Drugstore Vs. Dior: What You're Really Paying For

You’re checking your makeup on the train. You pull out your jenky-but-reliable Cover Girl compact (you know, the one from 1998 with the broken mirror from the time you dropped your Caboodle down the stairs at your best friend’s house), and someone gives you that look - the Oh, that poor thing. She’s using drug-store makeup.

The judgment. Oh, the judgment.

It always frustrated me when I would overhear women talking about high-end products that they couldn’t live without. “Ohhhh, I just laaaaaaaahhhhhv my Dior Show mascara. It makes my lashes look like dense rows of ebony Persian kittens,” or, “Ohhhh, I wouldn’t be caught DEAD using Wet ‘n’ Wild- my skin doesn’t like cheap makeup.”

On the other hand, my mounting disappointment with poor-quality drugstore makeup is finally starting to come into perspective. I often wonder how much money I would have left in my bank account if I had saved every dollar that I had wasted on some cheap product that I ended up throwing out. Where is the middle-ground between being a makeup snob and a cheeky charity case?

As I’ve aged (read: as I’ve been able to afford more expensive makeup (or been able to try them out/buy them at a discounted rate from my job as a makeup girl)), I finally see the benefit of both sides. I have jumped on the grenade, reader. I have purchased (and will continue to purchase) just about every product you can imagine- if you don’t believe me, wait until I do a post on my makeup collection- so that I can give a full report on what works, what doesn’t, and what does it even better for cheaper.

Let’s start with the basics: drugstore vs. high end makeup.

First of all, let me point out THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU COULD EVER POSSIBLY KNOW about drugstore and high end makeup companies- they’re owned by the same people. Don’t believe me? That’s okay: I did some research for you.

L’oreal owns: Maybelline, Garnier, Lancôme, Urban Decay, Yves Saint Laurent, Redken, Matrix and Shu Uemura, among others.

Estee Lauder owns: Clinique, MAC, Tom Ford, Smashbox, Prescriptives, La Mer, Origins, Flirt! (a pretty impressive line from Kohl’s), Aveda, Bumble and Bumble and many more.

P&G owns: Covergirl, Olay, SK-II (that brand that Kate Blanchett does adverts for), Venus, Pantene, Herbal Essences, Head and Shoulders.

Johnson and Johnson owns: Aveeno, Neutrogena, Clean & Clear and RoC (that super-expensive drugstore brand).

Now go back and read those again. Get it yet? The big companies own the drugstore brands, too. They may be processed in different factories, but there are the rumblings of vertical monopolies here, folks…

So when you buy a high-end product, what are you really paying for? Three things: 1) you’re paying for the image, 2)you’re paying for the research, time, and money that went into developing the product and 3) you’re paying for the ability to try the product before you buy it. Two of these things are important. The image, in my opinion, should not be one of them. Yes, I feel good when I put on lipstick from a pretty tube - but there ain’t nothing in the world that would stop me from buying that same shade of lipstick in a generic tube for one fifth the price if the end-result was the same. The other two benefits of high-end? Well, let’s look at those.

The research: this could mean a lot of things. High-end brands tend to spend more of their money testing newer/more skin-friendly ingredients, which means they’ll be the first to put these new miracle-products on the shelves (think of Tarte being the first to come out with products with maracuja oil). They may have the resources to test their products with no animals involved. They've spent the time and money making sure that these products are quality- and oftentimes, this is beneficial to the buyer. They’re always searching for the next trend, the next advancement in cosmetic culture, and you have to pay for that expertise.

