Celebrities’ Favorite Affordable Makeup Secrets

The One Makeup Move to Copy First

Celebrity makeup picks are the specific affordable products that high-profile faces use repeatedly on themselves, proving that well-formulated, budget-friendly makeup can outperform more expensive options in real-life conditions and on high-definition cameras alike.

If you buy one thing from this guide, make it Rhode Peptide Lip Shape in Balance, the caramel brown lip liner Hailey Bieber has pushed to the front of the brown lipstick resurgence. It is my top pick because it nails the trend in the most wearable way: a creamy satin finish that smooths on as easily as a balm yet sculpts like a pro liner. You can fill your entire mouth with it, tap around the edges for a blurred look, or pair it with clear gloss for that soft, polished Hailey-style lip. For anyone curious about brown lipstick shades but nervous about a flat, ’90s-style matte, this hybrid pencil delivers definition and depth without looking heavy.

Hailey Bieber’s Brown Lipstick Shades and Berry Pimple Patches

Hailey Bieber has turned brown lipstick into a modern neutral, with a whole wave of espresso, mocha, and cocoa tones following her Rhode brown-themed summer collection. Rhode Peptide Lip Shape in Balance stands out because the caramel brown shade is “not too warm, not too grey,” giving lips soft structure without an obvious outline. The formula is creamy satin, blends easily, and doubles as a liner or full-lip colour, but it is not the most long wearing and can be hard to find in stock.

Her brand is also expanding beyond colour with playful Spotwear hydrocolloid pimple patches, now in a fresh strawberry shape. These skincare-first patches absorb excess oils and help minimise the look of blemishes while making acne treatment feel fun on your face. If you want pimple patches berry shaped that you will not mind being seen in, these cute dots deliver both novelty and function.

Brown Lipstick for Every Mood: From Iconic Mattes to Sheer Balms

Beyond Rhode, the current wave of brown lipstick shades proves you can find a finish for every comfort level. MAC’s Velvet Teddy remains an iconic cool beige-brown that suits almost everyone, with a silky matte texture that feels comfortable yet can still be a bit much if you dislike anything matte. KJHBrand’s Precision Sculpture Stylo in Etch offers a cooler taupe-brown for those who prefer a muted, ’90s feel, with an affordable price point, easy application, and long wear balanced by a formula that may feel drying on dry lips. On the opposite end, sheer options such as Chanel Rouge Coco Baume in Honey Bliss give a subtle wash of neutral colour that lets your natural lip show through and are particularly good for dry lips, though they are not especially long wearing and can be expensive and often sold out.

Everyday Glow: Holly’s Rose-Tinted Lip Balm and Angela’s Drugstore Mascara

For an everyday, low-effort lip, follow Holly Willoughby’s lead and reach for a pot of rose-tinted, glassy balm. Fans have linked her go-to to Tropic Skincare Lip Fudge Plumping Lip Conditioner in the shade Rosewood, a sheer rosy tint housed in frosted glass with a white lid. The formula is ultra-conditioning and reparative, enriched with 26 skin-conditioning plant extracts, botanical waxes, and plumping omegas 6 and 9 for moisture-locking care and high shine. If you want an affordable lip balm that conditions like skincare, this is the one to keep on your desk and in your bag.

On lashes, Angela Scanlon proves that a subtle colour shift can be more flattering than stark black. Her “secret weapon as a redhead” is Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara in Burgundy Haze, a soft burgundy shade that flatters pale complexions by intensifying lashes without looking harsh. It lifts and lengthens with a balanced level of volume that defines without leaving lashes claggy or clumpy, making it a standout drugstore mascara recommendation if you want on-trend colour that still feels wearable day to day.

Buy if / Skip if

• Buy the Rhode Peptide Lip Shape in Balance if you want an easy, wearable entry into the brown lipstick trend that still looks polished on camera and in person.
• Skip the Rhode Peptide Lip Shape in Balance if you need a bulletproof, long-wear lip that survives full days without any touch-ups.
• Buy the MAC Velvet Teddy lipstick if you love a classic, neutral brown matte that flatters a wide range of skin tones and pairs well with gloss.
• Skip the MAC Velvet Teddy lipstick if matte textures tend to emphasise lines on your lips or you prefer a dewy finish.
• Buy the KJHBrand Precision Sculpture Stylo in Etch if you like cool-toned, ’90s-inspired taupe browns and do not mind a slightly drier feel in exchange for long wear.
• Skip the KJHBrand Precision Sculpture Stylo in Etch if your lips are very dry and you prioritise comfort over intense pigment.
• Buy the Tropic Lip Fudge in Rosewood if you want a multi-tasking, rose-tinted, glassy, affordable lip balm that doubles as nightly lip care and daytime colour.
• Skip the Tropic Lip Fudge in Rosewood if you dislike pot packaging that requires fingers and prefer stick or wand applicators.
• Buy the Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara in Burgundy Haze if you have a pale or redhead complexion and want softer definition than black can give, from a drugstore mascara recommendation that lifts and lengthens.
• Skip the Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara in Burgundy Haze if you only feel comfortable in classic black mascara and do not want any colour tint near your lashes.
• Buy the Rhode Spotwear berry pimple patches if you want pimple patches berry shaped that treat blemishes with hydrocolloid while looking playful enough to wear outside the house.
• Skip the Rhode Spotwear berry pimple patches if you prefer invisible spot treatments and do not like decorative shapes on your skin.