Mascara dupes

A few mascaras have a following of devoted consumers who claim that these products are far superior to any other brand. These mascaras, however, are often expensive or hard to find, which limits the number of people who can access them. With a little research and experimentation, it’s possible to find a very similar product at your local drugstore, often for a fraction of the price.

With that in mind, I went to the Shoppers at Princess and Division Streets and hunted down three mascaras that are almost perfect duplicates of more expensive cult favourites.

If you love LUSH’s “Eyes Right”, try Physician’s Formula’s “Organic Wear”

LUSH is known for creating natural products, and their mascara combines natural ingredients and “safe synthetics”. Sounds great, but LUSH can be inconvenient to track down and not every location carries cosmetics. A great alternative is the Physician’s Formula Organic Wear mascara. Physician’s Formula is committed to a very similar philosophy to LUSH; this product features recyclable packaging and 70 per cent of their ingredients is sourced from organic farming and is entirely free of harsh chemicals, synthetic preservatives, parabens, fibres and dyes.

Much like its LUSH equivalent, this mascara creates a very natural look and is ideal for lazy days or early lectures. It feels very light on the lashes and does not smudge. At $16, it’s only slightly cheaper than the LUSH mascara, but it’s far more accessible.


If you love Dior’s “Diorshow”, try L’Oréal’s “Voluminous Original”

Diorshow is one of the most popular mascaras amongst make-up enthusiasts, but at $31 it’s exactly as expensive as all three products featured in this piece combined. L’Oreal’s Voluminous features an almost identical brush and seemingly indistinguishable formula. Just like the Dior mascara, L’Oréal provides exceptional volume and length without clumping. At $9 it’s hard to imagine shelling out the extra $22 for what is essentially the same product.

The large brush helps to provide a great deal of volume, and is really soft and comfortable to use. Even small lashes get their share of mascara, which is surprising for such a large applicator. This mascara is a great option for looking a little more put together on a nice night out.


If you love Benefit’s “They’re Real”, you’ll love Maybelline’s “The Falsies”

Despite their contradictory names, both “They’re Real” and “The Falsies” make the same claim; they’ll to make your real eyelashes so dramatic that they will be mistaken for false lashes. Although their brushes are different in shape, the only other difference between the mascaras seems to be their price. At $23, Benefit’s tube is a full $16 more than Maybelline’s.

The curved brush grabs every lash and really does create a dramatic look. The effect of this mascara is made for a night out. While you’re lashes might not be quite as dramatic as false lashes, they will certainly make an impact.


Sometimes high-end beauty products seem exclusive and unattainable for students, but with the right products, even drugstore makeup can make a big impact. Try these mascaras if those pricy popular brands are beyond your student budget or if you’re just looking for a change!

Tags

beauty products, beauty review, Mascara

All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s)-in-Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Skip to content