We love nothing more than discovering a holy grail product. That one mascara, face cream or foundation that’s so good, you want to celebrate how effective and covet-worthy it is. But if one of these said items has just run out and it’s not quite payday yet, high street dupes can come in particularly handy.
So whether you can’t quite justify splurging on the originals, want to stock up on some alternatives it won’t matter if you break on a night out or simply need a dupe that’ll see you through to payday, we have you covered!
Here’s how the best high street beauty bargains measure up to their cult-classic counterparts…
The makeup brush
Oval makeup brushes are taking the beauty world by storm – namely the Artis brushes, which may be utterly beautiful, but also carry a fairly large price tag. While we have no doubt in our minds that they’re worth the splurge, if you’re looking for something a little cheaper then Primark have a near match for only £3. In fact, the medium-sized Primark PS…Pro Oval Blending Makeup Brush could easily be mistaken for the coveted original.
The eye palette
We don’t know about you, but we’re totally and utterly obsessed with the Hourglass Modernist Eyeshadow Palette, £56. Not only is it utterly beautiful to look at, but the colour pay-off is second to none and the hues are so perfectly composed, so it allows you to create a whole host of sheeny, subtle shadow looks. While it will always have a firm pride of place in our makeup bags, when it comes to packing a palette in our clutch bag for touch ups on a night out, we’re turning to a cheaper take on it. MUA Luxe Eyeshadow Palette Enchanted may only be £6, but the powder glides on so smoothly and blends beautifully.
The blusher – Orgasm
NARS Orgasm is the one blusher we just couldn’t live without. The peachy pop of colour suits every skin tone and with a soft shimmer to add back the glow that autumn stole, it’s no wonder this cult product is a staple of makeup bags from bloggers to celebrities alike. However, with such an iconic, wearable and beautiful hue, we get through the pan faster than it takes us to click onto the next episode on Netflix. Sleek’s Rose Gold Blush, £4.99, is the perfect alternative to keep desk-side so you can top up colour throughout the day. While Sleek’s blusher adds a more pinky hue, with pigmentation and colour pay off far exceeding the £4.49 price tag (we know!), you can’t really go wrong now can you…
The multi-purpose balm
From wintered chapped lips to summer sun burn, Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream is saviour to a multitude of problems. In the handbag of every girl in the GLOSSYBOX office, we use the balm as liberally as Windex is used in My Big Fat Greek Wedding (and it’s much, much better for you, we might add). With natural healing qualities, Dr Paw Paw’s Multi-purpose balm, £6.95, promises to smooth and soften all of your skincare needs. What’s more, it comes in a peachy pink and red tint as well as a glitter finish ready for the festive season.
The hair detangler
We thought Rapunzel had hair problems with tresses so long they stretched down a tower, but just remember the real hair struggle we all faced in the days before the Tangle Teezer. Tackling tangles as fraught as wild hedgerows with ease, it’s no wonder this iconic brush has been heralded a ‘game changer’ and is loved by none other than Cara Delevigne. Hairon’s De-tangle brush, £6.99, is just as ergonomic as its rival and glides through hair foregoing breakages and damages. At a slightly more purse-friendly cost, but, it has to be said, in less colours and styles than the Tangle Teezer, it’s definitely one to consider for your next brush purchase.
The shimmer brick
Before the days of the highlighting and strobing trend that’s swept us off our feet, we turned faithfully to Bobbi Brown’s Shimmer Brick. With an ombre of glistening pigments, the shades can be used to add the most radiant of glows to cheekbones, upon lids for a sweep of colour and to give your bronzer luminescence. When walking through NEXT, our magpie eyes were attracted to a similar shimmering palette in the brand’s Make Me Beautiful range. With hues of copper, rose gold and mauve, this brick, £8, has richer bronze tones so is an ideal purchase for anyone looking to add more warmth than glow.
The face serum
As we turn to winter, and nights grow not only longer but darker, our skin inevitably tends to dry. It’s then that we turn to product-of-the-moment, Hyaluronic acid. This acid is all the rage because it can hold up to 1000x it’s own weight in water meaning skin is hydrated, plumped and softened. With brands such as Skinceuticals and Fountain creating products with this super ingredient at the forefront, Hyaluronic serums are starting to grace everyone’s bathroom shelves. However, with such innovation often comes a price tag that only the day after payday can justify. When DECIEM’s The Ordinary launched with a range of specialist skin treatments at affordable prices we prayed that this miracle ingredient would feature, and we were thrilled to discover it did. Not only that, at a mere £5.90 it means everyone can get their hands on a bottle…let’s make that two.
