There are a few things you should know about me. One, I love wearing makeup; two, I’ve been a Rouge-level Sephora customer for the last six years; and three, I can’t keep spending money like this. My Sephora spending has gotten so out of hand that I’ve had to give myself a strict monthly cosmetics allowance to rein in my spending in this category. Where before I could wander into Sephora on any given afternoon and leave with quite a few purchases, this new spending limit has kept me in check and searching for less expensive alternatives to my favorite products.
This is where e.l.f. comes in. Over the years, I’ve tried drugstore products only to find that they just don’t compare to my tried-and-trues. But a couple of years ago, e.l.f. dupes started gracing my For You page with makeup artists claiming they were just as good as—or even better—than some of my favorite products. Notably, e.l.f.’s Dior lip oil dupe, Charlotte Tilbury flawless filter dupe, and Rare Beauty blush dupe have made waves in the beauty community. I’ve since tried my fair share of e.l.f. beauty products and have loved them enough to make them part of my regular routine (of course, this has made sticking to my monthly cosmetics allowance way easier, too).
At first, I figured e.l.f. was simply a really great drugstore brand. However, with each new release, it’s become abundantly clear that e.l.f. dupes are no longer simply a coincidence, they’re basically the company’s entire brand. With high-end products getting pricier and pricier (thanks, inflation), e.l.f. is solving a problem for makeup girlies everywhere. But do these dupes actually compare to their high-end counterparts? I tried a full face of e.l.f. makeup products and compared them to the high-end products they dupe. Here’s where I think you should save and splurge:
Primer
Pros: non-comedogenic (so it won’t clog pores!), creates a hydrated barrier between skin and makeup
Cons: takes awhile to dry down, can be difficult to layer products on top
Garri’s pick
I have combination, blemish-prone skin, and when researching primers with this in mind, the Milk Hydro Grip primer seemed to be the clear choice. But I honestly couldn’t fathom spending that much money on a primer and quickly started looking for a dupe. The e.l.f. Power Grip Primer is honestly excellent. I’ve repurchased it countless times and always go back to it after testing a new one. It has a hydrating, slightly thicker, tacky finish that creates a barrier between my skin and the rest of my makeup. This is crucial for someone prone to dry patches like me; with this primer, my makeup sits so nicely on top of my skin and doesn’t latch onto any dry, flaky bits.
Pros: contains hyaluronic acid, aloe water, and blue agave extract to create a super hydrating finish
Cons: price
I have a really hard time justifying the cost of a product that doesn’t have any visible effect. So, while this primer is by all accounts excellent, I’ll probably stick with the e.l.f. version so that I can put more money towards products that I can actually see, like blush or lip products. That said, the Milk primer gets the edge over the e.l.f. in terms of how it feels on the face. It’s ever-so-slightly more hydrating, easier to work with, and has a cooling effect that feels nice on my inflamed and angry skin—but those things, in my opinion, don’t make it worth the cost when the e.l.f. alternative is right there.
Glow Filters
Pros: has enough coverage to wear alone
Cons: can be tricky to wear underneath other base products
Garri’s pick
This is another e.l.f. product I already use and love. Again, I didn’t want to pay the $49 for the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter (are you sensing a theme yet?), so I ran to try this as soon as it dropped. It has the smallest amount of coverage, so I love using it on no-makeup-makeup days paired with a concealer to add coverage to problem areas. As a glow product, because it has a little more coverage to offer, it can feel heavy on the face when paired with another foundation or skin tint. So, I typically wear this on its own.
Pros: super lightweight finish
Cons: glow can disappear under other products
I vividly remember everyone losing their minds over this product a couple of years back, and after trying it for the first time, I have to say, I really don’t get the hype. If I had flawless skin with no blemishes, I could see this being a great product for no-makeup-makeup days, but because that is definitely not what I’m working with, I can’t use it without layering another base product on top. And after that happens, the glowy finish kind of disappears underneath the tint, bronzer, and blush I use. In a future where I have perfect skin (fingers crossed!), I may revisit this, but for now, it certainly isn’t worth the extra cash.
CC Cream
Pros: a little goes a long way, so you’ll get even more bang for your buck; has SPF 30
Cons: really poor shade range
I am not a full-coverage girlie, and as this was the first time I used this product, it was a shock to my system. I quickly realized I used way too much product here, but once it finally blended out, it left me with a nice enough finish, but it did feel very thick on my skin. I also wish the color range on this was better—even my best shade wasn’t a perfect match. For this reason, I actually think going the high-end route is the best option here. You want your base product to be really good as the foundation for the rest of your makeup, and I don’t think this is it.
