That’s a tough one! I’d say ColourPop as one, since some feel like they can’t possibly be good because of a) price and b) hype, plus they are online only. Hakuhodo for brushes as it’s really one of the best one-stop shops for brushes that–as far as Japanese brands go–has some reasonable options.
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Sephora brand. I know some of their stuff can be a miss when it comes to quantity like in a palette. But when they try and go for quality, it’s pretty good. Their liquid lipsticks are my favorite by far!
I bought the Sephora It Palette in Nudes (very cool toned) and it has been sensational. Just love it. The quality has been great, even though a few online bloggers semi canned it.
I got their cream lip stain in my sephora play bag, and I loved it. The shade was Always Red, and I don’t normally like reds, but it was great.
I don’t try to turn anyone onto any brand since most people I know aren’t really into makeup. I will say as for brands, I have been loving BareMinerals, Buxom, Clinique and KVD.
Wow, that’s an interesting question! Hmm, I do tout the benefits of certain products from the Ole Henriksen and Hada Labo skincare lines, also hawked Colourpop to some MAC MUA’s (turns out many, if not most of them already know and DO buy CP!), and have driven at least a few people I know to want to run for the hills when I sing the praises of MAC!
Speaking of MAC; earlier today as I was heading out for my meeting, I found a small white box up against my door, I was perplexed as I knew I didn’t have anything coming, picked it up to see who it had to belong to, but it had my name on it and it was from MAC. Intrigued, I brought it inside and opened it. It was my Taraji Glow!!!!!! ?
Wow – you finally got it! Awesome that they came through for you! 🙂
Yep!!! BEST customer service hands down! They let all of us keep our wrong shade, refunded it, gave us a $25 coupon, plus now are sending us what we originally ordered! I am over the ?moon?, I tell ya!
Now that is customer service!
That’s great! Hope they send mine too!
Bloody A, me too! Didn’t really believe it would happen. Worn it twice…boy does it need a light hand for me, and it’s browner than my dupes. MAC is do big and so established, that they really do not need the goodwill generated by doing this. Tell you, when the refund came, I was sure that we wouldn’t get the product. If they are doing ~4 LE/other releases a month, it really was a sacrifice to rehear for that product. This goes a long way to make up for their (many) missteps and tasteless moves. What a shock, when you knew no orders were coming. (Ps, we have the same 2 only Clinique products, too. Cola and the chubby from a Sephora set.). Bet Taraji looks fantastic in you! Yours is probably there by now, Denise. Eyes peeled.
Oh, I’m so glad you got yours also, KJH! Perhaps the most shocking part was that it must have arrived Saturday? But being that I never even went outside that day because of the rain and just having gotten my Remicade infusion on Friday, and it didn’t get wet at all and no one took it! Got to use it today, and it is hella pigmented! Only need like one sweep of product per cheek, and it is more brownish-red, but it looks AMAZING! Wore it with the other one, and just looked beachy in winter. ?
Denise, it’s not in their usual black box, but a smaller white box. I almost didn’t even see mine in time before stepping out the door!
J D Glow. They sell the most gorgeous primer included eye shadows. Super pigmented and rich colors. The highlighters are beautiful. And they are affordable. No one seems to hype them up or maybe are unaware of their brand. I hope they get more love in the future because they are just or better than some of the high end beauty brands. I love Colour Pop too! I’m looking for a good extra blush brush. I’ll check out Hakuhodo .
Ooo I don’t own anything from them, thanks! Def checking them out! And uhh oh got tax money comin next month ?
It’s been Bobbi Brown for the 35 yr+ set: products like correctors, concealers, foundation sticks, touch-up sticks, Art sticks, lipsticks, Brightening blush, and highlighters are highly recommended. I like how pretty Bobbi Brown makeup can make people look pretty – softens harsh application and espouses a philosophy to “be who you are.” Shimmerbricks are recommended, too.. (I do wish BB palettes were more consistently pigmented, like they used to be.)
