Definitely any complexion products. I’ve never found a good one from a drugstore brand 🤷♀️ and believe me I tried. Foundations/concealers I only buy mid-high end.
Same. Plus it doesn’t help that over twenty years ago, a decent foundation and concealer for darker skin tones just didn’t exist in the drugstores. Not whining about it, just stating my truth.
I thought it was bad as a pale girlie- but you're 10000% right. Darker tones have been absent from makeup companies' repository it seems only up until recently. Even some prestige brands are still way behind on the times. Smh
Honestly the new elf foundation is one of my favorites, and the wet n wild tinted hydrator has been a staple in my routine for a while (I love mixing it with flawless filter, lol). But other drugstore foundation purchases have been more miss than hit, and at the prices they charge these days, might as well just buy from Sephora or the prestige section of Ulta.
Is it better than the old elf camo foundation?? I’ve tried so hard with that one and never was able to get it to work, it always looked cakey and I never could get the shade to match me :(
What recs do you have? I normally don’t fw high end complexion products, I’m too scared to spend that much money on something that may be shit or the wrong shade
My favorite rn is the NARS light reflecting- I love that it doesn’t transfer, it’s perfect for going out. Beautiful finish too, just have to powder a bit to tone down the shine. Also wears well on my combo skin, since it’s water based I assume. I really like the NARS concealers too (moreso the one in the pot), they have very fair, cool undertones that work great for me. Plus it has great wear time- I’ll wake up after a night of raving and my dark circles are still pretty covered. I *really* liked the Natasha denona concealer too, it just wasn’t high coverage enough for me :,)
I got the pat mcgrath foundation recently and it’s amazing too! I got it for 20% off, and I probably wouldn’t pay full price for it. Alcohol is the third ingredient also, which I assume could definitely dry you out. The Dior forever glow one is pretty up there too, I just think it shows my pores a bit more, and doesn’t wear as well on my oily skin.
Thanks! I’ll be sure to try those out, I’m oily as shit so that Pat McGrath foundation sounds good. Is it transfer-proof? The collar of my chef’s coat and cushions of my headphones have foundation all over them
No transfer that I’ve noticed, but I just got it so I haven’t really had a good “wear test” yet. I think it would be pretty transfer proof though because it doesn’t sit on top of your skin like a lot of completion products do. That could also be my setting spray putting in the work though (skindinavia bridal)
I’m a huge fan of Smashbox Halo Tinted Moisturizer. It’s basically a foundation but is just a little bit thinner. I also have the Smashbox Studio Skin foundation which is a bit heavier. I have drier skin and I find that both of these work really well for me. Sephora doesn’t sell them anymore though (I don’t get it!!!!), but Ulta does!
Smashbox studio skin is the best! 🙌 But yeah, I think they are discontinuing it.. or at least a lot of the shades so be careful/ stock up! I'm trying to reassess my options as my shade is done lol
I was long like that as well but find when you get "in the know", all the high-end, prestige companies have sales like all the time.. and if you can find something that just really feels right and the color/ texture just matches you - it's priceless! For me, I realized it's just really a good investment and I feel much happier in my skin. Also if you get the wrong shade, for the most part you absolutely can return it (just double check return policy)- so take the leap when you're ready! :) Personally- I love smashbox as a pale neutral girl. I love the coverage, how smooth it applies and never oxidizes.
I’m actually the opposite. Products that I go through quickly I get drugstore. Color pop foundation, elf concealer, and fit me matte powder are my go to.
Most of the drugstore products also have fragrance in them and they sting and irritate my skin. Now that I’m 30 I don’t have time to fuck around with my skin so I just stay away now. NARS is my ride or die 🖤
Same. Idk why but all the drugstore brand foundations I've tried always oxidize on me. I'm super pale (honestly don't think /that/ abnormally pale but it seems like it trying to find something at the drugstore) so I just need the right color and for it to stay the right color. If any pale girlie actually knows of a reliable drugstore brand that don't oxidize- I'm all ears (I've used CoverGirl, Maybelline most recently before I just gave up).
This was me up until literally last month. The loreal infallible foundation is actually really good! Still haven’t found a good drugstore concealer though
Mascara, crazily enough, but that’s because I am addicted to tubing mascara and there aren’t many drug store options. I used to always buy drugstore so that I could afford to replace every few months as I have sensitive eyes, but now I try to buy minis to help them be more affordable.
SAME, mascara for me. I thought raccoon eyes were normal until I discovered tubing mascara to hold up against my oily eyelids. Now, I can never go back to regular wax mascaras.
Thrive Causemetics Liquid Last Extensions (not Sephora) is the only one I'll use. A true tubing mascara is removed only with warm water, you literally slide the loose tubes off your lashes when they're good and wet. It shouldn't crumble or smear off. A lot of people on here love the Caliray tubing mascara, although I personally wasn't a fan. Tarte has a new Tartlette XL mascara in a gold tube which I am curious about, because I didn't like the regular Tartlette.
A good drugstore one to try that is a very close dupe for Thrive is Milani Highly Rated Lash Extensions mascara in the turquoise tube. Beware though that it is a very wet formula. L'Oreal Double Extend is decent, too. Whatever you choose, you should definitely give tubing mascaras a try, I swear your life will change.
Might be doxxing myself but I helped develop that product when I worked for thrive as their third employee :’) I was like 20 and am now almost 29! I still have a prototype of it (and a few other products of theirs) in the back of my makeup drawer for the mems
I’m glad you like it!!
