High-end lipsticks and their dupes

 

— By Aditi Koparkar

There are so many cult-favorite brands like Charlotte Tilbury, MAC, Huda Beauty, Bobbi Brown, Dior, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Smashbox, Estée Lauder, etc., trending on social media. Social media influencers are giving reviews and hyping these cult-favorite brands.

But can everyone afford these high-end expensive brands? We often come across some amazing high-end lipsticks that we want to try, but they’re out of our budget or we don’t want to spend a pile of money on lipstick.
So, here we have you covered. We are listing here some cult-favorite lipsticks and their dupes.

What is a lipstick dupe?
Dupes are sort of duplicates of original products that provide similar looks but at an affordable budget. Dupes might look similar, but they are not 100% the same. Sometimes the shades might be on the darker or lighter side, and the formulation will be different. They might be glossier or sparkly. So, don’t expect dupes to be 100% the same as the original luxury products.

Here are some things you should know before buying lipstick dupes:

a. Every makeup brand has a different formulation, so it might react differently on different people according to their pH levels, resulting in different colors.

b. Lipstick shades look different on lips according to the skin tone. If a shade looks the same as shown on fair, milky skin tone, it will look different on a wheatish or dusky tone.

c. Dupes are not 100% substitutes for original products. Some dupes might work well for some but not for others.

Here are some cult-favorite lipsticks and their dupes:

A. Charlotte Tilbury Pillowtalk:

Everyone has been going crazy over this ever since Alia Bhatt’s makeup artist used it in Alia’s wedding look. It has a creamy matte, long-lasting formula with buildable coverage and is priced at INR 3,150.

Dupes for Charlotte Tilbury Pillowtalk:

1. Maybelline Superstay Ink Crayon in the shade 15 – Lead the Way.
2. Revlon Super Lustrous Matte shade – Shameless.
3. Blue Heaven Powder Matte shade – Mocha Madness.
4. Lakme 9 to 5 Primer + Matte Lipstick shade – MP7 Blushing Nude.
5. Kay Beauty Matte Drama Long Stay Lipstick shade – Muse.
6. Faces Canada’s Weightless Finish Lipstick – Peach Candy 14.
7. L’Oreal Paris Colour Riche Moist Matte Lipstick – 232 Beige Couture.

B. Charlotte Tilbury Pillowtalk Medium:

Another cult-favorite shade from Charlotte Tilbury is a bit darker than the original Pillowtalk and suits well for a wheatish skin tone. It gives a natural finish to the lips and is priced at INR 3,150.

Dupes for Charlotte Tilbury Pillowtalk Medium:

1. Revlon Super Lustrous The Luscious Matte Lipstick shade – Pick Me Up.
2. Praush Cosmetics shade – High Tea.
3. Love Child by Masaba shade – Caramel.
4. Kiko Milano – shade 03 Terra Cotta.

C. MAC Mehr:

MAC Mehr is a beautiful pinkish-nude shade with a matte finish that provides medium to full coverage. It is long-lasting, hydrating, and priced at INR 1,950.

Dupes for MAC Mehr:

1. Blue Heaven – Sienna Sunset.
2. Plum Goodness – Gimme Mauve.
3. Maybelline Creamy Matte -Touch of Spice.
4. Lakme 9to5 – Blush Velvet.
5. Praush Cosmetics – Chickflix.

D. MAC Ruby Woo:

MAC Ruby Woo has a matte finish and is famous for its retro red shade. It’s a perfect red for every occasion, providing medium to full coverage with the benefits of hydration and long-lasting formula. Priced at INR 1,950.

Dupes for MAC Ruby Woo:

1. Blue Heaven – Ruby Glow.
2. Maybelline New York Ultimattes – More Ruby.
3. Praush Cosmetics – Kiss Me Red.
4. Insight Cosmetics – Angel Red.
5. Swiss Beauty – Blood Red.

E. MAC Taupe:

MAC Taupe is a beautiful brownish nude shade for everyday use. It has a matte finish, hydrates the lips, and is very long-lasting. Priced at INR 1,950.

Dupes for MAC Taupe:

1. Nykaa – You’re Latte.
2. Maybelline New York – More Taupe.
3. L’Oreal Paris – I Explore.
4. Iba Halal – Cinnamon Chai.
5. Nykaa – 20M Caramel Margarita.

F. Huda Beauty Sugar Mama:

It’s a beautiful peachy coral undertone lipstick that suits fair to wheatish skin tones. Priced at INR 1,825.

Dupe for Sugar Mama:

1. PAC Retro Matte Gloss – Coral Peel.
2. PAC Soft Matte Lipstick – Paradise.

G. Huda Beauty Bombshell:

Bombshell is a pinky nude shade with gorgeous undertones that suits fair to wheatish skin tones. If you have a dusky tone, it might wash you out. Priced at INR 1,825.

Dupes for Bombshell:

1. Maybelline Superstay Liquid Lipstick – Seductress.
2. Maybelline Creamy Matte – Clay Crush.

H. Huda Beauty Girlfriend:

It’s a midtone warm brown shade that suits medium skin tone people. Priced at INR 1,825.

Dupes for Girlfriend:

1. PAC Retro Matte Gloss – Amber Stone.
2. PAC Lip Pencil – Natural.

I. Muse:

Muse is a mauve pink nude lip color that suits every skin tone and looks super gorgeous. Priced at INR 1,825.

Dupes for Muse:

1. Lakme 9 to 5 Mousse Matte – Blush Velvet.
2. Maybelline Creamy Matte – Lively Violet.

J. Spice Girl:

It’s a deeper nude with a brown undertone and cool tones. Priced at INR 1,825.

Dupes for Spice Girl:

1. NYX Soft Matte Lipstick – Dubai.
2. Nykaa Luxe Matte Lipstick – Artisanal Coffee.

K. Dior Rouge in 100:

Dior Rouge is a beautiful nude shade with four couture finishes – satin, matte, metallic, and new velvet. It’s a beautiful brownish pinky nude shade. Priced at INR 3,700.

Dupe for Dior in 100:

1. Maybelline New York Color Sensational Ultimattes Lipstick – More Buff.

L. Smashbox Always On Longwear Matte Liquid Lipstick in GulaBae:

This is a beautiful pink shade that is a cult favorite and very famous among makeup artists as they use it on brides. Its liquid matte finish makes it long-lasting. Priced at INR 2,100.

Dupe for GulaBae:

1. L’Oreal Paris Rouge Signature Matte Liquid Lipstick in 105 I Rule.

If you are low on budget or don’t want to invest so much in high-end cult-favorite lipsticks but want to try those famous lipstick shades, then just buy their dupes. It will save you a lot of money, and you’ll also know how that shade looks on you. Based on that, you can decide whether to invest in the original lipstick or not. Always remember, it’s a trial and error method, so invest wisely.