28 Cheap Skincare Dupes For Luxury Products
Save your skin *and* your wallet.
BuzzFeed Staff
BuzzFeed Staff
We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.
1. Garnier's Micellar Cleansing Water lifts away makeup, dirt, and oil without stripping the skin of moisture — and it does it for half the price of Bioderma.
Promising review: "I am a religious Bioderma believer but this was rec'd to me as a near duplicate... I have to agree! I also love the price because I don't find myself savoring it so much; I soak a couple cottons with it to remove makeup before I wash my face... millions of times better than the Simple micellar water (in my opinion)." —Kelly M.
Get it from Amazon for $6.34 (or Subscribe & Save for $6.02/month).
This is our budget pick for best makeup remover on BuzzFeed Reviews!
2. NYX's Hydra Touch Oil Primer adds moisture to dry skin so foundation glides on beautifully — all at a fraction of the price of Smashbox's Photo Finish Oil Primer. And NYX's is made with jojoba oil, which is ideal for reducing eczema- or psoriasis-related redness as well as safflower oil, which smooths the skin while removing dirt and oil.
Promising review: "I liked the Smashbox sample I got from Sephora, but wanted to try the dupe first (it's about a quarter of the price). It works just as well and smells citrusy and even better. Very happy with this find." —Dini Vo
Get it from Amazon for $9.92.
3. InstaNatural's Organic Marula Oil gives you all the ✨glow✨ of fan-favorite Drunk Elephant's Virgin Marula Luxury Face Oil but InstaNatural rings in at a quarter of the price.
Promising review: "I just bought this two days ago and so far I’m loving it!! I bought it as a dupe to Drunk Elephant's Marula Oil. It’s a beautiful luxurious oil and goes on perfectly. I start with moist skin first and use my hyaluronic acid serum. I then mist again with water to lock that in solid (I live in California so it’s drier here). After that’s mostly dry I put a few drops of this marula oil on my fingers to warm it up then I press into my skin all over my face. Glow city!!!!! As I said loving it so far!" —Seth & Tenielle
Get it from Amazon for $13.97.
4. Tarte's Knockout Tingle Treatment Toner harnesses the power of acids to exfoliate your skin, minimize pores, and balance your pH just as well as cult favorite Biologique Recherche's P50 1970. But not only is Tarte's version easier to find, it's also almost half the price.
Promising review: "This is an amazing product and my new holy grail acid toner. I'm so glad that I don't have to order Biologique Recherche P50 1970 online anymore as this is a pretty good dupe. This has resurfaced my skin, and cleared up blemishes in four days of using it. Now I can't be without it. I would say that most people can use this, but if you are new to acids there are some things you should know first: this tingles, burns, stings, whatever you want to call it. It says so right on the front of the bottle. It is supposed to do this. If you have sensitive skin or damaged skin, this may sting more than it does for others at first. Once your skin is balanced/healed, the tingling will not be as noticeable. My suggestion is if you are new to acid toners, either use this every other day or start with something like First Aid Beauty Pads and work up." —emmarosewrites
Get it from Sephora for $18.
5. Andalou Naturals' Pumpkin Honey Glycolic Mask brightens, tightens, and evens your skin using vitamin C — just like the Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask. Except Andalou Naturals charges less than one-sixth of the price!
Promising review: "This is a great dupe to the Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask for a fraction of the price. Really happy with this!" —Miranda
Get it from Amazon for $12.79.
6. Garnier's SkinActive Soothing Facial Mist sets your makeup b-e-a-utifully (you can also use it to prime your face before foundation) so it'll quickly replace your Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe Herbs and Rosewater, which is almost double the price.
Promising review: "Amazing dupe for the Mario Badescu rose face spray. It smells amazing and is actually moisturizing and doesn't make me breakout (unlike Mario Badescu). Literally best facial spray. I also spray it sometimes to freshen up my makeup look in the middle of the day. I absolutely love this product and have recommended it to all my friends!" —Shohreh Nassabi
Get it from Amazon for $6.96.
