I think there’s just so much good makeup out there, so there isn’t a hard and fast rule to assessing quality at different price levels. I also definitely don’t feel that expensive automatically means better (see this affordable drugstore cream shadow and this $8 eyeliner). Whichever the case, drugstore or high end, I think you’ve gotta dig to find the gems.
But oh! — there’s LOTS of treasure out there, and I like uncovering makeup gems at any price point…although I do have to admit that I cringe at the thought of paying $$$$ for a mascara nowadays, even if it’s bomb.
(Skin care, though? That’s another story… ?)
I know that some folks eschew drugstore makeup for different reasons, like having been burned before by budget products that didn’t live up to the hype. I have a friend who only wears MAC because everything she’s ever tried from a drugstore makes her break out. Everyone is different, and everyone has different needs, likes, budgets and different access, depending on where they live and their closest makeup counters.
What about you? Do you think you get what you pay for when it comes to makeup? And do you think there’s a difference between “cheap” and budget?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. RIP, Uncle Karl. Tabs has lost a mentor and the world has lost an icon.
I think sometimes there’s a difference but mostly for me, I want the option to return anything and to try it first. So while I might spend $25 on a lipstick, I’m not buying four different colors and none of them are what I wanted. It’s also a little bit about the experience too.
For mascara I totally agree so I snag things on major sale when I can, and also the Sephora lash stash kits are FANTASTIC. You get five travel size mascaras (which last me two or three months each) and then a voucher for a full size mascara that was included in the kit. So I do that whenever they have one now. I also redeem points and use free bonus offers to grab travel size mascaras.
Some brands I think are worth the money (looking at you Hourglass) because they’re just stand outs.
I agree with the above stated- it’s like pulling teeth trying to return a drugstore products, whereas department or Sephora is never an issue. Personally, for me I can’t wear drugstore because their stuff irritates me? I’ve tried mascara, eyeliner and lip stuff and idk man. They’re never any good. They always irritate. So, I just stick with MAC, some Lancôme and Chanel. That’s not to say that everything from those brands work for me because they don’t. It’s all experimenting, but at least with these brands I can return them and save my money.
I love drugstore products cause I’m cheap like that, but there is something magical about going into Sephora. Their “favorites” sets and Black Friday deals are always good, and the Sephora inside JCPenney that I frequent has a sale section with about 1/2 off those items.
Their Black Friday deals are usually such a steal and I feel like they’re so underrated. I buy several First Aid beauty lotions every year because I can’t force myself to spend the normal price tag!
Yes those big tubs? They’re awesome in the winter for sensitive skin!
Yessssss!!!!! I live in New England and they are a godsend in the winter!
I was just talking about this with my hairdresser on Saturday! I definitely feel like certain high-end products are worth it, but drugstore products have gotten so much better in terms of quality. I had a couple people compliment my eyeshadow over the weekend and ask me which palette I was wearing, and it was literally just a single eyeshadow from Colourpop that cost $5. I think it really comes down to people’s preferences and how much they care about name brand products!
With age, I have become more demanding on make-up performance, that’s why I’m buying mainly high end products. And I’d like to emphasize the word “Mainly”… because I’m still active Avon consultant?, and you know what? Their makeup is not that bad at all! I do quite like their lipsticks. Being now familiar with the highest end lip products that cost 30< EUR, I definitely cannot say that Avon's product is 10 times lower quality. I just wish there was more diversity of shades…
And those eye crayons are good as well… in my bag they are for decade, for sure!
I think it depends more on the brand rather than luxury vs drugstore. I swore by all things Rimmel (lippies, mascara, used to use their foundation and powders, eyeliners, everything in their line) before Target began phasing them out. Lipsticks I find really depends on the brand (haven’t yet found a matte I love), mascaras aren’t worth the luxury price tag for something you have to toss in about two to three months, nail polish after a while is all the same. The only thing I am okay with paying a bit extra for is eye shadow for the color payoff and durability, primers, and skin care.
