The Contenders:
Benefit High Beam, $26
E.L.F Essential Shimmering Facial Whip in Lilac Petal, $1

The Breakdown:
Both of these highlighters have a gorgeous, pale pink sheen that makes skin look young, fresh and dewy when applied over the cheekbones and brow bones. They both blend easily, last throughout the day and work well on top of other makeup like foundation or powder (often times, creamy products like these, or cream blush, simply disappear into foundation).

However, the sticking point for some may come down to product packaging. The E.L.F. product's tube design lets you squeeze a little onto your fingertip before applying, which I found more convenient and less messy than the nail polish wand applicator of Benefit's High Beam. But even if you prefer Benefit's brush-on applicator, the $25 difference could make you a convert. For $1 a pop, I will definitely be getting my angel glow on daily with the drugstore steal.

The Winner:
E.L.F Essential Shimmering Facial Whip in Lilac Petal

The Contenders
Nars Blush in Orgasm, $30
Milani Baked Blush in Rose D'Oro, $7.49

The Breakdown:
Ask any beauty junkie to recommend a good blush, and more often than not she will tell you to try Nars Blush in Orgasm. The gold-flecked, warm pink blush is just the right shade to look equal parts natural and glamorous. But as much as I love the healthy flush of Orgasm, I do live on a budget. So when the blogosphere kept pointing me to Milani Baked Blush in Rose D'Oro, I had high hopes this would be a perfect drugstore dupe.

While the two products look very similar in the packaging, on my face, the Milani blush was tawnier than Nars Orgasm and looked more like bronzer than blush. Not wanting to give up quite yet, I also tried the Milani blush in Corallina (too bright) and Dolce Pink (too cool-toned). Thus, I'll be keeping my Nars blush (and trying to make it last as long as humanly possible).

The Winner:
Nars Blush in Orgasm

The Contenders:
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, $59
L'Oreal True Match Super-Blendable Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 17, $10.95

The Breakdown:
When you crave more coverage than a serum foundation can deliver, it can be challenging to find a formula that goes on smoothly and doesn't look cakey. By the end of a long day, most foundations look heavy and packed onto my skin.

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation is a cult classic, because its weightless texture truly feels like silk. It's a lightweight, breathable foundation that I can build or use less of, depending on how much coverage I want. Its drugstore beauty counterpart, L'Oreal True Match Super-Blendable Makeup, also applies smoothly and ultra-light, but is easier to blend and buff onto my face. As far as packaging, Armani Luminous Silk wins out, thanks to its product-conserving pump. The L'Oreal foundation simply pours out of a screw-cap bottle. While both lightweight, oil-free foundations are impeccable products, only L'Oreal True Match contains SPF (a must-have in my book).

The Winner:
L'Oreal True Match Super-Blendable Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 17

The Contenders:
Dior Diorshow Mascara, $25
Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara, $8.49

The Breakdown:
By and large, Dior Diorshow Mascara achieved cult classic status with its massive, one-of-a-kind mascara brush. The extra large applicator simultaneously lengthens and adds volume to the point where I can only describe my eyelashes as "fluffy." To this eye, Revlon's brush looks identical, and gives lashes the same effect as a pair of falsies. The real difference here, though, is the formula. Both mascaras go on phenomenally, but the Dior formula is much creamier than the stickier Revlon formula, which, by the end of the day, made my lashes brittle.

The Winner:
Dior Diorshow Mascara

The Contenders:
Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Powder Bronzer in Light, $36
Rimmel London Natural Bronzer in Sun Dance, $4.99

The Breakdown:
In a single swipe, I can tell whether a bronzer has any of my three deal breakers: It's too brown, too orange, or has too much shimmer. With that "I've just returned from the islands" natural summery glow, both of these bronzers passed all three tests. The products lasted on my face all day without breaking into splotchy patches, and both have just the slightest amount of glimmer to warm up the complexion.

The Winner:
It's a tie. The tortoiseshell packaging on the Estee Lauder product is so pretty I leave it out on my vanity to display, but the Rimmel product is comparable for a fraction of the price.