What will make you splurge on a product?

Interesting color stories, consistently high quality in the past by the brand, unique (but not gimmicky) offering, and just that right mix of color/finish/texture/payoff that always draws me in (like coral blush, green eyeshadow, pearly lipstick).

— Christine

12 Comments

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Lisa S Avatar

I love dior highlighters, definitely a weakness!! I love lipgloss also, my lips can get very dry so I’m constantly putting on. I love the nars orgasm and super orgasm colors.

Rachel R. Avatar

*Interesting a unique or rare-seen colors and fnishes.
*Brand that I love.
*Brand I have heard good things about, want to try, and there’s a good sale on.
*Superb quality, such as PML MTHRSHP Subversive Metalmorphosis Eyeshadow Palette. Did I already have these types of shades.? Of course. However, the PML formula and finish kicks these up to another level…and it shows on the eyes.
*Beautiful/cool/unique/collectible packaging (but the product still has to be good and something I’d use).
*Great purples whether for eyes, lips, or cheeks.
*A perfect coral-red lipstick will always get my attention.

Nancy T Avatar

Different categories have somewhat different splurge-worthy points for me.

For skincare, it has to be something that I know actually works. I will have tried generous enough samples already before I splurge just to make sure of that, plus making certain that the product doesn’t cause an allergic reaction or breakouts.

For base products, same as for skincare, but also must be able to hold up under this harsh climate in AZ, as I do not drive. Also, it must match my skintone and undertone with reasonable accuracy, too.

Color cosmetics need to bring the quality to the table, if they’re going to carry a hefty pricetag! Needless to say, I also must see the product as something that I WILL use often enough to make the indulgence worth it. So, I must absolutely love the formula and the shade(s) .

Deborah S. Avatar

I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I don’t have much of a criteria. Sometimes I will see something and just know I want to have it regardless. It could be the packaging, pretty embossing, unique shades, brands I love, the list is endless.
Yesterday while walking through a mall, a new cosmetic kiosk opened. They are a skin care line and for the life of me I cannot remember the name. Anyway, the young man roped my daughter and I in and he used an eye product on me to smooth away wrinkles and tighten the eye area. My daughter was able to see an amazing difference and my under eye area was smooth as a babies bottom. I asked the guy if this was the same product or a similar product to the one that was on Shark Tank and we see in adverts all over. He denied it but really couldn’t tell me much about the ingredients. I looked at them myself and told him what they were. Not bad ingredients and they clearly worked. He told me to use it once a week for an entire year and then stop for 6 months and then start again. I was ready to sign on the dotted line until he told me that it was $699.00. The other skin care products were all in the high $200 range. He told me if I bought the eye product he would throw in a $200 moisturizer. I didn’t bite and left before I was tempted. Oh, I asked about a tester and he told me they couldn’t give me one since the product must stay in a glass bottle. The actual bottle they were using was shaped like a syringe and was plastic. I didn’t call him on it, LOL!! The temptation was strong but almost a whole house payment!!

Lesley Avatar

I don’t consider a pricey product to be a spurge if it works better for me than a cheaper version and it’s something I use frequently or it comes from a company that doesn’t cause animal testing to occur. For me a splurge is something that will be fun but not really something I need to have.

Mariella Avatar

Sometimes, it’s really intangible and illogical! For example, I am planning to get the UD Game of Thrones palette even though I don’t need it and have so many dupes for the shades I like best. In this case, it might be a bit of FOMO. Lannister Gold is also on my list but I have nothing like it and still gnash my teeth over never having been able to get Bare Minerals 5 AM pencil all those years ago and Lannister Gold is very close to it so that purchase does make sense – it’s the type of pencil liner I’ve wanted for a long time and I own nothing even close to it. But as I’ve become more and more snowed under by my makeup collection, it is usually lots easier for me to resist splurges. The product has to be somewhat unique (in terms of what I already own), get a good review/rating from you, Christine, and also be something that just really appeals to me.

Genevieve Avatar

What would make me spluge on a product, would probably be either a lipstick or an eyeshadow palette.
If it’s a palette, it would have to be shades that I would use, love and have an excellent rating on this blog. For example, I am thinking of the Melt Cosmetics Smoke Sessions palette.
For a lipstick, it would have to be a more unique shade that I would love and have a creamy finish. Just like the Maybelline Spice For Me lipstick that I recently purchased.

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