Six drugstore products that celebrity makeup artists can't live without

There’s an expectation that makeup artists rely solely on high-end or professional makeup to stock their kits, and this is especially true for those who have risen to celebrity status. After all, they get paid the big bucks by famous people to help them look their best for red carpet events and other highly publicized outings. While it’s true that they do have a lot of expensive makeup in their kit though, that doesn’t mean that they don’t turn to the drugstore for some great yet affordable finds.

Having gone to makeup school myself, I’ve learned that professional makeup artists love finding great budget-friendly products just as much as the rest of us beauty fanatics. So we asked celebrity makeup artists Anthea Bueno, Owen Sarmiento, and Jigs Mayuga to reveal the drugstore products they always stock up on!

Makeup masters: Anthea Bueno, Owen Sarmiento, and Jigs Mayuga

K-Palette 24 Hour Real Lasting Eyeliner (P700 at Beauty Bar, Rustans Beauty and SM Beauty)

Jigs reveals, "I've gone through many different brands of liquid eyeliner through the years but this one really resists bleeding and smudging, even when tight lining and filling in the inner corners with black liner. I'm a huge fan!" We agree! This eyeliner really sticks on us for almost the whole day and is intense in a couple of layers.

Jigs' perfect cat eye look on Maxene Magalona / image via @jigsmayuga on Instagram

Carmex Moisturuzing Lip Balm (P140 at SM Beauty)

Carmex lip balms have been around forever that it's easy to ignore them whenever we go shopping. They're key to beautiful lips though, according to Owen! He enthuses, "This really provides long-lasting moisture for the lips! It hydrates and soothes dry skin on the lips. I like to apply this, blot the excess product off with tissue, line the lips, and then fill in with a lipstick. I also love mixing this with a matte lipstick for a stained lip effect that has a creamy feel and finish."

As lips as a focal point in any makeup look, Owen makes sure that he has his fave lip balm at all times. / image via Owen Sarmiento

Maybelline mascaras (available in drugstores)

Not surprisingly, all three artists agreed about the quality of these mascaras. Anthea shares, "They're a staple in my kit. I like that they have a wide variety of mascaras for different types of lashes, and a lot of them are water or budge proof."

The Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara in Black (P350) is Jigs's absolute fave though. "There's a reason why this mascara is a cult classic and that one tube is sold every two seconds," he explains. "It keeps lashes full and in place, is never clumpy, and is practically smudge-proof." This is HG material but not always available in the Philippines. Ask your relatives from the US to bring a few tubes over and we promise you won't regret stocking up!

Look how many Maybelline Rocket mascaras Owen stocks in his kit! We need to get this, stat!  / image via Owen Sarmiento

Loving those lashes on Kim Jones! We spot her name on the label of Owen's top mascara pick.  / image via @owensarmiento on Instagram

Owen adores the Maybelline Volum’ Express The Rocket Washable Mascara (P399), and he makes sure to always bring several (a brilliant idea) whenever he has a shoot or makeup appointment. "I love this mascara! It does not smudge, and is very easy to remove. You can create volume even with just a single swipe." He also shares a great tip, "I actually put labels on the mascaras and assign one for the exclusive use of each of my clients! It has their name and date of first use so they're confident they won't get any infections from other users, or end up using a product that's already expired."

Now we know the secret to Iza Calzado and KC Concepcion's natural-looking brows. / image via @antheabueno on Instagram

Kate Retractable Brow Pencil (P520 at SM Beauty)

Anthea swears by this for creating #onfleekbrows. "It's awesome! It has just the right amount of pigment, so you never have to worry about over-drawing your brows." We've tried this before and we agree that it gives a lovely, soft look. Layer it to intensify the color or keep it simple, as you can see on Iza and KC.

Pro tip from Owen: Stock up two shades of concealer, the lightest and darkest, to customize the color for your skin tone.  /image via Owen Sarmiento

L’Oreal True Match Concealer (P400 at drugstores)

Have you been looking for a drugstore concealer that won't let you down? Owen swears by True Match! "I actually discovered this when I did a friend's makeup using what she had in her pouch. I've been in love with it since then!" he says. "The creamy texture gives a blendable light to medium coverage. It also has a natural finish that makes you look like you're not wearing any makeup, and doesn't streak even after hours of wear."

Bioderma Micellar Water (P1,290 for 250ml at SM Beauty and PCX)

Both Anthea and Jigs count this among their favorites. Anthea calls it "a toner and makeup remover in one" while Jigs recounts discovering it when he went to makeup school in London in 2007. He says, "It's perfect for spot correcting mistakes without disturbing the rest of your makeup." This is pricey, but still remains as one of the best micellar waters out there. 

Have you tried any of these makeup artist favorites? What other MUA-recos have you heard about? And if you're makeup artist yourself, we'd LOVE to know what's in your own kit staples!