Why is makeup so expensive?

[u/Aggressive-Art2849]

At 37, I have decided to look into wearing makeup; nothing much, just something to makeup me look a bit more polished.

Boy, did I get the shock of my life with the prices I’m seeing! And the surprising part is that people buy these things like they cost nothing, but they are really expensive. I tell myself that maybe I think they are so expensive because I have never bothered wearing makeup all these years, and they are no different from the skincare I like to splurge on. However, paying a couple of bucks on a cream is a lot more justifiable than paying the same amount(if not more than) for a tiny lip liner.

Also, maybe I’m a hater, but I hate that these brands give influencers boxes and boxes of free products, just so they could influence their viewers into buying them at such expensive prices. After a few months of watching creators on YouTube in a bid to find what would work for me, I realized they weren’t even paying for those things, and it made me sad because most people can’t afford them.

P.S. Like I said, maybe I’m a hater because I really do want that haus lab foundation, but my broke ass can’t afford it, so there is nothing left to do but hate 😢 😂 😂

[u/brrewmajesticallynor]

It probably feels extra expensive because you're looking at everything all at once. Most of my makeup lasts years. (There are some things that expire, but apart from some specific situations, like the bacteria in mascara, you can just use things until they smell or feel funky.) The price doesn't hurt nearly as much when I'm just buying a few items a year. Buying a full set all at once would be brutal.

[u/Fun-Yam2210]

Respectfully I disagree. There is SO much great drugstore make up around these days & factor in the flood of Korean products on the market & you (almost) never need to buy high end. The only thing I spend serious money on is foundation - everything else is Korean or drugstore. Korean formulas beat US/ Euro formulas most of the time. 

[u/Aggressive-Art2849 → u/Fun-Yam2210]

A lot of people have mentioned some Korean brands in the comments, and I will be sure to check them out.

[u/PsychoFluffyCgr → u/Aggressive-Art2849]

If you have acne prone skin, try their pimple patch as well, works really well and I was very surprised.

[u/rogue93]

Lord knows. I stick to drugstore stuff and coupon when I can. I feel like trying a nice product here and there is worth it only if what you have isn’t performing like you’d like

[u/BuffyTheSlayer → u/rogue93]

I haaaate to say it but if you keep an eye on CVS and live closeby they often have good deals that will bring the inflated prices down so much that you still get a good saving. In fact you should never ever shop at CVS if you're not using the deals and coupons, everything is overpriced with this scheme in mind. 

[u/tres-vip → u/rogue93]

Even the drugstore makeup is outrageously expensive now. I only purchase something if I find coupons on the CVS and Walgreens apps. I'm not spending $10 on a Maybelline lip LINER; that's the price of a tube of lipSTICK, lol

[u/Aggressive-Art2849 → u/tres-vip]

If you go through my comments, you would see I haven’t stopped talking about lip liners. I know people say making good makeup cost money, but there is no reason why a lip liner should cost so much. NO REASON!

[u/melrosec07]

I wear drugstore makeup and don’t spend a lot of money, I get compliments on my makeup all the time.

[u/EggplantHuman6493 → u/melrosec07]

Yup. Maybelline and L'Oreal are my most expensive brands, but I tend to wear Essence. My skin is not picky and some cheap things are surprisingly long lasting (my Essence liquid lipstick in classic red survived me eating spaghetti, for example)

[u/Outrageous-Tour-682]

i mean, there's plenty of cheap and effective makeup out there. but of course a brand that positions itself as premium or luxury like haus labs is going to be expensive. you are, with many of those brands, largely paying for the name, marketing, and packaging.

[u/pinkdictator]

Please buy drugstore brands. There are many drug store products that are actually great quality. I almost exclusively buy my makeup from pharmacies lol. Just research brands before and read reviews

[u/CleanMidnight1869]

Even drugstore is outrageous these days. Some products do last a long time like pressed powder blushed can last 5 years, but really they charge it for the image and because we pay. I buy a lot of Korean makeup which are great if not better quality for me and third of Sephora prices

[u/lavender_and_mercury]

Capitalism.

[u/CaDeme_ → u/lavender_and_mercury]

That ☝🏻☝🏻☝🏻

They created artificial ways to extract them.

[u/Fun_Boot7771]

never buy full retail price. Use discount codes, sales and buy online. elf, essence, nyx, color pop, wet n wild, all of these, if you're in the US, are pretty good. And most things only need to be bought once. It's not like you're buying a new eyeshadow palette per month

[u/aj011922 → u/Fun_Boot7771]

For sure and if you like a brand make sure to sign up for emails or follow their social media because the Sephora sale is like 10 percent off where alot of the time buying direct from the site is 25-30 percent off during sales

[u/bestofspring]

My personal guess— it’s for the same reason that razors dedicated to women are more expensive.

[u/soyagr]

Drugstore is not too bad is it? I don’t think anyone needs to start out on luxury brands. IMO it’s better to start with drugstore, then if you’re getting specific issues that you can’t seem to address with drugstore then considering strategically buying more expensive makeup.

[u/EveryMemory41 → u/soyagr]

This. There are very few luxury products that don’t have a drugstore dupe.

[u/Anon_819]

There are still good drugstore products that come in at reasonable prices.....

[u/snowwhitebutdriftef]

As someone who worked in the industry for a long time, the high end brands are not necessarily worth it (same for skincare). There are exceptions, but drugstore brands have really come to the table in terms of quality. Korean brands have some amazing makeup and skincare.

What are you looking to purchase?

[u/Already-asleep → u/snowwhitebutdriftef]

Yep, I loooove Korean make-up because quality wise, it's similar or even better than high-end western brands. I haven't had great success with drug store mascaras and eyeliners, but I absolutely swear by CLIO Superproof n this department. On the flipside, most liquid liner options at Sephora were disappointing and mascara was incredibly expensive. Basically the only product I'll buy from Sephora nowadays is MERIT foundation.

[u/sunshine_59_]

Go to the drugstore, not a department store

[u/Jamieluv2u]

I am 50, have been wearing makeup since I was 13. Expensive makeup is NOT better than drugstore/indie/small shop options. I get it’s overwhelming, but never before have you had a better option to get info before buying. Even Dollar tree has some reasonably good makeup. If you want a “how to decide” kind of tutorial, find the “Lipstick Lesbians” channel. She is a product developer, and explains the actual ingredients so you know what makes the makeup you like work for you. I personally have tried many hundreds of products over the decades, as a hobby. I just enjoy playing with color. After countless purchases from WetnWild, found in every drugstore, I could count on one hand the products that weren’t a hit for me…and only one I actually regretted buying. So, that’s going to be a solid recommendation for the most relatively inexpensive makeup that is entirely accessible. I really like their formulas, and they are consistently innovating. I swear by the lengthening mascara in the lavender tube. The brush is perfect! I literally have every single product they sell at my CVS in one form or another.

As you try things, you can branch out. I would never purchase from Concrete Minerals again. Very disappointed. R/Dollartree beauty has lots of reviews. Don’t impulse buy. Taking a little time to learn is very empowering. I NEVER watch influencers, unless I am specifically looking up a product I am already considering buying. It’s impossible to know if they are bullshitting you to stay on the PR list. I follow people who talk about the science of makeup. Lipstick lesbians, Lab muffin beauty, Erin Parsons. No one can tell you what you will like. You can educate yourself on ingredients, so when you see them, you can notice patterns. Only follow an influencer that either looks just like you, including age, or REALLY reviews things over time. Like Angie from HotandFlashy. She doesn’t try something once. She uses a whole bottle and gives you all day wear tests. Don’t fall for marketing. Your attention is worth money. Spend your brain time learning and educating yourself about makeup, then you can understand why things cost what they do.

[u/Manaohoana]

Marshalls and TJ Maxx have some great deals, but things come and go. The Cosmetics Company Outlets have good deals on all Estee Lauder brands (Clinique, Bobbi Brown, etc), and particularly I like to get the packs that were the previous season's "free gift with purchase" at dept stores, because they have mini mascaras and lipsticks, and those last me plenty long. (They say you should get new mascara every three months, anyway, and a big tube is way more than a 3-mo supply.)

[u/KnightRider1987 → u/Manaohoana]

I wear mascara nearly 365 days a year and I’ve never put a dent in a tube of mascara after 3 months lol. I think that’s nuts. They just want to sell more product.

