$6 Dupe for Marc Jacobs Shameless Youthful-Look Longwear Foundation!

Sometimes I wonder if I'm missing out as I mostly use very inexpensive makeup products. So I wonder, would I look better if I used high-end products instead?! 🤔 Then I find some fabulous, inexpensive dupes to some high end products and realize that I don't have to spend a lot to get the look for less!

The love for dupes keeps growing and growing because of the sharpness and affordability they bring to the table. I recently came across a Goyard dupe that was absolutely identical to the original.

And then, I also stumbled upon Marc Jacobs Shameless Youthful Look Longwear Foundation at my local Marshall's and it was on clearance for only $7 (Retail approx. $60 for 32ml). The shade I found "light R250" looked like the perfect shade for my skintone, so of course I couldn't leave it at the store!

Note: It was not expired when I purchased it back around March

Marc Jacobs Shameless foundation IS perfect for my dehydrated and aging skin, and the shade "light R250" was a pretty darn good match for my light- medium skintone with neutral undertones. It's available in 29 shade options at this time.

It blends so easily into my skin and is not cakey at all. It's actually quite hydrating and has light-medium coverage with a skin-like finish. This is right up my alley in terms of a base for my face. I've never liked heavy or full coverage foundations. This one has just enough coverage and makes my skin look so healthy by adding a bit of colour, hydration, and dew! 

Months later, I stumbled across Elf Cosmetics BB Cream for only $6 (28.5ml), (which I've also spotted at Marshall's). It too sounded like the type of face product that I like to wear on the daily. It claims to minimize fine lines and also contains hydrating ingredients like vitamin E, jojoba, aloe, and cucumber. I purchased the colour Buff, which is a tad darker than my skintone but it blends into my skin no problem and doesn't appear too dark once blended. 

As soon as I applied Elf's BB Cream, it immediately reminded me of the Marc Jacobs one I had been using. So, I decided to test them out by applying each one to half of my face and wore them for an entire day just to see how alike they really are. 

I am happy to report that the texture, formula, and finish are the same for both products! Although, ELF's BB Cream might have a tad bit more coverage. They are both super hydrating and give my skin the same look. And, despite the colour difference in the swatches, once I blend them into my skin, I don't see any difference. Hence why I was able to wear both at the same time with each one on one side of my face.

Elf's BB Cream has SPF 20 and has only 3.5ml less product than Marc Jacobs. While Marc Jacobs has SPF 25. Marc Jacobs BB cream also has "Flashback-free innovation." I didn't see any flashback claims with Elf's.

Other than those minor differences, these products perform the same for me. Both are super easy to blend with light-medium coverage. Both are very hydrating leaving the skin with a youthful look. 

At the time of this writing,  Marc Jacobs comes in 29 shade options, while ELF'S comes in only 7, which may make ELF'S a deal breaker if you can't find your shade.

ELF BB Cream in Buff

Left: ELF in Buff / Right: Marc Jacobs R250

Despite the shade difference in the swatches, they look the same on my skin once blended. 

These are a definite dupe, in my opinion, and I find no reason to spend more. In this case, I don't have to spend a lot of money to get the look of a high end product for much less! Don't get me wrong, there are still times where I prefer something high end, like Charlotte Tilbury's Pillow Talk blush... nothing has compared to that one yet!

Note: You may want to spend more if the flashback technology with Marc Jacob's product is important to your for a special occasion.

You can't go wrong with either one of these as they are both fabulous products, especially for dry or dehydrated, or aging skin!

*Purchase ELF BB Cream here: Elf BB Cream 

*Purchase Marc Jacobs Shameless Foundation here: Marc Jacobs Foundation

PS. Both brands are cruelty-free 🐰 

Elf is also Vegan!

Amy

XO's

#playbeautifully #elf #marcjabocs #beauty #antiaging #beautyover50 #lovemarshalls

*All links are trusted  and used by this site. Some links are referral links. Thank you if you choose to use them. xo

Affordable Shiseido Facial Cotton Pad Dupe | Cheaper Than the Dollar Store!

Love affordable dupes like I do? I found a fabulous and super affordable dupe for Shiseido's facial cotton pads, AND they are even cheaper than the dollar store ones! 😍

I had been using Shiseido cotton pads for applying my skincare because they are so thin that they don't absorb/hold onto a lot of products like thicker cotton pads can.

I stumbled upon cotton pads at my local Miniso (Korean) store and they looked like they might have been just like the Shiseido ones, so I picked up a pack to test them out.

