I tried a $7 dupe of my favorite $36 blush – even I couldn’t tell the difference, I’m buying it in every color
MOST of the viral products TikTok stars try to sell me are things I do not need, will never want, and can’t justify buying.
But as I scrolled past $600 hair dryers and overpriced takes on Vaseline, one beauty product caught my eye.
The must-have product was Putty Blush, $7, from Elf Cosmetics.
I already have plenty of Elf products in my stash – the “poreless putty” primer formula is a staple.
But even though I’d never tried the blush, which comes in eight colors, it looked oddly familiar to me.
That’s when I realized the round pot and creamy pigment were a near-perfect dupe for my favorite luxury beauty blush.
I own Lip2Cheek by RMS beauty, $36, in two different colors. Now, full disclosure: I did not pay the sticker price for either!
One was a gift with purchase, and the other was discarded on the “free table” at an old job (still new in the package!).
So, every time I use my RMS blushes, I softly hum the song Time in a Bottle, dreading the day I run out.
After finding two free luxury blushes, I am unwilling to pay $36 for a replacement.
That’s why I jumped at the chance to try Elf’s cream-to-powder putty formula.
I ordered the shade Turks and Caicos because it looked most similar to my go-to RMS shade, Smile.
When the dupe arrived, I noted that the blush itself seemed less pigmented, but the container was larger.
Okay, that math adds up! I thought. It might not be as bright, but I can just use more and still be saving money.
For a true side-by-side comparison, I decided to wear Elf’s product on one cheek, and RMS on the other.
The RMS blush makes me feel a little silly because I buy into the ad copy, and I’m usually a product-claims skeptic.
But something about the expensive blush just works for me.
It makes me feel youthful, my face looks lifted, and I even look as though I have been outside once or twice in my life.
I was skeptical that the Elf blush could do all that for under 10 bucks, and when I first blended it into my cheeks, that didn’t change.
As I’d expected, the dupe was less pigmented.
I patted and pushed a layer into my skin, and it gave me a healthy (but barely there) glow.
I soldiered on, applying more of the Elf blush. The difference in texture became more obvious to me, too.
Where the RMS blush is hydrating and dewy, the Elf blush is matte. I worried the layers would look caked-on.
But much to my surprise, once I had each cheek coated in the blush, I couldn’t tell a difference.
The color payoff was nearly the same, and though Elf’s putty blush felt powdery to the touch, it didn’t make me look chalky.
In fact, as I went about my day, I forgot which cheek had which blush product on it.
Both of the blushes had warm, coral tones that blended seamlessly into my skin.
To put Elf’s dupe to the test, I decided to wear it all weekend long.
I had a long list of activities ahead of me, and I wanted to see if Elf’s putty blush could withstand them all.
I tried the blush with and without primer. I tried it on my bare skin and atop foundation.
Thanks to mercurial March temps, I was able to test it in a brutal rainstorm, a sunny spring day, and harsh, wintry winds.
From a concert to a luncheon to a pet store where I cried over a bunch of kittens, I managed to cram every possible use case into one weekend.
The verdict? Elf’s bargain option has won my heart.
Not only did the cheap blush hold up just as well as my beloved luxe version, but it also scored as many compliments.
Four different people complimented my makeup over the weekend, even saying I looked “glamorous.”
Glamorous! Little did they know, I was wearing discount face goo the whole time.
It was also easier to wear the blush over my normal moisturizer since it wasn’t as pigmented.
I didn’t run the risk of overdoing it and looking sunburned.
Capping off the weekend, I was surprised to find a new use for the Elf putty blush.
The RMS blush is a “multitasker” you can use on lips and cheeks. I tried using Elf’s blush on my lips, but it was far too matte.
However, as I was running late for a FaceTime on Sunday, I decided to put another TikTok tip to work.
I remembered an influencer who said she uses blush as eyeshadow in a pinch, to give her eyes a wash of color.
The look isn’t dramatic, but it “pulls your face together.” By Sunday, my face is usually in shambles, so that sounded great.
Thanks to the matte formula, the flush of coral stayed on my eyelids without budging.
This wouldn’t be possible with the RMS blush, which has a creamier formula and would slide right off my lids.
Trying and loving the Elf Putty Blush feels like finding a forgotten $20 bill in my pocket.
Instead of begrudgingly parting with $36 for one blush, I can buy five different shades for $35.
That leaves me $1 to spend on something practical (hot dog?) or hold onto – until the next viral beauty product comes around.