Times are tough.

Those three words sure do hold a ring of truth for a good number of Americans right now. Jobs are vanishing, paychecks are shrinking and prices just don’t seem to be getting any lower. Today, I am going to introduce you to some of my favorite generic items. Like many of you, I am cutting-corners everywhere I can; these items work as well as their more expensive counterparts, so you can still pamper yourself without hurting your wallet.

If you are anywhere near an Ulta, you will find many a steal on their shelves. The generic brand they carry is a favorite of many make-up artist friends of mine (you would have to twist their arm to get them to admit it).  The cheek colors and eyeshadows are particularly nice at $6.50 each. They glide on like velvet and the pigment load is reasonably high so you get extended wear. You can’t go wrong with these bargain gems.

Target, perhaps my favorite store ever, has many a value hidden in their aisles. In fact, they have well over 150 products under their own brand. For those of you who shy away from generics, reconsider. The Target line has Soap and Glory, which was created by Marcia Kilgore, the creator of Bliss and hair products by Umberto Savone, Beverly Hills stylist to the stars. One thing I cannot live without is the Target Eye Makeup Remover. It is $4.22, yes, $4.22!. Before I found this I was buying one from a department store line (for over $19 a bottle) and I promise you this one delivers the exact same result. On the go and need a quick refresh, Target’s Age-Defying Cleansing Towelettes ($4.29) will do the trick. They will effectively take off all of your make-up at night or give you just a quick pre or post gym freshen up. Don’t be afraid of picking up a few things at Target, for the price, (most of their items are under $5) they are shockingly effective.

If you have been in a Sephora, I’m sure you will agree…they have everything. Some tend to think of this store as a bit pricy and for some of the items and brands, I have to agree. But, when it comes to the Sephora Brand, the prices cannot be beat. A favorite of mine is the Sephora Brand Eye Pencils. They are $5 and they hold up better then many of the big brand ones I have tried. When it comes to lipsticks, Sephora may be the king. They have so many colors it is mind blowing and they are only $12 each. As far as store brands go, Sephora is one of my favorites. They are set apart by the fact that they formulate their products with the pro in mind. The colors are long wearing, made from quality ingredients and the selection is unbelievable.

If you want to save money by getting some cosmetics and skincare at the drugstore down the street, here are a few things I would look for. For $7.99 Walgreens has a Gentle Skin Cleanser that rivals one of my favorites, Cetaphil. Rite Aid has an Aloe Enriched Lotion ($1.99) that is just as good as the counterpart by Vaseline Intensive Care. CVS has a Skin Relief Body Wash ($5.99) that will give you results comparable to Aveeno. And Duane Reade has some Lip glosses that are just sick (and I mean that in a good way).

With many store brand products there can be a gamble involved, but the ones I mentioned today are sure winners. There are times when buying the name brand makes all the difference, but there are other times, when saving big money is a much bigger priority. Get out there and be beautiful…without hurting your wallet.