Do expensive brands mean they're actually better?

Clare Bear

I've gone through loads of different types of make up and after 10 years I have my must haves. But just looking through what a lot of people use here (Mac, Benefit etc) from my own experience rarely are they actually any better. I bought Elizabeth Arden, Bobby Brown etc because I thought they must be better but after experimenting with the likes of Rimmell and Boots own collection I really can't tell the difference with half of them.

Those of you that do buy the "top" brands, do you really think there's a huge difference between them and cheaper products?

I basically buy what I think looks good on me, even if it means it was only 3 for €7.50 in Boots!

ha-ya-said-what

I'm like you, tried the expensive "must have" stuff and the cheaper stuff .. boots, essence, avon, rimmell etc

I got eyeliners out of dunnes & one Avon one which I find fab and each one less than €2 and far more superior to expensive ones I've had.

Foundation is No.7 & one Maybelline one (tried I do no know how many over the years & only ever liked them two). Mascara is No.7 cos with me it's the only one that stays put, and even Aldi have a waterproof one which stays on.

Eye shadow I don't really bother with, I have one natural pallet I got free off my Avon rep and I find it stays put all day & colours blend great.

Alot of the expensive stuff actually brought my face out in a pimple like rash within minutes of putting it on so it just got the bin, think the worst of them was an Elizabeth Arden foundation!

MizzLolly

I really only wear make up on my eyes but in my experience you can get great make up far more reasonably priced the MAC, Benefit etc.

I rarely wear foundation or concealer so when I have needed some I fell for all the lines from the sales people at various make up counters over the years. Remember buying a concealer from Estee Lauder for about €35 a few years back. Got one recently from Urban Decay for €13 and it's a million times better. I'm also a huge fan of Boots 17 range and essence. You don't have to spend a fortune for good make up.

eth0_

No way...a lot of expensive brands are crap. But do your research and you shouldn't be burned. I recommend the user reviews on makeupalley, they are invaluable.

ha-ya-said-what

I'm now waiting for someone to come along and back lash all we said and swear to the high heavens about the expensive stuff.

What I always say, for the amount of different brands out there, do people really think that all of them come from a different factory!

Outkast_IRE

ha-ya-said-what wrote: »

I'm now waiting for someone to come along and back lash all we said and swear to the high heavens about the expensive stuff.

What I always say, for the amount of different brands out there, do people really think that all of them come from a different factory!

No they dont think that but the factories for such products make them in large batches so ingredients can be changed every batch for the different products as neccesary

eth0_

ha-ya-said-what wrote: »

What I always say, for the amount of different brands out there, do people really think that all of them come from a different factory!

No, but that doesn't prove anything. I mean, Bourjois products are made by Chanel, but you could not possibly say Bourjois is the same quality as Chanel.

ha-ya-said-what

No I don't mean the expensive against the expensive.

There is cheaper stuff out there on the same par as expensive stuff all the same stuff in it, that ppl don't know where it is made and it could very well be one of the more expensive brands just relabeled and repackaged, but ppl simply won't buy it because of it's packaging

LivingDeadGirl

Foundation/concealer: I never buy cheaper foundations or concealers, as these cheaper brands never ever make shades for pale skinned people like myself. I use a Revlon Colourstay in 110 Ivory, but considering it costs 17.50e I don't really consider it cheap tbh! I've also tried MAC, NC15 is too dark and yellow but NW15 might work on me? I know you're not supposed to do it that way but meh, I don't care, ANYWAY.... Nicest foundation in terms of finish I have ever used is by Face2 (30 euro), my skin looked glowing and amazing, even if the shade is a little dark, I can powder it to fix it, it's just effort :P So for me, best foundation = not cheap. The only good concealer in terms of colour match that I've found is the Catrice concealer palette, but this caked under my eyes so is only good for blemishes/dicolouration. At 3.49e, I'm not complaining. I use MAC Select Cover Up in NW15 under my eyes, it's unbelievable I'm finishing off a No.7 stick concealer too, when that's gone I'll be getting the MAC Studio Finish concealer in NC15 I think.

