Best Beauty Product Dupes: Save Money Without Sacrificing Results

Best Beauty Product Dupes: Save Money Without Sacrificing Results

Primer Dupes: What Works and Why It Matters for Your Skin

Milk Hydro Grip Primer vs. e.l.f. Power Grip Primer

Primer is one of those products where skin type makes a real difference in how well it performs. The Milk Hydro Grip Primer ($30) is a hydrating, grip-style primer that works well for dry to normal skin — it adds a layer of moisture while giving foundation something to hold onto. Velia tested it side by side with the e.l.f. Power Grip Primer ($11) and found they feel identical. Same texture, same level of grip, same finish. If hydration and hold are what you're after, the e.l.f. version gets you there for $19 less.

e.l.f. Putty Primer vs. Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser

For anyone dealing with visible pores, a blurring primer is non-negotiable. The e.l.f. Putty Primer ($10) is a well-established option in this category — it creates a smooth, slightly matte base that minimizes the look of pores under foundation. The Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser ($7) is its dupe, and Monina, who uses a pore-blurring primer before every foundation application, found them genuinely comparable. Both products blur, both finish matte, and both hold up under foundation. The $3 savings is modest on its own, but it's worth knowing the cheaper option performs just as well.

Setting Sprays: Getting the Glass Skin Finish Without the Price Tag

One/Size Powder Melt Glass Setting Spray vs. Ulta Beauty Dewy Glaze Setting Spray

The glass skin trend has created a challenge for people who love full-coverage, matte-finish makeup: how do you get that luminous, skin-like finish without looking powdery? The One/Size Powder Melt Glass Setting Spray ($34) was designed specifically for this — it melts down the powdery topcoat of your makeup and reveals the dewy, hydrated-looking finish underneath.

Velia tried the Ulta Beauty Dewy Glaze Setting Spray ($13) as the dupe, and after testing it on a sample at the store, she found it does the same thing. The matte powder finish dissolves, and you're left with a glass-skin look that holds throughout the day. For anyone who wants that luminous finish without rebuilding their entire skincare and makeup routine around hydrating formulas, a finishing spray like this is one of the most efficient ways to get there — and $13 is a much easier entry point than $34.

e.l.f. All Night Setting Spray vs. Revolution Sports Fix Setting Spray

If your goal is longevity rather than glow, a good setting spray does more work than most people give it credit for. The e.l.f. All Night Setting Spray ($10) is a reliable option. The Revolution Sports Fix Setting Spray ($5.50) is its dupe — and comes in a generous bottle for the price. Monina used it consistently over several days and found it set makeup just as effectively. At $5.50, it's a solid everyday option, especially in warmer months when you need something that actually holds.

Concealer: An Important Note for Mature and Dry Skin

Tarte Shape Tape Concealer vs. e.l.f. 16-Hour Camo Concealer

Tarte Shape Tape ($32) is one of the most-used concealers in professional makeup kits — high coverage, buildable, and reliable. The e.l.f. 16-Hour Camo Concealer ($8) is the most commonly cited dupe, and the coverage is genuinely comparable. But as a licensed esthetician who works with a range of skin types, Monina has a note worth paying attention to.

The e.l.f. version dries fast and sets to a fairly matte finish. For use on the eyelid or as a color corrector, it's excellent. But if you're applying it under the eyes — especially on more mature skin or skin with texture — it can accentuate fine lines and look dry. The Shape Tape Creamy formula is more forgiving in that area because of its hydrating base.

The takeaway: if you have normal to oily skin and want to try the dupe under the eyes, apply it quickly and blend immediately. If you have drier or more mature skin, use the e.l.f. Camo on the lids where it excels, and stick with a creamier formula under the eyes.

Lip, Blush, and Glow: The Rest of the Lineup

MAC Chestnut Lip Liner vs. NYX Retractable Lip Liner in Cocoa

MAC Chestnut ($25) is a staple in professional kits for good reason — the warm reddish-brown undertone is one of the most versatile neutrals in the lip liner category. The NYX Retractable Lip Liner in Cocoa ($6) matches that undertone closely, applies just as creamy, and according to Monina, holds its color well throughout the day. A $19 difference for what is effectively the same result.

Rhode Pocket Blush vs. Ulta Too Cheeky in Debut

The Rhode Pocket Blush in Toasted Teddy ($25) has been everywhere — and its warm mauvy-brown shade is part of the reason. The Ulta Too Cheeky blush in Debut ($13) lands in the same color family, blends out smoothly, and works across a range of skin tones. At roughly half the price, it's a straightforward switch if you've been eyeing the Rhode version.

e.l.f. Cameo Liquid Blush vs. Essence Baby Got Blush

Liquid blush continues to be one of the most pigmented and blendable formats available — a small amount goes a long way and it layers well. The e.l.f. Cameo Liquid Blush ($8) is a strong product in this category. The Essence Baby Got Blush ($5) is the dupe, though it comes in a stick rather than liquid. The application is slightly different, but the payoff and blendability are comparable.

e.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Filter vs. L'Oreal Lumi Glotion

These two products are priced the same ($14 each), so this is less of a dupe situation and more of an alternative recommendation. Both are luminous tinting products that can be mixed into foundation or worn alone. Monina has been mixing the Halo Glow into her foundation for a subtle all-over glow, and the Lumi Glotion performs the same way. If one is sold out or unavailable, the other is a direct swap.

The Biggest Savings of the Episode: Perfume

Tom Ford Lost Cherry vs. Finery Not Another Cherry

Tom Ford Lost Cherry retails at $450. Finery's Not Another Cherry is $30 at Target. That's a $420 difference — and Velia's honest assessment is that the Finery version actually smells better, because the cherry note holds longer through the dry-down. The Tom Ford tends to fade into its base notes relatively quickly; the Finery keeps that dark, rich cherry quality present throughout the day.

It's worth noting that fragrance is subjective and individual skin chemistry affects how any scent wears. But for a $30 bottle you can find at Target, it's worth trying.

Final Thoughts

The throughline in all of these comparisons is that price doesn't always predict performance. In most cases, the dupe held up. In a few, like the concealer under mature eyes, there's a legitimate reason to spend more — and knowing that ahead of time is the whole point.