Video summary
The video explores the concept of finding high-quality, affordable drugstore alternatives to popular luxury makeup products, arguing that many budget-friendly options often outperform their expensive counterparts in daily use. The host introduces a series of skincare and finishing product swaps, starting with Revolution Beauty's Miracle Cream as a superior, hydrating replacement for the cult-favorite Bobbi Brown Face Base. Additionally, the video highlights ELF's Hypochloric Mist as an effective and cost-efficient alternative to Tower 28's SOS Save Our Skin spray, noting that both products share similar calming ingredients for soothing redness and overreactive skin without the high price tag.
Moving into primers and serums, the discussion continues with Wet N Wild's Impossible Primer being presented as a direct dupe for Huda Beauty's Easy Blur Primer, offering a lightweight, pore-blurring texture that fills in imperfections without heavy silicones. The host also addresses the exorbitant cost of SkinCeuticals and Drunk Elephant Vitamin C serums by recommending Timeless Vitamin C serum, which contains identical key ingredients like 20% L-ascorbic acid, ferulic acid, and vitamin E at a fraction of the price. Furthermore, for those using microcurrent devices, Indulge Me's conductive gel is praised as a nutrient-rich option that enhances device efficacy while providing additional skincare benefits compared to standard gels from brands like NuFace or Zip.
The latter part of the video focuses on contour sticks and face palettes, where Morphe's Shape Lifters are showcased as versatile and easy-to-blend substitutes for Patrick Ta's Sculpt & Shade sticks, allowing users to achieve targeted contouring with different shades for warmth or mud tones. For those who find Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palettes too expensive, Essence's Radiant Light palettes are suggested as a beautiful alternative that delivers a similar glowy finish, though with fewer products inside. Similarly, while the host acknowledges the elegance of Hourglass Veil Mineral Powder for setting makeup, they strongly recommend Morphe's Cloud-like powder in Dawn as a more affordable option that still provides excellent longevity and a subtle sheen suitable for humid conditions.
Finally, the video concludes with a stunning comparison between SE's Pink Glow Glow Sculpt cushion blush and Neutrogena's Glow Gloss Balm, revealing that the drugstore version offers nearly identical color and finish at a much lower cost. The host emphasizes that these alternatives not only save money but also provide exceptional performance, encouraging viewers to try these products before investing in luxury brands. By sharing these specific swaps across skincare, primers, powders, and blushes, the video aims to empower consumers to build a high-end looking routine without breaking the bank, proving that one does not need to spend big bucks to achieve gorgeous results.
Read the full video transcript
Hello, my friends. We are going to be
doing the favorite cheaper and better.
Buy this, not that. These are
alternatives to luxury high-end makeup
at the drugstore that you can get. Lots
of times I feel like they're better.
Most times I love using them on the
daily. And I wanted to make sure that I
got these out to you because there's
some great ones in here this time.
Really excited about this. Got some skin
care and we've got some finishing
products and they're just absolutely
gorgeous. So, wanted to bring those to
you. Don't forget, we have a number
system. One through however many we get
through and the number will come up on
the screen that corresponds to the
product I'm holding up. Go down into the
description box or the first pinned
comment and you'll be able to shop that
way by number. Also, YouTube does put up
the shopping tab for you or the shopping
links for you. All those links are
affiliates and I do make a small
commission off of those. That just
really helps my channel keep going and I
appreciate if you use those links and
click on them. Wonderful to have you
here. Let's get into these. I'll be
barefaced. First up, we have the Bobbi
Brown face base. This has been a cult
classic forever. People have absolutely
loved this and for good reason. It looks
beautiful under most makeup. And it is
very hydrating and plumps up. And so
that's why it gives that beautiful base
coat or the beautiful kind of primer
look if you don't like wearing primer.
But Revolution Beauty came out with
their miracle cream. I have had the
Bobbi Brown in the past. I don't have it
right now. Now, obviously, the packaging
is very similar, but what I like about
it is that the actual product is a
little bit lighter. And I will tell you,
this is heavily fragranced. I can't
remember if the Bobbi Brown is. Let me
know down in the comments section if it
is fragranced, but it dissipates very
quickly and I don't mind it. So, this is
a great alternative for the Bobbi Brown
and it is a fraction of the cost. Now, I
have brought you other alternatives for
the Tower 28 SOS Save Our Skin. This is
the daily rescue facial spray and they
tout this for redness, for skin that may
be overreactive, um if somebody had
acne. For me, it's have I done my
tentinoan too aggressively, my
exfoliators or my dermaplaning. So,
those things can really cause my skin to
be overreactive. And this is a beautiful
spray. It really does hydrate. It's
going to be fine over that Bobbi Brown
face base. I probably should have done
this first, but it's going to be fine
there. And it just feels amazing on your
skin. The alternative that I have found
recently that came out probably this
year is the Save Your E.L.F.
hypocchloric mist. And again, this has
the same ingredients in it. It acts the
same. It does. It spits a little bit
more. I will say that. I forgot how bad
it spits, but when you get the actual
ingredient or the spray on your skin,
then it feels the same exact and it's
really good at calming down any redness
that you might have. So, great
alternative there. Next one is from Huda
Beauty. This is her easy blur primer.
