Looking to make some budget-friendly swaps? These Amazon picks rival cult favourites, but at a fraction of the cost.
Amazon’s beauty offering is seriously impressive, with the retail giant stocking thousands of skincare, makeup, hair and perfume brands, from luxurious, high-end brands to affordable, lesser-known ones.
It’s also something of a treasure trove for beauty dupes. However, finding the goods does require a bit of digging, as many products out there look similar to the real thing but otherwise bear no resemblance when it comes to formula or performance.
Luckily, we’ve taken the guesswork out of the equation and found the best dupes — or budget alternatives — to viral, high-end products. Everything we’ve featured comes with strong reviews, or we’ve tried it ourselves, so you can trust these really are the best of the best.
Read more: These are the best beauty dupes to buy at Home Bargains – from just 99p
Supergoop Glowscreen SPF 40 (£32) vs Elf Skin Suntouchable Whoa Glow SPF 30 (£15)
The Elf Whoa Glow is a hard-working alternative to the cult Supergoop Glowscreen, but at less than half the price. Like the Supergoop version, it’s a chemical sunscreen with hyaluronic acid and a glowy, pearly finish.
The two offer different levels of protection, but this won’t be a problem if you reapply regularly. The Elf version also has slightly fewer shades, but otherwise, it’s an excellent everyday choice.
Benetint Rose-Tinted Lip & Cheek Stain (£22.50) vs Bayfree Lip Tint Stain Set (£12.99 for three)
I love Benetint and have used the original for as long as I can remember. In fact, I was a brand loyalist up until very recently when I purchased the Bayfree set, which drew me in with its shade range and speedy delivery.
So, I feel I can quite confidently claim that the ‘Dark Red’ shade is pretty much identical to the Benetint Rose, both in terms of shade and appearance. As ever, it doesn’t quite have the longevity of the real deal, but for a tenner, it’s a no-brainer.
K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask (£70) vs H24 Leave-In Repair Hair Mask (£10.99)
The K18 hair mask is a truly revolutionary product, and it’s difficult to rival. But if you don’t have £70 to drop on it, the H24 hair mask is worth your attention.
While we can’t verify the brand’s bold claims that it’s clinically proven to strengthen hair by up to 312%, it does come with glowing reviews on Amazon and other retailers.
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter (£39) vs Elf Halo Glow Liquid Filter (£15.91)
There’s no shortage of Charlotte Tilbury dupes to choose from, but few are as good as the Elf Halo Glow Liquid Filter.
Super lightweight and blendable, with a soft-focus finish, it’s a great alternative to the famous Hollywood Flawless Filter — albeit with a smaller shade range.
Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm (£52) vs Elf Skin Holy Hydration Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm (£12)
Truthfully, it’s hard to find a product that matches up to the Elemis cleansing balm, with its buttery texture and soothing spa-inspired fragrance, but it’s undeniably expensive.
If you’re looking for a great Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm dupe, try the affordable but effective Elf balm instead. Hydrating and packed with skin-friendly ingredients, it does the job — and then some.
Read more: The best Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm dupes for removing makeup — save up to 77%
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 Eau de Parfum (£165 for 35ml) vs Amour Scents Roulette 540 (£20 for 50ml)
Baccarat Rouge 540 is potentially one of the most recognisable scents of all time — or at least, of the 2020s. It smells like pure luxury, with its complex bouquet of saffron, jasmine, amber wood and cedar notes.
But if you don’t have £165 to shell out, then this Baccarat Rouge 540 dupe from Amour Scents comes highly rated, with reviewers saying it’s just like the real thing. At less than 10% of the price, we can accept we might have to spray it a bit more liberally.
Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment (£20) vs Essence Cosmetics The Super Peptide Glossy Lip Treatment (£5.58)
With more than 2,000 reviews and an overall rating of 4.6 stars, the Essence Cosmetics lip treatment is a low-cost, low-risk alternative to the cult Rhode lip treatment.