•Miniso's Facial Cotton comes in a pack of 240 for $2.95 CAD.

•Shiseido Facial Cotton comes in a pack of 165 for $11.

•Both the Shiseido and the Miniso are super thin, square in shape, very soft, and neither shed any of the cotton onto your face. I think the Shiseido pads might be a bit smaller but I have run out of them so I cannot compare, either way, they are close enough in size.

Turns out that we have a fabulous and super affordable dupe here! Saving over $9 per pack with taxes! That almost covers a basic Netflix subscription 👌.

The Miniso are even cheaper than buying facial cotton at the dollar store, where they seem to be about 80 pads for $1+ these days. So I'll be stocking up and sticking with the Miniso brand! 🥰

i love that the Miniso brand comes with 3 separately sealed packages inside!

Miniso cotton facial pads are so thin that pretty much all of your product goes on your face rather than being absorbed by the cotton! Saving you not only on the cotton pads, but your valuable skincare!

I only wish I had discovered the Miniso Facial Cotton sooner! I definitely need to check out more Korean brands for my skincare needs.  😊

Check out Miniso at Miniso.ca

Have you tried these yet!? If not, I hope you have a Miniso or other similar store near you to try these out and save yourself tons of money, in the long run, 💸 🤑 💲 

Have a fabulous rest of the week! 🤗

Amy

Xo's

 

Makeup Brush Color Removal Sponge | Sephora Color Switch Dupe!?

I had my eye on Sephora's Colour Switch makeup brush cleaner by Vera Moda ($23.00 CAD), but I knew there had to be a cheaper dupe. I checked on Amazon and eBay and there were plenty to be found. I went with one that I found on Amazon for only a few bucks. 👍

If you are not familiar with this product, it's a dry makeup remover sponge that allows you to switch between colours with the same makeup brush. By swiping your brush across the sponge it removes the colour from the brush allowing you to use the same brush dipped into a whole new colour.

The sponge is basically like a rough scouring pad and there are plenty of DIY's if you want to make your own. It's really a simple concept, just wish I had invented it! 💲💲💲 hehe

I didn't see the point in doing a DIY as I paid only about $5 and it included the handy tin.

Photo Credit: Sephora/ Sephora Color Switch by Vera Moda

Mine looks just like Sephora's Colour Switch by Vera Moda. Although I don't own that one, I've seen it in person and it's essentially the same thing.

It works like a charm in between proper brush cleanings and it doesn't damage your brushes. Here, I'm cleaning my Real Techniques blush brush so you can see that it fits brushes both large and small.

Once it gets dirty on the side you are using just flip it over to the other side. Once both sides have been used you can give it a good cleanse with some gentle cleanser and water. I just clean mine when I deep clean my makeup brushes. It cleans up really quickly and easily.

In the photo above I have shown the before and after results after using the cleansing sponge on an eyeshadow brush that had been used. As you can see, it removed most of the colour from the brush but not all of it.

Final Verdict:
I find that this product really comes in handy and I use it daily. I think any makeup enthusiast would appreciate having this in their collection.

Amazon Brush Cleaner price $6 USD
VS.
Colour Switch by Vera Mona is $23.00 CAD

Have you tried this product?

*not sponsored. no affiliate links. purchased by Moi

Artis Oval 8 Foundation Makeup Brush Dupe!? #review & #giveaway 2 WINNERS!! (CLOSED)

I have heard so much about the Artis makeup brushes and would have loved to try one, but at such a heavy price tag for a makeup brush, I wasn't willing to spend that much money for one makeup brush.

I heard about possible dupes and did some research. I ended up purchasing one on Amazon that is supposed to be a dupe. Obviously, since I don't own the Artis brush, I won't be able to confirm whether it is a dupe or not. But, it was still fun trying it out!

The brush I purchased is equivalent to the Artis Oval 8 based on its size.

Brush Claims: 

• Material:Synthetic hair+ The electroplating handle
• Total length:17.5cm; Hair size:6*5cm
• Give you a flawless foundation application every single time
• No streaks and no areas with too much makeup or too little

I find that this brush is SUPER soft and very dense. It feels like good quality and has not shed one single hair. The handle is a little weak, so I hold it closer to the brush which feels more natural anyways.

