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· December 21, 2007 12:49 PM by
Colleen Shirazi
· December 21, 2007 2:27 PM by
Dain
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Posted by Dain, Friday, December 21, 2007 12:04 AM (Eastern)
Here's a question that appears perennially: does price make a difference when it comes to cosmetics?
A tricky question, and an even trickier answer. First of all, it depends on how well you can detect a "difference" in the first place, can you really tell whether a $30 lipstick is that much creamier to wear and richer in color than a $6 one, and even if you notice, can anyone else? If this a matter of concern to you, then buying drugstore is like bargain-hunting in any other respect, you must be prepared to wade through tons of crap, and you must contend with the advantages and disadvantages of mass-market products. Formulations are generally very reliable, because many of these companies are owned by giant conglomerates that can afford to do research, but the ingredients are generally inferior: synthetic fillers, cheap fragrances, and low pigment intensity. Mind you, I've seen expensive makeup with these hallmarks, and cheap makeup that defies them, but what you're really paying for, when you go high-end is time (and packaging).
That is really what differentiates high from low-end. Drugstore makeup on the whole lacks a personal touch, there is less care and consideration given to an individual shade, so you are more likely to find yourself surrounded by indifferent products. There is no reason why I cannot use a $1.25 Jordana eye pencil, no doubt there are worthy browns in a worthy formula (most pencils are the same in manufacture), but I prefer the particular brown of MAC Teddy Eye Kohl—smoky, with plummy depths, a slight bronze sheen—subtle adjustments, to be sure, but they make Teddy special, while Expresso is not. With high-end products, these specific characteristics are far more accessible (testability also makes a difference), and far more common.
Of course, drugstore is also a good place to experiment with trends. They have a higher turnover rate than many high-end niche brands, which means constant discontinuations but also very frequent new colors.
Lip products (sticks, glosses, liners) are generally reliable, especially if you are seeking sturdy, reliable colors like pinks and browns, though tricky pigments like red have a tendency to turn. They might have somewhat less complexity or refinement compared to lipsticks from YSL or glosses from NARS, but the difference is not huge, not enough for people to notice. I also feel that foundations and loose powders are reliable in the drugstore, though maybe not as reliable as the beautifully realistic face and body foundations of Make Up For Ever or MAC, or the exquisite powders of Caron. Liners and mascara, too, are good bets at the drugstore, especially mascara, which needs to be thrown away in a short time anyway.
Where you cannot scrimp: blush, eyeshadow, and makeup brushes. It is very, very important to find the right blush, the cornerstone for choosing all other colors, so it is crucial that you are able to test and find the perfect one. Though Sonia Kashuk makes truly excellent brushes, for the most part it is a bad idea to invest in cheap brushes. They make a difference in the application as the makeup itself does not. Anything pressed, such as powder and blush but particularly eyeshadow is tricky, sometimes the particles are not finely milled, usually they are not tightly pressed, and almost always the pigmentation is seriously lacking. The only drugstore offering worthy of notice is L'Oréal HIP, truly as good as MAC, with a NARS-like eye for color.
Labels: beauty notes, cheap thrills
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December 21, 2007 12:49 PM,
It is tricky. On one hand, I'd want to say drugstore cosmetics are good for experimentation. If you're just starting out, you can try a wide range of shades to get a ballpark idea of what works.
On the other hand, I don't think you can refine what works using only drugstore makeup. The complex colors and quality just aren't there.
On the third hand :D when you're young, you don't need that much makeup anyway. You can get away with a little this 'n' that and still look killer.
I've ended up using only high end makeup, even though I don't use a lot of makeup at a pop. If I'd had to go through an experimental phase using this kind of makeup, I would be totally broke.
My mainstay makeup brush is actually Sonia Kashuk, the large eyeshadow brush. You can't do anything fancy with it...if I want to do a real crease, I use my MAC brush. But for light creases I just turn the SK one sideways and use it.
Another factor with drugstore makeup is the annoyance of having your favorite products discontinued...that's another reason I don't use them.
December 21, 2007 2:27 PM,
Good point, I forgot that drugstore makeup is an easy way to play with trends.
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