Love Clinique Black Honey lipstick? Try these affordable swaps, starting at $5

Even if you've never thought of yourself as a "lipstick person," the ultra-popular, '90s-chic (and Drew Barrymore fave) Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey will probably change your mind. The creamy, universally flattering formula is made from a blend of blue, red and yellow pigments, so it works for any skin tone. It's also particularly good for drier, more mature lips since it glides on like a balm and has none of the waxy feel of some lipsticks, and it won't settle into fine lines.

The shade looks dark in the tube but, once on, it works like a customized tint, lightly staining lips a natural-looking berry hue that's just a hint or two above bare. As the name suggests, Almost Lipstick makes you look pulled together but not too "done." Black Honey is a beloved everyday lip color and a clear winner for winter — a near-perfect product, except for one thing: the price.

Now $25 isn't the most I've ever paid for a lip-tinting cosmetic (that would be the $48 I shelled out for Chanel's Rouge Coco with one of my first paychecks — not the smartest financial decision I've made, but I'd do it again). Still, I'm mostly a budget-minded beauty shopper. I like to cut costs on frivolous makeup (and even skin care) whenever I can. To that end, over the past few weeks, I've tested a dozen or so Clinique Black Honey replacements at more affordable price points. I've also scrolled through multiple Reddit threads to uncover the stand-ins that other beauty obsessives recommend.

As it turns out, there are now loads of high-quality swaps for this iconic lipstick. My picks all ring in at far less than half of what you'd pay for Black Honey, which means, unlike my Chanel impulse purchase, you can responsibly afford to buy a few tubes.

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