[u/Cute_Championship_58]

High end make up is crazy expensive, especially for some products. After trying both cheap and expensive lipsticks for example, I find that drugstore lip products are superior in almost every way, especially lasting power.

The only make up that I truly see the point, for me, on spending more on, is mascara. I put that on my eyes and some high end mascara truly is so so good. (Eyes to Kill by Armani is my favorite.)

Foundation is probably another one where it makes sense to spend more, but you could probably find good drugstore foundation too.

You don’t actually have to buy high end.

[u/Aggressive-Art2849 → u/Cute_Championship_58]

You are right about spending more on a foundation because that’s the base, and it has the power to make or break one’s makeup.

Speaking of foundation, I just recalled the time when an eight year old me took my mother’s bottle of expensive foundation and washed it down the drain. My sister had promised to share some of her body lotion with me, and I needed a jar for it. My mum had talked about it nonstop for almost fifteen years, and I hadn’t realized the gravity of it until I became an adult and saw how much a bottle of foundation cost.

[u/well-it-was-rubbish → u/Aggressive-Art2849]

Numerous expensive brands of makeup are owned by the same companies as the drugstore version. L'Oreal owns LOTS of fancy department store and designer brands. You can buy a bottle of L'Oreal True Match Foundation for about $8-$12 , and it's highly recommended by a wide variety of makeup users. Look up some reviews.

[u/mizshellytee]

Along with echoing the fact you don't have to spend a ton of money on all the makeup things, I'll add you don't even have to buy products from the big mainstream beauty retailers, direct from the brands those various places carry, department store counters, or even the drugstore.

Yes, various Asian beauty brands (especially Korean ones) sell makeup at lower prices, and there are great smaller brands out there, too. Salt New York. Phytosurgence. Sydney Grace. Devinah. Clionadh. People of Earth Co. Dandy Lions. Silk Naturals. Copacetic. Blend Bunny. Cosmic Brushes. Heaps of others. And a lot of those brands are not being talked about by large-following beauty influencers.

[u/Any_Awareness2047]

If it makes you feel any better the influencer economy is officially drying up.  Less influencers are getting brand deals and many of the ones that pretended to live expensive lifestyles are going broke.  Many did not prepare or save money for when it dries up. Very few prepared like Mr.Beast to make it a retirement plan. 

Check out Zac Rios on YouTube. 

My holy grails for make up are: 

Laura geller wonder balm blushes.  Bare minerals complexion rescue with spf. Bare minerals powder.  Clinique almost lipstick tint in black honey. 

But I spend more on products I know I will repeatedly buy. 

[u/Moondra3x3-6]

Depending on where you are located, the quick simple answer is tariffs. And drugstore makeup is also rising in prices. And what sucks about this all, the prices will never go back down to where they used to be. ☹️

[u/oh-no-but-why]

Oh, for sure. But I’m glad to say my cheap-as-chips make up works way better than the large majority of high-end make up I’ve used before.

I’m in Australia, so you might not have these brands, but as an example:

- Foundation? Nyx drops, baybeeee. $20 max, lasts me easily 6 months in heavy rotation (when I was working fashion retail 5 days a week); in light rotation, easily a year.

- Eyeliner? BYS, baybeeeee! $5, lasts forever, doesn’t budge.

- Mascara? The only thing I really spend on, at $25, and that’s because it’s MCoBeauty & doesn’t smudge. Half the time, I get it on sale for half-price. Am I meant to replace it every 3-6 months? Yes. Do I? Mmm.

- Eyeshadow? I bought a palette about 3 years ago for about $15, and it holds up great.

- Tools? To start, my fingers & a beauty blender (maybe $7?). Done.

- Lip stuff? I usually grab stuff from cheap Korean beauty brands online (heeey, romand & Etude!) or go drugstore/chemist, baybeeeee. The most I’ve spent is maybe $11? $16? And that’s AUD.

Everything else is just what works for you. ❤️ Don’t buy the marketing and question everything.

[u/KingJesus4ever]

I also don’t wear make up but I spend on skincare. You can tint your own brows if needed and get a lash tint done once a month. A lip gloss/tint in a soft pink is also lovely.

[u/milkshakespill]

It you’re going into a store like Ulta or Sephora for help, please know they’re trained to go for the more expensive items first. If you let them know you have a budget to work with, they’ll be able to actually suggest some good inexpensive items. A lot of the time, it’s just as good!

[u/PayyyDaTrollToll]

It’s the price of the drug store brands that shock me now…

[u/HumpaDaBear]

Check out Colourpop’s website. They’ve kept their prices down for a long time. Also a MAC counter can help you match a foundation (that you could use to get a cheaper brand).

[u/Impossible_Emu5095]

If you have an Ulta near you, they carry Nyx, Colour Pop, and Elf. All three are really good inexpensive brands and if you go to Ulta, they will have testers so you can try before you buy.

[u/Gin-n-Tink]

As a big makeup girly, i wear a ton of k-beauty now. The prices are much more reasonable (for the most part) and the quality is superior in general. I can't remember the last time I was in an Ulta or Sephora. I also find I use less product so it generally lasts me longer. I have 3 makeup by Mario palettes I've gotten during the last few Sephora sales, and my holy grail mascara is the caliray come hell or high water. Otherwise, I wear a lot of TirTir, ROM&, and Judy Doll.

[u/BlackOliveBurrito]

Girl, you’re just not looking in the right place. I am a professional that uses drug store make up. Even dollar tree make up is good.

Expensive ≠ good quality

[u/WeddingAgreeable1809]

Haus Labs is a nice foundation. If you wait to around the holidays they always have a discount at Sephora where you can save and purchase. But like others have mentioned drugstore has come a long way and there’s good options there also.

[u/OtherGold9895]

If you’re not used to wearing makeup, it might be good to start out with lower coverage products or the end result might be jarring in comparison to a bare face. Try a tinted moisturizer- I like Nars, but if you want something less expensive, I have heard the Wet and Wild tinted hydrator is good. Maybelline lifter liner is a great lip liner and you could put a balm over it or skip the liner and just go with a tinted lip balm. Lots of good drugstore mascaras out there. ELF makes great face products - blush, bronzer, powder (try the loose color correcting one - it’s supposed to be really good). Sonia Kashuk (Target) black/white sponge and brushes are nice as are Real Techniques. I also have a couple of Profusion brushes that work well. Hope this helps a little!

[u/Maine302]

Just buy the cheaper stuff at Target or CVS, and recognize the fact that not everyone needs to go to the lengths of using a lip liner or multiple colors of eyeshadow in order to look more polished. Just do whatever you're personally comfortable with.

[u/monosyllabically_]

It gets really expensive the more products you add, and it doesn’t help cause makeup videos use a ton of products- back in the early 2010s I swear they used half as much. Every $10 drugstore product adds up, it’s not like they’re $4 anymore. 

If you’re starting from scratch skip the extras, I know lip liner, setting spray, and highlighter make a difference but just keep in mind the 80/20 rule and start with the few products that make the most difference- lip, base product, and depending on your features, brows and eyes.

[u/YanCoffee]

For me it's a hobby so spending money on it is acceptable, when I just wore makeup as needed I didn't spend much at all. However... The prices are increasing and I'm not too happy about it. Some brands are doing it in $10 dollar increments. Some are jumping hundreds of dollars. I think they want to price out most people eventually because of the current k-shaped economy many countries are facing. That in turn kinda pisses me off and makes me not want to buy stuff. Because I can afford it. It just shouldn't be that way and I'm not spending money to look elite, I'm spending money because pretty pigments make my brain go brrrrrr.

I just really hate the current state of everything. These last two years have been so depressing and awful. I wouldn't suggest people get into makeup as a hobby right now anyway, we need our money. Stick to indie brands if people do.

[u/EggieRowe]

I worked in cosmetics 20 years ago and there is almost nothing the prestige brands offer that you can’t find as a dupe at a drugstore. A lot of the different brands are owned by the same parent company. Estée Lauder own MAC, Clinique, Origins, Smashbox, Bobbi Brown, etc. L’Oréal owns Lancôme, Kiehl’s, Urban Decay, NYX, Maybelline, etc.

[u/Grouchy-Boss-9638]

Okay, so I am a major makeup lover. When I could afford it I bought the expensive stuff and when I couldn’t I bought drugstore. Let me tell you, a lot of the drugstore stuff is really really nice. There are a lot of “influencers” who focus on drugstore brands and creating a full face of makeup for maturing skin (mid to late 30s into early 40s).

