Summer makeup looks for less!

You don’t need to spend a fortune to look a million dollars - check out our guide to the best summer makeup looks on a budget

Here comes the sun - and with it a kaleidoscope of new makeup colours and styles to brighten up the season. Juicy lips and a golden-hour glow aren’t the only looks topping the summer makeup charts, ultra-long lashes are also in, along with cream bronzers and highlighting balms. 

The look for the warmest months of the year is always a healthy glow and barely-there touches. 

Glossy lips and glazed skin are the key, with sparkling eyeshadow and wet-look hair for a fresh-off-the-beach style. Going out? You can add a little colour by option for face and eyeliner stickers to complete the look.

Switching out your black eyeliner for something a little more pastel or neon is an easy change to make your eyes pop. And contouring is being replaced by blush under foundation for a softer ‘underpainting’ style that softly defines the face.

We all want to look our best this summer, but is spending money on expensive makeup brands worthwhile?

Is cheap makeup as good as expensive makeup?

You might be surprised by the results when you try out makeup products from the pharmacy or the supermarket. You can make incredible savings by using a different foundation, mascara, eyeshadow, and contour - and only you know how much you really spent.

Good makeup is good makeup, no matter what the price. And even the cheapest makeup brands have stand-out products that deliver incredible quality.

Another secret to great makeup without the A-list budget is the application. Even the most expensive makeup in the world can’t save a clumsy application. But when applied skilfully, cheaper makeup can work wonders.

So we will give you the best tips on makeup brands that work just as well as their pricey counterparts.

The best cheap foundation

If you’re looking for a great-value foundation, we love Boots. The range of brands at fabulous prices is pretty hard to beat, and you’ll always find something to suit your skin tome. At the moment, we’re fans of L'Oreal Paris True Match Foundation.

You want a foundation that doesn’t feel heavy, is kind to sensitive skin, and has super coverage. The great thing here, is that you can lightly apply the L’Oreal Paris Super Blendable Foundation for subtle shades and a natural-looking finish without any dryness or flakiness.

Liquid, fragrance-free, it’s gentle, easy to apply and simple to find the right colour match. Best of all, the formula is totally vegan, so that’s a green tick for sustainability. We’re confident that, from the first brushstroke, you’ll fall in love with this foundation as you apply it with effortless ease.

The best cheap mascara

With the long lash look in high demand, lashings of mascara can help you achieve it. But you want to find a gentle, long-lasting product that can withstand the summer heat. 

Another fantastic find from Boots is the Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara which has six different bristle lengths to volumise and define a more extended lash look. 

This fantastic formula is long-lasting but super easy to apply and remove. Ninety per cent of women tested agreed that it reveals layers of lashes for a multiplied and volumised look. Even the tiniest of lashes were given intensity with this sleek black mascara.

This mascara is designed to layer to perfection with no annoying smudging, clumping, or extra fibres. The flexible brush makes a huge difference, sweeping from root to tip and capturing an intensity you didn’t know you had!

Our favourite cheap eyeshadow palettes

This summer, makeup colours and palettes are taking on seasonal tones. Explore your creativity by applying dreamy, summery hues like sunny yellow and peach orange. 

The sun-kissed look is in, meaning you can complement that bronzed, less-is-more approach with just a splash of colour around the eyes to take you from day to night without ruining that effortless summer vibe.

If you’re looking to experiment with colour, LOOKFANTASTIC has an artist’s workshop of colourful palettes of every shade you can imagine. 

To reach that summery complexion, the Morphe 18H Heatseeker Artistry Palette has a versatile collection of neutrals, corals, oranges, and yellows for sunshine-ready styles. 

When it comes to summer makeup looks, a popsicle-coloured glow around the eyes is just what you need.

Affordable contour tools

Now for the finishing touch. Choosing the right shade for your face is a must before you start contouring, as is applying moisturiser, primer, and concealer, just to make the application smoother and simpler. 

Blend the edges gently, turning hard-edged colours into softer shades that seem to melt into the skin. Remember to highlight after contouring to balance light and darker shades on your face.

Contouring is all about the application, whether you go for a bold look, or add it beneath your foundation for the ‘underpainting’ style we talked about above, following some simply YouTube videos will help you build up to the look you want.

Amazon is great for picking up makeup brushes for less. Simply start browsing, read the reviews and pick up a set of contouring brushes for delivery to your door. Grab Real Techniques brushes for less!

Hot summer styles

Whether you’re looking for a golden glow or want to lay with sunshine colours, are looking to nail the juicy-lipped look or simply want eyelashes that go on for days, you can achieve it all. 

Some of the cheapest makeup brands have fantastic offerings to light up your summer look for less. Fun, long-lasting and gentle on your skin, you can experiment with creams and gels as well as classic powders for a more dewy look.

Just take a look at the styles you’re seeing around you - from the beach to weddings and garden parties - shop them at places like Boots and Amazon, then start playing for a fresh, summer look that works for you.