Eyeshadow: I never bother with cheap eyeshadows, they're always either chock full of shimmer/glitter chunks or the pay off is terrible, or sometimes both! The Revlon Matte shadows look lovely but at 7.50 a pop and a limited shade selection I think I'll pass. Oh and Barry M Dazzledusts are lovely but I'm clumsy so I spill them! I do have several of the 'Coastal Scents' palettes which I purchased on Ebay and use them all the time. These are excellent in terms of quality but not exactly handbag friendly. I need to pick up something for my bag, I'm thinking some more MAC singles or a holiday palette, I currently just have two singles. Love

Mascara: I always buy cheaper brand mascara as I just don't want to spend a lot of money on something I find it difficult to get right. I have short, thick eyelashes that love to clump together so I find mascara shopping very difficult. My HG however is L'oreal Telescopic, it's fantastic, so lengthening. I also want to try the Maybelline Lash Stiletto, it looks like my kind of thing. I also want to try my first high end mascara as it's gotten rave reviews, which I seem to believe for some reason, just a sort of feeling I have, and it's Make Up For Ever's Smokey Lash mascara.

Eyeliner/Lipliner: Hmmm, mixed bag here. Tending towards high end though, I absolutely adore my MAC Feline Power Kohl eyeliner, no cheap eyeliner will ever beat it or even come close. The Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner are amazing too. GOSH do good eyeliners but again would you really consider them a cheap brand? They're kind of mid-way like Revlon IMO. I love Prestige lip liners, excellent buys, but I also love the colour selection brands like MAC give. You won't find colours as interesting in cheaper brands' ranges.

Lipstick/gloss: I prefer high end lipsticks in most cases. I dispise shimmer so that discounts a lot of cheaper brand lipsticks and glosses for me. I adore MAC lipsticks, even the smell of them makes me happy It's like cake batter! I love how they're divided by finish as well, so I know EXACTLY what I'm getting when I buy one. I do also have a lovely red lipstick by Miss Sporty, it is in fact my only true red lipstick, I've never had need to but another one. Some rimmel lipsticks are nice too but I have to be careful to avoid the sheer/shimmery ones. As for gloss well, high end normally just feels better on my lips. i'm not a huge gloss fan but I love my Benefit ones that I got free with Glamour a few years back, just lovely I also have some Bobbi Brown lip tints, they're great! Have yet to try any MAC lipglasses, their colour selection is amazing though!

I think that's it. I also hate cheap looking packaging so I go for black/clear stuff, it's probably why I tend towards MAC and Revlon so much...

chocgirl

I think for the most part you can get away with cheap make-up, foundation may be one exception where you need to go for a decent product that suits your skin.

Having said that I definitely wouldn't scrimp on skincare, I know this is anecdotal but I've rarely seen anyone I know who wears a cheap moisturiser with "good" skin.

anniehoo

chocgirl wrote: »

I've rarely seen anyone I know who wears a cheap moisturiser with "good" skin.

Ye havent seen me then so The one thing i love about me is i have great skin...and wear...Astral! Cheap as chips and the only time i ever get a spot is the occassional premenstrual one and its gone as quick as it comes up.

chocgirl

anniehoo wrote: »

Ye havent seen me then so The one thing i love about me is i have great skin...and wear...Astral! Cheap as chips and the only time i ever get a spot is the occassional premenstrual one and its gone as quick as it comes up.

I'm sure you're beautiful but don't think I'll take any chances all the same:).

Clare Bear

chocgirl wrote: »

I think for the most part you can get away with cheap make-up, foundation may be one exception where you need to go for a decent product that suits your skin.

Having said that I definitely wouldn't scrimp on skincare, I know this is anecdotal but I've rarely seen anyone I know who wears a cheap moisturiser with "good" skin.

Really?? I don't know, I think you either have good skin or you don't. The likes of my mother who uses soap and water and nothing else and she has amazing skin. I really don't think a good mosituriser makes a huge difference? Maybe it does, I've just stuck to simple for the last few years because it suits my skin.

eth0_

anniehoo wrote: »

Ye havent seen me then so The one thing i love about me is i have great skin...and wear...Astral! Cheap as chips and the only time i ever get a spot is the occassional premenstrual one and its gone as quick as it comes up.

