It's like looking in a mirror

I've never been that good at spotting dupes. I've always thought that if I have something then why would I try and find something the exact same. That being said, unplanned and unexpected dupes do make me feel all warm and fussy in side. This is what happened with these two products.

I picked up the Loreal Illuminating Powder when Boots where doing one of their three for two offers and presumed it was just a nice highlighter. (I feel the high street are missing a good highlighter!) However, once I'd gotten my new little haul home, I found it actually resembles the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder.

Both are powders that leave the skin looking dewy rather than cakey. The shimmer to them does seem quite scary, no-one wants to look like Edward Cullen do they? But for some reason it's rather undetectable on the skin. It just makes your skin look pretty flawless.

For a fraction of the price, I definitely recommend you try out the Loreal powder.

Have you noticed this similarity? 

Laura

Searching for a Similarity

When I talked about my completed MAC palette I mentioned some similarities with the Urban Decay Naked Two Palette and thought I'd share it with you today. Now they aren't exact dupes, but I just think if you have one, you may not need the other.

Snakebite and Patina also share similarities. 

Hope you all have a great week.

Laura xoxo

Blogmas Countdown: 8 Festive Dupes

Now, today's countdown post has got a bit of artistic licence to it. There are only four 'dupes' which are more similar products, than perfect dupes, but still. The products I'm showing contain one high end and one lower end product, that I think are perfect for the festive season.

The first 'dupe' for you, is for my favouirte all time lipstick, which I'm sure me and Rachel have talked about a lot. I didn't even realise I had such a close colour to it (ooops) but as I wanted to wear Dubonnet for a night out, but was scared to take it out with me for fear of loosing it, I took this colour by Rimmel called Berry Queen, and it did a great job, and it is half the price of the MAC one.

I've already mentioned this 'dupe' before, but as they are such good colours for a festive event, I thought I'd mention it again. As beautiful as the Nars Eyeshadow duo is, the Stila palette is only one pound more, with eight more colours.

Another 'dupe' I've already mentioned, but again they are just perfect for the party season. Front Cover's Frosted Almond is the perfect match for MAC's Woodwinked, and it's only £1!!!! Bargain.

I don't actually have the high end 'dupe' of this, but I have tried it, and much prefer the Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer to YSL's Touche Eclat. I also think this concealer is perfect for hiding your dark circles and brightening your face after the Christmas party.

Do you have any festive dupes to share?

Laura xoxo

Spot the Difference

I've mentioned before that I am not the best in spotting dupes, however the other night, I was having a bit of a look through my make-up collection and doing a bit of swatching, and I noticed this little dupe, and really wanted to share. I feel a sense of pride when I do spot a dupe haha!

Here I have Front Covers Frosted Almond and MAC's Woodwinked. Now looking at them in the pan, they look nothing a like, and I'm sure you are thinking what are you on about crazy lady, but bare with me.

Swatched, you have to admit, these too are definitely sisters, if not twins. I couldn't believe how similar they are. Woodwinked cost me £10, whereas Frosted Almond was only £1! That is a bargain if there ever is one. When swatching I found that Frosted Almond was actually more pigmented and had to really swatch at Woodwinked to match the depth of one swatch of Frosted Almond, (I feel like I used the word swatched way too much then, hope I still made sense.)

Frosted Almond // Woodwinked

 

For me, 'cause these are quite bold colours, I think it would be such a good idea to buy the Front Cover shadow first to see how much wear you would get out of it before buying the MAC, but also I think the quality of that shadow is just as good, maybe even better...

 

So what do you think? Am I on to something? Do you like finding dupes?

 

Laura xoxo

Seeing Double...

Don't worry, I am not going to talk about the S Club 7 film, that's a whole different post ;) I am actually going to talk about Nail Polish. (I can hear the collective sigh.)

Now I am not one to notice a dupe, I don't really have the eyes for it, but as soon as I saw a picture of O.P.I's Cajun Shrimp nail polish, instantly my mind said, Rimmel Pro Coral Romance.

Coral Romance has a bit of a story with me, up until I made the purchase of Essie's Cute as a Button, this would of been classed as my all time favourite colour. A friend gave it to me as a birthday gift, about three years ago, and I'm on my second bottle, I love it! It's the perfect red/coral colour, and perfect for summer.

When I got the bottles side by side, I kind of thought, hmmm maybe there is a difference, but then I put them on my nails, using alternate nails...

I know it's slightly blurry, best of a bad bunch, but can you spot a difference? Alternate nails remember?

I could tell a tinsy difference, Cajun Shrimp is a smidgen darker red, but I asked my mom, and she couldn't tell.

Consistency wise, O.P.I is slightly thicker, but only slightly. I prefer the brush of Rimmel Pro, and highly recommend their whole range to anyone. They both lasted the same length of time on my nails with O.P.I Nail Envy as a base and Sally Hansen Insta-Dry as a top coat.

So what do you think? Girl done good? Do you like spotting dupes?

My Cajun Shrimp came as part of a set, but a full size bottle is around the £12 mark and Rimmel is £4.99.

Laura xoxo