31 Cheaper Versions Of Pricey Products That Are Just As Great

Jul 27, 2023

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

If you've had your eye on expensive items like Olaplex, Birkenstocks, or Skims, try these cheaper products lots of reviewers love just as much.

BuzzFeed Staff

These come with a wireless charging case that provides up to 45 hours of playtime when you're on the go — it'll fully recharge the earbuds in less than two hours.

BuzzFeed Shopping editor Elizabeth Lilly vouches for these: "I was able to wear mine comfortably under my bucket hat while I slept on a very rocky bus ride from the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in Iceland. And while I was out exploring, the charging case easily fit in my coat pocket. I also use these on the reg in my everyday life to listen to Spotify and podcasts, and even talk on the phone. I have to charge them about once a week and always keep them in my coat pocket."

Promising review: "I bought these for the price and as a trial run on whether or not I could keep up with small wireless earbuds. I’ve had these for 6+ months now and they are pretty awesome for $25. Comes with a lot of different ear bud sizes, cancels noise well, the sounds is actually decent/better than I expected and I’ve accidentally thrown these into the washer and dryer and they still work the same. I was gifted AirPods and honestly find myself reaching for the Tozo buds more often because they’re so much more comfortable in my ears. Definitely will buy another pair if these die on me." —Liubhard

Get them from Amazon for $23.99+ (available in five colors).

Promising reviews: "The best I’ve tried so far and I used Dior, Tarte, Two Faced, you name it. I always have a problem with brand-new mascara because they have too much product on the brush, especially first few uses, and my lashes stick together. I didn’t have this problem with this one. I could layer it without any product starting to fall off or my lashes sticking together. And I love that they don’t test on animals." —Detti

"This product is fantastic; the best I've used in years! And the price can't be beat. It's [leagues] ahead of the well-known brand names that sell for five times as much and more! Just one or two coats gives me length and volume. With the gloppy other brands, I'd given up wearing makeup at all. I have sensitive blue eyes — and did I say I'm old, which adds another layer of sensitivity — and this mascara don't bother my eyes at all, no redness or irritability." —Antonia Albany

Get it from Amazon for $4.99.

Promising review: "As good as Mr. Clean Magic Erasers but half the price. They clean so many surfaces better than anything. We use them at the bar and clean our chalkboards, metal sinks and ice wells, beer coolers, FRP backsplash walls, and even graffiti in the bathrooms comes off more easily with these than other cleaning products. I took one home and cleaned my shower faster and more easily than with bottles of shower cleaner. Highly recommended." —Stephen Brandau

Get a pack of 20 from Amazon for $13.95.

Multiple reviewers said they find themselves drinking more water when they have a straw.

Get a closer look at it on TikTok.

Promising review: "Please do not run out to Tarjay and waste your money on a Stanley IF you’re only using a cup for ice/cold drinks. This cup is just as good and far more affordable. I put ice in my cup over 24 hours ago during my shift at the hospital, and there is still ice in the cup! This product is BEYOND worth it at this price point. You won’t be disappointed. If the cup isn’t in your cart at this point, I don’t know what’s wrong with you: GET IT! 😂" —Marie

Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in 21 colors). Also available in a style without the handle!

Bonus: You can still plaster it in stickers like so many do with their Hydro Flask!

Promising review: "I purchased this bottle to replace my 40-ounce Hydro Flask. I thought that no other bottle could replace it. Boy was I wrong! This bottle has kept my water cold for more than 24 hours. I love the fact it has a leakproof spout on it. My Hydro Flask had the straw and it didn’t even reach down to the bottom of the bottle. With this bottle I get every ounce of water I filled it with." —TraMychael Ross

Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in four sizes and in six colors).

Promising review: "Love these so so much. I wanted the chic Bottega Veneta designer pair, but these look exactly like those for less than $20. Deal of the century. They are comfortable and extremely well made and I seriously can’t get over the price. I’m thinking about buying another color because I love them so much." —Kam

Get it from Amazon for $12.79+ (available in 11 lens colors).

