Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Great Makeup on a Budget

I've been like 0 for six or sometimes even 7 days a week on wearing makeup, so naturally it's been a minute since anything beauty-related has been on this blog. I love makeup posts so I'm bringing in the big guns, my great friend Jill. She's my go-to makeup guru and did my makeup for my wedding. Anyone in the southern NJ/PA area who needs a makeup artist for a wedding or special event, get in touch with Jill! She does an awesome job and is really knowledgeable about makeup and application. She does her research on products and knows her shit! I usually confer with her before I buy things if I'm hemming and hawing over it. Be sure to follow her on Instagram!
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Hi everyone! My name is Jill and I am so excited to be guest blogging for Steph today. I am a professional makeup artist and cosmetology educator at PB Beauty School in NJ. Beauty is my passion and this is such a great opportunity to share it with all of you! 
Instagram: @kicksandlipsticks
As a professional makeup artist, I am constantly buying makeup. It is basically part of my job to shop and stock up on beauty products. I often times find myself looking around for duplicates or "dupes " of some of the high end products I love. I am a beauty addict so I will buy any makeup product from Dior to Cover girl. If I like it and it is a good product the label doesn't matter to me. I would prefer to get more bang for my buck and I'm sure most of you feel the same. I have found so many that I love and want to share them with all of you!

1. Smashbox VS. NYX
How many of you wear foundation? If you're wearing it, are you priming your skin first? Here's my tip: if you wear a foundation daily you should be using a primer. It is going to do several things for you. First, it's going to make your makeup stay on longer and second, it's also going to allow your makeup to go on smoother. My favorite primer is Smashbox Photo Finish. It is great for all skin types. However it has a pretty steep price tag at $36.00 and for an item that should be used everyday you can burn through it pretty quickly.
Here is my suggestion as a perfect dupe- NYX Photo Loving Primer. At $12.99 you can grab this baby at your local CVS or Ulta. This is a great product and is equally as good.

2. Benefit VS. NYX
In addition to a primer a lot of people ask me about pore fillers, some primers work as a pore filler but often times in areas such as the nose a pore filler is needed to help minimize the size of the pore.
One of the most popular ones on the market is POREfessional by Benefit Cosmetics. Although it is a great product why pay $31 when you can buy a product that will do the same thing for $13.99?
NYX Pore Filler does the job just fine. I use this product on my cheeks almost everyday! This can be used with a primer like the Photo Loving one from above or alone as a primer and pore filler.

3. Anastasia VS. NYX
Let's talk brows for a second. To me eyebrows are the most important accessory. A good brow can make your everyday look seem like it's right off the red carpet. I swear by the Anastasia Beverly Hills brow products but recently tried a great substitute. I have always used the Anastasia Highlighting Duo Pencil which is $23. I would line around my brow and it would brighten up the whole area and really help to define my brows.
BUT, even though Anastasia will always have my loyalty, I have to spread the word about the NYX Eyebrow Push-Up Bra. This product has a built-in brow pencil as well as a highlight stick. It can be used to shade and shape but on the flipside it can conceal and highlight. The best is the price:  it is only $9.99.

4. MAC lipstick VS Drugstore Brands
My last dupe I want to share with you is one that I found on Pinterest. I have personally bought every one of the suggested "dupes" and have been pleasantly surprised by them. I LOVE MAC lipsticks and thought there was no way I would ever find a lipstick that had the same awesome color quality and a decent texture with long lasting wear. I am so glad I tried these because the price difference is so worth it.
(image via INDULGY )

I hope you guys have enjoyed reading about my favorite "dupes."Be sure to let us know if you try any of them!

Thanks so much to Jill for beautying up this place. Look for more guest blogs from her in the future!

Do you have a dupe you swear by?

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33 comments:

  1. I'm all for a good dupe, why pay more if you don't have to? Mine is eyeliner. Wet n wild and NYX make liquid black eyeliner that is just as good if not better than those super expensive ones like Kat Von D or Lorac!

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    1. Sounds like you have found your eyeliner dupes! But if you are ever in the mood to try a new one- Benefit They're Real Push Up Liner- amazing! https://www.benefitcosmetics.com/us/en/product/theyre-real-gel-eyeliner-pen?ext_id=adcse_googleshopping_mobile&gclid=CjwKEAiAo7C2BRDgqODGq5r38DsSJAAv7dTPTmWaM8KchjtR12TZpkRyF1nHqeTEBRmd_pnQKDkzDRoCDEfw_wcB

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  2. I'm in the market for a new lipstick (meaning I'll actually try to remember to wear it), so thanks for the hack!
    I suppose my dupe would be elf brushes. I love them and they provide better coverage than any others I've found.

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  3. Love a good makeup dupe and if professional says NYX gets the job done for half the price I'm totally sold. Great post, thanks for all the info!

