I’m not saying all of these products are “dupes” as I haven’t tried/tested all of them. However, a lot of popular, expensive products have cheaper alternatives.
If it’s a product I’ve tried, I’ll link to any reviews I’ve posted.
I’ve noted my favorite with an *
beautyblender
—Sonia Kashuk*
—elf Total Face
—Real Techniques Miracle Complexion
—Wet n Wild
—ecotools BioBlender
—LA Girl
I’ve tried all of these and the best option is the Sonia Kashuk sponge. It’s as soft and bouncy as the original beautyblender and only $5!
Tarte Shape Tape (review)
—CoverGirl TruBlend Undercover* (review)
—elf 16 HR Camo (review)
—Makeup Revolution Conceal & Define Full Coverage (review)
—Wet n Wild Incognito (review)
—Morphe Fluidity (review)
—LOreal Infallible Full Wear (review)
I’ve tried all of these concealers and my favorite dupe is the CoverGirl TruBlend Undercover. It’s full coverage, easy to blend, and performs the exact same as the original Shape Tape formulation. It comes in 30 shades and depending on where you purchase, you can get it for as little as $4.
Tarte Shape Tape Ultra Creamy (review)
—elf Hydrating Camo* (review)
—Makeup Revolution Conceal & Hydrate (review)
elf Hydrating Camo is an EXACT dupe! It comes in 25 shades.
Laura Mercier Translucent Powder (review)
—Maybelline Fit Me Loose*
—Colour Pop No Filter Loose (review)
—Coty Airspun, $6
I’ve tried the Laura Mercier and all 3 alternatives and the Maybelline Fit Me is the way to go. It’s easy to access, comes in 8 shades, and is less than $10. The Laura Mericer only comes in 3 shades.
MAC Strobe Cream
—LOreal Glotion*
—Milani Soft Focus Glow Complexion Enhancer
—Makeup Revolution Glow Beam Light Strobe Cream
—LA Girl Luminous Glow Skin Illuminator
—Colour Pop Pretty Fresh Hydrating Illuminator
I’ve tried the Strobe Cream and it’s a great product. You can get the same results with the LOreal Glotion. It comes in 4 shades and the MAC comes in 3.
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (review)
—Neutrogena Radiant Cream (review)
—LOreal Age Perfect Radiant
—Flower Beauty Light Illusion* (review)
The Neutrogena concealer only comes in 15 shades and the range isn’t great, BUT the formula is the same as NARS far as coverage and finish.
Chanel LES BEIGES Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream
—Tarte Breezy Cream Bronzer
—Makeup Revolution Ultra Cream Bronzer
—Sol Face & Body Bronzing Balm
—Huda Beauty Tantour
—Anastasia Beverly Hills Cream Bronzer
—elf Putty Bronzer* (review)
I haven’t tried the Chanel, but there are SO many cream bronzers on the market right now that there’s no need to pay $50 for one. The elf Putty Bronzer comes in 8 shades (the Chanel only comes in 2), is super affordable and easy to access, lasts all day, and is easy to blend.
NARS Powder Blush in Orgasm
—Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso*
—Catrice Cheek Love Oil-Infused Blush
Luminoso is a color dupe and will give you the same look. However, the Milani formula doesn’t last all day on my skin so for me, the NARS is worth the splurge.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz
—LA Girl Shady Slim, $5.99*
—NYX Micro Brow, $10
—Ulta Ultra Slim Brow, $10
—LOreal Brow Stylist Definer, $9.49
—Colour Pop Brow Boss, $7
—elf Ultra Precise, $6
—Maybelline Ultra Slim Defining, $8.99
—CoverGirl Micro-Fine+Define, $8.99
—Morphe Micro Brow, $6
There is absolutely ZERO reason to spend $23 on a Brow Wiz. There are even more dupes than the ones I listed above. ABH Brow Wiz comes in 12 shades and my pick, the LA Girl Shady Slim Brow, comes in 10.
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara (review)
—CoverGirl Exhibitionist (review)
—LOreal Lash Paradise (review)
—Revlon Fierce! Big Bad Lash* (review)
—Sephora Size Up (review)
—Essence Lash Princess Curl & Volume (review)
—elf Big Mood (review)
I have tried all of the mascaras above and the Revlon Big Bad Lash is a total dupe. They both have the hourglass shaped wand and give amazing volume and drama.
Tatcha Silk Canvas Primer
—elf Putty (review)
—Makeup Revolution Conceal & Fix Pore Perfecting
—Catrice Grip & Last
—Physicians Formula Butter Believe It!
I tried the Tatcha and it really didn’t do much for me. My pores weren’t really blurred or filled so to me, it’s not worth $52. I don’t like the elf Putty Primer and I haven’t tried the others. I’m just not a fan of the putty primer formula from any brand.
Diorshow Mascara
—LOreal Voluminous
—Makeup Revolution 5D Lash Pow* (review)
—Essence I Love Extreme Volume
—Pixi Large Lash
I haven’t tried the Diorshow, but the Makeup Revolution 5D Lash Pow has the exact same wand for $10, it’s worth trying before splurging on the Dior.
YSL Touche Eclat Concealer Pen
—elf Flawless Brightening* (review)
—Clinique Airbrush Concealer, $24
YSL concealer comes in 14 shades and the elf comes in $18. I’ve tried YSL and elf and they both have similar packaging, coverage, and finish. elf has more shades, is easier to access, and is significantly cheaper.
KVD Beauty Tattoo Liner
—NYX Epic Ink
—Milani The Tank
—Colour Pop BFF
—Physicians Formula Eye Booster* (review)
The Physicians Formula Eye Booster is one of my favorite liquid liners. It’s easy to use, pigmented, stays in place all day, and glides across the lid like a dream. KVD’s formula is great too, but Physicians Formula is half the price and does the exact.same.thing.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel
—Colour Pop Brow Boss Gel
—Makeup Revolution Extra Hold Brow Glue* (review)
—NYX The Brow Glue (review)
I’ve been a longtime fan of ABH and no cheaper option has ever come close to it until I found the Makeup Revolution Brow Glue. Now that I’ve got a $7 dupe, I won’t repurchase ABH.
Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer
—NYX Angel Veil* (review)
—elf Mineral Infused
The Hourglass primer is pricey, but it is a good product. It works for all skin types, smooths, and creates the perfect, flawless base for foundation. NYX Angel Veil does all the same things. I think the NYX is a bit pricey for drugstore at $17, but still much cheaper than Hourglass.
Milk Makeup Hydro Grip
—elf Power Grip
—Hard Candy Sheer Envy Hydrating
I tried the Milk primer and didn’t like it all so I haven’t tried any of the dupes. It’s a sticky, gripping primer and I don’t like that texture. elf’s version is similar in look and feel.
Smashbox x Becca Champagne Pop Highlighter
—Wet n Wild Highlighter in Golden Flower Crown
—Revlon Skin Lights Prismatic Highlighter in Twilight Gleam
I tried Champagne Pop when it was first released as a collab with Jaclyn Hill, but I returned it because it was too dark for my skin tone. I do like the Becca formula though. I can’t attest to the dupes formulas because they aren’t a match for me, but you can Google swatches and see that they are quite similar.
the Hannah Hardy 
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