Drugstore vs. Department Store Beauty Products

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In general, I wear department store makeup. But that doesn’t mean that my beauty drawer (yes, I have an entire drawer filled with beauty products…and some baskets too) isn’t overflowing with drugstore bargains.

Does a high price tag really mean better quality?

My answer: Sometimes.

People will debate the heck out of this topic, but based on research and my own personal experiences, I can say with confidence that some drugstore products are comparable to department store brands and some are certainly NOT. Below is my guideline to splurging versus saving on makeup.

Foundation – SPLURGE: The general consensus of most experts is that you should splurge on department store foundations and concealers instead of trying to save money buying drugstore brands. There are a number of reasons for this, most pertaining to the consistency of drugstore foundations, but I won’t bore you with the technical stuff. The main reason that department stores provide you with a more natural looking, smoother foundation is because they have a greater selection of color shades and experts to help you find a match for your skin. You can waste lots of money buying different shades of drugstore foundations, hoping one will suite your skin tone and looking like a zebra in the mean time. OR, you can go to a department store or Sephora store and allow an expert to find you the perfect shade for your skin. It’s really up to you.

Check out the post I wrote a few weeks ago, raving about my favorite foundation.

Mascara – SAVE or SPLURGE: There are some mascaras that have a tendency to lengthen, volumize, etc. better than others, but overall I’ve found that how well mascara works depends a lot on the individual. With that said, I’ve tried A LOT of mascaras in my day and I’ve found that my favorite is a department store brand (I LOVE Lancome’ Hypnose). Still, there is no real reason I need to be spending as much money on mascara as I do, when there are so many great drugstore mascaras out there. For example: L’Oreal Paris Double Extend mascara and Mabelline Great Lash both work really well on most people’s lashes.

However, like many women, I’m very picky about my mascaras. Because of this, I’m in the process of compiling a list of all the mascaras I’ve tried and giving them ratings, which I’ll post in a separate entry and keep adding to as I try new ones. This way, others can benefit from my extensive research.

In the mean time, check out the post I wrote about how new and innovative L’Oreal Paris Double Extend Mascara is.

Lipstick – SPLURGE: Experts are divided on this one, but I say splurge on a good lipstick. This is my argument: Department stores will match you with a shade that goes great with your skin color so you know it’ll look great on you when you walk out the door. Similar to foundation, lip stick usually works out much better when you get to try the color before you buy it. Also, department store lipsticks usually contain more pigment than drugstore lipsticks. This means that the color will last longer on your lips and you don’t have to constantly be applying it.

Check out the blog post I wrote about choosing the perfect red lipstick and applying red lipstick so that it’ll stay put.

Lip gloss – SAVE: There are a lot of great department store lip glosses out there, but I’ve found (and most experts agree with me) that it’s unnecessary to spend $20 on a lip gloss when you can get a good one for $7. Because lip glosses, by nature, don’t have as much pigment in them as lipsticks, it’s not as important to worry about buying one that is “high end.”

Some great budget glosses:
+CoverGirl Wetskicks Amazemint Lip Gloss ($6.35)
+Burts Bees Lip Shimmer ($5.50)
+Mark Glossblossom Ripening Lip Tint ($6)
+Victoria’s Secret Beauty Rush Lip Gloss ($7)
+Mark Glow Baby Glow Luxe Hook Up Lip Gloss ($5.50)
+e.l.f. Plumping Lip Glaze ($1) http://www.eyeslipsface.com/lips/gloss/plumping_lip_glaze
+ MY ALL TIME FAVORITES!!! C.O. Bigelow Ultra Mentha Lip Shine ($7.50), which freshens your breath while keeping your lips looking amazing. AND C.O. Bigelow Lemon Lip Cream ($7.50), which makes your lips soooo soft and tastes like a pastry! Right now these glosses are buy two get one free at Bath & Body Works.

Makeup Brushes – SPLURGE: Cheap brushes have the tendency to be irritate your skin, fall apart, and leave bristles behind on your face. Also, they usually don’t offer as even of coverage. For these reasons, myself and most experts agree that you’ll be a lot happier if you invest in a quality set of brushes.

Check out the blog post I wrote about a discounted rate on antibacterial brushes. Also, check out my blog post about how to clean your makeup brushes.

And that’s all for Part 1 in this series, folks. Tune in soon for Part 2!

XOXO,
Sarah
Your PJ