days. With a dab of this on your eyelid, your shadow isn't going anywhere.
Favorite eyeliners:
An Allure Magazine reader favorite is Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner ($6)
Next: Cleansers and moisturizers
