Drugstore Dupes: MAC "Darkside" Lipstick vs. Maybelline "Blissful Berry" Lipstick

Drugstore Dupe: MAC "Darkside" vs. Maybelline "Blissful Berry"

Who doesn't love a good bargain and a great lipstick? MAC has some of the best lipsticks on the market but they're pricey. In August I published a post featuring a drugstore dupe for the popular MAC lipstick in the shade, "Lustering". Click here if you haven't seen it.  But it was very popular so I'm back with another drugstore dupe post but this time I'm writing about a fall favorite--"Darkside". 

In the bullet these two shades look nothing alike. "Darkside" looks like a deep, intense purple shade. A color that is extremely intimidating. While "Blissful Berry" looks like a lighter, berry color. I recently picked up the Maybelline lipstick because I thought it didn't look like anything in my collection. Yeah. I was wrong about that. Lipsticks in the bullet can be very deceiving.

When you swatch them on the back of the hand you can begin to see how similar the two shades actually are. They're both deep berry, burgundy shades with a cream finish. Although, right away, you can tell that the MAC lipstick has a more opaque and creamier finish.

Here are the two shades applied to my lips, side by side. Even in this final swatch you can see that "Darkside" is a tad bit more opaque. This is especially noticeable on the top lip, near my cupid's bow. But, all things considering, the two lipsticks are extremely similar. 

Other subtle differences include consistency and scent. The MAC lipstick is, as expected considering the price, a lot creamier in consistency. It also has that nice vanilla smell. However, the Maybelline lipstick retails for around $7.50 (depending on where you buy it). That is half the price of a MAC lipstick. If you're looking for a bold, berry color this fall and you don't want to spend too much, Maybelline's "Blissful Berry" is a wonderful choice.

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Drugstore Dupes: MAC "Lustering" Lipstick

Drugstore Dupes: MAC "Lustering" Vs. Revlon Lip Butter in "Sweet Tart"

 I'm glad so many of you enjoyed the first installment in my new series, Drugstore Dupes. Last time I compared the elf  Blush + Bronzing Powder in St. Lucia to the NARS "Laguna" bronzer and "Orgasm" blush. Click here if you want to see that post. But because you guys seemed to enjoy that post so much, when I found found a dupe for one of my favorite MAC lipsticks I knew I had to share it with you guys. MAC "Lustering" is a gorgeous  medium bubble gum pink lipstick with a subtle glossy finish. Unfortunately, like all MAC lipsticks, "Lustering" retails for $15.00 at MAC counters and online. However the Revlon Lip Butter in "Sweet Tart" retails at drugstores for about $6.00 (depending on where you buy it). That's a difference of almost ten dollars! But I know what you're thinking, how closely doe the two shades compare? Well, let's take a look. In the bullet the two lip products look similar but the MAC lipstick looks the slightest bit darker.

Drugstore Dupes: MAC "Lustering" Vs. Revlon Lip Butter in "Sweet Tart"

 Swatched on the back of the hand the difference between the two shades becomes less pronounced. If you look closely the "Lustering" still appears a little darker and "Sweet Tart" has a bit more of a glossy sheen to it. But these two lipstick are really, really similar.

Drugstore Dupes: MAC "Lustering" Vs. Revlon Lip Butter in "Sweet Tart"

 And now for the final test--the application comparison. Here is a look at MAC "Lustering" applied on the left side and the Revlon Lip Butter in "Sweet Tart" applied on the right. Honestly...I can't really see much a difference between the two products. The Lip Butter has a thicker, more opaque formulation while the MAC  lipstick has a sheer (but build-able) formulation.

In conclusion, the Revlon Lip Butter in "Sweet Tart" is an excellent dupe for MAC "Lustering" lipstick. If you have one shade, you don't need the other. When applied to the lips, the differences between the two products is virtually non-existent. If you've been lusting after "Lustering" for some time now but don't have the funds to buy it, check out Revlon "Sweet Tart". You'll save ten dollars and still have gorgeous pink lips.

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Drugstore Dupes: NARS "Laguna" Bronzer + "Orgasm" Blush

NARS "Laguna" Bronzer

 These are tough economic times and everyone is looking to save some money--especially when it comes to luxury beauty products. And so today I'm starting a new series dedicated to finding drugstores dupes or alternatives to some of my favorite high end products...and what better way to start than with cult favorites, NARS "Laguna" and "Orgasm". 

elf  Blush + Bronzing Powder in St. Lucia

 Whenever the conversation of dupes for "Laguna" or "Orgasm" begins, someone always recommends the elf Blush + Bronzing Powder in St. Lucia. And I can understand why. The packaging for both these brands is eerily similar. Although the NAR packaging is made of the black matte plastic that is a nightmare to clean while the elf packaging is simply traditional black plastic. But what about the product inside? 

NARS "Laguna" + "Orgasm" Vs. elf  Blush + Bronzing Powder in "St. Lucia"

elf  Blush + Bronzing Powder in "St. Lucia" Vs. NARS "Laguna"

 Here are the elf bronzer and NARS "Laguna" side by side. They are very similar but under close inspection, it becomes obvious that there are some subtle differences. First of all, the elf bronzer is a bit darker than "Laguna" and while "Laguna" does have a subtle hint of glitter the elf bronzer is practically packed to the max with glitter. 

elf  Blush + Bronzing Powder in St. Lucia Vs. NARS "Laguna"

 Once the colors are swatched on the hand the differences between the two products becomes even more noticeable. Surprisingly the elf bronzer is significantly darker and more opaque than NARS "Laguna" (which also appears to have more of a orange undertone). 

elf Blush + Bronzing Powder in St. Lucia Vs. NARS "Orgasm"

 Unlike the bronzers, it doesn't take long to recognize the differences between the blushes. The elf blush is a darker mauve pink with chunky golden glitter while NARS "Orgasm" is a lighter peachy pink with a golden sheen. 

elf  Blush + Bronzing Powder in St. Lucia Vs. NARS "Orgasm"

When swatched, the blushes look nothing alike and the differences are even more pronounced. The elf blush looks like a terracotta color and the "Orgasm" is the infamous pinky peach. It is hard to believe that anyone could believe that these two could possible pass as dupes for one another. 

In conclusion, the elf  Blush + Bronzing Powder in "St. Lucia" is not a dupe for NARS "Laguna" bronzer and "Orgasm" blush. I can see how some people could make the mistake (the elf packaging takes a lot of inspiration from NARS and the colors are fairly similar) but once you see the colors next to each other, the truth is very obvious. The bronzer is closer than the blush and would make a good alternative for people who find that "Laguna" is too light or too orange for their skin tone. The blush is a lovely shade but doesn't quite capture the "Orgasm" radiance we all know and love. So, I guess the search continues. If you would like more posts like this, leave a comment in the comments below! 

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