10 Beauty Buys That Have Stood The Test of Time…Most $15 or Less (And Some Great “Pro” Tips)

It seems like cosmetic companies are always coming out with new products that claim to be better than ever or “improving” older products. Some beauty products though have stood the test of time, with one being sold for more than 100 years, maybe because they really do work?

A panel of makeup, style & beauty, and nail experts share their very favorite beauty products that they rely on that not only work, but don’t cost a lot and are easy to find. (From Consumer Reports’ Shop Smart.) I’ve used (and still do) a few of these products and am excited to try a few I haven’t.

Here’s the “expert’s” top 10 favorite budget-friendly products…

REVLON NAIL ENAMEL in REVLON RED

• Pros love it… because the red hue isn’t to cool or too orange, which makes it complementary to all skin types. It’s affordable and covers in two coats.
• Pro tips…for a modern look, use on short, softly squared nails or on long, oval-shaped nails. Long, square nails painted in this color will look dated. Apply a shiny top coat on top of the two coats.

**For years I only wore red nail polish and then switched to black, which I pretty much have worn exclusively for the past 4 to 5 years. I picked this Revlon Red up for this article, put some on one nail to see what it looked like and my husband immediately said, “That looks sexy.” I immediately applied it to the rest of my nails!

MULTI-SIZED HOT ROLLERS

• Pros love it…they are so versatile, creating volume and waves quickly. Today’s rollers are wrapped in silicon or soft velvet so they don’t dig into your scalp. Hairstylists take them to TV shoots and Fashion week.
• Pro tips…wrap a piece of bathroom tissue around each section of hair, then roll it around a curler to keep loose ends of hair from slipping out of the roller.

POND’S COLD CREAM CLEANSER

• Pros love it…the cleanser is 50% moisturizer so it not only removes dirt and makeup but leaves skin feeling smooth and soft.
• Pro tips…perfect for spot-removing eye-makeup mistakes too. Just dip a cotton swab in it to wipe away mishaps.

**I also like Pond’s Dry Skin Cream and always have a jar at home. I especially like it for dry areas like my elbows and heels.

SMITH’S ROSEBUD SALVE

• Pros love it…for its multi-tasking uses. You can use it on your lips, elbows, cuticles and basically anyplace else that needs some nourishing. Great for travel.
• Pro tips…Swipe a few layers of lipstick on the back of your hand and blend in a fingertip-sized dab of salve to create your own gel blush.

YSL TOUCHE ECLAT RADIANT TOUCH

• Pros love it…for magazine-shoot-ready eyes. It catches light and makes your eye area look as if it’s been Photoshopped to perfection.
• Pro tips…Use regular concealer in the inner corners of the eyes, then apply Touch Éclat under the eyes and blend out toward the hairline to look like you got the best sleep of your life.

**The reviews on this are so great I am going to try it. You apparently don’t have to use very much so I can justify the price if it lasts a long time. Of course if it can make me look like I got a great night’s sleep, I think I’d pay anything!

L’OREAL PARIS ELNETT SATIN HAIR SPRAY

• Pros love it…it gives maximum volume and shine without being stiff. It’s so pliable you can brush, comb or finger-style your hair after you spray it in. Holds strands in place without build-up or stickiness.
• Pro tips…Avoid spraying your entire head. Lift random sections of the hair and give them a spritz for a more modern, less helmet-head look.

**This used to only be available overseas, so stylists would bring it back to the United States by the suitcase-load.

ELIZABETH ARDEN EIGHT HOUR CREAM SKIN PROTECTANT

• Pros love it…can be used on everything from cuticles to cheekbones. A little bit goes a long way.
• Pro tips…press it into skin to hydrate a dry patch, prep lips with it, add a touch to a disposable mascara wand to tame brows, tap it onto cheekbones or eyelids for a dewy finish or massage it on your cuticles to soften them.

**Elizabeth Arden created this herself. It got its name after one of her clients used it to treat her child’s skinned knee, the story goes, and 8 hours later it was healed.

CLINIQUE ALMOST LIPSTICK IN BLACK HONEY

• Pros love it...it looks good on just about anyone. The color is not actually black but rather a sheer, super-wearable wine color that works with nearly every skin tone.
• Pro tips…wear alone with no liner or gloss for an effortless look. The pretty neutral color looks great with a light-gray or metallic shadow for spring and summer or a nude shadow with black liner and lots of mascara.

ALBERTO VO5 HOT OIL CONDITIONING TREATMENT

• Pros love it…it injects just the right amount of moisture and shine into dry, brittle hair with an end result of looking like you spent all day in a hair spa.
• Pro tips…after applying a tube of oil, wrap your hair snugly with plastic wrap, then cover it with a warm towel. The additional heat opens the hair cuticle which helps the oil seep deeper into each strand.

MAYBELLINE GREAT LASH MASCARA

• Pros love it…can easily achieve a multitude of looks. Use one or two coats for a natural look or layer more on for a 60’s retro look.
• Pro tips…To really give your lids a lift, apply dark-black mascara on the upper lashes and brown on the lower ones. More intensity on the upper lashes draws focus away from puffiness under your eyes.

**I ALWAYS have a tube of this in my makeup bag! This shows up on the “pro favorites” list year after year.