Magazines used to love side-by-side photos where one photo showed the model wearing drugstore products and the other photo showed her wearing department store products. Then, the mag would challenge you to guess which side was drugstore; which side was department store. I could always, always very easily tell the difference. It had to do with the smoothness of the finish, the quality of the pigments, the complexity of the color, etc. All that is not to say that there aren’t some winners and losers in both categories because there definitely are. My personal preference, though, is for the more high end brands because they appeal to my esthetic sense, usually have a smoother application, create a more even appearance, and I am better able to find formulas that don’t cause my dry, sensitive skin any problems. In addition, I like to be able to try things out and return them without any hassle if there is a problem with them. Drugstores still have a long way to go in that regard.
I have to agree with Lelde, above. As an over 50 makeup/skincare consumer, I am SO over products that promise the moon and underperform. So many times for something untried and true I will head to the store with the most liberal return policy just in case! plus, so many products are made for the younger consumers who don’t have the application and wear challenges that my been around the block face has. I can’t just buy any shadow or highlighter and expect it to look like it does on a 19 year old model! that said, some products, such as trendy items or things I can’t go wrong with, are drugstore worthy. Just yesterday I picked up the Trader Joes Rose Facial oil instead of the Laura Mercier one I have been lusting after.
Yeah, Karl news has me wondering the direction Chanel will take. I have had a love-hate with Karl but admittedly he revived the brand.
I do wear drugstore brand mascara since you have to change it more often than other makeup products. I prefer higher end foundations, eyeshadows other because I can usually test the shades out and get samples at most department stores. I do also use some drugstore skincare products, such as face cleansers since they don’t stay on the skin long enough to justify the price. I find that it is harder to find good drugstore products for older women.
Hope all is well.
With major sensitive skin issues, I pass up drugstore brands for things like skincare and foundation- anything that has a lot of contact with my face. I’ve just been quite literally burned too many times to do any more experimenting. I’ll try lipstick or the occasional eyeshadow with excellent reviews, but mostly I stick to higher-end brands.
Not that expensive automatically means you get what you pay for. (I’m thinking especially of all those pricey eye palettes I’ve bought, only to end up using a couple of shades). On the plus side, the duds have been a good learning experience; they’ve taught me what I like and what I don’t, so I’m better at judging new products for hype vs. reality before I buy them and waste my money.
I disagree 100% that you get what you pay for. But I am actually referring to high end cosmetics. I can easily buy a drugstore foundation that will rival the most expensive foundation. My HG concealer is $5! And mascaras? Does anyone have to buy high end anymore?! LOL. And I think The Ordinary has proved, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that facial creams and lotions do not have to be expensive to be excellent quality and effective. On the opposite end of the spectrum, however, I agree that you might get what you pay for. I do find a difference in ‘cheap’ and ‘budget’. I don’t like cheap items. I think there are cheap cosmetics that fit the bill for some people. Like teens and young adults. But I’ve reached the stage in my life where I am not looking for cheap makeup, even if it’s a ‘dupe’ for the same high end item. I want quality (at a medium range price point). I may just have higher demands though now that my skin is a bit older and I can’t get away with using cheaper products LOL. That is not to say that I have to buy high end to have that quality though, by any means, but just definitely not cheap. Cheap products have their place, and I hope they force high end products to be a little more reasonable in their prices on day, but I don’t even take a second look at those products personally. However, I’m all for a good budget item!
Agree with you on skincare. One $$$$ that is totally worth it to me is Chanel Le Rouge Duo Ultra Tenue lipstick. No other long wear lipstick comes close. I can usually get a free travel size Chanel mascara with my purchase, so I rarely buy mascara.
No one can ever replace Karl. Deepest sympathy to Choupette.
I believe there is both good stuff and crummy stuff at all price points. Sometimes it’s what works for your skin type and coloring and sometimes products excel or fail no matter what. That said, I find it difficult to buy foundation in the drugstore because you can’t get a sample to try out ahead of time and I hate wasting money trying things out until I find the right color, texture or a product that doesn’t irritate or break out my sensitive skin.
