For many people leaving the house without something on their lips can make them feel like their makeup is incomplete. However, lipsticks and lip liners aren’t always cost effective. I’ve put together some dupes I have in my collection, focusing mainly on colour, although some of the dupes also have fantastic wear-time and feel just as comfortable to wear.
MAC Brick and Natural Collection Plum:
Brick lip liner by MAC is a cult favourite, but at £13 for 1.45g it isn’t the easiest purchase to make. Plum by Natural Collection is £1.99 for 1g and, although it’s the teeniest bit deeper in tone, it is a pretty good colour dupe for Brick. The texture is slightly harder than the MAC liner, but it wears well as a result.
My favorite lip liner. It matches my particular lip color. It is of the highest quality and this brand’s liners are mostly good but there are a few duds. Love to pair it with Mac Modesty lipstick. Also looks great with some my Mac. At lunch with my BFF Cindy a couple months ago, when I pulled out nude pink Modesty Cremesheen Lipstick ($14.50) to touch up after the meal, Cindy was shocked when I told her the lippie was from MAC. Cindy, a makeup minimalist (to the extreme!), had an impression of MAC that many people share.
MAC Dervish and Essence Satin Mauve:
The texture of the Essence lip liners is similar to the harder consistency of MAC liners, meaning they wear extremely well. Despite being £1 for 1g, versus Dervish’s £13 for 1.45g, the Essence liner is actually slightly more pigmented. Both are great liners, but this dupe is definitely one to consider before splashing out.
MAC Please Me and Soap and Glory Pretty Muted:
Costing a mere £3.50 compared to MAC’s £16.50 price tag, Pretty Muted is an exact match to Please Me both in colour and texture, as it is also a matte finish. It lasts well and and has sturdy packaging – a perfect alternative!
MAC Crème de la Femme and Natural Collection Cranberry:
Natural Collection may not wear as well as MAC, but the colour match here is practically perfect and the price is even bette (£16.50 versus £1.99). Cranberry is slightly deeper in tone than Crème de la Femme but, used sparingly, it will work perfectly as a dupe, as long as you don’t mind topping it up that little bit more often!
Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet 38 La Fascinante and L’Oreal Blake’s Pure Red:
As one of the best dupes in my collection, it is hard to deny the likeness of these two lipsticks. Both have the strong blue undertone and the satin finish, and the packaging components follow the same colour scheme and feel just as sturdy. The only difference is the price; you can pay £28 for Coco’s name or £6.99 for Blake’s.
NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Cairo and Essence Porcelain Doll:
Costing £6, NYX’s soft matte lip creams are not the most expensive on the market. However, if you are looking for a cheaper alternative or do not like the matte feel of the lip creams, Essence’s Porcelain Doll is a great alternative. It has a more satin/sheen finish and is more comfortable to wear, although it will not last as well as the NYX matte finish. However, the NYX lip creams don’t have the best lasting power anyway and, at £2.30, Porcelain Doll is a lot more cost effective.
MAC Modesty and Essence Cool Nude:
Similarly to Porcelain Doll, Cool Nude has a more satin finish, which matches well with Modesty, as it is not a flat matte finish either. The brownish undertone on the two lipsticks makes them fantastic dupes, although with Cool Nude costing £14.20 less than Modesty, Essence is definitely a brand to consider.
Illamasqua Fable and Kiko Shining Star Lip Laquer 01:
As mentioned the focus of my dupe-matching process was colour. This is the perfect example of that as, aside from colour, these two are polar opposite. However, for those who aren’t a fan of that heavy matte feeling, Fable by Illamasqua is immediately ruled out, which is a shame, as it is a beautiful pink that is not too bright but not too muted. Although it does not photograph well, coming off a slightly brown colour, the Kiko lip laquer the exact same shade, with the not-too-bright but not-too-muted tone. Sitting like a lipgloss, but with more pigment, the laquer is far more comfortable to wear and, although it will last nowhere near as long on the lips, you can feel better about topping it up, as it costs far less than the £19.50 Fable. *
*The collection which contained the laquer is no longer stocked at most Kiko stores, although some may have it on sale. However, you are likely to find it on Depop or Amazon, so, if you do see it, be sure to grab it!
XO
Products Mentioned:
MAC Brick: http://www.maccosmetics.co.uk/product/13852/340/products/makeup/lips/lip-pencil/lip-pencil?cm_mmc=GoogleBase-_-ShoppingFeed-_-Lips-_-LipPencil&gclid=CjwKEAjwsLTJBRCvibaW9bGLtUESJAC4wKw1UAw7ZdT_4piQwpPmu0e2Cu6tzjvvn6Nn3XdpABeGJhoC4Ubw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CLmo-PW0mNQCFcuNGwodYD4JtA#/shade/Brick
Natural Collection Lip Liner in Plum: http://www.boots.com/natural-collection-lip-lines-pencil
Mac Dervish: http://www.maccosmetics.co.uk/product/13852/340/products/makeup/lips/lip-pencil/lip-pencil?cm_mmc=GoogleBase-_-ShoppingFeed-_-Lips-_-LipPencil&gclid=CjwKEAjwsLTJBRCvibaW9bGLtUESJAC4wKw1UAw7ZdT_4piQwpPmu0e2Cu6tzjvvn6Nn3XdpABeGJhoC4Ubw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CLmo-PW0mNQCFcuNGwodYD4JtA#/shade/Dervish
Essence Lip Liner in Satin Mauve: http://www.wilko.com/essence/essence-lipliner-satin-mauve-06/invt/0339919
MAC Please Me: http://www.maccosmetics.co.uk/product/13854/310/products/makeup/lips/lipstick/lipstick#/shade/Please_Me
Soap and Glory Pretty Muted: http://www.boots.com/soap-and-glory-sexy-mother-pucker-matte-lip-3d-lip-colour-and-sculpt-10210826
MAC Crème de la Femme: http://www.maccosmetics.co.uk/product/13854/310/products/makeup/lips/lipstick/lipstick#/shade/Creme_de_la_Femme
Natural Collection Cranberry: http://www.boots.com/natural-collection-moisture-shine-lipstick-10181608
Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet 38 La Fascinante: https://www.chanel.com/en_GB/fragrance-beauty/makeup/p/lips/lipsticks/rouge-allure-velvet-luminous-matte-lip-colour-p162310.html#skuid-0162380
L’Oreal Blake’s Pure Red: http://www.boots.com/loreal-paris-color-riche-exclusive-reds-10184217
NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Cairo: http://www.boots.com/nyx-professional-makeup-soft-matte-lip-cream-14g-10207816
Essence Porcelain Doll: https://www.essence.eu/uk/products/lips/lipstick/e/product/longlasting-lipstick-nude-02/
Spice Lip Liner By Mac
MAC Modesty: http://www.maccosmetics.co.uk/product/13854/310/products/makeup/lips/lipstick/lipstick#/shade/Modesty
Essence Cool Nude: https://www.essence.eu/uk/products/lips/lipstick/e/product/longlasting-lipstick-nude-05/
Mac Lip Liners Colors
Illamasqua Fable: http://www.illamasqua.com/shop/lips/lipsticks/fable-lipstick/?gclid=CjwKEAjwsLTJBRCvibaW9bGLtUESJAC4wKw1VuO438NAc3FcxRHeTiJu53cPhLIojb_UIAcHx6QwFhoClJHw_wcB