TikTok’s hottest trend has been drugstore dupes for luxury products. Whether that be skincare or makeup, everyone’s trying to save their money on their everyday routines. Blame inflation, blame the job market, but saving money never goes out of style.
And while I’ll fling all my paycheck over to brands like Sunday Riley and Charlotte Tilbury because I love how their products make me feel, I just can’t keep up with my influencer lifestyle. So I must start looking into dupes, but I don’t want to sacrifice quality for savings.
Luckily, drugstore brands like e.l.f. and NYX are cracking down on the luxury beauty market by creating their own dupes. With most of these products you get the same ingredients for about a quarter of the price. And seriously, there’s no difference.
Who’s going to know if I’m using e.l.f.’s latest moisturizer as opposed to Charlotte Tilbury’s $150 Magic Cream? Sincerely, no one. And who can tell if my lip oil is $40 Dior or $6 NYX?
I’ve been paying close attention to drugstore dupes over the past few months…so if that contour wand isn’t in stock, or you simply can’t afford it, fret not. Here are some brilliant dupes:
A dupe for the Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream
Tatcha
Tatcha moisturizers can cost around $100…and while I love them, no one should spend that much on face cream. People love the plumping and hydrating effect the Dewy Skin Cream has with a blend of hyaluronic acid.
The perfect dupe is the e.l.f. SuperHydrate Moisturizer, which has hydrating ingredients like Squalane and Niacinamide to give you the ultimate radiance. The gel consistency is fabulous for oily skin, and the niacinamide helps control your oil levels so your skin won’t look greasy.
A dupe for Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream
Lily James
Charlotte Tilbury
Another $100 moisturizer that works great, but falls short in the money-saving department. With peptides, vitamins C + E, and hyaluronic acid, it fights aging and gives you a great glow. But there’s certainly a dupe on the market that won’t drain your bank account.
Lactic acid and licorice root are the two main ingredients of the famed Sunday Riley Good Genes serum…it gently exfoliates the skin, brightening the surface and reducing wrinkles. It’s the ultimate jack of all trades.
However, a large bottle of Good Genes costs about $110…and for a three month supply, that’s way too much for me right now. But I still crave the same glowy, youthful skin. The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2% Serum will help exfoliate your skin so your makeup will go on flawlessly, for only $9.
A Dupe for Sunday Riley CEO Serum
Sunday Riley
Again, I adore Sunday Riley products but I cannot afford to integrate an $80 serum in my daily skincare routine…no matter how much I want to. The CEO 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum illuminates your complexion and boosts vital skin bounce. Of course I want that same effect but at an intelligent price range.
The INKEY List 15% Vitamin C and EGF Brightening Serum does the exact same thing for only $16. Affordable skincare can be tricky and even cause breakouts, but The INKEY List and The Ordinary are two brands you can genuinely trust to use whole ingredients. And at a fantastic price point.
A Dupe for Charlotte Tilbury Wands
Charlotte Tilbury
These wands are the hottest product on the makeup market right now. Constantly sold out online and in-store, the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Wands are the It Girl of beauty wands. Easy to blend and apply, with innovative packaging that competitors have been trying to mimic for months.
Luckily, e.l.f. is coming for Charlotte’s neck with their gorgeous Halo Glow Wands. That’s right, their signature blush, highlight, and contour wands are available at the low price of $9.
A dupe for Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter
If you’ve heard of the Charlotte Tilbury wands, you probably know about the equally iconic Flawless Filter. Depending on the shade, this product can serve as highlight, contour, primer, or foundation. It blurs, smooths, and illuminates for an all over glow that is simply angelic.
Although it’s close to $50, people are raving about it. However, the e.l.f. Halo Glow is an exact replica.
A Dupe for Drunk Elephant Bronzing Drops
Drunk Elephant
Influencer Alix Earle has driven Drunk Elephant D’Bronzi Drops sales. They’ve been sold out for months on end! And now that I just got my hands on a gift set sample, I’ve fallen in love and want a full size. However, the beauty world’s hottest product isn’t always in stock.
Dupes have been matriculating for a while, but I personally recommend the luscious Milani Glow Luminizing Liquid Bronzer. It’s the same summer-y glow, but you can drench it all over your entire body!