7. The Ordinary's AHA 30% Peeling Solution resurfaces your skin with a mixture of glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acid. (The first two are alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) that exfoliate the skin's outer layer while the last one, a beta hydroxy acid (BHA), reduces pore congestion). The result: smooth and even skin. Say goodbye to your Drunk Elephant T.L.C Sukari Babyfacial, which is more than five times the price!
Promising review: "This is absolutely a dupe for DE Babyfacial. And even better than my Dr. Dennis Gross Peels and those peels have been unmatched for me until now. The amount of money I will save with this bad boy is unreal! This is a deep exfoliant that works instantly revealing baby soft skin. I did not find it to be uncomfortable. It stung the first few seconds was all. 10 stars!"—emigonzalez
This product is currently out of stock at Sephora. Get it from Ulta for $7.20.
8. Neutrogena's Hydro Boost gel cream hydrates your skin and creates a barrier to guard against moisture loss. It's also jam-packed with hyaluronic acid, an ingredient that's a greedy sponge and can absorb up to 1,000 times its weight in water. Reviewers put it on par with The Water Cream from Tatcha.
Reviewers say it's also a great dupe for Clinique's Moisture Surge, Belif's Aqua Bomb, Murad's Water Gel, Peter Thomas Roth's Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream, and Bliss' Drench & Quench Moisturizer.
Promising review: "I can honestly say this is a dupe for the Tatcha Water Cream. The only issue is that for the price point, it does have silicone in it as a 'filler,' so if that is an issue, I would be careful before buying. I'm one of those fair-skinned gals who seems to break out if I so much as turn my head towards the wind wrong, and I haven't had a single breakout with this moisturizer. It layers nicely as well with my SPF and foundation (I use Nars or Armani), as well as dries quickly so you don't have to sit there fanning yourself for ten minutes before you apply your foundation. All in all, I will stay with this ridiculously highly rated moisturizer." —Miranda Hollen
Get it from Amazon for $14.16.
9. Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Night Pads Extreme fade acne scars and hyperpigmentation and prevent new breakouts with a combo of glycolic acid (removes the outermost layer of dead skin cells to reveal brighter, more even skin underneath), salicylic acid (unclogs pores), and hyaluronic acid (keeps the skin hydrated and plump). You know what else does that? First Aid Beauty's Facial Radiance Pads — but Nip + Fab's pads are less than half the price.
Reviewers say they're also a great dupe for Philosophy's Microdelivery Triple-Acid Brightening Peels.
Promising review: "I have issues with skin texture and pores appearing bumpy and unsightly. I did some investigating and glycolic acid was a good fix for my issues. I initially purchased the First Aid Beauty pads that were similarly packaged and did a good job in reducing the scarring from my acne and smoothed out my skin. I switched to Nip & Fab briefly and I'm so glad I did because it does the same exact thing but at 1/3 the cost. Great dupe!" —Priya Mukherjee
Get them from Amazon for $13.07.
10. MAKEP:REM's Hydrate me. cream penetrates the skin so it's easy for your body to absorb the moisture. Its pudding-like gel texture may remind you of Tatcha's The Water Cream, but you can reap the same hydrating benefits for cheaper with this K-Beauty cream. Oh, and did we mention that this one's less than half the cost?
Promising review: "This feels amazing as a face moisturizer. Honestly, it feels exactly like The Water Cream by Tatcha. I will be purchasing again." —Savi
Get it from Amazon for $29.99.
11. Derma E's Purifying 2-in-1 Charcoal Mask vacuums out your pores just as well as Glam Glow's Supermud Mask, using activated charcoal to flush out excess oils — and you can maintain your daily cold brew habit if you switch to the much more affordable Derma E version.
Promising review: "I feel like this is a dupe for the coveted, cult favorite GlamGlow Super Mask. I recently purchased it and compared to this, I can't quite see a difference aside from the price (this is about a third of the price...). Even if it's not a dupe, I really like it. You can see the gunk in your pores, which sounds gross but we all know that's what we want to see to know it's working. All in all I like it." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $11.85.
