MY FAVORITE DUPES!

 I think we all know by now that I’m a sucker for a dupe. I’m a couponer. I’m a bargain hunter. I love sales. I shop clearance like it’s nobody’s business. So when I find a great dupe, you know I have to bring it to you!

But instead of one great dupe, I thought today I would round up several! Let’s get started!

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 BEAUTYBLENDER vs. REAL TECHNIQUES MIRACLE COMPLEXION SPONGE

 

 The original Beautyblender retails for $20 at Sephora. That’s a lot of money for a sponge that, let’s face it, has to be replaced pretty often no matter how clean you think you’re getting it. They harbor bacteria like nobody’s business. But the Real Techniques sponge is $7 at ULTA, comes in a two-pack for $11, and has both a pointed side and a FLAT edge, making it great for getting up against your lower lash line and right along the sides of your nose when you’re blending out concealer.

 

 ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS BROW WIZ vs. NYX MICRO BROW

 

 Let’s be real – Anastasia knows what she’s doing when it comes to brows. The Brow Wiz retails for $21 though – a little rich for my blood. NYX released the Micro Brow pencil, and at $9.99 it’s a STEAL! And to further dupe the dupe, they’re both made in South Korea, and because of the almost identical formula and packaging, I’d venture to guess that they’re made in the same plant! And NYX is almost always running a ‘Buy One Get One 50% off’ sale at ULTA so you can get 2 of them for LESS than the price of one! Save your money for the Anastasia Dip Brow, because I’ve yet to see THAT duped, although Milani has a pretty close formula out now!!

KAT VON D EVERLASTING LIQUID LIPSTICK in LOLITA vs. MILANI AMORE MATTE LIP CREME in BELOVED & NYX LIQUID SUEDE LIPSTICK in SOFTSPOKEN

 

 Here we have a double-dupe! ‘Lolita’ is a gorgeous shade (provided you didn’t get one from the ‘bad batch’) but it’s pricey! $20 at Sephora. But back around late summer/early fall Milani released their limited edition Amore Matte Lip Creme line, and the shade ‘Beloved’ is a fantastic shade dupe for ‘Lolita’! They’ve since been taken off the shelves, but are still available on milanicosmetics.com. NYX also recently released their ‘Liquid Suede’ line, and the shade ‘Softspoken’ is a great dupe as well! Both dry matte, are super long lasting, and most importantly, you don’t get the (forgive me) butt-hole lip look after a few hours of wear!

NARS DOLCE VITA LIP GLOSS vs. L’OREAL COLOR RICHE LE GLOSS in REALLY ROSE

 

 NARS Dolce Vita is said to be the perfect ‘your-lips-but-better’ shade. And it’s absolutely beautiful. It wears well, has great color payoff, and it’s universally flattering. But it’s $26 at Nordstrom. Whoa. I actually grabbed one in an eBay auction recently for $15, but even that was a little steep for me. But why you ask? Because I just had to try it for myself. And I wanted to compare it to a favorite drugstore gloss that I already owned, the L’Oreal Le Gloss in Really Rose. And they’re basically identical! The L’Oreal is by far less sticky, so it doesn’t last more than maybe 2 hours tops. But if you’re looking for a great Dolce Vita dupe and don’t want to shell out $26 bucks, you’ll love the L’Oreal!

URBAN DECAY NAKED SKIN CONCEALER vs.MAYBELLINE FIT ME CONCEALER

 

 I actually did a full review on these products (which you can read here), but the long and short of it is while I loved the consistency, coverage, and application of the UD concealer, I hated that within 10 minutes it had oxidized, leaving me with orange splotches all over my face. Could it have been because it was summer and I was oily? Maybe. But while others live and die by it, it left a bad taste in my mouth, so to speak. But Maybelline’s Fit Me concealer is the same consistency, amazing coverage (medium, and buildable) and very long wearing. It doesn’t oxidize on me at all, and because they’re so inexpensive, I like to use these for cream contouring as well!

ESTEE LAUDER DOUBLE WEAR STAY IN PLACE MAKEUP vs. REVLON COLORSTAY LIQUID FOUNDATION

 

 I picked up a sample of this (Estee Lauder) foundation specifically for the purpose of testing this dupe – I already owned and loved the Revlon Colorstay, both the whipped and liquid versions. I actually did a split wear test one day (half Estee Lauder, half Revlon) and found that they performed pretty much identical. They both kept me pretty matte, stayed in place, and didn’t oxidize on me. And I put these to the test on one of the hottest, most humid days of the summer. I was super impressed that Revlon held it’s weight against the Estee Lauder, and while I did like the high end version, if you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg, why would you? I’ll be repurchasing the Revlon over and over and hoping that they don’t discontinue the Colorstay line anywhere in the near future!