I don't wear foundation, only BB creams. I have experimented with different BB creams and techniques trying to master using this brush to apply my BB cream. I have found that circular motions with very gentle pressure works best with some of my products while other ones work better with gentle downward motions. Sometimes, I find it drags the product around my face a bit, so I find using less product helps.The brush doesn't seem to absorb a lot of the product which is good. I also find that it thins out my BB cream, making my coverage lighter- not so happy about that aspect. However, the brush is super easy to use and allows me to apply my BB cream very quickly which I really appreciate and it doesn't leave streaks. After washing the brush it takes a long time to dry, 1.5- 2 days as there are so many bristles!

This brush has 5-star reviews on Amazon and many say it is indeed a dupe for the Artis foundation brush. Although it's very quick and easy, I find it a bit more work than I'd expect based on the fact that this is supposed to perform like a $65USD brush.

Just for fun, I want to give one  TWO of these away! Maybe one of you guys can figure out the best technique and let me know! Or, maybe it's just better with foundation over thicker BB creams. I haven't tried it with a foundation yet.

This giveaway is only open to my readers that have a Canadian or USA shipping address, as the product will be shipped directly from Amazon.ca or Amazon.com (sorry to my international readers!) Keep in mind that shipping took a few weeks to get to me, so it will probably be the same for the winner of this giveaway. Must be 18 + years of age or have parental permission. Item may appear different than what is pictured, depending on availability.

The only mandatory entry is to leave a comment on this post and enter using the rafflecopter form below. Giveaway will run for one week. Good luck, everyone!

*** UPDATE: There will be 2 winners, get your entries in!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ebay Beauty Sponge vs. Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. Dupe or Dud?!

Hi everyone! You all know how I love a great deal and there's plenty to be found on eBay. I previously purchased some fabulous $1 makeup brushes from eBay that are supposed to be Mac dupes (linked here). So I figured why not give this sponge a shot. For only $2 with free shipping, I didn't have much to lose.

I'm sure many of you love a good bargain too, so today I wanted to compare this beauty sponge from eBay with the Real Techniques Complexion Sponge.  I had heard they were dupes. 

Let's find out

(above: eBay sponge)

Unfortunately, I no longer have my Real Techniques sponge, so I can't do a side by side comparison. But I can tell you that the eBay one is slightly larger in size.

Here is the Real Techniques Sponge (Stock photo)

Here is the ebay beauty sponge

Compared to my hand (sponge expanded with water here)

The foundation does stain both sponges and even with a good cleaning the stains are not fully removed.

Cost:

• ebay sponge: $2
• RT sponge: $6

Similarities: 

• Both sponges are the same colour and shape
• Both have a flat edge and a pointed tip on the other end
• Both sponges expand with water 
• Approximately the same size

This is where the similarities end.

Differences: 

1. The Real techniques sponge is much softer and a pleasure to use (no comparison here)
2. Even when wet, the eBay sponge is very hard against my face. It doesn't soften.
3. The Real techniques sponge blends my foundation effortlessly into my skin, leaving no streaks
4. The eBay sponge doesn't blend my foundation or BB cream into my skin. I am left with streaks and swirls of makeup on my face. I don't think any of us are going for that look! 

Final verdict: This was a dud! I find the Real Techniques sponge is far superior and worth every penny more than the eBay one. Again, no comparison!

As much as I love a good deal, this is one I will pass on and spend more for better quality and performance. Unless of course, I discover another cheaper "dupe" that works just as well as the Real Techniques one.

And by the way, I do highly recommend the $1 eBay brushes that I mentioned earlier in this post. If you didn't go check that post out I'll link it again here in case you'd like to go check it out.

I purchased my Real Techniques Complexion sponge for $5.99 here. I think next time I may go with the 2 pack for $10.99. Why not save a buck!  (Note: Using either of these links will get you $5 off your order if you have never shopped with iHerb before).

Maybe there are some better "dupes" out there than what I tried. If you know of any, please leave a comment and share! I just love saving money and finding great products at the same time!

Amy

xoxo

Elf Illuminating Palette Review with Swatches! Hot or Not!?

I've had my eye on this palette since it came out and I heard some reviews comparing it to the Hourglass Illuminating powders. I have always wanted to try the Hourglass powders but they are not in my current budget. So I didn't have much to lose by getting hold of this Elf Illuminating palette that is supposed to be a dupe. Since I don't own any Hourglass powders or any of their products for that matter, I obviously cannot compare them. However, I saw some comparison swatches from others and they really did look like dupes for one another.

I scooped up this palette for a steal! The palette is only $6 on Elf's website but I searched the Internet for some coupons to use on Elf's website and their checkout system allowed me to stack coupons, so it ended up costing me about $3 USD with FREE shipping! woohoo!

