I have used both eyeshadows brands from Sephora and drug store brands and really don’t see much difference. Is one really better than the other?
Nope! Not really. Personally, I have found that more expensive eye shadows tend to be more pigmented and smoother to apply — but that doesn’t always make them better. I use a mix of Urban Decay, MAC, etc., and drug store brands and I usually mix them. They both have their pros and cons. More expensive eyeshadows tend to have better ingredients and, as I said, to be more pigmented and to have less fall out. But drug store brands typically give you more shadow for your money and apply just as smoothly, with little fall out, as long as you’re careful applying them! In fact, I’ve found that certain drug store brands — like Rimmel — tend to be just as pigmented as, say, Urban Decay products and just as good!
So, no, one is not necessarily better than the other — in the end, it’s about what you want from your eyeshadow!
Lovelies, have you noticed a serious different between drug store brand and more expensive eyeshadows?
Do you need advice on something? What’s making your head spin? Relationships? Shoes? Waterproof mascara? Hit us up.
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I agree I have everything from dime store to Mary Kay andwhen it comes to eye make-up they really are not much different
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If anyone knows a brand of eyeliner pencil that won’t transfer when I open my eye- you know, it makes that smeary line in the crease- please let me know.
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@WaitingToShrug@xanga - My favorite I have found is clinique quickliner for eyes. http://www.clinique.com/product/1597/4770/Makeup/Eyeliners/Quickliner-For-Eyes/index.tmpl
It is the easiest to apply with the longest staying power.
Buy it from Sephora and if you don’t like it you can return it, or you can try the product in store.
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@WaitingToShrug@xanga - oh my god i have that problem in the worst way. i have hooded eyelids, so it’s impossible for me to wear eyeliner without the smear.
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I have a lot of favourite beauty blogs that I will read before I purchase something. Reading reviews and looking at swatches first is a good idea. I usually initially like something because of the colours/packaging, and I decide whether or not to buy it after I see what others think of it. Truth is, sometimes brands like MAC will put out shitty palettes in their collections. Just because it’s “quality stuff” or “brand name” doesn’t always make it better. Some of my favourite eyeshadows are Wet N’ Wild; the pigmentation is crazy good!
If a higher priced brand puts out something that I know hasn’t been duped and I want it bad enough, I will pay the price. I just choose what I think I will like and what I’ve seen works for others.
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There is a huge difference between drugstore and high end eye shadows. EX: put a Maybelline shadow on and it’s off by the end of the day. Milani is horrible, Maybelliene is horrible, etc. I have never found a decent drug store eyeshadow and wouldn’t waste my money purchasing them.
Every time someone gives me a drugstore rec I end up being majorly disappointed.
Do yourself a favor and invest in quality eyeshadows and a decent primer. It makes a huge difference. (MAC, UD, Too Faced, etc)
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It depends. Some drug store is better than high end, and vice versa. Its also worthwhile to note that a lot of high end companies own lower end companies, like how Lancome and L’oreal are part of the same group or whatever. A lot of their formulas must be the same.
Another pretty common thing is that some products you see werent made and formulated by the company. There is a wholesale factory that makes them and companies put their own packaging and labels on them.
Basically, read reviews online to see what is worth getting
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I just invest in a good primer and then stick mostly to drugstore brands. I do have a couple super bright MAC eyeshadows that I love though, mostly because I couldn’t find anything nearly as pigmented in drugstore brands. For most everyday looks though, Maybelline and L’Oreal are just fine. I even have a few Wet n Wild eyeshadows that I love!
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I don’t think the price is a good indicator whether or not a product is good (not just eyeshadows). There are good ones in each price tier. I agree with some of the other commentors: check out popular beauty bloggers (preferably ones who aren’t spokespeople for a brand) and YouTube makeup people, their reviews are usually reliable. However, I do find that usually “higher end” shadows are worth the bucks–softer, smoother finish and blends better for me. (They last me quite a while because I wear makeup maybe 2 or 3 days a week.) Get quality brushes, and use a primer, that helps a lot. (And learn how to use them properly.) If the price is a concern, I’d go with the higher end neutral stuff you’d wear most often, and be frugal with the trendy bright colors, or ones used infrequently. Oh yeah, don’t keep old (24+ months) pressed powder type makeup–it won’t blend correctly and can look chalky.
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Some people need the more expensive brands because some people have skin that makeup doesn’t stick to as easily. For other poeple, there is no difference. I have a friend who piles makeup on and within a few hours its gone, expensive or not. While I on the other hand wear super cheap stuff and it sticks until I scrub it off, looking fantastic the entire time (the makeup does at least, I don’t always look fantastic, hah). So if you personally don’t notice a difference, then save yourself some cash and buy the cheap stuff, and rock it!