12. Purito's Centella Green Level Buffect Serum calms red, irritated skin and strengthens your skin's protective barrier, which might give you ~paws~ if you're a fan of Dr. Jart's Tiger Grass Serum. And the thing that seals the deal for this K-Beauty product may be it's affordable price tag — I'm not ~lion~.
Promising review: "This is better than the Dr. Jart's Tiger Grass Serum for me. Keeping my skin clear, redness is diminished and it also is shrinking the milia around my eyes. May become a holy grail for me" —Lauren
Get it from Amazon for $16.28.
13. LilyAna Naturals' Vitamin C Serum contains moisture-boosting hyaluronic acid *and* vitamin E, which helps fade acne scars and corrects dark spots. We wouldn't blame you for thinking the before and after photos rival those you might see from more expensive brands, like Ole Henriksen's Truth Serum — but you'll definitely notice the difference when you're checking your bank account balance!
Reviewers say it's also a good dupe for Drunk Elephant's C-Firma Day Serum.
Promising review: "I love love loved this serum (in addition to the very attentive LilyAna customer service). I don't have a very extensive skincare routine comparatively, and was looking for a brightener that could be used day and night. This caught my eye and seemed a good check-it-out-see-what-happens for my Ole Henriksen Vitamin C Serum at 1/3 the cost. I'm so glad I found this because it's made my skin brighter, lightened my pimple scars a bit, made me look less tired (miracle in itself!), and seems to have enhanced the effects of my retinol night cream. Sorry, Mr. Henriksen but I've had to switch. I use this in the morning before my sunscreen and again at night right after I wash and tone, it goes on great with no residue or tackiness, and dries semi-matte. I highly recommend!" —j. zhang
Get it from Amazon for $35.99.
14. LilyAna Naturals' Eye Cream Moisturizer rejuvenates your under-eye area, brightening and firming it so you at least look like you got some sleep (even if you were up until 2 a.m. scrolling through Instagram). And given that you get a big tub and a little goes a long way, you'll wonder why you were ever shelling out on expensive eye creams (we're looking at you, Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Resist24 Intensive Eye Contour Cream).
Reviewers say it's also a great dupe for Clinique Repair Wear Laser Focus Wrinkle Correcting Eye Cream.
Promising review: "Best eye cream I have ever used!!! Better than Benefiance by Shiseido and Clinique or Lancôme, for less than a third of the price with the amount you get. It is rich enough to do the job but not greasy. It doesn't interfere with concealer, yet softens lines. Love it so much!!!!" —Lory Lacy
Get it from Amazon for $29.99.
15. Eve Hansen Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum does it all: smooths wrinkles, brightens dark spots, firms skin, adds moisture, reduces under-eye puffiness, and gives you an enviable glow. Of course, you'll have to pay up..less than 1/17th of the cost of SkinMedica's coveted TNS Essential Serum, which is a casual $281. So yeah, you're welcome!
Promising review: "So far I have used about four bottles of this product. I use it like a serum and put a few drops on my face and décolleté before I apply moisturizer in the morning or night cream. I see the same outstanding results I did see with the TNS Serum — just for a fraction of the price!!!" —nana bendick
Get it from Amazon for $16.98.
16. Secret Key's Starting Treatment Essence simultaneously quenches your dry skin's thirst *and* makes it glow. But what reviewers love most isn't that it tightens and smooths the complexion; instead, they rave about how you could get 10 bottles of it for the price of one SK-II Facial Treatment Essence — and the results are pretty similar.
Promising review: "I will always come back to this galactomyces product. It’s a great alternative to the SK-II essence I’ve used in the past. Plus, it saves me a lot of money. The progress may be slow at first but consistency is the key for beautiful skin!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $18.
17. Tosowoong's Enzyme Powder Wash deep cleans your pores, washes away buildup that's dulling your glow, *and* it has vitamin E to make your skin soft and help protect it from environmental toxins. The results are comparable to Tatcha's much more expensive Rice Polish Foaming Enzyme Powder, and it'll only cost you about 1/3 of the price.
Reviewers also say it's a great dupe for AmorePacific's Treatment Enzyme Peel Cleansing Powder.
