Let's talk high-end vs drugstore today, shall we? I hope you'll take a moment to answer this one--I would LOVE to read your responses:
What's your favorite drugstore alternative for a high-end beauty product?
I probably have a hundred drugstore alternatives to high-end beauty products that I could name here, but one of my more recent favorites is my Milani Baked Blush in Fantastico Mauve, which is nice alternative to my NARS Dolce Vita blush. How about you?
Definitely the Prestige Total Intensity Liner instead of the Urban Decay 24/7 liner - I used to prefer the Milani Liquif'eye, but I did a wear test for my blog, and the Prestige performed the best, by far! So, I've been using it lately, and really loving it!
ReplyDeleteI love prestige liners as well! Especially their liquid liners.
DeleteI love these too. :)
DeleteSince nail polish is my main beauty product, I would have to choose Sinful Colors for OPI. It was the first thing that came to mind, lol.
ReplyDeleteInteresting choice, MariJo. They certainly do dupe OPI colors, but I find Sinful's quality control sucks.
DeleteAgreed! I've had some bottles that are good from them and others that are strange and awful. OPI is top-notch quality and lasts so long. Plus at $8/bottle it's hardly a splurge.
DeleteGreat question! The first answer that came to mind here was the L'Oreal liquid eye pencil for UD 24/7 liner. Though, I have to admit that I caved and recently purchased the 24/7 liner in Perversion because my L'Oreal is running low...
ReplyDeleteI use Olive oil instead of any make up remover.. removes your eye make up with out stinging.... and it contains Vitamin E... you cant beat that....
ReplyDeleteI second that. Actually, recently I picked up some Huggies shea butter baby wipes that I have been using to take off my eye makeup, but I always use evoo as a makeup remover, moisturizer, and I even put it in my hair on occasion. I cannot believe the difference in my skin since I stopped using the expensive creams and cleansers. Not only is it more moisturized, firmer, smaller pores, and less wrinkles... it removed every blackhead within a few days of using, something I have struggled with for years.
DeleteI know you're not supposed to use it, but I used Petroleum Jelly to remove my eye makeup. It's way more effective and cheaper than eye makeup remover.
DeleteHmm.... my covergirl liquiline blast liner in black fire totally tops my lancome pencil liner :)
ReplyDelete-hannah
I have so many. I really love St. Ives scrub. It's better than the Clinique scrub I used to use.
ReplyDeleteThanks to your glowing review, I replaced my Clinique 7 Day Scrub (which is $18.50) with the St. Ives Green Tea Scrub. I don't have acne prone/oily skin, but the texture is very similar to Clinique's and more gentle on my sensitive skin. Thanks for saving me so much money... As usual :) <3 your blog!!!
ReplyDeleteWell I loved Hard Candy Sheer Envy Illuminating Primer in Luminous in place of Benefit That Gal primer; however, the Hard Candy broke me out so I had to switch back, but the Hard Candy in my opinion gave a much better glow to the skin and held my makeup better than the Benefit.
ReplyDeleteHi, I haven't seen any milani backed blush in my local CVS or walgreen. Do you know where I can find them and get a good deal? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteMy Kmart sells quite a few of the Milani Baked Blushes, along with a lot of the other Milani products. It's the only place other than online that I've been able to find Milani. My Walgreens doesn't sell anything from Milani.
DeleteIf you have a Target nearby, then try to find products on the target.com website. Next to the 'add to cart' button, there is a 'find in a store' button. There are probably 20 Targets in drivable distance from me, but only 2 or 3 carry Milani.
DeleteMy e.l.f. eyelid primer works just as well as my Urban Decay Primer Potion!
ReplyDeleteYes to this! I even did elf on one eye and UDPP on the other one day and at the end of the day both eyes still looked great! No creasing or fading!
DeleteTrue, true! ELF primer works great for me too! I second (or third) that! :)
DeleteUgh! I have not had the same experience. I ran out of UDPP and switched to ELF. I get creases and the shadow doesn't lay flat.
DeleteIs the trick to allow it to totally dry before doing shadow?
without a doubt, revlon for chanel/other HE polishes. I love how they blatently dupe chanel, and I don't care! I'd never spend $25 on a bottle of nail polish so the $4 dupe works for me.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I switched to neutragena from clinique face washes!