Cheap makeup recommendations that will save your wallet
Unsplash
If you haven’t sat in front of a mirror performing your full makeup routine while pretending you're filming a YouTube tutorial, you’re lying. I refuse to believe that you didn’t step by step explain your process to your imaginary millions of subscribers.
In my little fantasy world, I am a beauty guru. An influencer of the best up-and-coming products. Makeup artists like James Charles could never.
So for my next “challenge,” my next big video if you will, we are dipping into controversial territory: cheap makeup…drugstore makeup. The horror.
Don’t Be Scared If Your Makeup Costs Under $100…
In the era of TikTok, it seems as though now more than ever we are falling victim to consumerism and trend-following. I am no saint, I’m just as bad as the rest. I buy into everything I see with such haste you’d wonder if I were in control of my own body still.
I love Sephora, but they feature high-end luxury brands that the average gal like me can’t afford to use regularly. While Charlotte Tilbury is my instant add-to-cart, my ride or die, it appears my wallet doesn’t feel the same way.
Well, I’m here to advocate for the inexpensive, accessible makeup brands sold at your local drugstore, Walmart, etc. Because, believe it or not, we may have been brainwashed to believe that affordable makeup isn’t as effective as the luxury version.
Unfortunately, this is incorrect. At the end of the day, it’s about the ingredients the brand uses that make a product special.
With skincare, it may be more difficult to tell what’s really worth the money because results take time — with makeup, it’s an instant result that can ruin an entire brand’s reputation if insufficient.
Makeup can crackle, separate, smell funny, look bizarre, oxidize and change color, you name it. A lot can go wrong the second the wrong foundation touches your skin…and it can obliterate your day in the process.
While some cheaper makeup brands have this effect on you because they cut corners with ingredients, many brands just want to make sure everyone can afford to feel beautiful.
More and more celebrities are creating affordable brands…so why can’t we trust regular ol’ accessible makeup brands yet? I would love to do an entire face of makeup where each product is under $10…
And I’m going to. Without further ado, here's how to beat your face in under $100. Maybe even under $50…who knows?
1. e.l.f Power Grip Primer - $10
A good primer should enhance the look of your makeup while making sure that it’s glued to your face for the rest of the day. If you’ve seen Milk HydroGrip Primer, then this dupe from e.l.f. has the exact same effect!
2. L’Oreal Lumi Glotion - $8
The world yearns for a Flawless Filter dupe. Many try, few succeed. This L’Oreal Lumi Glotion is the perfect solution for your bank account. I love that you can use it as primer or foundation and get a beautiful result regardless.
Pro tip: use on top of your foundation on the high points of your face for a natural highlight.
3. wet n’ wild Photo Focus Dewy Foundation - $6
The foundation of your dreams is being sold for only $5 and you’re missing out. Think NARS Light Reflecting Foundation but $35 less. Full coverage but makes your skin glow, what more does a girl need?
4. Colourpop Hyaluronic Concealer - $9
This concealer is extremely hydrating, covering your dark under eye circles while simultaneously brightening the area. You won’t experience crackling or creasing thanks to the ultra-moisturizing Hyaluronic acid.
All of Colourpop’s makeup is a great affordable choice, I’d highly recommend it.
5. Makeup Revolution Superdewy Blush - $7
Makeup Revolution went viral on TikTok during the pandemic for their Charlotte Tilbury dupes…but did you know that this blush is a perfect dupe for the Rare Beauty blush?
You may need a layer or two more than Selena’s version, but you get the same effect for over half the price. Worth it.
6. e.l.f Putty Cream Bronzer - $7
e.l.f is one of the best affordable makeup brands on the market. They revolutionized the game with their Putty line: primer, blush, and bronzer. The putty is super easy to blend and gives a natural finish that looks amazing on top of makeup.
7. NYX Plump Finish Setting Spray - $9.50
And finally, a brand that has been around in your local CVS forever…NYX. Their setting spray gives your skin some much needed revitalization and sticks that makeup on forever.
Full face beat total: $56.50
And there you have it… a full face of makeup that isn’t $400. Throw on your fave mascara and treat yourself to a large iced coffee with that extra money saved.
There are plenty of brands out there that have sufficient dupes for all of your fave luxury products. If you’re wary about a product, check the reviews online…there’s no one more honest than a scorned woman in the review section. Happy shopping!
