If you're anything like me, aka a self-confessed make-up hoarder, obsessive, and lover, then you'll probably have a cosmetics bag full of stuff from high-end, to high street. After working at Estee Lauder when I was at uni, I developed a keen eye for all things beauty, and years later, my love for it hasn't changed.
Make-up is so pricey though, and as we're facing a potential recession, many of us will be looking for places we can tighten our belts, and for some, this area will be make-up and beauty - but if you could get similar for a fraction of the price, it'd be silly to buy the expensive one, right?
So, I headed to Primark to see what beauty bargains I could pick up, and to also see whether the products live up to the hype they seem to have on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram.
Whilst in the make-up section at Primark I was shocked. My nearest store is in central Manchester, and I was baffled at how bare the shelves were. Thankfully, I could still find most things I wanted to try (and managed to bag some 'rare' items!) but I was still shocked at how empty most of the racking was.
It's clear that the 'Primania' people speak of is now extending to the beauty section, because people are realising spending £20 on a lip-liner may not be strictly necessary if you can get a £1 dupe.
The products
In store, I bagged all the products you'd need to do a full face of make-up - from primer, to foundation, eyeshadow to lip gloss. There are so many things to choose from, for example, I picked up the 'Perfect Finish' foundation, but if you prefer a more matte finish you can choose that instead.
Primark packaging is simple but effective - on the whole, it doesn't feel high-end, but we're constantly told it's what's inside that counts - and it most certainly applies here, especially upon noticing that the entire range is cruelty-free! What a bonus!
Flawless Glow Primer
If you're on social media in any capacity, the likelihood you've seen the Primark 'Flawless Glow' primer /foundation hybrid is quite high. It's a dupe of Charlotte Tilbury's 'Flawless Filter' product which retails at a hefty £36. The Primark version is 'enriched with squalane and Vitamin E', which sounded promising, and for a fiver - what could go wrong?!
When I reached the till the woman proceeded to tell me I was 'so lucky' to have found this on the shelf as they sell out in an instant. It was one of the last ones on the shelf, and I picked up the shade 'honey' because it was one of the last ones left.
It's super lightweight and would be lovely for summer as it has lovely glitter reflect, but since it's getting a bit colder and I prefer my make-up to be a bit fuller coverage in the colder months, I opted to use it as a primer. But I'll definitely be whipping this out on any future beach holidays for a lovely natural glow.
Rating: 4/5
Perfect Finish Foundation
This foundation is sold as a 'medium to full coverage, natural finish' and it also contains Vitamin C and E. It's literally impossible to pick up a good-quality foundation for £2.50, especially a 35ml bottle, so when I saw the price point for this I wasn't expecting much.
I chose the shade 'Sand' because from the bottle it looked slightly warm but pinky undertoned. I think that's one of the bad things about Primark, it is complete guesswork when it comes to choosing your colour.
I liked this foundation! The shade wasn't too bad - if I was able to swatch in the store I may have gone for something a little warmer toned, but it's definitely wearable! I'm not so keen on is the smell because it weirdly smells of Dior perfume which isn't ideal for foundation, and it also felt quite thick on my skin which I'm not a fan of, but it lasts day to night and so it gets a huge thumbs up from me.
Rating: 4/5
Concealer stick
I tried my hardest to find a concealer that was a bit less drying than this one, but sadly this was all they had left at the time. I personally prefer creamy concealers but was pleased with the 'medium buildable coverage' of this stick - and it was actually creamier than I expected.
I bought shade porcelain as I like to brighten the undereye and forehead area, and for 90p, I couldn't complain. I usually opt for Tarte concealer, but at £23, it definitely doesn't come cheap.
This concealer was pigmented, and deceptively not that drying considering it comes in stick form. It does need to be blended with a finger, however, rather than a tool as that might make it feel a little drier.
