Drugstore Products That Are Just as Good as High-End
I am a high-end makeup girl. I just am. The majority of my makeup collection consists of mid-range to high end makeup brand products. But I am not a makeup snob. If a product is good it doesn’t matter to me where it falls in range of price. High-end doesn’t automatically mean good and drugstore doesn’t automatically mean bad. And there are some drugstore brands and products that I find to be just as good - and sometimes better- than higher end ones.
L.A. Girl Neon Shockwave and Ultimate Intense Auto Liner ($4.99) vs Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil ($22)
I am a big fan of Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide-on-Eye Liner. They are creamy, last all day and come in a ton of shades. When I am doing a colorful or more vibrant eye look I like to use a complimentary or contrasting shade in my waterline. Urban Decay liners are perfect for this. They have an extensive color range (the best on the market IMO) They are also $22 each. If you like having multiple colors that can add up quickly.
L.A. Girl has two eye liner options that work just as well for a fraction of the price. The Neon Shockwave line offers vibrant shades like yellow, teal, pink and purple. If you want something more subtle but still love color they have the Ultimate Intense Auto Liner which comes in your classic black and brown as well as navy blue, charcoal and bronze shades. Both formulas are creamy, pigmented, and last all day. And both retail for just $4.99. You can often find them for even cheaper. I order mine from Ulta which often has them buy 1 get one half off. They’re currently on sale on Ulta’s website for for under $3.
I still highly recommend the Urban Decay liners if you are willing or able to spend the money on them. And when I am looking for a very specific kind of color I usually opt for their pencils. But for basic or easy to find liner colors I opt for the LA Girl ones.
L’Oreal Infallible Fresh Wear ($14.99) vs Estee Lauder Double Wear ($43)
This is a big claim, I know. But I think these two foundations are pretty comparable. But…I actually prefer the Infallible Fresh Wear. Both are long-wearing and work great on oily/combo skin. But I find the coverage of the Fresh Wear more forgiving. It is more medium coverage than the Double Wear. You can build it up. whereas the Double Wear is just “full coverage” from the start. Double Wear does have a more expansive shade range with 55 shades. L’Oreal’s shade range isn’t too shabby for drugstore with 30 shades. And if you are looking for full coverage, matte finish, Double Wear is most definitely the better option. But if you are searching for a medium buildable foundation with a more natural finish, Infallible Fresh Wear is a great affordable alternative.
Covergirl Exhibitionist Mascara ($11.99) vs Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara ($25)
Let me to start off by admitting that I personally am not a fan of the Too Faced Better Than Sex formula. It’s a bit too clumpy for my taste. But I love the Covergirl Exhibitionist Mascara and found that the things that people love about the Too Faced cult fave can be found in the CG one. Both formulas give you great volumizing and length. But the Covergirl mascara does not have the flaking issues that so many complain about with the Too Faced. And it’s less than half the price.
Milani Hypnotic Lights Powder Highlighters ($12.99) vs Ofra Highlighters ($35)
Ofra has one of my favorite highlighter formula. They are creamy, blinding and smooth. And they are $35 a pop. Which is a lot. Are they worth that much? For me, that’s debatable. Especially since I know there are formulas that are just as amazing like the Milani Hypnotic Lights Highlighters, for a fraction of the price. These highlighters are STUNNING. The formula isn’t as creamy as the Ofra formula - but - it has everything else going for it. They are blinding and don’t look powdery on the skin.Especially when applied with a fluffy brush.
L’Oreal Signature Matte Liner ($10.99) vs Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eyeliner ($22)
I was blown away by the L’Oreal Signature Matte Liners when I tried them. I picked up two shades, the blue and the burgundy and when they arrived I swatched them on my hand. And then forgot about them. I went about the rest of my doing things around my house. Washed my hands multiple times. And they DIDN’T BUDGE. They didn’t come off until I removed them at the end of the day with micellar water. I then used the burgundy on my eye and was in love with how pigmented it was. And it lasted LONGER than my Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner. Which does in fact fade on my despite being advertised as waterproof. I still use my Stila liner and am slowing working my way through finishing it. And when it’s empty I don’t think I will be repurchasing it. Instead I will pick up the black Signature Matte Liner. The color range of the Signature liners isn’t as large as the Stila one, so like with the UD pencils, if you are looking for more interesting colors the Stila is still a decent option.
L.A. Girl Moonlight Magic Highlighting Palette ($10.99) vs Anastasia Beverly Hill Sun-dipped Glow Kit ($40)
Yes, I’m mentioning L.A. Girl again. Don’t sleep on this brand, folks. They have great products! And one of them is the Moonlight Magic Highlighting Palette. I LOVE this palette. I reach for it all the time. The formula is beautiful and the shades give the skin an amazing glow. I believe this palette was intended to be a dupe for the Anastasia Beverley Hills Sun-Dipped Glow Kit. The shades are VERY similar. As is the effect on the skin. And the LA Girl palette is less than $10.99 while the ABH one is $40. AND like I stated above, Ulta has sales on L.A. Girl products all the time so you could even get the palette for less than it’s regular price.
What are some of the drugstore products you prefer over high end? Let me know in the comments!
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