Okay, let’s be real here: As high school students, we’re not extremely well off financially, but that shouldn’t stop us from looking high-end gorgeous. As great as those MAC lipsticks are, even the idea of one makes our wallets shed a tear. And that’s why the makeup gods said, “Let there be dupes!” Next time, check out your local drugstore instead of Sephora for some of these products that may surprise you.
Urban Decay vs. Maybelline Eyeshadow
Urban Decay’s line of Naked Palettes ($54) has been established as the Holy Grail of neutral eye shadows. And while the Naked 2 and 3 are my favorite palettes of all time, Maybelline’s The Nudes ($10) and The Blushed Nudes ($10) are close seconds to the 2 and 3, respectively. Both company’s products offer twelve various shades to choose from, and the color resemblance between them is uncanny. Although it’s nearly impossible to top the smooth texture and rich pigmentation that UD offers, I’ve noticed that applying Maybelline’s shadow with a wet brush intensifies and dramatizes the color more and looks identical to UD’s shades.
NARS vs. Revlon Lip Gloss
NARS recently announced its new line of velvet lip glides ($26) that will be available starting Sept. 6, which are supposed to have the consistency of a lipgloss but the texture of a lipstick. Now, ya girl happens to have her hands on an exclusive sample of the shade Stripped, and can testify that the product has long-lasting wear and does indeed feel like liquid lipstick. However, with the hefty price tag, repurchasing is out of the question. Instead, I’ve found that Revlon’s Super Lustrous lip glosses ($9) are a great alternative. Although the texture of Revlon’s gloss is not as thick, it glides right on and feels just as nourishing. The color also looks just as vibrant. The only issue is that the wear is not as great as NARS, but a few reapplications throughout the day will have your lips looking as good as ever.
Lancôme vs. Maybelline Mascara
Lancôme’s Hypnôse Drama Instant Full Body Mascara ($27) is a definite favorite for those with a little extra room in our wallets and a little less to offer in the lash department. Although it bears a signature S-shaped wand, Lancôme’s consistency, texture and pigmentation of the formula is strikingly similar to Maybelline’s Volum’ Express The Falsies Mascara ($7). While Lancôme’s wand made covering hard to reach lashes more accessible and provided more volume, Maybelline’s curved wand had a smoother application. The only drawback to Maybelline’s is that it is more prone to flaking. For both mascaras, clumping occurs when too many coats are applied.