Makeup Geek and Colourpop. It’s a shame because they put out good products at great prices but are online only so for a lot of people the risk isn’t worth it. Hakuhodo is a brand I tend to recommend to makeup enthusiasts and not “regular people” because it’s a daunting process to research the brushes and pick which ones are best for you.
MaxFactor. It is such a great drugstore brand, but massively underrated.
I only wish they were still sold in the US. They were one of my favorite brands and I had nearly everything from eyeshadow, lipstick, blush to mascara and foundation from them: (
I’ve been kind of pushing Coastal Scents on people 😉
Viseart Eyeshadows. Outstanding. Re the expense — I’ve done the math. They are $6.66 per shadow full price (Colourpop, MUG territory) and $5.33 per shadow on sale. Hope that helps.
Chikuhodo brushes. No looking back.
Tom Ford blush — Nothing, nothing wears like that product, IMO. But in terms of value re price, I don’t know how I’ll hot pan on those ever given the amount you have to use.
EL Double Wear Foundation — I don’t really try to get others to try it, but do recommend not overlooking it as a possibility when searching for a new foundation. It’s worth trying.
I was just making this exact point about Viseart to a friend. They’re not expensive, they’re an investment- you’re buying a lot of shadows at once, rather than spreading out the spending over several products/ purchases.
Hi Kate!
Exactly! Urban Decay singles = $19. And on and on. I know it’s an outlay all at once that can feel like a bite in the wallet, but can’t beat them for powdered shadows. I love every single one of mine.
Christine, you finally got me to try the Chikuhodo brushes this past year, and I’m glad I did, so I guess I need to try the Hakuhodo ones, too! Now, if only Beautylish or some other retailer I’m familiar with carried them… or if the Hakuhodo usa site felt friendlier to use…
I guess the main thing I try to get other people to try are skin care products that have adequate amounts of active ingredients and are irritant-free and reasonably priced, and brands I’m familiar with that fall in that category include Paula’s Choice, First Aid Beauty, CeraVe, and Josie Maran.
I hear ya, Fran. Hakuhodo’s range/site are overwhelming – even as someone who is more knowledgeable about the brand and their brushes! My suggestion is to pick the “series” you like the most, and if you’re familiar with MAC brushes, it might be easiest to google something like “MAC 239 Hakuhodo dupe” to get a good eye for the ones that are most practical.
I love Paula Choice, Cera Ve, First Aid Beauty and Josie Maran. My skin loves them too!
Yeah, for me it’s Paula, Cosrx, and a tad of Mizon and FAB.
Makeup: Probably Sugarpill. I recommend more brands these days than I used to (used to just be Kryolan and Sugarpill or bust!) but Sugarpill always holds true. Even better, they’re broadening their selection of products so there is even more to love these days!
Brushes: I hate to sound like a mimic, but Hakuhodo is the end-all, be-all for me. Even if I find a softer brush in my life, I will never forget my first Hakuhodo order. Feeling the brushes for the first time and wondering to myself, “are these TOO soft? Will they even apply makeup?”
CP, without a doubt. As I said before, I think I had better get cards made, with the website on them. I get asked about those dark lips at least ten times a week. Seriously. Most of the people have heard of them, but never thought to look for a site. Plenty of people have looked for them in a store…and were not told about online status. Don’t tell me that cosmetics SAs don’t know about CP. half of them have it on! Maybe it’s a store policy not to redirect the customers…
Oh, believe me, they KNOW! So often, a SA or MUA will compliment a lip color or eyeshadow I have on from CP and ask me what I have on, when I tell them, many will tell me, usually in low, hushed voices, that they buy or have bought from CP and love their stuff! LoL!
Josie Maran!
Inglot people have forgotten the brand outside of the lack of youtube reviews (I’m also guilty of not reviewing or preparing reviews from the brand yet. O_o)
Yes, odd to me that Inglot fell of the map, given how good their eyeshadows and gel creme eyeliners are.
