27 Cheap Beauty Products That Deliver High-End Results

Buzz Feed

12-06-2025

A moisturizing Mise En Scene hair serum — this K-beauty product is just like the $46 Gisou version and will work just as hard to repair brittle locks. It's made with nourishing oils, including argan, coconut, olive, and, jojoba. Reviewers praise this serum for its ability to combat dryness! Plus, it smells downright divine.
An exquisite tinted lip balm shockingly similar to Clinique's "Black Honey" but it doesn't cost nearly as much. This weightless, non-sticky formula glides onto your pout to give 'em a subtle polished tint of your choosing. Soon you'll be smackin' your lips all over the place, and no one can blame you when they look this good. 🤷‍♀️
Catrice "Instant Awake" Under Eye Brightener that'll help revive tired eyes with a lightweight formula that delivers superb coverage in just a few swipes. This tinted concealer contains hyaluronic acid and shea butter that may also help reduce dark circles over time. Bonus: It's just like the $33 Becca version but for MUCH less!
A lash-extending E.l.f. Cosmetics tubing mascara because your lashes deserve the best and you don't wanna waste your time with dry, clumpy (expensive) formulas that leave you full of regret. This one is perfect for thin, delicate lashes. The lightweight tubing technology wraps around your eyelashes for a smudge-proof lift that looks natural. Plus, it's very easy to take off at the end of the day without tons of harsh scrubbing.
Elizavecca hair treatment with collagen ingredients and protein extracts when your goal is to restore over-processed hair. Dull, dry strands are about to go POOF — and you won't have to spend quadruple the cost on Olaplex. No gatekeeping here!
A TikTok-beloved "Soft" perfume rollerball reviewers can't stop raving about, with some comparing it to lemon pound cake. YUM! This is gonna be a real treat for your senses *and* it rolls on nice and easy. It's basically a budget-friendly version of Pink Sugar, which goes for $65.
E.l.f. Suntouchable Invisible Sunscreen because when did sunscreen become one of the most expensive items in your skincare routine? Enter this affordable find, which offers SPF 35 *and* goes on smooth and clear without any white cast. It works well as a blurring primer to create the perf setup before applying makeup too! TLDR; it's an affordable alternative to Supergoop.
Cremo's super rich moisturizing body wash inspired by the beloved Baccarat Rouge 540 scent you know and love but this won't break the bank. This fabulous formula contains white jasmine, red currant, and sweet amber, aka the ultimate treat for your senses. Bet you'll be telling everyone about it pretty soon!
Physicians Formula Butter Glow & Go Stick you'll keep on you at all times after seeing just how similar it is to the $46 Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick. This version delivers a radiant glow in the form of a buttery-smooth, dual-sided contour stick that's easy to use in many different ways — this baby can replace your contour, bronzer, blush, eyeshadow, AND lip color! It's compact enough to fit in your makeup bag when you're on the go.
Etude's multipurpose Dear Darling Water Tint with so many uses, it'll pay for itself several times over. Many reviewers liken it to Benefit's version and love that it can be used both as a lip stain *and* as a cheek blush! It's super lightweight and contains a rich vitamin and berry fruit complex to keep your lips hydrated. Shouting about it from the rooftops is basically a legal requirement.
LilyAna Naturals eye cream so you can brighten your under-eye area and reduce dark circles with nourishing ingredients, like provitamin A, vitamins C and E, and rosehip seed oil. We all know about the name-brand versions that can set you back a few bands, but you're too smart to fall for that.
L'Oreal True Match Lumi Glotion to give you a natural glow with minimal effort *and* spending, which makes them a great alternative to the pricey Drunk Elephant Bronzi Drops. It adds a lightweight color tint to your complexion for a dewy glow-up that can be worn alone or with foundation.
Sulfate-free Biotin shampoo made with botanical extracts that can help thicken and hydrate your hair if that's your preference. It also clarifies and removes product buildup. If you're not a fan of taking expensive supplements to fix thinning hair, try this instead!