Promising review: "I got this as a replacement for the Tatcha rice enzyme powder cleanser and it does the same thing for a fraction of the cost. I have sensitive, acne-prone skin and I really like this for its cleansing and exfoliating properties. It’s a great cleanser."—Emily
Get it from Amazon for $11.50.
18. Banila Co's Clean It Zero cleansing balm melts away your makeup better than — dare we say it — Farmacy's Green Clean meltaway cleansing balm, according to some users. And it's basically half the price for the same amount of product!
Promising review: "This is a great dupe for Farmacy's Green Clean cleansing balm and half the price! This balm melts off all of my makeup, even the stubborn waterproof kind! My product came packaged and sealed appropriately, and even included a little spatula to scoop out the balm. The texture is similar to coconut oil in that it melts in your hand once you warm it up. I use the two-step method when I have makeup on and on no makeup days I use just this product. My skin is combo/oily so I bought the purifying version, but Clean It Zero seems like it would be perfect for someone with dry skin too. I get occasional breakouts but none since I've started using this product!" —amanda
Get it from Amazon for $17.23.
19. The Ordinary's Lactic Acid expertly lightens dark spots and hyperpigmentation, putting it on par with Sunday Riley's Good Genes, a cult-favorite that costs almost 13 times the price.
Promising review: "I decided to buy this Ordinary lactic acid because it's the dupe of Sunday Riley Good Genes and I’m on a tight budget. Y’all! this is a miracle in a bottle. I’m on my third day of using it and I noticed a major difference in my skin. My pores are tighter, the dullness of my skin is gone, and two cystic pimples I had from eating too much dairy dried out. Hopefully it’ll also help with acne scarring. I’m excited to see how my skin will look in a couple of months." —ninacoma
Get it from Sephora for $6.80.
20. Olay ProX blasts away dirt and oils that are clogging your pores — much like it does to its more expensive competition, the Clarisonic.
Promising review: "Love this product! I use it every day once in the morning and once in the evening. It really leaves my face feeling exfoliated and clean! I’ve had a Clarisonic in the past and this cleansing machine works just as good for a fraction of the cost!" —Ivan Bolozdynya
Get it from Amazon for $59.98.
21. Nivea Creme (the German version!) spares your face from patchy, flaky, itchy, dry winter skin *and* saves your wallet a lot of freaking money. How? Reviewers say it's a fabulous dupe for La Mer's pricey Crème de la Mer, which costs as much as I made in an entire paycheck when I was a high schooler working at the mall.
The biggest difference between the German version of Creme and La Mer is that the latter contains fermented seaweed extract that produces lactic acid, an AHA known to help keep the skin moisturized and firm. (There are other differences in the ingredient list, which you can compare here.) However, many reviewers point out that with the money you save by buying Creme, you can afford a pricier lactic acid product that would do the same thing *or* you could just buy sea kelp powder and add that.
Promising review: "As a lady of a certain age, I am very particular about what I products I put on my face. I’ve purchased expensive moisturizers and drug store items, and this one is the best so far. I recently read a review comparing the ingredients of this product to those in La Mer. The ingredients are similar, but the price is not. I’ve been using this twice a day for nearly a week. I love the creamy way it goes on. It is easily absorbed and doesn’t leave a film. My skin feels baby butt soft. I also use it on my hands and feet at bedtime. The price is minimal for the enormous container of product you get. This is a must buy!" —Sooner
Get it from Amazon for $5.99.
22. CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser removes dirt, oils, makeup, and other nasties from your skin without drying or stripping your face. Your Drunk Elephant Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser (which is double the price, btw!) is shaking in its boots.
Promising review: "This is my favorite drugstore cleanser. It's on par with some of the more expensive ones and I swear it's a dupe for the Drunk Elephant Beste gel cleanser. It's non-stripping, lathers well, and removes the gunk without drying out my skin. I have normal-combo skin, and this works as a day or night cleanser. From the ingredients to the price point, there's nothing I would change about it!" —Michelle Huang
Get it from Amazon for $12.21.