Agree with the Revlon polish. They're my favorite drug store brand, they last longer than OPI. The new Colorstay is AWESOME
DeleteCetaphil cleanser instead of the Clarisonic cleanser. It is less drying too.
ReplyDeleteMilani Liquif' eye liner instead of Urban Decay 24/7! LOVE those Milanis!
ReplyDeleteWet n Wilds single in Penny is identical to Macs Expensive Pink.
ReplyDeleteMakes me wish I didn't buy expensive pink.
Wet and wild eye shadows overany high end ones that have a color dupe.
ReplyDeleteI would have to say my Loreal liquid eyeliner is preferred over my MAC liquid eyeliner.
ReplyDeleteEVOO (extra virgin olive oil)for skin, both cleanser and moisturizer. MOM (milk of magnesia) for oil/shine. Black radiance complexion perfection is hands down the best primer I have ever used.
ReplyDeleteThe Black Radiance prime is my holy grail face primer! So happy to hear from someone else who loves it!
DeleteI could seriously sit here all night! My wet n wild have replaced quite a few high end palettes. My Sonia kushak brushes dusted the MAC brushes. Zoya and wet n wild nail polish le collections have been smoking the high end ones too.
ReplyDeleteI prefer Maybelline Falsies masacara in Black Drama over Dior Show. I find thr Dior dries out in the tube in now time.
ReplyDeleteAll dupes that you pointed out: Nuance Dusty Rose lipstick for Bobbi Brown Brown lipstick, Prestige Total Intensity eyeliners for Urban Decay, & all the various Wet n Wild shadow dupes you've shown us! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWow! I'm SO happy to hear that the dupes I've mentioned here have been working for you, sweetie. That' awesome! :D
DeleteI'm loving Baby Lips and Maybelline Shine Sensational Pop for YSL Volupte Sheer Candy, the new Loreal infallible shadow for Armani Eyes to Kill, Revlon's MAC Greasepaint Stick dupe, and Revlon liquid pencil/Milani Liquif'eye/Lineblast/TotalIntensity for UD 24/7/YSL pencils. ( But nobody has duped the YSL absinthe green color as far as I know.
ReplyDeleteOh I wanted the YSL Volupte Sheer Candy!! I will try your options!!
DeleteI love the L'oreal shadow and all the liners you mentioned as well!
DeleteOoh, also, I've been loving the loreal souffle mousse as a dupe of Armani Face Fabric. And while not exactly a dupe, I prefer Revlon's new purple primer to Smasbox, and their eye brightener and old Spa concealer to Touché Éclat.
ReplyDeleteI like Lumene skincare products. I was dedicated to Philosophy but then CVS gave me a Lumene coupon and I never looked back. Lumene's 5 Minute SOS Cream works on face, hands and body. And their Time Freeze Firming Eye Cream has really reduced my dark circles, fine lines and puffiness.
ReplyDeleteWow, you're making me want to try some lumene products! It's been a while since I've used them.
DeleteI definitely prefer ELF's mineral foundation over Bare Escentuals's!
ReplyDelete1.Hard Candy's Hard Candy Face & Body Luminizer, Doll Face Pink vs. Benefit's High Beam
ReplyDelete2.Hard Candy Sheer Envy Illuminating Primer vs Smashbox Primer
3. MAC Blue-Brown Pigment - L'Oreal HIP Intrepid
4. Dollar General Anti-aging foaming cleanser ($2) VS OLAY 7 effects foaming cleanser
(same ingredients!)
5. Palladio herbal eye primer (at sallys beauty) vs. urban decay primer potion
Thank you for turning me onto the epille make up cloths! :)
I really like the palladio primer as well!
DeleteHas anyone found a cheaper dupe for NARS's Taj Mahal blush? I've been dying to get it, but its just too much.
ReplyDeleteXOXO
alina- try NYX eyeshadow in golden orange :) HTH
DeleteAlina- try elf studio blush in giddy gold.
DeleteTry elf studio blush in giddy gold $3
DeleteMilani liquif'eye in 01 Black for Urban Decay 27/7 in Perversion. I find that Milanis liquif'eye is a bit blacker than perversion :) & the price difference is amazing!
ReplyDeleteHave you also tried the Prestige Total Intensity liner in black? That might be the blacked ud dupe liner I've ever used.
DeleteIt's Milani for me too! And it's also a blush: Milani Baked Blush in Luminous dupe of the famous and infamous NARS Orgasm. I love it!
