Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
Style > Beauty

Drugstore Dupes: Alix Earle’s Mascara Routine on a Budget

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

Unless you have been living under a rock or are boycotting the notorious app TikTok, you have likely encountered the rising star Alix Earle. Earle has recently risen to fame for her “Get Ready with Me” videos. From makeup tutorials to debriefing her wild nights out with her friends in Miami, Earle is not afraid to share many varying aspects of her life.

Treating and talking to her fans like they are her best friends, Alix is no stranger to sharing a tip or two with her supporters. Recently, Earle went viral on TikTok for sharing how she makes her natural eyelashes look as good as falsies. Though Earle has definitely mastered her routine, replicating it yourself costs approximately $70. Yeah… no thank you. But no need to fear: this routine can be perfectly recreated for the small price of about $31 with these products.

walgreens ergonomic eyelash curler

The Walgreens Ergonomic Eyelash Curler ($5.99) is an almost identical dupe for the Tweezerman Classic Eyelash Curler ($13.40) Earle purchased from Amazon. Earle stresses the importance of eyelash curler handles not touching when curling your lashes. She claims this makes all the difference when it comes to lash volume. Upon my tedious search at Walgreens, the Ergonomic Eyelash Curler’s handles were the most resistant to touching.

After testing it out, I have to agree with Earle’s theory. I was shocked to see a notable increase in the volume of my lashes, as well as the time my lashes stayed curled. My lashes have truly never looked so long without any help from mascara.

sephora collection’s size up volumizing mascara

Now before you get mad at me for sending you to Sephora, which is often pricey, Sephora Collection’s Size Up Volumizing Mascara has a drugstore price of $12. I’ve been using this mascara for a few years, and I’ve yet to be disappointed.

Aside from not being waterproof, this mascara is almost identical to (if not better than) the Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof Mascara ($28) which Earle uses in her tutorial. Both mascaras have thick-bristled, hourglass-shaped wands that are perfect for lengthening lashes. The formulas for both mascaras are on the thicker side, ensuring your lashes look full. Though, in my opinion, Too Face’s mascara is slightly thicker, making it less buildable and much more susceptible to clumping.

maybelline’s lash sensational sky high mascara

For her second coat of mascara, Earle uses Benefit’s Roller Lash Curling Mascara, coming in at a whopping $28. Having used this Benefit mascara in the past, I can agree that this is a great mascara, but it’s definitely overpriced.

Maybelline’s Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara is a perfect dupe for the overpriced Benefit mascara. Maybelline’s mascara is drastically cheaper coming in at a price of $12.99. Both mascaras have wands with short, firm bristles that are perfect for separating and lengthening lashes. I normally avoid using a second coat of mascara for fear of turning my eyelashes into spider legs, but Earle’s tutorial shocked me again. After applying a second coat of mascara, my eyelashes looked full, voluminous and not clumpy at all.

Alix Earle’s eyelash routine definitely has the right idea, but the wrong price. The combination of products in this budgeted routine will leave people asking what type of fake eyelashes you wear. This routine is a must-have for the mascara obsessed, keeping your eyelashes and bank account equally full.

Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube and Pinterest!

Carly Nelson is an advertising major scheduled to graduate in 2026 from Florida State University. She loves music, going for coffee runs, concerts, and art.