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Hello Girls!  I actually had a PM request this morning and I thought you guys could all help.  Here's the question: What are the different (department store) brands "known" for?

I figure that calling the help of all of you might even help introduce us to some brands we've only walked by and never actually purchased, too!

So here's what I want -- Name a department store brand then list what you couldn't live without from their line (and why!) or maybe your favorite product from each brand.

I'll start

Urban Decay - I need their eyeshadow primer potion.  Absolutely have used it every single day, makes shadow colors just triple in color and last all day.

 
Inglot - their eyeshadows are all just fabulous. I need their shade #434, its just totally fabulous.

I second Urban Decay - their eyeshadows, their Naked2 andNaked palettes, and their primer potion, of course, which I couldn't live without.

Benefit - their creaseless cream shadows, can't live without Hoola.

 
Too Faced is an amazing brand. They have an eyeshadow primer that is really good, their eyeshadows are fabulous. they are also well known for their bronzers. 

Things to check out

Shadow Primer, this one is a little different then most because it helps correct the pigments on your eyelid while helping your shadows from creasing http://www.toofaced.com/p-547-shadow-insurance-lemon-drop-color-correcting-eye-shadow-primer.aspx

Glamour Gloss, these are really good glosses http://www.toofaced.com/p-477-glamour-gloss-volumizing-lip-gloss.aspx

Lip Injection, just a lip plumper but a good one that get results http://www.toofaced.com/p-498-lip-injection-advanced-plumping-system.aspx

[Edit] I forgot a bronzer

They have a bunch of bronzers (a whole tab full of them) this is the coolest i think http://www.toofaced.com/p-492-leopard-love-complexion-perfection-kit.aspx

Palettes, they have a couple to choose from that that are all around good http://www.toofaced.com/p-520-natural-eye-neutral-eye-shadow-collection.aspx

A cool (but expensive) way to try this brand is http://www.toofaced.com/p-1105-the-going-all-the-way-romantic-collection.aspx they do this with all of their palettes giving you a variety of things to try. 

What i have my eye on right now is http://www.toofaced.com/p-1112-natural-flirt-makeup-collection.aspx <3

They also have a great Sale page and will have 50% off their sale items from time to time. If you like them don't forget to like them on Facebook because they have a thing called "Manic Mondays" where they do a great deal exclusively for people who have liked them.

Sorry if i did too much but I'm hoping my knowledge of different brands can help you guys. If you want i can do this for a bunch of brands that i know well.

 
So many brands to decide from. what can be the basic concept to be followed while choosing a particular brand of cosmetics, Does it depend on the publicity or some other way out?

**link removed by mod, please refer to TOS**

 
Hi All,

I am the one that wrote to Annell about getting feedback on department store brands.  Thank you Annell for starting this thread on my behalf!

I want to clarify something.  What I am looking for are the Nordstrom makeup lines i.e. Bobby Brown, Clinique, M.A.C. etc.  I am unfamiliar with what "types" of products they are known for excelling at.  For example, I have read that Bobby Brown is known for its natural looking, high quality EYE and SKIN Makeup.  I have also read that CLINIQUE is known for exceptional SKIN CARE for ALL types of skin.  Some product categories I'm hoping for feedback on are the following:

  • [SIZE=medium]Brushes & Tools (especially if you recommend a specific set)[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Concealers[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Eye Liners[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Eye Primers[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Eye Shadows[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Face Bronzers[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Foundations[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Lip Liners[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Lipsticks[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Lip Glosses[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Lip care[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Mascaras[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Skin care[/SIZE]

I know it's a long list but ANY help is greatly appreciated!

This is what I am looking for:  users that can recommend what brands are known for by CATEGORY at Nordy's.The lines my Nordy's have are the following:

  • [SIZE=medium]Bare Escentuals[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Bobby Brown[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Chanel[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Clarins[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Clinique[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Dior[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Essie[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Lancôme[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]L’Occitane[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Laura Mercier[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Nars[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Philosophy [/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Shiseido[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Smashbox[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Stila[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Trish McEvoy[/SIZE]


The only site I was able to find was on beauty-and-makeup-tips.com/best-makeup-reviews.html.  Please don't delete this link, it is NOT and advertisement on my part.  This gave a breakdown of specific products within each category.  But I am looking for is a generalization of which counters to go to for what "categories".  Not necessarily what specific items within a category are great (unless you are wiling to take that time).

Thank you so much!

 
I know this probably isn't the answer your looking for but normally the reason i want to try a brand is the packaging lol. If a company has boring packaging i normally don't even give them a second look. I know that all high end companies will be good so i don't worry about getting a bad product. I also read a lot of blogs and will look at things they said were great.

