Skincare dupes for cult classic favorites
When it comes to beauty, some of the most talked about, most loved, cult classic favorites usually have one thing in common: a hefty price tag.
It’s safe to say that it’s much wiser to invest in good skincare, rather than expensive makeup. The better your skin is, the less makeup you’ll need. What if you could experience a little skincare luxury, even when on a budget?
Bioderma Micellar Solution
A must-have for many professional makeup artists, Bioderma Sensibio H2O is a non-detergent, non-foaming micellar water with neutral pH that is perfect for removing makeup- even on most sensitive skin. It’s gentle, soothing, free of fragrance or other irritants, and, most importantly, it does an amazing job at removing makeup gently, without having to tug or irritate the skin. When Garnier released its own version of micellar water, the beauty world went crazy. The packaging, as well as the formula, is incredibly similar to Bioderma’s Micellar Solution and, as a little bonus, it also comes in a waterproof version, which is amazing at removing heavy and waterproof makeup. As a beauty blogger, I constantly swatch and test new makeup products, which can definitely irritate my acne-prone skin. The last thing I want to do is rub my face with makeup-removing wipes- Garnier Micellar Water is incredibly gentle, and also a little easier to find than Bioderma’s version.
Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil
An all-over moisturizing oil that can be used directly on your face, body, mixed with your favorite moisturizer, a cuticle and hair treatment. I love this oil- what I don’t love, is the price tag. Physicians Formula Argan Oil has the same rich, conditioning benefits and is just as great at multitasking. Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil is *slightly* lighter, but other than that, these two oils are pretty much identical.
MORE SKIN LOVE:
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Complex
This best-selling serum rose to fame for its ability to fight key signs of aging. It helps reveal smoother, younger-looking skin and it’s also pretty amazing at fading post-acne hyperpigmentation. It’s one of those products that sounds too good to be true, except… it isn’t. I personally went through bottles of this serum and didn’t think I’d ever been able to find something just as good- let alone, better. Yes, Missha’s Time Revolution Night Repair Serum is not only better, but it’s also more affordable. It’s formulated with niacinamide- one of my favorite skincare ingredients that is a cell-communicating ingredient offering multiple benefits for aging skin. It also contains antioxidants and retinol- which helps your skin cells create better, healthier skin.
SK-II Facial Treatment Essence
I’ve waited for years until I finally decided to splurge on SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. I kept hearing all these amazing things about it but still couldn’t justify such a hefty price tag. When I eventually did give it a try, I fell in love. When I ran out of it, I wanted to see if I could find any similar products that perhaps are a bit more affordable- that’s when I came across Missha’s The First Treatment Essence. As you can see, the packaging is very similar (as is the name). While Missha’s Treatment Essence has a few more ingredients, none of them are alarming or irritating. I knew this is a great dupe for the SK-II Treatment Essence, after my very first use- it felt absolutely the same on my skin and it is hardly possible for me to differentiate between these two products. Both leave my skin feeling very smooth, both help with redness and with minimizing the appearance of sebaceous filaments around nose and chin, both soften and slightly brighten skin.
Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief
If you’re looking where to invest in skincare, a great moisturizer is always a good place to start. If your skin is on the dry side, chances are you’ve probably heard of Clinique’s Moisture Surge Intense Hydrator– a rich, oil-free moisturizer that helps repair skin’s moisture barrier. At $52.50 for 2.5 oz, it’ll also cost you a pretty penny. Etude House Moistful Flower Cream is yet another Korean skincare product that’s a great and more affordable alternative. Just like Moisture Surge, this cream does wonders for dry skin, protecting and nourishing it, all while bringing relief and soothing dry patches. You can also put on a very generous amount at night, and use this as a sleep mask.
Keep in mind that pricey doesn’t always mean better. Pay attention to ingredients and you might be surprised at how many of your department store favorites can be easily substituted with some gems found at the drugstore.
41 Comments
Nikola Hessová
April 6, 2016 at 7:59 amGarnier is my most favourite drugstore miceral water! I´ve started using 4th bottle :) !
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
April 10, 2016 at 4:15 pmOh wow you really do love it! I love mine too :D Especially for removing swatches and heavy makeup!
Aleksandra
April 6, 2016 at 8:32 amSometimes we pay for brand way more than for the quality of product. Great list!
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
April 10, 2016 at 4:15 pmYes! Thanks so much Aleksandra!
Rachel
April 6, 2016 at 8:41 amI love the Garnier micellar water. So cheap, I would never bother with Bioderma to be honest!
Rachel | http://www.currentlyrachel.com
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
April 10, 2016 at 4:15 pmI love it too!
Charlotte
April 6, 2016 at 9:11 amI use the garnier micellar water and agree its very similar to bioderma. I also use ANR and Moisture Surge and I had no idea there’d be dupes – thanks!x
http://www.secondswatch.co.uk/
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
April 10, 2016 at 4:16 pmI love the Garnier micellar water!
Ambar Syed
April 6, 2016 at 9:26 amI need to try the Moistful cream because I love the Clinique Moisture Surge – but it’s super pricey and finishes really quickly! Thanks for the dupe :)
– Ambar x
http://www.herlittleloves.blogspot.com
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
April 10, 2016 at 4:16 pmNo problem Ambar!