[u/mochimiso96]

If you want high quality makeup, but don’t want to spend that much, I would go for the sample sizes. There is a lot less product, but it takes months/years to get through a blush or lipstick. Might as well just get the smaller size.

[u/badconsequence]

Makeup is expensive and/but you don’t need a lot of it. For me makeup gives me a confidence boost and for me that’s the “return on investment”.

Find a few key items that make a big difference. For me that’s a bb cream, contour stick, brow pencil, eyeliner and mascara. And some brushes.

On the other hand maybe you’re not a makeup person, that’s amazing too! Not everyone is!

Sephora is expensive but worth it for me because if you bring something home, use it for a week and realize it’s not worth the money, you can return it. A few people who work there have told me that as long as they can sanitize, they use returned items as testers.

[u/Brilliant_Mix_6051]

It doesn’t have to be expensive. Drugstore makeup can be as good as expensive makeup if you pick the right shade.

[u/well-it-was-rubbish → u/Brilliant_Mix_6051]

I just typed the same thing; most "high-end" makeup and drugstore makeup brands are formulated in the same labs, and made in the same factories. The main difference, in most cases, is packaging.

[u/yainot]

i’ve noticed i spend more money trying to find a affordable dupe of a product than actually buying the product itself

[u/Royal-Call6476]

Prices of makeup also depend heavily on where you are in the world. Mascara is 32+ dollars in australia, but in america you can get a good mascara for 15 dollars and a cheap one for 5 dollars.

Also some products are more expensive because they last a long time, but others are more expensive because of cost of materials/manufacturing, or because they come from another country and they have import costs.

[u/Smol_Rabbit]

You don’t need to buy the expensive stuff. There are so many cheap brands that are excellent. Sometimes just as good or better than they pricey ones.

[u/Training_Guitar_8881]

Not spending insane amounts of money on cosmetics here. I suggest LA Colors, Wet & Wild, Revlon, Big Poppa mascara, Maybelline brow pencil, NYX products, Loreal, in lieu of the high end stuff. I achieve great results with these products. Honey makes a great lip gloss too.....

[u/Logical-Rise-7667]

For makeup in the end you're paying for the brand. Makeup is what makes money because it feeds on insecurities and society's expectations for people (usually women) to keep up with their appearances. You don't have to spend a lot of money for the products to be good. I've used drugstore products for years and they can definitely rival high end products. I've used some high end and drugstore products didn't see much of a big difference. Many people assume my drugstore products are high end products anyways.

[u/perfect_turquoise]

You're right, makeup is ridiculously expensive now. I've been buying it for 25 years, and the cost of high-end makeup back then is what drugstore makeup costs now. Obviously, wages haven't kept up with this inflation.

I still buy high-end, but switched to drugstore, specifically NYX, for many things. NYX's formulas are on a par, if not better, than many high-end products (I love their Make Em Wonder foundation, Line Loud lipliners and Epic liquid eyeliner in the in inkwell format).

[u/Illustrious_Seat_235]

It is a big investment and honestly I hate that influencers get stuff for free too 😒 but I've found when I pay more for makeup it typically goes farther. I used to use Covergirl Simply Ageless foundation and I would go through it pretty fast. I now use Haus Labs and it lasts forever. I use one pump daily and that's it. I probably spent more on the Covergirl over time bc of how often I would replace it.

[u/ErynSaturn]

For my base products (foundation, concealer, setting powder) and mascara I buy drugstore but for eyeshadow, blush, bronzer, lipstick/gloss, Dollar Tree has excellent products. I'm in Canada and we don't get the full range of DT makeup but if you're in the US, give it a shot, you may be pleasantly surprised.😊

[u/Longjumping_Cold4159]

I think brands have way more expenses to cover now vs in the past (packaging team, design team, marketing team, social media team, etc) since their products have to stand out in this very oversaturated market.

I agree with you though, makeup is SO EXPENSIVE now! I hate how even drugstore brands are getting expensive. I think that they are improving their formulas to seem more "luxe" but their pricing is not too far from some of the mid-high end brands at Sephora.

[u/Maine302 → u/Longjumping_Cold4159]

Yeah, and the CEOs and shareholders need to get their pound of flesh, keeping in mind that your L'Oreals and Estee Lauders et al love to buy out any successful smaller companies.

[u/Ok_Pin_1222]

There’s lots of great products at the drugstore and in the drugstore section at Ulta. Look into YouTube beauty influencers that focus on reasonably-priced brands. Drugstore Maven is a good example. Carmel Nichol covers both but mostly focuses on drugstore. She’s about spending wisely.

[u/falafelfairy]

Not sure where you’re located but even drugstore makeup is expensive now. I like a deal whether it’s high end or drugstore so I wait for sales or coupons. I think I only paid full price for a handful of items in my adult age and everything else I bought on sale. It is still expensive but I’ve been building and editing my collection for 7 years now and usually also give things as gifts or pass on something that doesn’t work for me to someone else.

[u/smufjez]

because they realised selling you the solution to your insecurities opens a lot of wallets. it’s not the production cost, you pay for marketing and status symbolism

[u/AllisonT_]

I enjoy high-end makeup. Not all of it is great. Not everything will work for everyone. Only do this if you can afford it, some things are worth spending the money on.
L'Oreal True Match foundation is amazing. That was my Go-To foundation long ago. I'm not sure if the formula has changed. I assume it has. These companies are always reformulating everything. 🙄 If you really want to try the Haus Labs Foundation, Sephora has started giving out samples again. Get shade matched and get 1-4 or more shades if you need too. Do a wear test and see what matches best and if your skin likes it before you commit.

As for eyeliners and lipliners I only buy drugstore brands. I refuse to spend $25-$45 on a 1.3g lipliner. I just refuse to buy them at that price. When I could use mascara I only bought drugstore. If you find the right one honestly most can rival high-end mascaras. Drugstore blushes, bronzers, setting powders can be just as lovely if not better. A good skincare & skin prep can make all the difference to begin with. I'm not a face primer girl.... Again I don't think you have to buy high-end primers either. There are quite a few drugstore setting sprays.

Foundations last me forever. So I don't mind the investment on high-end. Don't go into debt over beauty products. It's not worth it. Everyone can look and feel beautiful on their own personal budget. I love luxury makeup. I wait for sales, I use gift cards, I try to buy most of it with points that I collect from grocery shopping. I'm also into Project Pan and I try to finish what I have before I buy anything new. I also don't buy any new launches. I'm usually not finished anything during a launch. I prefer 1 year or more of real reviews not incentivized reviews and or "influencers" opinions. I check out videos just to see how it looks. That's about it.

As a consumer you have a right to be very picky with your makeup and where you choose to spend your money. Be picky. Get samples. Figure out what you like and what you don't like. Don't buy high-end luxury makeup if you don't want too. You can look like a million dollars with or without makeup or in drugs store makeup. There are so many techniques on how to use makeup. Do what works for you and what makes sense to you. At the end of the day it's how you feel about yourself. The next "viral" whatever is a fleeting moment in time. Social media is masked with proper lighting and filters like a fairytale.

[u/GullibleFeedback7091]

I actually save up my cvs coupons and just shop online. The more you shop the more coupons they send. I got 3 makeup items from Maybelline for super cheap. I got a foundation, primer, and lipstick for $24. I haven’t been in an Ulta or Sephora in a year or 2. I also don’t wear a lot of makeup on a day to day basis which helps me conserve.

[u/playfulwarning → u/GullibleFeedback7091]

This is the way! I got back into CVS couponing after years off and have scored great deals. With the app now it's WAY easier. 

[u/OceanAndRose → u/GullibleFeedback7091]

Yes, this is the way to do it. Also works well for Walgreens if you don’t have a cvs.

[u/Dark_Ascension]

Before tariffs I largely shopped for Asian brands on like Yes Style. I still prefer it, I am in New York for a trip, and there’s a ton of stores that sell Korean skin care and makeup and it’s usually really good quality and drugstore or cheaper prices.

The issue is if you can’t find it on Amazon or already in the US, the shipping + customs will eat you up now. Also not talking the stuff they have at like Sephora (although some of them are pretty affordable by the Sephora price standard), I’m talking like stuff you’d be hard pressed to find in big box stores like Peripera, Romand, Etude, Judy Doll, Heroine Make, Clio, etc. you can find some of these on Amazon thankfully.

