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I'm a beauty writer and these are the 23 makeup items under $30 I always buy from the chemist.

I've been a fan of supermarket and chemist beauty products for as long as I can remember. After years of listening to beauty experts' thoughts, reading reviews and trialling them for myself, I've realised that they're just as good, if not better than the more expensive options.

With so many products to choose from, it's hard to know what's worth your money no matter how inexpensive they are.

From a beauty writer who's willingly purchased too many beauty products during my grocery shop, here are 23 under $30 that I'll repurchase (hopefully) forever.

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Foundation

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation, $21.95.

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I have been wearing this since the moment I could wear foundation. It comes in both a dewy and matte finish (I swear by the matte), lasts all day and has a huge shade range depending on both your skin colour and undertone.

MCoBeauty Ultra Stay Flawless Foundation, $28.

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This one's a recommendation from our very own You Beauty podcast host, Kelly McCarren.

"It's just beautiful. It's a medium coverage - not too thick, not too light and really lovely shade range. I highly recommend it," she shared. 

BB Cream and Skin Tints

Rimmel BB Cream, $13.95.

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This cult classic is perfect for lighter coverage. It helps hide any dark circles or discolouration but still shows off your real skin. There's a reason it's been around for so long (it's that good!).

NYX Professional Makeup Bare With Me Tinted Skin Veil, $24.95.

If you're looking for something sheer that evens out your skin tone but lets your skin shine through, I highly recommend this skin tint. It has a lightweight satin finish (the preferred finish for dry skin) and includes cucumber and aloe extract for all day hydration.

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Concealer

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Multi-Use Concealer, $19.95.

I will continue to repurchase this concealer until they discontinue it (please don't do that). It's creamy and light but has enough coverage to conceal both dark circles and annoying pimples. I use the lighter colour to brighten and the darker shade to contour.

McoBeauty Instant Concealer, $18.

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This is the other go-to concealer I keep in my kit. On days that I want to go makeup-free but also want to conceal any discolouration or blemishes, I'll pop this bad boy on those areas and that's about it. (Plus, it's a dupe for a very popular full-coverage concealer and is almost half the price!)

Bronzer

Maybelline City Bronzer, $16.95.

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I've found that many bronzers are too ashy or too orange. This one is perfectly in the middle. I've bought it so many times.

Blush

L'Oreal Wake Up And Glow Blush in Lifes A Peach, $29.95.

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Another You Beauty recommendation. So many women love this blush, and rightly so. It has a beautiful peachy colour as the name suggests, which gives a gorgeous flush to the cheeks without being overpowering. It works on so many skin tones too.

Flower Pots Powder Blush Berry-More, $8.39.

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The Flower Beauty blushes are a steal. This one's my favourite as I prefer a deeper, berry-toned pink for a nighttime look.

Powder

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder, $11.95.

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I've been using this for years. It does the job as well as many expensive pressed powders. 

Rimmel Insta Fix and Matte, $14.95.

Image: Supplied.

If you're an oily gal and don't want to layer powder upon powder, try this. It's a great translucent alternative to the one above. I use it every morning and it keeps my shine at bay.

Highlighter

Maybelline Master Chrome Metallic Powder Highlighter, $19.95.

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If you want to GLOW, grab this. It's got this beautiful gold pigment that's very buildable. You can either add a little for a gorgeous 'lit-from-within' glow or go to town and beam.

Eyeshadow

Revlon Colorstay Looks Book Eye Shadow Palette in Maverick, $19.95.

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This is one of those eyeshadow palettes that seriously rivals the pricier ones. There are eight colours that are creamy and highly pigmented. This palette, in particular, has the perfect warm shades that work for many different looks.

Maybelline Eye Studio Colour Tattoo 24H Eyeshadow, $11.95.

Image: Chemist Warehouse.

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I love these because they're so easy. The gel base makes them simple to apply (fingers only) and the colour is buildable. So you could add one swipe for a light, daytime shimmer or build more layers for a glittery nighttime eye.

Mascara

Maybelline Lash Sky High Mascara, $24.95.

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This mascara went viral on TikTok, and for good reason. The plastic bristle gets in really tight, allowing you to coat the entire lash and yes, it really does make your eyelashes look super long. Definitely worth the hype.

McoBeauty Extend Lash, $20.

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This mascara is a You Beauty Facebook group favourite. When I wrote an article a while back about women's favourite cheapy beauty products, seven women immediately said this mascara. And when I tried it, I understood the hype. It doesn't smudge, it doesn't clump and it makes your lashes look really long. 

Brows

L'Oreal Brow Artist Expert, $19.95.

There are plenty of supermarket and chemist brow products, but a lot of them leave a red-ish or orange undertone. This one doesn't. It matches your natural brow hair colour perfectly (cool brown is brilliant for blondes speaking from experience!) and has an angled tip for precision. Again, I've bought more of these than I can count.

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MCoBeauty Brow Fill & Set, $16.

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This is hands down the creamiest eyebrow pencil I've ever used. It has a really fine tip making it easy to sculpt out your brows and the opposite end houses a matching tinted gel. I'll fill in my brows with the pencil then brush them through with the gel and they're good to go.

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Eyeliner

Maybelline Hyper Glossy Liquid Eyeliner, $9.95.

Image: Priceline.

For years I wore winged eyeliner every single day and this one is hands down the best. It's so easy to apply, doesn't smudge and stays in place all day.

Lips

Revlon Kiss Glow Lip Oil, $19.95.

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This gives your lips a 'your lips but better' colour, adds a very slight sheen and hydrates all at the same time. If you want something moisturising but not glossy, this is the one to grab.

Maybelline Lifter Gloss, $18.95.

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This lip gloss is unreal. It comes in so many colours (some are so pigmented you won't need lipstick) and adds a slightly shimmery high shine. Plus, it has hyaluronic acid in it so no crusty lips here.

Maybelline Color Sensational Shaping Lip Liner, $13.95.

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So creamy and so many colours to choose from. An all-round great lip liner.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick, $24.95. 

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This has been a popular product for so long and rightly so. There are so many shades (the reds are lush), it's ultra creamy and won't make your lips dry out or look crusty. Grab a few; you won't regret it.

What's your favourite chemist makeup product? Let me know in the comments below!

Feature image: Instagram/ @mcobeauty@maybelline 

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