This has no silicones, no parabens in
it. doesn't have that heavy feel like
they do. Now, I'm not going to put this
on my skin because when I got this home
last time, this was the darker one. And
even though it will blur out, it will
still change the color of my skin on
that one side. And so, I'm going to use
the alternative today. But it just goes
in like air. It feels like Let me show
you what what it what I'm talking about.
So, it's dark, but it feels just like
skin. It doesn't feel like you're
putting that heavy silicone on there.
Now, I will say that it starts to feel
grippy and it does fill in the pores.
It's like magic. But Wet N Wild brought
out their Impossible primer a while ago,
and it looks almost the same in texture.
Um, you're not going to be able to see
it real well there. Hopefully, it's kind
of obvious, but it really does blur out
your pores. It's a magical product. Now,
I found this long before Huda Beauty
ever came out with hers, but hers is
almost the identical formula. So, if you
want to talk something that is kind of
going for the same feel as the other
one, I would say that almost Huda Beauty
went after Wet N Wild and kind of used
the same concept there. But you don't
need to spend the big bucks. Even if you
do like Huda Beauty and those products
and even if you do like this and have
it, you have an alternative for next
time. Are you somebody that appreciates
Skin Suiticles C and furuic acid and
they have an ounce of it and it is just
super expensive. This has been a cult
classic forever. People love it. They
swear by it. It brightens, it helps with
wrinkles, is an antioxidant, so it does
help take care of those stressors on our
skin throughout the day. And not long
after, Drunk Elephant came out with one
that is almost identical. Now, both of
those are off the charts. What happened
was Skin Suiticles patent ran out and
guess what? Anybody could go in and do
it. But still, Drunk Elephant was super
expensive. So was Skin Sudicles. My
goodness. But I saw this video and then
I rem I went back and I thought, you
know what? This company did send this to
me. And this is the timeless vitamin C.
20% vitamin C, furuic acid, and vitamin
E. Those are the three main ingredients
in skin suiticles and drunk elephant
both, but this is a fraction of the
cost. It's very watery. I'm not going to
put this on my skin today, but it's very
watery just like those products are. I
haven't had skin suiticles before, but
I've had Drunk Elephant many times. So,
this product is really just the
identical formulation as that, but a at
a fraction of the cost. So, if you are
somebody that's been wanting to try
that, couldn't afford it, or if you're
somebody that loves either one of those
products and you're tired of paying
those high prices in the day and age we
live in, then this might be really
something that you want to look into. It
still has all of the great benefits and
it's a fraction of the cost. While we're
sticking on skincare before I get all
the other makeup on, I want to mention
this really quickly because if you're
somebody that absolutely loves skin
care, you indulge in your skin care but
not so much in makeup, you are going to
appreciate this because New Face and
Zip, they all have conductive gels that
they say makes the microcurrent device
more effective. However, this product
right here from Indulge Me, I've been
talking about this for years. I wanted
to put it in a duplicates video or an
alternatives video because I feel like
you're getting a ton more in here and
you're getting more benefits. This is
chocked full of skin loving ingredients.
So, as you're using it in with your
microcurrent device, you're going to
find that it gives so many more
benefits. And once you use this, you
will be shocked at how much you like it.
It's so light and it just sinks into
your skin. You're not going to need to
go back and wash your skin afterwards or
anything like that. It does just feel
like that really light jelly formula
that all of those conductive gels feel
like. So, this was a no-brainer for me.
Now, we're going to talk about something
I did put on, but I forgot to film it. I
apologize. Have you recently seen the
Makeup by Mario? I'm sorry, the Patrick
Ta. These are the major sculpt shape and
shade anywhere artistry stick and this
one is I think called silhouette. So
it's a great concept. Um you just twist
up and you get an amount of whatever you
want to use. If you want to use them for
contour, you want to use them for
bronzer. This one is a good color for in
between. So, mostly for contour, a
little bit for bronzer, but I really do
like how easy they are out to blend out.
And I love that you get that targeted
look. These precision things are great
for certain things like the nose. So,
that's why the concept of this is nice
if you're wanting to do a nice contour
on your nose. Morphe did it before
Patrick Todd did it. Morphe is a company
that I feel like blows it out of the
park lately. They have such good
products and I am just so impressed with
their stuff. Morphe shape lifters. And
this one first is more of a contour
micro contour stick. And this one is in
refined. We'll put the refined down
here. This one is more of a bronzer. I
don't know. It could be more of a
contour shade. These are very, very
versatile and you get different colors.