NYX setting spray to complete your fierce makeup look with a much-needed BANG! A spritz or two of this stuff will help lock in your product with a matte finish so it lasts for hours without constant reapplying *and* without splurging on Urban Decay's version. A long-lasting glow without the shine? Don't mind if I do.
A magical eye primer when you want your eye makeup to remain intact ALL day without any smudging or creasing. Reviewers swear this stuff works just as well as (if not better) the more expensive Urban Decay and Too Faced versions. As you can see, gatekeeping simply isn't an option!
A Revlon one-step hair dryer and volumizer if you'd love to style and dry your hair at the same time but not go broke on the expensive hair tools. Mission accomplished! You'll speed up your routine while giving your hair an unbelievable amount of shine and volume. Remove that $600 Dyson Airwrap from your cart, stat.
A MUA–approved black makeup sponge so good at its job, you may forget about the Beauty Blender and Real Techniques versions, which aren't exactly cheap. If you want a flawless finish when blending concealer, foundation, BB cream, and even powders, this makeup sponge has you ~covered~ alright. It's also easier to see your product on the black surface of the sponge *and* it won't leave ugly stains behind.
And a bottle of makeup brush-cleaning shampoo when you need to wash away the impurities residing in your brush bristles. This stuff is formulated with gentle, plant-based ingredients and will give you the same results as the Beautyblender soap — but for half the price.
A soothing Briotech spray to calm angry, irritated skin with the same holy-grail ingredient used in Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Spray: hypochlorous acid. Give yourself a spritz to treat inflammation, reduce redness, and strengthen the skin barrier. Yeah, you're gonna wanna drop the link in the group chat *immediately*.
L'Oréal Paris BB Cream, a cheaper alternative to the popular Dr Jart+ Cicapair Color Correcting Cream. This anti-redness, fast-acting moisturizer helps correct skin color for an even complexion. Reviewers swear by it as a base so their skin is perfectly primed and ready for makeup!
Peach Slices acne spot dots that use hydrocolloid to suck the gunk out of your zits overnight while keeping 'em protected. This may also help prevent face picking *and* scarring. They're quite similar to the famous Mighty Patch version but you get more bang for your buck, so it would be downright rude to gatekeep 'em.
E.l.f.'s Holy Hydration! Thirst Burst Drops with hyaluronic acid to give your parched skin a giant gulp of moisture. Reviewers swear it's an affordable alternative to the $35 Watermelon Dew Drops from Glow Recipe (they cost 3x as much, just sayin'.) This stuff will help hydrate, plump, and brighten your skin with each use. Wear it solo, apply it before makeup, OR add a few drops to your foundation.
A trio of hydrating lip sleeping masks that'll capture your attention when you realize you've been spending $24 on a single Laneige jar when you can get THREE of 'em for a fraction of the price. They're infused with berry extract and vitamin C to help heal dry, cracked skin.
CeraVe Retinol Serum, which can help refine your skin's texture and tone over time. This lightweight serum uses encapsulated retinol to gently reduce the appearance of pores and acne-related marks. If you've been too scared to try retinoids until now, this is a great place to start. Reviewers say it's better than the pricey options out there, like the $92 Murad Retinol Serum!
A reviewer-beloved TruSkin vitamin C serum with vitamins C, E, and hyaluronic acid so you can hydrate and brighten your skin with *one* product It can also help smooth and fade blemishes and dark spots like an absolute charm! Reviewers say it works like the all-too-expensive SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic serum.
Juno & Co.'s Clean 10 Cleansing Balm to gently and effectively remove all traces of makeup without relentless, aggressive scrubbing that leaves your face red and irritated. Say what?? It contains just 10 simple ingredients to dissolve makeup while moisturizing the skin. Many reviewers compare it to the Elemis Cleansing Balm, which is almost 70 bucks!!
Maybelline Superfluff Volumizing Brow Mousse that'll make everyone go "WOW" as soon as they see your stunning, fluffy brows. This buildable formula comes with an easy-to-use applicator that'll lightly fluff your brows for a fuller but softer appearance. People might even ask where you got 'em done because they'll look professionally laminated...you better not gatekeep!