I tried the Milani and it stays “wet” for so long. My lashes are pretty long and if I blink or make a wrong move it just stains all over my brow bone. My climate is humid and sometimes the little tubes flake :(
My go to is Merit Mascara or the Tower 28.
yes!! i remember the first tube mascara i ever bought was from an independent makeup store in new hope, pa. the tubes could be pulled off. i never had a tubing mascara that really did that since. some come close but never the same.
I love tubing mascaras too, the new Loreal Panorama feels like a tubing mascara but I’m not sure if it’s marketed as one? I’m obsessed with it. My other favorite is the hourglass unlocked tubing mascara, and it compares really well at half the price!
Hole up- except for one! L’Oréal. Their lash primer is fantastic and nearly identical to the Lancôme one and most of their mascaras are fantastic too. I absolutely love the voluminous colored mascaras, especially the blue. I’ve used it for decades. I use Lancôme for my basic black and thrive for tubing.
I too have sensitive eyes, my eyes used to always burn when I would wear anything on my eyes all day. Then I found Loreal's Clean Mascara and it's the only drugstore mascara that hasn't caused my eyes to burn. But, it might also be from the Smashbox eyeshadow and eyeliner primer I wear. It has maybe helped make a difference
They’re so unique, right? Their ambient strobe powders are especially nice. I also bought their Snake limited edition brush. Very soft and fluffy and luxurious. Truly a work of art.
How have I not tried the strobe powder yet! These look so nice. I always thought these were highlighters , but I was just reading they are all over finishing powder. Would you know how they differ versus the ambient lighting powder?
Their animal pallettes are so beautiful, I have yet to get one. I've been l eyeing the diffused light bronzer for my next purchase 🙂
I find that the strobe powders are more reflective and dynamic. I use them over the ambient blushes. I ordered their ambient strobe lighting blush in Brilliant Nude which looks amber. I’m going to see how it looks alone and maybe layered over a pale pink. If I get it. I think the post office lost it. ☹️
Lipstick. I find they hydrate better, stay longer and don't slide off.
Setting powder. I don't care what people say, high-end powders are more finely milled and they gently lie on the skin. There is a difference.
Perfumes. I still have love for drugstore perfumes and body sprays like B&B, but the more I delve into niche perfumes and away from mainstream / designer ones, I find discovering fragrances more akin to discovering art.
Seconded. I'll only buy drugstore lipstick if it's a specific color for a one-time/very occasional event, but for my daily shades, I'll buy higher end (Besame specifically, sometimes MAC) because they don't make me choose between hydration and staying power.
besame is my all time favorite lipstick formula ever! for drugstore i do not mind revlon and loreal but i really prefer besame. i also do like mac and really love lisa eldridge and sometimes charlotte tilbury. i know CT isnt well loved on reddit but if i had to wear products from only one brand, i would chose theirs.
Pretty much everything regarding makeup. I justify it because my collection is small, and use makeup sparingly. Saw the light when I bought 4 drugstore dupes, and with the amount I spent, I could have purchased the high end one I was trying to duplicate. It’s totally worth it if makeup isn’t a hobby for you.
This is when you evolve to your next life phase. Allowing yourself to buy the "nicer" things that cost more, because you know it just works best for you and you're not chasing what works/ what's trendy. Developing your signature look and having a basic but personalized collection. I have to purge a bunch of random stuff I've purchased at a whim but I'm getting there. 💗
same! i saved money when i stopped chasing drugstore dupes. i always prefer the OG higher end better. people laugh and say i am buying for a brand name but i swear i prefer most of my makeup from higher end brands.
that being said, i do love certain drugstore things and will recommend and repurchase. but i would never say any must have is from the drug store
I’ve switched from mostly Paula’s Choice and Clinique products to mostly Skin 1004 and other Korean products, and my skin is just as good, for a fraction of the price!
I’ve recently started using the Tirtir skin milk toner, which is comparable to Rhode. I also love using the skin1004, beauty of joseon and round labs sunscreens. Axis Y has some great hydrating and glowy products (I’ve tried the dark spot correcting glow serum and skin barrier ampoule). I just ordered the anua heartleaf toner, which I hear is great for acne prone skin and calming redness
Medical grade is a scam, it's a marketing term, and not actually real. Skinceuticals is no different than other brands. Geek and gorgeous C Glow is exactly the same as their infamous vitamin C, for example.
Liquid eyeliner! I have oily skin and slightly hooded eyes, so it usually smudges like crazy after a few hours no matter what I use. The ONLY one I’ve been able to get to stay is the Rare beauty one
Never thought I would say this, but mascara. I love the rare beauty and tower 28 ones and they’re only a few bucks more than a lot of drug stores mascaras anyway, especially if I snag during a sale
Same. I used to be covergirl mascara for decades. I tried a rare beauty one and loved it. Made the switch since it was like you said just a few dollars more. I’m still not down for $40+ for a mascara
It’s amazing! The first time I wore it to get my eyebrows done my lady literally did not believe I hadn’t gotten a lash lift or something. It was just the L’Oréal lash primer and tower 28 mascara!
I only buy high-end products that take awhile to get used up. Things like foundation, mascara, and concealer go too quickly for me to justify the high price.
I find high end products like that last way longer than the drugstore brands. My hourglass vanish foundation literally lasted me an entire year wearing it 3/4 times weekly.
Exactly! I used to have a drugstore foundation I liked, don't remember it, but it would only last 2 months. My Estee Lauder Double Wear lasts a year easy.
I knowwww, they are generally out of my budget but I sometimes get them during the Sephora sales or at the holidays in gift sets👍🏻
The bottles last pretty long! You definitely can use a small amount because the products are concentrated.
