We all want to look our best, and of course being able to afford high end make-up would be lovely, but unfortunately, for a lot of us, especially students, these select products are just far too expensive. However, don’t lose hope, i’m a firm believer that there are many products out there that are far more affordable, yet just as great as those pricier options. I’m not saying all of these products will have the same staying power, pigmentation or be the exact same colours – but they’re pretty close!
Here are 8 great dupes for some of the most popular high end products. Hopefully this will help you keep a flawless face on a more modest budget.
Revlon Colourstay Foundation
Although at the higher end of the drugstore, costing around £12.50, this is still cheap for a foundation that is easily comparable in quality, coverage and staying power to some of the Mac and Nars foundations. It has a medium to full, buildable coverage and is extremely long wearing, lasting at least 8 hours, and more with a primer. This foundation also comes in too versions – Oily/Combination & Dry/Normal meaning you can get one that is perfectly suited to your skin type.
Maybelline Dream Lumitouch Concealer
I am a huge fan of this concealer – the price, the coverage, the staying power, the packaging – it’s pretty great. I even went as far to buy 3 in one go because I wanted to stock up! Aha you can read a full review of the Maybelline Dream Lumitouch concealer on my personal blog.
E.L.F. St Lucia Cream Duo
E.L.F. do this cream duo as well as a powder version in 3 different colour combinations. I think it’s a perfect little set for bronzing and blusher, and extremely similar in colour to the Nars Orgasm & Laguna Duo. At £3.95, it also a lot more affordable than paying 20-odd quid for Nars’ offering!
Rimmel Scandaleyes Micro Precision Eyeliner
I love the look of this eyeliner from Rimmel. I swatched it in Superdrug last week and instantly fell a little bit in love. The precision tip is perfectly thin – not so thin and flimsy it’s awkward but just right. It would allow you to have so much control over the thickness of your line and you’d be able to achieve a lovely sharp point on your cat eye flick. Also, the staying power really amazed me – i swatched it on the back of my hand and it took about 3 or 4 hand washes (thats scrubbing with soapy water and then with a towel) for it to fade completely.
Maybelline Great Lash Mascara
I bought this a couple of weeks back (see my haul here) just to use as an everyday, nothing-special type mascara. For £4.99 I’ve got to be honest, i wasn’t really expecting much, but i was really surprised. It doesn’t give amazing volume but the length and ‘blackness’ is impressive! It doesn’t clump up, even when applying multiple layers and it stays all day – pretty good for less than a fiver!
MUA Undressed Eyeshadow Palette
Let’s be honest, this a completely shameless copy of the Urban Decay Naked Palette. The colors are exactly the same, even laid out in the same order. Although the packaging isn’t as nice and the pigmentation might not be quite as good, the main difference is that the MUA palette is a whopping £33 cheaper than the Urban Decay one!
E.L.F. Shimmering Face Whip
This product is such a lovely highlight product, almost identical in ‘texture’ to Benefit’s high beam and it’s available in 5 different colours meaning there’s one to suit every skin tone. For a mere £1.95 each, it’s hard to say no.
Rimmel Kate Moss Long Lasting Lipstick in Red (001)
I’ve always thought Rimmel’s lipsticks were impressive, but the latest Kate Moss ones have been such gorgeous colours and better formulas than before. This red is a really ‘true red’ that I think would be wearable no matter what skin tone you are. I actually prefer Rimmel’s lipsticks to Mac’s – I personally find the smell of Mac lipsticks really off-putting, that along with the price! You can pick up this little beauty for just £5.49.
Hope you agree with my picks. Do you have any dupes that you love? Let me know!
Emily
xo
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