If you’ve ever forgotten to pack—or run out of—a trusted beauty product at your country home or on a rural vacation, you know finding a stand-in at a moment’s notice isn’t always easy. The closest Target to our family’s upland home is a dreary 45-minute drive, Ulta and Sephora are each over an hour away in opposite directions, and the nearest Nordstrom and Saks are a solid two-hour drive. Even our closest Walgreens is a 20-minute drive (40 round-trip, but who’s counting) and is very poorly stocked compared with many suburban stores. As a result, I’ve spent more time than I care to admit researching the best beauty product dupes from grocery stores, drugstores, and even Dollar Stores, and I’ve decided to share my findings with you. This list is a compilation of recommendations from my personal experience and those of industry experts. I have taken pains to only include only items you’re likely to find at a sparsely stocked rural drug or grocery store; as those of us familiar with rural communities know, even national chains do not stock their stores equally. But I can tell you, I’ve used all of these products, and some? I’ve loved so much that they’re now my standard go-tos. For reference, I am an over-50, white woman with fine, straight-to-wavy highlighted hair and combination skin. And I’m a minimalist when it comes to makeup. So, if you need additional recommendations beyond what I can bring to the table? Allure Magazine’s Best of Beauty annual lists typically include budget items that you may be able to track down in a rural community if you need a type of product I don’t use. Click Here for Complete Shopping List
In terms of the makeup, first let me admit, I do not wear much. Second, I do have to drive to the closest box drugstore to find it, although occasionally, bigger grocery stores may carry some of these products. Several of these items I’ve fallen in love with to the point they’ve become my standards. L’Oréal (which owns both Lancôme and Maybelline) makes some amazing products. Their plumping lip oil is fantastic, as is their Sky High mascara. And their True Match Concealer Blendable Crayon? I actually use it on my upper lids as an eye shadow during the day. It brightens my eyes completely and does not irritate them one bit.
For the most part, I try to avoid schlepping products back and forth, and we keep duplicates in each house. But even so, some items are simply too expensive. Or I run out and forget which location has what. It is also worth noting that Amazon will not deliver to our family’s upland house due to its remote location, so keeping things stocked or finding workarounds concerns us more than it may others.