The Student Room Group

Expensive make up alternatives

Hey everyone!

I recently read on buzzfeed that there are instagram accounts and such like where you ask them to find an alternative to an expensive make up. #dupethat

Has anyone found anything they'd like to share in this regard?

The one I noticed today was in avon they have a thing called magic minerals and the packaging looks very similar to my bare minerals foundation. I'll need to try it and report back :h:


Here's the buzzfeed article if you're interested http://www.buzzfeed.com/zingtsjeng/high-street-dupes#.onKzNPRVz
Reply 1
anything from MUA is SUPER cheap and pretty good considering the price
i have a highlighter for £3 whereas an equivalent from MAC is £24...
i also have a little concealer palette of different coloured concealers to conceal different areas which was like £3/4 too
you can find Wilkinson makeup brushes that are really good (I have the stippling and bronzer brushes) that are like £4 each compared to £11.99 for one brush from RealTechniques...
in general, anything you want from a high-end brand can usually be found after a quick browse in Superdrug/Boots/Savers/Wilkinsons
I prefer pricey products because they last longer and you are definitely getting your value for money.
I used to use the MUA Heaven & Earth eye shadow palette before I could afford Urban Decay's Naked 2; it was a good dupe, but when you compare it to UD it is kind of naff. But I would buy it again over UD, just because I have only used one colour in my UD palette, haha! MUA's lipsticks are also good, as are Barry M's.
A dupe for the MAC Lip Pencil in Spice would be the KIKO Milano Precision Lip Pencil in 302.
I can't really compare the longevity but the colours are pretty much identical.
Original post by skwonc
anything from MUA is SUPER cheap and pretty good considering the price
i have a highlighter for £3 whereas an equivalent from MAC is £24...
i also have a little concealer palette of different coloured concealers to conceal different areas which was like £3/4 too
you can find Wilkinson makeup brushes that are really good (I have the stippling and bronzer brushes) that are like £4 each compared to £11.99 for one brush from RealTechniques...
in general, anything you want from a high-end brand can usually be found after a quick browse in Superdrug/Boots/Savers/Wilkinsons


Ooo I'm so excited a wilkinson is opening on my road in December, we didn't even have them in Glasgow so I'll definitely be buying some make brushes there. Might even get my sister some too :h:

Original post by samina_ay
I prefer pricey products because they last longer and you are definitely getting your value for money.


Not necessarily, I watched or read (can't remember) an article which stated that what you're actually paying for is the place on the shelf and the physical make up is very similar. Also for example for mascara it's the fancy brush you're paying for rather than the actual liquid itself. However I do have a mix of dearer brands which I use.
Original post by EmEmTheFairy
I used to use the MUA Heaven & Earth eye shadow palette before I could afford Urban Decay's Naked 2; it was a good dupe, but when you compare it to UD it is kind of naff. But I would buy it again over UD, just because I have only used one colour in my UD palette, haha! MUA's lipsticks are also good, as are Barry M's.


I love Barry M nail polish. I agree I buy the more expensive stuff and end up using one thing out of it. My example is the benefit eye kits. I really only use one eye shadow out of it :/

Original post by radprincess
A dupe for the MAC Lip Pencil in Spice would be the KIKO Milano Precision Lip Pencil in 302.
I can't really compare the longevity but the colours are pretty much identical.

Oh I think I've been in a kiko recently I'll have to give it a try :biggrin:
Bourjois is made by the same factory that make Chanel.
Original post by Carnationlilyrose
Bourjois is made by the same factory that make Chanel.


Ooo like walker crisps and supermarket crisps (or so the legends say)

Good to know :h:
Original post by lyrical_lie
Ooo like walker crisps and supermarket crisps (or so the legends say)

Good to know :h:


And M&S chocolates and Thorntons, and M&S shoes and Clarks/K Shoes.
Original post by lyrical_lie
Ooo I'm so excited a wilkinson is opening on my road in December, we didn't even have them in Glasgow so I'll definitely be buying some make brushes there. Might even get my sister some too :h:



Not necessarily, I watched or read (can't remember) an article which stated that what you're actually paying for is the place on the shelf and the physical make up is very similar. Also for example for mascara it's the fancy brush you're paying for rather than the actual liquid itself. However I do have a mix of dearer brands which I use.


Real techniques are definitely worth it imo :smile: I have cheaper brushes from amazon (unbranded) but they don't compare to the real techniques core collection. If you wait for it to be on offer it can be really affordable. Boots have it half price (£10) sometimes and amazon regularly reduce it to £13 which is good for 4 brushes :smile:

The make up revolution highlighters look like dupes for high end highlighters. The gold one looks really similar to an the mary lou-manizer from the balm and so hollywood from anastasia beverly hills but it is only £3! it is so beautiful as well :love:
Kiko's blush stick's are almost identical shades to most of my Nars blushes, so I have reverted to Kiko now. The quality is fantastic too!
No makeup.
Makeup Revolution's bronzer in Rock on World retails for only £4 and it's a pretty good dupe for MAC's Gold Deposit :biggrin:
Original post by LydiaIsaacs
Kiko's blush stick's are almost identical shades to most of my Nars blushes, so I have reverted to Kiko now. The quality is fantastic too!


Ooo I got one of them, really like it!

Original post by Anonynmous
No makeup.

Ha true, I hardly wear make up on day to days :h:

Original post by miss_snm
Makeup Revolution's bronzer in Rock on World retails for only £4 and it's a pretty good dupe for MAC's Gold Deposit :biggrin:

Ooo cheers! I'll have to give it a try :h:
Oh, it's a great challenge! Honestly, I don't have favourite brand. If to talk about mascara, I prefer L'Oreal, but I don't like their liquid makeup, indeed! Anti-Blemish Solutions Liquid CLINIQUE is pretty good, and my boyfriend always says that my face looks gorgeous after it. Anyway, choosing of any moisturizer depends on your type of skin. Don't buy trashy things, it's really dangerous.

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