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To me, it really depends. When it comes to liquid eyeliner I’ve never found a drugstore brand that didn’t fade after an hour or smear for no reason. Then I discovered Urban Decay’s 24 hour liquid liner, and the difference is night and day. It’s pricey, that’s for sure, but it is worth it trying to not look like I just woke up with black smudged eyes. Face powder, eyeshadow, I’ll get at the drugstore. Mascara I go back and forth between benefit and covergirl (Maybelline is awful, why is it top rated?).
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@ShimmerBodyCream@xanga - THIS.
I definitely notice a difference between my Urban Decay/NARS shadows and my Maybelline/Cover Girl/L’Oreal shadows. All of them have their place in my makeup bag, though.
I think the biggest step in “equalizing” the differences is to use a really great lid primer. I have gone through multiple tubes of Urban Decay’s “Primer Potion,” and I will probably continue to use it until the day I die (or stop wearing makeup, whichever comes first). It keeps my hyper-pigmented shadows from transferring to my lower lid and my cheaper shadows from fading 2 hours after application.
Also, if I’m trying a pretty out-there/new-to-me color, I tend to go with the cheapies. If I hate it, I don’t feel so bad about the $4 – $8 spent in comparison to the $15 – $30++ spent. If I love it, I can find a similar shade in a more expensive brand if I want.
@WaitingToShrug@xanga - My favorite so far has been Lorac’s 3-in-1 Waterproof pencil. I also LOVE and SWEAR BY Stila’s Stay All Day Waterproof liner. It’s a liquid, which can be intimidating if you’re not used to it, but it is by far the easiest-to-use liquid liner I’ve ever purchased, and it seriously lasts all day & night. Great investment!
rose / 934 posts
@WaitingToShrug@xanga - Do you wear a primer? That would help for sure. Otherwise just use a small amount of product to prevent having excess, and set with a colourless or matching-coloured powder.
As for the question, no. This is like saying that x brand is better because it’s that brand. In any brand and at any price range, you will get flops and you will get fantastic items. Or you might find that certain products from one brand tend to not work well for you but others do. I’ve used expensive and drug-store, and I’ve honestly never seen noticeable differences in terms of price = quality. I have some pricey powdery shadows that require more work to get opaque colour coverage, and pretty much all of my eyeshadows used dry cause fallout, whether cheap or expensive or pressed or loose.
Imo, it’s way more about your base and your application. If you use a floppy brush to apply, you’re less likely to get even coverage and with less colour payoff. If you use a dense brush and layer, you’ll get better results. And if you use a thick and greasy base, obviously things won’t turn out as nicely. Concealer, foundation, or jumbo pencils can be used as bases. Some also use cream eyeshadow, but those crease on me usually. I apply all of my eyeshadows wet now as well, which leaves all of my eyeshadows pretty much looking identical. Also, ALL of my eyeshadows go on with minimal coverage when worn without a base and applied dry. It doesn’t matter if it’s expensive or cheap, the only difference is that most of my pressed (from any price-range) go on with more colour, as would be expected. I’ve worn drug-store eyeshadows since I was 14, and I have had occasions where, while wearing stuff from the drug store (dry), I was asked if I was wearing MAC. Most of my brushes are from EcoTools and they apply makeup very, very well. And get fantastic reviews. I always get my reviews at makeupalley.com, and if the product I want to check out isn’t there then I google it and try to get at least 5-10 separate reviews and hopefully swatches. I try to swatch everything I review, and will soon be going through all my reviews to get swatches.
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wet n wild has come out with really nice/pimented eyeshadow palettes for under $6! They are super pigmented and a bang for your buck..BUT they are more chalky than high end make up.
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@WaitingToShrug@xanga - u should try prestige total intensity eyeliners. after its set they wont budge and they cost about $5.50 at ulta.
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I’ve noticed that more expensive brands have better longevity. I work in a salon, so in one nine hour day, I’m working with heat-styling tools almost the entire time, so by the end of the day, if I’m wearing something cheap, you can put money on the fact that it is NOT where it should be. Granted, a good primer could HELP with this, but I feel like the more expensive shadows that I use stay put a lot better.
Make Up Forever is a perfect example. I bought a teal color once and it lasted on my eyelids all day AND overnight (I will admit, I used to not wash my makeup off before sleeping–shame!) and even when i woke up in the morning, it looked almost freshly-applied.
But I mean… longevity is the only difference I’ve noticed, really. for the average person, I would imagine drugstore brands would work fine. Especially if you reapply when it starts coming off.
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I get like 98 % of my makeup from Walmart, I’m cheap.
the other 2 % are gifts, and are usually ELF. I love make up, and this stuff works for me, so I probably won’t ever spend much on it.
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@juicyy_loove@xanga - I love wet n’ wild ! I’ve never tried anything but their lipsticks though… But I love their lipstick. Although, it just got beat out by the Lip Butter by.. Revlon? I think it is. That stuff is the best
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I agree with Wet n Wild! Their eyeshadows are very pigmented. I’ve tried “brand name” eye makeup, and yes they are good, but my favorite is still this one wet n wild pack with 3 different shadows.