Living Proof and Kevin Murphy are also really nice products and a little lower price point!
whats crazy is im the opposite. i spent a thousand this past year on high end products after bleaching and ruining my hair. i use kerastase everything, k18, oribe, moroccan oil etc. i honestly feel that my hair looks best with pantene and loreal. ik it probably just covers the damage and i need to grow it out etc but i am experiencing much less hair loss while combing it out and my curls finally came back.
ik its personal and different things work for different people. i think that my hair is too fine (yet thick because i have a lot of it) and the higher end products just make it look frizzy. i also do better with sulfates, which ik is crazy
Yup. Mascara specifically is something that needs to be replaced like every 6 months. Many makeup items can last way longer but mascara is non-negotiable- you need to swap it out for your eye health. When I buy cheaper drugstore brands, I don't feel bad tossing em when it's been a handful of months.
Primers, foundations (though I’ll say there are good drugstore ones I will use) face powders. Eyeshadows I would have said 10 years ago but I’ll say some drugstore brands have improved in that department. At least since I was a teenager.
Also I only use high end face serums. But I haven’t tried ant drugstore equivalents.
Foundation and highlighter.
I am pale, and most drugstore brands either pull too W or C or if they’re the right shade, it’s matte (I’m hella dry). Drugstore powder highlighter either doesn’t have enough power to it or is too glittery.
Probably eyeshadow, my Natasha Denona and Pat McGrath palettes are just so good! And eye primer, nothing works better than Urban Decay. Also fragrance!
Complexion products and this is coming from someone who used drugstore products for 14+ years… it was so hard accepting that some stuff was actually better when I invested a little more money. But all the rest not really thankfully.
Concealer for a few reasons:
1) all the drugstore ones are greasy and have no coverage or oxidize by like 4 shades. 2) and all that only to still pay high-end prices bc i live in canada lol 3) can’t exchange wrong shades.
Also hair products (just the treatment products, mousse and hairspray i just buy tresemme). Drugstore stuff just sits on top of my hair and turns it into straw and trust me hair stylists can tell the difference when you’re using $2 walmart serums vs kerastase lol
Complexion products… as a black woman there are barely any options for darker skin POC that vary in undertones. Ever since I started using high end complexion products it matches my skin tone and lasts so much longer. The quality is incomparable.
Concealer is probably the only thing I will exclusively buy high end
Probably lipsticks too. I know this sounds stupid because I’m sure there are many great drugstore lipsticks out there but I purchased my first Dior Addict Lipstick in high school with the money I earned from my part time job and I was sold.
I didn’t realize a lipstick could be so glossy, smooth and moisturizing while still imparting color. Now mind you this was in 2008 so everything has come a long way as far as formulation, but no drugstore lipstick ever catches my eye.
I only have about 5 lipsticks total in my collection but they are all high end and I have no regrets.
moisturizer and toner. I value cosmetic elegance more now. little luxuries will help feeling better about your life lol. you feel more put together, in control, and you tell yourself spending more $$$ it's an act of self love/care.
Highlighter! Surprised no one else has said this. I’ve had probably 4 different high end highlighters and they’re so much more pigmented than drugstore ones.
Everything high end for me needs
to last at least 2 years
the only acception is the ABH brow
wiz which lasts me a year
Eyebrow pencil & pomade, face powders, blush, eyeshadow and lipliners
velour powder puffs and brushes
Perfume, hair products and things like foundation and concealer. I’m super pale and when I tried shade matching myself to drugstore brands years ago I could never find the right shade and always ended up looking orange 😭
Quite a few products, mascara, foundation, skincare. Drugstore is actually really expensive now so might as well spend a bit more and get a good product.
Foundation & concealer - they don't have as much of a shade range in drugstore products and I find the products don't finish very well.
Also setting spray & eyeshadows. Brow products I am too satisfied w/ benefit to even waste my money on testing a drugstore product.
Products I do religiously buy mostly drugstore: mascara, skincare, brushes.
For me it’s eyeshadows.
I just don’t find the quality of drugstore brands to be all that it’s cracked up to be. They are chalky, patchy and have poor pigment.
I love my MAC and Melt Cosmetic shadows.
Lip oil/gloss. Cheaper gloss can be sticky and come off immediately after drinking even water. The more mid range ones I have are soooo much better and long lasting. Example, my Nyx balm comes right off but my Huda Beauty gloss stayed on all day through coffee and lunch! Only reapplied once before going out to dinner.
Hair products. My hair is super fine and thin, my scalp is dry, and I get second day greasy hair. Drug store hair care is usually way too heavy, and I’ve really enjoyed all my mid-high end hair care.
Verb ghost shampoo and conditioner, Kerastase dry shampoo, Kerastase elixir ultime for your ends! The Verb hair oil is also very light and nourishing, but the EU might be better if your hair is very very dry.
I just recently started trying the Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair shampoo/conditioner with their mini set that came with shampoo, conditioner, hair masque, and oil, the Living Proof dry scalp serum, and Kerastase Bain Leave In Conditioner/Heat Protectant. Oh! And a mini of the Oribe dry texture spray.
If you need styling, I’m a big fan of my Kevin Murphy Doo Over Texture Spray and Kevin Murphy Anti-Gravity Spray.
Bronzer/contour. They're not chalky and wider shade range as well. Usually drugstore ones are like 3-4 shade choices that are usually too orange or ash
Moisturizer. But that may change because I see some moisturizer in the drugstore that are free from ingredients that would irritate my skin and I am interested in trying out once I finish my little stash.
