I may have a death grip on my Sephora membership, but when someone recommends a dupe that could shave off a little money from my beauty spending total, I'm going to at least give it a go.
These Dollarama lip oils popped up on my radar, and at $3 for three of them, I was willing to head into a store as overstimulating as Dollarama to try them out. I put these lip oils to the test, up against my tried-and-true favourite Summer Fridays Dream Lip Oil — which goes for $35.00 at Sephora.
At Dollarama, the set of three ESTATE lip oil set totals $3, and each is 3.7ml (11.1ml total). The Summer Fridays oil is 4.5ml, so, you're getting more product with the Dollarama brand for $32 less.
Dollarama lip oil kit comparision.Morgan Leet | Narcity
How they compare
In terms of dupes, this is a pretty good one, I'll admit. First, though, let's start with the bad.
Summer Fridays price tag is reflected in the quality of the product. It has a thicker texture, lasts longer, and has a more pigmented colour to it. The brush was also larger and softer, making the application feel more pleasant overall. Also, there is something to be said for cute packaging — and Summer Fridays wins in that category.
As for the colour itself, I have the "soft mauve" Summer Fridays one, but they have a range of options. The Dollarama brand has more limited choices — a bright pink, a deep red, and an orange.
Dollarama lip oil kit comparision.Morgan Leet | Narcity
Now for the pros, though! While Summer Fridays did have a creamier formula, the ESTATE lip oil was a true oil, which I actually liked. I preferred the fact that it was a bit thinner and had more of a gloss to it.
The colour was very light, with only the deep red really showing up on my lips. If you want more of a tint, these didn't do it, but for just a sheer glossy look, they execute better than the Summer Fridays one.
For the price, they were also surprisingly hydrating, feeling super similar to the Summer Fridays one after I applied.
Dollarama lip oil kit comparision.Morgan Leet | Narcity
All in all, the Summer Fridays one is better quality, but (a big but there), I don't think it's a big enough difference to justify the $32 more you're paying for it.
If you want a lip oil that will give you a hydrated look and a glossy finish, these Dollarama ones do the trick and for $3. For the amount that I misplace my lip products, these are a way safer bet that will give you a similar end result.
I'm not about to throw away my Summer Fridays oil, but I will use it more sparingly and opt for these ESTATE ones on the daily.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.