Rating: 4.5/5
Pressed Powder
I'm usually a fan of loose powder to set my concealer, but there wasn't any in store so had to opt for a pressed version. Again, I wasn't spoilt for shade choice so opted for 'cool sand'. It's actually technically a foundation, but if you use it with the sponge provided it can easily be applied to set concealer.
The shade was slightly darker than one I'd usually plump for but worked fine on the face, and I have to say I was impressed with the setting abilities of the powder.
I was worried it would make my skin look slightly cracked, but it was good! The sponge was a nice touch, especially as the powder puffs are all the rage on TikTok at the moment. For £2.50, I was pleased.
Rating: 3/5
Matte Bronzing Powder
I was a little apprehensive about trying this matte bronzing powder as it came in one shade. Usually, when selecting a bronzer, I like to be able to choose from a variety of colours, but I plumped for the £1 bronzer as it was the only one on offer.
I was really concerned this bronzer would make me look muddy, but with a very light touch and a prayer, it actually went on just fine. I definitely would say a range of shades to choose from would be preferential, but for £1, I'm hardly going to put a complaint in.
Rating: 2.5/5
Blushers - High Pigment Blusher and Cream Wand
I can't decide whether I'm more of a powder blush or cream blush kinda gal, so decided to pick up both to test them. The High Pigment Blusher does what it says on the tin - it's certainly very pigmented, and there were a variety of shades to choose from. I opted for 'secrecy' as it looked like it would brighten the face, and it certainly did. It actually turned out to be a little bright for my liking, but without being able to swatch, it's tough. It retails at just £1 though, so definitely worth a try.
Rating: 3/5
The Cream Wand, however, blew me away. A dupe for the £29 Charlotte Tilbury 'Beauty Light Wand', it has a similar applicator and is much more premium packaging than its £1 counterpart.
It retails at £4.50, which is slightly pricier in terms of Primark make-up, but it's gorgeous. It comes out a pink/peach tone, and blends out into a stunning multidimensional reflect which I cannot get enough of!
It's somewhere between a blush and a highlighter though, so I opted to place it at the top of the cheekbones for a nice glowy look. Again, it only came in one shade and I'd like to see a range, but simply cannot complain because of the gorgeous glow it gives. It would look stunning in the summer, or for a lavish event! And a £24.50 saving? Count me in!
Rating: 5/5
Rose Glow Highlighter
This highlight is so similar to my all-time favourite highlighter 'Cookie' by Benefit. It's pretty, pink-toned, and although it's slightly less creamy than the product it's duping, for £3.50, it's not a biggie. The packaging is also really easy to store as it simply flips up, ensuring the product won't get damaged.
I wet my highlighter brush slightly with some setting spray, and the product picked up so well and looks stunning sat underneath the Primark Cream Wand.
I think I may have found a new go-to combo, especially for those nights out where you really want to dazzle with your make-up look! Pop it in the corner of your eyes too if you really want to glow!
Rating: 4/5
Flame 24 Shade Eyeshadow 'Library'
I searched high and low on the shelves of Primark to find an eyeshadow palette that was a little more 'simplistic' than this one, but the 'Flame' palette was the only one left in store - again, proving how popular the make-up section has got at Primark in recent months.
If you're someone who enjoys being creative with their eyeshadow looks, then this could be the palette for you. It has pinks, oranges, greens, browns, and almost everything in between. It also contains matte and shimmer shades. Normally I'd opt for nudes, but was more than happy to try.
This palette was a little inconsistent for my liking. I was automatically drawn to the orange shade 'Edge', but upon swatching, was left disappointed with how little pigment there appeared to be in the shade.
The brown glittery shade 'Mocha' did not disappoint, however, and looked gorgeous. It seemed as though the shimmery shades were bang on, but the mattes were either not that pigmented, or slightly chalky. For a tenner, I just felt a little hard done by. There were a couple of shades I'd reach for though.
