Makeup Dupes

Dupes, short for duplicates, are basically drugstore cosmetics that mimic high end, department store products. Although it can refer to any kind of product, usually dupe lists focus on makeup.

Generally speaking, dupes aren't just products that look similar to a high end brand, but that also work just as well. A lipstick that bleeds and fades in minutes wouldn't be considered a dupe, even if it was a perfect match in terms of appearance. Although the quality can't always be exactly the same, usually it's good enough that it's not worth spending the extra money simply for the brand name.

Many beauty bloggers feature dupes that they've either come across themselves or that they've heard about. They typically have pictures comparing the two products and they comment on how similar [or not] the products are.

• One of the most comprehensive lists of dupes is over at Temptalia. You can narrow down your results by searching by brand name, shade or type of product and they even have an advanced search option that lets you search within a brand. The work that went into this list is incredible, they even use percentages to rate the similarities between the products. It's absolutely amazing and ridiculously useful.

• I really like this list on Polyvore because I like looking at the products instead of just reading the names, it also makes it easier to find them at the store.

• This post by A brilliant Brunette is a perfect example of what a dupe post looks like on a blog. 

My favorite dupes are always nail polish ones because I can rationalize an expensive eye shadow that I'll wear every day, but not a nail polish that I'll wear once a year given my extensive collection.

• StephsCloset has a great comparison of Chanel and Milani polishes that boggles the mind. Why people keep buying Chanel for $24 when they can get Milani for $6 is beyond me.

Dupes are important because the majority of the time, the higher end products are no better than their cheaper counterparts. Some of the most popular dupes are those of MAC eye shadows and although MAC has some of the best, most pigmented shadows in the market, the truth is that with a good primer, most of the dupes are just as good.

When the quality is the same and the product is similar enough, there's no reason to pass up a dupe for the real thing. The way I see it, every dollar I save equals more money for mascara experiments and whatever new shade of purple eye shadow I don't have yet.