Splurge or Steal? Inexpensive Dupes for Popular High-End Skincare Products

Save your skin and your wallet with these incredible alternatives for beloved prestige skincare products.

December 15, 2022

By: Jessica Butler

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Photo By: Jonathan Knowles

The Skincare Dupes You Need to Know About

Using high-end skincare feels luxurious and takes at-home spa days to another level. Although these products provide stunning results, their price points can be a sore spot for many of us. Thankfully, we’ve rounded up some less expensive alternatives to popular high-end skincare products. Check out our favorite dupes to see if anything from your skincare arsenal can be swapped!

SPLURGE: Sunday Riley Luna Retinol Sleeping Night Oil

This prestige night oil claims to calm skin while improving the appearance of wrinkles, redness, and pores. Retinol is a powerful product and this oil is great for anti-aging, but this next product is shockingly similar — and only a fraction of the price.

BUY IT: Sephora, $55.00 - $105.00

STEAL: Pixi Overnight Retinol Oil

Not only does this retinol oil come in a dropper bottle similar to that of Sunday Riley’s oil, but it also makes nearly identical claims. According to Pixi, this product will restore plumpness and reduce the appearance of fine lines and pores. Cheers to smoother skin overnight!

BUY IT: Ulta, $24.00

SPLURGE: Farmacy Green Clean Cleansing Balm

The Sephora community loves this cleansing balm. The formula breaks down makeup seamlessly and provides a deep cleanse. However, the following dupe comes super close.

BUY IT: Sephora, $36.00

STEAL: Milani Green Goddess Makeup Melter Cleansing Balm

Milani’s balm has the same light green color as Farmacy’s cleanser, their consistencies are super similar, and they both remove makeup beautifully. One notable difference is that this particular cleansing balm contains cannabis sativa seed oil to soothe, nourish, and calm skin. Which one will you choose?

BUY IT: Ulta, $14.99

SPLURGE: Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial AHA + BHA Mask

This celebrated "at-home facial" mask has such a huge following. Use it once a week for 10-20 minutes, then rinse! It claims to resurface, clarify, and improve skin texture and tone. If the price just doesn’t do it for you, check out this next product.

BUY IT: Sephora, $28.00 - $80.00

STEAL: The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution

This dupe is under $10 and it’s loved by so many skincare enthusiasts! It targets congestion, uneven skin tone, and signs of aging — just like Drunk Elephant’s mask. Plus, you can give yourself a "vampire facial" at home with this striking red peel. Use it once (at most, twice) a week and rinse it off after 10 minutes to reveal a healthy glow.

BUY IT: Ulta, $8.00

SPLURGE: Clinique Moisture Surge Intense 72H Lipid-Replenishing Hydrator

This moisturizer is a holy grail product for many and offers 72 hours of hydration. It’s a savior for dry skin, but the price of a full-size tub is a bit too steep for some of us. Luckily, we found a pretty close match that will keep your skin totally hydrated.

BUY IT: Ulta, $27.00 - $59.00

STEAL: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel-Cream

This fragrance-free moisturizer is great for sensitive, dry skin and includes the same key ingredient as Clinique’s hydrator: hyaluronic acid. It locks in moisture without feeling too heavy or occlusive on the skin. With a 4.5 star rating from over 22,000 reviews on Amazon, you can’t go wrong with this pick!

BUY IT: Amazon, $19.54

SPLURGE: SK-II Facial Treatment Essence (Pitera Essence)

So many skincare fanatics swear by this facial essence. It features the brand’s "miracle ingredient," pitera, which is derived from yeast and contains over 50 micronutrients (like vitamins, minerals, and amino acids) to nourish and condition the skin. Pitera mimics our skin’s natural moisturizing factors, making this product a real treat — but awfully pricey as well. Check out the following pick for an alternative!

BUY IT: Sephora, $99.00 - $299.00

STEAL: Secret Key Starting Treatment Essence

This essence claims to revitalize your skin’s rhythm and maintain a moisturizing effect. Secret Key’s formula includes galactomyces ferment filtrate, another nutrient-rich yeast derivative. It creates results similar to that of the SK-II essence, but it’s drastically easier on our wallets! It brightens, hydrates, and smoothes texture — but best of all, many SK-II customers have replaced their expensive essences with this one.

BUY IT: Amazon, $29.99

SPLURGE: La Mer Creme de la Mer Moisturizer

Celebrities rave about this moisturizer, so it’s no surprise that it has a massive following. It’s known for its thick consistency, ultra-hydrating properties, and the use of giant sea kelp (which promotes skin healing).

BUY IT: Sephora, $100.00 - $570.00

STEAL: Nivea Creme (Made in Germany)

This just might be our favorite dupe of all. The Nivea formula specifically made in Germany offers similar results and the ingredient list is almost identical to that of Creme de la Mer, minus the added fragrances and sea kelp of the latter.

BUY IT: Amazon, $16.86

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