ReplyDeleteHmm...I can't tell you which ones I prefer over the HE ones because I never, EVER spend what the HE products cost. That said, I am very satisfied with most of my products, and the vast majority of them have been chosen because of something I read right here. Finally, just reading this page has added a bunch of stuff to my "makeup I want to try" list. Thanks for the question, G, and thanks to everyone who is sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis post is giving me all sorts of great ideas too! :)
DeleteI love the ELF Blush & Bronze duo over the NARS one!
ReplyDeleteI have literally gotten to a point where I wear all drugstore makeup except my concealer and powder which are by MUFE. I would say that I like to use Maybelline's Define-a-Brow pencil in Dark Brown in replacement of MAC's eyebrow pencil in Stud. I also love to replace ELF's Twinkle Pink blush for NARS Orgasm blush.
ReplyDeleteI looooove define-a-brow! It's my HG. :)
DeleteGreat feedback! Taking lots of notes so I can find some new inexpensive faves!
ReplyDeleteI used Too Faced Lash Injection for my sparse, short and thin asian lashes until I discovered Maybelline Lash Stiletto - same results, fraction of the price. I actually like the Lash Stiletto more because it doesn't weigh down my eyelashes and 'uncurl' them.
Also love Physicians Formula Lash Booster eyeliner - it dries quickly which is great for my asian eyelid (notice a trend here?), the color payoff is fantastic and the color lasts all day.
I would say Wet 'N' Wild eyeshadows are the best alternatives to high end makeup in the drugstore. However, I would never say they would replace my Naked Palettes.
ReplyDeleteI really like Milani blushes as well and I ALWAYS pick drugstore mascara over high end. WHy would I pay $20 for something that i'm going to get rid of in 3 months?
Alternative #1 Revlon Super Lustrous lipgloss in Peach Petal for MAC's Lipglass in C-Thru
ReplyDeleteAlternative #2 WnW eyeshadow single in Brulee for MAC's eyeshadow in Brule
Alternative #3 NYX eyeshadow in Dark Brown for MAC's eyeshadow in Charcoal Brown
I love the Revlon dupes of Chanel nail polishes such as Carbonite for Graphite, Perplex for Paradoxal. Oh and the Facets of Fuschia (and whatever the new version of the fuschia glitter is ) dupe of the Deborah Lippman, I think it's Bad Romance.
ReplyDeleteI love the WnW black satin polish above all other blacks.
I love NYC Grand Central Station as a top coat. It's now my favorite, way more than seche.
Lanisnoh (yes, for breasts) is an awesome cuticle cream.
For non NP items, Milani Luminous blush for Nars Orgasm, Jane blushes for some of the Bobbi Browns, Hard Candy Glamouflage for the MUFE concealer and the Revlon butter lipstick in Fig for that Clinque old standby, you know the one.
I also use G's Physicians Formula powder foundation instead of Mac Studio Fix.
I've fallen hard for the Yes To line, especially the Yes to Blueberries face wipes and Yes to Carrots body cream replacing not necessarily dept. store lines, but almost everything else I've tried. The ONE THING I am looking forward to trying as a def replacement item to expensive (and not so expensive) eye depuffing items is the Yes to Cucumbers Cooling Eye gel. I've actually researched the use of cucumbers as eye depuffers and soothers and the evidence is really there. I can send a link in another post or just summarize the evidence for you. I would more than gladly pay $20. for the Yes to line than something I just paid $48. for by a Big Brand that doesn't do a thing for my undereye suitcases!
ReplyDeleteRevlon Colorburst Gloss in Cheers(LE) for NARS Place Vendome Larger than Life gloss. This is a dupe on color not the 'feel' of the gloss. I do prefer how the Revlon feels on my lips vs. the NARS.
ReplyDelete"If you have a Target nearby, then try to find products on the target.com website. Next to the 'add to cart' button, there is a 'find in a store' button. There are probably 20 Targets in drivable distance from me, but only 2 or 3 carry Milani.".....Walmart has this same feature, helps save you a trip because every store is different. I will say it only works somewhat though, because I have seen a lot of items in the store that do not show up online... but at least you know that store carries the brand. I sooo wish the drugstores would do the same thing, my CVS and Walgreens are all completely different it would be so helpful to be able to jump online and know where to go to get what I want.
ReplyDelete