 
MAC and Clinique have their products worth investing in.  Lancome and Estee Lauder can be do without. Sorry over-priced and not comparable to lower end brands.  Sorry but if you're paying that kind of money for department good it should at least be as good as or better than drugstore.  They are so miserably not!    Nothing in their product line is worth spending the extra bucks in my opinion.  And someone mentioned Urban Decay.  Pure garbage in my opinion.  Everything I have ever purchased from UD I have litterally tossed a little while later.  Poor quality, over- priced, un-blendable.  Just junk and I will say it a million times if I need, they suck some major sweaty balls. Loathe Urban Decay!

 
I love Estee Lauder's foundations. I think my favorite all around. Also Too Faced. Love their shadow primer and their blush/bronzer. 

 
I used to love Lancome, then decided I didn't love it that much...but then tried their Teint Miracle foundation and it's now my fave foundation--beats out Bobbi Brown's Skin foundation by a nose.  And I'm now in love with their Rouge in Love lipsticks.

Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair is an awesome serum.  And Tom Pecheaux is really doing wonders with their cosmetics line--no more old lady stuff in my opionion.  He's really stepped it up with the eye shadows, I think. The cyber line is great (although now you can get that formula at Sephora for a few bucks less). 

I love most everything from Bobbi Brown's line, but I know a lot of people on here aren't fans.  I love her Skin foundation, her Rich Lip Color lipsticks, her blushes are great.   have tons of her eye shadows and I love all of them.

Benefit's Creaseless Cream shadows are awesome--I use one as a eye shadow base every day. Speaking of eye shadows--I think Benefit's shadows are really underrated.  They are buttery soft, with good pigment and no fallout.  I think I have every color but one and I love them.

Loving the Stila Smudgesticks eyeliners--I think I have almost every color in those and they are really nice!

The Ready eye shadows from Bare Escentuals are fabulous--I highly recommend just about any of those!  I haven't tried much else from that line because I'm not a huge fan of 'loose', and that's what they do best.  That's why I love the new Ready line.

That about sums up my knowledge...that I can think of for now anyway!  I hope that gives you at least one good tip!

 
love their lipsticks, but their eyeshadows are hands-down the worst I've ever tried. the pigmentation is just awful :( /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> I bought a gold and a black--the gold is a nice sheer shimmer, but even with primer the black is unusable--and for $17, not worth it. but I did get a GWP so I'm satisfied haha
 

Originally Posted by Rebbierae /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I used to love Lancome, then decided I didn't love it that much...but then tried their Teint Miracle foundation and it's now my fave foundation--beats out Bobbi Brown's Skin foundation by a nose.  And I'm now in love with their Rouge in Love lipsticks.
 
Here are my opinions on the brands and my favorite products from them 
  • [SIZE=medium]Bare Escentuals- Their complexion products such as their mineral foundations and mineral viel[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Bobby Brown- complexion and face products that are natural looking such as their creamy concealer, natural blushes etc[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Chanel- Where do I even start for Chanel?! Hands down my favorite brand I personally love their foundations (I use Mat Lumiere, Perfection lumiere, Vitalumiere Aqua or the Teint Innocence compact- Also use the double perfection compact just in my tzone throughout the day when I get a little shiny), Eyeshadow D'Ombres and their glossimers (LOVE their Beaute' Initial eye cream but it is really pricey- I think its up to $75 a tube now)[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Clarins- I am obsessed with all of the new Rouge Prodige (especially the nude color) lip products that Clarins has come out with but honestly I have never tried a bad Clarins product. I feel like Clarins is such an under rated cosmetic company. They have amazing products but never get the attention they deserve[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Clinique- I have always and probably will always use their 3 step skin care system and will never use any other moisturizer as long as they make their dramatically different moisturizing GEL (I have oily skin so I use the gel but they also make it in a thicker lotion formula) Its been awhile since Ive really tried their makeup products but I used to use their eyeshadows and pressed powders alot[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Dior- Their eyeshadow 5 pan palettes are amazing- enough said[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Essie- obviously their nail polish lol. I love the color trophy wife- it stays on my toes pretty much throughout every summer[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Lancôme- I have heard amazing things about their new 24 hour foundation and some of their other newer foundations such as Tient Idole[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]L’Occitane- I have only ever used their hand cream which is pretty good[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Laura Mercier- Love her silk creme foundation. It is oil free and doesnt break me out which is really hard to find with my oily skin[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Nars-I am obsessed with Nars blushes. I own way too many of them and would never part with any of the ones that I have[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Philosophy- I know that people rave about their purity facewash and I tried it and wanted to love it but unfortunately I absolutely hated it. It didnt get my makeup off and just left my skin feeling like there was some sort of film on it. I do however love some of their other skin care items and their shampoo, showergel, bubble bath 3 in 1 products are always amazing[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Shiseido- I have only ever tried their sunscreen which I like but hey its just a face sunscreen and their are tons of other brands of sunscreen that I like too[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Smashbox- Love all the photo finish primers and their halo powders[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Stila- Lip glazes and their new palettes[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Trish McEvoy- havent tried anything from this brand[/SIZE]
 
