If you like makeup as much as we do, a trip to Ulta can easily become a budget-buster. Oops! Beauty dupes are a great option to keep those dollars in line.
If you typically gravitate toward more expensive makeup brands, keep reading! You might find an equally effective, lower-cost version of your favorite product.
Bronzer
Is Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Matte Bronzer a staple in your makeup bag? Then try Physicians Formula Murumuru Butter Bronzer ($12.49, shop here). This bronzer is praised for its pretty smell and flawless blendability. The best part? It’s half the price, and you can buy it at places like Walmart and Target.
Concealer
Our top affordable concealer pick? Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Multi-Use Concealer ($9.99, shop here). It covers up dark under-eye bags and blends nicely, so you don’t end up looking like you fell asleep with sunglasses on at the beach! It won’t settle into eye wrinkles as the day drags on, either. Beauty gurus say it mimics Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer and Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away.
CoverGirl TruBlend Undercover Concealer ($11.99, shop here) is an excellent alternative to the iconic Tarte Shape Tape Concealer. It has lightweight coverage but is thick enough to hide eye under-eye circles and acne. Some reviewers insist CoverGirl’s version is better than the real thing since it’s more hydrating to the face.
Another Tarte Shape Tape Concealer dupe is Elf Cosmetics 16-Hour Camo Concealer ($6.47, shop here). It boasts similar coverage for acne scars and dark circles and also dries matte.
Mascara
When you think of mascara, do you think of Too Faced Better Than Sex? That’s understandable – it’s hard to beat! But CoverGirl Exhibitionist Mascara ($11.99, shop here) is known for giving nearly identical length and fullness without clumping.
Another Too Faced dupe is L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara ($9.99, shop here). The formula is great for volume, and the soft brush looks and feels pleasantly familiar. Try one of the six shades for only $10. Heck, at that price, you might as well try all six!
Brow Wow
Need to amp up your brows but don’t want to drop dollars on Glossier Boy Brow? Elf Cosmetics Wow Brow Gel ($4, shop here) offers a similar formula in a comparable tube. The price will buy you a natural look while providing some necessary help with shape, fluff, and fullness. It applies with a wand similar to a brow mascara and holds all day long.
The Bottom Line
Don’t break the bank! You don’t have to drop hundreds to look flawless when these dupes are on the market. You might even find yourself with a full face for the cost of what you used to spend on one product.