How To Find Makeup Dupes & Cheap Makeup On A Budget
Save your bank balance and learn how to find the best makeup dupes.
Love buying makeup but hate having to spend money on it? If you’re looking for makeup dupes or cheap makeup alternatives but have no idea where to start, we’ve got it covered with the best dupes and websites you can use— to save your bank balance and have you looking 10/10 without the hefty price tag.
One of the beauty industry’s best-kept secrets is that often trending makeup will be expensive just because of the brand name and you might be able to find a beauty dupe with the same or similar ingredients but for a fraction of the price.
You can get dupes of pretty much anything, from Ugg dupes to Dyson airwrap dupes and we’re going to break down everything you need to know about cheap makeup and where to buy dupes.
In this article:
- How to find makeup dupes
- Best websites for cheap makeup
- Best Charlotte Tilbury dupes
- Best high street foundation
- Best high street bronzing drops
- Best high street skincare
How to find makeup dupes
Alright, so let’s say you have your eyes on a particular makeup item but you don’t really have the budget to buy it right now. Luckily, you should be able to find a dupe pretty easily, which will be a similar product that does the same thing but is much cheaper.
First of all, you’re going to want to have a look at drugstore brands instead of high end, a lot of the time these brands will have either direct makeup dupes or products that are very similar for a much lower cost.
Some UK drugstore brands that sell a lot of beauty dupes are:
- e.l.f. Cosmetics
- Revolution
- Nyx Cosmetics
- Rimmel
- Maybelline
You can try searching for the product directly, for example, if you’re looking for a blusher dupe go to e.l.f. and search for blushes, or you can do it the easier way and use an ingredients comparison website which will do all of the hard work for you.
All you have to do is copy and paste the ingredients of the makeup product you want to buy and these dupe websites will find you similar products. Alternatively, some websites allow you to search for the more expensive product and will suggest a much cheaper alternative you can buy instead.
Some good dupe websites include:
Best websites for cheap makeup
If you’re looking for cheap makeup or want to save some money on your beauty essentials, there are plenty of beauty retailers that stock drugstore brands, have regular sales and offer a student discount— which means low spending all around.
Some great places to shop for cheap makeup include:
Again, look specifically for drugstore brands but if you’re using your student discount there’s no reason why you can’t treat yourself to one or two high-end products if you’re getting some big savings!
Best Charlotte Tilbury dupes
If you’ve been eyeing up some Charlotte Tilbury makeup but are on a budget, there are plenty of budget-friendly dupes and alternatives that will save your bank balance and still give you a stunning glowy look.
From iconic products like Pillow Talk lipstick to Flawless Filter foundation, it’s impossible to see a trending makeup video on TikTok without a Charlotte Tilbury product, but if you wanna save some cash here are some of our fave Charlotte Tilbury makeup dupes to try out instead.
1. Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter dupes
e.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Filter- £15
The Hollywood Flawless Filter typically costs £39 but this e.l.f. dupe costs just £15 and comes in 12 glowy shades just like the OG— to suit all skin tones and give you a radiant boost every morning.
Get a student discount at e.l.f. Cosmetics
Makeup Revolution Bright Light Face Glow- £9.99
The Revolution Bright Light face glow comes in 5 shades and will cost you less than £10 to achieve a naturally glowy complexion with little to no effort.
Get a student discount at Revolution
2. Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand dupes
e.l.f. Halo Glow Beauty Wand- £9
The Halo Glow range from e.l.f. also has a range of liquid blushers and bronzers which are easy to apply and blend into your skin. The OG Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand will cost you £30, so this dupe is a steal at £9.
Get a student discount at e.l.f. Cosmetics
Revolution Pro Cream Face Wand Trio- £18
Revolution also sells a trio of face wands for £18, offering everything you need for a full face of glam with a cream blush, contour & bronzer and highlighter.
Get a student discount at Revolution
3. Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk dupes
Revolution Pro New Neutral Satin Matte Lipstick Stripped- £6
The iconic Pillow Talk lipstick costs £28 but this shade from Revolution is pretty much identical and will only set you back £6.
Get a student discount at Revolution
L’Oreal Paris Color Riche Satin Lipstick- £9.99
Another alternative is the L’Oreal Paris Color Riche Satin lipstick, this has less of a matte finish than the OG product but is a pretty good colour match for a simple but glam everyday look.
Get a student discount at Boots
Best high street foundation
If you’re looking for a high-street foundation to wear every day, look no further. It can be hard to find your perfect foundation, from shade-matching to finding one that’s affordable, long-lasting, and doesn’t trigger breakouts.
A lot of the time it takes a bit of trial and error to find your perfect foundation, which is why it’s an even better idea to stick to high street brands rather than high end as no one wants to spend £40 on a foundation they actually hate and never want to wear.
If you want to go on a cheap makeup shopping spree and are looking for the best high-street foundation, here are some of our current faves to add to your basket.
1. e.l.f. Camo CC Cream- £14
The e.l.f. Camo CC Cream is a full-coverage correcting cream foundation with SPF 30 protection. Suitable for oily, dry and combination skin it comes in 29 shades for all skin tones.
Get a student discount at e.l.f. Cosmetics
2. Maybelline Superstay 24H Foundation- £13.99
If you want a long-lasting foundation that’s not super full coverage, the Maybelline Superstay 24 HR foundation is a great option. It’s a skin tint which delivers a lighter and more natural coverage while brightening your skin and giving you an envious glow.