When it comes to color cosmetics, I don’t advocate for any one particular brand. There are just too many that are of good to excellent quality and at so many different price points. Besides, what works for me and is in keeping with my esthetic, might be a complete wash for someone else. If I’m asked about something I’m wearing or if I’m asked for a recommendation, then I’m very happy to talk brands. As for naming specific brands, it just depends on the type of product in question.
Bite! So many people struggle with mattes like i do, I always recommend their pencils first!
The first brands that popped into my head are Colourpop, and Marcelle!!
I ADORE Marcelle’s skin care range, I use their “ultra gentle cleansing gel” every morning as a non foaming/lathering face wash. I use their Normal/dry skin toner. I love their face creams, and I love their waterproof eye makeup remover!! I’v never actually tried Marcelle’s MAKEUP line, but I highly rec commend their skin care!! It’s so lovely!!
I love colourpop’s Lip products, and eye shadows!! I have extremely oily, severely hooded eyes. And Colourpop eye shadows, when used ontop of a eye primer, last ALL day on me. No creasing!! And not much transfer either!! I also love the formula of their lip products!!!
I got a sample of their Marcelle’s Xtension Plus Curl Mascara in a sub box, and I really like it a lot. It makes me want to try more from them.
It can depend on the particular product; if someone asks me for a recommendation for a foundation, and a lipstick, I’ll suggest different brands. In general, if they want something high end, I’ll point them towards Armani, because I don’t think that they get the attention they deserve for the quality they give. If they want something more affordable, I am constantly telling people to check out Marcelle/ Annabelle (Canadian-only brand, I think), who punch well above their weight in terms of quality for the price you pay.
Makeup Geek. Love their eyeshadows and how they are are talc-free, cruelty-free, and made in the US. That’s literally better than the majority of products sold at sephora and Makeup Geek’s price range is about the same as MAC (but again, for better quality!!)
It Cosmetics.
They have great products, but they don’t have widespread name recognition.
However they can be seen, touched and swatched at Ulta which is close to many in the US. Sephora is now carrying It Cosmetics online and a selection in some stores.
Rituel d Fille
I’ve been meaning to try them for some time now! I keep forgetting ….
For skincare Omorovicza because it’s beautiful me The Ordinary because it’s so cheap yet effective. For makeup ND foundation.
I’m not ha ha. I’m the only one of my friends and family that are into makeup. I have 1 close friend that is into it like I am but she has other priorities right now so I’ve been flying solo for a while. If I were asked, I think it would be product based rather than a brand on the whole. I feel like MAC is one stop shopping for most (myself included), but they are pretty well-known and a no-brainer. Other than MAC, if they wanted other brand recommendations, I’d say Vieseart or ColourPop for eyeshadows (I’d say MUG too but they are inconsistent), Urban Decay or Sephora brand for eyeliners, Giorgio Armani or Tom Ford or Elcie for foundation, NARS Audacious Lipstick or BIte Beauty Amuse Bouche for lipstick, and NARS or Chanel or Tom Ford for blush (holy moly the wear of Tom Ford blushes, wow). Most of these are all pricey but the investment is worth it because they are such good quality. I’ve heard more and more about Sephora brand lately also, and I might be checking that out myself.
INGLOT! and LOOXI! I totally love everything about Inglot . Price shade selection the way they don’t do limited edition sets every dang month. The only thing I wish is a counter wasn’t 3 states or more away
inglot is pretty nice
Very interesting one! My friends usually ask me what brands to buy, and I will ask what category of products they want and how much budget they have. For single eyeshadows, definitely Makeup Geek and Colourpop; for lips, Bites and NARS are usually what I have in mind; when it comes to gifts tho, Urban Decay is my recommendation since they usually have fancy packaging and products in good quality although they’ve disappointed me recently 🙁
I feel like I’m always trying to convince people to drop their overpriced, damaging, luxury skincare regime and try something like CeraVe or Paula’s Choice or Missha or Benton. I’m sorry, but a highly-fragranced $400/oz YSL face cream is not going to be kind to skin in the long run!