Like some other Rhode beauty dupes, it’s also fragrance-free, unlike the Rhode one — a bonus for anyone with sensitive skin.
La Mer The Moisturising Soft Cream (£1,110 for 250ml) vs Nivea Creme (£10.99 for 400ml)
La Mer’s notoriously expensive face cream is something of a status symbol, and its price tag makes it pretty unattainable for us mere mortals.
Truthfully, there’s no like-for-like dupe for the celeb-loved ‘youth broth’, but the comforting, ultra-hydrating blue tin Nivea is a famously good alternative. In fact, we investigated whether or not Nivea really is just as good as La Mer. Our conclusion: not quite. But for the price and result, it’s hard to beat.
Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey (£25) vs Elf Hydrating Core Lip Shine in Ecstatic (£8)
Clinique’s Black Honey continues to be a cult favourite, and for good reason. Not only does the shade famously suit everyone, but its soft, buildable formula also feels great on. Plus, it’s super hydrating.
While it’s worth every penny of its £25 price tag in our opinion, the Elf lip shine in shade ‘Ecstatic’ is a pretty convincing match — and it’s over £15 cheaper.
Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Intensive Pre-Treatment (£26.40) vs L’Oréal Paris Elvive Bond Repair Pre-Shampoo Treatment (£6.49)
Looking for soft, strong tresses? Try this L’Oréal bond repairing treatment, a great budget-friendly stand-in for the Redken bonding range. Both products feature citric acid complex to help treat dry and brittle locks, and should be used before shampooing.
Milk Hydro Grip Primer (£35) vs Elf Power Grip Primer (£10.85)
The Milk Hydro Grip Primer had the internet in a chokehold back in 2024 and is still a bestseller to this day. However, we swapped it for the Elf Power Grip and never looked back.
Both contain hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, and deliver a super grippy, tacky (in the best way) finish.
Jo Malone London’s Peony & Blush Suede Cologne (£56) vs Jenny Glow Peony Eau De Parfum, 30ml (£10.99)
It’s hard to find good dupes of Jo Malone’s niche scents, which is why we really like this one from Jenny Glow.
It may not have the shelf appeal of the original, and it’s more expensive than some other dupes, but reviewers claim its likeness to Jo Malone’s Peony & Blush Suede is uncanny.
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Lipstick (£29) vs L’Oreal Paris Color Riche Satin Lipstick, 630 Beige A Nu (£9.98)
The Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk lipstick is famously flattering on all skin types, with its subtle nude-pink shade and long-lasting finish.
We’d say it’s worth the £29, but if you don’t want to — or simply can’t — spend that much on a lippy, then this L’Oreal one is a pretty convincing shade match.
Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream (£48) vs Brazilian Bewtie Bee Venom Body Butter and Cream (£9.68)
There are countless Sol de Janeiro dupes to choose from now. In fact, just about every high street shop sells products with a similar caramel, tropical-inspired scent.
This one on Amazon looks identical to the real thing and boasts a similar scent. Like other dupes, it won’t have the deep moisturising qualities of the real deal, and the fragrance won’t last as long on your skin — but for under a tenner, it’s a good substitute.
Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm (£23) vs Rimmel Oh My Gloss! Butter Me Up (£9.99)
Made with shea and murumuru seed butters and vegan waxes, the Summer Fridays lip butter balms come in a range of dreamy shades and glide on beautifully. But if £23 is a little too much, the Rimmel balms are a seriously good choice too.
Unlike Summer Fridays, they all have the same fragrance, but they’re equally glossy and hydrating — plus the packaging looks just like the real deal.
Iconic London Prep-Set-Glow Shimmer Spray (£26) vs Glow By So…? Illuminating Perfume Mist (from £8)
These shimmery mists are perfect for adding a bit of colour and shine to your skin for a glowy, sun-kissed look.
But if you’re not ready to splash the cash on the viral Iconic London one, these shimmering perfume mists from So…? are the next-best thing.
Feature image: brands