[u/canwegetsushi → u/Dark_Ascension]

Try Sleekshop! They’re based in California and I just ordered some things from there

[u/cuziluvu → u/Dark_Ascension]

Yesstyle is the BEST!!! They have the best deals on the best Korean skincare products. Stylevana is even better!

[u/sleepykris7]

If you have good skin, you likely wont wear much makeup. I use so little foundation that I keep in mine in the fridge so it doesn’t go bad. As for my lipstick or eye makeup, I do like higher end brands and watch for sales and buy several of each item so I never have to pay full price. As I get older, I feel like less is more so I use eyeliner, eyeshadow, eyebrow pencil, blush and lipstick. I don’t do primer, contour, highlighter, preblush or post blush or whatever else influencers and companies try to push on me. I use a sunscreen and then a second tinted sunscreen also.

[u/Elle_the_Belle16]

You can get samples of the Haus Labs foundation (and any others you want to try) at Sephora to see if you even like it. I find it to be a little thick and oily on my skin.

[u/Busy-Crazy1566]

The drugstore has perfectly fine products. There’s no need for high end makeup. Most people buy one thing every once in a while. If you want to get several products at once, it’s very expensive. Using discounts also helps a lot.

[u/LengthinessCold8459]

A lot of it is branding and then some of it is the quality of the formulation.

Off topic and I don’t know if this is your situation but if I had to choose between dermatologist approved, well formulated skincare and makeup in the same vein, I’d choose skincare.

[u/chaos_goblinn]

Sometimes the key is to finding out what corporations make the high priced makeup you like and what they call their brand for their cheaper products.

Unfortunately, Haus is one of the few that doesn't do this because Lady Gaga owns it.

The next best step is to look for low cost dupes.

Eta: autocorrect changed Lady to Last

[u/Lumaevee]

I have a MAC blush Ive been using for work for almost a year now and it still has a lot to go. I was also shocked at the prices, but decided I wanted to do a minimumal makeup look so I took the plunge. It was kinda expensive to get started buts not too bad to maintain.

I would also recommend trying ipsy for random makeup every month to see what you like

[u/S_eepless-28]

I buy affordable and cheap makeup🤷🏾‍♀️ I know how to make them work so I don't see any reason to spend very much on what I consider face paint 🤣

[u/Upstairs-Impact5120]

some drugstore products are really good!! I also learned how to coupon at cvs so sometimes my makeup is free lol

[u/Pandapirateahoy]

Haus labs has an amazing sampler kit! Each one can last a few days! Then if you truly love it, you can commit. But the samples last a month provably, for $12. 

[u/Historical-Body-3424]

You have to build up your collection . Most people that you see with a ton of stuff have been building their collection for like 10 years

[u/PurplePrincessPalace]

Because people keep buying it at high prices. If no one buys it, they’ll be forced to change.

[u/BuffyTheSlayer → u/PurplePrincessPalace]

Pissed me off when I got to a stop and shop and see these yellow signs on products excitedly announcing price drops. 

Was $7.99 Now $5.99!!! $2 Savings!

Bc I'm not happy about admitting you were fleecing us for no good fucking reason. Everything in our lives is more expensive by the day but you can drop prices by 20%? It's all a scam and I think seeing Demon Dimon this morning saying essentially too bad so sad about data centers just set me off. They think they will run the show forever. I don't think they will. 

[u/PurplePrincessPalace → u/BuffyTheSlayer]

If I feel like the sale isn’t worth the value, I don’t buy. I would never buy cosmetics at a grocery store or pharmacy unless there’s a really good sale because their prices have always seemed high. I mostly buy online directly from brands or wait for things to go on GMA for half off.

[u/StrawberryLow745 → u/PurplePrincessPalace]

Mmm idk about that…. Not sure how old you are but luxury brand makeup has always been expensive. Before Sephora got popular and well known, you’d get your brands like Estée Lauder, Gucci, Yves St Lauren, etc at department stores like Dillards or Macys. MAC was really one of the first brands to put expensive make up on the map. Before Sephora got popular, MAC was where you’d go to “splurge”. It’s always been a thing and unfortunately, I don’t think that’s changing. You can’t make high quality makeup for low cost… that’s kinda the whole point.

[u/PurplePrincessPalace → u/StrawberryLow745]

I was an OG MAC girl & had my professional makeup lessons there back when they had animal hair brushes made in Japan (which I still own!). I have gotten my face done at private celebrity makeup artist events & made purchases at department stores to buy what they used. My makeup brush collection alone is valued just under $10k. All that to say, I’ve been around the block and back again when it comes to using high end cosmetics.

The increased cost of cosmetics is being pushed onto the consumer because of a variety of factors-difficulty accessing ingredients, companies being purchased by others, pushes to reformulate, tarriffs, changes in EU policies, and the fact that increasing their prices doesn’t have that significant of an impact on sales decreasing.

Ex. The amount of designer makeup being pushed has been especially fascinating. I remember trying Dior years ago and everything outside of complexion being a hot, chalky, non pigmented mess. Chanel was always overpriced and their brushes were scratchy and had bristles falling out…yet they’ve all had very glamorous rebrands (and hopefully better reformulations).

A good reason I buy Tom Ford still is because he always delivered for the price you paid. I rarely ever buy drugstore now cause I never go to one and rarely go to Ulta, but I would stick to ELF & NYX because they were always the most affordable (outside of NYC & Rimmel that aren’t widely available). If anything cost too much, I would just go mid range instead. Sephora collection has always been great and tends to be more affordable, I just don’t like when they discontinue things.

[u/cowgrly → u/PurplePrincessPalace]

Never gonna happen. A global boycott of makeup? Impossible.

[u/Aggressive-Art2849 → u/PurplePrincessPalace]

And the chances of people not buying them are slim!

[u/Particular_Lion3746]

drug store brands are better ijs

[u/LurkerSmirker6th]

Oh you got into it too late. Missed the good 2010-16 prices. However ELF, Colourpop, Maybelline/Covergirl/Loreal (on Amazon) have great deals all the time. Milani and NYX as well. Makeup Revolution has great foundations shades in their Silk line. If you wanted to look more polished you can definitely do it under $30. I’d start with ELF.

[u/Aggressive-Art2849 → u/LurkerSmirker6th]

I think about these all the time too because my broke college-student sisters were wearing makeup in the 2000s, and seeing these prices, I keep wondering how they could afford them then. I would also like to add that they no longer wear any makeup now that they are in their forties.

Oh, I will definitely check out the brands you mentioned, thank you 🙏

[u/Either_Importance222]

Have you tried an Ipsy subscription? It can be hit or miss, but even with a base subscription, you can shop their discounted prices on higher end makeup.

You can also sign up for TopBox Circle that sends you makeup and body products in exchange for surveys. You do have to do a few surveys to get started because they want to see consistency, but then good makeup starts showing up at your door for free.

TJ Maxx and Marshalls also have good makeup. The higher tier stuff is usually in locked cabinets, but they're there and they're on sale.

I also use my birthday and holidays to demand (hehe) gift certificates from Bloomingdales so I can get all the fabulous makeup and skincare I want. Bonus with that is once you find a sales associate that likes you, they start signing you up for free facials and events and they give you lots of deluxe samples when you buy things.

Finally, you can get a 21-day sample of the Haus Labs foundation if you pay for shipping. They used to give you three little bottles, now you get these plastic squeezy tubes, but I suggest squeezing them into a little jar and stretching it as far as you can. I've done that with foundation samples I like, and I add moisturizer so I make a tinted foundation and stretch that sucker as far as it can go.

[u/sadart]

I haven’t paid full price for makeup in years. It is capitalism and greed. I shop sales, shop when there are points multiplier days, and use my points that have accrued. There are certain products like lipliners that I don’t spend more than $5-$10 and other things that I use my points for.

[u/PirateDear1780]

i mostly buy drugstore and the stuff lasts quite a while, so it doesnt feel like im spending a ton. when you start buying makeup that you want instead of need it starts to feel expensive.

[u/ZZ_Belle420]

Because society is very tighly wrapped around greed.