Exactly – you don’t have to pay a fortune to get the results you want. Eg Josie Maran’s Argon Oil is about $80-90 here in Aus. Equally as good is the Physicians Formula Argon Oil – about $25.
Bingo! And alcohol free, or way low on the list, is a must, too. Getting fragrance free is tough, when you have virtually no sense of smell..
I would say Lancer skin care, because for the better lines, it’s one of the more affordable, the 3 products are about 245.00 for about 9 months, and the results are phenomenal. I mention Tom Ford to people because everyone thinks my lashes are false, or they like my lipstick, but it’s pricey enough so I’m not OMG, you have to run out and buy this product. I’d hate for someone to hate it and be aghast at spending that much on a lipstick or mascara.
This are my thoughts too! I will only recommend drugstore things, and I will mention high wnd only if I get asked! I feel bad if someone who I know can’t afford HE asks me what I am using.
Also colourpop. I wear a lot of mac and other “high price” lipsticks and people often say that they like my lipsticks but they do not want to pay so much. Then I say they should look on colourpops website if they find a colour they like and I also offer them to order for them. Colourpop has so many beautiful colours not only for lips and the quality is really good and the price around 5 or 6 euro is ok for most of them.
Colourpop and NARS. They are both amazing.
Glossier. I have every product they make. It’s a great brand and has really cut down on my spending on other makeup or skincare. Here’s my link for 20% off (I get a $10 referral credit too–one more reason I love them). http://bff.glossier.com/ePIRr
They have great customer service too.
No-one in my circle of family and friends is into makeup quite like me. But if asked, I would recommend different brands for different products – not one brand has equally good products across the range. Besides, it is about what suits them or what they are looking for.
Makeup Geek! I’m always so surprised there’s people who own A LOT of makeup from all sorts of brands who haven’t tried MUG!
I agree with colourpop. Also I want folks to try Becca highlighters and Dior Blackout mascara.
ColourPop for me as well, along with First Aid Beauty (for fellow sensitive skin gals), Sephora’s own brand, as well as Zoeva for brushes and some of their palettes.
The only brand I advocate for is Paula’s Choice, as I think people are too quick to both bandwagon and fall for skincare voodoo. Paula’s has made my ridiculously sensitive, lifelong-problem skin so much better than it was, and I know there are a lot of people out there who could benefit if they only knew (and understood).
I’m the only one I know that gets into makeup to any real degree. I work in an office full of women (literally, only one man), and if you pooled all their makeup, you probably couldn’t make a pageant contestant look up to par. If anyone bothered to ask me, I’d recommend ColourPop, Make Up For Ever, Aromaleigh, and Anastasia. Probably NYX too, though they can be hit or miss.
If this mythical pool of people who ask for my advice seemed open to indies that could only be purchased online and mostly sell loose powder form products, then in addition to Aromaleigh, I’d recommend Shiro, Notoriously Morbid (more for her matte liquid lippies, but she has some good eyeshadows too, matte and otherwise), Blackbird Cosmetics (for the world’s best matte eyeshadows), and Concrete Minerals (for some more amazing shadows, matte and otherwise).
It seems like I’m always recommending e.l.f. (makeup and brushes), bhCosmetics, Makeup Revolution, and Sleek to people.
I have more occasions to advice on skincare than makeup. If I had to, it would depend on what their are looking for!
Tatcha. This skin care line is different from all the rest. Very pure, feels wonderful on the skin. Pampering, soothing, fresh and comfortable. Smaller travel sizes are sold so you can try products without making a complete investment plus you get 3 free trial sizes with every purchase. Also the company funds schools for girls in impoverished nations with every order you make. Free shipping and returns are no problem. This company is top drawer for quality and customer service. Give them a try if you are looking for a new experience.
Not necessarily an entire line from a brand, but I’m slowing but surely converting my friends into Colorupop lip product lovers and Makeup Forever foundation users!
hmm Melt and Dose of Colors. I just love them both and think everyone should try them. lol
I am always talking up MUFE foundations to others and when it comes to lip products I’m pretty much in love with Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Glosses.