Save Your Coin: Affordable Dupes for High End Makeup

I’m not going to lie. I love high-end and luxury makeup. If I had to pick between purchasing drugstore or affordable items and luxury, I will almost always pick luxury. What can I say? I’m bougie. BUT. There are a few affordable products that I absolutely love and that I would recommend. If there are items that you love but can’t afford or don’t want to spend the extra money on, I may have some great affordable alternatives for you.

Chantecaille Philanthropy Cheek Blush, $40 vs. Milani Baked Blush, $9.49

I own blushes from both of these collections and I love them both. As you would expect, the Chantecaille is of course more luxe in packaging and feel and it should be for such a steep price tag. I quite love the finish of these blushes, they are silky and leave a beautiful soft glow to the skin. I would definitely recommend them if you are okay with the price. If you’re not okay with such a steep price tag, the Milani Baked lushes are a great alternative. They are powder blushes with subtle shimmer throughout. Like the Chantecaille, they also give the skin a beautiful glow. Milani also has a larger range of shades than Chantecaille. And cost less than $10. You can also find these blushes on sale so you can save even more.

Glossier Boy Brow, $16 vs Colourpop Brow Boss Gel, $7

My current brow gel of choice is the Lime Crime Bushy Brow Gel. Which, at $18 is more expensive than both the Glossier and the Colourpop gels. But before I started using the LC one, I was a big fan of the Colourpop Brow Boss Gel. And I still am. I recommend it to anyone who wants a great brow gel at an affordable price. It functions just like the Glossier Boy Brow in that in gives soft pigment while thickening the look of brow hairs and giving a soft hold. Both come in 5 shades, including clear.

Glossier Cloud Paint, $18 vs Flower Beauty Blush Bomb, $10

I have yet to try the Glossier Cloud Paints, though they are on my “to try list”. And had I not tried the Flower Beauty Blush Bombs first, I probably would have purchased a tube or two by now. I own two of the Flower Beauty blushes and I LOVE them. The formula is fantastic. They are pigmented, easy to blend and can be worn over or under powder. They don’t have as may shades in the range (Glossier has eight and Flower Beauty has six), but if you are curious about liquid blush and don’t want to drop nearly $20 on something you may not like they are an affordable way to experiment.

Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint, $48 vs. The Ordinary Serum Foundation, $7

Serums and skin tints are all the rage right now. Glossier has their skin tint, Ilia has theirs, and then there is the one that was released first and that is one of my personal all-time favorite foundations. The Ordinary Serum Foundation. Don’t let the word “foundation” scare you away. The coverage of this product is light and sheer and is basically “your skin but better”. Much like the other “skin tints” on the market. The Ordinary foundation doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles as the Ilia one does (the SPF, Squalane, etc.), but I personally don’t rely on my makeup for skincare benefits. I use my skincare for that. If you are okay with a simple, serum formula that gives a soft tint to the skin, I think the Serum Foundation is a great option.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder, $48 vs. NYX High Glass Finishing Powder, $12

I decided last month that I would no longer be supporting Hourglass. They have stalwartly refused to be inclusive with their launches and after the fiasco of their last release (where they used a deeper skin model and edited their product to look like it would work for deeper skin), that was the straw that broke the camel’s back for me. If I am being honest, a lot of Hourglass products are overrated. And you can find products that do the same thing. I own the Ambient lighting Powder in Dim Light and I never reach for it. It is too light for my skin but I also just don’t see much of a difference in the overall look of my makeup. I purchased the NYX High Glass Finishing Powder after hearing Anjelica Nyqvist on YouTube raved about it. And she was right. It is what I wanted the Hourglass powder to be-and it’s a fraction of the cost. It gives the skin such a beautiful soft glow while melding all of the products beneath it together for a soft-focus finish. I used a big buffing brush to apply it over my makeup. If you decide to pick this up make sure to pick up the Finishing powder and NOT the Illuminating One. That one is more of a highlight. Or - you could pick up BOTH and still have spent less than you would have on one Hourglass product!

What are some of your favorite affordable dupes? Let me know in the comments!

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