MAC LIP PENCIL in WHIRL vs. NYX SLIM LIP PENCIL in MAUVE

 

 Ahhh, the coveted ‘Kylie Jenner’ lip pencil – probably the most sought after lip color in a long time. But really? Over $16 for a lip liner? I can’t. I just can’t. So to find a $3.49 dupe, I was sold. I actually found this one on Pinterest, and ran to ULTA to grab it. NYX makes great lip pencils – they’re creamy, pigmented, and long wearing. If you’re looking to duplicate the ‘Kylie Jenner’ lip, look no further – this is it!

MAC LIP PENCIL in BOLDLY BARE vs. NYX SLIM LIP PENCIL in PEEK-A-BOO NATURAL

 

 Another fantastic dupe – again, creamy and pigmented, super long wearing, this is a go-to on those ‘no makeup makeup’ days. It caught my eye in a Jaclyn Hill video one day and Lord knows I love me a neutral lip! But she used the MAC pencil, so I thought I would take to the internet in search of a dupe, so if you’re looking for a good nude lip pencil but can’t justify (or afford) to pay the MAC price, grab this – you won’t be disappointed!

NARS BLUSH in ORGASM vs. MILANI BAKED BLUSH in LUMINOSO

 

 I think NARS Orgasm was my very first high end beauty purchase – I read about it in a magazine, and had to have it. So I ran to Nordstrom and scooped it up, along with the Orgasm lip gloss. Of course this was back before dupes were everywhere, and I had any real financial responsibilities besides gas money to get to work and back! Now that I’m a mom, my priorities are way different, but I still like to look like a million bucks without actually spending that much – enter Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso. It’s the same universally flattering, peachy-pink sheen, that’s shimmery without being glittery. If there’s anything I hate it’s looking like I’m wearing chunky glitter (except on my eyes – sometimes). Another great option is NYX Powder Blush in Pinched, though that one is a little more pink in tone.

GERARD COSMETICS  LIP GLOSS in ROSE HILL vs.ULTA MINERAL LIP GLOSS in ROSE GARNET

 

 This isn’t necessarily a total dupe in the way of formulation, but more so in color. They’re both a bright, pinky red shade, and very highly pigmented. But the GC gloss is super sticky, helping it last far longer than the ULTA gloss. Additionally the ULTA gloss has the slightest touch of shimmer in it, though it’s not super noticeable on the lips. I picked up the GC on eBay at the end of summer for around $12 with free shipping, which is a steal considering one of these retails for a whopping $24 on the Gerard Cosmetics website. The ULTA gloss was only $8, and they regularly go on sale, so you can stock up!

THE BALM MARY-LOU MANIZER vs. WET N’ WILD COLOR ICON BRONZER in RESERVE YOUR CABANA

 

 I had seen this particular dupe mentioned a lot, both online and on YouTube. I was hesitant to bother trying it because honestly, it didn’t look like much in the way of a highlight – it looked more like a regular pressed powder – nothing terribly special. But after a recommendation from Jessica Braun (jambeauty89 on YouTube) and a sale at my local Walgreens, I decided to try it. And boy am I glad I did! As I said, it doesn’t really look like anything special in the pan, but once it’s on the skin, it just…..does something. It makes you look like you’re naturally glowing from within, like you’ve been eating your fruits and veggies. If you’re looking for a nice, natural, not overly glowy, everyday highlight that’s office or school appropriate, try this product – it really delivers, and for under $5, you get a massive amount of product that will last you a really long time!

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Do you guys have any favorite dupes for high end products? Maybe something I didn’t mention? Leave me a comment below, I love to hear from you, and I’m always on the hunt for great new dupes!

And don’t forget to go follow me on Twitter and Instagram @dlynnesposito, and go like the Affordable Gorgeous page on Facebook!

LOTS OF LOVE!

5 PRODUCTS FOR A 5 MINUTE FACE

Most days when I’m not going anywhere, I don’t bother to put on makeup. I like to let my skin breathe as much as possible. Yesterday was one of those days. But later in the evening I had to run out briefly to pick up my husband from work and run to the grocery store. Usually I’ll go out without a drop of makeup on and not think twice. But for whatever reason, my brain said ‘just put on a little‘, so to the vanity  I went.

