Get £150 Summer Makeup Stash For £30 With These Epic Swaps

18 July 2022 at 10:00 pm

The warmer weather is a perfect excuse to stock up on some fresh makeup
However, buying designer brands can easily result in costs exceeding £150
Bargain Hunter Eilish Stout-Cairns shares the best swaps for those on a budget
Tricks include saving £30 on highlighter and picking up an Aldi primer dupe for £24 less

Now that the summer heat is officially here, it’s the perfect time to start preparing our makeup bags for the garden parties, picnics, sunshine-filled dates and balmy nights out that await. However, if you’re on a budget, you may not want to blow £150 on your new collection.

All is not lost, however. Tom Church, Co-Founder of money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk, said: ‘Our bargain hunter Eilish Stout-Cairns has shared the best makeup swaps to save you a whopping £120. From highlighters to lip liners, she’s unveiled the ultimate selection of cost-effective alternatives. Here’s what she found.’

Swap Charlotte Tilbury Highlighter For Collection & Save £30

A popular highlighter taking TikTok by storm in recent months is the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter, which is available in 12 shades and provides a smoothing and illuminating effect. However, bargain hunters may not want to fork out £36 for this product - so is there an alternative?

Head down to Superdrug and browse their Collection aisle for the Gorgeous Glow Filter Finish. You can wear it over or under your foundation for a nice glowy effect. It costs just £6.99, so you’re saving £30. Eilish said on TikTok: ‘The Charlotte Tilbury one is a little bit more glowy, but for £30 cheaper I think I’m happy with Collection!’

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter - £36

Collection Gorgeous Glow Filter Finish - £6.99

Swap Smashbox Primer For Aldi Brand & Save £24

Every makeup bag needs an enriching primer in it, so Smashbox is often a top choice as they offer a Photo Finish Illuminate Glow Primer with Vitamin C, passionfruit and silkscreen complex. It works to both protect the skin and give it a healthy glow. Currently, you can buy it for £14.75 on the Smashbox website, but the usual price is £29.50.

Looking for something more within your budget? Aldi is well known for its dupes, and it’s not just food products but beauty too. They offer a Lacura Snapshot Ready Illuminating Primer with vitamin E. Eilish said: ‘This lightweight formula from Aldi is a steal in comparison to Smashbox at just £5.99!’

Smashbox Photo Finish Illuminate Glow Primer - £29.50

Aldi Lacura Snapshot Ready Illuminating Primer - £5.99

Swap DERMA-E Eye Serum For Primark Brand & Save £17

Nobody wants to head into an important meeting or event with puffy eyes, which is why Derma-E offers a perfecting eye cream with vitamin C, turmeric and caffeine for colour correcting and minimising the appearance of puffiness, fine lines and dark circles. However, it currently retails online for £20.50.

If you’re looking for something cheaper, it’s worth browsing the beauty aisles in Primark as their PS… skincare range features eye serums. A similar product can be found with the Skin + Caffeine Eye Serum, which costs just £3.50 and is designed to boost skin and tackle the same issues as the Derma-E product. Eilish said: ‘If you’re unsure which serum you’ll prefer, why not spend a couple of pounds on the Primark one first?’

Primark PS…Skin + Caffeine Eye Serum - £3.50

DERMA-E Vitamin C No Dark Circles Perfecting Eye Cream - £20.53

Swap Glossier Brow Shaper For Revolution & Save £11

When it comes to shaping and fluffing up brows, a go-to product in the beauty world is the Glossier Boy Brow, priced at £15. It works to shape, thicken and tame brows while avoiding undesired stiffening or flaking side effects.

However, if you’re looking to groom your brows for less, consider the Revolution Fluffy Brows Fibre Brow Gel for £6. It comes in four different colours, and features a precision spoolie to carefully brush the product through and achieve the desired effect. Eilish said: ‘It makes sense to give the Revolution product a go - I didn’t see much difference when I compared the two!’

Glossier Boy Brow - £15

Revolution Fluffy Brows Fibre Brow Gel - £6

Swap Charlotte Tilbury Lip Liner For NYX & Save £15

Finding the perfect lip liner can be a challenge, which is why the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Supersize Me has proven so popular. If you’re going for a nude lip, try out the Deep Nude shade which comes with a touch of pink.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for a cheaper option that won’t set you back as much, why not pop into Boots and check out the NYX Professional Lip Liner Pencil in the shade Peekaboo Natural? Eilish said on TikTok: ‘There’s very little difference - give it a whirl!’

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Supersize Me - £19

NYX Professional Lip Liner Pencil - £4

Swap RMS Beauty Cream Eyeshadow For NYX & Save £20

Eilish said: ‘Cream eyeshadows are definitely in this summer - they’re easy to apply, as they glide on with minimal effort.’ A popular choice is the RMS Beauty Eyelights Cream Eyeshadow, which Eilish likes in the shade Strobe. It provides long-lasting colour without smudging or creasing - plus it reflects the light; perfect for nights out.

If you don’t want to spend £25 on this cream eyeshadow, take a trip down to Boots and find the NYX Professional Makeup Jumbo Eye Pencil which comes in delicious sounding shades such as Frosting, Iced Latte and Milk. It retails at £5.50, making it a much more affordable option for those on a budget.