Reviewers with everything from thin, fine hair to 4c curls have reported positive results from this moisturizing formula, which is particularly recommended for folks whose hair is damaged from using hot tools, bleach, and the like.

Promising review: "Like many others, I tried this as a replacement for Olaplex. Honestly, Olaplex never had a great effect on my hair and certainly wasn’t worth the price. This did an unreal job on my hair!! I was skeptical (tried a little bit first because I was petrified it would burn off my hair and I would end up bald!) but, lo and behold, it was magic! My hair is so strong, silky, and healthy looking after just one use. Plus you can’t beat the price! Have already ordered another box. I should also add I have curly/wavy hair that’s been colored to a light brown. Buy it!!" —BB

Get it from Amazon for $7.29 (available in two sizes).

Promising review: "These are literally the best leggings/joggers I have ever owned, and I plan to eventually buy every single color. I originally saw these on TikTok and heard they were like the Lululemon ones but cheaper. I've never owned Lululemon leggings, but if they feel anything like these, then I have clearly been missing out. These are soft and absolutely perfect. I love the pockets and jogger style and that they fit like leggings and can be worn to the gym or dressed up with a cute outfit. I need to buy every color of these before they're gone!" —Courtney

Get it from Amazon for $28.99+ (available in women's sizes XS–XXL and 14 colors).

Promising reviews: "This is velvet, full coverage without feeling like glue on your lips. It does transfer. The color is very pigmented so what you see is what you get. Honestly one of the best lip color products I've ever used. I put this above Charlotte Tilbury." —Lexi Lee

Get it from Amazon for $9.90 (available in 26 shades).

Reviewers report that their 13-inch and even 15-inch laptops could fit inside this bag!

Promising review: "I took this bag on a trip with me and I swore if it stayed intact I would write a review so here I am. This bag looks flimsy but it’s really durable. I put my 15-inch MacBook, books, chargers, etc. It was filled to the brim and there’s not a seam ripped off or anything. If you are looking for something similar to a Kanken at a lower price point this is a very good bag." —Nicky Miller

Get it from Amazon for $28.98+ (available in five colors).

Here's what BuzzFeeder Elizabeth Lilly has to say about it: "I wear a size L/XL in clothing and sometimes waist bags just don't work out so well for me. With this one, I can confirm that it fit around my waist comfortably without outerwear, across my chest without outerwear, *and* over a thick coat and several layers. The pockets inside are so handy and I even had room to spare throughout my Iceland trip. This was the only purse I brought for the whole trip and it performed its job flawlessly. Just make sure that you zip the zipper ALL the way because the zipper goes down pretty far on the sides for easier access to contents. Having my hands free was wildly convenient for a number of reasons, including crawling around inside of an ice cave and putting out my hands for some extra balance while walking on sheets of ice along cliffs. Oh, and it comes in so so SO many colors."

Promising review: "TikTok told me this was similar to Lululemon, and it’s true, it is. Love this little bag! And the price — you can’t beat it." —Jolie

Get it from Amazon for $16.98 (available in 33 styles).

Here's why BuzzFeed shopping writer Haley Zovickian loves these:

"I have used these for years, and I literally buy them in bulk so that I'm never caught without them. I really can't sing the praises of these enough — they make my cystic acne heal faster, whether by sucking pus out of active breakouts or by curbing the beginning of pimples through keeping my hands the heck off them. I like to keep them on overnight, and they're clear and unobtrusive enough that I'll usually use them during the day when needed, too. Different sizes are included so you can customize to different blemish sizes, or simply use smaller patches during the daytime and larger ones at night, lol. This is the product I'm constantly raving to my friends about, and TL;DR: It's my desert island item. You cannot go wrong with these. Plus, they're super affordable for the amount you get, and especially for the benefit they provide."

