Out of everything that I own, I will give you my top makeup products that I use daily or would recommend to anyone. I will try to give an alternative to some of the pricer products.
I do not have a number for the top products but I will start with the first one:

1. MAC Fix +- I have added this to my top makeup products pretty recently. When I first got it I was not sure what was the hype about this product. I love the scent, it feels nice on my skin, and it does hydrate, but what was so awesome about this product? It was only when I did not use it that often that I realized how effective it is in my makeup routine. First, I have dry/combination skin and I found out that if I spray this on my face and then let the dry, as well as spray once on my brush, most of the time my foundation will look even and hydrated instead of flakey and dry like it can be at times. This product also has many uses. I spray it in my damp hair after a shower and it helps with the frizz. You can spray it on an eye shadow brush and have pure color on your eyes. It is really a nice product to have.  You do not need it, however it makes life easier.  -$20 for 3.4 fl oz.

An alternative to this pricey face spray is mark.'s Mist Opportunity Multi-Tastker Refresher. It has grapefruit and lemon grass and kiwi for hydration and refreshing smell. I use this as well for my face before foundation or just for a nice spritz of hydration. You could use it during the summer whenever you are feeling sweaty or hot. It helps the skin heal and is a very nice way to feel fresh.  I love both products. This one is only $8 for 6.7 fl oz.! That is a big difference!

Both are great and both give great results. The MAC on is pricey, a little bit better quality and has less product. mark. which is less money and just as good. You can get the Mac fix + here(or any MAC counter) and the mark. one here at my store. Check both out!

2. Makeup Forever HD foundation- I had to try this foundation regardless of the price because of how great it is. I got this about a year ago and I have to say that I love it. I got the wrong shade, so it was slightly darker, but it was summer time so I was not too concerned. What is so good about this foundation? One, it feels like there is NOTHING on your  face. It feels like skin and is not greasy or dry. It may not be full coverage, so if you do not like that it may be annoying, however it makes your complextion flawless, slightly glowing, and in pictures your face looks great! This foundation was designed to make your pictures look flawless. It does not have any glitter or shimmer so it will not let your face look white in pictures, unless your flash was bad. You do not need to use that much to get it over your entire face, which means it will last a long time! And, it lasts a while on your face through out the day! One important thing I look for in a foundation is if it will make me look like I do not have makeup on. Something that is not obvious but gives you a perfect look. This is that foundation.  $40 for 30ml.

A foundation that I would suggest that is cheaper would be Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid foundation. I have not been using a drugstore brand foundation in a while, besides my Neutrogena one. This foundation is nice, however I have some negatives about it. I like it because after is sets on your skin, it gives a nice glow, sometimes it seems too much, but it can look very nice. It smells good and is easy to apply. However, it feels a bit too runny for my taste and feels greasy for the first ten minutes it is on my face. If I touch my face, it feels a bit greasy, even when it sets. Another thing it does not last too long and falls off the face after a few hrs. Although these are what I do not like about it, a nice powder can fix the greasy problem a bit. So, I do wear this time to time when I feel like and would recommend it to anyone. Just be care when taking it out because it is VERY runny and it can be a little greasy. This foundation is a bit more obvious that it is on. You can find it at any drugstore for about $11 for 1 fl oz.

I own both and have experienced them. I would prefer the Makeup Forever one, but obviously it is a lot, but it lasts a long time. The Neutrogena is nice and does do a good job, it just does not last as long. You can pick a foundation that is good enough for now, or a foundation that is something that will last a long time.

3. mark. Glow Baby Glow- I am not usually a lipgloss person. I do not like how they were sticky or stuck to my hair. I did not care for them. This was until I received my first Glow Baby Glow from mark. I did not know what to expect because I did not care for lip glosses, however when I put it on I noticed how smooth and non-sticky it was. It had a slight mint taste and smelled really good. It gives you a slight tingle which I like. It looks very natural and pretty on my lips. I put this as one of my tops because I cannot help but put it on daily. I almost like it as much as my burt's bees lip balm. It is only $6 and if you get two of them you get a free connecter and that is only $12. They are super cute and you can carry it in a small purse. To get these click here.

4. Buxom Lash(Bare Essentials)- This mascara is by far my favorite. It use to be Benefit Bad Gal Lash which is still one of my favorites, but this mascara makes me want it more. I got a sample one time when I went to Sephora and I loved it ever since. I have been using it for about three months. This mascara does not clump and uses just enough product when pulling it out that it gives the lashes a nice full look. It even makes them longer. It is not extremely volumizing, but it is just right for me. It makes my lashes perfectly the way I want them. It is $20 for the full size at Sephora.

An alternative to a mascara that I like at the drugstore would be covergirl's Lash Blast. This mascara is super nice. It gives the lashes a nice even look and does a great job making them not flake. It does not clump as well. $8 at a drugstore.

5. Benefit Bronzer and Highlighter Duo- This is something I got from my mother-and-law at my bridal shower. That was a year ago and I still love it. I still have a lot of product left. It is a great contour color for the face and gives a nice even glow to the face. I highly suggest this if you are looking for a nice bronzer. You can use the color separately. I do that sometimes. The highlighter is nice. I do not use the brush that comes with it that often, but it is nice to have when you are traveling. It is about $20 at any Sephora or Benefit counter.

An alternative to this would be mark. bronze pro bronzing powder. This is a very nice bronzer which is only half the price as the benefit. Either one is great! $10 here.


6.  That Gal face brightening primer- I actually ran out of this a while ago, but want more of it! I realize that after I have not used it for awhile I miss it! It goes on easily and I really feel it does keep on your foundation. I am not sure if it actually brightens my skin, but it does a great job with keeping my foundation on. It smells nice and you do not need a lot to get it all over your face. I had a sample version and I need to purchase the fully size soon! It is $28 at any Sephora.

An alternative to this would be Hard Candy's face primer. It is not as effective, but it is cheap and is good for now, until you want something better. It goes on easily, and it does not feel greasy. I use it now, until I get the Benefit one. :) It is under $10 at any drugstore.

7. Makeup Forever Aqua Eye eye liner- I just got these a while ago for a Valentine/birthday present, and I always go for them. I use the black eye liner the most and they glide on smoothly and easy to use. It lasts for a very long time. I would recomend these to anyone. They are $17 each or $36 for the Rock forever kit that comes with 6 half size liners.

An alternative for liners would be covergirl liners. They are easy to use and are smooth. They do not last as long, but the color is great! $5-$6 each at any drugstore.


8. mark. flip for it or any color compact- I go to this very often. Because it was so many options, I can use it for different reasons. Sometimes I go to it for the lip colors or just needing the blush. It can be carried anywhere and it has a small mirror so if you want to touch up, it is right there! I have mentioned this before, so obviously I love it and highly recommend them! Only $20 for eye shadow, blush, lip color and even sometimes creme eye shadow.  Get it here! There are different things in each new one that comes out.



9. Urban Decay Eye shadow primer potion- I love this stuff! Every time I try another eye primer or do not even have a primer on, I hate it! I need this. It really does keep the shadows on. It will keep it from creasing, but only if you do not put too much on your lid. It is soft and light. It is not greasy and lasts a long time! You can get it at any Sephora for $18. 

Alternative? I have used one other eye primer and it is Hard Candy. But I would not recommend it to anyone because I feel it creases too much and does not really make your shadow last long. Anyone have a suggestion for a cheap eye primer?

I may add a few more things to add on this list, so check this post again soon. :) Tell me your favorite product that you would recommend.
-Kristina