Do you buy drugstore makeup? Why/why not? Any hits? Misses?
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For the most part, not any more. It’s not really that I don’t believe in quality drugstore finds, because there are definitely some! I just gravitate towards high end collections and products, so I budget accordingly 🙂
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Yea!
I like Maybelline mascaras….their Mineral series is quite good too.
Used to be a foundation snob, but I am started using some drugstore brands.
I also like drugstore body lotions.
I go for drugstore products when it comes to products I don’t want to spend as much money on. For example lip glosses and mascaras… as I don’t see the sense in paying the same price as, or even more than, eyeshadows/blushes.
I do buy some, but less than I used to. Mascaras, lipsticks, lipglosses, foundation, face powder that I use everyday, sometimes eyeshadows if I see something very nice (Boots’ No 7 and 17 often have some nice ones). Also there’s some great eyeshadow palettes by Sleek (mineral, Mac style, good colour payoff) and I also like Barry M’s glittery stuff. 🙂
hi there,
I agree with Anitacska in the UK NO7 which is a range in boots not sure if this is available in the US etc But i use them and I LOVE RIMMEL and GOSH products and have even tried TESCO and ASDA(WAL MARTs) eye pencil and foundation and its foundation isnt bad you do have to shake the bottle before use but hey for
Yes I do! Mostly Bourjois products.
No, I found that I spent as much or more on hit-or-miss drugstore items that end up being given or thrown away than I would one nice high end item. I have a few drugstore mascaras, but thats about it. Also, the prices of drugstore cosmetics have increased so much, you are almost better off saving a few extra dollars and buying high end.
My feelings exactly!
I only buy durgstore mascaras since I replace them within 2 months or so. Other than that, you’ll always find me taking over a MAC store or Sephora store lol.
Yes i like Revlon Bourjois the Colossal volume mascara (think thats maybelline?) Gosh is good and i think theres another but i cant think of it lol
oh yea Barrym lol
I adore Neutrogena’s Weightless Volume mascara. I also have a bit of a lipgloss/lipstick obsession, so it’s cheaper to feed my need for variety with drugstore buys. However, my MAC Lustreglass (in Love Nectar) is still the absolute staple for me, I own three tubes of it – one for my purse, one for at home, and one that I keep in my car as a backup.
I use Covergirl’s Lash Blast & Eye Lights mascara. Both are those are wonderful and probably the only good thing about that brand. I definitely go through the makeup area when I shop Target, but I usually don’t find anything exciting and wander over to the NP & Pixi isle. (I don’t consider those 2 drugstore)
I swear by Maybelline mascara. And you can get some fabulous deals on name brand drugs store lippies whn they are one sale. At CVS, the sale lippies and other sale cosmetics are grouped together with their respective brands, but cn be found lower on the shelf – a tip from a CVS employee/stocker.
Lets be twitter friends – add me broke.socialite
Im quite a make up snob now 🙁
But I do buy the odd Rimmel/Maybelline/L’Oreal lipglosses or lipliners. Things that I know I wont use a lot. BUT L’Oreal Volume Shocking is on of my fave mascaras!
Yes, yes, yes!!
My favourites are Maybelline mascaras, Neutrogena Eye Makeup Remover (used to use Lancome’s bi-facil but it’s soo similar and the price is less than half of Lancome!), and I LOVE LOVE LOVE Revlon’s Super Lustrous Lipgloss!!! They’re so brilliant and look like hi-end ones! I adore my Ecotools brushes as well 🙂
I buy a lot of drugstore make-up. Mostly mascaras these days, though. However, I will buy a new lipstick/gloss to try it out. Drugstore make-up seems to be improving. I mostly buy Covergirl or Maybelline. Sometimes Rimmel, although I loathe their eyeshadows, their lipstuff is good and their mascaras seem to be a lot better now.
Drugstore mascara’s are my pick, as well as some blushes in some of the lines (Revlon, L’Oreal). I think the Revlon Colorstay lines are very good and the CG lipstains.. so, yes, I love some drugstore lines.
I also like a lot of the skin care lines like L’Oreal Genesis and Biore.. they work as well as any Dept store line.
Definitely for mascara. I just haven’t found a high end mascara that I really felt was worth the price.
