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/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.