Screw Sephora: These Are My Favorite (and Least Favorite) Picks From Dollar General’s New Makeup Line, Believe Beauty

I’ve been a makeup junkie for as long as I can remember, starting with a makeup counter job and moving on to a role as a beauty editor. But as much as I love trying new products,  I’m also not loaded enough to spend tons of money on a drawer full of expensive products from brands like Chanel, Bobbi Brown, or Créme de la Mer. That’s why I was excited to try out products from Dollar General’s exclusive new Believe Beauty makeup line.

Believe Beauty touts itself as being premium quality, while still pricing every item under $6. I've tried enough of the expensive brands to know the difference; here’s how a number of Believe Beauty Products stacked up.

Related: What You Really Need to Know About Dollar Stores

$4 from Believe Beauty

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I’ve tried everything from drugstore brands to fancier wipes as part of my cleansing routine, and most are similar in quality to me. I find these wipes to be effective enough for gently refreshing skin and getting rid of light makeup. I would totally use these again after a workout or to quickly freshen up. I’m not sure they have what it takes to handle heavy makeup removal though.

Related: Beauty Products Worth Buying at Costco

My skin gets super parched, so I was psyched to try out this rich cream, which appeared to have quite a luxurious texture. But the smell — my god, the smell. It's almost like a very strong floral air freshener in face cream form. If you love a strong scent, the hydration seems decent, but I couldn’t get past the nose-tickling odor.

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$5 from Believe Beauty

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This is my favorite product out of everything I tried — chef’s kiss. It's perfectly creamy and creates a very natural-looking flush. The blush is as good as a product five times its price, and I can see myself using this daily.

Look, I admittedly don’t really get doing the contour thing to your face unless you're making a TikTok video, but this stick doesn't make it easier. The texture and darker color are okay for drawing lines, but the lighter shade didn’t seem to do much of anything for me. Who knows, maybe I’m doing it wrong. If you're into contouring, this probably won't be your go-to.

$3 from Believe Beauty

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I’ve been a Tweezerman devotee for years, so I was absolutely shocked to discover this $3 tool is just as good. It has great precision and just the right sharpness. Tweezerman tweezers cost in the $20 range — go ahead and save yourself $17.

Voluminous lashes? More like racoon eyes. I’m always looking for a mascara that stays put while actually giving lashes a boost. This isn't it. When I first put it on, I thought the volume and length benefits were on par with popular drugstore brands like Maybelline. But it smudged under my eyes within a couple hours. There’s a waterproof formula available, which is probably worth giving a shot if you only have 5 bucks to spend on mascara.

$2 from Believe Beauty

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I love using sheet masks and looking like a freak walking around my house. The right ones do give your skin a little boost. This one claims to be serum-drenched, and boy is it ever. It was very drippy, but after I removed it, my skin wasn’t really that hydrated. If your skin is oily, it may do something, but I’ve used better $2 sheet masks. 

$6 from Believe Beauty

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I like the variety of colors you get for this price, and the fact that they come in different textures such as metallic, shimmery, and matte. The shades can be mixed to work for day or night. One thing I'm not too sure about: fading. The formula didn't stay on me throughout the day at the same intensity. If this doesn't bother you, go for it.