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I use anything and everything, lol. I have some super-cheap stuff (like the 120 palette, but it's actually awesome!), I have drugstore stuff, middle-value stuff and some high-end stuff. My favs are:
I really like the drugstore brand Milani. I think it's used to be geared to ward "women of color", but i dont think it is anymore. Anyway, their eyeshadows are super pigmented. I use them a lot. My other thing is this felt-tip eyeliner I got. It's called "InColor FabuLiner". I got it at Walgreens for like, 1.99. It's awesome! Favorite eyeliner ever.
The middle of the road stuff is like Rimmel, NYX, and the Very Sexy brand from Victoria's Secret. I have some Rimmel foundation that I am not a fan of, but I've never used anything else by them. I LOVE my NYX lipsticks and lipliners, they have some really awesome colors. The hidden gem here is the Victoria's secret Makeup. It's actually, really, really good. Even the cheap VS Beauty Rush brand is good. I love my VS bronzer, except that it is discontinued. The Very Sexy eyeshadows are really good, and not too expensive.
In my heart, I am a total MAC girl. I love, love, love everything I've ever gotten from them. The eyeshadows and pigments really have no equal that I have ever tried. I also love Urban Decay, their Primer Potion is a god-send.
i have all of the spectrum too...i have drug store foundation, MAC pressed powder, dollar store brushes, drugstore eyeliner, and Christian Dior mascara. I used to use L'Oreal Lash Explosion until I found this Christian Dior mascara...and I am not going back. It does the job ten times of the lash explosion (I have short and curly eyelashes), it volumizes and brings them out and makes them look long...LOVE IT!
I use a mixture of both, i buy most of my mascara at the drugstore, and some impulse buys or if I see something that I think will work for a certain outing or something, most of my staples that I can't live without are high end and I feel like for my eye liners and things I tend to buy the high end ones and they quality and how long they last I usually tend to think is better and they last a lot longer.
@zippylef: I agree that Urban Decay's Primer Potion is a godsend...I love that stuff! I have a VS bronzer that I think is pretty good too. I have one Milani eyeshadow which I was impressed by, but I never seem to find that brand in drugstores anymore.
I really like Revlon's lipsticks and lipglosses...I rarely buy super expensive lip products.
I'm probably the only girl in the world that hasn't tried much MAC stuff. I think I should try their eyeshadows because everyone says they are great. My favorite eyeshadows are Smashbox, I think they are totally worth the price.
I agree that expensive doesn't always mean better. I experiment with lots of stuff and have a mixture, though since I don't wear a lot of makeup I do tend to have more drugstore stuff. But if I find a more expensive product that works better (it has to work better for me to pay the extra money) I definately buy it. I just haven't found all that many products that actually work better.
For some reason I've found with lotions, and concealers my skin is more sensitive to more high end items. It doesnt' make any sense and I never thought I had sensitive skin until I started trying the more expensive products and then whoa, hi red skin.
I can't wear most drugstore brands because I have really pale, sensitive skin that gets splotchy with them. But I agree that price definitely doesn't always equal quality. I've had to shop around quite a bit for my "must haves." The only thing I consistently buy that is not from Sephora or Philosophy is Burt's Bees because who doesn't love Burt's?
@Tulip61110: I think Walgreens has started to phase it out, unfortunately. If you have an Ulta nearby, they carry NYX and Milani. So does this website: http://www.cherryculture.com/index.php AWESOME site to get stuff cheap.
My brushes are from eBay. lol. $14.99 for a set of 15, baby.
I pretty much only buy high-end. I figure it's touching your face and worth the money. Plus I wear lots of eyeshadow and the pigments are better in the more expensive ones. I also feel like higher end eyeliners go on more smoothly.
I mostly use Clinique, but also Lorac and Nars. I will admit though that I cheat on my higher end stuff with Rimmel because I do like their eyeshadows.
Drugstore stuff I love
High End makeup
Coastal Scents - Coastal scents is a website that they sell alot of great makeup for really great prices, check it out!!!
Also there are some GREAT video's on Youtube where people rate products, they also have some awesome tutorials on how to apply makeup (even if you have been wearing makeup for years you can still learn stuff from these girls)
@Tulip61110: Amen on the Great Lash! It is the only mascara I will use. It goes on sale a lot and sometimes you can find two-packs of it, too!
I, too, use a mix of high end and drugstore brands. Generally, I use more expensive brands for what goes all over my face (Smashbox Primer, Bare Minerals foundation) but I'll use pretty much any brand of eyshadow and lipgloss.
I agree with other saying price does not always equal better products.
