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So as women, itβs a given that our life expenses are going to be relatively expensive. Now I understand that there are those who are a bit more simplistic (shout out to you guys!), but for some of us, things like makeup are a must. And these makeup companies that have the βbestβ products, arenβt helping us out with prices either. So thatβs why I went on the search for some of the most recommended makeup dupes so you can save a little (I mean a lot) of cash.
I really wanted to find the best sources and give you great options when it came to saving money on makeup. Because letβs get honest, some brands may look worth it, but they make us cringe when we see the receipt total at the end.
Now below are makeup dupe lists, but I went through each list and found the ones that I would definitely recommend. I kept a link to the whole list for each one just in case you wanted to see the rest. I hope this helps and let me know if you have any suggestions in the comments below!
Side Note: Some of these I haven’t personally tried, but are recommended by different bloggers.
You Will Learn About:
Splurge vs. Steal: 20 Amazing Drugstore Makeup Dupes
From Jordan Hickβs list of 20 drugstore dupes on Society19, I can tell she picked some great makeup duplicates. Theyβre all awesome prices and I honestly canβt wait to try out the rest of them.
But with Maybelline The Nudes PaletteΒ ($10 as opposed to the $44 LORAC PRO Palette), I canβt recommend it enough! Iβve been using it for over a year (maybe I should be replacing it by now?), and I donβt regret the purchase at all. This eye shadow palette really offers some great shades for making your eyes pop, no matter what color they are. Iβve had so much fun with it and it always completes my look.
You can buy Maybelline The Nudes Palette here.
Read the rest of her awesome makeup dupes here!
Drugstore Makeup Dupes
Now this post by Meg from Meg O. On the Go is great because she gives a great description of each product and how one compares to the other. I really appreciate this instead of just being given a product and then told to go buy the dupe just because itβs cheaper (I need to know how it holds up to the more expensive brand!).
Now one of the products she recommends is Rimmel Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner ($4.17) as opposed to Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil (currently $25). Rimmel always has great makeup products for such a small price, so Iβm not surprised that she mentioned this one.
With a savings of nearly $15 (not so sure why just a stick of eyeliner would be so expensive), youβll get a great deal for your buck.
You can buy Rimmel ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner here.
Also, read the rest of her money saving dupes list here!
Splurge or Save: The Best MAC Drugstore Makeup Dupes
Iβm pretty sure that when I was a teenager, I thought MAC was the end all be all (thatβs how the saying goes right?). And Iβm also pretty sure that my taste was too expensive and my mom probably encouraged it.
But now that Iβm living more frugally (thank goodness), I really appreciated this list of MAC makeup dupes. And I especially like Revlonβs βReally Redβ here as opposed to MAC βRussian Redβ(currently $19.99). Itβs a good savings and I feel that MACβs βRussian Redβ is a bit dry. Donβt get me wrong, it stays well, but I do like it if my lipstick glides on my lips more.
Revlonβs βReally Redβ makes your lips pop with some awesome color action, so as a cheaper makeup dupe to MAC, I would definitely recommend it.
You can buy Revlonβs βReally Redβ here.
Make sure to check out the rest of Azalea Penaβs makeup dupe list here!
Splurge Steal Beauty
Again from Meg O. On The Go, sheβs created another awesome makeup dupe list. I really canβt thank her enough for this. As a person with oily skin, I really appreciated her find on e.l.fβs High Definition Translucent Powder ( $5.77). Itβs a way better price than Makeup For Ever Microfinish Powder. Itβs a big savings and gives you a great matte finish (and helps your makeup last longer). Now gone are the days of hot summer afternoons where all of your foundations seems to melt right off your face!
You can buy e.l.fβs High Definition Translucent Powder here.
Now check out the rest of Megβs money saving makeup dupe list here!
Budget Friendly Beauty – The Best Drugstore Dupes
Now with Caseyβs (from the Blondeshell) list of makeup dupes, I canβt help but talk about the e.l.f. product she has as well. The Candid Coral Studio Blush by e.l.f is only $5.99 as oppose to the $42 NARS blush. With a little less shimmer, itβs definitely a steal (besides, to me, blush is blush, just find the right shade for your skin tone).
You can find e.l.f.βs e.l.f.βs Candid Coral Studio Blush here.
Take a look at the rest of Caseyβs awesome finds here! Link gone. Page no longer exists.
Prom Makeup Dupes- Splurge vs. Steal
You know those mornings where you wake up and youβre exhausted only to find that you have dark circles from bad sleep? Well thatβs where concealer comes in handy! But thereβs no need to spend $48 for something like the Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer Wand. Instead, opt for the $5 NYX HD Photogenic Concealer Wand. This one is great because it doesnβt cake on your skin and become obvious that youβre wearing makeup.
You can get NYX HD Photogenic Concealer Wand here.
Read the rest of Clarisseβs amazing makeup dupe list here!
Splurge vs. Save – 10 Fabulous Foundations Dupes
Now many of us need a good foundation (not to say that some of us need a bad one, just there are people who donβt need foundation at allβ¦ and Iβm jealous). On Beauty Tidbits with Harshleen, she gives some great foundation dupes so you arenβt paying huge prices for the main part of your makeup look.