Like many beauty enthusiasts, 23-year-old beauty influencer Eleanor Barnes (widely known as Snitchery) found her love for make-up in middle school— "maybe a little too early," she joked.
She continued to foster her interest and skills over the years, though in private. During her suburban North Virginia upbringing, she wasn't focused on building follower counts, not even on MySpace. It wasn't until she attended Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts in 2014 that she innocently discovered social media and its ability to create connections and friendships.
She said, "Okay, if I want to make friends in college...this is the way to do it—I'm going to do the social media route." As a make-up lover and early selfie queen, Eleanor began posting aesthetically-pleasing looks on her Instagram, with perfect lighting and solid background color tones.
"Because I didn't grow up with social media, I didn't know being an influencer was a thing; I didn't know [this] job existed," she said. "I kind of thought people on Instagram who had a lot of followers were just really popular. I didn't realize they were actually making money."
Understandably, this was the thought process of many early users on the Internet. Social media marketing really got started in 2010 when Amazon partnered with Facebook and began using algorithms to suggest products and services to "friends."
During the summer of her sophomore year at Emerson (majoring in Media Studies and Art History), while working in the crafty aisles of Michael's, Eleanor first realized her influencer aspirations and decided to turn a passing hobby into a full-time career. She quickly began making more money than any average 20-year-old college student.
By 2017, she was completely financially independent, creating make-up looks, tutorials, and eventually (as a self-proclaimed "nerd at heart") leaning into cosplay.
Dating back to the beginnings of her well-curated Instagram, Eleanor posted make-up looks that were heavily inspired by brightly-colored animated characters.
Eleanor's early talent for dramatic make-up routines naturally collided with her other loves: anime and Disney. She grew interested in cosplay as an outsider, not actually wearing full-blown outfits or going to conventions. However, she took the spark of her small interest and ignited it into a unique make-up style.
Her shift to cosplay was "natural progression," she said. She began stepping into more outfits (including props) in her photos, while still keeping her approach make-up focused. In October 2018, she began doing costume make-up, and her followers' positive reactions were more than what Eleanor expected. Thus, she became an active part of the cosplay subculture of the beauty industry.
She channeled her inner anime enthusiast into creating characters from Studio Ghibli and classic Disney princesses with a modern twist. Her passion and love for anime can easily be seen through her tutorials and detailed looks. When we spoke about what anime means to her, she reflected that many beloved series (HunterxHunter being a fave) returned adults to near forgotten lessons we learned from fables and even religion, like "friendship is important" and "don't underestimate yourself."
"I kind of treat [anime] as modern-day fairy tales, in a way," she said. This love translated to another business venture. Eleanor created her first merchandise collection of hoodies, sweatpants, beanies, and dad hats inspired by Japanese lettering and designs.
Eleanor's follower count jumped from thousands to tens of thousands in just a couple of years, helping her solidify fan bases in both the beauty and cosplay communities. But, as the old Hip-Hop adage goes, "mo' money, mo' problems." During her rise, Internet scrutiny rose and an infestation of self-appointed cancel culture police searched for names and profiles to include in popularized buzzwords, and all this eventually caught up with Eleanor.
"Blackfishing" accusations quickly circulated around late 2018, pinning white beauty influencers as perpetrators of using deeper-toned foundations or tanning for longer than necessary, leading them to be regularly mistaken for ethnic women. If this phrase is new to you, look at any Kardashian sisters' early social media photos compared to those of today. More recently, Kim has reawakened the blackfishing conversation with her unveiling of her controversial skincare routine.
Eleanor soon received her own mix of accusations. Given her sudden growth and notoriety and the public's very limited knowledge of her personal and family life, beauty enthusiasts accused the biracial influencer of blackfishing.
"It was weird," she remembered, not understanding the initial accusations. Growing up in a predominantly white suburb of Northern Virginia with her white mother and Black father, Eleanor's experience as "the Black family on the block" was profound.
"I was always the token Black girl," she confessed. Reminiscing about her childhood as a darker-skinned, curly-haired kid, she remembers being asked by a soccer teammate if she was adopted when she was picked up by her white mother. These moments gave context to her experiences of being racially ambiguous in white spaces.
"I was obviously read as Black for 18 years and [realized in college] for the first time I was going to be read as completely white," she said.