Then, there's the ability to try the product out- here is my personal argument for high-end- the dialogue that goes on in my own head before I purchase a more expensive product. MAC, you guys. MAC is my weakness. Why? Yes, they have highly-pigmented products, yes, they have a great selection, but it’s bigger than that-  you can’t try on a drugstore lipstick before you buy it. And if you do, stop. That’s gross. And inconsiderate. At MAC, or any other high-end counter, those expensive products come with the ability to see the product on. To feel it on your skin. To taste, smell, wear it around- you have the power to choose something with the actual knowledge of how it affects you. That’s important. I love MAC lipglosses and lipsticks. They’re $15.00 a piece, which (to me) is pretty steep. When I think about the number of drug-store lipstick/glosses I’ve purchased and hated the smell, taste, or consistency of, though, and the number I have thrown out (some immediately after buying), it occurs to me that I’ve probably wasted more money on drug-store makeup that I hated than high-end makeup that I love.

The good news for you cheapies out there (don’t worry, no judgment- I love a good deal) is that drugstore brands are hot on the trail of the higher end companies - and I’ve tried them all, so ladies and drag queens, let me give you the low down on the products/brands I swear by - most of them found in my local CVS. It's hard to sort through all the gimmicky stuff, so I'll give you a few of my basic makeup bag tried-and-trues. Quick disclaimer, however: please note that most of these are cosmetic items - color, mascara, etc - not skin care. We'll get to that in a different post.

E.L.F Cosmetics (Eyes Lips Face): My holy grail of inexpensive cosmetics. This brand (found either at eyeslipsface.com or in most Target stores (limited selection of the brand)) is, by and large, incredible - and incredibly priced. I kid you not, folks, I use at least one product from this company every time I do my makeup. Shining stars: 

Elf Studio Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder

Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder in “St. Lucia” (left, $3, dupe for Nars Laguna bronzer and Orgasm blush), 

Natural Lash Kit ($1 per pair (I know, right?) and these are only lashes I’ll use, although you do need to use an eyelash glue other than the one they provide - Duo lash glue is great), Hypershine Lipglosses ($1 and come in a ton of sweet-tasting, non-stick shades), any of their eyeshadow palettes (they usually have some big sale for these),  baked blushes and bronzers ($3) and any of the brushes (even the $1 ones are great).

Wet ‘n’ Wild: Another one to love. The most inexpensive of drugstore makeup items (besides Jordana - just walk right by that aisle, because there's nothing to see) have become the most used and some of the most amazing products in my collection. This is not the brand you remember it being - they’ve stepped up their game in a major way. 

LOOK at that color payoff. 

Shining stars: Eyeshadow palettes (usually around $5, but often on sale) I am consistently amazed with the wearability, the pigmentation, the color matching, the texture, and the variety of Wet ‘n’ Wild eyeshadow kits. Every time a new limited edition palette comes out, I buy doubles and sometimes triples. They’re just that good. NOTE: THESE DO NOT TRAVEL WELL. This is my only complaint about these shadows - they are best kept at home, away from jumbly purses or tossed-around makeup bags. Not all of the shadows in the palette are prone to breaking, but I have broken many in the past. Keep 'em flat and in your makeup vanity. 

L'oreal: Not always a fan of this brand, but credit where credit is due. Shining stars: Bare Naturale Mineral Foundation ($10-$15, I usually buy these on sale) Best. Mineral. Foundation. Ever. Seriously. I don't know why people aren't talking about this. It must be somewhat popular, because they've kept it on the shelves for so long, which is great for me, because I don't know what I would do without it. Every single time someone has told me my skin looked beautiful, I was wearing this. I wear it and I glow. I have tried Bare Minerals- nothing in comparison. I would literally cry if they stopped making this. I'll do a half-and-half picture of my face with and without this product, because the result is kind of shocking.

Revlon: Lip products, lip products, lip products. Shining stars: 

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti.

Revlon Lip Butters ($7). Try these. Love. Repeat. A ridiculous range of shades - I have almost all of them and love the moisture, color payoff and luxurious feel. I carry one of these with me at all times.

The rest of the lip products are good, too, but the lip butters have consistently impressed me and are a good way to start to play with color.

We'll talk more in the future about what's worth the money - but for tonight, sugar, you've got some places to start.