I have a mix of both i have a lot of NYX shadows..some MAC..some Too Faced..for foundation i love Maybelline the shade Classic Ivory is a perfect match for me :)
sadly i am allergic to most lip product from the high end brands (too much fragrance maybe?) I am a fan of UDPP it is the best (for me the Too Faced one did not work)..i also love Clinique's gel liners :)
However i always read reviews and watch videos to make the best choice drugstore or not i want the best value for the price :)
as for brushed i LOVE LOVE my Ecotools (drugstore) and I love Sigma (sigmamakeup.com) for their stippling brushes (they are comparable to MAC even the numbers are the same) ..my favorite is the SS 197 for foundation. I try to stay away from real hair brushes (i know i know the 187 and 188 have goat hair) i LOVE taklon (Ecotools and Too Faced uses that) ...it really depends on ur skin..budget and how much u want to experiment.. sadly i have yet to find a drugstore in Canada that allows to return used cosmetics (i miss USA for that) so i have to be even more careful what i buy :)
I have a mix. I’ve tried a bunch of higher-end foundations, and just keep going back to Revlon color-stay. I just like the way it looks, covers, etc. better than anything else I’ve tried. I also like their loose powder.
I do however, love my Dior mascara, and so do splurge on that.
I don’t wear eyeshadow a lot, so I tend to buy higher end eyeshadows because the pigment seems better – richer color, etc., and I feel like I use less of it this way. Same for eye liner pencils.
I do use pretty high end skincare products, because my skin is very fussy, and what I use works on it, and its worth it to me to spend more but great a really great product in return.
Im in the high end makeup category for the most part. I have some inexpensive revlon, mary kay, sephora brand, and ulta makeup, though! I use a lot of Laura Mercier, Dior (mascara), clinique. For some things, I REALLY can tell a difference. Mascara is one, foundation and primer is another, and I also like Cargo's blush. Even though it was $30, i've had it for years and the color is just spot on for my complexion. And I definitely use high end skin care products....can't skimp on those!
Yep, I use a mix of low, middle, and high-end products. My favorite eyeliner pencil is the one for $1 from NYC, because it smudges beautifully. My powder bronzer, summer moisturizer, and most lip products are mid-range like VS, Neutrogena, CoverGirl, and so on. Everything else is from brands like Clinique, Sephora, Smashbox, MAC, Nars, etc.
Two things I'm an absolute "snob" about are my makeup brushes and perfume -- I'll pay just about anything for my favorites.
Oh, and nearly every lotion I've ever owned if from Bath & Body Works. Heaven for my skin.
I use Clinique powder and whatever comes free in their bonuses. For everything else, I just buy drugstore brands
I love Maybellene Great Lash. Best mascara ever
Great post. I am a mainstream and midprice mixer!
Foundation: L'Oreal Dream Matte Mousse ($$) Perfect coverage for my oily skin
Primer: Monistat Anti-Chafing Gel ($ when compared to normal primers) This mess (per Miss Rainbows recommendation) is amazing! Makes everything so smooth. I did just order Lorac's primer because it was on sale on Hautelook for $8 (about the cost of the Monistat). We will see how that goes.
Eye shadow: Urban Decay or Lorac ($$$) I think they just smooth on so much better than any low low or brand name drug store.
Eyeliner: Lorac Pencil ($$$) A must have
Lips: Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss ($$) Amazing since I like some color and some staying power but I don't like lipstick.
Blush: Neutrogena Healthy Skin ($$) Has vitamins. I don't know if they work, but the color works on my tan/brown skin.
Mascara: Maybelline Lash Stiletto ($$) Probably my fave though many come close second. I have never had a great experience with a slightly cheaper or a more expensive brand (outside of the L'Oreals and the Maybellines). I think for what you pay, these are the best. I have a Lorac right now and I have to use it with Define-a-Lash to make a difference.
Key:
$ - Bargain Basement Brands a la Wet & Wild et al
$$- Mainstream Drug Store aka Revlon, Maybelline (don't love anything by Cover Girl)
$$$ - Mid Price Lines like Lorac, Cargo, Urban Decay, Smashbox, Too Faced
$$$$ - Expensive Beauties i.e. Christian Dior, Chanel, Vincent Longo, Nars, Givenchy
I've experimented quite a bit with drugstore makeup, but with most items, I find that I don't get the results I want or it just doesn't last long enough. I found that with some of the more expensive stuff the price is worth the quality. That being said, I still use drug store face & body washes, lotions and lip balms. And I refuse to buy high end makeup without any bonuses (like gifts with purchase or points from Sephora!).
Almost all of my makeup is higher end, with a few exceptions. I'll break it down by category.
Face: I use Benefit Boi-ing! concealer. For everyday use, I use Bare Escentuals foundation and mineral veil, but for special occasions, I wear Make Up For Ever HD foundation with their finishing powder.
Blush: Nars Orgasm all the way. It's the only blush I wear.
Lips: I have a TON of lip glosses (although sometimes I think that they're all basically the same color). Some are high-end, some are drugstore brand. I don't see too much of a difference in quality between an $8 gloss and a $25 one.
Eyeshadow: My favorite eyeshadow brand is Urban Decay. I also like Mac. I don't really wear drugstore shadows. And I agree, Urban Decay Primer Potion is KEY.
Eyeliner: I have like zillions of eyeliners even though I never wear them. Most of them are pretty high end as well (Urban Decay, Stila, Smashbox)
Mascara: This is the only time that I fully prefer a drugstore brand over a high-end brand. My Cover Girl LashExact is way better than any other mascara I have, even DiorShow.
