A FORMER makeup professional has shared an insider tip about product formulations.
Their advice helps those on a budget find affordable makeup dupes for more expensive luxury brands.
Redditor The5kyblue shared the beauty tip in a viral post.
“I used to work in the makeup industry and traveled to all the major makeup shows,” they said.
After witnessing makeup production first-hand, they reported back what they had learned.
“I learned so much. [The] majority of the big brands are private-labeled by the same companies, and those high-priced products have the same formula as the common drugstore ones,” they explained.
They added that even celebrity brands, such as Kylie Jenner’s Kylie Cosmetics, applied to their finding.
“Kylie Jenner and [the] Kardashian’s makeup line is private-labeled from ColourPop’s manufacturer, so you’re literally buying the same formula for 4-5x more,” they said.
“NYX’s formula is equivalent to Urban Decay,” they added.
The makeup expert shared other drugstore brands that they felt were dupes for higher-end versions.
“Maybelline is the cheaper brand with on-par quality with Kiehl’s, Yves Saint Laurent, and some other high-end brands,” they said.
Commenters agreed that drugstore alternatives were just as good as more expensive versions.
One said they’d rather put their money to good use elsewhere.
“And the fancy stuff is SO expensive now too, $40 for lipgloss?” they asked.
“That’s a restaurant meal!”
Other makeup experts have shared the drugstore products they use over luxury items.
[The] majority of the big brands are private-labeled by the same companies, and those high-priced products have the same formula as the common drugstore ones.
Redditor The5kyblue
Kaela Davidson, a makeup artist, revealed the affordable foundations, concealers, and mascaras that were her go-to.
The L’Oreal Paris Le Skinny Brow was her brow pick for its ease of use and pigmentation.
“Love it forever and always. So easy to work with,” she said.
The $9 pencil is a dupe for the Benefit brow pencil at just a fraction of the price.
Other must-haves in her routine include the $14 Elf Halo Glow Liquid Filter, which Kaela awarded a perfect score.
She explained that the base is a great dupe for Charlotte Tilbury’s $48 Flawless Filter but without the price tag.
