9 Jaw Dropping Drugstore Highlighter Dupes To Save Major Money
Why spend a crazy amount of money on high-end highlighters when you can get seemingly identical highlighter dupes from the drugstore for a fraction of the price?
I love a fancy highlighter as much as the next person, but sometimes you just need to say no to the pretty packaging and yes to an affordable drugstore makeup dupe.
You wallet will definitely thank you!
What are drugstore beauty dupes?
Drugstore makeup dupes are products that are very similar (but not necessarily identical) to popular high-end makeup in any (or many) of the following criteria: color/shade, finish, texture, longevity, formula, performance and/or packaging.
People search out drugstore beauty dupes because they are usually more affordable and easier to find (popular high-end products can be expensive and sell out quickly).
A good makeup dupe will have many of the similarities mentioned above at a much lower price, without compromising on quality.
The main area where dupes are the most different is usually the packaging (but who really sees your makeup other than you anyways?)
While the packaging may not be the most boujee, great dupes will check all the other boxes and give you a near-identical product for a much more affordable price.
Which is the best drugstore highlighter?
While there is a fantastic drugstore highlighter dupe for each of the popular high-end highlighters below, you may be wondering more generally “What is the best cheap highlighter?”
The most popular, highest rated, and overall best drugstore highlighter is the Wet n Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Powder.
The most popular color, Golden Flower Crown, has 6000+ positive reviews and it’s SO INEXPENSIVE!
Read on to see how this drugstore highlighter and others are wildly accurate dupes for trendy, award-winning highlighters.
Don’t have time to check out all the amazing drugstore highlighter dupes below? Pin this post for later:
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The Best Drugstore Highlighter Dupes:
1. BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop vs DUPE: Wet n Wild MegaGlo in Golden Flower Crown
The BECCA Cosmetics Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter in Champagne Pop is ICONIC!
Usually this is the first high-end highlighter that comes to everyone’s mind, and for good reason.
If you’re looking for a Becca Champagne Pop highlighter dupe, the Wet n Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Powder in Golden Flower Crown is an exact shade match!
As mentioned above, this is the most popular drugstore highlighter and the formula is really high quality and lasts throughout the day.
It goes on smooth, melts into the skin, and is buildable to enable you to get your perfect amount of highlight.
Don’t miss out on this wicked Becca highlighter dupe!
PS – Becca Cosmetics is out of business as of September 2021, so if you did want to give the real deal a try just a heads up!
2. Fenty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter in Trophy Wife vs DUPE: Wet n Wild Spongebob Highlighter
Fenty highlighters are all the rage right now!
There are so many beautiful shades to choose from, but the Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter in the color Trophy Wife is one of the most popular out there.
The best Fenty drugstore highlighter dupe is the Wet n Wild Spongebob Squarepants Gold Highlighter.
This isn’t the first or the last time you’ll see a Wet n Wild highlighter on this list, because they’re just THAT GOOD.
Honestly, in some of the reviews I was reading people put Wet n Wild highlighters on the top of their lists alongside high-end highlighters.
This viral TikTok shows just how close these two products are:
@scurtoworld IM SHOOK ✨ this dupe is my ALL TIME FAVE 💕 @wetnwildbeauty DID THAT 🔥 #drugstore #drugstoremakeupmusthaves #drugstoredupe #makeupdupes #wetnwild
♬ SUNNY DAY – Matteo Rossanese
Try out this Fenty highlighter dupe for Trophy Wife and see for yourself what all the hype is about!
3. Ofra Rodeo Drive Highlighter vs DUPE: Milani Strobelight Instant Glow Powder in Dayglow
OMG this Ofra Rodeo Drive Highlighter is absolutely STUNNING!
It’s one of the most talked about highlighters ever and the quality is just totally incredible.
If it’s out of your price range, a really good Ofra highlighter dupe is the Milani Strobelight Instant Glow Powder in Dayglow.
It’s a spot on shade match, great formula, and keeps you glowing all day long.
RELATED POST: 6 Unbelievable Drugstore Bronzer Dupes To Save You Money
4. BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal vs DUPE: Wet n Wild MegaGlo in Precious Petals
Another iconic Becca highlighter is the BECCA Cosmetics Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter in Opal.