Astral and Nivea are both cheap and good, but they're too heavy for many people's skin, and if you have oily skin forget it!

chocgirl

Clare Bear wrote: »

Really?? I don't know, I think you either have good skin or you don't. The likes of my mother who uses soap and water and nothing else and she has amazing skin. I really don't think a good mosituriser makes a huge difference? Maybe it does, I've just stuck to simple for the last few years because it suits my skin.

Yeah I really do think so but of course I could be so wrong:)! I mean some people will always be blessed with terrific skin but they're the exceptions.

I've just started this make up class after work, I was reluctantly roped in so I've been paying attention to people's make up and skin more so than usual. It's probably just the age I'm at as well a lot of my friends are starting to get some wrinkles and they tend to be the ones who'd use cheapie products. Think good skin has to be bright and luminous as well though not just spot free.

Thinking about it again actually it could just be that a sunscreen is included in a lot of the more expensive moisturisers, anyway I'm no expert:D

Pythia

Like eth0 says, it's all down to research. Mac are known to make bad mascaras for example, but Loreal would have a good name for them. I don't think you should ever get all your make up from the one brand, each has its strengths and weaknesses. I do think in general more expensive brands are more consistant and have better staying power, range and colour pay off.

ncmc

Having said that I definitely wouldn't scrimp on skincare, I know this is anecdotal but I've rarely seen anyone I know who wears a cheap moisturiser with "good" skin.

I really disagree with this. I think 60% of your skin is down to genes and 30% is whether you sunbathe or not. I would say 10% or less is down to what you put on your skin. I used clarins for years but changed to Olay last year. I truly can't say I notice any difference (except in my wallet!)

Thinking about it again actually it could just be that a sunscreen is included in a lot of the more expensive moisturisers, anyway I'm no expert

Actually, that was the reason I moved away from Clarins in the first place, the moisturiser I liked only had an SPF of 4! When I emailed them querying this, they said there was a seperate SPF you could buy to wear every day! ie after spending €60 on a pot of cream, they expected you to shell out more money for an SPF :rolleyes:. Olay has an SPF of 25 which is the minimum I would wear.

As for makeup, I would lean towards the dearer brands. It's not that I'm snobby about them (see Olay above ) I just think you get better pigment with the dearer stuff. The cheap brands I have tried, I ended up using loads more than I would of the dear stuff, so really they aren't the value you think!

With foundation, I think you definitely get what you pay for. I have tried dozens over the years and have now settled on Clinique Superfit for day and Dior Diorskin Forever. It really does make me look 10 times better, it's magic stuff!

For the most part though, I use Clinique products. They aren't super expensive, you don't feel like you're paying a fortune for fancy packaging and the products are the best i've tried. Plus, if you holiday in America, you can get for less than half the price you pay here. I stock up when i'm out there!

Lia_lia

It really depends on your own skin too. I mean some expensive Laura Mercier foundation could like great on one person but awful on someone with a different skin type/tone etc..

I use Revlon Colourstay foundation, which is pricey enough. But it's the only foundaton I've used that doesn't make my skin really, really shiny.

mrsberries

Funny one, think it depends on your skin. For example I have friends who can have amazing dramatic eyes with Rimmel eyeshadows, however on me the colour fades quickly and creases - ive oily lids!! So the likes of MAC and Lancome shadows are a god send!! Im do buy high end as I find the cheaper stuff is no use for me -in particular foundation and concealer. But stuff like pencils I scrimp on...Ive a few bits and bobs from the essence range that I picked up for 1.99 and Im a huge fan of Rimmel nail varnishes and mascaras so its not exactly the brand name Im looking to buy, just products that actually work for me! but different folks and all that...;)

sogg

I ran out of foundation one time and in desperation picked up some rimmel to tide me over....haven't looked back since! Having said that tho I use the Laura Mercier loose powder on top, and swear by Mac eyeshadows, partially because they're so easy to blend but also because I love being able to make up my own palettes!

I remember reading this piece in the newspaper a few years ago about cheap subsitutions for top end brands, like Bourjois and Chanel, and L'Oreal and Lancome. Really wish I'd kept it.....

The Big Red Button

I've done a lot of experimentation with different brands of makeup, and I know what works for me and what doesn't.

I wouldn't consider myself to be snobby about brands, but the fact is that buying something cheap just for the sake of it is a false economy if it's going to be sitting unused in my makeup bag!

