I worked at Sephora for 4 years. Here are 9 of my favorite beauty products that are $25 or less.

As a former Sephora employee, I’ve found affordable items including the Rare Beauty blushes and Fenty Beauty’s Gloss Bombs.

When I worked at Sephora, I loved finding high-quality beauty finds that didn’t break the bank.

Here are 9 of my favorite products that cost $25 or less.

A Sephora Collection foundation is one of my favorites.

The Sephora Collection liquid foundation comes in a variety of shades.

I highly recommend checking out all of the Sephora Collection lines. Sephora is owned by LVMH (Louis Vuitton) and though the brand’s packaging is simple, the formulas are amazing.

The Best Skin Ever foundation is one of my favorite base products because it’s the perfect formula for my dry skin.

This $22 long-wearing foundation has light to medium coverage and a natural, dewy finish.

The Sephora Collection blushes come in a variety of beautiful shades.

I love the selection of colors available in the Sephora Collection blushes.

The $14 Sephora Collection Colorful blushes are absolutely beautiful. If a shade you like is in stock, I recommend picking it up because they sell out quickly.

The blushes come in matte and shimmer finishes. The pigmentation is great, the texture is soft and buttery, and the application is smooth.

The Sephora Collection eyebrow pencils blend effortlessly.

The pencils come in a myriad of shades. 

If you’re looking for a good eyebrow pencil, the Sephora Collection has got you covered.

The $13 Retractable brow pencil is waterproof and smudge-proof and has an ultra-fine tip for easy application. I love to brush the spoolie through my brows to soften the look.

Rare Beauty’s liquid blushes pack the pigmentation.

Rare Beauty’s liquid blushes come in radiant or matte finishes. 

Rare Beauty has quickly become one of the best brands at Sephora. The brand’s easy-to-use products and packaging and the mission alone make it worth checking out.

I recommend starting with the $23 Soft Pinch Liquid blush. It’s extremely pigmented so you need the tiniest dot to blend into a beautiful blushed look.

I didn’t use to be a cream or liquid-blush person but once I started using formulas like these, I fell in love.

You’re missing out if you aren’t using a beauty blender.

To me, a beauty blender is not just a tool. 

If you don’t apply your liquid or cream makeup with a damp beauty blender, you’re missing out. After working in the beauty industry and using this sponge for seven years, I can never go back.

I know $20 for a makeup tool may sound like a splurge but something about the design of the original beauty blender and its soft texture blends my base to a flawless finish.

Though there are more affordable alternatives that create a similar effect, I’ve used other sponges and brushes and still think nothing beats the beauty blender.

Fenty Beauty’s Gloss Bombs create perfect, juicy-looking lips.

I’m very passionate about a great, shimmery lip gloss.

I used to be a matte liquid-lipstick girl, but as I got older I thought it made my lips look dry and crusty. Now, I want my lips as glossy and juicy as possible and the $21 Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb in Fenty Glow is the most perfect lip-gloss shade and formula.

This gloss looks great on every single skin tone, age, and lip shape. I would recommend this to anyone who was looking for the perfect nude lip gloss.

I also love the shade FU$$Y, which is a soft pink. The formula is thick and moisturizing without being sticky and has a soft watermelon-like scent and a high-shine finish.

Tower 28’s lip glosses add just the right amount of shine.

Tower 28’s lip glosses are lightweight and shiny.

If you’re looking for a great lip gloss from a “clean” beauty brand, I recommend the $16 Tower 28 ShineOn lip jelly gloss.

This unscented, lightweight formula isn’t sticky and has the perfect amount of shine. This gloss looks amazing with or without makeup, and there are a variety of natural-looking shade options.

Clinique’s spot treatment is the way to go when you need to get rid of a pimple.

Clinique’s spot treatment is great for eliminating my pimples. 

Clinique may not be a brand I use a lot, but I’ve always loved the .5-ounce $23 Acne Solutions clearing gel.

This gel is a lifesaver if you have a pimple that you want to get rid of quickly. It has salicylic acid, witch hazel, and laminaria-saccharina extract to eliminate blemishes and prevent new ones from forming.

I apply this gel at night and see my minimized pimple in the morning.

Don’t pass up a mini Supergoop sunscreen in Sephora’s Beauty on the Fly section.

Supergoop’s Glow Screen works as a primer for my makeup or a dewy base.

If you want to shop at Sephora but can’t quite justify a splurge, check out the mini-sized, more affordable items in the Beauty on the Fly section by the register.

Though a lot of these products aren’t a better value per ounce than the full size, they’re still a good way to try something at a lower price or pick up if you need something TSA-approved.

Personally, I loved the $22 Supergoop Glow-Screen Sunscreen SPF 40 for the summer. I’m a fan of its dewy finish, how it works on its own as a primer, and the way it gives my skin radiance without makeup. I usually throw the mini size in my purse to reapply throughout the day.

This story was originally published on September 6, 2022, and most recently updated on December 12, 2024.