A Flawless and Affordable Makeup Look for the Girl on the Geaux
The ‘Girl on the Geaux’ definitely needs a ‘geaux to’ look that is perfect for day and night. What better way to achieve this than with affordable beauty brands? I’ll tell you how you can do just that.
As a freshman in college, I became very interested in makeup. I was in New Orleans and wanted to get super cute for a great night out on Bourbon St. So I applied eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, the foundation my mom gave me when I graduated high school and the pink blush that I bought for prom as an eyeshadow. The final step was applying a little lip gloss. That was it! No contour, no highlighter, concealer, lipstick, or eyelashes. Very, very basic, which was fine because if I had gone any further at that time, I’m sure I would have looked very…dramatic and unblended.
Now, I’m definitely not suggesting my very amateur makeup look, but I want to highlight some of the brands that I used throughout college to help me upgrade my makeup routine. Before I spent any money, I had watched A LOT of youtube tutorials on how to apply makeup and studied the products that they were using. Remember, I was in college with a college student budget, so I was looking for all of the luxury brand dupes and products that were of great quality AND affordable.
When I was finally ready to invest in my look, my collection grew with drug store brands, including e.l.f., NYX, L’oreal, Maybelline, Black Opal, Ardell, Sonia Kashuk, Neutrogena, and L.A. Girl. With that being said, I want to share some of my favorite products by these brands that you can incorporate into your ‘geaux to’ makeup look.
The first eyeshadow palette and makeup brushes I ever bought were by e.l.f. The palette included 50 shades, which was a huge upgrade from my pink blush and Revlon nudes crème eyeshadow quad. As far as makeup brushes, I started off with the $1 to $3 white handle e.l.f. brushes then upgraded to the $4 - $6 black handle e.l.f. brushes. Both are excellent choices and e.l.f. even sells them as a set, which makes purchasing multiple brushes a great option.
My lipstick staples are made by NYX, L’oreal, and Maybelline. There are so many shades and finishes to choose from: matte, sheer, glitter, pink, orange, purple, red, and etc. You are bound to find your match.
Like lipsticks, foundations are also plentiful. For everyday wear, Black Opal’s stick foundation got the job done! The stick foundation resulted in minimal product waste and a quick and easy application.
Next, let’s talk about eyelashes. I started wearing them my junior year. Ardell lashes and glue came in clutch! There are a lot of options, for your natural or dramatic eye. I currently use various styles that are part of the faux mink collection, with my favorite style being #811.
Eyebrows! I have always held my eyebrows in high regard. Even before, I started filling them in, getting them groomed was crucial, so I needed to maintain this standard even with my makeup. At the time, I used Sonia Kashuk’s brow pomade and liner. Unfortunately, they discontinued their makeup products, but if they were still sold in stores, I would still be purchasing them.
Lastly, I used Maybelline for mascara, e.l.f. for eyeliner, setting powder, and highlighter, Neutrogena for makeup wipes, and L.A. Girl for contour and concealer.
As I approached my college graduation, I became more interested in the behind the scenes of beauty brands, which included understanding product ingredients, and being more aware of their public relations, and the identities of the brand owner(s). I knew that I wanted to support more Black owned brands so I began to do some research.
I was definitely pleasantly surprised by the number of great Black owned beauty brands that were available and budget friendly. Here are a few that I discovered:
I encourage everyone to check them out, as I have included larger and smaller brands in this list. The list is by no means all encompassing and I am sure that there are many more available. If you know of any, please share them in the comments below.
Doing research also means discovering some shocking finds. A couple of brands that I knew and loved as Black owned beauty brands were not Black owned at all. For example:
This does not meant that I will stop purchasing their products. Despite the surprise in actual owndership, I have been very pleased with the images and products these brands have created and promoted to cater to the needs and wants of Black women. The point is just because a brand’s marketing is primarily towards Black women, do not assume that it is Black owned.
- T
If you enjoyed the content of this blog, please leave a comment below, share the blog with your family and friends, and follow IV the Leaux on Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter @ivtheleaux. Click here to join the mailing list and receive notifications of the latest IV the Leaux blog posts.