For example, there isn't a brand of foundation out there that I haven't tried at some stage. I found all of the cheaper brands to be either really sticky and oily, or look really caked on, or don't last all day and night, or don't have enough coverage, etc. But having said that, some of my friends use various cheaper brands and it looks fantastic on them - it's different for everyone. One thing I will say though is that I find that my Lancome foundation that I keep going back to lasts far longer than some of the cheaper brands, so I suppose that justifies the costs a bit.

For eyeshadows, I absolutely love Rimmel and Bourjois. I've tried the more expensive brands, but didn't really find them to be any better.

Mascaras - it varies. At the moment I'm using an YSL one that I was given as a present, and a Rimmel one, and I find them both fantastic.

I can't get a cheap black eyeliner that lasts any length of time at all, I usually go with Dior or Lancome. For liquid liner, I'm using Maxfactor at the moment and I love it.

Basically I want to be able to get up in the morning, throw on my makeup in a few minutes, and forget about it for the rest of the day. Same on a night out - I don't want to have to top up every time I go to the loos, or end up with panda eyes after being out dancing or whatever! If that means I have to spend a bit more on some items of makeup, then for me it's worth it.

ZzubZzub

I'm not really a big make up fan, just heavy eye make up!

For eyeliner - GOSH. The kohl one. Absolutely fantastic, minimal smudging and I've not had to redo it since yesterday! Think it's €8.99 but worth it.

Eyeshadow - I got a eye shadow box with loads of different colours from pennys! You do have to touch up, but that's generally after hours of wearing and tbh I find I retouch after a while with any eyeshadow I've used.
Rimmel is another fave of mine, along with Bobbypin.

One thing with the cheaper eye shadows is that combined with a good primer you're grand! Had a gift voucher, so I treated myself to Smashbox's primer (€19/20) and it really is fantastic.

If I wear foundation it's the No. 7 skin match one. Cheap and cheerful and gives a natural glow!

I generally lean towards the cheap stuff but would consider the Smashbox primer a key component of my (very small) make up bag! It's the only thing I'll pay out on. And at that, I won't have to for a looooong time. Apparently the stuff lasts months!

The Big Red Button

Yeah I've only just started using Smashbox primer myself recently, had never used any primer at all before, and now I don't know how I ever managed without it! It's amazing stuff! Well worth the price.

Novella

I dunno!

I have tried loads of different foundations from MAC to Rimmel and I have to say, I do prefer the more expensive brands. I use MAC NW20 and NARS in Fiji. I think think, with a wider variety of choice, it's easier to find one really close to your own skintone and I prefer the consistancy too.

I'm quite fussy when it comes to skincare too. I use Clinique 3 step and find it good. However, I have picked up some products from Boots Botanics range which are pretty amazing.

At the end of the day, imo, it's all down to trial and error. We'll all find things that work for us and things that don't and sometimes for one a person a cheaper product can work better than an expensive one but vice versa for someone else.

Azureus

I think it really depends on your skin, I use a mix of cheap and expensive brands.

For foundation, I have tried Benefit (hated it, no coverage whatsoever and went a bit flaky) MAC (could take it or leave it, was nice but didnt live up to its hype whatsoever) and at the moment I wear Maybelline and swear by it! Also love No.7 mousse.

Concealer, I swear by an Estee Lauder all day one, 24e. Tried all the cheap brands and they just emphasized blemishes if anything.

Eyeshadows, I use a mix of Bourjois and MAC-love love love them both. Not a fan of Rimmel or No.7, they have no staying power and weak pigments. 17 (boots) actually do some alright ones too, not base shadows but for adding colour/sparkle and theyre dirt cheap!

Eyeliner, Rimmel all the way for both pencil and liquid.

Mascara-Bourjois coup de theatre is incredible. Ive tried most brands and been uphappy for various reasons but this one just works for me and its a decent price at c.12.99

Primer-I dont actually know of any cheap brands who do one? Ive tried Smashbox and Clarins and love them both! Definately worthe the money imo.

As for skincare, I use Ponds and nothing beats it for me. Ive tried all the cheap brands and experimented with a few expensive ones and always come back to it!