9 High-End Makeup Dupes That Could Save You Lots Of Money

We compare 9 popular but expensive beauty products to their low-cost counterparts, just to see if the splurge is really worth it.

1.

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara vs Lancome Hypnose Mascara

Ingredient List Comparison: The ingredients in both mascaras are very similar. Both contain silicones, PEG’s, hyodrogenated jojoba oil and palm oil. The Maybelline, however, contains an ingredient called Acrylates Copolymer which is what makes these things waterproof (thought this mascara was not labeled waterproof).

Main Difference: BuzzFeed graphic designer Chris Ritter sampled the two products. “The Lancome goes on much smoother and less clumpy. I like the shape of the brush. You can tell the Maybelline mascara is trying to duplicate it, but it feels much cheaper. I applied two coats of the Lancome, since the formula was smoother and thinner. The Maybelline just felt like a thick clumpy mess.”

The Verdict: The end result is pretty similar, so it’s up to you if you want to splurge for a more luxurious application.

Left: Maybelline The Falsies mascara; Right: Lancome Hypnose Full Drama Mascara

2.

L’Oreal Lineur Intense vs. Lancome Artliner Liquid Eyeliner Pen

Ingredient List Comparison: The ingredients are almost exactly the same. Both contain parabens.

Main Difference: The L’oreal eyeliner is actually a thicker, darker formula. The brush is stiffer and therefore easier to apply. The Lancome tip is more like a paintbrush, and feels like you’re applying a watercolor because of it’s liquidy texture. Both liners have a little ball inside so you can shake up the liquid. Both have good, non-smudging staying power.

Winner: The L’oreal is actually TOTALLY AWESOME and my new holy grail eyeliner. The packaging of these two eyeliners is almost identical, so I don’t see any point in buying the Lancome.

Left: L’Oreal Lineur Intense; Right: Lancome Artliner

Left: L’Oreal Lineur Intense; Right: Lancome Artliner

As you can see, the L’Oreal is slightly darker and more precise.

3.

Flirt Heartthrob vs. NARS Orgasm Blush

Ingredient List Comparison: Unfortunately, the ingredient listing for Flirt Heartthrob cannot be found online, or on the package.

Main Difference: According to BuzzFeed Shift editor Hillary Reinsberg: “The NARS has a smaller, more compact box, but other than that, there’s little added value. The colors really do look the same, and the the Flirt one comes with a little brush which is nice. They ‘feel’ the same.”

The Verdict: The NARS packaging is certainly nicer, but that’s about all you’re getting extra. The Flirt blush does the job just fine.

Left: Flirt Heartthrob ; Right: NARS Orgasm

4.

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipgloss in Pink Remedy vs MAC Lipglass in Purr

Ingredient List Comparison: The MAC Lipglass scored 3 points lower on the EWG Skin Deep Database, which denotes that the ingredients are less harmful for your skin. The Rimmel lip gloss also contains parabens, whereas the MAC does not.

Main Difference: BuzzFeed’s executive editor, Doree Shafrir, tried out both products. “The MAC lipglass is much more highly pigmented, it gives that shimmery light sheen. I love the vanilla smell. And it feels goopy and thick in a nice way.” As far as the Rimmel lipgloss goes, she says, “I didn’t feel like my lips were renewed with moisture. The wand is too flimsy, barely any color goes on, and there’s a weird chemical baby powder smell.”

The Verdict: Definitely splurge and go for the MAC lipglass.

Rimmel Lipgloss in Pink Remedy

MAC lipglass in Purr

Left: MAC Lipglass in Purr; Right: Rimmel Lipgloss in Pink Remedy

The Rimmel was so poorly pigmented, we could barely get it to show up on the skin at all.

5.

NYX Eyeshadow in Golden Amber vs. NARS Galapagos Eyeshadow

Ingredient List Comparison: Both contain parabens. The NYX contains mineral oil, which the NARS does not. The NARS also contains harmful ingredients such as triclosan, BHA, and aluminum powder.

Main Difference: BuzzFeed Shift Intern Jessica Testa thinks they’re practically the same: “The cheaper version seems to have a looser, thinner powder, so you have to put more on to match the color of one NARS swipe. And the NARS appears to be staying on longer.”

