Here is EVERY Kmart beauty aisle product that truly delivers – plus the $8 buy that’s totally overrated: POLISHED with Elise Wilson

Welcome to Polished with Elise Wilson, where Daily Mail’s qualified makeup artist and hair stylist answers your questions, shares advice, and trials the up-and-coming beauty and skincare trends so you don’t have to.

I’ve always said that great beauty should never be defined by the price tag.

I adore a luxury lipstick as much as the next beauty addict (I received a new Prada lip balm to trial last month and screamed upon opening it), but if there’s one thing that delights me more than a designer splurge, it’s finding a $6 alternative that performs just as well. 

Sometimes, even better.

Needless to say, some of the most hard-working products in my entire makeup bag are from Kmart. The retailer has seriously stepped up its beauty game, and the results speak for themselves.

I also bloody love a beauty dupe (especially ones as good as e.l.f Halo Glow Filter, but more on that below). I love a budget ‘miracle’ product, and I love to brag about it to my mates in our group chats.

Because there’s something deeply satisfying about knowing you’re getting the same glow, same finish, and same product payoff without sacrificing your weekly groceries or wine budget to do it.

At a recent Kmart beauty launch, I ended up chatting to a lovely woman who, as it turned out, was the head beauty buyer. 

Of all people! I immediately thanked her for her contribution to the nation and then deep-dived into about a million questions on how the brand has evolved so impressively in the last two years.

The formulas are smarter, the packaging now looks chic enough to leave out on your vanity, but overall, the quality is just better than ever before.

Below is my current Kmart beauty edit, the ones I would happily recommend to clients, friends, and… you. 

Plus, one product that almost made the cut but didn’t quite live up to the hype, at least for me.

BYS 1 Day Tattoo Liquid Eyeliner Pen $6

Gen Z may be calling time on the classic winged liner, because apparently it ‘instantly exposes your age’? 

Well, they can pry this pen out of my old, haggard millennial claws because I will not be giving up my statement flick any time soon. 

A felt-tip-style liner gives you precision and control, plus this one dries quickly, meaning no accidental lid stamps, glides on smoothly, and stays put. 

I draw a thin line along the lash and flick it up at the outer corner for an instant eye-lift illusion. And it genuinely lasts all day, with no smudging or flaking.

e.l.f Halo Glow Filter in Medium $29 – cult fave

This cult fave landed in stores in 2023 and is essentially the budget answer to the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter. 

You know, that juicy, lit-from-within glow product everyone is obsessed with. I use it under foundation for radiance or on no-makeup days as a skin tint in the medium shade so I look a bit more alive. 

It makes your complexion look expensive and like you drink three litres of water a day and sleep 10 hours a night.

OXX 3pk Blender Sponge $5

Comparable to the Beautyblender but at Kmart pricing, these soft, bouncy sponges blend your foundation seamlessly, and you get three for five bucks. 

I dampen mine first, squeeze out excess water, and use it to melt product into the skin so everything looks seamless. 

Having a range of sizes works well for different parts of the face, and the little one is seriously underrated around the eye area.

OXX Cosmetics Artificial Nails – Squareletto Shape, Pink Glitter $5

I know I now live for my BIAB salon manicure, but last year when I was on my money-saving buzz, these were my emergency glam solution. 

The shape is flattering, the adhesive works, and they don’t look cheap once filed and buffed. 

I’ve had people ask me what salon I go to while I’m wearing these, and I find they last a good four to five days at a time before they need regluing.

OXX Skincare Cleansing Balm – Marula Oil $8

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t convinced at first sniff. The scent is… basically nothing. 

But that, I’ve since learned, is exactly the point. It’s gentle, and it does precisely what it promises to melt makeup off your face. 

We’re talking mascara, foundation, and sunscreen, all gone, without leaving that heavy, greasy film some balms can. 

I just massage it in, add a little water to emulsify, and rinse, and my skin feels clean and nourished. 

If you’re a double-cleansing girl (which I proudly am), this is your new first step.

OXX Bodycare Aroma Body Scrub in Mandarin $2 and Exfoliating Gloves $4 

If you want to remove old fake tan quickly, this is the ultimate combo. 

The mandarin scrub leaves your skin smooth, bright, and smelling like you’ve just stepped out of a fresh citrus grove. 

I use it before self-tanning too for flawless application and love that both look cute in my shower.

OXX Matte Lipstick in Natural $2.50

A perfect everyday pink that doesn’t wash you out. It wears beautifully and feels like a $30 lipstick. 

I know matte textures can be a bit scary to some because they can feel chalky and drying on the lips, but this formula is what I’d call a satin-matte finish that feels like a balm.

I swipe it on with a touch of gloss in the centre for a fuller lip look. It’s become my handbag staple because if I lose it (which I inevitably will), I won’t cry about it, I’ll just buy another.

OXX Silk Finish Luminous Concealer $7

I wear shade Nude 5.0, which is very similar to my skin colour and blends so beautifully.

I tap it under the eyes and around the nose to freshen my face on low-effort days. It gives that lifted, awake look, all without drawing attention to my fine lines. 

If you didn’t know, beauty insiders say it’s comparable to the NARS Radiant Creamy formula, but obviously much friendlier on the wallet.

OXX Blush Stick in Peony $6

If you’re an avid reader of my beauty column, you’ll already know my love affair with cream blushers.

Even better when it comes in a creamy, blendable stick that I can dab onto the apples of my cheeks and blend with my fingers.

OXX Brow Pencil in Medium $4

This pencil is fine enough to mimic hairs, firm enough to stay put, and the shade is spot-on for a soft, defined brow if you’re brunette like me, but they have plenty of shades to choose from.

I use short upward strokes to create shape, then blend through with the spoolie, and always set my brow hairs in place with a gel or wax. 

The results rival brow pencils costing ten times the price.

BYS Glam Squad 18 Shades Eyeshadow Palette $14

Please don’t spend $80+ on an eyeshadow palette, because we all know you’ll only end up using the same four shades on repeat. 

What matters is pigment, blendability, and undertone, and this Glam Squad Palette absolutely delivers. 

With nine mattes and nine shimmers in flattering neutral tones, it has every everyday shade you need, plus the deeper hues to build soft glam or a smokier evening look.

The shadows are finely milled, blend smoothly, and have genuine colour payoff.

COULD BE BETTER

OXX Cosmetics Peel Off Lip Liner Stain – Mauve $8

Don’t get me wrong, this peel-off lip stain is very fun to use and there’s something deeply satisfying about the whole peel moment.

But the colour payoff just isn’t quite there for me. The guide layer goes on looking like it’s about to serve a rich mauve moment… and then once peeled, it’s more of a ‘barely-there pink tint.’

Gorgeous if you’re into the clean-girl, whisper-of-colour aesthetic. But personally, I need a bit more drama, otherwise my naturally pale lips veer into Victorian-ghost-child territory, and no thank you.

Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely my own and do not reflect those of any brands or companies mentioned. This content is not sponsored or endorsed.