I Get My Beauty Advice From Reddit, so I’m Shopping These 9 Products From $5

I’m no stranger to the wonders of drugstore beauty products—in fact, my tried-and-true thick hair routine includes shampoo and conditioner that are each under $10. Since I basically live by the philosophy that there’s always room for at least one more product in my beauty routine, I look for ways to cut corners without sacrificing efficiency (a.k.a. saving money on products whenever I can). After a recent Reddit scroll through trending beauty topics, I discovered a very helpful thread on the best “cheap but amazing” beauty products. Obviously, I had to see what I’d been missing.

Suffice it to say, this wasn’t my first Reddit rodeo. I love getting beauty advice on Reddit, and I already did a deep dive on the products guaranteed to give you the “softest hair ever.” But let’s just say this latest scroll was the most inspirational yet. From an under-$20 retinol body cream to a glow-worthy skin tint with more than 16,500 five-star ratings on Amazon, I discovered multiple products that shoppers raved about—and added them to my cart, of course.

Curious about which cheap but amazing beauty products Reddit users can’t stop buying? I rounded up the nine best, starting at just $5.

9 Reddit-Approved Beauty Products

• NYX Cosmetics Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Foundation Brush, $13 (Originally $15)
• Pond’s Cold Cream, 3-Pack, $27
• CosRx Advanced Snail 92 All In One Cream, $21 (Originally $26)
• Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Multi-Use Concealer, $7 (Originally $11)
• Gold Bond Age Renew Retinol Overnight Face & Body Lotion, $12 (Originally $15)
• Byoma Milky Oil Cleanser, $13
• Wet n Wild Bare Focus Tinted Hydrator, $5 (Originally $6)
• Aquaphor Lip Repair, 2-Pack, $8
• L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Mascara, $10 (Originally $13)

Wet n Wild Bare Focus Tinted Hydrator

Until recently, I never used a skin tint, but my recent foray into the category has introduced my complexion to a whole new world of glow. Now that I’m on the skin tint train, I’m definitely curious about this one from Wet n Wild, which is formulated with a mix of nourishing squalane and hyaluronic acid and comes in eight buildable shades. Reddit users raved about it, saying it gives “nice coverage for a tint”—some people even said they “use this as foundation almost exclusively.” Plus, it’s racked up more than 16,000 five-star ratings on Amazon, and even has multiple 70-year-old shoppers singing its praises. Seems like my no-makeup makeup look is about to get a serious upgrade.

Pond’s Cold Cream, 3-Pack

I did a ton of community theater growing up, and the mountains of pancake makeup and liquid eyeliner were only removable with one product. You guessed it: Pond’s Cold Cream. This rich makeup remover is actually 50 percent moisturizer, and blends oil and water to remove every stitch of makeup without stripping the skin. It’s fragrance-free, too, so it’s great for sensitive skin. Reddit users can’t get enough of the stuff. One user said their skin “has never looked better,” while others said it “feels very moisturizing,” is “surprisingly gentle,” and “takes off waterproof mascara completely.” You can snag a three-pack for $27, or $9 apiece.

Gold Bond Age Renew Retinol Overnight Body & Face Lotion

I’ve started dipping my toe into the retinol pool lately, and this lotion, which claims to clinically firm the look of skin in one week, immediately made me sit up and take notice. It combines retinol with niacinamide, macadamia seed oil, shea butter, and cocoa butter to nourish, hydrate, and visibly tighten and lift the skin. One Reddit user said it makes skin “so clear and soft almost instantly with no effort,” while another said they’re “very impressed with how it turns over skin cells so quickly with zero burn and 100 percent softness.” In two words? Yes, please.

L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Mascara

I’m constantly on a journey to find mascara that makes my lashes so long, they hit my glasses. This is definitely the next one to find its way into my makeup arsenal, thanks to a clump-free formula that delivers extreme length and definition. Reddit users said “nothing compares to the quality and price point,” raving that it’s “the absolute best.” It’s earned more than 51,000 five-star ratings on Amazon, too, from people who said it gives lashes “that sought-after fanned-out effect” and creates “incredible length and volume without clumping.”

Below, shop more cheap (but amazing!) beauty products Reddit users can’t stop recommending.

NYX Cosmetics Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Foundation Brush

CosRx Advanced Snail 92 All In One Cream

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Multi-Use Concealer

Byoma Milky Oil Cleanser

Aquaphor Lip Repair, 2-Pack