6 Must-Have Beauty Items Under $10 For People Who Hate Getting Ready

I see your lightning-fast morning routine and raise it a super-cheap one!

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There are certain things that I, as a mom of four boys under 8 years old, have given up on: wearing white, using the bathroom alone, and having a presentable apartment, to name a few. But giving up my beauty products? Not one of those things. If anything, I rely on them now more than ever. I need all the things that save me time and money and make me look a little less a mombie, a little more...some semblance of a pulled-together human.

I’ve tried my fair share of products and landed on the following six that never seem to fail me, no matter how tired I am or how little time I have to get ready. (Seriously, my morning routine clocks in at about two minutes with these. I dare you to time me!)

1. Nivea In-Shower Nourishing Body Lotion, so you can moisturize before you've even stepped outta the tub.

Rhianon Hoffman / BuzzFeed

Pre-kids, I’d never been someone who was particularly good with details. Now that I’m a mom of four, this rings more true than ever: I’m forgetful, disorganized, and generally a hot mess, so if I can find any way to streamline my my day-to-day, I latch onto it for dear life.

Exhibit A: Applying on lotion while I’m in the shower. Honestly, I wasn’t quite sure about this stuff when I first used it. It’s super thick, and I didn’t believe it would actually keep my legs feeling moisturized once I got out of the shower, but I was pleasantly proven otherwise! Because of its consistency, you don’t need to use too much (and so the bottle lasts a really long time), and you also don’t need to worry about it washing off. I make sure to apply it right after I shave, almost immediately before I turn the water off, and it always accomplishes the task.

Get it from Amazon for $4.16 or Jet for $5.48.

2. Maybelline The Falsies Push-Up Drama Mascara, for length, lift, and volume in seconds.

amazon.com, Rhianon Hoffman / BuzzFeed

I’m a creature of habit in most ways, especially when it comes to my beauty routine. If something works, I don’t change it — unless it’s been discontinued or is out of stock. Which is exactly what happened not long ago when I went to to the drugstore to pick up my usual mascara and it was nowhere to be found. I ended up grabbing this Maybelline mascara off the shelf, barely giving it a second thought, and I swear the mascara gods were looking down upon me that day because I absolutely LOVE IT.

A flurry of energetic little boys running around my ankles most mornings is not exactly conducive to putting on mascara (or any makeup for that matter) with precision — but with The Falsies, I literally only need to swipe my lashes a couple of times for them to be completely covered, lengthened, and lifted. It goes on like butter and stays all day. This mascara is some serious bang for your buck. (Do people even say that anymore? It’s lit, okay?) I'm never going back to my old — and more expensive — ways.

Get it from Amazon for $5.67+.

3. Suave Professionals Refresh & Revive Dry Shampoo, because freshly washed hair isn't always an option but fresh-smelling hair is.

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If you’re a fan of dry shampoo (anything that can extend the shelf life of clean hair and save me the hassle of washing it gets front-row status in my beauty arsenal), you may be familiar with the disappointment that follows researching the best brands, perusing beauty store aisles comparing labels, and handing over more cash than you anticipated, praying that this dry shampoo will be The One. Then you find that it’s too chalky, smells kinda meh, or doesn’t hold up for the entire day.

Well, I’m here to tell you that after testing a slew of them, I keep coming back to Suave’s (yes, Suave’s!) dry shampoo — which comes along with a price tag that’s a fraction of most popular ones'.

I literally spray it along my part and hairline (with a few quick blasts on my roots) and leave it there while I do my makeup. Don’t go too heavy-handed or you’ll end up looking like you’ve emerged from a dust storm (I know silver hair is ~on-trend~ these days, but this version ain't too cute). After I’ve let it sit for a few minutes, I flip my head upside down, rub it vigorously into my roots, flip it back over, and voilà! My hair is back in biz, and it lasts all day long — I kid you not. And bonus: This stuff smells heavenly. If you haven’t taken a shower, no one will even notice, I promise.

Get it from Jet for $3.78 or Amazon for $6.40.

4. Physicians Formula Concealer Twins Cream Concealer, which comes with two hues to brighten up under-eye circles and work its magic wherever else you want it to.

Rhianon Hoffman / BuzzFeed

Now that my kids are a little older, they’re sleeping really well. Bedtime is at 7 and they don’t wake up until about 6. Score. And so of course I regularly take advantage of my approximately 11 hours of me-time by...staying up way past the kids’ bedtime, reading, indulging in a relaxing bath, or bingeing on the latest Netflix series. One day, I have faith that I will finally learn how to be an adult and go to bed at a reasonable hour. Until then, I’ll be watching Friends for the billionth time and using this Physicians Formula concealer to mask the consequences.

I’ve used a single concealer before, and it just doesn’t have the same staying power as this dual concealer does. The yellow counteracts my grayish-blue circles that refuse to budge, and the flesh-toned concealer blends with the yellow seamlessly to conceal all that I want hidden (see: my before-and-after above). This miracle concealer lasts all day, and it's thick enough to do its job while not getting lodged in the fine lines that I may or may not have hiding underneath my eyes.

Get it from Amazon for $5.96 or Jet for $6.48.

5. Maybelline Brow Drama Pro Eyebrow Palette, for a wax-and-powder combo with precise application.

Rhianon Hoffman / BuzzFeed, amazon.com

I never used to care very much about the shape of my brows. As long as they didn’t look like my grandfather’s (love you, Grandad), I felt like I was doing a great job with the occasional pluck. Now? I’m getting those bad boys filled and shaped on the daily, especially if I’m wearing sunglasses and skipping my mascara for the day.

This Maybelline kit is great for both shaping and filling, thanks to pigmented wax that keeps strays in place (can you tell which brow I've used it on???) — a godsend for my one ugly-stepsister eyebrow that needs a little more coaxing in the morning — in addition to a pressed powder. It comes with a handy little brush that's thin and surprisingly sturdy for a drugstore product and actually applies with precision.

Get it from Amazon for $9.25 or Jet for $9.98.

6. Burt’s Bees Pink Grapefruit Facial Towelettes, because you deserve to clean your face, remove your makeup, and smell like a fresh-picked grapefruit all at the same damn time.

jet.com

Look, I just don’t have time for a five-step routine at night. These towelettes leave me feeling clean and refreshed and a little less lazy than I would had I just passed out in bed with my makeup on. I’m trying (seriously, I’m really trying) to come up with a better nighttime routine for myself, because self-care, but I’m tempted to just stick with these wipes because they simply get the job done.

All I do is wipe my cheeks, forehead, and chin a few times, and one wipe removes all of the nastiness deposited on my face as a result of regularly traveling through Brooklyn streets. The amount of junk it harnesses the capacity to remove from my skin is...shocking. (Note: If for some reason you're not a fan of grapefruit, you might want to steer clear of this scent.) It’s fresh and delightfully citrusy, and it leaves my skin feeling more moisturized than any other towelettes I’ve tried.

Get a 30-count pack from Amazon for $5.19 or Jet for $6.02.

Rhianon Hoffman is a stay-at-home mom of four young boys based in Brooklyn, New York, who blogs regularly on her site Brooklyn Boy Mom.