The Verdict: NYX is a better value, albeit less pigmented, and contains less harmful ingredients.

Left: NYX Golden Amber; Right: NARS Galapagos

6.

BeneFit Silky Finish Lipstick in Jingaling vs. Tom Ford Pink Dusk Lipstick

Ingredient List Comparison: The ingredient lists are fairly different. The Tom Ford lipstick is known to contain “rare ingredients” such as soja seed extract, Brazilian murumuru butter and chamomilla flower oil.

Main Difference: Hillary says, “There’s something really luxurious about a Tom Ford lipstick. Everyone says it’s the best. It comes in a pretty tube. It makes you feel fancy. It has a really nice texture, which goes on really smoothly. It feels like an old-fashioned fancy lipstick your grandmother would have. But the BeneFit is also very smooth! The colors are very similar, but the Benefit has a little shimmer in it. The [Tom Ford] rose color is actually a little drab, and the glitter in the Benefit makes it pop more.” I would add that the Tom Ford has a light, perfumey vanilla scent, similar to MAC lipglass, whereas the BeneFit has no scent.

The Verdict: The BeneFit might actually be a better bet. But if you can actually justify spending $48 on a lipstick, then you’re probably the sort of girl who can’t possibly settle for anything less.

BeneFit Silky Finish Lipstick in Jingaling

Tom Ford Private Blend Lipstick in Pink Dusk

Left: BeneFit Jingaling; Right: Tom Ford Pink Dusk

The shades of pink are slightly different. The Tom Ford is more richly pigmented, and has more of a satin finish.

7.

OPI Just Spotted The Lizard vs. Chanel Peridot Nail Polish

Ingredient List Comparison: The OPI and the Chanel are both free of Toluene, Formaldehyde, DBP and camphor, as long as the polish was manufactured in the last year. The OPI, however, contains formaldehyde resin. (See here for more information on nail polish chemicals.)

The Main Difference: The first coat of the OPI was more watered down, but once second coats were applied, both polishes had the same opaqueness. The Chanel brush is thinner, but I didn’t prefer one brush over the other.

Verdict: The OPI is pretty much an exact dupe. Only a true obsessive-compulsive Chanel polish connoisseur would be able to tell the difference. I can’t tell if my mind is playing tricks on me, but there might be a higher concentration of sparkles in the Chanel one.

Left: OPI Just Spotted The Lizard; Right: Chanel Peridot

I’ve been wearing this polish for 3 days now. You canNOT tell the difference!

8.

The Body Shop Lightening Touch vs. YSL Touché Eclat Undereye Concealer and Brightening Pen

Ingredient List Comparison: Both contain silicones, PEGs, and oil. The YSL has a much simpler ingredient list.

Main Difference: The Body Shop “Medium” shade came out a really weird freakish orange. So it’s hard to test, as I have no idea whose coloring this could match (an oompa loompa’s?) The YSL shade tested was “Luminous Vanilla,” a much more natural shade which I judged via the computer screen as being for a medium skin tone, but is actually for a fair skin tone. The YSL comes in 12 shades, whereas the Body Shop only comes in 3.

Both applicators have a tendency to squirt out too much product. Both seem very similar in texture — a foundation-like consistency that doesn’t really do much concealing. In fact, I’ve owned the YSL for years and I only reach for it when I want to psychologically fool myself that I can achieve perfect skin with my makeup. But honestly, it doesn’t make much of a difference.

Verdict: Neither. This is a pointless, overhyped product that doesn’t do much for undereye circles. The brightening effect is very subtle. As far as color-matching goes though, the Body Shop seems pretty off.

Left: Body Shop Concealer in Medium; Right: YSL Concealer in Luminous Vanilla

9.

CoverGirl Lipslicks in Edgy vs. Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey

Ingredient List Comparison: They both contain castor seed oil, candelilla wax, and carnauba wax. The Cover Girl, however, contains both fragrance and alcohol (which can be drying).

Main Difference: Hillary says, “The Clinique has much more red, while the CoverGirl has much more purple. The CoverGirl has that really strong lipstick smell, but it feels more like chapstick when you put it on.”

The Verdict: The Clinique isn’t that much more expensive, plus it has nicer packaging, no offensive smell, and is a more natural color.

Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick

CoverGirl Lipslicks in Edgy