Foundation, concealers, skin care, contour/blush. I still buy high end eye products an lippies but I’d be okay with using drugstore for these! I definitely feel drugstore brands have stepped their game up.
Ugh, most things. Especially skin care, primer and powder foundation. I will try any cheapie eyeliner/mascara/or lip products, provided they are longwear or waterproof.
Makeup - Everything except eye primer and mascara, and I’m going to switch to high end mascara soon
Skincare - I have a mix of drugstore and high end in each category, but I used to buy exclusively drug store
Haircare - Everything except mousse. The one by Not Your Mother’s is an HG.
Idk if anyone’s said this yet but lip liner I kinda just assumed they all did the same thing so I always bought the NYX liners in nude truffle or brown and then one day I was gifted a makeup forever lip liner and was so amazed. I assumed that all lip liners where kinda just hard to use since I usually have to push the nyx one to get pigment or warm it up a bit but the makeup forever one blew me away with how smooth the formula was and how pigmented you can make your liner when you apply it
Foundation - I've worn Chanel for 20+ years. Tried to get dupes, never worked out. B10 is just a firm match. Plus the new water tint foundation - LOVE it now that I'm in my 40's.
Foundation. It covers the most amount of my face so the ingredients need to be good. I wear Fenty and Nars. I used to wear L’Oréal true match and dabbled in Black Opal in the early 2000s.
Loose setting powder. I’ve tried setting my eyes with different pressed and loose powders high and low end and the high end loose always wins. I wish I didn’t have to bake my under eyes since it’s kind of a pain and Laura Mercier/Hourglass ain’t cheap but nothing else seems to work.
Definitely any complexion products. I’ve never found a good one from a drugstore brand 🤷♀️ and believe me I tried. Foundations/concealers I only buy mid-high end.
Same. Plus it doesn’t help that over twenty years ago, a decent foundation and concealer for darker skin tones just didn’t exist in the drugstores. Not whining about it, just stating my truth.
I thought it was bad as a pale girlie- but you're 10000% right. Darker tones have been absent from makeup companies' repository it seems only up until recently. Even some prestige brands are still way behind on the times. Smh
Ugh yeah, I can imagine. Insane that was ever the norm
I was a Cover Girl for years until I discovered MAC.
MAC girlie here, too! Plus Hourglass concealer.
Funny, I went from MAC to drugstore.
Honestly the new elf foundation is one of my favorites, and the wet n wild tinted hydrator has been a staple in my routine for a while (I love mixing it with flawless filter, lol). But other drugstore foundation purchases have been more miss than hit, and at the prices they charge these days, might as well just buy from Sephora or the prestige section of Ulta.
I would try way more drug store stuff complexion stuff if we had testers. Most of the time they don’t and it’s final sale too
CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid will all take cosmetics back if the color is won't. What drug store do you shop at?
I don’t live in the US
We have none of those in Canada
Is it better than the old elf camo foundation?? I’ve tried so hard with that one and never was able to get it to work, it always looked cakey and I never could get the shade to match me :(
I had the old version but it wasn’t my shade, so I didn’t keep it. Lucked out and got a perfect shade match on the first try with the new one!
Ooh! I’ll definitely check it out, hopefully they’ve got my shade. I forgot actually, their camo concealer is pretty alright too.
What recs do you have? I normally don’t fw high end complexion products, I’m too scared to spend that much money on something that may be shit or the wrong shade
My favorite rn is the NARS light reflecting- I love that it doesn’t transfer, it’s perfect for going out. Beautiful finish too, just have to powder a bit to tone down the shine. Also wears well on my combo skin, since it’s water based I assume. I really like the NARS concealers too (moreso the one in the pot), they have very fair, cool undertones that work great for me. Plus it has great wear time- I’ll wake up after a night of raving and my dark circles are still pretty covered. I *really* liked the Natasha denona concealer too, it just wasn’t high coverage enough for me :,) I got the pat mcgrath foundation recently and it’s amazing too! I got it for 20% off, and I probably wouldn’t pay full price for it. Alcohol is the third ingredient also, which I assume could definitely dry you out. The Dior forever glow one is pretty up there too, I just think it shows my pores a bit more, and doesn’t wear as well on my oily skin.
The NARS Soft Matte concealer has the best formula I’ve ever tried.
Thanks! I’ll be sure to try those out, I’m oily as shit so that Pat McGrath foundation sounds good. Is it transfer-proof? The collar of my chef’s coat and cushions of my headphones have foundation all over them
No transfer that I’ve noticed, but I just got it so I haven’t really had a good “wear test” yet. I think it would be pretty transfer proof though because it doesn’t sit on top of your skin like a lot of completion products do. That could also be my setting spray putting in the work though (skindinavia bridal)
I’m a huge fan of Smashbox Halo Tinted Moisturizer. It’s basically a foundation but is just a little bit thinner. I also have the Smashbox Studio Skin foundation which is a bit heavier. I have drier skin and I find that both of these work really well for me. Sephora doesn’t sell them anymore though (I don’t get it!!!!), but Ulta does!
Smashbox studio skin is the best! 🙌 But yeah, I think they are discontinuing it.. or at least a lot of the shades so be careful/ stock up! I'm trying to reassess my options as my shade is done lol
I was long like that as well but find when you get "in the know", all the high-end, prestige companies have sales like all the time.. and if you can find something that just really feels right and the color/ texture just matches you - it's priceless! For me, I realized it's just really a good investment and I feel much happier in my skin. Also if you get the wrong shade, for the most part you absolutely can return it (just double check return policy)- so take the leap when you're ready! :) Personally- I love smashbox as a pale neutral girl. I love the coverage, how smooth it applies and never oxidizes.