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  4. Love these comparisons--so helpful!

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  5. That was beyond helpful as I forgo many products because I do not want to pay the high price tag. Thank you for sharing Jill!

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    1. Glad you found it helpful! Let me know if you try any!

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  6. I loved this post!! I wear make-up a few times a week, but I seriously just buy whatever is on sale at Target. One of my goals for this year, as i'm turning 25, is to spend more time being conscious about the make-up products i buy. not only in what they do for me, but how their developed (animal testing and all that bad stuff).

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  7. I have never heard of pore filler until this moment. Is that what makes people look flawless? And I don't understand how to do anything to my eyebrows. Like I know it's a thing but how does it not look like I drew in them with a pen? If Jill needs ideas for more guest posts, maybe she can help me out! :) But seriously, I do use NYX products and like them so good to know they're professionally approved!

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    1. Lauren, I'm so glad you liked it. I'm going to take your suggestion! Next month I'll talk brows!

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  8. I love NYX products. They have a great price tag, are cruelty free, and get the job done (except their eye shadows. I do not like those). And since I'm headed to Ulta this weekend, I'll be picking up that primer as I'm in the market for some new foundation and the primer is a great tip.

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  9. I keep hearing about NYX products - I've never seen it before. But I also just searched for ELF Products & had no idea there was a huge part of the store for it :) haha

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  10. I love this post. I can only really afford the dupes so I try to search them out whenever possible. NYX has so many great products for a fraction of the cost and they are almost always buy one get one 50% off at Ulta... can't beat it!

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  11. Dream come true post for me! I love some of the E.L.F. Products but they seem to discontinue my favorites on the lip colors.
    I am amazed at the awesome contouring that is done by you makeup artists. Truly an art! Great post!
    Love. Steph's. Momma.

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    1. I love ELF as well!! Lots of good stuff from them at great prices!

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  12. OOoooo, that lipstick cheapo chart is the bomb (does anyone say that anymore?) for me and my little lipstick loving heart. Mac 'Snob' is my favorite nude lipstick ever so that's good to know! A lot of great tips here, I'm always, always down to find cheap replacements for fun makeup!

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    1. Mac Snob is one of my all time favorites! That and Mac Fleshpot!

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  13. i don't really have a dupe i swear by because i basically swear by all drugstore products over those 'high end'. i'm just too cheap to shell out too much money. i will check out all the products that jill recommended!

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  14. Ahhh MAC lipsticks are my vice. I am OBSESSED with them. I was never a lipstick person and always wore very neutral glosses and I don't know what happened: one day I bought a MAC lipstick and it changed my life. I now think I look like a Walking Dead cast member when I don't have color on my mouth.

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  15. NYX really does have some amazing quality products for an affordable price. I agree with her picks!

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  16. So many amazing lipstick dupes! And I need to try the NYX pore filler, glad to hear it's a great dupe for Benefit's POREfessional <3

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  17. My second attempt to comment today. I got kicked offline this morning when I had this huge long thing typed out. So rude! Ok so I need to try the NYX pore and primer stuff for sure!!! I have the sugar plum lipstick from Wt N Wild and the color is gorgeous! I was really impressed with it! Love a good dupe!

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  18. At first I thought this may be a sponsored post for Nyx haha. I guess they make some great dupes that I'll have to try, specifically the Pore Filler one! Unfortunately I have no dupes to share since I have gotten to the point where I only wear make-up on special occasions. Maybe I should get back in the habit!

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  19. Great ideas . . . if only I wore more make-up. I'm so freaking lazy. Gah!

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  20. Awesome post!! I don't have any good dupes to recommend, but it seems like I should be on the look out for them!! Thanks for sharing all your knowledge Jill.

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    1. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the dupes if you try them!

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  21. Awesome post! I'm always on the hunt for good dupes for the higher-end stuff, and I love NYX products!

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  22. As for make-up on a budget, I buy lots of mascara (because I have a problem), but I'm hard-pressed to find a mascara that I truly feel is significantly better (and worth a lot more money) that the old-faithful Maybelline Great Lash.

    Cosmetics cost double/triple/quadruple more in Australia, so most of my make-up shopping now is looking for dupes. I'll keep my eye out for Revlon's pink pout because I love MAC's Snob.

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    1. I love Maybelline Great Lash! Such a good product. Calvin Kleins One mascara is one of my all time favorites if you are ever looking to try a new one out! Worth every penny

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  23. I'll have to try out the NYX Brow Pencil! I've been wanting to do something with them different this year.

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  24. This is awesome! I never thought to use pore filler on top of my primer but some days I definitely need it! NYX has a brow pencil with the brush on the end similar to Anastasia and I've switched with no problems, love it!

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