The Beauty Diary: Cheap ‘dupes’ of popular luxury makeup and skincare products
YOU don’t need to shell out big bucks for fancy designer products. We found the cheap versions that are just as good as their luxe counterparts.
BIG beauty brands would love us to believe the only way to experience true luxury is by buying a $200 jar of night cream.
While luxury is officially defined as “a state of great comfort or elegance, especially when involving great expense” — I Googled it — to me it simply means feeling yourself.
Bougie beauty products can totally make that happen, don’t get me wrong. I really want those Chanel undereye masks just so I can post a series of obnoxious selfie videos on my Instagram story.
But there is something so smugly satisfying about finding a product that does exactly what it says on the tin and is super cheap.
It can be so risky dropping a lot of cash on an expensive beauty product that ~might~ work. Plus half the time there are cheaper versions of those expensive cult luxe products that are just as good.
So here are nine luxury beauty products and the nine “dupes” that do the job for way less cash, including the $15 foundation that’s just as good as the luxe $100 version.
Missed last week’s column? We found the $5 product that kills off nasty pimples overnight
1. FOUNDATION
LUXE: GIORGIO ARMANI LUMINOUS SILK
Price: $99
Available from: David Jones, Myer, Sephora
This is the OG foundation loved by makeup artists and celebrities for its beautiful, luxurious finish that makes your skin look expensive. Coughing up that $100 for 30mL is worth it, but it still stings every time.
DUPE: L’OREAL TRUE MATCH
Price: $15-$25
Available from: Chemist Warehouse, Priceline, Woolworths
I use a lot of cheap skincare but I’ll be honest — I’m a snob about makeup and mostly use designer stuff. The last time I used a foundation from the chemist was in high school and I definitely did not know how to shade match myself. It was sad.
You know how Kim Kardashian visits homeless shelters and films the whole thing for her reality show in an attempt to appear relatable? That was me this week when I went to Priceline, bought a bunch of cheap foundations to test out and put it all on my Insta story.
First of all — the shade range of all high street foundations is terrible. In a world where brands such as M.A.C, Clinique and Fenty are making 40-60 shades, 10 colours is not OK.
Secondly, it’s so hard to figure out what shade you are. During my visits to multiple Pricelines in the Sydney metro area, I had to bring along my own foundation and concealer from home so I could compare the tester shades to the products I’m currently wearing on the back of my hand.
The internet had great things to say about True Match, so I trundled along to the L’Oreal aisle. I’ve been wearing this foundation all week and it’s great.
A little more matte than the Armani, but it’s super easy to blend and sets really nicely. If you want more glow, just go nuts on the highlighter.
2. SPOT CONCEALER
As discussed last week, you need two different types of concealer in your makeup bag — a thick one to cover up pimples and a creamy, light reflecting one for under your eyes.
LUXE: NARS CREAMY UNDEREYE
Price: $44
Available from: Mecca Cosmetica
This concealer is like crack for beauty bloggers — they’re all obsessed with it. It’s nice, but I’ve always thought that price was a little rich for a product we go through so quickly.
DUPE: RIMMEL WAKE ME UP
Price: $15
Available from: Priceline, Chemist Warehouse, Woolworths
This is another winner from my charitable mission to Priceline. Super easy to apply and doesn’t get cakey.
I actually found it worked well at the end of the work day when you need a tiny touch up around the nose and chin area before going out but you CBF to reapply your whole face.
3. UNDEREYE CONCEALER
LUXE: YVES SAINT LAURENT TOUCHE ÉCLAT
Price: $70
Available from: Sephora, Mecca Cosmetica, David Jones, Myer
The way people talk about Touche Éclat (pronounced “toosh eklatt”), you’d honestly think it could give you an orgasm or make all men emotionally available.
It’s nice, but most people need a little more coverage under the eyes to make any difference. Plus for $70 it runs out depressingly quickly.
DUPE: RIMMEL MATCH PERFECTION
Price: $14
Available from: Priceline, Chemist Warehouse, Kmart
We need to issue a ban on telling people, “You look tired”. So rude. Someone said that to me this week, sending me into a low self-esteem spiral that ended with this concealer slathered underneath my eyes the following morning.
Must have worked because no one managed to insult my appearance that day. Winning!
4. MOISTURISER
LUXE: CHARLOTTE TILBURY’S MAGIC CREAM
Price: $320
Available from: charlottetilbury.com.au
OK, so I’m actually obsessed with Charlotte Tilbury. The British celebrity makeup artist is insanely extra and has her own line of beautiful, but very overpriced products. I want them all.
You need to watch her makeup tutorials on YouTube. Her adorable British lisp is so soothing and she completely backs herself. Ladies, we all deserve a man who speaks about us the way Charlotte speaks about her products.
The legend perpetuated by Charlotte and her very smart marketing team is that this is the cream she uses backstage at fashion shows on tired models who are so exhausted from being thin and beautiful. It’s supposed to wipe away all sins and leave you looking incredible.
