I feel horrible buying HE (High End) makeup

[CLKR97]

I've never bought drugstore cosmetics until recently. I hate them!!! even though its all I can afford right now, I can't tell you how many items I've purchased (foundation, blush, eyeshadow, lipgloss, bronzer, powder etc.) in the last few months that have all been returned. They probably hate me @ Walmart but TS. I'm not used to buying makeup without first trying it. How are you suppose find foundation without applying it??? Any of it for that matter? The only thing I luv from a drugstore is my mascara..............good ole Covergirl! Can't see paying $20 for mascara when you use it up so quickly, and I faithfully change it out every 3 months. I guess I'm spoiled from so many years of being able to buy HE products. I can say I did find a foundation that was pretty decent and that was "Fit Me" by Maybelline...............I'm a 120!! LOL.

I would love suggestions on some lower end brands that are dupes for HE brands, but I wouldn't even now where to really begin. Again it all comes down to being able to try it on. I hate having to buy an item, bring it home, try it on, find out its the wrong color or fells like crap on, then have to pack it up and return it. Any suggestions.................

 

[satojoko]

That is for sure one thing I will never buy from drug stores again - foundation - haven't since I was a teenager and don't feel guilty about it. I received some DS brands to test and review in the past couple of years and can honestly say they were all rubbish. Then again, most of the high end foundations are loaded with crap as well and make me break out, although many match my skin tone perfectly and have good coverage. In the past 3 years, my favorite foundations have been mineral makeup brands which I've gotten online, my number one of which I won't even mention because their customer service is some of the worst I have ever come across so I don't want to help promote them by even mentioning their name. Meow is not bad, although the ones I tried dried me out for some reason. They definitely have the MOST types and sahdes, that's for sure, and many people swear by them. Vaille also has some very decent mineral foundation. They are for me, anyways, and I haven't seen any bad reviews on them. I just got some samples from The Conservatorie last month as well and actually quite like their stuff. Their light golden mineral foundation matches me perfectly. I love mixing it into my moisturizer plus a little bit of pure jojoba oil, the results being truly the greatest I have found so far. Can't WAIT to get my Monave samples and play with them too. They definitely have the best ingredients of all the liquid foundations I have seen so are well worth the price. $55 for NARS, with some free acne thrown in as a bonus? No thanks. Most high end brands are using the same crappy fillers/base ingredients that the drug store brands are, yet they charge a freaking fortune. Monave's liquid foundations are actually loaded with nothing but great stuff, so the price they charge is justifiable. I am expecting nothing but great things from them. So far I have only tested and reviewed 25 of their eye shadows which they sent to many women on their mailing list who were interested in doing so. Free makeup? Sign me up! Their customer service is also stellar, so am hoping and praying that their liquid is going to be IT for me. That I will spend a bit more on and not feel guilty about simply because I have already tried so many from low to high end which have made a mess of my skin. Liquid foundation is not an area I can skimp on I have found.

 

[SassyAuburn]

Ever since I had skin problems (due to a medical condition) three years ago, finding a good foundation was not an easy thing for me. I tried a couple of high end ones early on, but there are TONS of ingredients that my face just wasn't liking. So I'd be stuck with 7/8'ths of a bottle of foundation and nothing to do with it, except hear "cha-ching" every time I opened my makeup drawer. I found a company who suggested I try mineral foundation which really was my saving grace for me. It helped me calm down my skin until it wasn't as sensitive. Now, since I have my skin's texture balanced and it's not oily or dry, I am really liking the whipped mousse foundation from L'Oreal. Trust me, it is NOT for everyone... in fact I can see more people NOT liking that do liking it--based on shades available, it's non-compatibility will all skin types, etc. For me, it works nice and I love the coverage and color.  When I need something a little more substantial, I like Almay's TLC. That was the first liquid foundation I had used after only using mineral foundations for so long.

I guess if it's not broke, don't fix it.... so because my foundations are working so well for me right now, I doubt I'd even try anything else--drug store or high end. You just have to do what is best for you. I've done the try it/return it thing at Walmart too, many times, (usually with mascaras) but hey.... girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

 

[CharmedImSure]

^ that is my logic when it comes to foundation..I am on antibiotics for acne and I think my skin doesn't like MAC foundations or MUFE, (luckily Bloomingdales return policy is the best, but stuck with my MUFE HD half used) but now I'm really starting to love drugstore things, besides using Revlon Colorstay for the past half year, I've found a renewed interest in Revlon Super Lustrous Lipglosses...I just bought 8 glosses, and 1 lipstick from Walgreens.com all for under $50...now that's a steal considering you could get 2 maybe 3 MAC glosses for that price...I love me my Nars and MAC but....I am obsessed with Revlon at the moment..

 

[Katie-Gaslight]

look on cherry culture in the nyx round lipstick section. i'm 99% sure they have a shade like that!

 

[Tyari]

I hve been feeling kinda yucky lately bcuz I've amassed so much makeup that I don't know what to do with it. I literally have thousands of dollars in high end (95% MAC) makeup. Now I have this huge collection of makeup and most of this stuff I haven't even touched.

