I have done a couple of Drugstore makeup and beauty dupes posts and they are always my most popular. I can’t say I blame you guys. Who doesn’t love saving a buck, am I right?! I am always on the lookout for a good beauty bargain myself. Why spend a lot of money, when you can get something equally as good, or even better for the fraction of the cost. This installment of The top Drugstore Makeup Dupes has been months in the making. Every time I find a good dupe for something I jot it down. I finally had enough dupes for an entire blog post, so here you go…
THE TOP DRUGSTORE MAKEUP DUPES
CLINIQUE CHUBBY STICK vs. REVLON BALM STAIN
I love the Clinique Chubby Sticks because they are so user friendly and universally flattering. Anyone can use them from teenagers to more mature women, and they sheer pop of color is perfect for everyday. You don’t need a liner or a mirror to apply these. The Revlon Lip Stain Balm is the perfect dupe. My favorite shade is “Honey”.
NARS ORGASM BLUSH vs. MILANI LUMINOSO
The Nars Orgasm blush is iconic and for good reason. Its pinky, peachy color imparts a healthy flushed glow that flatters absolutely everyone. The pigmentation is fabulous. Makeup artists rave about this Milani blush in Luminoso. It is a very close dupe, but is pretty amazing in its own right. In my opinion, this line of blushes is one of the best drugstore makeup products around. I also love the “Dolce Pink” shade.
IT COSMETICS SUPPER SKINNY BROW PENCIL vs. NYX BROW PENCIL
I love everything about the It Cosmetics brow pencil, except for the price tag – $24.00. Yikes! However, it matches my brows perfectly and fills them in like a dream without looking to dark or fake. Those qualities are hard to come by for a fair skinned blonde. The NYX brow pencil is a good dupe. It is not as good as the It Cosmetics pencil, but good enough and only $5.99. I will take , please.
BOBBI BROWN SHIMMER BRICK vs. PHYSICIANS FORMULA SHIMMER STRIPS
The Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick is amazing and worth every penny, in my opinion. ($50.00) It lasts forever, making it easier to justify the hefty price tag. It leaves your skin with an immaculate, bronxy glow. If that is not in your budget, or you just don’t want to drop that kind of dough on a mekuo roducts, the Physicians Formula Shimmer Strip is a great alternative. It can do double duty as an eyeshadow palette. Another good dupe option is the Revlon Highlighting Palette.
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BEAUTY BLENDER vs. ELF PRECISION SPONGE TRIO
Makeup sponges are like mascara – they need to be replaced often because they are germ magnets. That makes the $20.00 BEauty Blender rpice tag a bit hard to swallow. I will say, that using a beauty blender makes your foundation application absolutely flawless and gives your complexion an airbrushed finish. Enter, the Elf sponges. You get 3 different sizes for 12 dollars and they work great. I am a happy, repeat customer. *PRO TIP – make sure the sponge is wet before using. A lot of the negative reviews are because the product is being used incorrectly. Both, the beauty blender and the ELF sponge need to be wet to be used correctly.
CHARLOTTE TILBURY MAGIC FOUNDATION vs. L’OREAL INFALLIBLE PRO GLOW FOUNDATION
The Charlotte Tilbury foundation is fab. It leaves my red skin looking even toned and flawless with a slight glow. It is what I reach for when I am going out to a special event. I hadn’t found anything quite like it until I discovered this drugstore dupe. The L’oreal Pro Glow is one of the best foundations I have ever use, period. The quality is right up there with the expensive versions and lasts all day. My only gripe is the color selection. I am right in between 2 shades, so I need to mix them together, which is a bit of a pain, but worth it I guess for a perfectly matched foundation for Under $25.00.
BOBBI BROWN GEL EYELINER vs. MAYBELLINE GEL EYELINER
For years the Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner has been my go-to gel liner for brides, clients and personal use. It glides on effortlessly and stays put until you take it off. ( I even used it on y son last night as eye black for is halloween costume and it did not budge all night). For personal use, the MAybelline Gel eye lines is a great, budget friendly alternative and it even comes with its own little angled brush.
TOO FACED BETTER THAN SEX MASCARA vs. L’OREAL LASH PARADISE MASCARA
People just love, love, love the Too Faced Better than Sex mascara and can not say enough good things about it. I am sure it is fabulous and as great as everyone says, but unless someone wants to give me a tube of this to try, I just refuse to spend that kind of money on Mascara. I absolute adore the L’oreal Lash Paradise Mascara. It is the perfect dupe for the pricier version and it has become my absolute favorite mascara.
Read all about Mascara and how to find your perfect option, here.
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That is all for now. You are welcome. Buy yourself something cute with all of the money you will be saving on makeup.
XO,
Great makeup is always good, but people tend to forget that blenders and brushes also play a huge role. I love that you included them in this.
Thanks for the brow pencil recommendation! Even if the NYX version is not as good, I’m not too picky about this particular item in my makeup toolkit.
These are some terrific dupes. I hate dropping a ton of money on makeup. Having a less expensive alternative is great.
Thank you for letting me know about the Lash Paradise! I pay way too much for the Better than Sex version!
I am awful at this. I typically buy whatever is on sale or cheap. I never realized there is so much to know about make up!
I actually not wearing makeup but I do appreciate how beautiful these pieces of stuff. I will share this with my sister and I am sure she would love to have one of this.
I will have to check these out! I’m always looking for cheaper and better alternatives!
I’m going shopping for some of this items. Specially that lip balm from Revlon.
Glad I could help!
I love the L’Oreal Pro Glow! It’s truly amazing. The dewy finish is beautiful. I need to try the Lash Paradise mascara. I’ve heard so many good things.
I agree! You will love the lash paradise as well.