I’m a bougie bitch. I love nice things, but I also love having a secure future and saving money. It’s a constant battle, it really is. I’ve been Sephora Rouge the past 2 years and I’m going to maintain it through 2019 (Only $97 more dollars!). Their Surprise VIB sales is going on right now and I have basket sitting at $308 even after the 20% discount. I mean, half of it is refills and I constantly tell myself I’ll find a cheaper option, but I don’t.
I want my makeup to feel luxurious. I want the packaging to be heavy. I want an experience. Doing my makeup is one of my favorite hobbies, I value the time I spend in front of my vanity, sipping a La Croix or a mixed drink and watching Netflix or Youtube videos.
I like having products I can use in the morning to get ready fast and are forgiving, to have products that last all night (and then some). I love playing with new products.
But, ya girl is still on a budget, and while I budget way too much for makeup, I still love the drugstore. If it works, it works.
My Top 5 Drugstore Dupes for High End Makeup
1. Physician’s Formula Shimmer Strips for Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick
Physician’s Formula is a brand I always forget about, but they have so many gems. Their shimmer strips are actually some of the first makeup I ever bought when I was 21. I wanted to try the Bobbi Brown shimmer brick but on my previous budget there was no way I could afford a $48 anything. The Physician’s Formula Shimmer Strips for $10.58 were much more affordable and did the job. I still use them too! (Though, they have probably expired…)
2. Swap Tarte’s Exposed for Milani’s Romantic Rose
Milani is the Queen of the drugstore. Their products are all killer, especially their lip liners, their lipsticks, and blushes. Sadly, my < ahref=”https://amzn.to/2P4QVEa”> Romantic Rose died while we were on vacation in Cabo. It is the perfect dupe for Tarte’s Exposed . I love Tarte Blushes, but I often don’t find a lot of blushes to be worth the price. Romantic Rose will definitely be a repurchase for me.
3. What’s Better Than Sex? Paradise. Lash Paradise.
Too Face’s famous racey named mascara, Better Than Sex, has many dupes. And for $24 I can totally see why. For all the high end makeup I’ve bought, I’ve actually never bought high end mascara. I guess $80 skincare calls my name more than $30 mascara. But really, l’Oreal’s Lash Paradise for $8 is the best mascara out there. I’ve repurchased it over 5 times.
4. Literally any Matte Lipstick, swap it with ColourPop!
I cannot say enough good things about Colourpop, their liquid matte listick is a dupe for so many shades of other brands. I think the high end brand it even beats out (most of the time!) is Smashbox’s liquid matte shades. I love Smashbox’s matte liquid lip range, and they stay on for >24 hours. But if you’re on a budget and don’t want to spend over $20 for a lipstick or want a ton of colors, Colourpop’s $6.50 per lipstick is the way to go.
5. Swap Hoola for Butter
I made the swap recently, saying goodbye to my $27 Hoola Bronzer and hello to Physician Formula’s Butter Bronzer for $6. I am SHOOK. this bronzer is AMAZING. It is smooooth and blends so well. It looks natural, like Hoola and is not orange at all. The packaging is a little bulky and broke when I traveled recently. But for a $21 savings, I’ll let it pass.
In Summary
There are a plethora of dupes out there! I find that mascara, bronzer, and highlighter are all easy to find at the drugstore for amazing quality and better prices. Foundation at the drugstore can be hit or miss, although Maybelline’s Dream Satin foundation is amazing.
As far as picking between high end and drugstore. I am a treat yo’self within reason type of girl. Also, the beauty of Sephora is that you can return everything! So if it doesn’t meet your $40 expectations, return it!
