12 of the Best Makeup Dupes to Try According to the Experts

With expensive prestige brands having me in a near constant choke hold because I’m kind of in love with their products, sometimes it can be (really) helpful to know about some more affordable makeup dupes.

Because while I love MAC’s Studio Fix, sometimes I don’t want to spend nearly $50 on a foundation.

And if you’re looking for some luxury counterparts at the drugstore, then these dupes are something to stock up on. Don’t let yourself get fooled by the prettier packaging or expensive advertising; it’s how it looks on you that matter.

These drugstore makeup dupes are something you can test out yourself while also feeling a lot better about the price point. So if you’re looking for more affordable products, here are 12 makeup dupes you can try.

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1. Pore Minimizer

Price Breakdown:

• Benefit The POREfessional: $35 VS Maybelline Baby Skin Pore Eraser $7.99

Nada Wilson from Play Pennies says, “These are almost identical. When tested on half of the face – I couldn’t tell the difference at all. As it good as it gets in the dupe world.“

So if you’re dealing with the noticeable pore struggle, then this might be a product you want to test out.

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2. Colored Lip Balms

Price Breakdown:

• Revlon Colorburst: $9.25 VS Cinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Color balm $18.75

Finding good drugstore dupes can save you a lot of money, and this is one of them.

Alina Gonzalez from Byrdie says, “Revlon ColorBurst Balm Stain delivers a similarly soft, stained color in an emollient balm.” So if you’re looking for a way to color and moisturize your lips, then try saving $9.50 with Revlon.

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3. Single Eyeshadows

Price Breakdown:

• Wet ‘n Wild Single Eyeshadow in Nutty: $2 VS Mac Satin Taupe Eyeshadow: $23.97

If you want a fantastic eye shadow, this Mac Satin Taupe Eyeshadow is for you. But, this Wet ‘n Wild Single Eyeshadow in Nutty for $2 does a pretty good job too which makes it a steal.

Meg O. On the Go says, “-this single eyeshadow from Wet n’ Wild is literally the same. The only complaint I have with it is the packaging – I feel like the eyeshadow breaks really easily because of it. But it’s 99 cents (now $2) so I will forgive them for that.”

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4. Mascara

Price Breakdown:

• Covergirl Lashblast Mascara for $8.48 VS Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara: $28

Kara from Fit Chick Next Door says, “Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara for $27.50 VS Covergirl Lashblast Mascara for $8. This Covergirl mascara is one of my favorite mascaras.”

The prices since she said this are a just a bit higher with Covergirl now being $8.49 and Smashbox being $28. But I’m going to assume you probably don’t care about this small difference. 🤷‍♀️

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5. Blush

Price Breakdown:

• Nars Peachy-Pink Blush: $34 VS Milani Baked Powder Blush in Luminoso: $7.62

Byrdie says, “It’s the universally flattering peachy-pink hue that makes Nars Blush… such a power player, and Milani Baked Powder Blush in Luminoso is a close copy that errs slightly more on the peach than pink side.”

With $26.38 in savings, I think this makeup dupe is worth it. 👍

Here’s the rest of Byrdie’s dupes.

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6. Eyeshadow Palette

Price Breakdown:

• Maybelline The Nudes Palette: $13.99 VS LORAC PRO PALETTE $25

With Maybelline’s The Nudes Palette ($13.99 as opposed to the $25 LORAC PRO Palette), I can’t recommend it enough! I’ve been using it for over a year (maybe I should be replacing it by now?), and I don’t regret the purchase at all.

This eye shadow palette really offers some great shades for making your eyes pop, and can really finish off a look.

Read the rest of Society19’s dupes here!

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7. Eyeliner Pencil

Price Breakdown:

• Rimmel Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner: $4.99 VS Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil: $23

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 it’s cheaper.

Now one of the dupe products she recommends is Rimmel Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner ($4.99) as opposed to Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil (currently $23). Rimmel always has great makeup products for such a small price, so I’m not surprised that she mentioned this one.

With a savings of $18, it legit is a deal you shouldn’t pass up.

Also, here’s the rest of her money saving makeup dupes if you want to read more!

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8. Lipstick

Price Breakdown:

• Revlon Really Red: $6.95 VS MAC Russian Red: $25.44

If you’re on the hunt for the best dupes, then don’t skip this one.

I’m pretty sure that when I was a teenager, I thought MAC was the end all be all for makeup. And I’m also pretty sure that my taste was too expensive. 🤷‍♀️

But now that I’m living more frugally (thank goodness), I really appreciated this list of MAC makeup dupes. And I especially like Revlon’s “Really Red” as opposed to MAC’s “Russian Red.” It’s a good savings and I feel that MAC’s “Russian Red” is a bit dry. Don’t get me wrong, it stays well, but I do like it if my lipstick glides on my lips more.

Also, Revlon’s “Really Red” makes your lips pop, so as a cheaper makeup dupe to MAC, I would definitely recommend it.

Make sure to check out the rest of Azalea Pena’s makeup dupe list here!

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9. Foundation

Price Breakdown:

• Maybelline’s Fit Me! Matte + Poreless Foundation: $8.62 VS MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation SPF 15: $45.89

Looking for good foundation dupes? Here’s one.

On BeautyTidbits with Harshleen, she gives some great foundation dupes so you aren’t paying huge prices for the main part of your makeup look.

I really do approve of her suggestion for Maybelline’s Fit Me! Matte + Poreless Foundation ($8.62) as opposed to MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation SPF 15 ($45.89).

Also, Harshleen says, “The balanced matte finish isn’t overly drying and does a decent job of keeping oily shine at bay. Another plus is that like MAC’s version, it comes in a wide range of shades for light to deep skin tones!” So if you’re used to buying MAC’s more expensive foundation, then this might be a dupe you’ll want to try.

Check out the rest of her awesome makeup dupes here!

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10. Setting Spray

Price Breakdown:

• e.l.f. Cosmetics Mist & Setting Spray: $6 VS MAC Cosmetics Fix +: $25.50

Now when I found this image that showed me awesome dupe makeup, I was happy to see makeup setting spray as an option.

For someone with oily skin, it get’s pretty tiring to continually touch up makeup on a hot day. But with e.l.f.’s Cosmetics Mist & Setting Spray for only $6 instead of MAC Cosmetics Fix+ ($25.50), I’m glad to see that I can keep my makeup in place for such a low cost. Definitely a steal!

Link to site with infographic no longer exists.

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11. Eyeshadow Primer

Price Breakdown:

• Milani Eyeshadow Primer: $6.77 VS Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer Potion: $28

When you have an oily face like mine, where eye makeup’s prone to smudging under your eyes, you’re gonna need some Milani Eyeshadow Primer ($6.77) to keep it in place. Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer Potion is currently $28, so you’re walking out with a savings of almost $13. Now that’s a great deal.

You can check out the rest of Harshleen’s beauty dupes here!

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12. One More Mascara Dupe

Price Breakdown:

• The Rocket Mascara: $7.99 VS Benefit They’re Real Mascara: $23

Meg O. On the Go has quite a few makeup dupe posts which is great because they’re all steals (unlike some posts that say it’s a steal even when it’s not budget-friendly).

Now Maybelline rocks mascara with their The Rocket Mascara that’s only $7.99 (no pun intended). Meg says, “This has a rubber brush, and is tapered. Another one of those that gives me everything I want in a mascara.” And with a savings of $15, it’s kind of a no brainer.

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Finding the best drugstore dupes wasn’t always the easiest, but thankfully there are so many beauty experts sharing their amazing finds.

Also, which beauty dupes are your person favorites? I’d love to know!