  • [SIZE=medium]Bare Escentuals- I keep getting tempted by these products; my mom and my old man's mom use them and tell me that I'd love them. I may pick up one of the starter kits soon.[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Bobbi Brown- I don't like Bobbi Brown, so I have never even been tempted by her makeup line. Ever.[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Chanel- This is another brand that tempts me, but I have yet to succumb. Even the Illusion d'Ombre shadows, which for a moment or two I wanted to have babies with, I just can't bring myself to do it. Buy the shadow, that is. Still, there is something about Fantasme.....[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Clarins- I am obsessed with all of the new Rouge Prodige (especially the nude color) lip products that Clarins has come out with but honestly I have never tried a bad Clarins product. I feel like Clarins is such an under rated cosmetic company. They have amazing products but never get the attention they deserve[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Clinique-Their colors have always been wrong on me, but like most folks, I used to swear by their skincare. Now, though, I'm more of an Estee Lauder gal.[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Dior- I refuse to buy these because they are so pretty that I know I wouldn't want to use them![/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Essie- absolutely rocks, and I love that you can even get it in Walgreen's now.[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Lancôme- I used to use a lot of Lancome. Not sure why I stopped, but they just kinda stopped WOWing me[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]L’Occitane- Their shea butter cream is the ONLY thing that seems to get rid of the horrific exczema on my elbows. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Philosophy- I like their bubble bath/shower gel things, because they have some amazing scents that really make me feel indulgent[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=medium]Shiseido-OMG. The FIRST store I went to when I moved to Japan (back in the Nineties). But I REFUSE to pay the American prices LOL[/SIZE]
 
MAC-  eyeshadows and Mineralize Skin Finish 

Chanel- blush, lip gloss, lipsticks and just about everything lol

Lancome- concealer and foundation.  I really like their eyeshadows, too

Guerlain- bronzer and kohl eyeliner

NARS- blush and highlighters

 
•Bare Escentuals- BE Buxom lip glosses, Bare Skin & Nude Beach eyeshadows. •Bobbi Brown- Pot Rouges, Skin foundation, Regular TM, Pink & Rose Gold Shimmerbricks. •Chanel- Joues Contrastes blushes, Rouge Coco/Rouge Coco Shine lipsticks, Rouge Allure Velvet lipsticks, Rouge Allure Laque (unfortunately, discontinued), Mat Lumiere foundation, Kaska Beige & Enigma Quads, Safari/Fauve/Taupe Gris Singles, Poudre Universelle, nail polishes (Perm: Rose Confidentielle, LE: Pirate, May, Black Pearl) •Clarins- UV40 Sunblock, Cleansing Gel for Normal/Combo skin, Beauty Flash Balm •Clinique- Blech •Dior- 'Show Unlimited mascara •Essie- Base coat. Better polishes out there. •Lancôme- Huile Douceur cleansing oil, Color Design & L'absolu rouge lipsticks •L’Occitane- Eh •Laura Mercier- Secret Camouflage concealer, Cakeliner, Guava & Topaz eyeshadow singles Nars- Blushes, Copacabana Multiple, lipglosses, lip lacquers, Pure Matte lipsticks, AAE/Persepolis/Tzarine/Dogon/Alahambra/Portobello Duos, Bali/Nepal/Coconut Grove/Cairo/Blondie/Lola Lola/Fez Singles •Philosophy- Average •Shiseido- Eyelash curler, Perfect Mascara Defining Volume •Smashbox- Chiffon blush, skintoned nude lip liners, Nude Single shadow, Pout lipgloss, #10 & #13 brushes, Photo Op Undereye Brightener •Stila- Naturaleyes/In the Light palette, Sheer Color TM, Convertible Colors in Fuchsia, Petunia & Lillium, Prime Pots •Trish McEvoy- Have not tried

 
Looooove

YSL Faux Cils Mascara

MAC Pro LongWear Foundation

Clinique Continuous Coverage 

DDF Ultra Light Oil Free moisturizer

the rest I can manage with drugstore brands

 

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