Mona Ahmed
April 6, 2016 at 9:28 amGreat post! I’m definitely going to get the misha essence and serum.
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
April 6, 2016 at 4:14 pmThanks so much Mona!
Jenni
April 6, 2016 at 10:17 amI’ve tried both the Garnier micellar water and Bioderma, and to be honest, I prefer the Garnier! I feel like it’s even gentler on my skin, and you really can’t beat the price. xx
http://shakespeareandsparkle.com/
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
April 6, 2016 at 4:14 pmOh that’s awesome to hear!
Missy Quigley
April 6, 2016 at 10:19 amI have never heard of the Missha brand and I can’t wait to try! I love posts like this!
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
April 6, 2016 at 4:14 pmI used a few products from them and loved every single one!
Angel
April 6, 2016 at 10:37 amThis post is a lifesaver. Can’t wait to try the Etude House Moistful Flower cream.
http://www.mintygold.com
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
April 6, 2016 at 4:14 pmThanks Angel!
Melanie@Toots + Dill
April 6, 2016 at 10:47 amI really need to take better care of my skin and this post is so helpful!! I will check out that etude house cream!!
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
April 6, 2016 at 4:14 pm;)
Honey
April 6, 2016 at 2:23 pmThanks for this! I usually end up not purchasing anything because I’m so intimidated by all the brands, while knowing that there’s probably something comparable at a more affordable price for myself. This is really helpful.
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
April 6, 2016 at 4:13 pmThanks Honey!
Hye Mi
April 6, 2016 at 2:29 pmThe Missha TR Night Repair Ampoule shows little to no results tho, even after months of daily uses. It’s not really a dupe since they’re about the same price – if I remember well – but the Hera Modifier is more powerful than the Estee Lauder.
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
April 6, 2016 at 4:05 pmI personally had better results with the Missha Serum than with the Estee Lauder ANR because while it helped with my hyper pigmentation, it also didn’t break me out which ANR tends to do after a long use. My skin is quite problematic, and I had great results. I also pay only $25 for mine on Amazon, compared to $62.00 for Estee Lauder’s ANR, which is a big difference. Will have to look up the Hera Modifier! ;)
Katie Wright
April 6, 2016 at 3:15 pmI was SO happy to see a skincare dupe post! I see so many makeup dupes, but I’m really getting into skincare, so this was super helpful! Thank you!
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
April 6, 2016 at 4:13 pmAhh I know! I love makeup dupes but there’s definitely not enough of these for skincare. ;) You’re welcome Katie, thanks for visiting!
Kathy
April 6, 2016 at 5:42 pmI absolutely love the garnier micellar water and have yet to try the bioderma but I don’t think I will need to hahah :)
Kathy x
http://www.alongcamekathy.blogspot.co.nz
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
April 10, 2016 at 4:16 pmHaha :) No point if you love the Garnier one! ;)
Serein
April 7, 2016 at 4:05 amThank you so much for this! I have wanted to try the SK II essence for so long, but will most likely get MISSHA first :-) BTW I think it was your birthday today, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
xoxo
Serein
http://sereinwu.com
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
April 10, 2016 at 4:16 pmAww thanks so much Serein!! <3
MARGARITACHI.CO
April 7, 2016 at 4:28 amI loveeeeee these dupe options! I have had my eyes on the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence for a little but it’s good to know that there’s another product that you’d consider dupe worthy. Thanks for the tips x
Margarita Chi | MARGARITACHI.CO
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
April 10, 2016 at 4:17 pmThanks so much Margarita!
Jennifer
April 7, 2016 at 12:30 pmI’m most definitely biased but Korean products are just so top notch without the price tags that western brands feel like they need to have. You should try out Laneige and Iope too if you haven’t already!
http://www.barelytherebeauty.com
xx
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
April 10, 2016 at 4:18 pmI’m starting to notice that too. The more Korean skincare products I try, the more I love them! Haven’t tried Laneige but I’m pretty sure I have some samples somewhere! Will have to give them a go!
Dagmara Klich
April 8, 2016 at 10:03 amI love the Garnier Micellar Water enough not to be even tempted by the Bioderma one :) I’ve been looking into MISHA products recently and now after reading your post I will most definitely invest in this essence and serum. xx
Mummy’s Beauty Corner
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
April 10, 2016 at 4:15 pmSame here haha :) Love Misha products!
Whitney
April 2, 2017 at 2:25 pmI can’t live without the above Missha products!
Samileen
April 8, 2016 at 12:31 pmNow this is such a great post. I always buy the 100% organic Argan oil and fill it up in my Joise Maran bottle and i can’t even tell the difference haha. But I love mixing argan oil with my body moisturizer and it leaves my skin feeling so silky smooth love it.
Sam || Beautydetour
Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
April 10, 2016 at 4:14 pmThanks Sam! I can’t tell the difference between those two either, love using it in my body moisturizer, too! ;D
Shireen
December 19, 2018 at 10:40 amThis is an amazing skincare dupe post, Paula, thank you so much!
Aditi Oberoi Malhotra
February 14, 2019 at 4:51 pmI’ve tried a few of them. Will try them all soon. Thanks for sharing.
Adi xx | http://www.fancycorrectitude.com