In college, Eleanor surrounded herself with Black people and those who looked like her by joining select clubs geared towards Black students and Black women specifically. "For the first time, I felt I was having the culturally Black experience just because I hadn't had the opportunity to have Black friends before," she said. She joined Black and brown organizations on her school campus and attended many protests and rallies surrounding Ferguson and the unjust gunning down of 18-year-old Michael Brown.
"I was approaching these issues as a Black woman because that's how other people saw me and that's how I saw myself," she said.
The accusations of blackfishing eventually prompted the YouTuber to take to her visual platforms to discuss the conversation around her Blackness, and also to open up about her biological background.
As a racially ambiguous woman of color, Eleanor makes it apparent that she understands the nuance of identifying as a Black woman, while acknowledging that her Black experience is a story that thousands of other mixed people identify with.
"I never want to take more up space than I feel is appropriate and I never want to talk over people, but there is a lack of biracial stories in the media," she shared. After sharing her background, she received literally thousands of direct messages from biracial fans who also felt displaced from their communities - not being Black enough for the Black spaces and being too Black for white spaces.
As part of an industry that favors racially ambiguity, fuller lips, and deeper tanned skin, Eleanor is not ignorant about her position in beauty and makeup spheres.
"I own up to every way that I move through life so privileged in a lot of ways to be read as racially ambiguous and white, but that doesn't change the fact that I wasn't read that way for 18 years," she said. Opening up these conversations, helping some find comfort, and educating others about the nuanced experience of ambiguous Black bodies was not an intentional move for Snitchery, but it was a necessary dialogue that received overall positive reception.
The IG Baddie
The beauty industry is a $600 billion machine that feeds on physical insecurities. Beauty influencers are glittery cogs in this massive system, and they do their part accordingly without deviating too far from the demands of advertising agencies and corporations. While many influencers are choosing to take the "safe" path, participating in dramatic disputes ("We're talking about makeup and [the industry] is 80% drama and 20% tutorials," Eleanor points out) while being coy with their followers about their beauty additives, Eleanor has attempted to be completely transparent with fans about what she does and does not do to enhance her looks.
"Everybody's face is starting to look the same, which is a little scary," she said. "For the average person who is interested in beauty, [there] probably is something damaging about having all of your influences having a very, very similar face, that they've all built and that they all paint on everyday. I don't know if that's the healthiest thing in the world."
While the "IG Baddie look" looks great on camera and video, at one point, Eleanor noticed that the look that she'd been doing for years was no longer fitting her face. The almost plastic-looking aesthetic of being flawless no longer served her.
So she began diving into styles from other time periods and from other countries. On her YouTube channel, which has over 300,000 subscribers, Eleanor began experimenting with what worked best for her face terms of eye shape, cheekbone contouring, and highlighter.
"I think it's silly to think one particular makeup style can be universally flattering on everybody. And we've gotten to a point in Western make-up where only really one style is being presented to us," she said. Through her personal expansion beyond Western beauty norms, Eleanor was able to find more of what works for her; she's dropped almost 50% of her "IG baddie" makeup routines.
"I'm never going to knock anyone's makeup style, but I just realized wearing that much makeup [daily] was not for me," she said. By teaching herself how to do her makeup intuitively, instead of checking Instagram to see what's trending amongst the beauty girls, Eleanor found new looks and trends that fit her face and daily routine more organically and fluidly.
The Future
Eleanor and her Snitchery brand have come a long way from simply using social media as a way to find friends. At only 23-years-old, she is financially independent, an entrepreneur, a caring and compassionate human being and, above all else, a self-aware adult using her platform to spread awareness of mental healthcare, climate change, the importance of voting, human rights and much more.
While there seems to be a standard, popular look that's generally considered normal in the industry, Snitchery is working her way to changing this for the better, allowing everyone to live their truth. More influencers are moving away from fully-covered, face-tuned selfies and are getting back to loving their natural faces (or at least something close).
Thanks to all this, Eleanor has a major future in the beauty industry. With aspirations of reaching the million follower mark on Instagram (which is only months away); she's also in the early stages of development for her own product line.
"[There are] a lot of big holes in the makeup industry that product is not necessarily filling, and I'm going to be the one to do it!" she said.
We can only hope that popular influencers in all industries, from make-up artists to our favorite gamers, can understand and respect their position like Snitchery does, making transparency a requirement instead of an option.
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