Dupes or Not? Rock and Republic Kinky Vs Evil Shades Backtalk

Friday, April 8, 2011

8 comments
Finding dupes in my stash always produces mixed feelings in me. Sometimes, it makes me happy, (Yes! That limited edition shadow has a permanent dupe!), sometimes it makes me sad, (What, did I just spend double the amount of money for two of the same product), and sometimes it just makes me incredulous (What?! You mean that expensive overpriced thing has a cheap dupe!?). In today's case, I'm feeling incredulous. And you'll see why.

Just take a look at these two blushes. They look pretty much the same in the packaging, don't they? Looks like they might just be dupes. And this is why I'm incredulous - the blush on the left is the cheap and cheery Evil Shades blush in Backtalk, while on the right is the ridiculously overpriced Rock and Republic blush in Kinky.

Rock and Republic Kinky Evil Shades Backtalk Dupe

I know what you're thinking - wait, you mean that cheap indie Evil Shades brand has a dupe of that expensive Rock and Republic blush? Sure does look like it, doesn't it? When I saw these two side-by-side in my stash, I almost wanted to kick myself for having shelled out the money for Rock and Republic Kinky. I mean, sure, I did get it when it was on sale, but still... I felt vaguely cheated.

I consoled myself by saying, well at least there's some difference - Kinky is entirely matte, while Backtalk has some fine gold shimmer through the blush. So they're different enough to own both. I swear the fine gold shimmer in Backtalk is there, my camera is just having problems picking up the shimmer. I promise I didn't invent it to make them seem different and make myself feel better!

rock and republic kinky evil shades backtalk


Anyway, the only sure way to know if something is a dupe or not, is to swatch both products side by side. So I did, and here we are:

rock and republic kinky evil shades backtalk swatches

L - R: Evil Shades Backtalk, Rock and Republic Kinky

Here you can see that they are close - very, very close - but they aren't absolute dupes. For one, as I've previously mentioned, Backtalk has non-obvious fine gold shimmer throughout the shade, while Kinky is matte. Also, Backtalk is a hair more neutral in undertone, probably due to the gold shimmer warming up the colour, while Kinky is a bit more blue-based, and thus cool-toned. But these differences are pretty minute, and I don't think I'd be able to tell the difference between them if they were worn sheerly on the cheek, except perhaps for the shimmer.

So, which one should you get, if you decide you don't want two almost-dupes in your collection? Well, I guess it would depend on your brand and price preference. Some people love Rock and Republic blushes, while some people love good prices, and that may be enough to sway a purchasing decision. But if you prefer a blush that's a bit more shimmery, then Backtalk is a better choice. Also, I feel like Backtalk's more neutral undertone would suit it better to a wider range of skintones, so if you aren't cool-toned, Backtalk would probably look better on you. They aren't perfect dupes, but I'd say you probably only need either of the blushes. (Although as a blush fiend, I still insist on keeping both!)

8 comments:

  1. Wow, they are pretty similar! I kick myself too when i find dupes in my collection :(


    Check My Blog Out?
    http://crystalrosemua.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  2. i so love those 2 pinks , aand would give my left leg for them , i would die to have them , they are beautiful ,, if ya would like to trade swap or sell them please please let me know , they would be so loved and so cherished and used

    ReplyDelete
  3. They're really similar, but I think I still prefer how Kinky looks. It just looks a lot more pigmented and vibrant. Backtalk would be great for those who have lighter complexions though :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. They seem close enough to me :)
    great post!! x

    ReplyDelete
  5. they look pretty close to me.. yeah it sucks when you shell out the bucks for expensive makeup to later find a cheaper dupe... thanks for the swatches/post :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. wow! pretty close, great blog!

    Come check mine out? I just started =]

    http://familyismyonlylove.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for commenting! I read each and every single comment! If you ask a question in your comment, please check back to this post, as I will reply in a comment to this post as well :) Please note that comments with soliciting links to shops or websites will be removed. Thanks!

Linkwithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...