Makeup at Sephora and Ulta can be quite pricey, and drugstores are also beginning to amp up the prices on their own cosmetics. With all these increasing prices, it can be frustrating trying to find affordable makeup within a certain budget. What other options are left? The dollar stores, of course, are an available option, but is it worth the money? Sure, the products are only one buck, but even one dollar has value. Who knows, you could have used that one dollar towards something else, makeup or not.

Fortunately, I have been down this lane and can provide a rundown of certain products that have, in my experience, been either a hit or miss.

1. LA Colors Liquid Foundation

Not worth the money. This foundation clumps while blending into the skin, and not enough product is left on the skin. I find that I have to layer twice for decent coverage. Even with the two layers, it is not necessarily full coverage; this foundation offered more of a sheer coverage, but not that great. Also, this foundation does have mineral oil in it, so there is a possibility that it might break you out. It has not made me break out, but I guess that is because I mix this with my BB cream. I have oily skin, and it did not affect me in any negative way, but I suppose it's because I did not wear this foundation alone. This foundation can be set with powder, but it just makes the face chalky.

2. LA Colors Lipstick in 'Mauve Glaze'

This lipstick would be a good purchase as it is great both for everyday wear and for parties. It is not a long-lasting product, however, you will have to apply a lip liner closest to the lipstick shade in order to achieve a long-lasting wear. Also, there is no glaze in this lipstick; it might appear a little bit shiny, but it is more on the matte side. I highly recommend wearing lip balm prior to applying this lipstick, so that dry patches do not appear. When the lipstick is worn, I would not rub my lips together too much because it can break down the product and it will look very unflattering.

3. LA Colors Bold Lash Plumping Mascara

OK, so I want to let out one disclaimer: LA Colors is not paying me to write reviews on their products. I just happen to have bought a few of their products, so please do not accuse me of anything! This mascara has quite a wand! It is big, so maneuvering the wand around the inner part of the eyes is going to be a challenge. The tube is quite tiny, so it will fit into your makeup bag, no doubt. However, this mascara does not offer much volume, just some length. It does hold curl quite well, and does not flake or crumble off under the eyes. There is no waterproof formula for this particular mascara, however, so you might want to apply a waterproof mascara if you live in a humid area, or if your lashes do not hold curls quite well. For me, the mascara does hold curl (maybe because my lashes are quite sturdy and long naturally), and I do not have issues with the formula running around all over my face makeup. I would definitely give this mascara a try.

4. Wet N Wild Lipstick in 'Breeze'

I have to give a warning about this lipstick: it is not something to be worn every day. This lip product is a frosty type of lipstick. For fancy events, I would totally wear this because this is the type of lipstick that is perfect with dramatic eyes. Just the same as the Mauve Glaze lipstick, be sure to wear a lip balm underneath because this is not a moisturizing lip product. Again, do not rub lips together too often, otherwise, the lipstick will break down and appear unattractive. I would recommend this product.

5. Wet N Wild Angled Liner Brush

Let me start off by saying that this brush has to be the cutest thing I've ever seen and used! The fibers of the brush are perfect for gel liners (that is the only product I tried it with) and applies onto the eyelid so smoothly. For beginners into the cat-eye trend, this brush is perfect! Creating a cat-eye is no longer a difficult chore, as with the brush, there is more control. There is no flimsy applicator; you do not have to draw individual dots and concentrate super hard in order to get the perfect line. You can use this with powder products, but I have found that it is a little bit harder to draw on the lid. Despite that, I definitely would give this a chance.

6. LA Colors Eyeliner

This is the last LA Colors product, I promise! I feel like I am just bombarding you with all of these 'LA Colors' this and 'LA Colors' that. I would purchase this eyeliner because it is comfortable to tight-line with, though, I would not recommend for use on the waterline. It is not waterproof, but does not spill all over the under eyes. Sounds weird, but not everything non-waterproof is horrible. Also, I would recommend 'melting' the tip of the eyeliner, that is, if you are lining your eyelid. Just allow the eyeliner to briefly cool down, as a hot eyeliner could possibly result in a burn. Overall, you should purchase this eyeliner.

You can clearly see that there were 5/6 hits, so I guess Dollar Store makeup is worth giving a chance. Before diving in, I would be more choosy with what I am about to purchase because dollar store makeup is not department store makeup. You have to make the decision all on your own. There are no counters and makeup assistants so proceed with caution! The above paragraphs are all based on my personal experience, but I would seriously go with whatever circumstances you have to deal with (ex. oily skin, dry lips). As for eyeshadows, I have never tried an eyeshadow from the dollar store. I would rather save my money and spend it on a more worthy palette (e.g., Maybelline Nudes or Urban Decay's Naked). They do have false eyelashes, but the glue is utterly horrible. The lashes are not that bad, but do purchase a different eyelash glue. The adhesive seriously does a bad job of sticking onto the lash-line. Outer and inner lashes will keep popping out unless you use a large amount. The glue also tends to stick in tiny clumps all over the lash-line, where you then have to take a q-tip and sort of 'spot clean' the lash-line. Nevertheless, for only a buck and with more hits than misses- these products are certainly worth a try!

Good luck!