As I sat down, I knew I wouldn’t have much time, so I figured I would make a game of it. A challenge. I wanted to use as few products as possible, as quickly as possible, and get out the door looking polished and pulled together. So I got to work.

This is a look that you can do in 5 minutes or less, with 5 products and 3 tools – fantastic for busy mornings or just a minimal makeup day, this will have you out the door in no time at all!

Let’s get started!

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CONCEALER – 1 min 16 sec

 

 Naturally this is the first step after your skin care. If you feel the need to use a primer, that’s fine. But for the sake of keeping time and products to a minimum, I skip primer and foundation and go straight for the concealer. My Holy Grail concealer at the moment is my Maybelline Fit Me Concealer ($7), and I have mine in the shade ‘fair’. I apply it only to the areas that need the most attention – the very inner corner of the eye, the outer corner of the eye (I sometimes get a little bit of redness in that area), on the sides of my nose (another place of great redness, but almost all women get redness here, it’s just hormonal), a stripe down the center of my nose (gets a little red here too) and of course any blemishes. Then I like to blend it out with the e.l.f. Studio Flawless Concealer Brush ($3), or for more pinpointed areas like blemishes, the Real Techniques Shading Brush ($7), keeping it pretty much in the areas I need the coverage, but I will take whatever is leftover on the brush and use it on my eyelids, because they can get pretty veiny. You could also use a damp beauty sponge, the choice is yours. I recommend the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge ($7), and between you and me – I like it BETTER than a Beauty Blender! SSSHHHHH!

BRONZER – 16 sec

 

 After all that concealer (even though it wasn’t really that much) it’s time to bring some color back to the face. I found myself reaching for a blush and thought “well if you do that, you’ll look like a porcelain doll and not like a HUMAN”, so instead I grabbed a bronzer. Well, kind of. The NYX HD Blush in ‘Nude’Tude’ ($7) is technically a blush, but it’s a pretty, not too warm honey shade that just brings you back to LIFE! I lightly dust that on the outside of my face and a little tiny bit on either side of my nose with a Real Techniques Blush Brush ($9).

BROWS – 37 sec

 

 Brows make your look. When they look more polished, even if it’s just basic grooming with a little clear brow gel, you feel like you can take on the world. Yup, brows are pretty powerful like that! So I like to use the Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel ($22) for this step. I know, it’s not drugstore. It’s a little on the pricey side for a clear brow gel, or ANY brow gel – but this stuff is SUPER GLUE on your brows – and I actually got mine for $11 when ULTA ran their ‘21 Days of Beauty‘ promotion back in September – and I’m such a believer that my cheap butt WILL be purchasing more when I run out! If you’re someone who absolutely needs a some color to their brows, the ULTA Brow Tint ($10) is a great option, and it has that teeny tiny brush reminiscent of the Benefit Gimme Brow ($24), but for way less!

EYES – 1 min 36 sec

 

 I kept it simple here – just curling my lashes (any old lash curler will do, mine came from TJ Maxx) and applying 2-3 coats of CoverGirl Lash Blast Clump Crusher Mascara ($8) in Brown. A brown mascara looks more natural, so you don’t feel like the rest of your face has to compete with your lashes. I did both my top and bottom lashes, because the curved brush fits perfectly and I don’t have to reach for something totally different for those pesky little bottom ones.

LIPS – 18 sec

  

 Here you can do whatever you want. But back in August I discovered the ULTA Brilliant Color Lip Glosses ($8), and fell in love. My favorite shade is Guava, and I think I have a few stashed away as backups too, in case they go and discontinue the shade! It’s a pretty, very glossy but not too sticky, natural pink shade that just looks fresh and girly. If you like something a little richer in pigmentation, you could always use the Burt’s Bees Lip Gloss in Evening Glow ($7), which is a little on the redder side, and not too sheer or too opaque, it’s pretty much right in the middle. When I’m doing minimal makeup, I just feel like I need a glossy lip. A lot of the ULTA brand cosmetics I feel are very underrated, and I don’t hear them mentioned often, but I really love them. There are some great quality items, but I’ll save that for another time!

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There you have it! Now all you need is a messy bun or some cute earrings and you’re ready for your day! This is a go-to look for me most days because, like many moms of toddlers, I treasure any extra moments of sleep I can salvage!

 

How do you get ready on busy mornings? What are your HG products to achieve an effortless, put together look? Leave me a comment below!

And don’t forget to follow me on Twitter and Instagram @dlynnesposito, and go like the new Affordable Gorgeous page on Facebook!

LOTS OF LOVE AND EXTRA ZZZ’S!!