Get a student discount at Superdrug
3. L’Oreal Paris True Match Liquid Foundation- £10.99
One of the best-reviewed high street foundations is L’Oreal True Match. With skin-matching technology, it comes in 48 shades and is enriched with hyaluronic acid for all day hydration and healthier skin.
Get a student discount at Superdrug
4. Rimmel Kind & Free Moisturising Foundation- £9.99
Rimmel Kind & Free is a lightweight but moisturising foundation that evens and blurs your skin tone while still providing hydration. It’s also 100% vegan which is great if you’re looking for cheap cruelty-free makeup.
Get a student discount at Superdrug
Best high street bronzing drops
When it comes to trending makeup, bronzing drops have risen in popularity over the last year. If you’ve never tried them before here are some reasons why you should try them out:
- You can wear bronzing drops alone or mixed with foundation or moisturiser
- You can achieve a healthy and natural-looking glow without sun exposure
- You can use them as a highlighter or bronzer
- You can use them on your face and on your body
- You can build up a believable-looking tan that can be easily washed off at the end of the day
If you’re looking for a natural-looking glow without relying on sun exposure, bronzing drops are a great product to try out and have quickly become a staple in a lot of people’s daily makeup routines.
The Drunk Elephant bronzing drops took over TikTok last year but if you’re looking for a cheap makeup dupe, look no further as we’ve put together a list of the best high street bronzing drops to try out instead.
1. Makeup Revolution Bright Light Bronzing Drops- £9.99
You can choose between the shades of bronze scorched and deep bronze spice in these drops which are infused with squalane, hyaluronic acid & grapeseed oil to help soften and soothe your skin.
Get a student discount at Revolution
2. e.l.f. Bronzing Drops- £12
These bronzing drops will also nourish your skin while giving you a sun-kissed look thanks to the formula of Vitamin E and sunflower seed oil and you can choose between three shades for a mild or more intense glow.
Get a student discount at e.l.f. Cosmetics
3. Bronzing Drops by Beauty Bay- £10
You can use these bronzing drops across your face, neck and body for a warm glow that everyone will be jealous of. Enriched with hyaluronic acid, glycerin and jojoba oil your skin will feel and look great without having to step foot in the sun.
4. W7 Golden Glow Drops- £4
At just £4 these glow drops are an absolute bargain if you want to introduce bronzing drops into your makeup routine. With 3 shades to choose from, a little goes a long way so not only are you saving money on the price but you won’t have to stock up on your next bottle for ages.
Get a student discount at Superdrug
Best high street skincare
Let’s face it, most people can’t afford to keep up a 10-step skincare routine that involves luxury skincare brands— especially if you’re a student.
You don’t need to buy super-expensive brands to have flawless skin as there are plenty of skincare dupes that you can try that will keep both your bank balance and your skin happy.
Some affordable skincare brands that we love include:
- e.l.f. Cosmetics
- Garnier
- L’Oreal Paris skincare
- Cetaphil
- CeraVe
- The Ordinary
- Neutrogena
Most of the time you’ll be able to buy skincare wherever you’re buying your cheap makeup from, so you can stock up on both at the same time. It can be tricky to know what products your skin will react well to, but at least when you buy cheap skincare you have some room to experiment. Plus, if you really don’t like a new moisturiser or cleanser, your flatmates will probably be more than happy to take it off your hands.
If you want to treat your skin to some new products but you’re on a budget, here are some of our favourite student budget-friendly products right now.
1. Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Moisturiser- £13.99
If your skin lacks hydration the Neutrogena Hydro Boost moisturiser comes in a light, unique formula which will make your skin feel instantly smooth and nourished all day long.
Get a student discount at Superdrug
2. Cetaphil Hydrating Foaming Cream Cleanser- £12.49
Our favourite all-around cleanser is the Cetaphil Hydrating Foaming Cream Cleanser. It’s great for all skin types, is recommended by dermatologists and is fragrance-free for sensitive skin.
Get a student discount at Superdrug
3. The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 with Ceramides- £8.80
If you want to introduce a hyaluronic acid serum into your routine, this one from The Ordinary will only set you back £8.80 and is great for hydrating and smoothing your skin.
4. Garnier Vitamin C Serum- £12.99
If your skin needs a bit of a boost the Garnier Vitamin C range is perfect for giving you a radiant glow on a budget.
Get a student discount at Superdrug
5. L’Oreal Paris Pure Clay Blemish Face Mask- £7.95
Face masks are a great way to relax and destress after a long week of uni and the L’Oreal Pure Clay Blemish Rescue Mask is ideal if you’re struggling with breakouts, blackheads or clogged pores.
Get a student discount at Superdrug
6. CeraVe Blemish Control Cleanser with Salicylic Acid- £12.99
If you find yourself constantly breaking out, you might want to try a blemish control cleanser and this one from CeraVe can help to reduce the appearance of blemishes and blackheads while thoroughly cleaning your skin at the same time and leaving it feeling soft and smooth all day.
Get a student discount at Superdrug
Skincare is personal to everyone so it can definitely be a bit of a learning curve when it comes to buying different products, but if you stick to high street brands it means that you can safely experiment and learn what your skin loves and hates without breaking the bank.
Hopefully, we’ve given you a good idea of some cheap makeup and skincare products and some makeup dupes you can try to perfect your makeup routine without going over your budget.
Looking for more dupes?
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