Splurge VS. Save

Hey everyone! Welcome back! 

Hope everyone is having a lovely Sunday, even though it's a fairly dull, rainy day down here in cork, nonetheless it's still nice to have a Sunday off, and given that its a rainy day it's even more of an excuse to laze around and watch films for the day!

I'm delighted to be back blogging, I've been out of action the last few weeks unfortunately! My laptop is after getting a few viruses and it's making it difficult to blog and do research, but hopefully I'll have him back up and running by the end of the week!

So this weeks post is focused on some of the industry's most popular, most loved high-end products and finding duplicate products for half the price but the same standard of quality and widely available!

Lets get started!


1. Glamglow Supermud VS. LUSH Mask of Magnaminty

Lets start of with the Glamglow supermud. This mud mask retails for a fairly steep €51 in most shops and You get 34g of product. 

This mask claims to be a detoxifying mask which helps all skin concerns i.e (Brightens the complexion; creates a more youthful smooth skin tone; de-clogs and minimises pores; fights breakouts; improves elastin and collagen; etc.) I purchased this mask myself twice and must say I loved it, I had no real issues with it, it did what it said on the tin, but i was always afraid to use it because it's just so expensive! So i mostly used it as an over-night application on any breakouts I had! If you want to buy this product i would recommend it, but i'd advise you to try this next mask i'm going to tell you about first!

The LUSH Mask of Magnaminty is the clear winner in this round for me! i couldn't believe how similar these products are and for such a huge price difference. You can buy either 315g €13.39 for or 125g for €7.55. Thats still more than what you get in the glamglow mask!

It is advertised as a mask for face and back. It contains China Clay and Peppermint which gives your pores a deep clean and pulls out any gunk hiding in there! This mask is intense, It slightly tingles on application but feels so refreshing. It contains vanilla which will calm any redness in the skin and homey to soothe it, This works wonders on my skin, I use it weekly to give my skin a deep clean after a week of makeup buildup and it leaves my skin feel refreshed, clean and soft everytime! and for the price it's a no-brainer! So if you are interested in a clearing mask, i would suggest trying the Mask of Magnaminty before parting with your money for the Glamglow, because personally I find they do the exact same thing!

2.Original Beauty Blender VS. Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

I love these next two products equally, again I've tried them both and I get pretty much the same result.

Starting with the beauty blender, if you are familiar with YouTube beauty gurus you must have seen nearly everyone raving about this sponge! Unfortunately we can't buy it here in Ireland but you can order it online Here. The original beauty blender retails for €22.60.

I bought one of these a few months ago in Sephora while I was at a family wedding in Poland. I was a bit hesitant to spend so much on a sponge but I wanted to compare it to the Real Techniques sponge which I was using for months before ever trying the beauty blender. You can buy real Techniques sponge in any Boots, most pharmacies and of course online. It retails for €8.33 when you buy online Here

To be honest theres not a staggering difference in these products! They both need water to expand, They both blend foundation beautifully and make application really quick and simple! The only real difference i notice is that i find the beauty blender lasts just a little bit longer that the Miracle complexion sponge, and I also noticed it soalks up less product! But at the end of the day if you are looking for a foundation sponge I would suggest the R.T sponge, €8? Can't go wrong really!

3.Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel VS W7 Wakeup and Glow

Last but certainly not least is a little gem i found this week in Sam McCauleys!

I have been lusting over the beautiful Soleil Tan De Chanel for months but just can't bring myself to spend the money on it, It's €39 and you can buy it In Brown Thomas. It's well loved in the beauty community and is known for giving such a beautiful tanned healthy finish to the skin, and ofcourse being Chanel it's packaging is beyond luxurious.

Then I spotted this product in my local Sam McCauley's and i couldn't believe my eyes! It's a full on dupe for Chanel! I swatched it and grabbed myself one straight away! The brand W7 are known for their take on Higher end brands, they have done their version of all the NAKED Palettes, Benefit Hoola Bronzer And "They're real" mascara along with many more for super affordable prices. I tried out the Wake up and Glow base bronzer the past 2 mornings and i absolutely love it! 

It's a perfect tan shade, not too orange and not too grey, It's Ideal for Cream Contouring. It leaves a really healthy, glowing finish to the skin and doesn't end up looking muddy or cakey! As for the packaging it couldn't get any closer to the Chanel packaging I think!

This is a great product, be it if you're having a minimal make-up day, just light foundation, mascara and this blended into the temples and cheekbones. Or if you are getting done up the nines on a night out, this is going to add an extra bit of glam to your makeup! I bought this for only €7.99. I cant wait to do a full contoured face with it on a night out soon. My favorite find in a long time!

I hope everyone has a great week!

Until next time!

Kelsey xo