When one of your favourite products is discontinued, it feels personal, and beauty editors are not immune from the sting of discontinued beauty products. But because they test products for a living, they are better placed to find the next best thing—which gave me an idea.
Once you’ve come to terms with the initial heartbreak of losing say your go-to mascara or favourite facial sunscreen, your next question is: what on earth am I going to use instead? That’s where this guide comes in. I asked some of my fellow beauty editors to share their most-missed buy and what they use in its place, in the hopes that anyone in the same boat discovers a worthy enough replacement. From the best foundations to the best highlighters, here are their recommendations…
Shannon Lawlor, Executive Beauty Editor, Marie Claire
"I'm cheating a bit here, but bear with me. The fact that Bourjois ever went away in the UK should be investigated as a crime. The high-street beauty brand was responsible for bringing out some of the best drugstore beauty products ever made. I consider Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Liquid Lipstick to be the best liquid lipstick ever—and I hate liquid lipsticks. I have dry, flaky lips and liquid lipstick only tends to make this situation worse. However, the shade Hot Pepper will go down in history as the best bright-red lipstick shade ever, in my opinion. Whenever I wore it, someone would say how great it looked—and they weren't wrong, I knew I looked great whenever I wore that lipstick. And the formula wasn't drying in the slightest.
"I was forced to go years without it after Bourjois exited the UK market. I kept ahold of one disgustingly grim, basically empty tube that I aggressively swiped over my lips in a bid to get the last bit of pigment out of it. And then, in a surprising twist, in 2022 Bourjois announced its return. Suddenly, my beloved Hot Pepper was back in Superdrugs far and wide. Since then, I have collected 12 tubes (I just counted), and I think that should be enough to last me until my body expires." — Shannon Lawlor, Executive Beauty Editor
Laura Capon, freelance beauty editor
"I will never understand or forgive L’Oréal for discontinuing my favourite Pro Glow foundation. A formula that was so good, I converted my entire friendship group. Who are now mourning their final tubes. It was the ultimate fresh, dew-giving, glow-enhancing base and arguably better than icons like Armani’s Luminous Silk. Honestly, it really was incredible and talking about it makes me realise I’m still in the grieving process.
"It’s not the same, but my replacement for it would be Maybelline Super Stay Skin Tint + Vitamin C. Now, this is slightly different in terms of coverage and feel. It’s a tint, so lighter on the skin, but the glow it gives is actually better than Pro Glow. If you’re looking for affordable lightweight radiance, add this to your basket." — Laura Capon, freelance beauty editor
Tori Crowther, freelance beauty & health journalist
"I miss The Body Shop's Fuji Green Tea range; the scalp scrub in particular. I'm not quite a tea tree girl (in fact, as someone with sensitive skin, it scares me a little) but I do like the zingy, fresh feeling it can give when used in scalp products. In my opinion, Fuji Green Tea was the perfect in-between. If my memory serves me right, it contained green tea, mint and large sea salt particles that worked as an excellent exfoliator, but didn't feel too harsh or stripping on the scalp. It lathered surprisingly well making it easy to use and the scent was divine.
"Since it was discontinued, I've tried a bunch of great scalp scrubs that come close like the classic Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt and Briogeo Scalp Revival—which, although not similar in texture, does an equally great job. I've not yet found one with a fragrance I like quite as much as The Body Shop's, though." — Tori Crowther, freelance beauty & health journalist
Mica Ricketts, freelance beauty editor & copywriter
"When I was asked to contribute to this piece there was one discontinued beauty product that immediately sprung to mind for me—Becca Cosmetics Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid Highlighter in the shade Opal. Make-up fanatics will remember the buzz surrounding their pressed powder highlighters (Champagne Pop was the viral make-up product a decade ago) but it was the brand’s liquid formula that I fell in love with and made highlighter a mainstay in my daily routine. Opal was a slightly golden shade that blended beautifully and illuminated tired skin without any of the chunky glitter that was dominant in most highlighters on the market at the time. I wore it for years, layering it under foundation for a dewy glow or over cheekbones for a more intense shine. When the brand announced they were closing back in 2021 I was truly gutted as it was such a make-up bag staple for me.
"Happily though, it has taken a while but I’ve now found a worthy replacement—Ilia Liquid Serum Highlighter in Nova. It’s slightly thinner in texture than my beloved Becca highlighter but it delivers the same sheeny luminosity and subtle golden glow that I love. And, it also contains marine actives to improve skin texture while you wear it—an added bonus." — Mica Ricketts, freelance beauty editor & copywriter
Vanese Maddix, freelance beauty journalist and podcast host
"My favourite discontinued beauty product is the Dior Diorshow 24H Stylo Eyeliner, but in a very particular colour that's no longer available. Dior used to have a different eyeliner under the same name, but they changed it. With the old one, they had the most beautiful green —I always talked about it—that had this very specific slanted tip, which made applying it so easy. I remember they got rid of it two or three years ago, then brought it back, but now the tip is kind of circular like every other crayon eyeliner and the shades are so different. The shade that I loved was a really nice green, it was very vibrant and light, and the ones they have now just don't compare.
"In terms of a replacement I now use the Barry M Hi Vis Eyeliner in Strobe Light. It doesn't have that slant to it, but it's really easy to apply despite having a round tip—it's easy to turn the liner to the side and get precision and create a wing, as well. Whereas with other eyeliners I've tried with similar tips I've found it's really difficult to get the precision. Also, I think the colour is really nice because it's a neon green and that's really unique. It is definitely the best alternative to the Dior one that I've been able to find, plus it's actually a cheaper alternative." — Vanese Maddix, freelance beauty journalist and podcast host
Katie Thomas, Senior Beauty Editor, Marie Claire
"The discontinued product that I am still mourning is the IT Cosmetics Illuminating CC Cream—how DARE they discontinue it?! It was my GO TO. The reason I loved it so much was that, when I wore it, my skin looked the best it's ever looked. Even toned, glowy, lit from within—everything you want your skin to look. It gave just the right amount of coverage and made me look really healthy.
"I haven't found anything that compares to it. If you know of one, please get in touch. I am now using the brand's Nude Glow CC Cream, which is gorgeous, but it isn't like for like. To get that proper, illuminated skin look that the old one gave, I would have to use an illuminating primer underneath the Nude Glow version." — Katie Thomas, Senior Beauty Editor, Marie Claire
Lucy Abbersteen, freelance beauty journalist
“I consider myself quite fussy with mascara but, back in the day, before Bourjois was withdrawn from the UK, Volume Glamour Ultra Curl was the mascara I bought on repeat—the curl edition specifically, none of the others would do. As Shannon mentioned, Bourjois has since come back to the UK, but Volume Glamour Ultra Curl has not made an official return (though, technically, what I assume is old stock is still available via sites like Amazon). While the brand was gone, though, I did find a good bargain alternative.
“Until the invention of Maybelline Sky High Mascara, I had never found a cheaper mascara that I liked. If separated, long lashes with a hint of volume are what you like, it’s genuinely one of the best. It doesn’t claim to curl the lashes and the brush doesn’t feature that curved shape that Ultra Curl had (go for Sculpted by Aimees if you are wedded to this), but it does offer great hold if you use an eyelash curler before applying and lengthens lashes so well. I go through tubes of it so on that basis, it’s the best affordable replacement.” — Lucy Abbersteen, freelance beauty editor
