Makeup: High End vs Drug Store

Last week I had a gracious reader leave a comment on my Facebook page regarding a segment ABC15 had conducted comparing/contrasting high end and drug store makeup  --

"Hi there! Just stumbled across your blog looking for makeup advice/good deals, etc. because I'm interested in what I should splurge on and what's the same as drugstore brands. ABC15 is doing a segment tomorrow night at 10 about the best cosmetics brands (expensive vs. cheap) so maybe you could do a post like that, too, or follow their findings? Do you have any experiences buying really nice makeup vs. cheap stuff? I never know what brands to buy!"

As a long time couponer, I can say without a doubt that drug store makeup is something I know quite a bit about (even though I don't get to use it that often since I'm a SAHM)

With the use of coupons and Facebook offers, I have been able to try out a variety of makeup brands for FREE or nearly free

Unfortunately, I still have to purchase some high end products i.e. foundation & powder since I have super sensitive, oily and acne prone skin

Coupons and sales for high end products are rare but do come around from time to time and that's when I stock up :)

Below I have selected a few of my favorite high end & drug store brand products

Please keep in mind that while some makeup products may work well for one person, they may not work well for someone else due to a variety of factors--- skin type (dry, oily, combination), color selection, allergies, diet, health conditions, medications...

When it comes to high end products, it is best to try the product out first (makeup consultation)

Leave the product on for a few hours and see how well it holds up throughout the day before deciding whether to purchase it.

 This is especially important if you have sensitive skin. The last thing you want is to purchase an expensive product only to find out later on that you can no longer use it because it breaks you out or causes a rash...I speak from experience here :(

Eyeshadows

I have used eyeshadows from just about every drug store brand out there and have to say that my all time favorite brand is a high end brand: Urban Decay's Naked Palettes (avail at Sephora)

 Pros: silky soft, last all day, don't crease

Cons: expensive ~$26, color variation limited with these palettes

I have yet to find a drug store brand that doesn't feel chalky/powdery to me

 The two worst drug store brands I've used are:

Covergirl's Eye Enhancers shadows followed by Neutrogena's nourishing eye duos

The Covegirl Eye Enhancers rub off easily, tend to crease, feel chalky and are not very pigmented. Neutrogena shadows have medium pigmentation but feel chalky and cause the worst fall out of all the brands I've used. 

The last thing you want is to have raccoon eyes at the end of the day because of eye shadow fall out.

Color pigmentation is also very important. I don't like having to layer the shadow on only to have it wear off after a few short hours. When wearing eyeshadow, I always use a primer underneath to get the shadow to last longer. However, I find that with drug store eye shadows, they still tend to wear off, fade or crease before the end of the day regardless of primer use.

Mascara

Favorite brand is a drug store brand: Maybelline New York Lots of Lashes

Pros: very inexpensive (~ $4 reg price), separates and elongates lashes without clumping, doesn't dry out quickly, has a distinct wand shape which allows for an easy application, coupons are usually available

Cons: doesn't make lashes look thicker 

Clinique's High Impact mascara is also a good mascara but at $16 I prefer to purchase the Maybelline Lots of Lashes.

Eyeliner

Favorite brand: Don't have one

I have tried just about every brand of eyeliner out there including high end brands i.e. MAC's Powerpoint eye pencil which was $16 and I was not a fan of it

 I have round eyes so the liner helps give my eyes more of an almond shape which I prefer with the makeup looks I usually wear

Unfortunately, most liners are either very dry or too slick and if they're too slick, then they tend to smear easily. If they're too dry, then its difficult to apply them and can highlight/enhance wrinkles on the lids. Waterproof liners tend to be on the dry side. Therefore,  I usually purchase eye liners that are more on the slick side and set them with eyeshadow so that they last longer throughout the day. 

If I had to choose a good brand that fits this category, I would say it's a drug store brand:

Wet N Wild's Coloricon eye liner

Pros: ~ $1-$2, glides on smooth, highly pigmented, lasts longer when set with eyeshadow

Cons: doesn't last throughout the day if not set with eyeshadow or powder

Lipstick

If there's one thing I'm always purchasing in the makeup aisles, it's drug store lipsticks!