Promising review: "I have been using these hydrocolloid patches for years now. They are MILES better than the overpriced Mighty Patches. Great price for the amount. I use these over my pimples or blackheads instead of makeup now, and the difference in healing time is actually astounding. They blur the appearance of the blemishes so you don’t need concealer, while drawing out all the nastiness and reduce inflammation. They are also great if you have anxiety and pick your skin like me. I will be purchasing these forever and ever :)" —Maya

Get a pack of four (96 pimple patches total) from Amazon for $13.99.

Peach Slices is part of Peach & Lily, a skincare brand founded by celebrity esthetician Alicia Yoon that specializes in toxin-free, vegan beauty products made with recyclable packaging. The company plants a tree with each order, and a portion of its proceeds have gone to to Restore NYC since 2016.

Check out a TikTok of the acne spot dots in action.

Promising reviews: "This brand is so affordable and works just the same as the more expensive brands. I go through them so quickly so this is a plus! I’m generally a picker at my zits, but if I can get to one of these dots in time I save my face a lot of irritation and pain." —Savannah Wilson

"So I have been using these for about a year now. I have tried Mighty Patch and a few others, none I feel really worked or worked as well. This product is MY GO-TO and I have turned so many others to it." —Melodie G

Get a pack of 30 from Amazon for $4.88 (also available in a 60-pack).

Prime members: You can try before you buy!

Promising review: "I bought these sandals before a 3-week trip in Europe; I didn't want to pay for Birks but did want something in similar style with good arch support. I was a little skeptical about the low price, but gave them a shot...and they were the MOST comfortable sandals I've ever owned. I walked over 120 miles in them in three weeks on our trip and never once had foot pain. They broke in so quickly and were very supportive from the get-go — and still are! Highly recommend." —Han Lin

Get them from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in women's sizes 6–12, including wide sizes, and 20 styles).

Promising review: "My skin dries out severely during the winter all the time, and I have to constantly use Vaseline to keep it moisturized (normal cream doesn't work on me). Imagine my surprise when my SO tried to put snail goo on me, eww!! I resisted for weeks refusing to use this product as she constantly vouched for its abilities. After a month I finally gave in, and boy it is amazing! My hands feel more moisturized than ever for longer and it doesn't leave a disgusting greasy feel as Vaseline. Take it from a once non-believer, you have to try this. Even if it doesn't work for you, you paid a fraction of what you would've paid for any other name-brand moisturizers." —Kyoko Ozaki

Get it from Amazon for $15.68.

Prime members: You can try before you buy!

Promising review: "No joke, these are pretty much exactly the same as my Skims lounge set for half the price. The pants graze the tops of my feet even when I wear them high-waisted at my belly button, so I think they’re plenty long. The robe is like wearing a blanket, but still looks put together. Anyway, I’m back here to buy a second color because I loved them so much!" —Jenna

Get the three-piece set from Amazon for $52.99 (available in women's sizes S–XL and in 30 colors).

Promising reviews: "Throw your expensive Crest Whitestrips away! Being the son of a dental hygienist, clean bright white teeth have always been important to me. Though I had my reservations about the whitening pen, it certainly didn't disappoint and works far better than the Whitestrips I've been using for the last several years, not to mention it's a much better deal for your money. I'm a total coffee connoisseur, which has always made having a bright white smile all the more challenging, but the Pen is giving me the upper hand." —Franknsd

"We like these better than Crest Whitestrips and for a fraction of the price! The Crest Whitestrips make my teeth way too sensitive, these work JUST AS WELL and no tooth sensitivity." —Travis Sheveland

Get a pack of two pens from Amazon for $19.99.

Heads up that this shouldn't be a replacement for actual flossing!

Mouthwatchers is a small business established by Ronald Plotka, DDS, that specializes in antimicrobial toothbrushes designed to get deeper cleans even patients with "great" dental hygiene might miss with traditional brush and floss routines.

BuzzFeed Shopping writer Emma Lord says, "I personally just bought this and love it! I use an electric toothbrush usually, but I feel like I'm getting a much more satisfying clean from these?? Especially because I tend to get yellow stains between my teeth no matter *how* much I floss, and these bristles seem to actually target that a lot more effectively."