Lashblast is the only cheap mascara that looks okay, but I prefer Buxom or Diorshow, both of which are high-end brands.
I used to buy cheap drugstore makeup with my mom, but then I discovered MAC and Sephora. It makes all the difference in the world! I especially swear by MAC’s eyeshadows. They’re so smooth and easy to blend, the color that appears on your eye is what you see in the pot, and it will last all day. Cheap foundation is also a no-no. You never get full coverage, it makes me break out like crazy, and it often looks flaky or caked on. Bare Minerals is the best foundation out there. I promise, if you use crappy drugstore makeup, try getting something from MAC. You won’t regret it! It’s really worth the extra few dollars.
Yes of course I buy drugstore brands. If I can find something of decent quality for a much cheaper price, why not?
Absolutely.
CG LashExact mascara and lots of other mascaras. I also buy drugstore brand nail polish, lip gloss, face and body washes.
Not anymore. Ever since I found MAC I haven’t been happy with drugstore. The price has also gotten to the point where it’s not THAT different. Even the mascaras. I’ll get them and hate them.
Only the mascaras!
I don’t usually buy drugstore makeup anymore but this weekend I figured why not since MAC didn’t have a specific color I had in my head. Ended up buying a Max Facotr mascara and it worked out pretty well. I was surprised LoL.
MASCARA from drugstore works well for me. Also L’oreal pressed powder (tru match) works for me. But now i have hit pan, n will try MAC..at least i can B2M…
I must admit there are some drugstore brand eyeshadow that really are nice, though i don’t own them..my friend has..
Also i didn’t knew Bourjois was a drug store brand…:)
The clubbing eyeliner frm Bourjois is lovely!!
Absolutely! The following three products I use on a daily basis are from the drugstore:
Covergirl Lash Blast mascara
Maybelline Define A Line eyeliner
Loreal HIP cream eyeliner
Everything else is high-end cosmetics. Occasionally I’ll use a blush or lipgloss that’s not a high-end product.
For me, not anymore since the high-end makeup has more quality than the drugstore brands.
Yes, I do. Honestly, it’s hit or miss with any makeup. I’ve seen HE makeup that’s ridiculously bad and not worth the money, even on here (e.g. some of the lippies you’ve reviewed honestly look the same on you, no change). So, it’s a crap shoot.
I used to be a makeup snob but then I realised how much money I was wasting because I barely wore half of my high end makeup. I love L’Oreal Telescopic Mascara, L’Oreal True Match Foundation, Rimmel liquid eyeliner, Rimmel lip gloss, Maybelline Mineral Power Blush…I really could go on.
I’ll buy a lipgloss or something if there’s something like a higher end dupe there, and Maybelline Full N Soft mascara is my favorite!
I buy mostly drugstore because that’s what’s around. In fact, I have a blog that’s mostly about my drugstore finds. My friends and family were always asking what stuff I dragged home recently, so I just decided to write about. There is some good stuff out there, but it’s a lot of trial-and-error. Unfortunately, there’s no Sephora here!
whats ur blog? i’d love to read it..
Yes, maybelline mascara works as good as any other high-end brand for me, but I have extremely long eyelashes anyway.
I also don’t have enough money to buy $40 foundations each month, so drugstore does me well.
Yes Cover Girl Mascara Lash Blast
i prefer getting my mascaras at the drugstores. i love maybelline l/s but hate the packaging. i’m going to try out revlon foundations next, i’ve heard a lot of good reviews about them. i think the only thing i wouldn’t get because i’ve none has impressed me are e/s.
Yes, there are some great drugstore finds I use often.
– CG Lash Blast mascara
– Revlon Colorstay Foundation
– Maybelline Line Stylist Eyeliners
– Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner
– Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush
Yes! Urban decay, and too faced, I live in London so I buy it from boots.
Hm… I certainly wouldn’t consider UD and TF to be drugstore make up. Just because Boots sell them, it doesn’t make them drugstore, Boots also sell Dior and Estee Lauder. 😉
Nope, nada. My answer is the same as Christine’s 🙂
Covergirl lash blast n Rimmel lipsticks. Other than that I’m a makeup snob.
