There is nothing I find quite as exciting as beauty shopping. Sure, in my job as a beauty editor, I get to test a lot. But nothing beats a day of dropping by a perfume hall or picking up a new TikTok-viral beauty product to test it for myself. (Anyone else love the thrill of the chase to pick up a sold-out product?) I could easily fill my weekend with beauty browsing.
The thing is beauty products can be expensive, especially if the latest must-have product happens to be a luxury one. Decking your whole makeup bag up can soon become pretty expensive. The good news is that there are so many affordable beauty products to be found—some are even very similar to the more expensive counterparts. While we love to treat ourselves on a luxury beauty brand now and again, it can be kinder on your wallet to find a cheaper alternative.
Having tested a lot of beauty products for my job, I know that there are some luxury beauty products that are absolutely worth the investment, especially when it comes to skincare products like serums that do a lot of heavy lifting in your routine. Others, however, I think you can save money on. Take mascaras, for instance. Many high-street mascara formulations are just as good, if not better, than the £30+ ones. So you can probably get away with spending less on your lashes.
To find out which affordable beauty products are actually worth switching to, I’ve compiled some of my favourite luxe beauty products with some purse-friendly alternatives. Trust me, they’re really that good.
Everyone adores this primer, which truly clings onto makeup like no other primer we have tried, The gel texture creates a velcro effect for anything you apply on top of it, all while leaving skin bouncy and dewy.
For £10, this is a brilliant alternative, which has a similar texture and delivers amazing long-lasting effects on makeup. It leaves a hydrating and slightly tacky finish which holds onto foundation, concealer, or whatever you are applying on top.
So many people love this brow gel—it was one of the first to truly give brows that fluffy look with staying power. Plus, the accompanying brush comb perfectly sets brows into place.
For a fraction of the price, this multipurpose gel is just as great. It has a slightly harder texture than Refy’s when set but keeps brows in position all day long. Plus, it can also be used to tame flyaways and set edges.
This well-loved illuminating primer looks just as good alone as it does underneath makeup to lend the complexion a healthy dose of radiance.
I swatched this in store recently and was shocked at how similar this glow boost is and at just a fraction of the price. While it doesn’t come in quite as many shades as the Hollywood Flawless Filter, the range is more diverse across skin tones.
This is another Charlotte Tilbury product that has taken social media by storm—so much so that it was almost impossible to find one in stock. These highlighting wands are so versatile and give the skin an ethereal glow.
Price shown is member price. Beauty Pie reviewers say this affordable highlighting wand get them compliments and leaves a radiant glow wherever you choose to apply it. There is currently just the one shade (a champagne hue), but the reviews say that it suits all skin tones.
This has to be one of the best mascaras out there. It lifts, it defines, it lengthens and adds volume. Is there anything this mascara can’t do?
I’ve not met anyone who doesn’t love this mascara. And for £10, it doesn’t break the budget. The flexible wand stretches lashes to impossible lengths and really holds lashes into place (ideal if your lashes are stubbornly straight). My tip is to buy the waterproof version, which holds a curl all day long and doesn’t smudge.
Hourglass’s glossy lipsticks currently have TikTok in a chokehold. They offer the colour of a lipstick, the feel of a balm and the shine of a gloss with great pigment payoff. They’re pretty hard to get your hands on at the moment, but I’ve found a cheaper alternative.
Since Hourglass’s lipstick went viral, beauty lovers also rediscovered this Revlon lipstick, which offers the same glossy finish and moisturising formula.
This is genuinely one of the best—if not the best— serums that I have tried. The winning combo of vitamins C and E and ferulic acid evens pigmentation, shields from pollution and leaves your skin with an “I just had a facial” glow every single time you use it. But at £150 a bottle, it’s certainly an investment purchase.
Now, I’m not saying this is anywhere near as good as SkinCeuticals, but inside this serum, you’ll find the exact same key ingredients. And for £10, it’s worth a try if you’re wanting to make a big saving.
Curly haired beauty lovers swear by Bouclème’s Super Hold Styler to give hold, definition and shine to curls and coils without wishing them down or leaving them feeling crunchy.
Coming in at under £10, this curl jelly smooths frizz and leaves curls hydrated and bouncy. It has a loyal following alongside endless five-star reviews.
Ask beauty editors and makeup artists to share their favourite foundations, and they’ll more than likely mention this iconic base. Many brides even choose it as their wedding-day foundation because it ticks all of the boxes: It looks great in photographs and melts undetectably into the skin while giving skin medium coverage.
Many have likened this L’Oréal foundation to Luminous Silk. It really does provide a silky, radiant finish to the skin, and there are 48 shades to choose from, so you can rest assured that you’ll find the perfect shade for your skin tone and undertones.
If you’ve not heard of this now TikTok-famous fragrance, you’ll have probably smelt it on someone. It’s been coined as a perfume that “smells expensive,” and it has a price tag to match. However, the amber, woody and floral perfume has many captivated.
We may have cheated with this one, but at just £23, this is an amazing alternative. Those in the know will have caught on that you can find some pretty good designer perfumes dupers in Zara, and while this isn’t an identical dupe of Baccarat Rouge 540, many people have drawn comparisons between the two. And at £23 for 80ml, it’s a purse-friendly option if you want something that smells warm and luxurious.
I always go back to this SPF because it’s so lightweight, doesn’t clog pores and behaves well underneath makeup if I’m wearing it. It also doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin or exacerbate breakouts. It’s a real crowd-pleasing SPF.
SPF should be worn every day if you want to protect your skin from sun damage. However, that means SPF can run out pretty quickly. If you want a slightly cheaper alternative, I’d highly recommend giving this one a try. It has exactly the same lightweight consistency and SPF 50 protection.
If you want a lash serum that delivers real results, then I’d highly recommend you try this one. Our contributor Keeks Reid shared her review of Revitalash, and her lashes look incredible. However, at nearly £90, it’s a steep investment.
Price shown is member price. Beauty Pie is really on to something with its formula. I’ve been trying this out for the past two weeks, and my lashes are already looking longer. It can also be used before mascara to prime your lashes and make your lashes look fuller.
This is the ultimate moisturiser, and while it’s widely adored, it does come with a hefty price tag. That being said, it’s a treat to use with a sumptuous texture that melts into the skin, which is also infused with La Mer’s Miracle Broth formula that so many people swear by for smoothing and firming the skin.
While Nivea’s classic Creme does’t contain a fancy broth, it does have a very similar texture. So if you’re looking for a moisturiser that has a cocooning consistency, then it’s worth giving this affordable tub a try.