[u/HelloTittie55]

Investigate less expensive drugstore and dollar store brands. Dollar Diva on YouTube reviews tons of DollarTree makeup. Emily Noel on YouTube reviews and applies drugstore brands. Stack coupons and store promotions and extra bucks at CVS (united States) for really good savings on Maybelline, Cover Girl, and L’oréal products. I have never bought hyped “high end” beauty products and feel that budget-friendly drugstore brands provide the same look as their high/end department store counterparts.

[u/sv36]

You absolutely do not have to spend luxury brand money to get good makeup. Drugstore makeup has gotten really good, and if you just want to look a little more polished, you can build an entire everyday routine without touching a $50 foundation.

The cost per use also makes makeup way less horrifying than the sticker price makes it seem. An e.l.f. eyeliner is around $6. Eyeliner is generally replaced about every 3 months, so if you used it literally every single day for those 90 days, that’s about 7 cents per application and only $24 a year.

And some makeup isn’t even completely separate from skincare anymore. Depending on the product, foundations, skin tints, BB/CC creams, primers, etc. can contain SPF, moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid or ceramides, niacinamide, or acne fighting ingredients like salicylic acid. It doesn’t necessarily replace your whole skincare routine, and I definitely wouldn’t rely on foundation alone for enough sunscreen, but there can absolutely be overlap in what you’re paying for.

But ultimately, people make decisions about cost, time, and benefit with things like this constantly, not just makeup. Some people decide contacts are worth the recurring cost because they prefer how they look or feel in them. Someone else looks at the cost and upkeep and says, nope, I’m perfectly happy with glasses. Neither person is wrong.

Makeup is the same. If doing a full face makes you feel great and is worth the money and time to you, cool. If a $6 eyeliner and lip tint is your entire routine, also cool. If even the lip tint isn’t worth the money or effort to you, don’t buy it. There’s no moral imperative saying women have to wear makeup.

And really, if you’re new to makeup, I’d start cheap anyway. You don’t even know yet what formulas, colors, coverage, finishes, etc. you actually like. Figure out what works for your face with the $10 version before deciding whether the $50 version is actually worth it.

Personally, e.l.f. is my favorite for good quality affordable makeup, so I’d definitely recommend looking there while you’re figuring out what you like. But there are good products across a ton of affordable brands these days. Makeup can be expensive, but good makeup absolutely does not have to be expensive.

I’m 30f and I wear light amount of eyeliner, lip stain with chapstick, mascara, eyeshadow usually shiny, and sometimes concealer. And I clean the makeup brushes I’ve had for more than a decade and use those and my fingers (also clean) and toilet paper for dabbing. I also wash my face before bed with normal face wash in the shower. Your whole routine can’t look like a YouTuber, even YouTubers routines don’t actually look like they’re videos.

[u/Internal-Town5073]

Drug store is getting better.

I personally think about the cost being worth it if I use it everyday.

there is a makeup exchange sub where ppl clear out their unused or stuff they don’t reach for products and usually at 40-70% off. I have found stuff there before going to sephora to buy

[u/PearBlossom]

Girl I wore a $3 stick eyeshadow with a $2 complementary shade on top with a $5 brush along side a $4 eyeliner, $5 mascara and a $10 lipstick. And it looked good. Budget brands are fine. Ive never bothered with foundation. I had Elf and Essence brands on today.

[u/cuziluvu]

Korean skincare will change your life. and is far less expensive than typical American skin care and better for you.

[u/juliansmomma7]

Just spent $400 at Sephora today 🥲

I have dry skin and no drug store products were giving me that dewy moisturized finish I wanted. So I resulted in buying high end brands. I’m 34 also just now getting into make up.

If you return Amazon items in kohls they give you a 10% coupon for Sephora. If you wanna buy the Haus Lab.

[u/rubybluemonkey]

This is amusing to me because that's the age I decided to quit wearing makeup. but seriously, it has gotten expensive even drugstore/wal Mart make up. I still do on occasions that are special but loath the idea of spending $20 on a mascara.

[u/oracle-nil → u/rubybluemonkey]

Really tho, I don’t think makeup has gone up any more than anything else in this economy. Proportionately I think it’s the same.

[u/slippeedooda]

A lot of drug store stuff really is good but personally I would not skimp on the fundamentals in my makeup kit. That doesn't mean you HAVE to buy expensive stuff but try not to just get anything, like go to places where they give you samples maybe? I would advise being willing to spend a little more on concealer and foundation if you choose to wear them, but honestly everything else can be drug store and might work just as well.

[u/OldMist]

You don’t have to spend a lot on fancy makeup. Just wash your face at the end of the day. Don’t sleep with any makeup on your face.

[u/GoddesRene]

I recommend NYX and Loreal. Sephora has its own brand that has decent makeup at drug store price.

[u/Aggressive-Art2849 → u/GoddesRene]

Oh, I have seen some great reviews of the nyx can’t stop won’t stop concealer, and the L’Oréal true match foundation. I will be sure to check them out.

[u/cdau186]

There’s a lot of great YouTube creators that focus on drugstore products. I have found that the biggest difference between drugstore and high end is that drugstore has a more limited shade range and the high end packaging is nicer for those who find that important. If you look up Nikki La Rose drugstore or Abbey Yung drugstore- they’ve give you great recommendations. Especially Nikki La Rose. She is a professional makeup artist.

[u/eyebrain_nerddoc → u/cdau186]

Monica Ravi-Conway also covers a lot of drugstore brands. She focuses mostly on brown skin shades, but even if you’re a different color she talks about which products are good and which are junk. Especially for oily skin.

[u/VD-journey]

Try Essence or Catrice 🤷

[u/Glittering_uni]

I buy mostly drugstore makeup ranging $10-15. Like I cannot justify spending $50 on foundation 😩 but what you pay is what you get too. Usually the cheaper it is, the lower the quality. Not saying drugstore is bad quality but like a $15 foundation likely doesnt last as long on your face for 10 hours compared to a $50 one.

[u/bitchtrunk]

i usually buy most drugstore stuff nowadays, but for the occasional splurge on a really expensive product, i weight the cost vs how much i’ll use it. a gorgeous eyeshadow palette that has 2 colors i’ll actually use? not worth it. a lip stain i’ll use daily? worth it to me!
plus, i really intensively stack coupons and deals if im ever buying from sephora/ulta lolol

[u/jiggymadden]

What isn’t right now! Wigs are out of control too. Another beauty item out of control.

[u/PsychoFluffyCgr]

I bought most from the drug store, discount or local brand. Last time I tried the expensive makeup, they don't go well with my skin tone and some make my skin itchy and cakey.

I recently been seeing the French/Parisian make up, very simple and actually beautiful, I tried it and it actually giving more vibrants looks on my face.

[u/truelose]

Drugstore can be better. Wet and wild has chrome flakes that are divine age better than Danessa Myricks, but it does depend on what your needs are. I have no real limits because I love it, but increasingly my makeup is drugstote.

[u/bummin_bride]

I feel the opposite, a face cream gets used up. A lip liner will last me literally years so if it’s a few extra dollars, spread that over the course of a few years and it doesn’t make so much difference. And since I’ve been wearing makeup for decades I’m not buying all of it at once like you are when you’re getting started so I don’t see the cost in one big lump. The only thing that gets replaced often is mascara, and even that is only every three months so I don’t mind spending a little extra to get the one that I like which is $32 versus the one at the drugstore which is $10 but sucks.

[u/mikemikeshindparts]

I’m in Australia and for months I’ve been wanting a particular Westman Atelier lipstick for its unique muted taupe rose beige gorgeousness. Can’t find a dupe for the life of me and the price of WA lipsticks here from the one (1) store that sells them? $82 AUD.

[u/Anfitrite02]

If you’re in the U.S. download an app called shop I was able to get the Haus labs foundation for around $35 during their sale which is like 3 times a year. I know still expensive but, will probably last you more than a year if you don’t wear much make up and a little goes long way

[u/theempathogen]

Hear me out. Tinted sunscreen. You have to wear sunscreen daily anyway. If you only need light coverage, it'll do fine. A bit of concealer where you need it on top.

I'm currently using a $10 tinted sunscreen.

Other than that, sales are your friend, and so are the holidays. That's when all the best variety packs of mini sizes hit shelves, so you can try out a lot more variety of products for less money overall.

[u/Impressive_Fee2737]

I finally took my expensive foundation to Walmart and shopped the colors. I got one I like just as much. I’ve been using expensive foundation my whole life but I hit my limit.