I do. If I see a pretty color of ES, Lipgloss, lipstick, blush I will try it out. I don’t descriminate. 🙂
Sometimes…but i always end up having to throw it away because I went home and ended up disappointed with the color/quality/smell or something and never used it 🙁
Yesss. I love L’Oreal HIP Jelly Balms, I wear them all the time and go through two or three a month. They feel soooo good on my lips.
Also L’Oreal mascaras, mostly Voluminous and Beauty Tubes.
Neutrogena has some good foundations that don’t bother my skin the way some way more expensive ones do.
Almay has some decent foundations, too, and I use their eye makeup removal pads all the time.
My staple drugstore items include Maybelline mascara and L’OREAL liquid liner! Otherwise I tend to go for higher-end brands.
Max Factor 2000 Calorie is pretty much the only decent auburn mascara out there. And I love Rimmel lip glosses. But that’s about it. I do have a few of those extended wear lip things that I use if I’m going out and don’t want to mess with my lipstick much.
High end cosmetics are so much more pigmented (and MAC isn’t that much more than drugstore brands anyway) I think it’s a better deal to buy the quality stuff.
Foundation – no
Mascara – occassionally
e/s & pigments – no
liners – no
blush – no
glosses – yes
polish – occassionally
YES, I do! Make up for me in general is hit or miss. I’ve bought things at MAC or Sephora that I hate on me once I get home. But it also happens with drugstore makeup because of how things are packaged and not being able to swatch them. My drugstore staples as of now are CG Lash Blast, L’oreal Cream Liner, Physicians Formula Baked Sands e/s, PF Shimmer strips and my latest find EcoTools Brushes =)
I’m always dissappointed when I buy drugstore brands, so I don’t anymore. The quality is not the same as highend and you can’t try on the colors. I’ve had to give away sooo much drugstore makeup because it didn’t work for me, that I’ve stopped buying it.
I do have a few drugstore products though that I do like that haven’t dissappointed me:
–Physicians Formula Baked Collection Eyeshadow trio in Baked Sands
–Maybelline mascaras, since I refuse to pay more that $5.00 for mascara
–Loreal Hip loose eye kohl
I usually don’t only because alot of drugstore brands test on animals whereas some high end brands that I like don’t.
Hey VanessaMarie 🙂 If you go to http://www.caringconsumer.com you can search or browse companies that make beauty products that do and don’t test on animals. There are some reliable brands that I use (i’m vegan) such as Almay, Revlon and Physicians Formula. I won’t EVER buy Maybelline or Covergirl again, as they are owned by some of the WORST offenders of animal testing.
Thanks Brenda!
Definitely. I only buy drugstore gloss and mascara. I go through these things so fast that I can’t really imagine shelling out $20 for each. I also really love HIP’s metallic duos, and have a few of those. I also love Prestige’s waterproof liners, which hold up much better than many high end brands on my oily lids. My HG lip treatment is also drugstore – Physicians Formula’s Plump Potion. I searched high and low for years, trying almost everything Sephora had to offer, until I bumped into this gem entirely on a random whim.
For things that I’m going to spread across my face though, like blush, foundation, primer or sunscreen, I prefer to go mineral or high-end since I have very sensitive skin. The only thing I make an exception for is bronzer, and I only trust Physicians Formula (and they have an excellent selection), since I figure I can only use it for half the year.
Lately I’ve been adding more drugstore products to my collection such as mascara and foundation because it needs to be thrown out so quickly. Also, I tend to break out from MAC foundations due to the oils in it.
I’ve been using:
-Revlon Colorstay Foundation
-Covergirl Lashblast mascara
-Sonia Kashuk concealer palette
-Olay daily sunscreen
Not anymore. Ever since I found Mac I haven’t been able to go back.
Would you guys say English Selfridges is like American Nordstrom?
nope only for mascaras.since i think some of them are better (covergirl, maybelline, loreal) . but i pretty much stick to mac, bare minerals, and urban decay. the prices at drugstores lately are so high now so its not worth the hit and miss thing. i know that whenever i go to mac i will like an item, if not then i can easily bring it back for exchange.
No.. not really. I have moved on. I’m a snob now.
Although I did find a line called Jordana that has some pretty rocking lipglosses for 1.99. I got a few of those just for fun.