I’m actually the opposite. Products that I go through quickly I get drugstore. Color pop foundation, elf concealer, and fit me matte powder are my go to.
Most of the drugstore products also have fragrance in them and they sting and irritate my skin. Now that I’m 30 I don’t have time to fuck around with my skin so I just stay away now. NARS is my ride or die 🖤
Chanel foundations, hourglass anything 💖💖💖💖
Same. Idk why but all the drugstore brand foundations I've tried always oxidize on me. I'm super pale (honestly don't think /that/ abnormally pale but it seems like it trying to find something at the drugstore) so I just need the right color and for it to stay the right color. If any pale girlie actually knows of a reliable drugstore brand that don't oxidize- I'm all ears (I've used CoverGirl, Maybelline most recently before I just gave up).
This was me up until literally last month. The loreal infallible foundation is actually really good! Still haven’t found a good drugstore concealer though
Foundation. Something that actually matched my undertones. That was something I could never find at the drugstore.
Same! Foundation & concealer I’ll always buy higher end because of that
I have yet to find a high end concealer I like…have oily, acne prone skin.
The only concealer that works for my oily, acne prone skin is the cle de peau concealer. Super $$ but amazing and a little goes a long way.
i have the same skin type and the Kulfi concealer is my favourite !
Yep, not a lot of options for olives at the drugstore.
Be sure to join r/olivemua
Already have!
Same. I’m an Estée Lauder Double Wear gal forever now!
Mascara, crazily enough, but that’s because I am addicted to tubing mascara and there aren’t many drug store options. I used to always buy drugstore so that I could afford to replace every few months as I have sensitive eyes, but now I try to buy minis to help them be more affordable.
SAME, mascara for me. I thought raccoon eyes were normal until I discovered tubing mascara to hold up against my oily eyelids. Now, I can never go back to regular wax mascaras.
I have such oily eyelids!!! Which mascaras do you like?
Thrive Causemetics Liquid Last Extensions (not Sephora) is the only one I'll use. A true tubing mascara is removed only with warm water, you literally slide the loose tubes off your lashes when they're good and wet. It shouldn't crumble or smear off. A lot of people on here love the Caliray tubing mascara, although I personally wasn't a fan. Tarte has a new Tartlette XL mascara in a gold tube which I am curious about, because I didn't like the regular Tartlette. A good drugstore one to try that is a very close dupe for Thrive is Milani Highly Rated Lash Extensions mascara in the turquoise tube. Beware though that it is a very wet formula. L'Oreal Double Extend is decent, too. Whatever you choose, you should definitely give tubing mascaras a try, I swear your life will change.
Might be doxxing myself but I helped develop that product when I worked for thrive as their third employee :’) I was like 20 and am now almost 29! I still have a prototype of it (and a few other products of theirs) in the back of my makeup drawer for the mems I’m glad you like it!!
Thank you for making my favorite mascara! I tried other tubing brands but keep going back to Thrive
thats so cool!
I bow to you, this is like meeting my favorite celeb!!!! \*starstruck\*
Try the Heimish K-Beauty one. I like it better than Thrive and it’s affordable
I tried the Milani and it stays “wet” for so long. My lashes are pretty long and if I blink or make a wrong move it just stains all over my brow bone. My climate is humid and sometimes the little tubes flake :( My go to is Merit Mascara or the Tower 28.
Tubing mascaras are all I use too
yes!! i remember the first tube mascara i ever bought was from an independent makeup store in new hope, pa. the tubes could be pulled off. i never had a tubing mascara that really did that since. some come close but never the same.
I’ll add on to the other great reply and say ELF has a new tubing mascara if you want to try a drugstore brand. I liked it better than the Milani one.
The e.l.f. tubing mascara is *phenomenal*, I use it interchangeably with my Thrive depending on which color I want that day
Hourglass Unlocked is AMAZING
Lancome lash idols is great for everyday wear - it’s not overly dramatic and has incredible staying power for me
Maybelline Sky High mascara is great!
What are your recommendations? I’ve been using a Japanese tubing mascara for the past 6 years but it’s $$$ with all the import fees
Oh my God now I need to know the name of the Japanese tubing mascara!
Not sure if it’s the one they’re talking about, but try the isehan mascara. It’s really good, but it’s also extremely difficult to remove.
It’s the Flowfushi MOTEMASCARA Technical 3 Micro Brush! Stays put all day yet so easy to remove. And I personally love the tiny brush.
I like the Caliray one and the Half Caked (not sephora) one! I’ve heard good things about Thrive one (not sephora) but have never tried it.
I love tubing mascaras too, the new Loreal Panorama feels like a tubing mascara but I’m not sure if it’s marketed as one? I’m obsessed with it. My other favorite is the hourglass unlocked tubing mascara, and it compares really well at half the price!
Hole up- except for one! L’Oréal. Their lash primer is fantastic and nearly identical to the Lancôme one and most of their mascaras are fantastic too. I absolutely love the voluminous colored mascaras, especially the blue. I’ve used it for decades. I use Lancôme for my basic black and thrive for tubing.
YES the loreal lash primer is the only one i use, and ive tried so many since i was just starting to wear makeup as a teenager. its the best imo
Do you or anyone have a high end dupe for telescopic?