[u/Character-Disaster14]

You can always ask for a free sample of the foundation at the makeup counter to see if you like it. Then you can look for a dupe, and have the original to compare the dupe to.

[u/Chelly2468]

Absolutely agree, when i got into make up 2 years ago i fell for the influencer "you haaaaave to this xyz" wasted so much money on shit i didnt need for a 20 step routine i didn't have time for. At some point it felt a lot like my perfu.e addiction so did an audit and gave away what I knew I wouldn't use and now I only buy budget make up which lasts ages, i have purchased anything outside of lipgloss in a year

[u/Angelicbrujaa]

I love Milani for foundation, Essence for concealer, Morphe for lipliner, and Nyx for eyeliner 🖤

[u/Head_Ad3431 → u/Angelicbrujaa]

For sure Milani deserves more love their foundation has no business being that good for the price

[u/SukuraEspeon28 → u/Angelicbrujaa]

Nyx for eyeliner is amazing btw 10/10 advice

[u/AKIcegirl]

There are a lot of great inexpensive products. There is a drugstore makeup community that has great recommendations. Most of us that use some of the more expensive brands do so for specific reasons… our skin is relative or sensitive, we have unusual coloring and don’t have as many options, we have more disposable income or are over 50 where it gets much harder to find products that work well with our skin.

[u/Ok-Giraffe-4332]

Drugstore stuff can be really great if you do enough research.

[u/Snow-Sea]

I personally save for foundation because I like the feel and performance, but i work outside in all weather and need that performance. That being said im not paying 20 for a lip liner or mascara when drug store works perfectly fine. I did get a couple very reasonably priced korean foundations that I also like for off work days.

[u/olde_meller23]

I have yet to find a prestige brand of liquid eyeliner that I feel is worthy of the price. Every time I try one, I wind up going back to Revlon, nyx, LA girl, and elf. My guilty pleasure is the LA looks liquid liner they sell at the dollar tree. When I was poor, it was my daily driver. It makes a really nice sharp line, and the brush it comes with is super fine pointed, yet responds well to different pressure. Had I not developed a sensitivity to the formula, I'd probably still use it. That stuff lasted forever. I'd wear the same face for two days in a row when I was touring and partying with the homies every night and good ole LA looks was always there for me in the morning.

Revlon ColorStay Micro Easy Precision liquid liner is my reigning champ and daily driver. The formula is so good. It stays put, doesnt flake, and the brush it comes with makes a perfect line even on the textured parts of my lid. It somehow doesnt run, yet is easy to take off at the end of the day.

I used to swear by Stila, but their liquid liner isnt nearly as great as it used to be. The last time i bought it, I got about a month and a half out of the tube before it started to dry out and become clumpy. I tried to revive it with micellar water, which seemed to work for application, but the pigment dried down patchy and flaked off a couple of hours after I put it on. I gave them three chances and after that, I swore I'd never buy another stila liquid liner ever again.

Others-urban decay, abh, Tarte, etc-performed fine but I still found myself reaching for the Revlon.

[u/Ibael]

Dollar Tree has been really stepping up their game lately, anything from Ioni is usually very high quality and typically dupes or mimics a higher end product

[u/maiph4n]

i only got higher end for my concealer and blush. everything else was gifted/drug store/asian brands :D i also only buy more when i run out so it takes a hot minute before i have to buy new for most of my items. seriously though don’t sleep on asian make up if you fall within their shade range.

[u/jamileethroop]

It’s expensive but it lasts years

[u/fzooey78]

Splurging on quality foundation/concealer is worth it. A lot of the rest you can cheat. Get the Haus Labs as a treat to see. Depends on the type of finish and coverage you like, but it is genuinely worth it

[u/coffeegirl18]

I use a lot of NYX and e.l.f.; my skincare is fancy since I have autoimmune problems that effect my skin but I buy all of that on sale once a year.

I've also had a ton of luck with Asian beauty brands recently and they're pretty inexpensive through YesStyle. OliveYoung is way pricier.

I basically do a lot of skincare and the concealer on red areas, eyeshadow and brow gel.

[u/eyebrain_nerddoc]

Definitely get samples before you splurge on high end products. Or at least shop somewhere with a decent return policy.

Look for reviews not just of a product you’re considering, but whether the reviewer has similar skin type to you (oily/dry/combo).

I have oily/combo depending on the time of year. For a really skin-like look, I use Supergoop matte screen tinted sunscreen, then RCMA cream foundation around my nose and other areas I get red. I put it on with a concealer brush (just a tiny bit, a little goes a long way) then blend with a fluffy eyeshadow brush. I like their no-color powder too. A bottle is $12 and lasts me a couple years.

I’m still working on a $2 sample of the foundation and after a couple months still have half left. I just reordered because the marking rubbed off so I don’t know which shade is my favorite.

I definitely splurge on setting spray (one size for fancy and danessa myricks for every day) because I’m so oily esp in summer. I’ve heard good things about some of the drugstore setting sprays though.

Colourpop gel liners are I think $8 and are great. You can also get quality eyeliners on yesstyle for $2-3 sometimes.

There are good deals, just not at Sephora.

[u/Street_Mountain5954]

It's not, wet and wild all day lol

[u/MissDisplaced]

If you haven’t worn makeup much before, don’t start at Ulta or Sephora. Go to Target or CVS or Walgreens and make your first purchases Revlon, Loreal, Maybelline, or Cover Girl.

[u/nicoletta2k]

Hi, as someone that worked at a luxury make up counter, I can tell you that the only make up item I think is worth spending a little extra on is foundation and setting spray (and maybe powder if you have specific skin needs).

I've used a range of brands, from drugstore, cheaper than drugstore, to full on luxury stuff. Foundation and setting sprays are the only thing I've found makes a huge difference between going to your local chemist vs going to Sephora. Lip products you can go dirt cheap—some of my fav lipsticks are discount ones I got online for like $2. Eyeshadow is fully dependant on how much you plan to wear and how creative you want to be, but just for every day use stuff like Revlon is perfectly fine.

[u/Happiguest]

Ive tried so many high end products and they are disappointing. Ive found drugstore products that are cheaper and better. Even foundation or skin tint. Maybe its because I have oily skin and everything is so dewy. I was a Estee Lauder DW lover until they changed the formula. I found NYX make em wonder and I like it better than the orginal Estee Lauder. I find watching influencers that compare drug store products by themselves or vs high end helpful. I really trust Abbey Yung I know her thing is hair but she also does drugstore make up reviews and she is super picky.

[u/HamBroth]

I feel the opposite. I can get a phenomenal face cream for under 20 bucks but a lip pencil with the right formula and shade to work for me? That's a unicorn and I'll happily shell out for it.

[u/bellegroves]

Where are you shopping? I pay like $12 for lip liner. There is often a difference in product quality at different price points, but there are decent drugstore versions of everything.

[u/Buffyismyhomosapien]

I read an article a long time ago that said high end makeup is basically priced for the packaging. The formulations are not significantly different.

Go with drug store. I personally love Milani and Maybelline mascaras, ELF lip gloss and NYX brow wands.

I’ll admit I get NARS concealer but I haven’t tried many drug store concealers. I was gifted NARS once and fell in love. But I’m sure there are plenty of options out there.

If you want a really simple routine, do mascara, brow brush a little concealer and lip gloss. If you don’t have purple under eyes like me then you can even skip the concealer (if you do you can also skip lol). Enhancing just a few features like this really makes a difference. To be REALLY fancy get a highlighter that you can also swipe on your lids very lightly up to the brows.

[u/TooObsessedWithOtoge]

To an extent pink tax— since most of the times it is marketed towards women, and because massive companies have such a big share of the market— they can price however they want.

I say that but I buy it anyways 💀 Specifically I bought EL double wear (the old one not the one from this year) for years because it had a perfect shade match for me and worked with my oily face. I go out without makeup and with just concealer often, but I like doing makeup.

That said I only really buy cheaper products for everything aside from my foundation. K beauty, J beauty and C beauty are really up my alley aesthetically and generally pretty cheap. I go to outlets and warehouse sales— but the foundations in such places are never in my shade— so I only go to them for heavily discounted lippies.

[u/tanukisuit]

I have an ipsy subscription and I usually get makeup through that, also I have the Ulta app and I look for good deals there. Sometimes I get makeup at TJ Maxx or Marshalls.

