Dupe Alert: Revlon Nude Velvet vs MAC Velvet Teddy!

In an ideal makeup world, every high end product would have a "drugstore" twin: a cheaper, yet equally effective alternative that could give its more prestigious competitor a run for its money!

In reality, however, and much to our disappointment, that tends to be more of an exception than the rule. Which means, of course, that whenever we stumble upon a possible "dupe", spreading the word is top priority! ;) And that's exactly what this post is about!

You see, not too long ago, an unexpected lipstick landed in my lap: Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick in 125, Nude Velvet.

Nude Velvet is a creamy brown beige colour with a hint of a peach-y undertone. The application is nice and smooth, as it glides on the lips really easily, and maximum coverage can be achieved within a few swipes. I liked it when I first tried it on, wore it a couple of times, and that was that. You see, it wasn't a "wishlist" acquisition for me, so I just hid it at the depths of my lipstick tray without a second thought.

Around that time, I was obsessed with getting my hands on MAC's Velvet Teddy, the absolute shade to recreate that very popular early 90's brown lip trend, or so I had heard. And naturally I obliged! But immediately after I first put it on, that Revlon oldie came to mind!

It was time for a comparison:

Now, ok, they're not identical: MAC Velvet Teddy runs a bit more rosey/brown, but then again Velvet Teddy is a matte consistency, so it's natural that it would appear a little darker. They are close enough though in my opinion to classify as dupes of one another.

Please note that both photos were taken relatively up close with the use of flash and the similarity might get a little lost for that reason - they're a lot more similar in real life, like on the hand swatches.

Clearly in this case, your own skin's undertones could alter the results slightly - if your skin has pinker undertones, Velvet Teddy would probably be your best match, whereas Nude Velvet can be particularly flattering on the more olived toned ones! But since we're talking about neutral, brown based lipsticks here, you could easily wear either one of these, regardless of your colouring! And, personally, I can see myself using up the Revlon one quicker than the MAC one - I think it's a touch more wearable on an everyday basis!

Word of caution though: Revlon Nude Velvet has been sadly discontinued. If you're lucky enough, you may be able to pick one up at Big Lots (if you're in the US), otherwise, you'll probably have to resort to ebay.

Do any of these seem appealing to you? Or do you shy away from brown toned lipsticks in general?

Any good dupes you've come across recently? :)