Many products are just as expensive as Mac so I just prefer Mac or Sephora.
I bought Chanel lipstick and gloss last week. I don’t think there’s anything that good at the DS.
Only mascara (mostly cover girl) and my HG liquid eyeliner (Rimmel). But I prefer MAC, it isn’t that expensive compared to drugstore products.
i just buy mascara from Maybelline i love the way their mascaras and the rest I own is Mac and Urban Decay
Some. My foundation that I use occasionally is Physician’s Formula, as is the bronzer I use. My face wash and moisturizer are drugstore as well. Pretty much everything else is from Sephora.
Just mainly Maybelline mascaras. They’re much better than most high-end brands, in my opinion. And I recently got into Jessie’s Girl eye dust shadows, which is sold at Rite-Aid. Cheap, great color pay-off and a nice range of colors 🙂
My so-far-small stash:
DRUGSTORE:
Black Maybelline Full ‘n’ Soft Mascara, black Maybelline Lash Stylist Mascara, Maybelline Expert Wear Brow Pencil in Dark Brown, Cherry Chapstick, 100% Naturals Chapsticks, Burt’s Bees lip balm, Almay Intensify Eye Color Trio for Hazels, Physcian’s Formula Loose Mineral Wear in Shade 1, Loreal Bare Minerale Translucent Skin Finisher in Translucent.
HIGH-END:
MAC Shadow in Sable, Greensmoke, and Shroom, MAC Suite Shadow Duo in Sweet Liason, MAC Powerpoint Pencil in Engraved, MAC black Mascara X, MAC Lipstick in Dare You, The Body Shop Strawberry Born Lippy Balm, The Body Shop Eye Colour Matte in Soft Black, The Body Shop Eye Color (shimmer) in Chocolate, The Body Shop Sparkle&Shimmer Power Puff in Sunset Peach, Bath and Body Works Liplicious Lipgloss in Frozen Daiquiri.
I buy high end and low end. I buy a lot of good stuff at the drugstore. There’s decent foundation, concealer, mascara, eyeshadow… I’ll treat myself to high end stuff too though w/o too much hesitation 🙂
Yes, I buy ds mu and high end as well. I love ds mascara (cover girl exact lights), l’oreal eye liner. If I see something I like, I just pick it up. I have some hits and some misses, but I also get that with high end products as well.
Not as much as I used to. Mascara, Oil of Olay and body wash are the only things I get at the drugstore now. Otherwise, the rest is MAC, Too Faced, Dior, Chanel, and a few other brands. Usually there are good deals on mascara and I change it every 3 months, that I can’t justify spending too much anymore. I used to buy Diorshow, but realized it was a waste of money. I have tried NYX and for the price, they’re a great buy. I just got a few of the trios and although they need a base, they do last the whole day.
I do still buy drugtore becuase I am only a teenager. Its hard for me to get the “Staples” for more then 20 dollars. I mean mascara is always a hit or miss. And so far, Revlon has a really good mascara. I rather pay 7 dollars then 20. Also with powder [my skin doesnt need foundation] why would I pay 14 more dollars for a UD powder then A revlon. I love MAC, but sometimes I do not like their prices. Also, i cut down alot on drugstore becuase more then 75% of the brands test on animals. totally agaisnt that. maybe one day; i will be a mac whore, but for now im drugstore diva. 😀
i’m really feelin revlon right now for some reason…i just bought a couple of their matte lipsticks (nude attitude, pink pout,pink about it, strawberry suede, and really red) these lipsticks are freakin awesome! they work perfect as lip stains or you could put just a little gloss on top…i also love revlon colorstay foundation with soft flex…it gives me an awesome matte finish…
i have maybelline mascaras that i love…define-a-lash and lash stiletto are my faves…i also love my maybelline bronze glitz trio eye shadow…which is the perfect bronze look..
I only buy drugstore mascara and my favorite one is Covergirl’s Lashblast. For lipsticks/glosses, I mainly use MAC. Eyeshadows, I love Coastal Scents, Loreal HIP, and Urban Decay. Face powders, I only use NARS and Bare Minerals. Eye pencils, I love MAC’s Engraved Power Point.
I like to mix it up.