 

[DamnItNanet]

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

I agree with SassyAuburn, if it's something you're always going to use and it's not a fad color, then pay the $18 because you'll probably wear it all the time. In my case, sometimes I do feel guilty, but at the same time, I do try to go low end on the stuff that I know I can get away with it, I buy Maybelline Mascara and Revlon Eyeliner but my eyeshadows, blushes and foundations are all high end because I like stuff that sticks and is more pigmented /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

Aww then you shouldn't feel bad. There are some HE products that I HAVE to buy because they are the only ones that have and KEEP the effect that I want on my face. You get what you pay for in some cases. Ever since I could afford to back in high school, I tried almost every product in the drugstore and when I became a MUA, I've done my research on them. Some are great for the little price tag in terms of colour pay-off or effect you're looking for but others are horrible when it comes to what they do to your skin in the long run. I'll go LE on products that I go though like water though, like mascara, lipgloss and highlighter. Mascara and lipgloss are pretty much made the same anyway.

 

[DamnItNanet]

If it's the colour you love, why not? You'll end up spending enough to buy maybe 3 Benefit lipsticks in that colour just looking for a decent dupe. Buy it, wear it everyday or every other day because either way, you'll get your money's worth since you love it. Never feel bad for what you truly want if it makes you happy. I mean that in general too /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />.

 

[MewMewPurrKitty]

I don't feel bad at all buying high end cosmetics(and handbags) because you get what you pay for. 

 

[zadidoll]

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

I don't feel bad at all buying high end cosmetics(and handbags) because you get what you pay for. 

Not always.

 

[DropsofKarma]

RANT! 

You know what really annoys me about high-end in particular? The non-stopping decrease of product for the same price gag. Plenty of companies are known to do this but if I'm going to be your loyal customer and by a particular shade over and over again, I'm expecting .09 oz. Not .05. Such a cheap move.  

 

[agathatefora]

High end or low end? There are moments when I feel guilty. And after buying something, got a hold of it, used it, that's the time I let go. I would usually think of, I made the right choice because it lasts longer or maybe, the quality is just different and it is better.

And if you have the budget, why not reward yourself?

 

[janetgriselle]

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

RANT! 

You know what really annoys me about high-end in particular? The non-stopping decrease of product for the same price gag. Plenty of companies are known to do this but if I'm going to be your loyal customer and by a particular shade over and over again, I'm expecting .09 oz. Not .05. Such a cheap move.  

Agreed! and you know that it's already probably marked up quite a bit to begin with.

 

[YoAdrienne]

My beauty addiction, high voltage cosmetics, inaz, nyx, theyre all good and cheap.

 

[13Bluestar97]

I have a few HE items. However I am one of the younger people who has not yet hit a success point in life so I have to stick with low end makeup to keep from going broke. I let myself splurge once in a while on designer makeup but I find that makeup is one of those things you can buy lower end and get away with it.

 

[CoverGirl]

I continue to buy HE makeup, but I definitely just buy makeup less now. I do feel a little bit bad looking at all of the expensive makeup I bought prior to the recession that just sits there. (I used to run out and buy things just for the cuteness/limited availability like MAC's special editions, or buy products just because I loved the way they looked on a celeb. No more!) I try to play with all of my makeup and mix different shades together so I don't feel guilty for splurging.

 

[Geek2]

I'm the same way. I didn't touch drugstore items until about 6 months ago. I've always been a HE makeup type. Most of my HE makeup was bought also before recession. I continue to buy HE items but I'm way selective now and really think through if I need it or not. If I saw a cute new packaging etc in a magazine before, I'd go and buy it. Not any more. Now I buy an HE item if it really works for me and is worth the price. My latest HE purchase was Guerlain foundation and it took me a while to purchase it. It's way worth the price though. I've never used a better liquid foundation than that. I did use a discount coupon when I purchased it though which helped me justify the price. 
 

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

I continue to buy HE makeup, but I definitely just buy makeup less now. I do feel a little bit bad looking at all of the expensive makeup I bought prior to the recession that just sits there. (I used to run out and buy things just for the cuteness/limited availability like MAC's special editions, or buy products just because I loved the way they looked on a celeb. No more!) I try to play with all of my makeup and mix different shades together so I don't feel guilty for splurging.

 

[PrettyBrownMUA]

Don't feel horrible because I don't. But I do buy High end products mainly for my clients. Because I expect good money! LOL But they deserve the best. But I love cheaper products and I use them on my self for every day wear. The drug stores are my best friend. But I dont know if anyone knows that the makers of some of MAC cosmetics also makes some of loreal cosmetics like the hip products. I have a few pigments for the hip line that are the exact same product in  the MAC pigment jars. Check it out. In the last picture Cornflower is swatched on the left and Valiant is swatched on the right. So in my opinion Loreal HIP products are awesome. 

 

[DreeS]

I only feel guilty about buying HE products if I'm spending money I don't have. In other words, using food money for beauty products lol.

 

[TulipFields]

Originally Posted by 13Bluestar97 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I have a few HE items. However I am one of the younger people who has not yet hit a success point in life so I have to stick with low end makeup to keep from going broke. I let myself splurge once in a while on designer makeup but I find that makeup is one of those things you can buy lower end and get away with it.

I also stick with low end products, since I don't earn enough to splurge a lot on HE stuff, most of what I have is from gifts. However, I found that expensive doesn't always equal to good, nor is cheap equal to bad. My BareEscentuals foundation always makes my face look unnatural, makes my pores seem larger, whereas my ELF mineral foundation gives a more natural finish and costs a lot less. I have a nearly mini-size pot of BE lying around since I don't want to use it anymore!

I want to buy Cliniques Black Honey and some skincare item so I get a BonusTime gift, but its going to cost a lot anyway- I started saving money but still feel guilty! I mean, £35 is the amount my mum spends on a weekly food shopping!