From Elf's website: "This beautiful illuminating palette holds 4 gorgeous complementary shades to mix and match for a custom blended radiance that captures, diffuses, and softens the way light reflects on the skin. The soft-focus powders are great for highlighting around the eyes and on cheekbones to enhance the skin with a luminous effect. Perfect for all skin tones."

The packaging is nice and sleek and it comes with a huge mirror! Like Elf's other new blush and bronzer quads this one also allows for each quadrant to be popped out so you can mix and match with you palettes. I have used all four colours and the top two are my favourites with the upper right, more pinky-toned one being my absolute favourite of the four. The bottom left one just blends in with my skin and the bottom right one would be great for deeper skin tones, or if you want that gorgeous, bronzy J-Lo glow!

I find that all of them provide a beautiful glow to my skin, no chunky glitter (although there is micro glitter that does not show up on my face, but I was able to see all the tiny glitters from the initial swatches on my arm). The powders do not accentuate pores or dryness or any skin imperfections which is huge for me, as I find that most highlighters accentuate at least some of those things and no one wants that. I find that the soft glow that these powders provide are ideal for dry or aging skin, and I should know as I have dehydrated and aging skin.

I took tons of pictures of the swatches and as I've seen in others reviews, they just show up powdery instead of glowy. I tried every lighting, angle, you name it! I promise you that they don't go on powdery. Somehow, once blended, you get a gorgeous glow.

Here are the best shots I could get:

Overall, I am in love with this palette and unless something better comes along I would buy it again and again. I can definitely say that these are my favourite highlighters of all the highlights I have ever tried. Which says a lot seeing as I've tried a ton of highlighters. So, if you want a beautiful soft glow as a highlight, what are you waiting for?! I don't think you'll be disappointed. Personally, I'm obsessed!

Have you tried this? What are your thoughts on it? Do you have any fab budget beauty buys to share?

Ps. Come on over and join the fun at fabulousandfunlife's weekly beauty linkup party!

Amy

XX

$1 Eye Makeup Brushes: 224, 222 and 217. Mac Dupes!?

Recently, I heard about these "Mac dupe" brushes selling on eBay and I had to check them out. At $1 a piece with FREE shipping, I felt I really couldn't go wrong. Here are the four that I purchased.  

From the top: #224 #224 #222 #217

The close up pictures above and below are after washing them two times and using them for two weeks,

My order:

Pictured above is a screenshot of my eBay purchase. 

As I mentioned, I heard that these were dupes for Mac brushes and I was in need of some pointed crease brushes. Again, not much to lose since they are $1 per brush and FREE shipping! yay!

I can't tell you how they compare to Mac brushes since I don't own any Mac ones, but I can tell you that I am LOVING these brushes! I can honestly say that I have been using these 4 brushes on the daily since I got them, and I haven't touched any of my other eye brushes since! Yes, I'm loving them that much. 

How they arrived:

They are really soft and washed well with no shedding. They also work amazingly well and blend my makeup like a dream. The handles feel like high quality IMO and each are stamped with their corresponding number. I would never guess that these are low-end brushes, let alone $1!

Insta Pic:

I ordered:
 2 x #224

1 x #222

1 x 217

I am so happy with my purchase and if I need anymore brushes I would definitely order these again or some others from this seller. Of course, only time will tell how they will hold up in the long run, but so far, so good. *Fingers crossed

Note: I've had some people on Instagram ask for a link. I will provide a link to one of the brushes from my purchase (not affiliate), but keep in mind that it may eventually expire. In that case I would recommend searching on eBay for makeup brushes with the number you are looking for eg. ``eye makeup brush 224`

eBay link: eBay makeup brush #224

I love finding great buys and bargains, so please leave a comment if you have any to share! Or, have you found any great bargains or dupes for higher end products?

All products were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

ps. Come join the fun at a Blogger link up party over at a fabulousandfunlife

Amy
xx

Maybelline Color Tattoo Bad to the Bronze Dupe for Less Than $3.50!? #Dupe #Swatches #Review

I just love finding a good dupe, especially if it's going to save me some money! I hope you enjoy this one! I think it's a good one so I can't believe I haven't heard about it yet. 

I was doing some grocery shopping the other day and couldn't resist perusing the makeup section, as usual. I came across some eye crayons by NYC that looked new to me. They're called the NYC CityProof 24 HR Waterproof Eyeshadow.  So, they claim to be 24 hour wear just like Maybelline's color tattoo. Although, I don't know anyone who wears eyeshadow for 24 hours straight and I'm not sure about the waterproof claim, but for only $3.47 I couldn't resist picking one up.

