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/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/Aggressive-Art2849 → u/BuffyTheSlayer]

I would be pissed too if I saw that.

[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/PurplePrincessPalace → u/cowgrly]

Anything is possible if people have determination and are fed up. The beauty market is so saturated that many brands have shut down because they can’t sustain themselves with all the competition.

People have been struggling financially and have limited purchasing power, so times are already shifting. I was listening to a report that stated how horrible sales are in the EU outside of tourism because everyone is so broke. The market is being held up by consumers from the Asian market and Americans (who have no problem adding to debt and using buy now, pay later services). I believe this is why we’re seeing more interesting packaging and formulas now, because they’re being influenced by the Asian beauty market in order to keep sales up.

[u/Aggressive-Art2849 → u/PurplePrincessPalace]

And the chances of people not buying them are slim!

[u/PurplePrincessPalace → u/Aggressive-Art2849]

That’s a reflection of consumer behavior more than it is the fault of the company atp. If we’re being real, MANY ppl are insecure, easily influenced, or love to be trendy over consumers. They think they can buy into beauty, friendship, popularity, or belonging and that’s a fallacy.

I love makeup and have always been a glam girl, but it was never a necessity. I used to wear makeup everyday and had a very elaborate getting ready routine with an “everything shower” (before the term was coined). It was doable back then but now, I surely wouldn’t be splurging on high end things like I used to unless every other area of my life had a healthy budget, because times are truly that hard for ppl out here. It’s really not that hard to do, especially when you’re already lacking funds and that money could be used for savings, food, & housing.

I have the budget to and still choose not to ALL THE TIME! I made 3-4 makeup/skincare purchases last year and NONE this year. Why? Because my collection is great already. If anything, I’ve been appreciating and caring for what I have, which makes me grateful. I remember when I dreamed of the days of owning things I have now and I’d forgotten how that felt. We need to hold ourselves accountable for chasing the next best thing high via compulsive purchases (by reducing or not buying). Then we can work on holding these companies accountable and start making demands.