After I started my first part time job, instead of saving my minuscule paychecks like I should have, I chose to spend my earnings on all of the high-end makeup I could get my hands on. It’s true; I filtered through my fair share of Urban Decay, Mac, and Nars products. Now you will only find me in a Sephora to browse the aisles and longingly stare at the overpriced highlighters that adorn the makeup stands. Because, let’s face it, the thought of spending more than $20 (and even that is a stretch) on anything that I’m meant to put on my face and wash off at the end of the day, makes me want to cringe. The fact is that drugstore makeup is getting better and better and deserves a shot in your makeup bag just as much as that Mac lipstick does. Therefore, here is a list of 20 makeup splurges and their drugstore makeup dupes.
I have a confession: the Lorac Pro Palette is on my makeup wishlist (and has been since I bought my first high-end eyeshadow palette), but this palette comes in at a whopping $42. While I am all for a makeup splurge, I think I’ll wait until the dough starts rolling in again to grab this, and in the meantime pick up some makeup dupes, like the Nudes palette by Maybelline for only $8.
Ever since I saw the Naked 3 hit makeup stores, I could not stop thinking about it—I knew that I needed those rose gold shimmers in my life. But what college girl has $50+ to fork over for eyeshadow? Definitely not this one, so the Maybelline Blushed Nudes palette works just as well for me right now and is under $10.
After purchasing my first Naked palette I got a taste of Urban Decay’s eyeshadow primer, and let me tell you, I never knew that I needed something like eyeshadow primer until that moment. But honestly, eyeshadow primer has no business being almost $20 and after I ran out of my beloved Urban Decay, I picked up one of my favorite makeup dupes, Hard Candy’s Eyes the Limit Eyeshadow primer, for less than $5 and have never looked back.
Sophomore year of high school I wore liquid eyeliner every single day. I could not tell you now why I did this, but something in my 15 year-old brain told me that it was the right idea. Well, thankfully I went through my fair share of expensive eyeliners and although having a Stila eyeliner on hand would be nice, $22 does not bode well with my wallet. I recently tried the L’Oreal Paris Liner Intense Felt Tip and have fallen in love (especially the price at only $7).
I am sensing a theme for my second year of high school, and it revolves around overpriced and high end makeup purchases. I have also tried my fair share of quality foundations trying to find the perfect match. While Nars Sheer Glow Foundation seemed to me to be worth the price of $45, it was not realistic on a budget. Maybelline’s Fit Me foundation works nearly as well (with a little lighter coverage) for only $8.
If I’m being honest, I am not a huge fan of Mac foundations (I may be biased because they react with my skin, but still). I tried Mac Pro Longwear foundation and while it did live up to its name, I felt that it was not worth the $33 it costs. A close second foundation—and one that I used for months—was Revlon’s Colorstay foundation for 1/3 of the cost. This might even be one the makeup dupes that I prefer over the splurge!
I have heard wonderful things about Too Faced Primed and Poreless pressed powder, but no words will ever make me give up $30 to set my makeup. I’ve been using Rimmel London’s Stay Matte pressed powder for years and at $4, it does not disappoint.
I am not a huge fan of setting sprays, but I have tried my fair share of them. While Mac’s Fix + does the job it entails, NYX Matte Finish setting spray is one of those makeup dupes that does that same EXACT job. At $32 for Fix + and only $8 for NYX, I know which I’m picking.
Okay, I’ll admit that Benefit’s Watts Up cream highlighter is as dreamy as it sounds, but $30 for a stick of shine? Elf’s All Over Color Stick in Spotlight definitely does the trick and you can’t beat the price of $5.
There was a time when Nars Orgasm blush was all the hype and I’ll admit that I did fall for it and longed for my own pan of the powder; but at about $30 per pop I settled for borrowing my best friend’s. While this blush was beautiful, Milani’s Baked Blush in Dolce Pink Breakdown is almost an exact match for Orgasm, and under $8.
One of my favorite Pinterest past times is looking through lipstick dupes (is that weird?) and I have come across a gem. This has got to be one of my favorite makeup dupes. I’m always looking for a good red lipstick and Mac’s Russian Red, which comes in at $25, has an amazing dupe; Revlon Really Red at only $7. Trust me, just as beautiful, just as red.
I love Urban Decay, but if I’m being honest, their 24/7 Glide On eye pencil was not my favorite product and for about $20 it just wasn’t worth it. I prefer Covergirl’s Perfect Point Plus eyeliner for only $5 and I promise it glides on much better than 24/7.
I will be caught dead before I am caught spending over $40 on a tube of lipstick—even if that tube is labeled with YSL. Maybelline’s Color Sensational Lipcolor in Totally Toffee is one of the most perfect makeup dupes for about $5.
I don’t mind splurging on a makeup brush or two, but once I was introduced to Real Techniques brushes, this was no longer necessary. While the popular brand Sigma’s Large Powder F20 retails for about $30, Real Technique’s Powder Brush is only $8 (and between us, it has better reviews!)
Although I am not a huge primer user, it’s nice to have one handy when a long day ensues. While Smashbox Photo Finish Primer has rave reviews, it is a whopping $36 and its dupe NYX Studio Perfect Primer is under $10.
If you plan to invest in a contour kit, plan to drop a few dimes for it! The $40 Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Cream Kit looks heavenly, but so does the NYX Highlight and Contour Pro Palette at only $25.
Here’s a more detailed comparison on the two:
I use concealer religiously and am always on the hunt for a concealer that does it all. I considered finding the $30 among purse change for the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer, but instead picked up the Maybelline Fit Me concealer for under $6, and let me tell you, it is a dream.
Watch makeup dupes queen Trina Duhra put them to the test:
I have just recently found the joy in a nice matte bronzer and rather than picking up the popular Tarte Amazonian Clay Matte Waterproof Bronzer for $30, I grabbed the NYX Matte Bronzer for only $10, and it does the trick.
You won’t often find lip liner on my makeup wish list, but when you do it’ll be Smash Box’s Always Sharp lip liner. At $20 though you can see why it won’t be making its way into my makeup bag anytime soon, so instead I’ll grab Rimmel London’s Lasting Finish 1000 Kisses Stay On lip liner for only $4.
Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Foundation has incredible reviews…but so does Revlon’s Colorstay, and this foundation has made its ways back on this list. That is a $38 bottle of skin liquid versus a $10 one, what are you going to pick?
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