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81 Comments

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Michelle Avatar
Michelle

Best bang-for-your-buck brand? MAC
Best brand when you want to splurge? Chanel
Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty? Revlon or Loreal, although MAC feels thrifty compared to Chanel 🙂

cxb Avatar
cxb

1) MAC or urban decay, especially MACs pro palette refills and urban decays palettes!!
2) NARS, but im going to invest in some Guerlain next time I come across ay, thanks to Christine’s praises : )
3) Cover girl, I still haven’t found a mascara that beats lash blast

Charlene Avatar
Charlene

I agree.
1)NYX is thrifty & great pigment & blendability
2) so far my splurges have been on MAC products also.
3)NYX & maybelline mascaras-they’re the only ones that wrk for my lashes.

Christen Avatar
Christen

* Best bang-for-your-buck brand?
I’m going to go with Mac – although it depends on each product of course. As a whole though, quality products at a reasonable price. At $14 for a lipstick, some of the “drugstore brands” are close, at $9-10!

* Best brand when you want to splurge?
For me, either Chanel or Guerlain. LOVE the Guerlain lipsticks, but $40+ is a lot for one. The eyeshadows from Chanel are top-notch, usually well pigmented and buttery smooth.

* Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty?
L’Oreal. Although the newest products can seem pricey for a drugstore brand, wait a little bit and scoping out the sales can yield some terrific products.

Kathy Avatar
Kathy

Best bang-for-your-buck brand?: I actually don’t have a specific brand to put into this category. Usually when I get a lot of “bang for my buck,” it’s because a specific item is a good deal. For example, a lot of cosmetic brands release a generous gift set during Christmas for a reasonable price, whether it be a Stila lip glaze set or an Urban Decay 24/7 liner set.

Best brand when you want to splurge?: I’m gonna say MAC, surprisingly. I only buy MAC when I feel indulgent and want to end up buying a LOT of things at a counter. I call my huge haul on the Venomous Villains collection a splurge. 🙂

Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty?: Either NYX or Maybelline. NYX has always been an affordable and reliable brand, and I think that Maybelline has improved a LOT over the past year!

Christina Avatar
Christina

* Best bang-for-your-buck brand? — MAC cosmetics
* Best brand when you want to splurge? — NARS & Bliss
* Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty? — Rimmel for polish & Sephora for makeup

Bree Avatar
Bree

* Best bang-for-your-buck brand? Stila (especially on sale at Sephora)
* Best brand when you want to splurge? Chanel or Guerlain
* Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty? NYX (especially on sale at ULTA)

Verna Avatar
Verna

Best bang-for-your-buck brand? MAC or Urban decay
Best brand when you want to splurge? Guerlain,Chanel,YSL
Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty? Revlon,Maybelline,NYX

Vanessa Avatar
Vanessa

Best bang-for-your-buck brand? NYX hands down good quality and very inexpensive

Best brand when you want to splurge? MAC or NARS

Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty? Again NYX, or hmmm Cover Girl/Mabeline

natalia Avatar
natalia

Best bang-for-your-buck brand? MAC

Best brand when you want to splurge? Dior

Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty? L’Oreal for the best drugstore mascaras or Maybelline for foundation. I think the new smooth foundation and the dream matte powder are pretty darn good! And Voluminous in Carbon Black is a total dupe for YSL faux cils imo.

Kerri Avatar
Kerri

Best bang-for-your-buck brand? I’d actually say NARS and Chanel for me – I get the most use out of my Chanel stuff than anything else I own.
Best brand when you want to splurge? Dior, Chantecaille, Edward Bess
Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty? MAC

Trista Avatar
Trista

Best bang-for-your-buck brand? Urban Decay for sure (though some items are chotskies) but just starting on Mac items
Best brand when you want to splurge? I just buy ALOT of UD or MAC.. hhahah
Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty? Rimmel… love their nailpolishes (especially the brush.. it’s shape is awesome!) the mascara is nice and lipsticks are pretty decent.

Ani_BEE Avatar
Ani_BEE

Best bang-for-your-buck brand? NYX, Sassy Minerals
Best brand when you want to splurge? MAC, Urban Decay, TooFaced and IMATS. 😉
Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty? ELF and Maybelline (gel liners), Covergirl mascara, Hard Candy (lip glosses), Avon (eye liners).

Deb Avatar
Deb

Best bang-for-your-buck brand?
MAC

Best brand when you want to splurge?
Dior. I would love to try Guerlain one day.

Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty?
NYX

AnGeLwInGz Avatar
AnGeLwInGz

1)Urban Decay
2)Dior
3)L’Oreal. Their prices have risen dramatically in the last few years but I honestly find many of their products comparable to higher end brands.

Valerie Avatar
Valerie

Best bang-for-your-buck brand? Dior
Best brand when you want to splurge? Guerlain, NARS, Chanel
Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty? MAC and Smashbox

Linnea Avatar
Linnea

Best bang-for-your-buck brand? I would have to say Quo or Gosh, as well as clinique.
Best brand when you want to splurge? Chanel. Hands down!
Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty? Rimmel.

Mita Avatar
Mita

Best bang-for-your-buck brand? Bourjois, L’Oreal, Maybelline
Best brand when you want to splurge? Dior, Chanel, Guerlain
Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty? Wet’n’Wild, Avon

Tiffany Avatar
Tiffany

Best bang-for-your-buck brand? MAC
Best brand when you want to splurge? NARS
Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty? It’s hard to find a drugstore brand that doesn’t test on animals. Perhaps NYX for this category

CeeBee Avatar
CeeBee

* Best bang-for-your-buck brand?
Nothing. Makeup in NZ is RIDICULOUSLY expensive. Insanely so. Easily 2, 3 or 4 times US retail…
OK, maybe Natio, since I am loving their lip pencils right now, and they’re only $16.