Sure, I always find some great products from the drug store.
foundation from drugstores never work for me. I always have to buy 2 or 3 of them to find a match. I’m NC25 in MAC studio tech. So 2 or 3 shades at maybe 10 dollars a piece at the drugstore or 28 dollars MAC and I get matched at the store. I think I like highend better for powders and such. Nail polish i’ll buy at CVS but rarely anymore because I’ll go to Cosmoprof for OPI. Loreal, Lancome, and i few other brands test on Animals and i just can’t justify buying items that we’re tested on them. I’ll pay more knowing animals weren’t tested on, it’s worth it to me.
Yes. I like drugstore mascara, Maybelline Mineral Foundation, Revlon Colorstay liner. I was really shocked about the foundation and someone else bought it for me! I’m 85% snob but the other 15% likes the bargains 🙂
mascaras- i only buy drugstore, ive pent way too much money in the past on $20-$30 mascaras and i find they all work the same.
Love- maybelline great lash , covergirl lashblast, & l’oreal lash tubes.
Yes I actually really like drugstore makeup, I prefer higher brands but I still can find good stuff from the drugstore too. My fav’s are covergirl superthick mascara, revlon colorstay liquid foundation, and revlon matte lipsticks.
yes, but its hard to find drugstore brands that don’t test on animals.
No. Everything I have ever bought from a drugstore isn’t worth it and now I’ve built up enough of a collection that makeup has moved beyond “needing” something to just “wanting” it… if that makes sense!
I used to be HE only, but I’ve since found some GREAT lines and/or items in drugstores. Canada has Annabelle & Quo, who both offer some great colour products. My HG fndtn ATM is Carmindy’s Your Skin fndtn. I think I overlooked some great stuff by being a HE snob. Also, I’ve bought alot of bad HE items lately, which leads me to believe price doesn’t always equal quality.
barry m, GOSH, bourjois. i like barry m & gosh for buying bright colours that i won’t use much, and bourjois products are really nice. i’m not snobby about makeup, if it’s good i’ll use it.
No. I get an allergic reaction from most of the products sold at the drugstore so I stopped even trying them out. I do however buy my nailpolish at the drugstore (rimmel wear maxx – lycra and minerals) Mainly because they have good staying power.
Not recently, no. I’ve been leaning more towards high end brands lately. But usually if I do buy drugstore it’s only for mascara.
I guess I am mostly a make-up snob now too. I just am not satisfied with most of the drugstore stuff, but I do find L’Oreal to be better than most of the other drugstore brands. I really like the Double Extend Beauty Tubes masacara because it does not smudge. Their H.I.P. eye liners are nice too.
yep, there are a few things like; rimmel vinyl bronze lipglosses, bourjois blushers – smell yum and are uber cute and things like barry m ultra, ultra pigmented eye crayons.
Nope, even the Lash Blast masacara sucks for me. I use Makeup Forever Smokey Lash anyway.
Tired of trying and dumping. Now that I know what works for me from MAC and Sephora, I stick with them.
I live in Asia, so not all the brands you are talking about has their chain here. I do take drugstores make up for everyday use. I love Loreal Telescopic Mascara, Oil of Olay moisturizer(it really works well for my skin), Borjouis eyeliner,and Maybelline for eyeshadowms I don’t wear any foundation for everyday use, for special occasions I’ll use Kose. Kryolan are famous here and used by pro make up artists. But I’m allergic to Kryolan as well as Revlon products 🙁 I actually love Clinique products but it’s very pricey!! Max Factor no longer selling here, and now Make Up Forever is attacking the high-end department stores here.
Yes. Maybelline is good and pretty affordable compared to L’oreal or Revlon (here they are pretty pricey if you just compare them to Maybelline — but then I would rather buy Maxfactor that you can get in department stores here rather than drugstores.) There are more cheaper products available in our country. There’s this brand where I buy cream shadows that work great and don’t crease at all compared to the other eyeshadows I try even without eyeshadow primer — the brand is called Shawill (from Korea)
There are also some good local brands of makeup lines they sell here in the Philippines as well.
The really cheap ones are: Ever Bilena, Careline and Nichido. They also sell makeup for professional makeup artists. (Jazzy and Fanny Serrano) which are really good…