The Drugstore Dupe #6

Satin Taupe is without doubt my favourite shadow from MAC. It's a gorgeous iridescent purpley silver shade that looks great washed across the eyelid on it's own, or with a whole host of different shades in the crease. It's the only eyeshadow I've ever completely used up and repurchased, which considering the number of eyeshadows I have, is pretty impressive. 

However, the fact remains that MAC eyeshadows have been steadily increasing in price recently, and realistically, £12.50 is a lot of money for one single eyeshadow. Especially, when if like me you like to travel with your favourite shadows, and they have a habit of smashing. So when I came across an almost identical colour in a pre-Uni Superdrug browse before Christmas, I had to snap it up. 

The Maybelline Eye Studio Eyeshadow in Iced Fudge retails for £4.09 in Boots, but I actually picked this up half price (bargain), making it a ton more affordable than MAC's offerings. In terms of colour, in the pan they are almost identical, but I would say that Iced Fudge has a slightly browner base, and Satin Taupe is more grey based. Once you get these on the lid though, you really can't tell a difference.

Of course, the formula isn't quite the same, Satin Taupe has an incredibly smooth, almost buttery texture, it's incredibly soft and incredibly pigmented, I find Iced Fudge to be soft but slightly chunkier, it takes a bit more blending to get an even texture, but the result is the same. I tend to always use eye primers so I haven't seen a difference in wear time with these. 

What are your favourite MAC eyeshadows? Have you tried any of Maybelline's shadows?

The Drugstore Dupe #5

This week's drugstore dupe isn't so much an exact dupe as a product that does a similar sort of thing. I'm totally obsessed right now with the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders, and that's a mighty expensive obsession to have. 

There isn't really anything else on the market as universal as these powders, they can be used to highlight, some counteract redness, some add colour, but their main use is to set makeup and blur the look of pores and imperfections. In a recent peruse of the Topshop makeup counter at Oxford Circus I came across the Finishing Powder in White Lies, a white translucent setting powder with shimmer running through it. Curiousity got the better of me and I picked it up. After getting over the awful smell of this stuff (think old lady perfume and talcum powder) and getting to grips with it, I really like it, and it has a very similar effect when used to set makeup, in that the subtle shimmer helps diffuse the look of skin, blurring pores. No, it's not as universal, it's not the same colour, and it's not quite as good, but if the Ambient Lighting Powders are out of your price range, this is a nice alternative to give a go. It's a nice product and I've been reaching for it day after day this month.

Have you tried the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders? What did you think?

The Drugstore Dupe #4

It's not often I have a high end haircare dupe for you, because I don't really have much high end haircare. What I do have, is three Bumble and Bumble products I love that I talked about in this post a couple of weeks back, but since writing that post, I've realised as much as I love the Bumble and Bumble Thickening Spray, I have a much more affordable dupe for it already hidden in my stash.

If you missed the post where I talked about the Bumble and Bumble Thickening Hairspray, the gist of it is that it's a liquid hair spray that has a similar effect to a salt spray. I like to spray this into damp hair pre-blow dry, to add lift, volume and texture to my hair. It's pretty straightforward, but it's a nice product and it leaves my hair looking effortlessly good. The L'Oreal Studio Matt and Messy is a styling product I've had kicking around for a long time, I was obsessed with it about six months ago, but it kinda fell by the wayside to other products. I've had it back out recently though, and after a little comparison, have discovered that when spritzed into damp hair pre blowdry, or spritzed into the ends after straightening, it has an identical effect to the Bumble and Bumble offering. 

For a fraction of the price, I'd definitely reccommned L'Oreal's offering, however, I like that I can use the Bumble and Bumble Thickening Spray as a hairspray too! 

Have you tried either of these?

The Drugstore Dupe #3

Eyeshadow primers are something that I've only really gotten into in the last six months or so. I never really saw the point until I discovered the NARS Smudge Proof Shadow Base. I got it free with my And God Created the Woman Palette, and instantly fell in love. The price however, not so enticing, at £19, it's not cheap, and I don't find it lasts all that long either. I ended up on the hunt for something similar with a not so similar price tag, when I came across the Rimmel Exaggerate Undercover Eye Primer. With a £5 price tag, it's definitely more budget friendly by any means.

In terms of formula, they're almost identical. They're both long tubes with doe-foot applicators, the primer is a satin finish formula and it applies transparent, so it has no effect on the colour of your shadows. You need the tiniest amount and they set pretty quick, leaving your lids feeling soft and even. There's not much to say about them really other than the fact they really are identical, and when I use either of these my eyeshadow won't smudge, fade, crease, or fall under my eyes at all.

Simple and to the point this one, but they're literally identical, and I might be able to babble about beauty all day, but how much can you say about an eye primer?

Have you tried either of these?

The Drugstore Dupe #2

Ahh Seche Vite. I have a love hate relationship with Seche Vite. I love it's glossy finish, it's fast-drying properties, but hate it's price, and the fact that it goes solid when you've only used half the product.

I, personally think that £9.95 is a lot of money for a topcoat, particularly when you only get to use half a bottle. I know it's cheaper than getting your nails done at a salon, but still...

So when my last bottle of Seche Vite started to turn, I ended up trawling the aisles of Boots looking for something else a little cheaper, when I came across the Rimmel Nail Nurse Base and Top Coat. I don't use this as a base coat, unless I'm travelling to reduce on product space, but I love this as a Top Coat. In formula and finish this is identical to Seche Vite, I've been using it for 6 months now and honestly can't tell the difference, except when you hit the middle of the bottle, it doesn't go gloopy, and turn solid. And the best bit? It's under a fiver and available everywhere!

What is your favourite nail Top Coat? Do you use Seche Vite?