NYC CityPROOF 24HR Waterproof Eyshadow in Brooklyn Mocha (605)

Two of a kind:

NYC CityProof Eyeshadow in Brooklyn Mocha/ Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze

As soon as I got home I had to swatch my new NYC eye crayon. I notice immediately that it looked familiar and thought it looked like Maybelline's Bad to the Bronze so I decided to compare them.

Top: Maybelline Color Tattoo 24HR Eyeshadow in Bad to the Bronze

Bottom: NYC CityProof 24 HR Waterproof Eyeshadow in Brooklyn Mocha

Left: Maybelline Bad to the Bronze

Right: NYC Brooklyn Mocha

As you can see from the swatches, they are pretty much identical. I swatched them side by side and even when I turn my hand the colours stay pretty much identical.

Trying other lighting:

Left: Maybelline Bad to the Bronze

Right: NYC Brooklyn Mocha

Top: Maybelline Bad to the Bronze

Bottom: NYC Brooklyn Mocha

More lighting (odd lighting but shows how similar no matter what lighting):

Top: Maybelline Bad to the Bronze

Bottom: NYC Brooklyn Mocha

Nighttime:

Left: Maybelline Bad to the Bronze (Here you can see it's a tad warmer in it's undertone)

Right: NYC Brooklyn Mocha

With flash:

Left: Maybelline Bad to the Bronze

Right: NYC Brooklyn Mocha

Top: Maybelline

Bottom: NYC

Packaging and application: They obviously having different types of packaging and application methods. I find that they both apply very easily, it would just be a matter of preference. I for one, don't really like putting my fingers in products that will go on my eyes, but some may find more control using their finger. Although, both application methods were easy. The NYC crayon applies very smoothly with no tugging. To get the pigmentation that I wanted I did swipe the NYC crayon across my lid a few times. I also like that the lid on the NYC crayon snaps on, you can hear the snap, so you know it shouldn't dry out quickly. That's some good attention to detail for such an inexpensive product.  They NYC crayon also twists up, so no worrying about having to sharpen it.

24HR claims: I don't know about 24HR wear since I've never worn a shadow for 24 hours (at least not on purpose). I had trouble getting both off of my hand, it took a lot of scrubbing, a little more scrubbing with the Maybelline. The Maybelline definitely lasted longer on my lids when I wore them as a stand alone eye shadow.

The differences: Although they look pretty much identical in swatches and upon first application, you really see the differences after wearing them for a few hours. The Maybelline Color Tattoo stood the test of time much better. After a few hours the NYC shadow was creasing and wearing off, leaving mostly glitter behind. But, for the price the NYC is still pretty and would make a good eye shadow base. But, if you want a stand alone shadow, the Color Tattoo fairs much better.

Have you found any affordable dupes lately?

Come on over to Fabulous and Fun Life for a great linkup party!

Note to self: In the future, do swatches on your inner arm, not your vein-y hand!

Amy

Cruelty Free, Affordable Lipstick Dupe! #Review

I'm always on the lookout for cruelty-free, affordable dupes in makeup, skincare, hair care, really in anything!  My go to lip colour is usually a nude, nude-pink or something along that line. And, quite by accident I found a dupe in a nude-pink shade that I adore!

Here they are side by side:

Pictured on the left is the cruelty-free dupe, which is Essence Long-lasting Lipstick in Nude Love (11). On the right we have CoverGirl's Lip Perfection Lipstick in Honeyed (258):

Here are the swatches on the back of my hand. As you can see they are quite nude in colour.  The swatch pictured on top is the one by Essence, it is slightly rosier than CoverGirl's (pictured below.) Neither are matte, they both have a similar sheen.

As a test, I wore one on my top lip and the other on the bottom and I could not see a difference at all. The feel on the lips was similar, CoverGirl's may have felt slightly more drying.  They also wore for the same amount of time on my lips, I did not find either of them long-lasting. They both wore like a typical lipstick (IMO). They would need to be re-applied, which I really don't mind- these are the kind of colours I can kind of "slap-on-and-go." Also, the Essence lipstick lacks that infamous CoverGirl scent that many are not a fan of.

The Essence Long Lasting Lipstick is only $2.99 and can be found at Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada. (And this colour "nude love" goes quite nicely with many of the Essence creamy lip liners that are only $1.49 each. I often wear this lipstick with their liner in "nude"- Gorg!)

The CoverGirl lipstick retails for approx. $8.99

I would love to hear if you have any cruelty-free affordable dupes!

xo Amy