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flat lay of makeup
flat lay of makeup
Emily Nelissen
Style > Beauty

Drugstore Dupes for High-End Makeup Products

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Concordia CA chapter.

I am obsessively addicted to beauty products, so I’d say I know a thing or two about finding a good deal. I love to go to upscale stores like Sephora, but as a full-time student, sometimes my budget doesn’t allow for it. Fortunately, many brands at the drugstore have mastered the art of replication. For a fraction of the cost, you can find amazing dupes of your favourite high-end brands at your local drugstore! Some dupes are less than half the price, while others save you only a little. To me, though, any saving is a good saving. I like to keep a mixture of both high end and drugstore products in my collection, so here are a few dupes I’ve both discovered myself and seen across the internet.

 

Mac Ruby Woo ($23CAD) vs. Wet & Wild Stoplight Red

This tried and true dupe is the closest match to cult favourite Ruby Woo, and comes in at the low cost of $9.26CAD.

 

Beautyblender ($28CAD) vs. Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

$28 for a sponge? No, thank you. While the beauty blender is an amazing product for makeup application, this dupe by Real Techniques is just as good and costs only $11.99CAD.

 

Anastasia Dipbrow ($23CAD) vs. e.l.f. Lock on Liner and Brow

Anastasia’s products are amazing, but don’t break the bank for it! Consider going for an e.l.f. dupe for 11.92CAD! This brand is known for having extremely low prices.

 

Urban Decay Makeup Setting Spray ($40.50CAD)  vs. NYX Makeup Setting Spray

I searched high and low for a good dupe for the Urban Decay setting spray, and the one by NYX is a great alternative. At only $10 Canadian, it’s a great money saver.

 

Kylie Lip Kit ($38.80 CAD) vs. NYX lipsticks

Another NYX dupe! The line has a large range of liquid lipsticks, and the Lingerie line has similar tube design to the Kylie lip kits. For example, a great dupe for the Dolce K lip kit is the NYX Suede lipstick in the shade Sandstorm, while NYX Soft Matte lip cream in the shade London looks very similar to Kylie’s Kandy K.

 

Nars Orgasm blush ($38CAD)  vs. theBalm Hot Mama blush

Unfortunately, theBalm is very hard to find in my section of Canada. However, it is available on Amazon. At $24CAD, it is a slightly cheaper alternative to the Nars blush if you are looking to save just a little bit of cash.

 

Buxom Full-On Plumping Lip Gloss ($24CAD) vs. Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Gloss

Lip plump is a little intimidating, so before going for the expensive brands, do try a cheaper alternative first! Soap and Glory’s Sexy Mother Pucker costs $14CAD and gives the same effect as many of the high-end lip gloss plumpers.

 

 

 

Kheyra King

Concordia CA '21

Kheyra King is a Montreal-born city girl studying English Literature at Concordia University. She is the Campus Correspondent for Her Campus at Concordia and the Vice President of Recruitment of Delta Phi Epsilon. She loves coffee dates, traveling and pasta. You will definitely catch her studying at the local Starbucks or Webster Library.
Kami Katopodis

Concordia CA '19

President of HC Concordia • Poet • Major in Human Relations • Minor in Diversity in the Contemporary World •