23. The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Light Cleansing Oil is a fantastic cleansing oil option that loosens tough makeup (*cough* waterproof mascara *cough*) and dead skin to reveal the soft, glowing skin underneath — so feel free to remove the Bobbi Brown Soothing Cleansing Oil that's in your shopping cart.
Reviewers say it's also a great dupe for Dermalogica Precleanse and Tatcha's Pure One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil.
Promising review: "I fell in love with the Bobbi Brown oil cleanser but didn't love the price so I searched for a dupe and this one is as close as it gets. Light, non-greasy, rinses clean, and leaves my skin super soft. This stuff takes off EVERYTHING including stubborn eye makeup and has a light scent that I find pleasant. I have sensitive skin that breaks out easily and I haven't had any issues with this. Highly recommend." —Nicki
Get it from Amazon for $10.99.
24. Care:Nel lip mask treats dry, chapped lips overnight and creates a protective barrier to prevent winter weather from destroying all your hard work. But even better than that is that it's a excellent dupe for Laneige's Lip Sleeping Mask — and it's less than half the price!
Promising review: "I bought this product because I heard that it was a dupe for the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, and it 100% is!! It's basically the same scent and texture, and it moisturizes just as well overnight. I love both products, but will buy this one moving forward because it’s so much more affordable!" —¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Get a set of three from Amazon for $9.90.
25. CeraVe Moisturizing Cream latches on to moisture and pumps the skin full of ceramides, which are molecules that help make up the skin barrier. Throw in some hyaluronic acid and you've got the recipe for 24 hours of hydration! The Sunday Riley ICE Ceramide Moisturizing Cream is more than four times the price so like Beyoncé, you'll be saying, "I ain't thinking 'bout you."
Promising review: "I know there are a million 5-star ratings for this, but it's a wonderful creamy moisturizer. I've been using the Sunday Riley ICE Ceramide Moisturizing Cream and this has similar ingredients and feels the same without the outrageous price tag. Def will be switching to this one!" —amanda
Get it from Amazon for $14.68.
26. Ancient Greek Remedy oil injects your skin with devastatingly effective antioxidants and fatty acids that help brighten dark spots and restore your skin's plumpness. It's safe to use on your face, nails, and body, and the results are scrumdiddlyumptious — especially if you use it consistently and over time. Time to retire your Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate, which costs a pretty penny!
Promising review: "I love this scent and this product! Super moisturizing. I use it like a traditional serum, before my lotion. I think it's a close dupe to the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate." —Amber Lange
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
27. La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm uses shea butter to soothe dry and irritated skin not just on your face, but your whole body too. It's perfect not just if you have allergic skin or a flare-up, but also just for everyday moisture. The best part is won't have to worry about emptying your bank account for the Dr. Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Cream.
Promising review: "This is indeed a holy grail product! I've been looking for a dupe for Dr. Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Cream for a while and THIS. IS. IT!!! I'm beyond thrilled to find such an amazing product with such a great price tag! I remembered my Cicapair being amazing but it's long gone and I'm broke so I needed another option. After searching for a dupe, this kept coming up so I decided to try it. SO glad I did. It completely fixed the driest skin I've ever had in about three days, with major improvement after the first one-two uses. Definitely a dupe for Cicapair. It's a thick cream and pretty heavy but sinks into the skin decently fast, doesn't feel as heavy as it is, and is totally fine to wear under makeup! I've been using this AM and PM for about a week now and my whole complexion looks radiant, glowy, healthy, and better than ever! I will NEVER be without this holy grail moisturizer, ever, for as long as I shall live." —YEAH IT'S LYNN
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
28. Cosrx Galactomyces 95 Tone Balancing Essence delivers a boost of antioxidants that moisturize your skin, making it glow from within. The Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence could never! (Well, maybe it could, but for much more money).
Reviewers also say that it's a good dupe for the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence.
Promising review: "I was using Missha's Time Revolution First essence and loved it, but the price was a little on the high end for me. Saw some people thought this was a good dupe and decided to give it a try. Very glad I did. A similar feel, similar texture, and similar results. It's moisturizing without feeling heavy or greasy, soothing, and doesn't break me out." —Spin
Get it from Amazon for $14.20.
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The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.
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