For an obscene amount of time I ONLY used designer brands for my skin care and make up. I thought since it was from a fancy designer and cost a fortune it must be the shit, right? I was a devout Estee Lauder user for both skin care and make up forever. I was spending hundreds of dollars every month…hundreds. One of my face serums alone was $110 EACH MONTH. Did it work? It absolutely did. BUT then I was perusing Amazon one day and came across the same type of serum just under a different brand name that claimed to do the same thing. I compared ingredients and except for a few added fragrances in Estee Lauder, everything else was the same, except this one was $30 dollars. So I bought it because even if it turned out to be a dud, it was only $30. But guess what? This stuff worked EXACTLY like my uber expensive one. So then I started looking at all the things I was spending stupid amounts of money on and comparing it to others I could find at CVS or Target. And this is when my love for the lesser guys started. It’s also when my husband took a sigh of relief that I would no longer be spending a car payment on face crap. (side note: if Mario Badescu isn’t taking over your bathroom closet, you are missing out)
I quickly learned that my coveted Estee Lauder mascara was nothing compared to Maybelline’s Last Sensation or Essence’s false lash mascara. My double wear foundation (Estee Lauder) looked cheap compared to Revlon Color Stay or Maybelline Fit foundation.
In no time I had replaced almost all of my “fancy” brand make up and skin care for less expensive, but just as good, if not better, drug store brands. I have friends who work in the make up industry that basically backed up what I was finding out.
Not only was I spending less money but I didn’t have to drive to a freaking mall to get my stuff. I hate going to the mall. Also, I’m a busy working mom, I don’t have time to drive to the mall.
Now don’t get me wrong, I have kept a few of the “pricier” ones in my possession because I love them too much to part with. The Peter Thomas Roth rose stem cell face mask will have to be pried out of my cold, dead hands (worth every penny. Try it).
I was always so afraid of brands like NYX and e.l.f because all their products are super cheap but I follow a ton of make up artists on social media and so many of them have top favorites from these lines. Naturally I gave them a shot and sure enough I too loved them. Not everything I tried from these brands hit home for me but I have been pleasantly surprised overall.
Obviously everyone is different. What works for one might not work for another. But just because it comes from a top dog with a hefty price tag doesn’t mean it’s the best product out there. Start paying attention to the labels and what’s in stuff, you’ll be shocked.
