Beauty

Amazing skincare dupes for cult classic favorites

amazing-skincare-dupes

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 dupe

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-argan-oil-dupe

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.

estee-lauder-advanced-night-repair-dupe

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.

SKII-facial-treatment-dupe Skincare dupes

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-dupe

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

  • Reply
    Nikola Hessová
    April 6, 2016 at 7:59 am

    Garnier is my most favourite drugstore miceral water! I´ve started using 4th bottle :) !

  • Reply
    Aleksandra
    April 6, 2016 at 8:32 am

    Sometimes we pay for brand way more than for the quality of product. Great list!

  • Reply
    Rachel
    April 6, 2016 at 8:41 am

    I love the Garnier micellar water. So cheap, I would never bother with Bioderma to be honest!

    Rachel | http://www.currentlyrachel.com

  • Reply
    Charlotte
    April 6, 2016 at 9:11 am

    I 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/

  • Reply
    Ambar Syed
    April 6, 2016 at 9:26 am

    I 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

  • Reply
    Mona Ahmed
    April 6, 2016 at 9:28 am

    Great post! I’m definitely going to get the misha essence and serum.

  • Reply
    Jenni
    April 6, 2016 at 10:17 am

    I’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/

  • Reply
    Missy Quigley
    April 6, 2016 at 10:19 am

    I have never heard of the Missha brand and I can’t wait to try! I love posts like this!

  • Reply
    Angel
    April 6, 2016 at 10:37 am

    This post is a lifesaver. Can’t wait to try the Etude House Moistful Flower cream.

    http://www.mintygold.com

  • Reply
    Melanie@Toots + Dill
    April 6, 2016 at 10:47 am

    I really need to take better care of my skin and this post is so helpful!! I will check out that etude house cream!!

  • Reply
    Honey
    April 6, 2016 at 2:23 pm

    Thanks 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.

  • Reply
    Hye Mi
    April 6, 2016 at 2:29 pm

    The 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.

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      April 6, 2016 at 4:05 pm

      I 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! ;)

  • Reply
    Katie Wright
    April 6, 2016 at 3:15 pm

    I 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!

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      April 6, 2016 at 4:13 pm

      Ahh I know! I love makeup dupes but there’s definitely not enough of these for skincare. ;) You’re welcome Katie, thanks for visiting!

  • Reply
    Kathy
    April 6, 2016 at 5:42 pm

    I 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

  • Reply
    Serein
    April 7, 2016 at 4:05 am

    Thank 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

  • Reply
    MARGARITACHI.CO
    April 7, 2016 at 4:28 am

    I 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

  • Reply
    Jennifer
    April 7, 2016 at 12:30 pm

    I’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

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      April 10, 2016 at 4:18 pm

      I’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!

  • Reply
    Dagmara Klich
    April 8, 2016 at 10:03 am

    I 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

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      April 10, 2016 at 4:15 pm

      Same here haha :) Love Misha products!

    • Reply
      Whitney
      April 2, 2017 at 2:25 pm

      I can’t live without the above Missha products!

  • Reply
    Samileen
    April 8, 2016 at 12:31 pm

    Now 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

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      April 10, 2016 at 4:14 pm

      Thanks Sam! I can’t tell the difference between those two either, love using it in my body moisturizer, too! ;D

  • Reply
    Shireen
    December 19, 2018 at 10:40 am

    This is an amazing skincare dupe post, Paula, thank you so much!

  • Reply
    Aditi Oberoi Malhotra
    February 14, 2019 at 4:51 pm

    I’ve tried a few of them. Will try them all soon. Thanks for sharing.
    Adi xx | http://www.fancycorrectitude.com

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