Over-the-Counter Beauty Tips. When you're feeling drab, no need to head to the department store and max out those credit cards.

You may already have all the beauty products you need. Just open the medicine cabinet or fridge! How healthy is your skin? Take our quiz. Diane Irons is the author of many low-cost beauty books, including Bargain Beauty Secrets and Age-Defying Beauty Secrets: Look and Feel Younger Every Day. Hemorrhoid cream. Beauty Tips for Hair From the Kitchen After cruising the aisles of the drugstore, don't forget the kitchen. For more beautiful hair: Olive oil. Make-up that attracts vs. Make-up that distracts » Seduction Labs. Makeup artists share their picks for best beauty bargains.

It's never been harder to juggle our beauty wants vs. our actual needs.

But we're here to help. In the interest of keeping our collective monthly style budgets in check, we hit the phones and the pavement to query local makeup artists on their favorite beauty bargains. Most free-lance makeup artists aren't paid by a single brand and they buy their own stock, which makes them excellent objective advisers. Others on our list do owe their financial livelihood to a brand's sales -- but these are true beauty junkies who just can't resist trying everything, paycheck or no paycheck. Most of the items described are readily available at local drugstores, Sephora stores, salons and department stores, unless otherwise noted. Knowing well that sometimes you DO get what you pay for, we also asked for their insider knowledge on what items are worth a splurge in terms of performance.

Lisa Adams Free-lance makeup artist; also works at John Robert's Spa in Solon.Lisaadamsmakeup.com; 216-839-4850. Best Foundation: My 18 Top Picks for Every Skin Type. Best Tinted Moisturizer for All Skin Types: Laura Mercier I have used Laura Mercier's tinted moisturizer for years and it's a beauty editor and beauty artist all-time favorite.

It's lighter than foundation which makes it perfect for warmer days or for women who don't like heavy product on their faces. There are a bunch of shades to choose from, so I suggest heading to a department store and trying them out. You can use oil-free if you have oily skin or regular if you have dry or mature skin. Makeup artist Genevieve Herr explains on the awesome Website, xojane, how she uses it, "I usually apply with a wedge sponge that has been wet.

Read more about these foundation types in What is Tinted Moisturizer?. Best Pricey Foundation: Chanel Teint Innocence Foundation Flawless. A Great Drugstore Buy: L'Oréal Paris True Match True Match has made it on Allure's "Best Beauty Buys" list for the category "inexpensive foundation" a whopping 8 years in a row. Best Foundation Stick: Bobbi Brown. NAILED IT! ♡ Tutorial: Summer Smokey Eye "Bronze Goddess" Dermatologists Reveal Their Top Over-the-Counter Beauty Buys. Cheap Makeup Products That You'll Love Regardless of the Economy.