That said, I did just buy two different No.7 mascaras today to try. I figure if I hate them no biggie, since I toss my mascara every 9 to 13 weeks anyway.
I’d probably buy more drugstore makeup or makeup in general if there wasn’t so much fragrance in it. Note to cosmetic companies, my lips are right under my nose, you don’t need to put over powering fragrance in lipstick. And please take out fragrance from face products as the fragrance often irritates my skin!
I love drugstore brands and buying lipstick ? is a great antidepressant!
But I’ll always love Mac .
I always find what I need / want at a fair price .
Me too Michele!! What’s odd for me is that not long ago (after realizing what had actually taken place) I gave away the majority of my MAC lipsticks. I had maybe 25 or so – I just wasn’t using them, I would buy one in a shade that at the moment was “to die for”, wear it for a week or two and inevitably go back to another brand. I felt kind of bad that they were just sitting there (and some of them it had been a minute) getting old when someone could be appreciating them. So I went through the colors that I really didn’t want to let go of, and decided to give the rest to someone who I knew would never be in a position to buy something like that (and also had two sisters) and she would just absolutely love receiving the lipsticks. I enjoyed every minute of it and I have not missed them one bit. I am a lipstick addict – and I have way plenty!!!
I have all kinds from Milani -Colour Pop – to AHB – just all kinds. Actually one of my favorites is the Sephora liquid lip @$14.00 and also their 10 long-lasting wear – I found a great medium frosted brown shade I adore – and it lasts and lasts – it’s a semi-matte I caught it half-price and 20% off (YEAH) and I got three of them!
so I apologize for rattling but I like Wet-n-Wilds Mocaliscious (spelled really horribly) there really inexpensive (like 2$) matte lippies, there are several shades that are really close to some MAC ones and they last well. I love buying a new lipstick, I have an affinity towards Chanel – I used to wear Vamp exclusively… I want the nail polish so badly but I just can’t make myself pay the price! Talk about an anti-depressant!! Chanel baby!!! Now being about 25 years older — drug store makes me just about as happy – and my bank account too!! Happy shopping!!
Gina
It really depends for me. I find super expensive luxury products to not be super worth it it me personally, but I don’t usually have great luck with low end products either. Most of my products I use regularly would be mid-range.
My biggest issues are incredibly sensitive skin and eyes, pretty fair skin that I find it hard to get color matches for (though not nearly as difficult as it is for POC! I remember when I worked in cosmetics taking my customers to different counters to get them a color that worked), and being kind of particular. I struggle with fragrances, talc, alcohol… so I have my favorites and I kind of stick to them.
For myself, I get foundations, because I’m hard to match and my oily skin wants to melt and oxidize these products.
I used to think so for eyeshadows, because my eyelids are oily, and I have deep-set, somewhat hooded eyes. Creasing was usually an issue with budget/DS brands. Most DS brands have crappy pigmentation, IMHO. However, brands such as ColourPop, BH Cosmetics, Juvia’s Place, ColouredRaine, Revolution Makeup, and Coastal Scents all have really nice eyeshadows for not a lot of money.
Lip products, powders, mascaras, blush, and the rest of it: I think budget/DS are pretty dang good. On the flip side, I find luxury makeup rarely worth the sky-high prices.
I agree with you, there are gems on either side of the budget.
i buy at all prices from WnW to La Mer
you can find gems and duds all over
have never had an issue returning things here
I used to only buy higher end makeup. The main reason for this is when i started buying makeup drug store makeup did not show up on my deep skin tone (Mac NC45 -NC 50). It really burned me and as a result for years I refused to buy drugstore. Maybellline, Revlon, Covergirl, Rimmel, Almay, I am talking to you.
I still don’t support these brands but llately I have been exploring Morhpe and Makeup Revolution now that they are available in Ulta and I have to say I have found some hits. Currently my staple setting spray is Makeup Revolution and $9 vs $21 for fix+.
I also just opted to buy a MOrphe bronzer $12 instead of my $42 Nars bronzer and I am happy with it.