But I was sent a sample pot recently and felt underwhelmed. Absolutely not worth $320.
DUPE: CETAPHIL MOISTURISER
Price: $9.50
Available from: Priceline, Chemist Warehouse, Coles, Woolworths
I legit cannot tell the difference between the famous Magic Cream and this Cetaphil moisturiser. It’s thick, hydrating, costs less than a tenner and you can pick it up during your weekly grocery shop.
5. BROW GEL
LUXE: GLOSSIER BOY BROW
Price: $22
Available from: Glossier’s website (if you have shipping converted) or eBay
Glossier is the cult New York beauty brand launched by former Vogue staffer Emily Weiss, who founded the popular beauty website Into The Gloss.
Annoyingly, you can only buy Glossier products in the US, Canada and UK and they don’t have international shipping. Their exclusivity model annoys me so much and that’s why I have a love-hate relationship with Glossier.
But their best-selling Boy Brow eyebrow gel is fabulous. It gives you enough colour to naturally fluff up your brows without looking like that eyebrow dog meme.
DUPE: NYX TINTED BROW MASCARA
Price: $12.95
Available from: Priceline
Everyone has been raving about NYX but part of me just could not believe products that cheap could be good.
I’m happy to say I stand corrected. I cannot get over how good this product is for its price. You literally just brush up your brows and they stay put all day.
6. MASCARA
LUXE: TOO FACED BETTER THAN SEX MASCARA
Price: $33
Available from: Mecca Cosmetica, Sephora
Whoever named this mascara obviously needs to dump their boyfriend, but I won’t hold that against this great product. You get super fluffy lashes and the pink tube is cute.
DUPE: L’OREAL PARADISE
Price: $25
Available from: Woolworths, Target, Priceline, Chemist Warehouse
Mascaras are nice but cheap mascaras are even better. This is exactly the same as the Too Faced one, just a little cheaper. FYI it’s often on sale for even less at Chemist Warehouse.
7. CREAM HIGHLIGHTER
LUXE: RMS LIVING LUMINSER
Price: $55
Available from: Mecca Cosmetica
RMS is a natural beauty brand that sell lots of cute, expensive things in white pots. This highlighter is nice but that price tag annoys me.
DUPE: MECCA LIT FROM WITHIN BALM
Price: $32
Available from: Mecca Cosmetica
My best friend gave me this for Christmas a few years ago and I have never found a daytime highlighter that is as natural-looking or dewy as this. It lasts forever, too.
Don’t worry, it’s not shimmery. Just makes you look like a glowier, sexier version of you.
8. VITAMIN C SERUM
LUXE: SKINCEUTICALS C E FERULIC ACID
Price: $188
Available from: Adore Beauty, fancy skincare clinics
Every fancy facialist and internet listicle will tell you this is the holy grail of vitamin C serums. Vitamin C is a great skincare ingredient that brightens the skin and helps reduce pigmentation. When combined with vitamin E and ferulic acid, it’s a skincare powerhouse.
This is a fantastic serum that absolutely works. But it feels strange to spend so much money on a product that smells bloody awful, has the consistency of water and looks like pee. Plus, no one can actually afford it.
Pop it on your Christmas wish list and pray you don’t smash it on the floor.
DUPE: PAULA’S CHOICE CE BOOSTER
Price: $62
Available from: paulaschoice.com.au
This product is technically a “booster”, meaning you can mix it into your moisturiser instead of applying onto bare skin like a normal serum. I love that because it means fewer steps in the morning.
It has exactly the same ingredients as the Skinceuticals serum — 15 per cent vitamin C, vitamin E and ferulic acid — and works just as well.
9. FACE OIL
LUXE: VOTARY SUPER SEED FACIAL OIL
Price: $140
Available from: Sephora
The only thing that’s been saving my skin this past winter was slathering this oil all over myself.
I got my hands on a bottle at a Sephora publicity event and was using it carelessly, wondering how this mystery oil in the simple packaging was so damn good before I googled it and realised how expensive it was. Rookie error.
Now there’s about 10mL left and I’m using it sparingly during the last days of this miserable cold Sydney weather.
DUPE: GO-TO SKINCARE FACE HERO
Price: $45
Available from: gotoskincare.com
Because I will not be able to afford another bottle of Votary, I ordered this online from Zoe Foster Blake’s brand Go-To Skincare. The ingredients are very similar — a bunch of rare, fancy oils — but for less than a third of the price. Slather over bare skin or mix a few drops with your moisturiser for added hydration. Don’t be afraid of oil! It makes a great makeup base — you just need a few minutes for it to sink in.
— This column is not sponsored and this is not advertorial content. Every review is independent, honest and ad-free.
— If you have a beauty question or a product you’d like us to road test, email rebecca.sullivan@news.com.au, DM me on Instagram or tweet me.
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