(Image Credit: Flickr, Mike Ownby
In the aisles of a drugstore, one’s instinct is almost magpie-rial. Glitter! Neon! Caramel-scented! Your inner child takes over in a frenzy; sense flies past the candy bars and out of the window. “I could buy anything I want right now,” you breathe.
True: you could. And I’m not one to put a number on the amount of bright purple lipsticks or jars of iridescent pigment one woman needs. But if you’re in the mood to buy something more mature and sensible alongside those painkillers and toilet paper you popped in for – read on.
The US drugstore brand which I’m a universal fangirl for is CeraVe. Boring, utilitarian packaging, huge economy-sized bottles, and products that just work so bloody well. The Hydrating Cleanser is the best I’ve found at its price point – super thorough, but also leaves cheeks as soft as clouds.
For your basic face moisturizer, I believe there is no better than the CeraVe Moisturising Lotion. It’s light, but actually leaves your skin hydrated, and contains real science ingredients like hyaluronic acid and ceramides. Both are housed in hygienic (although not exactly aesthetically appealing) pump bottles, and can always be found in my shower and beside my bed.
If acne fighting is your game, you can certainly do a lot worse than the Clean and Clear Persa-Gel 10. It has more science ingredients (in this case, benzoyl peroxide, well renowned for blasting your spots to smithereens) in a handy tube and costs around $7.00. Be warned though: this will bleach your pillowcase, towels, boyfriend’s beard, et al.
For a universally useful tub o’ grease, look no further than lowly Vaseline. It’s so damn useful! You can use it as a general barrier cream (for lips, chapped hands, dried out feet – sorry, but you can), or as a super cute glossing agent. Try on eyelids for ‘70s dew, or on the tops of your cheekbones for an alien-esque sheen.
The Bioderma copy that launched a thousand further copies comes in the form of Garnier’s Micellar Water. Take it from someone who has tried both: they are basically the same. And for something you literally use to soak up grime and then throw in the bin, why not get the jumbo economy version?
Another thing I’d always search out when looking for a drugstore bargain is some sort of hydrating, liquid-type thing. At Target, there’s the Boots Botanics Rosewater Toning Spritz. 
Most stores also carry the gigantor-sized bottle of the Dickinsons Hydrating Toner. Either of these (and any of their ilk) can be misted over the face as a hydrating primer spray, or a dew-inducing makeup finisher. They make your face look expensive, but for cheap! And isn’t that the aim of our game here?
