Friday's Battle of the Best

$30 Luxury Mascara vs. $9 Drugstore Dupe—Which One Wins?

The Ultimate Mascara Showdown: High-End vs. Budget

If you’re a mascara lover, you’ve probably heard of the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara—a cult-favorite known for delivering dramatic, voluminous lashes. But what if I told you that there’s a $9 drugstore dupe that gives the same bold look for a fraction of the price? Enter: L’Oreal Lash Paradise.

Both promise long, thick, fluttery lashes, but which one is actually worth your money? Let’s find out! 👇


💄 Round 1: Packaging & Wand Design

✔️ Too Faced Better Than Sex: Comes in a luxurious pink tube with a heavy, high-end feel. Features an hourglass-shaped brush that coats every lash for mega volume. ✔️ L’Oreal Lash Paradise: Looks strikingly similar in packaging but is lighter and sleeker. The wand is also hourglass-shaped, just slightly less dense.

🔎 Verdict: Nearly identical! The wands are almost the same, meaning application will be very similar.

👉 Shop Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara here
👉 Shop L’Oreal Lash Paradise Mascara here


🎭 Round 2: Formula & Performance

✔️ Too Faced Better Than Sex: Rich, ultra-black formula that lengthens and volumizes, but can be prone to clumping if over-applied. Lasts all day with minimal flaking. ✔️ L’Oreal Lash Paradise: Smoother, slightly creamier formula that delivers very similar volume and length. It dries faster, reducing smudging but can flake slightly over time.

🔎 Verdict: If you love bold, dramatic lashes, both deliver—but L’Oreal Lash Paradise gives nearly identical results for a fraction of the cost!

👉 Try Too Faced Better Than Sex here
👉 Snag L’Oreal Lash Paradise here


💧 Round 3: Wear Test & Longevity

After a full 10-hour wear test, here’s how they held up:

Too Faced Better Than Sex: Held curl well, slight smudging under the eyes after 6-7 hours, minimal flaking. ⭐ L’Oreal Lash Paradise: Stayed put just as long, with less smudging, but had slightly more flaking by the end of the day.

🔎 Verdict: Both perform impressively, but Lash Paradise smudges less while Better Than Sex flakes slightly less.

👉 Test Too Faced BTS Mascara here
👉 Grab L’Oreal Lash Paradise here


💲 Final Verdict: Is the $30 Splurge Worth It?

If you love high-end beauty, Too Faced Better Than Sex is still a winner. But if you’re looking for an almost identical look for $20 less, L’Oreal Lash Paradise is the clear budget-friendly champion.

Save your coins and try the drugstore dupe—you won’t regret it!

👉 Save money with L’Oreal Lash Paradise here
👉 Or treat yourself to Too Faced BTS here


This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!


📌 Hashtags for Socials:
#MascaraWars #LuxuryVsDrugstore #BeautyOnABudget #LashGoals #AmazonBeauty #ViralMakeup #BestMascara #MakeupDupes

Back to blog