IS IT A DUPE? GERARD COSMETICS LIP GLOSS IN ROSE HILL vs. ULTA MINERAL LIP GLOSS IN ROSE GARNET

Ready for another lippie dupe? I know I am! Today I bring you the battle of the lip glosses!

I love watching Jaclyn Hill videos on YouTube. She’s funny, real, quirky, informative, and super talented. She’s truly an inspiration.

One half of this ‘is it a dupe?’ features her very first creation with Gerard Cosmetics, a highly pigmented gloss in the shade ‘Rose Hill’. I don’t want to spoil the rest of the post, so we’ll just jump right in and see if I’ve been able to dupe it or not!

Let’s get started!

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GERARD COSMETICS COLOR YOUR SMILE LIGHTED LIP GLOSS in ROSE HILL ($24)

As I said above, this was the first creation of MUA and YouTuber Jaclyn Hill, and I must say she did an amazing job!

Gerard Cosmetics says:

Take time and smell the Rose Hill. Vibrant, sophisticated and endlessly feminine..this is an essential for any lip gloss addict.

This is an absolutely beautiful lip gloss! First off, however, let’s start with the packaging. It comes in a clear, square shaped tube with a gold top, and a tiny little mirror glued to the side. When you open it up, it’s got a doe foot applicator, and something even cooler – lights inside the cap! It’s meant to make it easier to apply in low light, in conjunction with the mirror on the side of the tube.

The formula itself is highly pigmented, very opaque, and quite sticky, and it has absolutely no shimmer or glitter. It can be applied like the average lip gloss, straight from the applicator all over the lips, for a high gloss look. Personally, I like to use it as more of a stain, dabbing some on the center of my bottom lip, and blending it outward in tapping motions with my finger, pressing it into my lips.

It’s a beautiful, universally flattering bright rosy shade, not too pink and not too red – perfect for every day wear. I absolutely love this gloss, but at $24 it can be a lot to shell out for a lip gloss – however, if you hurry, Gerard Cosmetics has these glosses on sale for 60% off! I believe it’s only for the month of December (2015) though, which makes them $9.60 each! So run!

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ULTA MINERAL LIP GLOSS in ROSE GARNNET ($8)

I was in an ULTA with my step-daughter Kayla one afternoon, and we happened across the ULTA Mineral Lip Glosses. This particular shade caught my eye, because it was bright and cheery and just beautiful. So I swatched it, and ultimately threw 2 of them in my shopping bag.

ULTA says about their glosses:

Get glittering shine while protecting your lips using Ulta’s nourishing Mineral Lip Gloss. Emollient blend of lip conditioners add moisture to lips while creating a shimmery finish.

The tube is your standard cylindrical lip gloss tube, clear so you can see the color of the product inside, with a brushed brass colored top. It has the typical doe foot applicator, and contains 0.14oz of product.

The formula is much thinner than the GC formula, and pretty slippery, and on the medium pigmentation side, with a touch of shimmer. Because it’s thinner, obviously it doesn’t wear nearly as long – I find myself having to touch up after just an hour or so – but at an $8 price point, that didn’t bother me. I love to wear this alone, or even layered over a lipstick for an added pop!

The color itself is pretty close, leaning a touch more on the red side, but when they’re swatched side by side, as you can see, it’s barely detectable. Like I said, it’s got a touch of golden shimmer, which isn’t terribly noticeable either. It’s very flattering on every skin tone, which is one of the things that drew me to it.

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 So, is it a dupe?

It’s a pretty close call, but I have to go with…..it is NOT a dupe.

The formulas are totally different, one has shimmer, and the colors are close but not an exact match. But the ULTA gloss is a great alternative if you’re looking to experiment with a color like that but aren’t sure you want to put out that much money, plus shipping.

If I had to pick a favorite of the two, that would be another tough one – but I’d choose the Gerard Cosmetics. Honestly, while it is on the pricey side, if you use it sparingly (almost as a stain, like I suggested) it will last you a good long while. And I won’t lie, the little mirror and the lights in the cap appeal to the luxury lover in me!

Have you guys tried either of these products? What are your thoughts? Leave me a comment below and let me know! I love to hear from you!

And please go follow me on Twitter and Instagram @dlynnesposito, and head on over to Facebook and give a like to the Affordable Gorgeous page, too! Your support means so much to me!

LOTS OF LOVE!

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!

OCTOBER FAVORITES 2015

HELLO HELLO!! It’s that time of the month again!

NO, NOT THAT TIME! 

It’s time for my October favorites! All thethings I’ve been LOVING this past month! This time I decided to include a little bit of everything – beauty, skin care, fashion, EVERYTHING. Last month I kept it strictly beauty related because I had just done a FALL favorites post, so this month I thought I would mix things up a bit – leave me a comment below and let me know which you like best, just beauty or a little bit of everything!

LET’S GET STARTED! 

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FREEMAN FEELING BEAUTIFUL MASKS ($5)

 I have a few of these, but my faves lately have been the Charcoal and Black Sugar Polishing Mask and the Dead Sea Minerals Anti-Stress Mask. The polishing mask is a favorite for days when I’m feeling extra dry and flakey, or I’ve had heavy makeup on. Since it’s rather gritty, and over-exfoliating isn’t good for your skin, on ‘off days’ I like to use the Dead Sea Minerals Anti-Stress mask. It’s great for de-gunking your pores, and the smell is SOOO relaxing, and I won’t lie, I love the bright blue color. And scaring the crap out of my husband! HAHAHA!!

