I don’t know about you, but for me, skincare price shock is real. Especially if you like spendy products (me) and tend to have a heavy hand when applying them (also me), you could definitely end up spending more money than you might like in the beauty department. If this applies to you, let me introduce you to an app that may have saved my bank account and skin: Brandefy.
The high-tech app, which is marketed as “the authority on dupes,” is essentially a beauty product encyclopedia that contains detailed information on countless makeup, skincare, and hair picks. Beyond this, it recommends alternatives to your favorite products, rating the similarities with a Brandefy Dupe Score based on factors like product consistency, scent, and wear time. The app also shows you side-by-side ingredient comparisons and community reviews—aka real people letting you know what’s up—to help you make the most informed product selections. It’s pretty cool! Below, find a roundup of the best dupes I found to cut my skincare budget in half.
With a Brandefy Dupe Score of 86% and an ingredient match of 27%, this moisturizer match may not be exactly the same, but for the huge price difference, I’ll allow it. Both brands contain squalene, which helps with inflammation and signs of aging.
With a Dupe Score of 80%, both of these lactic acid treatments will work on normal, dry, or combination skin to create a smooth, real-life filter finish. The option by The Ordinary just happens to be a fraction of the price.
Brandefy identified a 70% ingredient match between these two beloved products, both of which will help you slough off dead skin cells. It’s just important to note that they do so in different ways. The Drunk Elephant option is a thicker consistency, while The Ordinary delivers its peeling solution in the brand’s signature dropper. Many think The Ordinary pick actually worked better on their skin, and at $7, is it really even a question to try?
Can you guess the ingredient match here? One hundred percent pure virgin marula oil. Brenefy gives these two items a Dupe Score of 96%, so you really can’t go wrong in my book. One commenter said that the only difference is that The Ordinary’s oil was slightly thinner. So, there you have it.
These toners got a Dupe Score of 80%. Each works well on all skin types and employs alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) to promote cell turnover, lighten dark spots, and exfoliate dead skin cells. The E.l.f. toner does have a citrus scent, so if that’s not your jam, make a note.
The Sol De Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream is a cult fave for a reason—the thick lotion keeps your bum (and other parts of your body) well-moisturized and feeling good. While a bit less thick, this Soap & Glory option has a nice, albeit different, scent and with a Dupe Score of 80%, it’s pretty comparable in terms of the tactile experience.
Both watermelon. Both overnight skin masks. Both gel-like. Both leave skin super soft. Need I say more? The Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask features lactic and glycolic acids to help reveal brighter skin overnight—hence the uptick in price. But if you’re just looking for an overnight moisturizing mask, The Creme Shop’s version will definitely save you some money. (FYI, these earned a 79% Dupe Score and a 30% ingredient match.)
With a Dupe Score of 85% (whew!) SheaMoisture’s drying lotion offers many of the same active ingredients to address a blemish as Mario Badescu’s, including sulfur, salicylic acid, and isopropyl alcohol. Overall, they share a 23% ingredient match.
Both these masks hydrate the skin overnight with the help of hyaluronic acid and fruit extracts, and with a Dupe Score of 85% and an ingredient list match of 22%, they’re pretty similar. One person commented that the Laneige one absorbs quicker, but that the consistency and results were not at all different. Also, it’s $5? Adding to cart ASAP.
With a Dupe Score of 84% and an ingredient list match of 55%, these mud masks aim to draw out impurities and leave your skin feeling clean and taut. At a third of the price, I’d say go ahead and try this one from Sephora’s in-house brand.
At a third of the price, you really can’t go wrong trying this E.l.f. cleansing balm. With a 73% Dupe Score, it’s not exactly the same, but commenters note that it might actually be better at taking off makeup than the Clinique version. (And less heavy, to boot.)
If you’re looking to up your glow for summer, the St. Moriz Instant Tanning Mousse may be your new best friend. With a Dupe Score of 85% compared to the St. Tropez product, it’s a great cost-saving alternative—especially if you’re new to the tanning-mousse game. Who wants to spend a ton of money on something you might not even use? Not me!
These products have more than just similar names in common. They got a Dupe Score of 82% and an ingredient match of 42%, too. The Bliss Powerhouse Resurfacing & Exfoliating Enzyme Mask holds up to the Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask with two main differences—one being smell (the Bliss option smells more carroty than the Peter Thomas Roth option, which smells like carrot cake), and two being power. You might see more resurfacing with the Peter Thomas Roth option right away, so if you have sensitive skin or don’t want to spend a fortune, Bliss may be your better bet.
Brandefy gives these two eye creams a Dupe Score of 87%. They both contain glycerine for hydration and vitamin E for moisture and protection. Both are cooling and overall, both are great.
Compared to the First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads, the Pixi Glow Peel Pads get a Dupe Score of 70%. Both contain ingredients like glycolic acid and lactic acid, and both contain 60 pads for a true cost comparison. In other words, a great dupe. Next: Traveling Is Still TBD, But These 34 Beauty Products Feel Like a Vacation
