The 9 Best Drugstore Dupes For Our Favorite, Very Expensive Beauty Products
by The Candidly Team
With all the beauty things we buy each month, our collection tends to be a constant mix of high and low.
Sometimes we stagger, splurging on our moisturizer and saving on our cream blush. Then switching back on our next quarterly trip to Ulta.
Needless to say, we’ve come to need a solid list of our favorite pricey gems and their drugstore dupes, all that we can snatch up and rely on - whatever our budget may be.
Well, my friends, here is that list.
And because we understand that you have your own budget and priorities where beauty is concerned, we made sure to link to both our fave products and their excellent dupes.
Ok, shall we?
1. THE BLUSH
The Nars Blush in Orgasm has been viral for 25 years. And we do love it. But … the Milani Baked Blush is a third of the price and just as soft and glowy.
2. THE CREAM BLUSH
It’s difficult to overstate how luxe the Charlotte Tilbury Lip & Cheek Glow cream blush is. But for a fourth of the price, the Milani Cheek Kiss Cream Blush is a magical dupe. Long-lasting, very dew, and a breeze to blend.
3. THE CREAM EYESHADOW
Do we talk about Charlotte T products too much? Probably. But this creamy, glistening eyeshadow aptly named as Eyes to Mesmerize makes our eyes look like diamonds, and we love it. The Ulta Beauty Bouncy Cream Eyeshadow is a very, very respectable dupe. Use your finger to press onto the lid - no fallout, great longevity, verrrrry glimmery. And the price!
4. THE EYESHADOW PALETTE
Who didn’t own this Urban Decay Naked2 Basics Matte Neutral Eyeshadow Palette? And it’s because the colors are so gorgeously neutral and blendable and perfect.
However, the e.l.f. Bite-Size Eyeshadow Palette is starting to collect some of the same hype. Nearly 2k 5-star reviews made us try this wildly expensive little baby. It’s superb. And frankly, we never use all the colors in a big palette anyway.
5. THE EYESHADOW STICK
We loooove how creamy this one-and-done Nars Total Seduction Eyeshadow Stick is. So easy to blend but stays in place all day.
Our dupe, Ulta’s Cream Eye Shadow Stick sells out of our neighborhood Ulta store all the time - likely because it’s $10 and gorgeous!
6. THE BRONZER
Surprise, surprise. It’s Charlotte again. But we had to. Their Airbrush Matte Bronzer is soooo soft and blurring and pore-filling. The price is … tough.
Another thing that sells out of Ulta on repeat is this dupe, Physician’s Formula Butter Bronzer. This has “butter” in the name for a reason - it’s so wildly creamy even though it’s a powder. It’s been a top seller for over a decade, even though TikTok has recently made it go extra viral. But it’a worth the hype.
7. THE CONCEALER
A true powerhouse, the Tarte Shape Tape Creamy Concealer covers everything and never looks cakey.
The e.l.f. 16HR Camo Concealer, on the other hand, has the most incredible shade range, over 4k 5-star reviews, cruelty free, and even though it’s serumy and hydrating, it stays put. It doesn’t exacerbate our fine lines! And what is this price?!
8. THE MASCARA
Lancôme Définicils Defining and Lengthening Mascara is a true classic. You know it, you love it. Basically the mascara we’d show to aliens if they came down and asked to know what mascara is.
L’Oréal’s Voluminous Panorama Waterproof Mascara is half the price and just as staggeringly good. Mile-long, feathery, non-clumpy lashes with zero raccoon eyes come 6pm.
9. THE FACE CREAM
Lancôme’s Rénergie Multi-Action Lift And Firm Anti-Aging Night Cream Moisturizer claims to firm, though we have used and loved it because it’s one of the few products that truly hydrates our skin deeply since entering our 40s.
We are astonished by this thick, rich Cicaplast Balm B5 Soothing Therapeutic Multi Purpose Cream from La Roche-Posay. We use it only at night (especially great to layer with retinol or tretinoin) and nothing comes close to how hydrating it is. We wake up reborn! We buy it in bulk because we refuse to be without it. Pro tip: Slather on your neck, chest, elbows, and knees, and crepey skin is gonezo.
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
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