Post # 1
Member
25 posts
Newbee
Hello ladies. I’m planning to do my makeup for my wedding and have considered buying a few new products to try. I always hear women rave about products that are usually more expensive (22 or 30 dollar mascara vs 7). The most I’ve spent on makeup is UD eyeshadow primer and Too Faced eyeshadow. I can’t really say the TF eyeshadow stays any better than say Wet & Wild brand. I don’t really need foundation because my skin is pretty clear and even without it. Are the higher end products really any better? Any recommendations?
Post # 3
Member
353 posts
Helper bee
@strawberrypixie: Yes! ALL of my make up is professional/expensive. It lasts longer, better quality, good pigmentation etc. The mascara I use is Benefit They’re real ($23) but since I started using it, I won’t use anything else. As for eyeshadow, I use all Urban Decay (with primer). Since you’re planning on doing your own make up, I’d go to a local make up store (sephora if ones around) and mess around with the samples so you can get a feel for everything! Good luck!
Post # 4
Member
25 posts
Newbee
@Katie918: Yes, I was looking at that Benefit mascara. Unfortunately, the last high end mascara I bought weighed my lashes down and was just way too wet. It ended up being a waste. I think they have a smaller size though? So maybe I’ll give it a try.
Post # 5
Member
1475 posts
Bumble bee
IMO, certain things are worth it. For me, eye shadow is one due to better colour-payoff, less creasing, and more lasting power. Foundation is another – less oxidization, the shade selections are better, the ingredients are more expensive and therefore less likely to upset sensitive skin, and they can last longer.
Thing not worth it (IMO): Mascara (I use L’Oreal Voluminous and I like it better than any high-end masacara I’ve tried), liquid eye-liner (Revlon colorstay liquid liner is the sh*t – and I am a liquid liner connoisseur!), brow powder (love NYX).
Actually I’d recommend checking out all of NYX’s stuff – it’s ridiculously cheap for the quality and their eyeshadows have amazing colour payoff. I use them interchangeably with my MAC shadows and the quality is just as good.
Post # 6
Member
9134 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
- Wedding: November 2013 - St. Augustine Beach, FL
@strawberrypixie: For some things it’s absolutely worth it to spend the extra money. Primer, base, and powder is where I spend the extra money. I can make cheap eyeshadow and blush look good so long as I have good primer on my lids. Mascara is also worth spending money on, especially if your eyes are sensitive like mine. Cheap mascara flakes into your eyes and can cause an infection. I cheap out on eyeliner because I don’t really notice enough of a difference between pencils to make it worth $20 over $1.
Plus, because I don’t spend a lot of money on certain products it doesn’t hurt to toss it out every 6-12 months like you should.
Post # 7
Member
2890 posts
Sugar bee
Depends what for. There are very good drugstore products that even professionals like to use (Revlon Colorstay foundation and some of their mascaras for example). I think more than the price, you have to find the correct products for you. That means, hydrofuge mascara, long-lasting foundation that will not reflect the light oddly on pictures (because of the flash of camera). I’ve heard most HD foundations photograph badly. Even if you’re not used to wear foundation, I think it’s better for photography because it evens out your skin even if you feel that it does naturally.
I think you’ll also need to invest in a good primer and good finish spray, that will make all the difference.
Post # 8
Member
1582 posts
Bumble bee
@strawberrypixie: YES! Especially for foundation, primer, and mascara. Things like lipgloss I usually go cheaper on.
Post # 9
Member
394 posts
Helper bee
Yes – it’s totally worth it. The only makeup I’ll buy from a drugstore is mascara, because I throw it away and change it every week like clockwork.
My faves –
Eyeshadow: Urban Decay
Blush: Nars, Chanel
Primer: Smashbox
Powder: Benefit (Hula, Georgia), MAC, Dior, by Terry
Mascara: Diorshow
Foundation: Dior, Illamasqua, Lancôme , MAC
BB Cream: various Korean brands (they’re still better than US versions and contain skin whitener)
Post # 10
Member
3025 posts
Sugar bee
- Wedding: July 2014 - Prague
I have never found a mascara that I like better than Clinique glossy. I will pay more for that.
But I’ve been doing “tests” with primer and foundations (literally doing half my face in cheap and half in higher-end stuff) and I can’t really tell the difference. I *have* found that primer does help! I haven’t invested in high-end eye shadow yet, but primer definitely helps the staying power of the ones I’ve got.
I agree with liner– cheap seems to be just as good as not. I’ll have to check out that Revlon one.
Post # 11
Member
1541 posts
Bumble bee
I think higher end products always feel nicer on my skin, and so I do normally buy them (love Chanel lipstick, Stila, Nars, Laura Mercier). I can’t explain why or how they are better though, just my opinion! The only thing I buy cheap is mascara because I don’t feel a difference.
Post # 12
Member
1914 posts
Buzzing bee
- Wedding: September 2014 - Dallas, TX
I think it’s worth it for everything except eyeliner. I always lose my eyeliner and the one time I bought an expensive one, I lost it two days later so I said never again!
Post # 13
Member
1541 posts
Bumble bee
@applecat: I use the same mascara! Agree that it seems the same as pricey-er ones.
Post # 14
Member
1342 posts
Bumble bee
@strawberrypixie: In my experience, Bobbi Brown has the best eye shadow and Lancome has the best mascara!!
Post # 15
Member
25 posts
Newbee
@SomedayHisBride: I use bb cream (Missha). It usually slides off my face or easily rubs off on EVERYTHING (even with primer). Not sure if I’m applying it wrong or this brand isn’t doing it for me. 🙁
ETA: I tried Skin79 too, wasn’t a fan.
Post # 16
Member
353 posts
Helper bee
@strawberrypixie: Yeah, they do have a sample size which is what I buy first if I can to make sure I like it. I’ve been using this mascara for over a year- before using this mascara I could never find one that I would stick with
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