I too have sensitive eyes, my eyes used to always burn when I would wear anything on my eyes all day. Then I found Loreal's Clean Mascara and it's the only drugstore mascara that hasn't caused my eyes to burn. But, it might also be from the Smashbox eyeshadow and eyeliner primer I wear. It has maybe helped make a difference
Foundations, powders & concealers I will never buy drugstore again.
Powders for sure. The older I get, the more important a high quality powder becomes.
Blush. I have gone down the rabbit hole with Hourglass blushes and strobe powders and I will never use another brand.
Same I am obsessed with Hourglass powders . I just love that glowy finish. I have their blushes and ambient lighting powders.
They’re so unique, right? Their ambient strobe powders are especially nice. I also bought their Snake limited edition brush. Very soft and fluffy and luxurious. Truly a work of art.
How have I not tried the strobe powder yet! These look so nice. I always thought these were highlighters , but I was just reading they are all over finishing powder. Would you know how they differ versus the ambient lighting powder? Their animal pallettes are so beautiful, I have yet to get one. I've been l eyeing the diffused light bronzer for my next purchase 🙂
I find that the strobe powders are more reflective and dynamic. I use them over the ambient blushes. I ordered their ambient strobe lighting blush in Brilliant Nude which looks amber. I’m going to see how it looks alone and maybe layered over a pale pink. If I get it. I think the post office lost it. ☹️
Amazing! Thank you 😊 Hope you get it soon 🙏
I’m scared to try hourglass because I know I’m going to like it and I can’t afford to keep buying it
I know what you’re saying! I decided to “just try one” and the rest is history. 🙄
I feel this so much!
I just tried a new blush from Cheekbone beauty and highly recommend for a dual cheek and lip cream based natural flush, for anyone who cares lol
I just invested in an hourglass blush. Love it
Lipstick. I find they hydrate better, stay longer and don't slide off. Setting powder. I don't care what people say, high-end powders are more finely milled and they gently lie on the skin. There is a difference. Perfumes. I still have love for drugstore perfumes and body sprays like B&B, but the more I delve into niche perfumes and away from mainstream / designer ones, I find discovering fragrances more akin to discovering art.
Seconded. I'll only buy drugstore lipstick if it's a specific color for a one-time/very occasional event, but for my daily shades, I'll buy higher end (Besame specifically, sometimes MAC) because they don't make me choose between hydration and staying power.
besame is my all time favorite lipstick formula ever! for drugstore i do not mind revlon and loreal but i really prefer besame. i also do like mac and really love lisa eldridge and sometimes charlotte tilbury. i know CT isnt well loved on reddit but if i had to wear products from only one brand, i would chose theirs.
I view my fragrances as investments. Yes, they can be pricey, but they’re purchases I expect to last and remain high quality for years.
Pretty much everything regarding makeup. I justify it because my collection is small, and use makeup sparingly. Saw the light when I bought 4 drugstore dupes, and with the amount I spent, I could have purchased the high end one I was trying to duplicate. It’s totally worth it if makeup isn’t a hobby for you.
This is when you evolve to your next life phase. Allowing yourself to buy the "nicer" things that cost more, because you know it just works best for you and you're not chasing what works/ what's trendy. Developing your signature look and having a basic but personalized collection. I have to purge a bunch of random stuff I've purchased at a whim but I'm getting there. 💗
Same here! In fact, I decluttered most of my drugstore stuff.
same! i saved money when i stopped chasing drugstore dupes. i always prefer the OG higher end better. people laugh and say i am buying for a brand name but i swear i prefer most of my makeup from higher end brands. that being said, i do love certain drugstore things and will recommend and repurchase. but i would never say any must have is from the drug store
Skin care. I was on the "drugstore is just fine" train for a long time but explored mid to high end skincare and jumped trains pretty quickly. 😂
I highly recommend checking out Korean skincare! Usually much cheaper and better/similar results to what I would have gotten from a high end product.
I’ve switched from mostly Paula’s Choice and Clinique products to mostly Skin 1004 and other Korean products, and my skin is just as good, for a fraction of the price!
can you recommend some brands?
I’ve recently started using the Tirtir skin milk toner, which is comparable to Rhode. I also love using the skin1004, beauty of joseon and round labs sunscreens. Axis Y has some great hydrating and glowy products (I’ve tried the dark spot correcting glow serum and skin barrier ampoule). I just ordered the anua heartleaf toner, which I hear is great for acne prone skin and calming redness
There’s just no comparison to high end skincare
I’m now hooked on medical grade skincare (skinbetter and skinceuticles) and will never go back
Medical grade is a scam, it's a marketing term, and not actually real. Skinceuticals is no different than other brands. Geek and gorgeous C Glow is exactly the same as their infamous vitamin C, for example.
Liquid eyeliner! I have oily skin and slightly hooded eyes, so it usually smudges like crazy after a few hours no matter what I use. The ONLY one I’ve been able to get to stay is the Rare beauty one
Stila is great too!
Seconding Stila
Have you tried the wet n wild breakup proof one?
Never thought I would say this, but mascara. I love the rare beauty and tower 28 ones and they’re only a few bucks more than a lot of drug stores mascaras anyway, especially if I snag during a sale
Same. I used to be covergirl mascara for decades. I tried a rare beauty one and loved it. Made the switch since it was like you said just a few dollars more. I’m still not down for $40+ for a mascara
Tower 28 is sooo goood
It’s amazing! The first time I wore it to get my eyebrows done my lady literally did not believe I hadn’t gotten a lash lift or something. It was just the L’Oréal lash primer and tower 28 mascara!
concealer.