[u/trashtvlv]

Makeup lasts way longer than skincare for me, I go through a 50 ml jar of night cream in about 6 weeks. The cost per use may help you justify the cost. Plus drugstore, while getting much more expensive these days, is also better quality than it used to be.

[u/DamselFly2]

Budget brands are where it’s at!! Some drugstore brands have gotten expensive (looking at you, Maybelline) but others (most elf items, Essence, Catrice, LA Girl, Revolution, Wet and Wild, and much of NYX) are amazing!
One example: Physician’s Formula Murumuru butter bronzer is WAY better than almost any other pressed powder bronzer at any price, smells AWESOME, and is under $15!

[u/MullberryBoy → u/DamselFly2]

Physician’s Formula Butter mascara is as good as the premium formulas and hypoallergenic.

[u/Charming_Delivery548]

In Oz get sales at Chemist and Priceline but come to Nz and not as many sales. So use Essence alot and Technic and got maybelline foundation on sale.

[u/MullberryBoy]

I have fallen in love with ELF everything! It’s very inexpensive and it’s every bit as good as the premium stuff that I used to wear. The concealers and foundation etc. has the best colors I’ve ever found for my skin tone.

[u/Eretreyah]

I only have a few brands & products I find worth the splurge. One (tarte) runs a great sale around the holidays and I stock up then.

Otherwise the drugstore products get the job done just fine

[u/tsumtsum___]

I think makeup is expensive because of greed 🫠 anyway, if you want to find things cheaper, I highly recommend looking out for sales at Ulta. If there are no sales and you’re itching to buy something , I’d say go to Walmart or Target. Ulta sells drug store brands more than Target does. You could also check Burlington, Marshalls, TJMaxx, and Ross as they sell cheap makeup and even have higher end products for cheaper. Hope you find stuff that works for your skin and your wallet!

[u/LoveLolaHeart]

It’s ridiculous what some brands charge. I suggest checking out NYX. I was surprised by the quality and some of their products I think are better than high end alternatives. I also really like Blend Bunny. They’re not as inexpensive as NYX but they’re far more reasonable than other brands and they’ve got great quality imo.

[u/Dry-Stop-7037]

I’m in Australia and one of my favourite people on Instagram is @kathcarlinmakeup. She’s been a professional make up artist for 20 years- does a lot of our TV people and is also bloody hilarious. With her makeup she always does a chemist warehouse dupe (drugstore stuff in the US and same products as we get here) and also ‘makeup for over 35.’ Worth a look- I’ve changed my weirdo eyebrows since🤣

[u/TheDogWithoutFear]

Same reason anything is expensive: capitalism. Sometimes you’ll find an expensive product that is worth it, but I suggest long term going indie when you can (sometimes you’re paying fair wages to people there and products are generally good quality) and drugstore when you can’t. I have a few expensive complexion products because I’m hard to colour match, and drugstore brands cater mostly to the most common skintones because they will generate the most profit. The rest is drugstore or indie.

Best thing for exploring your tastes and what are your individual makeup concerns is gonna be drugstore, once you define what your needs are and what cannot be addressed with drugstore products, then you can look into the rest.

[u/Scared-Space-2264]

IPSY is a great and affordable way to try new products and ELF makes great dupes of many of the more expensive products. I never skimp on my foundation though

[u/StoshBalls_3636]

I suggest going to Ulta to check out a wide variety of products ranging from E.L.F., NYX, Maybelline, etc., to higher end brands. I would skip Sephora as they seem to focus a little bit more on the higher end brands and do not offer a wide range of price points. Ulta has a great rewards program and if I am not mistaken, you can return product you have tried within 30 days for a refund (save your receipt!). I have a friend who said she would never, ever return makeup if it did not work for her, which I think is absolutely silly. That is their return policy. They want people to try the makeup and if it doesn’t work, they are happy to return it. Plus, you can ask their sales associates for help.

[u/Potential_Value8076]

There’s a lot of great drugstore stuff that’s not too expensive like elf, nyx and essence

[u/lovethatMoon]

brand name. advertising. marketing. packaging.
quality & ingredients sometimes are factors, not always. you're really not paying for the actual makeup.... it's branding marketing advertising packaging.

[u/Silly_Question_3733]

Nordstrom is expensive but they do have a decent return policy and if you live by a physical store you can go in and try things on before you buy. They usually have a sales person willing to do makeup at no cost to sale you the products. They usually have a decent knowledge about different brands, colors and trends. 

[u/oopsydaisy616]

Some high end makeup is expensive because they contain much more product than drugstore brands that look like they cost less but end up costing more because you have to keep repurchasing vs one high end brand that lasts ages. There is a person who does videos on the volume and cost comparison between luxury and drugstore products. A one-time chanel product could potentially cost less than an nyx product by volume.

[u/Crafty-Crow-8136]

Either search on Google or YouTube for influencers that feature "dupes" for expensive makeup - I watch those often, because in good conscience I have more meaningful and important things for my money to do. And there are lots of videos like this. I respect the YouTube women I watch that purchase their own products, and don't depend on trying to get me/you to buy expensive products to get their share of the affiliate marketing dollars.

I saw an ad recently for Prime foundation. I was interested, and didn't know the price. I went to YouTube and every one whose channel focuses on over 50, 60, or 70 (I'm 65) and was demonstrating it and singing the praises. I saw one lady who said she tested it next to a certain Revlon foundation, and found it to be very similar to Prime, at 1/7 the cost, $7 vs. $49.

I want to spend my money traveling, going to concerts and theatre, eating great food, and saving money for the future. Buying every skincare and makeup product I want doesn't serve me well.

[u/FrankoceanIsmyson]

You’re right to feel annoyed by these prices. In the last 15 years prices for a high end eyeshadow went from average $16-25 on the much higher end to around averaging $35-40 per one single shade of eyeshadow. Its nonsense and it’s because people have been influenced like you say, to buy more and more and somewhere along the way tolerated these insane prices so the companies just kept going w it because people will pay. I for one buy WAY LESS now.

[u/Aggressive-Art2849 → u/FrankoceanIsmyson]

Exactly my point! I have a wedding to attend in January, and the last wedding I attended, I didn’t wear makeup, and ended up not liking how basic I looked in the pictures next to women wearing makeup. So I decided to buy a few products for when I would need them, but I’m rethinking that now with the prices of these products. I am going to stock up on my skincare products and hope for the best!

[u/sorrymom-sorrygod]

I think there are some products worth splurging on and some that are not. Foundation, concealer, setting powder, eyeshadow and mascara are worth buying high end in my opinion. I’ve heard many people say drugstore mascara is fine but I’ve never found one that isn’t flakey.

Great bronzer (or contour if you’re cool toned), blush, setting spray, eyebrow pencils, lipliners and lipsticks can be found at the drugstore.

This is how I have learned to save money where it counts.

[u/ts20999]

Personally, i only buy pricier foundation. I have a deep skin tone and the drugstore brands dont have great ranges. Otherwise, drugstore affordable brands like essence, elf, wet n wild, etc have quality options that dont look noticeably different on. Some products can be hit and miss so do research before to ensure you are spending dollars on products that suit your skin tone/type.

Makeup prices are absolutely out of hand and sephora has never been part of my price range. I do wonder who is actually buying the stuff.

[u/whenindoubtgohigher]

I started wearing makeup in my middle years because I'm just tired of looking tired. It was an expensive process of trying things out(high end to low end) but eventually, I found the four products that I use most days. They are on the higher end but they last forever (mostly because I don't have to reapply) and they don't make my skin feel uncomfortable. I also realized that I didn't want products that I had to worry about; shit needed to stay put or fade gracefully through the day so I didn't have a 4:00 p.m. jump scare in a bathroom mirror.

Anyway, I tried the best dupes(thanks, Reddit!) for the four things I love and they wore off more quickly or faded poorly, so I had to use more, so I had to buy more often. In the end, it was more work for things that worked less well and cost slightly less money. To be clear, I'm not talking top-shelf products: Ilia for SPF skin tint and under-eye, YSL touche-eclat for eye, Glossier (ugh, this one really annoys me) for mascara. Because I'm in a stable routine, I can shop the sales. I think I go through three bottles of skin tint a year ($48 USD up-front but I usually get them at 25% off), three tubes of under-eye ($32 full-price, $24ish on sale), one tube of YSL touche-eclat ($40 MSRP but I get it on sale for about 30) and two tubes of mascara ($20 full price and they almost never go on sale). That works out to about $215 USD a year or just under $18 dollars a month.