This one's more of a contour. There you
go. So, if you can tell the difference,
we're talking about a warmer tone right
here and a more muddy tone over here,
which is definitely contour. And that
more muddy tone is called enhanced. So,
this is a great substitute. Both of them
blend out creamy, just easy to work
with. I really think that Morphe did a
really, really good job. And that is an
alternative for you. The next one, you
probably have already seen it, but the
Hourglass palettes, the ambient palettes
that we get each year, and you know,
they are bloody expensive. They've gone
up so much recently and how expensive
they are. Usually get two blushes, you
get a highlighter, you get two setting
powders, and a bronzer in there. This is
one that I got a couple of years back. I
don't remember how long ago it was, but
there's another one for you. So,
recently Essence has come out with the
new Radiant Light palettes, and they are
really beautiful palettes. Do I think
that these are 100% dupes? No. For one
thing, you're only getting four. You're
getting a bronzer, two blushes, and a
highlighter. You get an extra one in
here as far as that goes. But honestly,
I think that it's a really good
substitute if you're somebody that I
just cannot afford. I cannot shell out
the big bucks. So, I'm going to go down
into the blush right here. What is
really nice about these, they are a kind
of a glowy powder. And so, you get that
look to them. Here's the darker one
right here. Um, just pretty. I actually
really like this one right here, which
is kind of a blush topper. This reminds
me of the Rare Beauty little uh blush
luminizers. I think that's what they're
called. And you can see how close these
two are. This one's a little bit of a
deeper tone, but they're pretty. They're
very pretty. And if you're somebody that
likes that glowy blush bronzer
situation, you probably will really love
these from
Essence, not Hourglass. And let's just
stick on that theme of the Hourglass
ambient powders. The powder that is in
there on these is this one right here.
And then you have another one in here.
What I find with those powders is they
are more about finishing powders. So, if
you need longevity, mattifying, hold
your makeup in place powder, these
aren't them. They are just a very
beautiful finishing powder. What I want
to suggest to you is the Morphe
cloud-like powder. This one is in Dawn.
I'm going to turn that brush over to the
other side. These are just as beautiful
as the Hourglass ambient powders. And
for me, they can set down that under eye
and it just look absolutely beautiful.
Now, I have had somebody some people say
that this isn't their setting powder of
choice. I understand that it is got just
again that tiny bit of a sheen in it.
But if you're somebody that likes that
glow, but you know that you're going to
have a breakthrough or it's really humid
where you are, you might love having
this instead of the hourglass. But if
you're looking for something just to
mattify, so I've got this situation. You
can kind of see the glow on my forehead
there. mattifying powder from Hourglass.
This is the ambient powder that they the
veil ambient powder that they came out
with years and years ago. Beautiful
powder. Cannot tell you how gorgeous
this powder is. It's just a beautiful
powder to mattify everything down and
make everything look just gorgeous.
However, it's a huge price tag. I would
say that I feel like this number seven
is so much better at setting down that
makeup and really taking down the shine,
but it's not so expensive. This is a
beautiful powder. I use this over and
over again. Don't feel guilty about
reaching for it because it's not as
expensive as well, it's a fraction of
the cost of the Hourglass powder. This
is probably the best powder I have found
in a very, very long time. I love the
pink powders that came out. And as you
all know, I love the Wet N Wild pink
powder, but I also found that since I've
been down here in this humidity, I
really have been appreciating a more
mattifying setting powder. So, this one
is absolutely gorgeous. Okay, one last
one. You have heard me talk about over
and over again. This glowy blush. I
don't think it's called glowy blush, but
it's from SE. It is a cushiony blush. uh
pink glow glow sculpt. So, it's not a
blush, it's just a glow. This is a very
balmy product. It is so pretty. I just
want to tell you that this is one of the
most incredibly beautiful products I
think I've ever seen in my whole life.
Risa does makeup turned me on to this.
She loves this. I love it. I think it's
just it's a stunner. When they came out
with balm products, they came out with
these long before everybody just hopped
on that bandwagon of the balm. I'm going
to show you how pretty this is. Let's
just lift this up a little bit here. And
then I'm going to just take it across my
cheek right there. Bam. Such a pretty
highlighter. So beautiful. But recently,
uh I never remember this girl's name.
Taylor something. Anyway, she is on
Instagram and well, she's on YouTube,
too. But she said that she found this
Neutrogena Glow uh gloss glow balm. And
this one is in natural glow,
you guys.
Wow. I was so impressed with this one.
Let me just open it up so you can see.
Besides the fact that we get a huge pan
comparatively, it is so close to the
same color. So, let me swatch it for
you. Right underneath this one that we
have from say or above it. No, let's go
under here. It is the exact same color.
It is very, very much the same finish.
It blows me away how beautiful this is.
Show you on my cheek how pretty this is.
And it acts just like it. It just gives
that beautiful glow. Oh my goodness.
We're just beaming. It's just incredibly
beautiful. take a little bit of it and
go into your corner right there on your
eyes. This is just a beautiful product.
I love it so much. And I think that you
will too. I hope that you did enjoy
this. I know I love bringing them to
you. If you've heard of any alternatives
lately that you would like to share with
us, let us know down in the comment
section. I would love to hear from you.
And I hope that you're having a
fantastic day. Please take care of
yourselves. Come back around and see me
in my next video. Love you much.
Bye-bye.