* Best brand when you want to splurge?
Dior. Or Guerlain. Or Chanel!

* Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty?
Jordana! Cheap as chips and some really, really lovely products. The blushers and colour effects eyeshadows in the silver pots are amazing and the lipsticks aren’t too shabby either

Emily Avatar
Emily

Best bang-for-your-buck brand? MAC
Best brand when you want to splurge? Chanel or MUFE
Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty? probably Maybelline

ilmy Avatar
ilmy

* Best bang-for-your-buck brand? I would say Mac
* Best brand when you want to splurge? Nars, Benefit
* Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty? Milani or NYC

Cintamani Avatar
Cintamani

1. mac for lipsticks. urban decay for the palettes and kits.
2. hourglass and chanel lip products. though i’ll feel hourglass will be less of a splurge when they finally have refills for the lipstick!
3. nyx and milani for lipsticks and eye shadows

Christine L Avatar
Christine L

Best bang-for-your-buck brand?
>>> Inglot. The prices are just a tad less than MAC but the quality is SO GOOD. Everything in their line is well-thought out and practical, with a good range. Availability is limited though. I happen to live in NYC, where they have a store in the theater district.

Best brand when you want to splurge?
>>> Hmm…If I wanted to splurge it’d do it all at Inglot. 🙂

Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty?
>>> Milani. Drugstore cosmetics (nail polish especially) can’t get much better than this. Revlon is a great, classic drugstore brand as well, but pricier than Milani.

Nora Avatar
Nora

1) Makeup: MAC. Skincare: Mario Badescu.
2) Most Sephora brands. My favorites are YSL and Chanel.
3) Sally Hansen nail polishes. I am never disappointed!

Ashley D Avatar
Ashley D

1. Silk Naturals – probably no one has heard of it but I love their lipgloss, lipsticks, and cleanser! and so cheap, $4.75 for lipgloss!
2. oh so many! Dior, Chanel, Laura Mercier and Bobbi Brown
3. NYX

Amanda Enn Avatar
Amanda Enn

Best bang-for-your-buck brand?
-MAC

Best brand when you want to splurge?
-MAC; the quality is great and I don’t regret spending my money on it!

Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty?
-MAC; the quality is great, so I don’t end up returning anything unlike drugstore products since you don’t get to test them.

xD

ines Avatar
ines

1) MAC, bobbi brown (great pigmentation, product sizes etc. for the price)
2) chanel, dior, NARS, guerlain, i can’t decide… all are excellent
3) l’oreal (pricier than some, but better than most)

Katie Avatar
Katie

Best bang-for-your-buck brand? MAC
Best brand when you want to splurge? Chanel
Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty? NYX, Revlon, and Coastal Scents

Abril Avatar
Abril

Best bang-for-your-buck brand? MAC
Best brand when you want to splurge? Chanel
Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty? I guess MAC… I tend to buy the same brands all the time haha… Mostly MAC, I don’t really look at drugstore brands… 🙂

nicci Avatar
nicci

Best bang-for-your-buck brand – NYX or Revlon
Best brand when you want to splurge – Not a splurge for me but it’s always Chanel. Skincare – Natura Bisse
Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty – drugstore brand

knownever Avatar
knownever

best bang for the buck. lancome. most of their stuff isn’t flashy but it’s decently priced and they make tons of the workhorse products you need on the day to day
to splurge? Chanel, I would say YSL but really that’s only for lipsticks, their palettes can be kind of cheap
thrifty? physician’s formual. great products, great colors, and easy on the skin with natural/talc free formulas

Kaho Avatar
Kaho

Best bang-for-your-buck brand? MAC
Best brand when you want to splurge? Chanel or Dior
Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty? NYX or Covergirl (but only for their mascara’s)

Courtney Avatar
Courtney

1. MAC or urban decay!
2. NARS or dior
3. That’s really tough, I would have to say rimmel, I tried out their foundations recently and they aren’t too bad 🙂 I even found some stuff on clearence once!

Maria Avatar
Maria

Best bang-for-your-buck brand? MAC – it’s actually cheaper than most brands sold at Sephora!
Best brand when you want to splurge? Chanel, Dior, or Guerlain (I can’t decide!)
Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty? Revlon – best drugstore cosmetics brand, in my opinion. Although, L’Oreal comes pretty close because their HiP eye shadows are spectacular.

yeseniaxs Avatar
yeseniaxs

Best bang-for-your-buck brand? Urban Decay/Stila
Best brand when you want to splurge? Dior/Chanel/Bobbi Brown
Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty? Mac

Kathryn Avatar
Kathryn

Best bang-for-your-buck brand? MAC, MUFE
Best brand when you want to splurge? Chanel, Guerlain
Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty? Overall I’d have to say NYX, but there are certain brands that are great for specific things (ie Revlon for lippies, Wet’n’Wild for e/s, etc.)

Alex Avatar
Alex

* Best bang-for-your-buck brand? Clinique and TheBalm
* Best brand when you want to splurge? Chanel,Dior, YSL and Guerlain are my faves
* Best brand when you’re feeling thrifty? NYX

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