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Maybelline / Rimmel Eyeshadow – they’re not bad* you get what you pay for. If your eyelid isn’t super oily / have a good primer –> then it stays there for few hours. But for my eyelid they crease in 3-4hrs even with primer.
I find Urban Decay / Lorac –those eyeshadows last for a super long time 6hr+ and its still* super pigmented as if i just* applied it. My friends notice a difference when I’m using my nice eyeshadows. It pays off to invest a bit more. Save up for it its worth it
orchid / 143 posts
I think it’s just doing your research and knowing which companies make the best products. I never buy all my makeup from the same brand and, by reading a few makeup blogs, there are definitely budget-friendly makeup options.
The Wet ‘n Wild color icon palettes are great and the brand has really upped its game since my middle school years of buying $1 eyeliners. Their matte shadows are more pigmented and blend better than the mac ones I own.
I love NYX jumbo pencils and glitter liner. Their shadows are pretty hit or miss, though.
Physician’s Formula is also pretty good; their colored mascaras are crazy pigmented.
Body Shop, while not drugstore, has great prices when they’re having a sale (it seems to be 3 for 2 every time I walk in) and their products are great quality.
I do still shop higher-end, like Urban Decay (my favorite) and various other Sephora/Macy’s lines, but there are definitely gems at the drugstore if you do a little homework.
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I’ve had Cover Girl, Mary Kay and Clinque products I’ve used since wearing make up. I have found that Cover Girl doesn’t stay. I tend to do 10 ish hours in make up and Cover Girl just does NOT stay on. At all. Mary Kay was alright.
But my favorite products (and what I use) are the Clinque stuff. I always recommend the line. I haven’t tried anything more expensive than them because of the price. I’ve tried MAC and wasn’t thrilled about them. Like I said, Clinque is my favorite and I don’t feel like I’m breaking the bank with it.
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I do think that it depends on the product. For example, I find the higher end mascara from YSL is AMAZING with a big cost of around 33 bucks a tube. And the drugstore brand is around 5-6 dollars but don’t do justice compared to YSL’s. (not for me any way) and I have this amazing eyeshadow pallete from forever 21 (who knew!) and I also have a MAC eyeshadow. I use my index finger to put them on, and I could tell the difference between which eyeshadow was better right from the getgo, and it was definitely the MAC. More pigmented, more was able to be applied on, smooth and silky. The forever 21 still rocked but I could see higher quality in the MAC eyeshadow. Yet because my wallet is majorly skinny and empty, I stick to drugstore.. And forever 21! Wow! haha
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@WaitingToShrug@xanga - http://www.eyelinerbrush.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/1303624869-54.jpg i love this!
i use rue21 eye shadow and it is magnificent. the bright colors stay on longer and better than any other brand i’ve used.
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The only expensive make-up I buy is foundation because the cheaper ones don’t work for me. I like to have a full coverage which the expensive ones give. I use Laura Mercier and it’s about $45. But that’s the only one. I bought chanel nail polish once, it was $25 and it chipped after a few hours. I bought a nail polish for $1.99 and that didn’t chip at all.
rose / 980 posts
I used to buy only drug store eye shadow. But I was spending a lot of money on stuff that didn’t end up working well for me. I’m color blind so I need help in picking stuff out and trying it on. This is where stuff like Mac wins for me. Instead of spending $20 on a couple of drug store eye shadows that don’t work I spend a bit more on eye shadows that not only work but someone has helped me out.
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I used to sell avon and over the years I did find out that all the good eyeliner pencils are made in Germany.
ilena holder
Rose Garden by http://www.Awe-Struck.net
Fade to Grey by http://www.BluewoodPublishing.com
Color of the Flame by http://www.RedRosePublishing.com
Thompson’s Contender by http://www.RedRosepublishing.com
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Expensive eye makeup is not always better! I’ve bought so many “expensive” brands thinking they’d not only look better but be healthier for my eyes, and normally they either A) Don’t even friggen show up on my eyelid or B) Burn the living shit out of my eyes. Cheap ones work just as well, the only thing I’ve noticed is brands like NYC or Wet & Wild smudge easier.
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Invest in a decent primer and you can pretty much wear what you want. I have a tendency to wear the more expensive things in warmer weather, because if I’m just walking, I tend to get a little…sweaty…and the drugstore stuff tends to crease more. That’s just me, though.
@blondexsunshine@xanga - I have been wanting to try that foundation for a while now. What kind do you use? Is it light? I don’t want something heavy, but i have heard so many positive things about that foundation!! Thanks for the info!
daffodil / 1615 posts
@pain2beauty@xanga - Oh man I just recently purchased an ELF palette and it is amazing! Especially for $1 hahaha. I think I’ve found my new favorite brand
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Unless you’re allergic, primer and a good brush will make any eyeshadow good (except the rubbish VS sells – nothing can salvage that). Use those with the cheap stuff and nobody will know the difference.
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@ask_ashleyyy@xanga - Yeah ! so cheap, but they are good ! I like their eye brushes too. there fluffy and they last, and dont fall part