Primer and setting spray dupes
A blurring primer is silicone: dimethicone and its crosspolymers fill pores and silica takes off the shine, and The POREfessional, Photo Finish and their drugstore stand-ins all list them.
What are the best drugstore dupes for Milk Hydro Grip, Smashbox Photo Finish and Urban Decay All Nighter?
Makeup Revolution Infinite Fixing Spray, about $7.70 ($2.28 / fl oz), against the $39 Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray, 80% less. The same film does the holding: AMP-acrylates/allyl methacrylate copolymer, second on Charlotte Tilbury's list and fourth on Revolution's, with polysorbate 20, aloe and fragrance in both. Revolution's second ingredient is denatured alcohol, so it dries faster and can sting dry skin, where Charlotte Tilbury's mist has no alcohol and adds PVP to the hold, and Revolution swaps the green tea and mastic for vitamin E, panthenol and horse chestnut. The same 100ml bottle for about a fifth of the price.
1. Makeup Revolution Infinite Fixing Spray
for Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray
$7.70 $10vs $39−80% per oz
The same film does the holding: AMP-acrylates/allyl methacrylate copolymer, second on Charlotte Tilbury's list and fourth on Revolution's, with polysorbate 20, aloe and fragrance in both.
What it does worse: Revolution's second ingredient is denatured alcohol, so it dries faster and can sting dry skin, where Charlotte Tilbury's mist has no alcohol and adds PVP to the hold, and Revolution swaps the green tea and mastic for vitamin E, panthenol and horse chestnut.
2. Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Primer
for Smashbox Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Primer
$7.38vs $55−66% per oz
#24 in Foundation Primers on Amazon
Same silicone recipe: dimethicone and dimethicone crosspolymer with silica, which fill pores and fine lines and leave a velvety base for foundation.
What it does worse: Smashbox adds vitamins A and E with grape seed and kola nut extracts in a more fluid texture, while Maybelline is a thicker, pinkish balm with bitter cherry extract.
3. e.l.f. Cosmetics Poreless Face Primer
for Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional Pore Primer
$9vs $35−60% per oz
#15 in Foundation Primers on Amazon
Same silicone blur: dimethicone and the same two dimethicone crosspolymers fill in pores in both, with silica to take the shine off.
What it does worse: POREfessional is sheer-tinted and fragranced, while e.l.f. goes on clear and adds tea tree oil, which sensitive skin may notice.
4. Touch in Sol No Poreblem Primer
for Smashbox Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Primer
$14.99vs $55−55% per oz
#11 in Foundation Primers on Amazon
The same silicone backbone: cyclopentasiloxane, dimethicone, dimethicone crosspolymer and dimethicone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, with silica, so it smooths and mattifies the same way.
What it does worse: Touch in Sol is a water-in-silicone emulsion with a faint tint and fragrance, while Smashbox is water-free and adds vitamins A and E.
5. Milani Make It Last Setting Spray – Natural Finish
for Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray
$10.97 $13.99vs $39−53% per oz
#2 in Foundation Primers on Amazon
Same three jobs, prime before, set after and a natural rather than matte finish, with a hold claim of up to 24 hours against Charlotte Tilbury's 16.
What it does worse: It swaps the aloe and green tea for glycerin and 2% niacinamide, and the bottle holds 60ml against 100ml.
6. e.l.f. Cosmetics Stay All Night Micro-Fine Setting Mist
for Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Setting Spray
$11vs $34−52% per oz
#3 in Makeup Setting Sprays & Powders on Amazon
A genuinely fine mist that sets makeup rather than spitting wet patches onto it, which is where cheap setting sprays usually fail.
What it does worse: It finishes a touch dewier than All Nighter's flat lock, and e.l.f. puts the wear time at 16 hours where Urban Decay claims longer.
7. e.l.f. Cosmetics Power Grip Primer
for Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer
$11vs $38−46% per oz
#1 in Foundation Primers on Amazon
Same clear gel with the same sticky grip, and it also contains hyaluronic acid.
What it does worse: Half the bottle size, but a fraction of the cost per ml. The tack lasts a little longer before it sets.
8. NYX Professional Makeup Matte Finish Setting Spray
for Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Setting Spray
$9.97vs $34−42% per oz
#9 in Face Mists on Amazon
Holds makeup comparably through a normal day, with a matte rather than natural finish. Wear time is shorter in real heat, and the bottle is half the size, but the price per ml is far lower.
How this list was made
Grip primers and setting sprays are matched on the job instead, the tack that holds foundation and the mist that sets it, because their formulas differ more. The drugstore bottle is the smaller one in every pair here, so the saving is counted per ounce, and each comparison gives both sizes.