This shade is so popular it’s usually sold out everywhere!
If it’s not available at Sephora, you can check if it’s in stock on Ulta’s website.
The best Becca Opal highlighter dupe is the Wet n Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Powder in the color Precious Petals.
Just look at how similar the swatches look!
PS again – Becca Cosmetics is going out of business in September 2021, so if you did want to give the real deal a try just a heads up!
5. Benefit Watt’s Up! Highlighter vs DUPE: Maybelline Master Strobing Stick
No ultimate highlighter list would be complete without the OG – Benefit Cosmetics Watt’s Up! Champagne Cream Highlighter.
This is my, and so many others, perfect go-to cream highlight.
One stick lasts forever too, so it’s well worth the money.
However, if you’re looking for a good Benefit Watt’s Up highlighter dupe then the Maybelline Master Strobing Stick is the one for you!
It has the same creamy formula and gives a beautiful iridescent glow with a solid wear time.
6. Benefit Cookie Highlighter vs DUPE: Juvia’s Place The Tribe Highlighter Vol 3
Another well-known and well-loved Benefit highlighter is the Benefit Cookie Highlighter.
If you’re looking for a super similar shade and powder formula dupe, check out the Juvia’s Place The Tribe Highlighter in the color Vol 3.
The raving online reviews for this Benefit highlighter dupe speak for themselves – it has some major fans!
RELATED POST: 19 Best Drugstore Foundation Dupes: Look Beautiful & Save Money
7. Glossier Haloscope in Quartz vs DUPE: Burt’s Bees All Aglow Highlighter Stick in Opal Mist
Who doesn’t love the Glossier Haloscope in Quartz?
It was dubbed the “dew effect” highlighter for its genius formulation that gives your skin a subtle, but stunning, effortless dewy glow.
To get that same I woke up like this dewy glow up for less, get the Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Origin All Aglow Highlighter Stick in Opal Mist instead.
It’s widely known to be a fantastic Glossier highlighter stick dupe and it’s so much more affordable!
8. Becca Liquid Highlighter in Passion (or Opal) vs DUPE: NYX Born To Glow Liquid Illuminator in Gleam
If you liked the discontinued Becca shimmering skin perfector liquid, then this liquid highlighter dupe is for you!
The Becca Ignite Highlighter in the color Passion is essentially the new formulation of the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid in Opal.
Since Becca Cosmetics is out of business as of September 2021, a well-documented Becca liquid highlighter dupe for the Opal shade is the NYX Born To Glow Liquid Illuminator in Gleam.
This Becca liquid highlighter dupe is all over Reddit from people trying to replace their favorites from the brand now that it’s gone.
9. Anastasia Beverly Hills x Amrezy Highlighter vs DUPE: L.A. Girl Strobe Lite Strobing Powder in 50 Watt
The Anastasia Beverly Hills x Amrezy Highlighter in Brilliant Gold is another limited-edition, discontinued uber-popular highlighter that people are searching far and wide for (or for the best drugstore dupe).
Everyone who fell in love with this highlighter, or who wasn’t able to get their hands on one, is out there wondering what highlighter is similar to Amrezy?
The L.A. Girl Strobe Lite Strobing Powder in the shade 50 Watt is a freaking awesome Amrezy highlighter dupe!
It’s hard to differentiate both when swatched & applied to the face, and they both have the same buttery soft formula and great color payoff.
This Amrezy highlighter dupe is definitely a must try if you’re missing the original!
Bonus Popular Liquid Highlighter Dupe
I actually have one bonus drugstore liquid highlighter dupe hidden in another post!
Check out the Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand highlighter dupe in this post for more details.
Did you like these drugstore highlighter dupes ?
I hope this list of the best drugstore highlighter dupes helped you find some more cost-effective alternatives for your favorite high-end makeup.
Or that you found affordable makeup dupes that you can try out instead of paying for the costly originals.
Are there any other drugstore highlighter dupes that you’ve heard of or that you’ve tried and I missed?
Please share it in the comments below so we can help each other out one drugstore highlighter dupe at a time!
If you liked this post, you may also be interested in some of my other drugstore makeup and drugstore makeup dupe posts in the Beauty Category of my blog.