Pros: easily blendable, skin-like finish, has SPF 50+
Cons: poor shade range
Garri’s pick
I was pleasantly surprised by this. I really don’t love feeling like I have too much makeup sitting on my face, but despite being full coverage, the IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream has a really nice, skin-like finish. Where the thick texture of the e.l.f. CC cream makes it difficult to blend out, the IT Cosmetics one blends like a dream. The fact that it also has SPF 50+ makes it the clear winner here.
Concealer
I’m going to be honest—I have yet to find a concealer that truly WOWS me. This was a nice, full-coverage concealer that brightened my under-eyes and added a little extra coverage to my blemishes. It’s a good, low-cost option that blends well, but the shade range is so poor I can’t comfortably recommend it.
Pros: decent shade range and good coverage
Cons: looked a little patchy without good under-eye prep
Garri’s pick
Again, I’ve yet to find a concealer that sits among my other Holy Grail beauty products, but this was a decent option, and I can see why it’s one of the original viral beauty products. With almost double the amount of shade options that the e.l.f. concealer has, this is the clear winner for me if the formulation fits well with your skin. I needed a little bit of extra hydration under my eyes when I used this, which resulted in it separating a little bit under my eyes as the day went on.
Bronzer
Pros: blends easily, decent shade range
Cons: the applicator is a nightmare
Garri’s pick
And here we have the first product to actually make its way into my regular routine. I was truly so surprised by how this looked on. Despite being a liquid product (which can be so tricky to blend), this literally melted into my skin and provided the most beautiful glow. The applicator, however, is so messy, and I have no idea if it “closes” the way the Charlotte Tilbury one does, which might make it a hazard to store. That said, at $7 and with a formula that made me do a double-take, I’ll live with the messy packaging. I also love that this product comes in six shades, while the Charlotte Tilbury version only comes in two.
Pros: blends well, provides a nice glow
Cons: poor shade range
This is one match-up that I really couldn’t tell the difference between. Both the formula and the way the Charlotte Tilbury contour wand blends are essentially the same as the e.l.f. dupe, but the e.l.f. Halo Glow Contour Wand gets the edge because of its price and having slightly more shade options.
Blush
Holy PIGMENT. I’m not new to highly pigmented liquid blushes (I’ve been using the Rare Beauty and Saie ones for years), but the pigment on this blush really surprised me. I wouldn’t recommend placing it directly on your face. Instead, I place a little bit on my hand and pick up the product with a brush. That’s how it’s blended the best for me while still providing a lot of color. I will say—this product is nearly identical to the Rare Beauty blushes, even coming in a lot of the same shades the Rare Beauty one comes in. Because of that, and the price here, the e.l.f. Camo Liquid Blush is the clear winner for me. I’ll definitely be picking up a few more shades.
When the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush dropped, lives were changed. I remember immediately purchasing two shades and then, also immediately struggling to work with them. Over time, I’ve figured out how to make the product work well for me, but even to this day, I sometimes find myself desperately trying to mute a little bit of the pigment with a damp beauty blender, the brush I used for my foundation, concealer… really anything that might make my cheeks look slightly less scary. I know people love these blushes, and I typically do, too! But I do find they can separate on my skin and look patchy if I have any dry spots, which I didn’t notice with the e.l.f. Camo Liquid Blush, so that’s why it got my vote. However, if they work for you, I do think the $23 price tag is worth it because you’ll have that blush in your beauty bag for decades.
Setting Powder
I don’t prefer a super matte look, but I also tend to get oily as the day goes on, so a really good setting powder is necessary. I need it to mattify my problem areas while also not accentuating every single pore I have on my face. Unfortunately, this powder had a few problems. It’s very heavy, making my face appear cakey while also not actually staying in place throughout the day. So not only was the finish right away not great, but it didn’t have the lasting power that I really need from my setting powders.
Pros: feels lightweight, yet still mattifying
Cons: price
Garri’s pick
I really do think some of the high-end products on this list are worth the price (IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream, I’m looking at you), but while I think this is the better of the two setting powders, the price really throws me off. On the one hand, setting powders usually lasts a long while, so the investment may be worth it. More than that, for me, this product just performed better all around. It removed excess shine from my T-zone without settling into my fine lines and pores and actually kept my makeup in place throughout the day. That said, I won’t be giving up my favorite setting powder any time soon (Kosas Cloud Set, for the inquiring minds).