Other: For my brows, I use Anastasia brand brow powder on days when it's not hot. If it's hot, I'm afraid my forehead will get sweaty so I use a cheap pencil instead.
@danadelphia: I agree about the lip products. I have a hard time seeing a difference between cheaper lipstick and gloss and the more expensive brands.
I also have the NARS Orgasm blush (I caved in because everyone said it was a "must have"), but I don't seem to like it as much as others do. I think blushes with more pink in it look better on me. I bought the blush as a duo with the NARS Laguna Bronzer...and I LOVE that. I usually find the higher end bronzers are better than the drugstore ones.
I like higher end stuff for foundation/cover up/powder/etc...I like Bare Minerals powder, HD photofinish primer or Philosophy, Urban Decay setting spray,Dr. Brandt pore minimizer, etc, etc
Eyeliner? I'm not too picky...I usually get the middle of the road drugstore stuff
Mascarra? Usually I have two or three at once that I swap out...I like Dior for a nicer one and Maybeline for a cheaper alternative
Eye Shadow? I agree with the Rimmel lovers! It is great :) I also like Victorias Secret
Blush/Bronzer? I really like Almays liquid blush and Physicans Formula (used lightly!) bronzers
Lipstick/Gloss? I like the The Balm and Lancome
I use a pretty good mix of stuff :) I am the most picky about eye cremes/primers/toners/etc I've found
I don't wear a lot of make up... just foundation, powder and blush usually. I use physicians formula for all of that. I like their color correcting powder that gets rid of my red marks. Then just some chapstick because my lips are dry usually.
If I go out i'll put on eyeshadow and mascara sometimes, but it's just whatever I have a coupon for or whatever is on sale at the drug store.
I've bought and tried to so many things over the years. I've landed on a mixture of drugstore and high-end, like many bees here.
Here are some of the clear drugstore winners:
1. Maybelline coverstick in medium beige. AWESOME. Best concealer ever
2. Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara (makes my lame lashes major)
3. Neutrogena foundation (feel good for your skin too!)
4. Revlon colorstay matte eyeshadow (the only drugstore eyeshadow I like)
5. Physician's Formula bronzers
And my high-end splurges:
1. Chantecaille future skin foundation (love! This is my winter pick!)
2. Clinique lipsticks
3. NARS Blush
4. Shu Umera Eyelash curler
5. Bare minerals foundations (in the summer)
6. MAC eyeshadows (THE BEST PIGMENT!)
I thought that I couldn't apply makeup for the longest time, but then I realized that it was because I was using drugstore brands! For my foundation I just keep on getting samples from Lancome, and I buy my powder from there. I use various brands of mascara, with no clear favorite. For eyeshadow I use Too Faced (the natural collection)- love it.
What a fantastic thread!!! I have to admit, most of my stuff is quite high end. I use Lancome almost exclusively, with the occasional product from Estee Lauder. I'm very curious to try MAC though, as I've heard great things about it! I used to wear drugstore type makeup, but I really found that it doesn't last long at all, and either goes on too dark, or not at all. But perhaps that's just me...
I gotta say, MAC makeup is amazing. I don 't wear much, but their concealer is serious business and the photofinish powder are flawless, and their blush gives such a nice dewey glow. My former drugstore fave was physician's formula. I'm not fussy about mascara, the mabelline great lash does the trick, but diorshow mascara is quite fabulous.
I get all of my makeup at Target. I don't wear makeup a lot, so I don't want to spend a ton of money. I'm going to check out Sephora today for primer and other things like that.
What I love:
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Blends powder
Maybelline mascara - I've tried a few, and my favorite are: Colossal and Full & Soft
Maybelline Expert Wear eyeshadow quads
Cover Girl eyeshadow
I love Nars lipstick. I haven't found a drugstore lipstick that I love so I think it's Wet N Wild that I buy.
I buy almost exclusively drug store brand, and have never had a problem. Yeah, every once in a while I pick up a product that is crap (ex Covergirl Outlast Lipstain is terrible!) but overall I find drugstore shadows, foundation, blush, mascara, and eyeliner to be perfect for my needs.
Most lipsticks and stuff I have are more high end, but that is because FI has a cousin who worked for Lancome for years and would pick out colors that worked for me and give them to me for free :P
I have a couple higher end products I swear buy, such as Urban Decay Primer Potion, a couple Clinique and Lancome lip glosses, but overall, I am not very picky with make up!
I only wear high end makeup and mostly just MAC which is really the low end of the high end stuff. What a mouthful! I don't find the quality of drug store makeup remotely compares to MAC. I also wear clinique, smashbox and chanel. But I have had some high end products that are total crap!
However, I mostly get my brushes from drug stores.
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Which do you typically buy? Do you think there's a big difference in quality? I would say I have a good mixture of both and that more expensive doesn't always mean better.
My staple mascara is Maybelline Great Lash, which is dirt cheap, and I've never found anything I've liked better. On the other hand, I usually splurge on eyeshadows because most drugstore brands I've tried don't even compare.