9 Of The Best High-Street Beauty Dupes To Try Now
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Beauty Balm
We’re always a bit sceptical when a discount supermarket tries to replicate high-end beauty products – trust us when we say not all of them live up to the hype. This one, however, took us by surprise. Designed to be the ultimate salve for everything from sunburn to chapped elbows, Elizabeth Arden’s original Eight-Hour Cream has enjoyed cult status for years. But Aldi’s version – known under the brand Lacura – is just as effective. With the same emollient, gel-style formula and warm amber scent, even the ingredients list is similar to the luxury bestseller, as both feature lanolin and salicylic acid.
SPLURGE: Elizabeth Arden 8-Hour Cream, £21
Beauty Sponges
The Beautyblender is a much-loved essential of industry insiders and A-listers like Blake Lively, Jennifer Lawrence and Oprah. If you’re after one that’s similar, only more purse-friendly, opt instead for Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. Ideal for powder, cream and liquid make-up application, it has some more distinct features (think slanted and sharp edges) to allow you to cover both large and small surface areas at once.
SPLURGE: Beautyblender, £17
SAVE: Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge, £5.99
Blush
At this time of year, it’s still liquid blushers we’re reaching for, and none have enjoyed quite as much attention as Glossier’s Cloud Paint. It’s watery texture and high colour pay-off have made it a staple in many a make-up bag, but when it came time to repurchase, we decided to give the more affordable Maybelline version a go. Happily, it performed just as well, although the shade range on offer is slightly different, so don’t expect to match the two pigment for pigment. Even so, you’ll be left with a radiant, healthy-looking flush that lasts.
SPLURGE: Glossier Cloud Paint, £15
Cleanser
Liz Earle’s cult cleanser needs no introduction, but Superdrug’s effective alternative might. Admittedly, it doesn’t feel as luxe as Liz Earle’s, however, it gets the job done with a nourishing formula to boot. Cocoa butter and mulberry extract help to boost skin’s radiance, while the creamy texture breaks down all grime and impurities for squeaky clean skin.
SPLURGE: Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanse & Polish, £12.40
SAVE: Superdrug Naturally Radiant Hot Cloth Face Cleanser, £6.99
Concealer
Those who have been into beauty for a while will know all about Tarte’s famous concealer. Offering some of the best coverage money can buy, those who purchase it on repeat – but are starting to feel the burn – might want to give e.l.f’s 16Hr Camo Concealer a try. It holds up just as well, offering full-on coverage with minimal creasing or dryness. Great for those looking to disguise blemishes or dark circles, we’re also seriously impressed by the number of shades on offer from the budget brand – the range more than stacks up against its more expensive counterpart.
SPLURGE: Tarte Shape Tape, £24
Eyeshadow Palette
Urban Decay will always be the holy grail of eyeshadow palettes, but there’s no denying there are some pretty impressive dupes on the market these days – notably Rimmel’s 12 Pan Spice palette which is a great, affordable rival to their Naked Heat Palette. Housing everything from reds and bronze coppers to flattering taupe shades, it’s the perfect palette to take you from summer to autumn in just a few sweeps.
SPLURGE: Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette, £43
SAVE: Rimmel Magnifeyes 12 Pan Palette In Spice, £9.99
Lip Gloss
Rihanna can do no wrong in our eyes, but if you want to save some money and still keep your lips looking lush, hydrated and just that little bit extra, then Milani's Ludicrous Lip Gloss is a great dupe for Fenty Beauty's beloved Gloss Bomb. It's got the same shine and the glow, but for a fraction of the price – plus, if you toss it in your bag and it happens to get lost on a night out, you’re not going to feel quite so bad.
SPLURGE: Fenty Gloss Bomb, £17
SAVE: Milani Ludacris Lip Gloss, £13.50
Mascara
Lancôme’s range of Hypnôse mascaras haven’t quite been the same since the brand discontinued its beloved ‘Star’ version a few years ago. Thankfully, we’ve been able to replace it with this far more affordable, but just as effective, version from Maybelline. The ‘Falsies’ range now extends to include waterproof and extra-inky flankers, but nothing beats the original if you ask us. Expect instantly fluttery, wide-eyed lashes with zero smudging or flakiness come 4pm. Believe us when we say it’s not left our make-up bag since we discovered it.
SPLURGE: Lancôme Hypnôse Mascara, £27.50
SAVE: Maybelline The Falsies Mascara, £8.99
Moisturiser
Everyone knows La Mer’s cult moisturisers are some of the best out there – but it’s hard to deny the price tag is prohibitive to some. That’s why we went in search of a convincing dupe that did the same for our skin as the brand’s famous gel cream – which is perfect for late summer or warm climates. Thankfully, we found it in Summer Friday’s Cloud Dew. The brands founders Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Gores, together with a team of industry experts, have come up with the ideal moisturiser for combination or parched skins – specifically, a featherlight texture which won’t clog up your pores or cause breakouts. We’re obsessed.
SPLURGE: La Mer Gel Cream, £135
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