Looking Great For Less

Blogger Challenge 2014 Post #4: Looking Great For Less

I am a huge money saver. I like to use coupons, I buy things on sale, and I don't like the feeling of forking over a ton of money for something expensive when I know I can find a better deal somewhere for a similar product, especially when it comes to make-up.

I love the look of some of the products I see people do demos with on YouTube: the     
Naked 3 palette, MAC lipsticks, and Chanel lipsticks and foundations, but I just can't justify spending the money! 

I know I can get great deals with coupons on great brands like L'Oreal and Maybelline with coupons at Ulta, CVS, or Walgreens, so why not use a "dupe" for a great product and get something that I deem "just as good" for a better price. 

Did you know that Loreal Paris, Maybelline New York, Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani Beauty, and Lancome Paris are all owned by the same company (Loreal USA has a Luxe division and Consumer Products Division)? Now that's crazy, hmmm? Now when I found that out, I thought, wow, maybe there are similar products among the lower end brands and the higher end brands? Crazy thought, right? If that right there doesn't go to show you that there can be similar products out there across all price levels, then I don't know what will!

For this post, I would like to share with you some "drugstore dupes" that I find are close to or just as good as the high-end versions. I have found too that I don't feel as guilty using them and trying out new trends by buying these products as if I spent full price for the real things. So if you're like me and want to save some money, then read on :) 

Blush

I have to say that I never was a huge blush girl until my sister started getting me into it. She loves blush and she wears it well! A splurge for her this Christmas was the Nars Holiday Cheek Palette: One Night Stand. Look at those beautiful colors. But this, of course, was a Christmas splurge. Since I'm not so sure about blush, I decided to check out some "dupes" to try out some new shades. Here's what I found:

Nars Orgasm:  

Nars Orgasm is seriously one of my favorite blush colors. 

You get...

• Nice flush on your cheeks.
• Nice warm coral color. 
• Very blendable.
• Long-lasting wear.
• cost = $30 

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I found a great dupe for this blush at CVS. I also think Kmart has a good price on it too. It's Milani's Baked Blush in Luminoso. (You may have heard this one before. I think this may be a popular dupe!) CVS is where I usually buy my Milani products. Milani has some seriously great blushes. I can typically find them on sale at CVS for B1G1 1/2 off and stack some CVS coupons on top of that from my CVS rewards card to get them even cheaper!

This picture is from a blogger I recently found at Coffee and Makeup. She also thinks this a great blush. You can read her review here.

I love this Milani blush. 

You get...

• nice, warm glow. 
• blends easily 
• not powdery at all, even though it may look it in the picture. 
• Cost = $8.49

If you also sign up for their beauty program in store with your CVS rewards card (it's easy, they have coupons sitting around to scan at the register), you get 10% off your next purchase. They also give great rewards coupons. I recently had a $3.50 coupon, so I used that plus the 10% off and saved a lot! 

Nars Desire:

Another Nars blush that I love is Desire. How pretty, right? 

• Really bright pink 
• Nice girly look and gives a wide-awake, fresh look to your face.
• Easily blendable
• Cost = $30

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And here's the dupe: E.l.f.'s Pink Passion (I buy mine at Target):

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I love this blush. I wore it every day for a long time because 

• Gave me a fresh, bright look. 
• Little goes a long way.
• Easily blendable. 
• costs = $3!

I just really love this color and I think it is very close to the Nars version! 

Concealer

Benefit's Boi-ing Concealer

Benefit markets Boi-ing as an "industrial strength" concealer that can cover any dark circle or blemish or discoloration without creasing or fading. I tried this concealer out in the store and also had a small sample. 

It has...

• Lasting power
• Hard to blend into my dark circle under my eyes; covers blemishes pretty well.
• Does cover dark spots well.
• I did have to add a little moisturizer to the product. It was a little cakey in areas.
• Cost = $20

If you do want to try it, it comes in 5 different shades and is sold wherever Benefit products are sold.

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I always have trouble finding great concealers, but I think I found one that I think is just as good as Benefit's Boi-ing! (I kind of like it better!) I was so excited about it! It's Maybelline's Superstay Concealer. This is seriously the best concealer that I have ever used. 

• last all day
• goes on liquidy smooth
• good medium coverage
• matte finish
• does not look cakey or powdery when set (only use on dark spots and blemishes, not under eyes, my dark circles are hard to cover; does not cover them too well)
• cost = about $7.99

Eye Shadow

Naked 3 Palette

I always love using pinky shades on my eyes, especially rose gold colors and shimmery pinks mixed with brown mattes, so the Naked 3 palette always intrigued me. I kept telling myself that I could for sure find some shadows that look like the Naked 3 colors. I have not tried the Naked 3 palette like I have the other products listed. This dupe is just based on the color selections available in the palette. So after walking around CVS and perusing the eye shadow options, I found some that I thought I could use to make some comparable eye looks as if I used the Naked 3 palette.

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Here are a few palettes that I used to make some eye looks based on the Naked 3 colors for much less than the $52 that it costs.

I recently purchased this quad from L'Oreal. It's called L'Oreal Color Riche Eye Shadow Quad in Rose for Romance. The cost was around $6.99.

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I used it in combination with this matte quad from Physician's Formula, Canyon Classics to add some dimension. All Physician's formula products are currently 40% off at CVS. This quad is $6.97, but at 40%, it's a great deal!

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This is the pink quad from Rimmel Glam Eyes HD (English Rose) that I cannot find anywhere excepet Amazon. Not sure if it's discontinued, but it is great for making some pink-based eye looks with shadows that look like the Naked 3 colors.

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A similar color palette is also from Rimmel that has great pink colors. It is the Rimmel Glam'Eyes Eye Shadow Quad in the color English Breakfast. It costs around $7.

Benefit's Cream Creaseless Shadows

I love Benefit's Cream Creaseless Shadows. Hands down, they are amazing. But, for one pot of shadow, it costs $19. Now I know for some make-up lovers, that's not a ton of money, but when you want to buy a few colors, that adds up to a lot! I have found comparable colors in Maybelline's Color Tattoos. Even under Benefit's cream shadows, I wore an eye primer, and I still do under the Maybelline Color Tattoos. I do tend to have oilier skin, so this helps make both products much longer lasting for me.

Both products:

• Comparable in color
• Smooth, creamy texture
• Very blendable 
• Ability to build the product up
• Lasting power (with primer)
• Price: Benefit = $19, Maybelline = about $7

Benefit Cream Shadow in Stilleto

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Maybelline Color Tattoo in Pomegranate Punch

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So there are some of my favorite drugstore dupes. I have plenty of others if you'd like to hear more, so let me know what you think!

Have you found any good drugstore dupes?

Love and happiness <3 Holly