Cost Effective Alternatives to High-end Perfumes, Skincare, and Makeup Products

A girl wearing towel on her hair looking in a mirror

Just about every woman loves Chanel. But at £65+ for a bottle, it is also not something that many of us will be buying anytime soon. The same applies to high-end luxury skincare and makeup. It is fantastic to own it, but in most cases, many people turn to the more budget-friendly options to save a few pennies. Especially during this time when the cost of living continues to rise.

But that doesn’t have to mean going without. For each fashion and beauty brand that sells amazing products, there are other brands that sell something that is very similar or even identical at much lower prices. These products are known as “dupes” and it is often hard to detect the differences when it comes to the budget or high-end versions when you start using them.

So if you deserve a bit of pampering in your life this autumn consider buying coats for busty babes, or you would like to start early on your Christmas shopping, below are a few of the popular beauty dupes you might want to try.

1. Suddenly Madame Glamour Perfume

Coco Mademoiselle, one of Chanel’s signature scents currently retails at £86 for 50ml. The price is pretty steep, but around right when it comes to designer perfumes. If you love this iconic scent and would like to own it at a much cheaper price, head over to Amazon and purchase Suddenly Madame Glamour Perfume.

The citrus blend notes opening into deep musks and sweet florals are one of the common characteristics of Chanel, and it even uses a lot of the scent notes such as rose-ylang-ylang, tonka bean, and patchouli to imitate the scent. Suddenly Madame is currently retailing at £19 on Amazon, but if you would like to take advantage of even better bargains visit Lidl, which sells a range of fantastic perfume dupes which includes Suddenly Madame.

2. E.L.F Illuminating Primer

If you love the Wonderglow Primer from Charlotte Tilbury, but the £40 price tag is too much for you, you may want to try E.L.F Illuminating Face Primer. This small bottle is only £9, and it not only provides that radiant glow like the Charlotte Tilbury brand, but it also fills in wrinkles and fine lines perfectly, which allows products to look much better when you apply them to your face. It leaves your skin feeling silky and smooth just like the high-end alternative, along with a slight shimmer to give you that all-day glow. Side-by-side it is not easy to detect the difference, except for the fact that you will be saving £31!

3. The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution

Drunk Elephant might be one of the newer brands, but it has already turned into a firm favourite when it comes to skincare. This is especially true for their T.LC Glycolic Night Serum, which pledges that it will resurface congested and dull skin, lift dead skin cells and reveal radiant and glowing skin beneath. But at a price tag of £76, you may not be willing to risk whether it will work or not.

Yet the magical ingredient found in the serum from Drunk Elephant happens to be AHA, and Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution also contains this as one of its main ingredients. This intensive treatment is perfect for evening skin tone, and it is actually stronger when compared to its expensive counterpart. And at only £6 a bottle, it won’t break your bank balance.

4. 5th Element

I am not sure about anyone else, but my mom’s absolute favourite perfume of all time would have to be Chanel No5. This is at the top of her Christmas list, but at £86, it is not always possible to fulfill her wish. This year I have decided to look for a dupe, and I found it at Aldi. Their Lacura 5th Element Eau De Toilette is the ideal dupe when it comes to this world-famous scent, and it contains notes of jasmine and rose that provide No5 with its truly unique scent.