Save Your Money With These Makeup Dupes From a Professional Makeup Artist
This will be my third post on one of the hottest topics in beauty and here on SAACA…affordable makeup DUPES to higher-end products! Clearly, you ladies appreciate luxury products, BUT, you also definitely love to save where you can on products you can buy from the drugstore. Now if you’re not familiar with what a “makeup dupe” is, it’s an affordable product that gets you to the same (or as close as possible) results that you did from the luxury one.
If you missed the first two installments and want to go check them out, here is the original post and the follow-up post.
Remember sometimes the prestige counterparts of these dupes may SEEM better, but it might be a little smoke + mirrors because their external packaging is fancier and their marketing budgets might be bigger. But it’s really what’s on the inside that counts, don’t you agree?
Just like past posts, I’m going to do one side of my face with all the drugstore dupes and the other side of my face will be all of the prestige products - so you can see just how similar they turn out. And today, they had to turn out okay because I left straight away to attend my daughter’s high school volleyball games, and I couldn’t leave looking wacky with my face not looking cohesive!
Okay, keep scrolling to see what dupes make me do a double-take…
TL;DR
Jennifer shows us how to Save Money With These Makeup Dupes
Jennifer's product recommendations are shoppable via text links and image widgets
Save Your Money With These Makeup Dupes
EXFOLIATING TONER
Prestige: Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant, 4 ounces, $35
Dupe: Naturium BHA Liquid Exfoliants 2%, 4 ounces, $16
Can’t stress enough the importance of using a chemical exfoliant before ever applying your makeup so that you can get a smoother skin surface that makeup will lay best on. I’m all about a leave-on exfoliant that can work its magic to unclog pores and create a more even and smoother complexion. I’ve been a longtime devotee of the Paula’s Choice one, but I’m starting to think this Amazon find from Naturium, might get repurchased more because they feel and work just the same, for half the price!
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SKIN PRIMER
Prestige: Hourglass Vanish Primer, I have the mini here, .33 ounces, $24
Dupe: e.l.f. Poreless Face Primer, .47 ounces, $8
I don’t wear primer every day and owned both of these but never tested them next to one another! The Hourglass feels a bit thinner and lightweight when applying and the e.l.f. Seems a tad thicker when applying but once rubbed in, looked and felt similar. And after 4 hours of volleyball, my skin on both sides looked as though they held up exactly the same.
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CONCEALER
Prestige: Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear concealer, .43 ounces, shade 250, $29
Dupe: Catrice Cosmetics TrueSkin High Cover concealer, .15 ounces, shade 005, $7
This one kind of shocked me when I saw the difference in how much product you get in each. So you’re definitely getting more with the Lancome, about 3X as much. However, if you buy 3 times the Catrice, it is still slightly cheaper than one Lancome equals - Ha! But in terms of performance, super similar. Both are a semi-matte finish (in my opinion, they both claim to be matte, but I beg to differ) and are great for mature dehydrated under eyes. I actually prefer the Catrice wand because it's not as chunky and I have more control on where I place it in tiny spaces.
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PRESSED POWDER
Prestige: Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Filter Complexion Perfecting Powder, .28 ounces, shade “2 medium”, $48
Dupe: Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Powder, 29 ounces, shade 22 natural beige, $9
I do love Charlotte Tilbury and how skinny the packaging is which makes it less bulky for my purse. Both include a mirror, however dare I think the Maybelline one is bigger and clearer?? You do get a cheap sponge included with the Maybelline whereas not with the CT, I have to throw in my purse my own triangle Amazon sponges to use it. Finish-wise, I think the Maybelline squeaks by with a bit heavier coverage but still very similar in feel and finish. I just wish the CT offered a more diverse shade range!
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EYESHADOW PALETTE
Prestige: Urban Decay Naked Reloaded Palette, .49 ounces, $50
Dupe: LA Girl Pro Neutrals palette, .65 ounces, $13
Both of these palettes give a lovely peaches-and-cream vibe along with warm bronze and gold tones with mixes of matte and shimmer. Dare I say the LA Girl mattes actually give better color payoff?? I believe so. But the shimmers, the Urban Decay wins bc they’re not quite as chunky. But gosh the price difference is so extreme, that if you’re looking for this type of color palette, but don’t want to invest in an expensive palette, definitely the LA Girl wins in terms of more for your money.
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WATERPROOF MASCARA
Prestige: Too Faced Better Than Sex waterproof, .27 ounces, $29
Dupe: L’Oreal Paris Lash Paradise Hydrofuge, .25 ounces, $13
I’m gonna come right out and say it - I like the L’Oreal SO much better just because of the price. Their wand shape is very very similar and applies the same. It’s just the Too Faced tube seems so much heavier which I think adds to the hefty price bc the tube is much nicer and has the fake water droplets on the outside. But I don’t care about that with my mascara bc I go through so much of it, I need the drugstore version! If you want waterproof, the L’oreal wins.
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LIP + CHEEK STAIN
Prestige: “Flora Tint” by Benefit Liquid Lip Blush + Cheek Tint, .2 ounces, $26
Dupe: Pixi Beauty Fixing Lip Tint, shade “Adore”, .16 ounces, $14
So the Pixi Beauty product name doesn’t have the work cheek in it, however, in its description it absolutely suggests using it as a smudge-free color for lips and cheeks - so I did! While Flora Tint is described as a “desert rose” shade and the Pixi is described as “red” I would say they are mega similar in color. Yes, the Pixi leans slightly more warm-ish red, but once applied and rubbed in, they are so alike. I used these on my cheeks and lips for you to see the stained effect - both are very comfy and soft and once dry down, you can’t even tell they’re there! These are great options for anti-heavy makeup people!
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LIPGLOSS
Prestige: tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump in shade “coconut” (sold out - similar in color is “Dahlia”), .095 ounces, $26
Dupe: e.l.f. Pout Clout Lip Plumping Pen, .07 ounces, shade “toasted” $7
They have the same exact feel, plump tingle, extreme shine, and both pens click up in the same mechanism. You do get a bit more product in the tarte, but if it’s just the finish you like, and you don’t need as many color options, the e.l.f. Brand nailed this dupe in my opinion. I absolutely love love these lip products. Every gal needs one of these in her makeup arsenal because they feel incredible.
The rest of my look details: Square neck double lined Amazon fitted top, $19 (I own it in 3 colors, size small) // Amazon checkered oversize cardigan, $39, size small as well. Looks like it comes even cheaper over on Walmart, $26, just not sure if the quality is the same // I found an Amazon dupe, $15, of the original David Yurman chain link bracelet that runs $1600! // Dainty pearl choker similar from Kendra Scott, $80, great for layering with other necklaces as well!
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Which ones are you going to try next? I’d love to hear in the comments. Are you a splurge gal when it comes to makeup, or would you rather an affordable dupe in most cases?
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Thank you so much for these great suggestions. I have purchased several dupes that you have mentioned in the past and had great results!
I’m so happy to hear that you e had success with some of my dupe suggestions!!
Great dupes! Thank you
You’re so welcome Pam!
Dear Jennifer,
A valuable post in more ways than one! Thanks!