E.L.F. LIP EXFOLIATOR ($3)

 This has become a regular part of my night time skin care routine. My lips get SUPER dry and flakey in the fall and winter, so bad that regular lip balm is no match for them! So I use this at night and follow it up with some Vaseline, and I’ve noticed a huge difference in the condition of my lips. This too, is a pretty grainy product, but it’s basically made of Vitamin E, Shea Butter, Avocado, Grape and Jojoba Oils, and sugar, to slough away any trace of dry skin. And I believe this is one of the E.L.F. products offered at CVS nationwide (they don’t carry the ENTIRE line, just a selection of it), so it’s even easier to get your hands – or lips! – on them!!

GERARD COSMETICS COLOR YOUR SMILE LIGHTED LIP GLOSS IN ROSE HILL ($24)

 Now I’ll admit that this was quite the splurge for me – $24 for a lip gloss – crazy, right?! But if you consider how INSANELY pigmented this stuff is, and how wonderfully long lasting it is, I think it was worth the splurge. It’s the first baby created by YouTube beauty vlogger and professional makeup artist Jaclyn Hill, and it is, to quote her,”amaze-balls!”. It’s not too pink, and not too red, and I find MY favorite way of applying it is to just put a little in the center of my bottom lip and then blend it out, so it’s leaving more of a stain. Of course you can go balls-to-the-wall and go for a nice, thick layer of it and it’s BEAUTIFUL. But I like the pretty, natural, just bitten look I get from just a small amount. AND it’s got a built in light in the wand, and a mirror on the side, making application in low light or ANYWHERE really a BREEZE! ❤

NOT YOUR MOTHERS CLEAN FREAK DRY SHAMPOO ($7)

 I FREAKIN’ LOVE dry shampoo. I don’t know if it’s because it’s just too much hassle to wash my hair as often as I should (#SAHMprobs) or because they offer flexibility in styling by adding volume and texture to the hair, or because they’re so portable and convenient. But after trying pretty much every dry shampoo out there EXCEPT this one, I figured ‘why not?’. It was on sale, which is ALWAYS a win for me, and it claimed to leave no residue, and a light matte finish. Now because I’ve yet to find RED dry shampoo (they make blonde and brown, why the hell not red?!) to match my ruby red hair, I was anxious to find something that wouldn’t leave me with that white cast at the root, or looking pink. This stood up well. Me like-y.

MAYBELLINE VOLUM’ EXPRESS PUMPED UP COLOSSAL MASCARA ($5)

 This is sort of a rediscovered favorite for me. I picked this up awhile back because I’ve always been impressed with Maybelline mascaras, and I just love voluminous lashes and big, fat, bristle brushes. But my FAVORITE thing about this mascara is that it doesn’t flake or smudge during the day. The brush is a little tricky, as it’s tapered a LITTLE bit at the end, but still kinda tricky to maneuver into the inner corner and grab the little baby lashes, but it gives AMAZING volume and pretty great length too. I’m trying to use it up so I can buy a new one, but it’s DEFINITELY one that I plan to repurchase again and again.

REVLON COLORBURST LIP BUTTER in FIG JAM ($7)

 If you’re looking for a great fall color, this is it. It looks crazy brown in the bullet, but when you apply it to your lips it does something magical with your own natural lip color – I can’t explain it. It’s a lovely autumn shade that goes with any look, from a smokey eye to minimal makeup, and BONUS – it’s a total dupe for the Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey ($17), and who doesn’t love a good dupe?!

ADRIENNE VITADINNI 17″ QUILTED NYLON EAST WEST LAPTOP TOTE ($90)

 I was in TJ Maxx the other day, and while I was walking around looking for my nephews birthday gift, took a stroll through the handbag department, as per usual. That’s where I spotted this. I needed a fall bag, and while yes, this is quite large for the everyday bag, I also tend to carry a sizable makeup bag, diapers, wipes, food, assorted toys, etc. So the multitude of storage, lots of pockets, all these things appealed to me. Now I managed to get this on sale for $40, which is why I’m including it in the post, but if you don’t have a TJ Maxx near you and you happen to love this bag as much as I do, the link is above. Let me be clear in saying that before any purchase over $20, I have a rule – I go home, sleep on it, and if I’m still lusting after it the next day, and can afford it, I’ll go get it. Well, they originally had one in an olive green, so the black one here was my second choice. BUT I think it was a good move. Black is classic, and I can use this forever. It would even be great to travel with as a carry on, as soon as we have the means of course!

BIGELOW PEPPERMINT TEA ($3)

 In the fall and winter, I love tea. At any given time I have 4-5 boxes of different teas in my kitchen. Ever since I had my gallbladder out in June of 2015, I’ve had some lingering stomach issues, mainly nausea and the inability to tolerate too much caffeine, dairy, fat, etc. So usually in the afternoon and right before bed, I make a big cup of peppermint tea with about a teaspoon or so of honey, and it helps to just relax my entire body, tummy included. And I’ve noticed that by scaling back on the coffee and having more tea, my skin is clearer and my teeth are whiter, and I’m able to unwind much easier at night. Plus it’s just so soothing and cozy.

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What are some things YOU guys are loving for the month of October?! Leave me a comment and let me know!

And as always, go follow me on Twitter and Instagram @dlynnesposito to keep up with me!

LOTS of LOVE!!

XOXO – Donna