Ever since getting my prom makeup done there at 15, Charlotte Tilbury has easily cemented itself as one of my favourite makeup brands of all time, however considering the price tag of most of their products, it’s more of a special splurge rather than everyday makeup use. Thanks to its recent popularity on TikTok though, more and more drugstore dupes have started to arise so here’s some of my personal favourites.
Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter (£39) vs ELF Halo Glow (£14)
Easily one of their most popular products, the flawless filter is a perfect option for when you want something more lightweight than a foundation, or as a primer to give you some added glow. I was first introduced to Elf’s much more affordable version by my flatmate and as soon as I tested it I had to go and buy one. With a near identical wand and formula to the Charlotte Tilbury version this is a strong rival and has quickly become my new everyday product to make my skin look less dead and dull at those 9am lectures.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream (£79) vs Revolution Pro Miracle Cream (£10)
At nearly £80 a pot it’s absurd to even think anyone would spend that much money on a moisturiser, and Revolution’s new bestselling miracle cream certainly gives this veteran product a run for its money. At just over an eighth of the price, this cream contains almost exactly the same ingredients with its only notable difference being the fragrance. Having tried both this and the magic cream (in tester form of course, still on a uni budget) I can honestly say the miracle cream may even be better. With hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, peptides and vitamin C in it, I haven’t done my makeup without using this as a primer since buying.
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Contour Wand (£30) vs Maybelline Eraser Eye Concealer (£8.99)
Not quite an exact dupe, but with identical pillow shaped applicators, the Maybelline concealer is a very good alternative for the famous contour wand. Just buy a shade that’s more similar to your contour shade and this concealer will sculpt and bronze your face at less than half the price.
Charlotte Tilbury Pillowtalk Mascara (£26) vs Primark Sweet Secrets Mascara (£3)
As someone who owns both of these mascaras I can safely say there is literally 0 difference in the wands. Both mascaras give your lashes an insane push up effect, lengthening them and curling them, however, the Primark formula is a lot more dry and doesn’t seem to last as long as it’s more expensive rival. But, for only £3 it’s definitely worth it just for that wand, and you could easily switch out any other mascara wand from your favourite drugstore formula for the Primark wand to give your lashes that classic Pillowtalk length without the price tag.
Pillowtalk Lipstick (£27) and Lip Liner (£17) vs Loreal Satin Lip shade 17 (£9.99) and Maybelline Colour Sensational Liner shade 56 (£3.99)
Carrying on with the Pillowtalk range, finding a dupe for potentially the most famous product wasn’t easy, especially as someone who has stood by the Pillowtalk lip liner as a holy grail for the past 5 years, but Loreal and Maybelline do have some extremely similar shade matches respectively. Being a big advocate for the Pillowtalk lip liner I would say it is 100% worth the splurge, no other lip liner I have tried lasts me the whole night and is the same perfect shade of pink, but the Maybelline one is as close to an identical shade match as you can get. Having swatched it in store on my hand I don’t think it is as pigmented as the Charlotte Tilbury version, but for only £3.99 there’s no complaints, and it’s definitely cheap enough to just layer up and get the same effect as the Pillowtalk one. The lipstick, however, is a perfect shade match, and being quite a bit glossier than the Pillowtalk lipstick, I actually prefer it, especially at less than half the price.
Charlotte Tilbury Eyes To Mesmerise (£26) vs Maybelline’s Colour Tattoo 24Hr Cream Eyeshadow (4.99)
With everyone striving for that dewy, airbrushed look recently, cream products have quickly risen to popularity, including cream eyeshadows. The Charlotte Tilbury one is a perfect example of cream eyeshadows done right, with a whipped, creamy formula that doesn’t make your eyes feel wet and heavy, and Maybelline’s £5 version is no different. Whilst the Charlotte Tilbury one has a broader shade range, Maybelline’s options are equally as gorgeous and again for only £4.99 you can’t really go wrong.