Rating: 2/5
Eyebrows and eyelashes - Keep It Full Brow Gel and Wonder Lash mascara
I have naturally full brows so usually just opt for a brow gel to set my caterpillar pals in place. I found this brow mascara to be a little flimsy for my liking. I usually opt for Benefit's clear brow gel, or Too Faced's 'Brow Wig' depending on whether I'm going out out or not.
The wand on this one though is really long and thin and difficult to work with. I definitely prefer a thicker wand thanks to my thicker brows, and it just felt like I was participating in a losing battle using this £2.50 product. I chose shade 'warm blonde' and it just felt far too dark as my brows are quite dark anyway. I think next time I'd opt for a clear shade from Primark - I've learned my lesson.
Rating: 1/5 - but I'd try the clear one
In terms of the mascara , however, I'm not joking when I say it's one of the best I've ever tried. If long, luscious lashes you can flutter from day to night are your thing, then I can't recommend this more. It's a little tough to get off, but at £3, it's a dupe of Benefit's 'They're Real'. When I say the Primark version is better - believe me. And it'll save you £21.50 - perfect.
Rating: 5/5
Lip products - Lip Liner Pencil, High Gloss, Matte Lipstick, Matte Liquid Lip
Everybody's preferences when it comes to lips are so different. Some people are happy with a matte liquid lip and could wear it all day long and not feel their lips dry at all, whereas others are more of a liner and gloss combo kind of person - so I wanted to cover all bases here. And that I did, for just £8. Yes, that's right - all the above products came to a total of £8! You can't even buy a third of a MAC lipstick for that.
Speaking of MAC lipsticks, the original bullets are my ultimate favorites, so trying these I was unsure whether I'd be sold.
After trying the lip liner pencil I was literally so shocked. It's creamy, pigmented, I can't believe it's £1! I bought shade 'Toast' because I'd seen people on TikTok saying how it's the best shade and is super difficult to get hold of - so when I saw it I swiped it! It's actually very similar to 'Spice' by Estee Lauder which is my absolute go to. The only difference is, the tip is thinner on the Primark one, so it's harder to work with if you've got bigger lips.
Rating: 5/5
If you're a glossy lip kinda gal, then Primark has also got your back with their 'high gloss'. Shade 'Maple' is a stunning subtly glossy and not sticky formula that actually also weirdly tastes really nice also. Irritatingly though, when I was using it, the packaging broke...so that's not ideal, but for £1.50, I'm not mad about it. Regardless, it's a thumbs up from me thanks to its similarities to MAC's Lipglass.
Rating: 4.5/5
Their matte lipstick offering feels lovely on the lips, isn't too heavy - but it is ever so slightly drying. I prefer my lipsticks a little creamier, but with the gloss over the top it was an elite combination. Shade 'Sunkissed' gets a thumbs up from me, especially for £1.50!
Rating: 3/5
When I saw the blatant Huda Beauty dupes I was genuinely so shocked! Huda Beauty dupes in Primark?! Surely not. But HB dupes they are, and the whole peach edit cost just £4 (£1 per lipstick!) compared to Huda's £29.
There aren't any individual shade names which makes it a little tricky to quickly differentiate between shades, which is annoying, but the quality of these is lovely. It gives the same matte look with a slight sheen as Huda does.
Some shades are undoubtedly nicer than others, with some quite bright considering they're part of the 'peach' edit, but there are two that I'd certainly reach for.
Rating: 4/5
Final thoughts...
Overall, I thought the standouts were definitely the mascara, the lip products, the cream wand dupe of Charlotte Tilbury - and surprisingly, for £2.50, the foundation actually didn't disappoint at all.
If you're looking for cheaper alternatives to your usual products, I'd certainly pop into Primark and have a gander. It's not just make-up they dupe either, it's perfumes, hair products and so much more. You can get a whole new make-up bag for the price of a Charlotte Tilbury foundation, and still look gorgeous!
Will you be heading into Primark for make-up? Let us know in the comments below.