Promising review: "I’m a dental hygienist of 16 years and typically use and recommend electric toothbrushes; however, this manual toothbrush is great! My teeth feel very clean after brushing for two minutes, similar to the way they would feel after using my Oral-B or Sonicare electric toothbrush. I’ll definitely purchase again!" —Beth

Get a two-pack from Amazon for $9.90.

TikTok loves this blanket — you can spot it in this roundup of home decor!

Promising review: "This blanket beats others because it is softer (a buttery and fluffy feeling), it is long enough for a 5'10 tall person, it is not too light and not too heavy (works year-round in Virginia), and it has a stretch to the material that I haven’t experienced with other soft blankets. The design is just so-so, but the colors are nice, and the price is right. If they updated the designs with more colors, patterns, then these would be absolutely perfect. I like this as much as my much more expensive Barefoot Dreams blanket and Williams Sonoma faux-fur blanket." —JH

Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in seven colors and four sizes).

Heads up that this is cubic zirconia and not Swarovski crystals.

Promising review: "Soooo pretty. It’s 100% a Swarovski [alternative] for so cheap. Looks exactly like the photo and I wear it every day." —Trysten Walters

Get it from Amazon for $17.95 (available in four colors, three sizes, and two styles).

Promising review: "Don't hesitate, just buy these. I was using the Real Technique sponges for years and bought these on a whim after seeing several TikToks praising these. I love these sponges and the price. I apply liquid foundation with a damp sponge and these work better than Real Techniques. They are dense but soft and 'bouncy.' I wash mine between each use and these hold up very well and much better than the RT. Very happy with my purchase and the price. Will definitely continue to buy." —chris

Get a set of five from Amazon for $5.94+ (available in eight sets).

Promising reviews: "AMAZING. I bought these to test against my Lululemon leggings ($100+) and I think I love these more. I wish there were more sizes in stock right now but its a fad on TikTok so I understand and will be patient to buy more. 😇" —Reina

"Currently 20 weeks pregnant and these are all I wear, I basically live in these leggings. They’re so stretchy and comfy, definitely recommend for pregnancy!" —Alba siviero

Get them from Amazon for $20.99+ (available in women's sizes XS–XL, with 25" or 28" inseam, and in 28 colors/patterns).

For reference, the Laneige lip mask contains 20 grams of product, while each of these measures 5 grams, or 15 grams for the entire set. So even with product sizes taken into account, these are a much better deal!

Promising review: "[Alternative] for the Laneige lip mask. This is the most moisturizing lip treatment in the market. When my lips started getting dry due to the cold season I was thinking of buying the Laneige lip mask, but it’s soooo expensive. This is a fraction of the cost and feels just the same. Very good product." —Riya

Get the set of three from Amazon for $9.90 (available in four combos).

Promising review: "Best eye cream I have ever used!!! Better than Benefiance by Shiseido and Clinique or Lancôme, for less than a third of the price with the amount you get. It is rich enough to do the job but not greasy. It doesn't interfere with concealer, yet softens lines. Love it so much!!!!" —Lory Lacy

Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in three sizes and a two-pack).

Prime members: You can try before you buy!

BuzzFeed Shopping editor Jenae Sitzes loves hers. She writes: "I bought these when my old pair of go-to black boots finally bit the dust after years of use. I wanted something a little more stylish and have always loved the look of classic Dr. Martens but wasn't ready to drop the money on them. Enter: these beauties. I've worn them for miles at a time all around NYC, and they haven't hurt my feet one bit. I've also worn them in the pouring rain and my feet haven't gotten the least bit wet. I love that they'll go with practically all of my outfits, and every friend I've worn these around have complimented them + asked where I got them. (Most people wouldn't guess they're from Amazon!) I got them in my normal size and they fit just fine, even with my thick wool socks. Highly recommend if you're looking for your new staple boot!"