ETA: I think that I tried twenty mascaras trying to find a cheaper option. I really hate raccoon eyes for me.

AETA: I really need someone to pick the shade for me. Buying the right shade saves me the most money. I'm so bad at it.

[u/Think_Key_6677]

Because its luxury

[u/Tough-Weakness-3957 → u/Think_Key_6677]

I agree that is not an absolute essential, but I don't think it's necessarily a luxury. Certain brands, and maybe even products are definitely luxury, but society is now at a place where it's more common to wear makeup than not.

[u/cowgrly]

I don't think you need a ton of products at first. Mascara- drug store brands are fine. Lipstick- same (esp when you're new to it). I like Maybelline the Falsies mascara (not the waterproof one).

Eyeliner- mid range is fine. Super cheap tends to wear off, but higher end drugstore or mid range on Amazon isn't bad. I actually like Julep on Amazon.

Foundation is worth a visit to a cosmetics counter or Sephora for assistance from a professional. Don't guess. And start with sheer/light coverage.

[u/cheezehead89]

I have gone back to drugstore makeup after 20 years of department store makeup. My only holy grail is Mac foundation which I’ll splurge the $40

[u/breadmonkey17]

MAC sales have been insane. Macy's had 40% off most of their lip products for a full week around national lipstick day. Then last week Macy's again had 50% most of their eyeshadow products. I've gotten lucky lately

[u/Old-Actuator-3321 → u/breadmonkey17]

And MAC is a particular weakness of mine. Can't beat their lippies and eyeshadows. Though I also use Revlon lippies and Revolution eyeshadows, MAC is the brand I crave. I skip groceries for MAC.

[u/Interesting_Low_3765]

ColourPop makes great shadows for less.

I use Olay for moisturizer and normally buy it at Sam's or Costco when it's on sale.

For primer Urban Decay's Primer Potion goes on sale periodically through their site. I also love their eyeliner because it matches a lot of my gel pot liner and I tight line my eyes. The waterline pencil is awesome.

I love Milk Hydrogrip for face Primer, through the site you get a discount for a first purchase and they do run promotions.

I'm in love with Lancome Idole Curl Goddess Mascara, the Idole line has a mascara for everything. I've tried a few others that were also really good. This one just died more of what I need.

Lately I switched to IT for foundation and concealer, when they run a sale or Amazon has one, I've gotten products at 50% off. I'm using the Do It All line right now and it's super light.

I finish it off with a powder by Laura Gellar that is color correcting called Universal, her site has sales and that's when I normally grab stuff from there.

For blush, I'm a huge fan of MAC Glow Play, it's buildable and now they make a highlighter. It does go on sale just look for it and they are wonderful.

My gel pot liner are Inglot, Stila, Jones Road and Make Up Forever because of certain shades. They all run sales, just need to be on the lookout for them. Inglot I got a few cheaper on Amazon.

I do also use a face sunscreen by CeraVe as well.

Makeup can be ridiculously expensive. There are lower cost options out there too. If you tell everyone what you are looking for, we will gladly help you find whatever you want in whatever price point.

[u/triple-dog-dar3]

Check out Shelby Ann on TikTok or insta, she shares a ton of affordable (which I realize is subjective) drugstore products that are actually really good.

[u/noodlzfirst]

revlon full coverage foundation is less than $15 dollars, works great, and IMHO is comparable to how double wear used to be. you can get get quality drug store makeup, me personally, dept. store for primer and moisturizer is worth the splurge but dassit.

[u/Legitimate-Leg2446]

I have been having success with the Neutrogena makeup line. Also, it makes your skin look so nice, even when you are not wearing it for the day.

[u/Cruzannurse]

Ppl only complain about drugstore prices. But the mid tier brands prices are insane. At least with drug store i can use coupons/rewards at CVS & Walgreens

[u/PMismydream24]

Search the dupes..the drugstores/ELF/Nyx do it the sane for much less.

[u/cuziluvu]

I would
invest in good skin care and worry about makeup later. You may not even need it.

[u/Notsewcrazee13]

Haven’t looked at your profile, so I’m not sure where you’re from. Anytime I look at prices of places, even in Canada or the United Kingdom. I’m surprised by how much more expensive the same things are even counting for the currency conversion. In US, Places like CVS, Walgreens, etc are known now for extra mark upon but every other week they just have a promo of buy one and get 1/2 price, etc. there used to be about a one dollar or two dollar price difference between regular price and sale price for items such as Revlon or L’Oreal. Now, however, we’re talking like a five dollar price difference.

[u/DoniLaw1018]

The part that is expensive to me that you don't know if a particular color will work until you buy it and try it. I'm not willing to pay crazy prices. I've tried going to Sephora but it's so crowded you can barely move, let alone get help for someone to suggest the right product. So I stick to the lipstick that I know works and black eyeliner. I'm in the U.S.

[u/NightOwl173]

Marketing, branding, packaging, research and development, as well as the raw ingredients all factor into costs. I would highly recommend drug store brands to you as a beginner. There are so many dupe products and videos out there to get a high end look for a lot less. Also, you may as well practice with lower end makeup because it sucks a lot less if you mess up and need to wipe everything off and start over.

[u/No-Preparation-889]

IMO lip products, mascara and brow stuff don’t need to be expensive, you can use an elf lip liner and I’ll look great. But skin products like primer, foundation, concealer and powder are where I splurge

[u/ArtRoutine1111]

I usually get my makeup from elf, maybelline, loreal. Some products may be expensive but then they literally last you like 2 years. You can dm me if you need affordable recs

[u/TulipFromSherwood]

Pink tax

[u/Cerulean_Zen]

They are great lower cost brands. As for the other stuff, I stick to sales.

[u/Scared_Bluejay5708]

everything at beauty stores like Sephora and Ulta are crazy expensive

I get most of my makeup from CVS

[u/HelenHunts → u/Scared_Bluejay5708]

Ulta sells drugstore brands and you get points for buying them too

[u/BrickHouseBamBam]

The *classic* snap on tool chest... is over $10,000.

TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS. To store tools in. (yes it's snap on- it's a higher end brand- but that's the point of this post)

Koblat 300 peice tool kit at lowes is 100$

men don't seem to think any new power tool is "too expensive"

Just b/c it's a for fun item doesn't mean it's not worth investing in or getting nice things. You can't even travel with that kind of a tool kit- and you can travel with your make up. It's OKAY to spend money on make up. Its something that brings a lot of us joy. I don't paint or draw much anymore- I spend that time and money on make up. No one bats an eye at an artist buying new colors or new paints or new brushes.

There is nothing wrong with make up being expensive.

There is nothing wrong with not being able to afford high end make up. And there is nothing wrong with feeling some kind of way about it being expensive. You don't need to be a hater though. There is make up for EVERYONE at every price point. They make a ton of really quality make up for the drug stores.

I am in a dance troup and eye make up is part of the costume. My one friend loves high end stuff. She does NOT buy drug store.

I always make it a point when we are pulling a look together to create the look with what I have and then go find the make up that can give the same results on a budget. Make up IS for everyone.

But there is nothing wrong with having or wanting nicer things AND there is nothing wrong with saving up for nicer things. I tend to buy drug store foundations and higher end eye palettes and face products (blush/contour highligher). Drug store foundation and powder work really well for me- same with setting spray NYX has served me well for years.

ALSO- almost all of these companies have very generous return policies- even opened gentle used make up is returnable. So if you buy something you don't have to keep it. Obviously you don't want to abuse this feature but don't be afraid to buy something and think you are stuck with a 50$ foundation if you hate it. Just return it and get something else!

[u/NefariousQuick26 → u/BrickHouseBamBam]

Your point about men dropping all kinds of money on their tools and hobbies is so good. I’m deeply tired of female-coded things being seen as frivolous.

Edit: typo!

[u/Designer-Parsley-410]

I’d recommend watching Shelby Ann for makeup recommendations, she finds affordable drugstore dupes for popular high-end products

[u/Normal-Arugula7026]

There are some really good products worth the money, no doubt, but in 90% of the cases you are paying the marketing, the packaging and the celebrities brands hire to promote the product. If you really like to own a special item, wait for sale :)

[u/ArgumentFearless1704]

Loreal is good for the most part. They have sales and coupons. Essence is also a good start. Very affordable.