These six high-grade beauty products are in your drugstore

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As purse strings tighten, cutting back on your beauty spending doesn’t mean forgoing the payoff of high-performing beauty buys. “Over the past decade, drugstore skin care and makeup have improved dramatically,” says Angie Di Battista, a Toronto-based makeup artist. “The gap between mass and prestige is much smaller than it used to be.” Recognizing that key industry players retain brands across all price points and share innovation will make you a savvier shopper, too.

Coty, for example, owns Gucci Beauty and CoverGirl, while Shiseido owns Clé de Peau Beauté and has a majority stake in Drunk Elephant. “L’Oréal owns luxury brand SkinCeuticals, but also owns Vichy, CeraVe and La Roche-Posay,” adds Dr. Julian Sass, a cosmetic scientist in Montreal who shares ingredient knowledge and product reviews on Instagram. “They all have vitamin C serums and use very similar technology, so you can still get efficacy and benefits without a $180 price tag.”

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The first place to save without skimping on results is cleanser. “Their primary function is to remove oil and debris without disrupting the skin barrier. The cleansing ingredients that accomplish that are well understood and widely available,” says Di Battista. Sass agrees. Among his budget buys is Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser, a soap-free find suitable for sensitive skin that costs $17. “Making sure it’s not super drying and stripping the skin is paramount for me,” he says.

Moisturizer is another go-to category rich in drugstore options, and in both cases Sass factors in product size to achieve the best bang for the buck. His top pick for a basic skin-care routine, the $30 Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream, comes in a hefty 453-gram jar. “It’s good for both face and body, great if you have drier skin or just need more hydration in the winter, and the tub is absolutely enormous so will last for months,” he says.

For specific results, seek an affordable choice of a tried-and-tested ingredient such as retinol or peptides for firming. Sass sticks to formulas backed by a heritage or household name. “Retinol is a very finicky ingredient, and it does tend to basically degrade over time,” he says. “Larger, well-established brands, like Olay, often have more money to throw into research and development, and to establish that the product does what it says.”

You can also effectively manage acne breakouts on a budget. “Salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are the active ingredients that have the most evidence because they’re regulated drug ingredients,” says Sass. The former breaks down sebum (a natural oily substance in skin) which helps to clear pores, while the latter is proven to reduce acne-causing bacteria. “You’re going to get fairly similar performance across the board between mass and luxury formulas.”

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In cosmetics, Di Battista saves money on eye and lip products. Whether for volume, length or separation of lashes, she looks for mascara from L’Oréal Paris and Maybelline because they consistently deliver. “The waxes and film-forming agents that create volume and hold are highly standardized, and many drugstore mascaras perform really well because these systems have been refined for decades,” she says. The same logic applies to lip colour, from long-wear liquid to traditional cream lipstick. “In many cases, you are paying more for packaging and branding rather than a dramatic difference in performance.”

Ultimately the goal is to spend strategically. “It’s about understanding where performance truly impacts the outcome and where drugstore options already do the job really well,” she says. A little discernment goes a long way.

Six buys to try

The latest skin-care steals and makeup deals starting at $6.

Pixi Skintreats SuperBerry Cleansing Whip

With a few drops of water, a dab of this balm-like cleanser, made with antioxidant-rich blueberry, raspberry and green tea extracts, works into a luscious lather that gently removes dirt, oils and makeup, and leaves skin soft.

Buying options
$28, buy at pixiebeauty.com
Bubble Soft Swerve Barrier Restore Balm

Made with popular and comforting ingredients – squalane (an emollient derived from sugar cane), shea butter, ceramides and niacinamide – this moisturizer is released in thin ribbons that melt when warmed between fingertips to soothe and restore dry, irritated skin from head to toe.

Buying options
$27, buy at Shoppers Drug Mart
Thayers Exfoliating 2% AHA Pads

For use after cleansing, a swipe of a presoaked toner pad features a mix of common skin-care ingredients: glycolic and lactic acids, plus aloe vera leaf juice and organic witch hazel. Together they help to gently exfoliate dead cells and reveal a more even skin tone and smoother complexion.

Buying options
$13 from Walmart
$15 from Amazon
L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Extensionist Mascara

This mascara’s curved, rubbery brush, featuring more than 300 bristles, makes it easy to separate and curl each lash. Its long-lasting formula with lengthening fibres, a technology that has been available for more than 10 years, also extends hairs without clumping, smudging or flaking.

Buying options
$21 from Amazon
$16 from Walmart
Maybelline New York Serum Lipstick

Blending weightless lip colour and nourishing care, this collection of 16 flattering natural shades in a range of satin and matte finishes is infused with jojoba, avocado and sunflower seed oils, plus hyaluronic acid, to hydrate with eight-hour wear.

Buying options
$14 from Amazon
$11 from Walmart
e.l.f. Cosmetics Soft Glam Satin Concealer

Available in 36 shades, this lightweight, creamy concealer is blended with 1 per cent hyaluronic acid to hydrate skin and offers medium buildable coverage with staying power that resists creasing under the eyes.

Buying options
$6 from Elf
$5 from Amazon