Drug store lipsticks are great and definitely something I will not purchase from high end brands, although I have received/tried several samples from Clinique, MAC and YSL

Why purchase high end brands if the drug store brands are just as great :)

Favorite brand: Revlon (anything in matte)

 Pros: long wearing, don't feather/bleed, highly pigmented, inexpensive ~$5 reg price, coupons usually available

Cons: matte formulations can be a bit dry on the lips, some of them have a strong smell 

There are two drug store brand lipsticks however that I don't recommend: 

ELF and NYC 

ELF lipsticks, especially the matte formulations, are super dry and tend to bead up on the lips when you rub them together. They smell awful, are not very pigmented and rub off easily

NYC lipsticks tend to bleed/feather and rub off easily 

Blush

Favorite high end brand: Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush

Favorite drug store brand: Revlon powder/cream blush

Tarte Pros: great color selection, long wearing, highly pigmented, silky smooth, formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Petrochemicals
- Phthalates
- GMOs
- Triclosan

Tarte Cons: expensive ~ $26 at Sephora

Revlon Pros: under $10, long wearing, coupons usually available

Revlon Cons: few color selections available, not as pigmented as Tarte blush 

Due to the fact that I have very sensitive skin, I refrain from purchasing drug store brand foundations and powders

I have had bad experiences with Covergirl and Maybelline foundations/powders in the past

(skin broke out with Maybelline and Covergirl caused an itchy rash)

However, I have also had bad experiences with high end foundations/powders i.e. MAC and Kat Von D 

(Skin broke out with both of these products)

Clinique foundations/powders are my go to products but as I mentioned above, these may not work for everyone due to a variety of factors--- skin type (dry, oily, combination), color selection, allergies, diet, health conditions, medications...

When it comes to choosing a foundation or powder, it's best to try the product out for yourself instead of relying solely on other people's reviews/suggestions 

I hope this post was helpful and would like to thank reader, Ashley Rae for suggesting this topic :)

Makeup coupons currently available: 

•  $1 Revlon Color Cosmetic 4/28 SS insert
• $2 Revlon foundation, blush, BB cream, concealer or primer 4/28 SS insert
• $1 Revlon Colorstay suede lipstick 
• $1 Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara 
• $2 Revlon foundation, blush, BB cream, concealer, primer or bronzer 5/12 SS insert
• $1 Maybelline New York Eyeshadow or Eye Liner 4/14 RP insert
• $1 Maybelline New York Mascara 4/14 RP insert
• $1 Maybelline New York Lip 4/14 RP insert
• $1 Almay Intense i-color Cosmetics Item, ETS, TARGET coupon
• $2 Almay Cosmetics 5/19 SS insert
• $2 Almay Cosmetics and Makeup Removers Walgreens coupon (May coupon booklet in store)
• $1 NYC New York Color Product, $1.72+
• $2 Rimmel ScandalEyes Show Off Mascara 
• $1 Rimmel Bronzing product 
• $1 Rimmel eye, face or nail product 4/28 RP insert
• $1 Rimmel London 4/07 RP insert
• $1 Rimmel London 3/17 RP insert
• $3 off 2 Neutrogena cosmetics 5/05 SS insert
• $1 off 1 Neutrogena cosmetics 5/05 SS insert
• $2 Neutrogena cosmetic product 
• $2 off 2 Neutrogena products 
• $2 Neutrogena Cosmetics Item, excludes trial sizes, TARGET coupon 
• $1 Wet n Wild or Fergie, eye, lip or nail product 5/19 RP insert
• $3 off 2 CoverGirl (excludes accessories) 5/12 P&G insert
• $2 CoverGirl Outlast Lipcolor, Smoothwear or Double Lipshine 5/12 P&G insert
• $1 Covergirl (excludes accessories) 5/12 P&G insert
• $1 Covergirl foundation 
• $1 CoverGirl Outlast 3 in 1 Foundation, ETS 
• $2 CoverGirl LashBlast Mascara or (1) Eye Shadow, ETTS 4/28 P&G insert
• $1 L'Oreal Paris Cosmetics Item, excludes trial size, TARGET coupon
• $2 L'Oreal Paris, cosmetic face product, excluding Magic Perfecting Base 5/19 RP
• $1 L'oreal Paris eye product
• $1 L'Oreal Paris Lip Product 4/28 RP insert
• $4 L'Oreal Paris Infallible Never Fail 24 Hour 2 Step Lipcolour 4/28 RP insert
• $2 L'Oreal Paris Cosmetic Face, excludes Magic Perfecting Base, .17 oz 4/14 RP insert
• $1 L'Oreal Paris product

 Current CVS and Walgreens makeup sales