Whether you’re putting on your game face for work in the morning, getting ready for a big night out or replicating Beyonce’s latest nude lip just for kicks, make up is a feel-good essential for many of us. And there’s a world of designer and luxury cosmetic brands lining up to help us glow, sparkle and put our best face forward every day.
Lately you might have noticed your beauty dollar isn’t stretching as far as it used to, and if you have, you’re not alone. The cost-of-living crisis is making us all think twice about where we allocate our spending, and when it comes to paying rent or buying a luxury mascara, rent wins (most of the time, anyway).
But here’s a glimmer of hope for every beauty lover on a budget. What if you could continue to buy high performance beauty products that are almost identical to their more expensive counterparts, but for a fraction of the cost?
Meet The Super Dupes
Designer Brands (DB) Cosmetics to the rescue with their Cult Classics, a 12-piece collection of high-quality, luxe-inspired products at a seriously affordable price point. Every product in the range is under $25, so when it comes to luxe-for-less, they’ve nailed the brief. Whether you need a spare eye palette for touch-ups or a full face of makeup to keep in your gym bag, they’re the cult beauty buy that won’t send you broke.
From a blurring primer to a highly pigmented, creamy blush inspired by a certain celeb’s coveted brand, the DB Cosmetics range has you covered from brows to lips and everything in between.
To name just a few, there’s the pore-minimising Miracle Smoother ($16.99), a Lip Boost Plumping Treatment ($12.99) inspired by a couture brand, a covetable kohl eye pencil and even a Skin Renew Ceramide Foundation ($24.99) based on a silky designer foundation that retails for over $100.00.
The range has sparked some excited conversations in beauty circles, with comparisons between the cost of a full range of luxury cosmetics (which would set you back about $800) to the DB budget-friendly Cult Classics collection, which comes in at under $200 for the entire range. You’d almost spend more on a round of cocktails.
What The Beauty Experts Are Saying
When it comes to quality, the collection has caught the attention of beauty writers and influencers who are singing its praises, saying it over-delivers on its promise of affordable designer cosmetics. Take health and beauty influencer Anna Adilbert, who loves the finish the Radiant Glow Tinted Moisturiser gives. “If you’re a fan of a sun-kissed look without feeling oily or tacky, this one is for you,” she says.
TikToker and Insta beauty content producer Tanika Jaun gave the Hi-Light Illuminating Beauty Wand a glowing review on her test run. “It’s looking exactly the same as the designer version,” she noted. “It’s giving me that beautiful metallic glow and it’s not emphasising any texture.”
DB Cosmetics are real designer cosmetics at real people prices and come in a range of inclusive shades. Every product is certified vegan and 100 per cent cruelty free. Available in pharmacies and online.
A hard-working Australian business, DB Cosmetics is the cosmetics market leader in community pharmacies. Created to challenge the notion that affordable makeup can’t match the quality of high-end counterparts, and having won multiple awards, DB Cosmetics has cemented its place as a pioneer in quality, affordable makeup.