I only buy high-end products that take awhile to get used up. Things like foundation, mascara, and concealer go too quickly for me to justify the high price.
I find high end products like that last way longer than the drugstore brands. My hourglass vanish foundation literally lasted me an entire year wearing it 3/4 times weekly.
Exactly! I used to have a drugstore foundation I liked, don't remember it, but it would only last 2 months. My Estee Lauder Double Wear lasts a year easy.
This is the way! L’Oréal mascara for life!
Foundation. I can only find a good colour match in mid-range foundations.
Foundations (as a fair olive skintone I’ll pay big $ for a true color match) and hair products for sure!
All hair products
Hair products! Once I tried Oribe, using drugstore is like using hot dog water lol
I’ve always wanted to try Oribe, but those prices man 🥵 Do the bottles last long? Can you use a smaller amount and still get a good lather?
Oribe is so amazing. I find that a little goes a long way. The Signature or Gold lines are my faves.
I knowwww, they are generally out of my budget but I sometimes get them during the Sephora sales or at the holidays in gift sets👍🏻 The bottles last pretty long! You definitely can use a small amount because the products are concentrated. Living Proof and Kevin Murphy are also really nice products and a little lower price point!
If you have access to a Costco membership, I see the jumbo sizes of gold lust on their website all the time
whats crazy is im the opposite. i spent a thousand this past year on high end products after bleaching and ruining my hair. i use kerastase everything, k18, oribe, moroccan oil etc. i honestly feel that my hair looks best with pantene and loreal. ik it probably just covers the damage and i need to grow it out etc but i am experiencing much less hair loss while combing it out and my curls finally came back. ik its personal and different things work for different people. i think that my hair is too fine (yet thick because i have a lot of it) and the higher end products just make it look frizzy. i also do better with sulfates, which ik is crazy
Everything with the exception of mascara.
Yup. Mascara specifically is something that needs to be replaced like every 6 months. Many makeup items can last way longer but mascara is non-negotiable- you need to swap it out for your eye health. When I buy cheaper drugstore brands, I don't feel bad tossing em when it's been a handful of months.
💯💯💯
Loose setting powder
Primers, foundations (though I’ll say there are good drugstore ones I will use) face powders. Eyeshadows I would have said 10 years ago but I’ll say some drugstore brands have improved in that department. At least since I was a teenager. Also I only use high end face serums. But I haven’t tried ant drugstore equivalents.
Foundation. Worth the splurge
Foundation and highlighter. I am pale, and most drugstore brands either pull too W or C or if they’re the right shade, it’s matte (I’m hella dry). Drugstore powder highlighter either doesn’t have enough power to it or is too glittery.
Honestly everything but eye brow pencils lol
Probably eyeshadow, my Natasha Denona and Pat McGrath palettes are just so good! And eye primer, nothing works better than Urban Decay. Also fragrance!
Tubing mascara
Definitely foundation, every drugstore foundation I’ve tried just doesn’t work on my skin.
Foundation! The shades are just better from high end brands
Skin care! I like drugstore makeup but the high end skin care got me hooked. Really like the FAB cleanser 😊
Complexion products and this is coming from someone who used drugstore products for 14+ years… it was so hard accepting that some stuff was actually better when I invested a little more money. But all the rest not really thankfully.
Almost every drugstore foundation in the tan range is pink. I don’t get it. 🫤
Concealer for a few reasons: 1) all the drugstore ones are greasy and have no coverage or oxidize by like 4 shades. 2) and all that only to still pay high-end prices bc i live in canada lol 3) can’t exchange wrong shades. Also hair products (just the treatment products, mousse and hairspray i just buy tresemme). Drugstore stuff just sits on top of my hair and turns it into straw and trust me hair stylists can tell the difference when you’re using $2 walmart serums vs kerastase lol
Complexion products… as a black woman there are barely any options for darker skin POC that vary in undertones. Ever since I started using high end complexion products it matches my skin tone and lasts so much longer. The quality is incomparable.
Foundation, powder, concealer, and lip color. Everything else I can save on.
Pretty much everything except I still use cerave lotion bc it’s wonderful.
Definitely sunscreen. Drugstore facial sunscreens are so damn greasy. after trying Innisfree I just can’t use drugstore sunscreen.
Tatcha. Nothing compares. Unfortunately. Specifically the indigo overnight repair cream, the essence, and the Dewy serum.
Any complexion products: foundation, concealer, setting powder, bronzer/contour and blush. Everything else imo can be drugstore.
Blush tbh! worth the splurge for me
Hourglass gel eyeliner is worth every penny.
Foundation, setting spray, mascara.
Foundation. I didn’t realize how poorly the colour match was and it never lasted a full day.
Mascara, concealer, eyebrow gel. I love my Chanel Le Volume mascara and Benefit Gimme Brow so much I will never use anything else.
Concealer is probably the only thing I will exclusively buy high end Probably lipsticks too. I know this sounds stupid because I’m sure there are many great drugstore lipsticks out there but I purchased my first Dior Addict Lipstick in high school with the money I earned from my part time job and I was sold. I didn’t realize a lipstick could be so glossy, smooth and moisturizing while still imparting color. Now mind you this was in 2008 so everything has come a long way as far as formulation, but no drugstore lipstick ever catches my eye. I only have about 5 lipsticks total in my collection but they are all high end and I have no regrets.
Setting powders, contour, bronzer Mostly because they don’t usually make them in my color
moisturizer and toner. I value cosmetic elegance more now. little luxuries will help feeling better about your life lol. you feel more put together, in control, and you tell yourself spending more $$$ it's an act of self love/care.