I really do approve of her suggestion for Maybellineβs Fit Me! Matte + Poreless Foundation ($5.99) as opposed to MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation SPF 15 ($28). Maybelline has some good quality makeup for good prices and this foundation gives good coverage and doesnβt dry. Plus, it comes in a wide range of tones so youβll be sure to find the right one for your skin.
You can buy Maybellineβs Fit Me! Matte + Poreless Foundation here.
Check out the rest of Harshleenβs awesome makeup dupes here!
Best of Dupes
Now when I found this picture that showed me these awesome makeup dupes, I was happy to see makeup setting spray as an option. For someone with oily skin, it getβs pretty tiring to touch up makeup on a hot day all the time. But with e.l.f. Make-Up Mist here for only $6.99 instead of MAC Cosmetics Fix + ($21), I was glad I could keep my makeup in place for such a low cost. Definitely a steal!
You can get e.l.f. Make-Up Mist here.
This infographic was found here. Link removed; the site no longer exists.
Makeup Dupes
As someone with blue eyes, Iβve been told that copper or bronze eyeshadow would make my eyes pop. And itβs true, it does which is why Iβm happy about this steal. So instead of paying $20 for a small eyeshadow case of Stila Eyeshadow in Kitten, you can save $11 and buy LβOreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Iced Latte currently for only $7.99 (I know you can do math, I just thought Iβd say it so you didnβt have to).
Itβs a great neutral shade for many peopleβs skin tones and eyes colors which makes it an awesome find for such a low price.
You can buy LβOreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Iced Latte here.
Check out the rest of Julianaβs amazing makeup dupes here! Link removed: site is no longer there.
BONUS Makeup Dupes!
Here are my awesome bonuses for this list of great makeup dupes. I love giving my readers a little surprise with a bit more information at the end.
Beauty Doubles: 50+ Amazing Drugstore Makeup Dupes
Have I already mentioned how oily my face can get? Yeah I have havenβt I? Well when you have an oily face like mine, where eye makeupβs prone to smudging under your eyes, youβre gonna need some Milani Eyeshadow Primer to keep it in place. Urban Decayβs Eyeshadow Primer Potion is currently $27, so youβre walking out with a savings of almost $13. Now thatβs a great steal.
You can buy Milani Eyeshadow Primer here.
You can check out the rest of Harshleenβs beauty dupes here!
Splurge/Steal: More Awesome Makeup Dupes
Alright so Meg O. On the Go has quite a few makeup dupe posts which is great because theyβre all steals (unlike other posts out there that say itβs a steal when itβs still not within our budget).
Now Maybelline rocks mascara with their The Rocket Mascara (no pun intended). This brand always has some great mascaras to choose from and I really appreciate the volume this one gives me. For only $5.99 you can walk out with an awesome mascara as opposed to Benefit Theyβre Real Mascara which is $29.98.
You can find Maybelline The Rocket Mascara here.
Check out the rest of Megβs super awesome makeup dupes here!
Now I really hope that these dupes were some great steals for you. Makeup at any store can get pretty expensive, but you can still save a lot if you know which brand and what product youβre looking for.
Now if you have any awesome makeup dupes that you know about, feel free to tell me in the comments! Iβd love to know about them!
Chasing Foxes was started in 2016 as a way for Grace and her husband, Silas, to start traveling. However, they started to realize that they had a passion for improving themselves, and wanted to help others level up their lives as well. So whether it's with cooking, travel, or staying healthy, they want to help you better your life bit by bit, as they do the same.
I have been using clinque’s Perfectly Real foundation #49 for at least 5 years now. For the last 5 to 6 mos. the Dept.Str. has been out of stock..well we know what that means…Need to find a new foundation in my shade.
I absolutely love the elf intense ink eye liner! I’ve tried other way more expensive eye liners, and found that the elf is easy to apply and stays on all day!
Thank you for the suggested dupes. I took pic’s of your foundation and concealer and foundation spray to make sure I purchase the exact products.
Hey Jodie! You are most welcome! π
Another dupe that I used and absolutely loved it was physicians formula 3d mascara with the two tubes worked exactly like the unique 3d mascara . I can’t say enough about it !!! And its 20 dollars cheaper :); I found mine at walmart
Thanks for this awesome tip Brandy! π
Thank you for the E.L.F dupes of Nars Orgasm. I never could wear that because of the shimmer!
You are most welcome Twila! π
Thanks for the information with people like me that doesn’t have money to buy expensive make up
You are most welcome Sara. π
Awesome ? article. Good to know info.
Thank you so much Mandy!
Love makeup dupes! Thanks for posting. Coastal Scents’ Revealed palettes 1 & 2 (each contains 12 shadows) are excellent dupes for UD’s Naked palettes, 1, 2, and 3 for a fraction of the cost I paid less than $30 for both!). I’ve tried several drugstore dupes, but none came close to CS’s. I highly recommend!
Hey April, thanks for this awesome tip! I’ll totally follow it the next time I go shopping for makeup. π
Awesome list! Thanks!
Thanks so much Lisa! You have awesome day! π