Promising review: "I'm so happy I bought these! They are an excellent alternative to spending $1,200 on the Prada Chelsea boots. They look basically identical and are ridiculously comfy. Sure you can get other Chelsea style boots for like $35 to $45 but they are usually super uncomfortable, these just feel so nice. They don't pinch or and my foot doesn't slip around inside them. This is my best shoe purchase on Amazon, I'm just so impressed." —Azure Look

Get them from Amazon for $40+ (available in women's sizes 5–13 and 20 styles).

Promising reviews: "I was skeptical about this product at first but I am so glad I decided to buy it. It really removes my makeup, even waterproof mascara with ease. It has no smell and doesn't leave my face oily. It reminds me of my Bioderma that I got in the UK. And for this price, amazing!" —Kat

"I've been using makeup wipes my whole life because I didn't even know this existed. I saw it in stores but nobody ever told me what this was. This is literally amazing, buy reusable pads and this and you're set for life. I'm really upset nobody ever told me what this stuff was. I don't understand why makeup wipes even exist...this cleanses your face, takes off your makeup. Nobody should not know what this stuff is." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $3.98+ (available in two sizes and a two-pack).

BTW, this is our budget pick for the best makeup remover!

It's also water-resistant up to 330 feet and safe for bathing, swimming, or snorkeling!

Promising review: "I was going to get the Michael Kors rose gold watch, but decided to go with this one due to the great price and my familiarity with Fossil watches and how great they are made. I was not disappointed. The crystal dial is just enough to make it look really expensive and add a touch a bling! I totally recommend it." —Tina Beanie

Get it from Amazon for $66.38+ (available in eight colors).

Promising reviews: "I saw this sweatshirt advertised by an influencer on TikTok. I was blown away by the quality of this jacket!! It’s super soft and it fit perfectly." —Rebecca Slattery

"Love it. So soft and comfortable. Such a great fit. Totally looks like Lululemon." —ahnjloo

Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in women's sizes S–XXL and 15 colors).

Reviewers say it's *especially* effective for sensitive, acne-prone skin and oily/combination skin types (though reviewers with dry skin report great results too).

Promising reviews: "I absolutely LOVE this serum. I was spending an absurd amount of money on SkinCeuticals products. This serum is way better. My skin is clearer and more bright. The only negative about this serum is the smell. It's awful! I will tolerate it and continue to use it because of its effectiveness and price!" —Tish

"I am a licensed esthetician who deals with hormonal cystic acne that leaves scarring on my sensitive skin. My skin has improved so much since I started using this product!!! For the first couple of weeks, my skin purged out any underlying blemishes but afterward was clearer + smoother than I’ve seen it in YEARS! I LOVE THIS PRODUCT!! I love that it not only targets my acne scarring with the vitamin C but also soothes the redness with the niacinimide, has retinol, AND helps minimize my blackheads and pore size with the salicylic acid 😭 It is the perfect product for my sensitive oily acne prone skin!" —Jackie

Get it from Amazon for $15.99 (available in two sizes and a pack of two).

Promising review: "My friend bought me a one-person hammock of this brand for Christmas, and my boyfriend and I loved it, so we went out and bought the two-person one. It folds down really small and is very light. The material holds up nicely. We love it. Definitely would recommend. This hammock is comparable to the Eno brand. I think it is just as good for a fraction of the cost." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in two sizes and 8 styles).

Promising reviews: "What can I say, I saw a TikTok about this lipstick and for $10 had to try it! The reviews are right, for some reason this lipstick is better than even $20 name brand ones bought from Ulta. Not only does it smell great, but dries in under a minute and survived eating a cupcake, a Starbucks drink, and an entire evening out, no smudging and had to be removed with a makeup wipe. Fantastic product!!" —Claire

"Beautiful and soooo worth the money! Usually I always purchase either Stila Cosmetics or Kylie Jenner but both of those are very pricey and expensive, so I looked up matte lip glosses on Amazon and saw this and thought I would give it a try. I absolutely love it. Very easy to put on does not smudge, beautiful colors, very very happy about the size of it! I went and purchased set B now because I love this product!" —Vickyy

Get a six-piece set from Amazon for $9.99 (available in three shades).

Some reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.