Eyebrow Gel
Pros: easy to use, a ton of product for the price
Cons: can get flaky if you use too much
Garri’s pick
I’m fortunate enough to have thick eyebrows that don’t need any filling in. That said, I love a clean, lifted look and have found that typical brow gels don’t really achieve what I’m going for. I picked up the e.l.f. Brow Lift after seeing it on TikTok (of course), and have really liked using it. However, if you’re not careful with the product or use too much, it can become flaky throughout the day. I’ve found that spritzing it with the tiniest amount of water before going in with my brush yields the best result. For the price alone, this is a staple in my makeup drawer.
Pros: great hold, works well with other brow gels
Cons: feels thick on the skin
To be honest, this is pretty much the exact same product as the e.l.f. Brow Lift, but four times the cost. For that reason alone, I have to give this matchup to e.l.f. I noticed the same problems with the e.l.f. Brow Lift with the Brow Freeze. If you’re not careful and use too much, it will get flaky throughout the day. I also noticed this one felt a little thick on my face, which I didn’t love and didn’t notice as much with the e.l.f. Brow Lift.
Mascara
Pros: great length and separation
Cons: stiff brush, quick-drying formula makes layering tricky
This is the product that convinced me to go on this whole adventure in the first place. As soon as I saw the turquoise packaging (which immediately reminded me of the cult-favorite Thrive Causmetics Liquid Lash Extensions mascara), I knew I couldn’t go on any longer without really investigating e.l.f.’s products. This mascara is a little drier, making it tricky to work with and layer. However, it provides nice length and separation. It just doesn’t wow me.
Pros: great length, separation, and volume
Cons: easy to get on the eyelid when applying
Garri’s pick
Oh, I get the love for this mascara now. I’ve wanted to try this for ages, but the fact that you can only get it online directly from the brand has stopped me from purchasing it (please come to Sephora, Thrive!). However, this is truly my perfect mascara. It provides excellent length and stellar volume, and I can layer it to my heart’s content. The only drawback is that it provides so much length that I found it would transfer to my eyelids during application if I went a little overboard. Despite that, I can see myself repurchasing this mascara again and again and again.
Lip Oil
I love a fun lip moment, and other than blush, it’s the category I tend to overspend in the most. The e.l.f. Glow Reviver Lip Oil has pretty much everything I could want in a lip oil. It’s got enough pigment to show up but not be overbearing, has a beautiful, hydrated finish, and is only $8 a pop. I will buy every single color this comes in without batting an eye. Honestly, I loved it more than the Dior one, which makes not spending $40 on a single product so much sweeter.
This was the only product my teen sister wanted from me for Christmas, and I happily got it for her (she deserves the world!). But if I could go back in time, I’d buy her the full set of the e.l.f. Glow Reviver Lip Oils instead. Despite purchasing the same shade in both the e.l.f. lip oil, and the Dior one, the e.l.f. one had so much more pigment, while the Dior one was just slightly more pink than clear. Please, save your money and buy the e.l.f. ones instead, you won’t be disappointed.
Setting Spray
Pros: keeps makeup in place all day
Cons: poor packaging
I have a love-hate relationship with this setting spray. I first started using it when I could no longer bear to spend $35 on the Urban Decay All-Nighter spray, and I have been using it for years. It does its job well (it holds my makeup all day and combats oil production), but the packaging is incredibly annoying. The spray radius isn’t great, and not a ton of product comes out, so I feel like I have to spray a BUNCH to get what I need. Even more, I’ve now had two nozzles completely break on me. For ease of use alone, I think I’ll be going back to Urban Decay.
Pros: great spray radius, locks makeup in place all night
Cons: has a fragrance some people might not like
Garri’s pick
It’s been years since I’ve used this setting spray, and even though my reason for switching is still a good one (the e.l.f. Stay All Night setting spray is so much more wallet-friendly), I’ll be switching back to the Urban Decay All-Nighter setting spray. The packaging makes it 10 times easier to use, and it performs just as well as I remember. Welcome back to the lineup, Urban Decay.
Final Thoughts
I really feel like I’m e.l.f.’s #1 fan, but even I can admit that sometimes, the e.l.f. dupes just don’t compare. While my verdicts above are what worked best for me, I recommend evaluating your current makeup routine and pinpointing areas you’re comfortable spending more (like a foundation that really gels with your skin) and which areas you want to cut back (like a primer that has no visible payoff), and opting for e.l.f. dupes (or another drugstore brand!) instead. In the end, I really have to hand it to e.l.f. for making products that are more financially accessible, and I have my notifications ON for their next drop.
