1. Primer

Primer is the first and most important step before you put on your make-up to achieve a flawless look. Not only does it make your skin appear smooth and poreless, it also helps your make-up stay on all day without fading or creasing. 

The POREfessional Face Primer from Benefit Cosmetics is well-known for providing an excellent base for make-up to adhere to. A thin layer goes a long way, and your face will immediately feel silky smooth (tried and tested!).

The Make Up For Ever Mattifying Primer is perfect for oily and combination skin, while one pump of the Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer by Rihanna will colour-correct and blur out your pores, giving your skin an instant retouch. 

2. Foundation

For that glowy, natural K-drama look, slap on Candylab’s Double Pop Cushion, a light-weight, dual cushion with a tone-up base and full-coverage foundation that only sets you back $42. 

Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation costs almost double of Candylab, but don’t get turned off by the price — a pearl-sized amount is enough to achieve full and impeccable coverage.

As a medium- to full-coverage foundation, it’s perfect for dinner parties, events and late nights out. 

The Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation is known for its broad inclusivity across skin tones and types.

With over 50 shades to choose from, you’re sure to find a shade that matches your skin! 

3. Concealer

If you’re on a budget, NYX and Maybelline are always the go-to drugstore brand for cheap, yet good quality make-up. 

One of Maybelline’s most popular items is the award-winning Instant Age Rewind Concealer, which makes the eye area appear radiant and refreshed in no time.

NYX Professional Makeup Concealer Wand, on the other hand, allows you to achieve a flawless complexion by covering imperfections, discolouration and dark circles.

ALSO READ: Glitter, niacinamide, Fenty Skin by Rihanna: 10 make-up trends we've loved this year that we will see a lot more of in 2021

4. Eye shadow

Beauty budgeting tip: nvest in an eyeshadow palette that has a wide range of colours so that you don’t have to buy multiple sets for different looks. 

Innisfree 2021 Jeju Color Picker Camellia Palette and Tarte Tartelette™ Juicy Amazonian Clay Eyeshadow Palette come in gorgeous shades of pink and beige that are versatile enough for all types of looks, from natural to glitzy glam. 

Urban Decay Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette is also a good starter palette, with neutral shades for you to mix and match. 

5. Eyeliner

We all know the power of an immaculately drawn cat eye.  Eyeliner can instantly make your eyes look bigger and more awake and make your lashes appear fuller.

There’s a plethora of eyeliners out there, but our top picks would be KVD Beauty Tattoo Liner Liquid Eyeliner, Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil and Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner. 

KVD Beauty Tattoo Liner Liquid Eyeliner is smooth and easy to apply for the perfect wing.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil is the holy grail of eye pencils — true to its namesake,  it really does glide on easily. Plus, it’s waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about it smudging when you go swimming. 

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner comes in a variety of colours, including green, blue, grey and of course, black.

If you’re more adventurous with your colours, this one’s a winner.

6. Mascara

If we could only use one make-up product, it would be mascara. Finding the perfect mascara also depends on many variables, including  eye shape, eyelashes, the look you want to achieve, mascara formula and the type of wand.

Out of the three, Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof Mascara has to be our favourite. It volumises and lengthens, and two to three coats are all it takes to get long and natural lashes. Plus, it’s waterproof and doesn’t smudge.

7. Bronzer

Got a double chin? No problem. Simply contour them away with bronzer. Dust the product in short brush strokes onto your chin, cheeks,temples and forehead for an easy contoured look. To enhance your face shape, pair your bronzer with:

8. Highlight

After hiding away the not-so-desirable parts of your mug, it’s time to accentuate your best features. This includes your nose bridge, cheekbones and brow bones. 

If you don’t want to spend money buying a separate bronzer and highlighter, consider getting the Tarteist™ PRO Glow to Go Palette. It comes in three shades: Gleam, Burst and Chisel. Gleam acts as a highlighter; Burst is a blusher; and Chisel can be used for well, chiselling the sides of your face. 

9. Blush

Blush is a quiet, unassuming miracle worker when it comes to make-up. You may think of it as a little touch of colour on your cheeks, but it can brighten up your entire face. Plus, it’s nearly impossible to mess up with blush. 

10. Lip

While face masks will be here to stay in the foreseeable future, that doesn’t mean you should forgo lipstick. After all, it’s nice to still have a pop of colour on your lips when you’re eating out with your friends or going on a date. And with all that mask-wearing, you’ll want a lippie that doesn’t transfer.

11. Setting Spray/Finishing Powder

The finishing touch is as important as primer. A good powder or setting spray locks your make-up in place and minimises transfer onto your mask. If you’re on a budget, pick Innisfree’s No Sebum Mineral Powder.

It’s small, compact, and you can bring it anywhere with you when you need quick touch-ups throughout the day. It also works as a quick fix for oily hair!

ALSO READ: 7 tips to keep your makeup from melting in Singapore's humidity

Where you can get cheaper beauty products in Singapore

We know Sephora isn’t always budget-friendly, so wait for your desired products to go on sale! The beauty chain’s beauty pass sale (online and in-store) may’ve just passed, but if you’ve missed it, don’t worry. There’ll always be another sale in the near future. 

Pharmacies like Watsons and Guardian are often overlooked, so do check in once in a while for good deals including 1-for-1, three for the price of two, and other promotions.

Shopee and Lazada offer great deals too, if you already know what you want. Not only do they offer free delivery, they also give free samples sometimes depending on the seller. 

Yesstyle, Smoochiezz and LOOKFANTASTIC are online stores that sell beauty products available at Sephora for a fraction of the price. LOOKFANTASTIC is now having a beauty sale where you can get 40 per cent off products, while Yesstyle is having a Mother’s Day sale where you can save up to 80 per cent. 

How to get your holy grails for less

• Regularly check for online and in-store for discounts, especially for Sephora, Guardian and Watsons. 
• Make use of promo codes if you’re purchasing online. 
• Sign up for membership if you can, because members usually get first dips on sales and sometimes even free samples.
• To get the best bargain for your make-up, search them up on Carousell. However, you need to be wary of fakes and used products. Always ask for the manufacturing and expiry date before committing to a purchase.
• Follow Telegram groups like SG Budget Babes for the latest beauty promotions and releases in Singapore. There are even free samples up for grabs occasionally. 
• If you already know what suits you best, buy them online and in bulk for more discounts and free shipping. Again, search for promo codes before checking out.

ALSO READ: Our favourite long-lasting blushers that won't budge under a mask