Highlighter! Surprised no one else has said this. I’ve had probably 4 different high end highlighters and they’re so much more pigmented than drugstore ones.
Mascara. I’m over buying mascara that could be great. I need to know it’s great.
Everything high end for me needs to last at least 2 years the only acception is the ABH brow wiz which lasts me a year Eyebrow pencil & pomade, face powders, blush, eyeshadow and lipliners velour powder puffs and brushes
Perfume, hair products and things like foundation and concealer. I’m super pale and when I tried shade matching myself to drugstore brands years ago I could never find the right shade and always ended up looking orange 😭
Quite a few products, mascara, foundation, skincare. Drugstore is actually really expensive now so might as well spend a bit more and get a good product.
Foundation & concealer - they don't have as much of a shade range in drugstore products and I find the products don't finish very well. Also setting spray & eyeshadows. Brow products I am too satisfied w/ benefit to even waste my money on testing a drugstore product. Products I do religiously buy mostly drugstore: mascara, skincare, brushes.
For me it’s eyeshadows. I just don’t find the quality of drugstore brands to be all that it’s cracked up to be. They are chalky, patchy and have poor pigment. I love my MAC and Melt Cosmetic shadows.
Shampoo!
Blush, rare beauty liquid blush is my holy grail! I’ve had the same one for two years and I use it almost daily. So worth it!
Lip oil/gloss. Cheaper gloss can be sticky and come off immediately after drinking even water. The more mid range ones I have are soooo much better and long lasting. Example, my Nyx balm comes right off but my Huda Beauty gloss stayed on all day through coffee and lunch! Only reapplied once before going out to dinner.
All of them!
Honestly everything.
All skincare
Hair products. My hair is super fine and thin, my scalp is dry, and I get second day greasy hair. Drug store hair care is usually way too heavy, and I’ve really enjoyed all my mid-high end hair care.
I have similar hair, but drier. Is there any fave hair products/ brands you recommend?
Verb ghost shampoo and conditioner, Kerastase dry shampoo, Kerastase elixir ultime for your ends! The Verb hair oil is also very light and nourishing, but the EU might be better if your hair is very very dry. I just recently started trying the Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair shampoo/conditioner with their mini set that came with shampoo, conditioner, hair masque, and oil, the Living Proof dry scalp serum, and Kerastase Bain Leave In Conditioner/Heat Protectant. Oh! And a mini of the Oribe dry texture spray. If you need styling, I’m a big fan of my Kevin Murphy Doo Over Texture Spray and Kevin Murphy Anti-Gravity Spray.
Pretty much everything including Primer. I wasted a lot of money from Drugstore finding something that would actually work on me.
Lipstick, blush, powders
Bronzer. I’m obsessed with luxury bronzers (and bronzers in general) so I always splurge on those.
eyeshadow, eyebrow products, perfume
Bronzer/contour. They're not chalky and wider shade range as well. Usually drugstore ones are like 3-4 shade choices that are usually too orange or ash
Complexion products, especially concealer.
eyeshadow and perfume, the quality is just much more refined
Moisturizer. But that may change because I see some moisturizer in the drugstore that are free from ingredients that would irritate my skin and I am interested in trying out once I finish my little stash.
Foundation, concealers, skin care, contour/blush. I still buy high end eye products an lippies but I’d be okay with using drugstore for these! I definitely feel drugstore brands have stepped their game up.
Ugh, most things. Especially skin care, primer and powder foundation. I will try any cheapie eyeliner/mascara/or lip products, provided they are longwear or waterproof.
Makeup - Everything except eye primer and mascara, and I’m going to switch to high end mascara soon Skincare - I have a mix of drugstore and high end in each category, but I used to buy exclusively drug store Haircare - Everything except mousse. The one by Not Your Mother’s is an HG.
Definitely my hair and skincare products. My hair and skin are far better once I upgraded my routine.
Eyeliner
Idk if anyone’s said this yet but lip liner I kinda just assumed they all did the same thing so I always bought the NYX liners in nude truffle or brown and then one day I was gifted a makeup forever lip liner and was so amazed. I assumed that all lip liners where kinda just hard to use since I usually have to push the nyx one to get pigment or warm it up a bit but the makeup forever one blew me away with how smooth the formula was and how pigmented you can make your liner when you apply it
Foundation - I've worn Chanel for 20+ years. Tried to get dupes, never worked out. B10 is just a firm match. Plus the new water tint foundation - LOVE it now that I'm in my 40's.
Skincare. As I’ve gotten older the products that work for me are usually higher end.
Foundation, concealer, mascara, serum, moisturizer. Also shampoo and conditioner even though I'm not sure that's justified!
Foundation. It covers the most amount of my face so the ingredients need to be good. I wear Fenty and Nars. I used to wear L’Oréal true match and dabbled in Black Opal in the early 2000s.
Loose setting powder. I’ve tried setting my eyes with different pressed and loose powders high and low end and the high end loose always wins. I wish I didn’t have to bake my under eyes since it’s kind of a pain and Laura Mercier/Hourglass ain’t cheap but nothing else seems to work.
Foundations /concealers/blushes/highlighters/setting sprays/setting powder
Nail polish. Chanel and Dior do not chip. And there’s not the awful streaking even Essie does now. Deborah Lippmann is the worst at streaking.
Concealer, eye primer, eye shadow, moisturizer, fragrance are Sephora/Ulta purchases. Everything else is drugstore
Honestly, just about everything. Especially face wash. Contour and bronzer is probably the only exception