I need critiques of this, please...
Elizabeth & Keith Falkner
Is this true or just a reporter trying to make a buck?
Face Value: Are Pricey Cosmetics Worth Cost?
BY ELAINE GROSS FLORES
GANNETT NEWS SERVICE
Cosmetic shoppers can be divided into two groups: those who spend $30 on
blush, and those who blush at the very thought.
Women have many reasons for buying cosmetics at the department store.
Service. Samples to take home. Pretty packaging. Cachet. ''Free'' gifts.
But there is one thing they can't count on: getting better quality than
they'd get at the drugstore.
Lower-priced makeup lines having been making strides in recent
years in terms of quality
and respectability. Advances in technology have allowed cheaper brands
to raise quality to
compete with chichi lines, said Mikki Taylor, beauty and cover editor
for Essence magazine.
''Drugstore foundation is not the one your mother wore. Quality
has changed significantly.''
Some makers of moderately priced lines have even begun to lead the
way in developing new products. Avon, for instance, was among the first
to offer alpha hydroxy acids, and
many upscale companies have followed suit.
The common belief that ''expensive'' equals ''better'' is simply not
true anymore, said
Olivia Papitto, a makeup artist at Glitz and Glamour, a White Plains,
N.Y., cosmetics shop.
For instance, did you know that budget-brand L'Oreal and swanky
Lancome are owned
by the same company and that some of their products are identical?
Industry-watcher Paula Begoun knew and shares that buying tip and others
in the newest edition of her book, Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter
Without Me (Beginning Press, $16.95).
Begoun said Lancome's Tendercils Mascara at $17.50 and L'Oreal's
Sensitique Mascara at $3.99 are practically the same.
''Did Lancome think no one would notice that their parent company,
L'Oreal, had come
out with an identical product?'' she writes in the book.
Those kinds of product similarities are common, said Charlotte Thompson
of the Barbizon School of Westchester, a modeling school in White
Plains, N.Y.
''Most cosmetic lines have basically the same ingredients,'' said
Thompson, who has
modeled and worked as a makeup artist for several cosmetic companies.
So then what's the difference between Adrien Arpel lipstick costing
$15.50 and Almay lipstick at $4.46? Or a Charles of the Ritz mascara for
$11 and a Cover Girl mascara for $3.87?
There's a big difference, said Jack Mausner, senior vice president
of Chanel, considered
one of the top lines in the world. ''I don't believe that the cheaper
brands come anywhere
near the quality of the more expensive brands.''
Even if two products list the same ingredients on their labels,
''There are different grades
of purity. But on the label they all look the same.''
Mausner said companies such as Chanel spend more money on research
and quality control. And yes, the packages are finer.
On the other end of the price spectrum is Pavion, a cosmetics
company in Nyack, N.Y., that distributes around the world.
Pavion has four lines -- Wet 'N' Wild, Black Radiance, Solo Para
Ti and The Cosmetic
Factory -- and the most expensive product costs $3.79.
Pavion's director of research and development, Robert Dunn, said
his company doesn't scrimp on quality. Pavion does it by spending no
money on advertising and spends less on packaging, without apology.
''We don't give you a fancy gold case. We give you a plain plastic
case. It's functional and it works,'' Dunn said.
Consumer Reports magazine agreed with Dunn on one product:
Pavion's Wet 'N' Wild nail polish. In a comparison published in 1995,
Wet 'N' Wild at 95 cents compared
favorably with Estee Lauder's polish at $9 and did just as well as
Chanel's at $14.50.
The women interviewed for this article said it's unnecessary to spend a
lot of money on mascara, lipstick and lip and eye pencils. In other
words, buy them at the drugstore.
With one product -- foundation -- it pays to visit the department
store. Department stores carry a wider selection of colors and provide
expert assistance. Most important, a customer
can try on various shades until she finds the one that most closely
matches her own skin tone.
But if you're shopping for higher-priced lines because you think the
quality is always better, forget about it, Begoun said.
**************************
Folks,
Do I *need* to spend $40 or more on foundation? Do I want to spend over
$20 for a lipstick? I CAN if the high priced items are that much
better, but why waste money!
Elizabeth
PS: I wrote the Juba perfume oil from Body Shop today. The Great Dog
Russet didn't like it (he sneezed), Keith the husband said it was
"nice", and my friend Andrea said I smelled "not like yourself". I
sorta liked it...
Joel Weber
Elizabeth referring to a newspaper article by a Gannett reporter on
the fact that lower priced cosmetics seem to be a better buy asked:
> Is this true or just a reporter trying to make a buck?
============
This was a reporter just doing a story and, I believe, trying to
present both sides--expensive vs. less expensive. The reference to
Consumer Reports was interesting. CR is a testing organization and
if the test results show that a lower priced product tests better than
a higher priced product, then the cheapie is going to get a higher
rating.
Hey, I'm a guy. I don't know if all this gunk works or not. It's easy
to talk about a price when you're comparing comparable products.It's a
lot harder to talk about intagibles. How do you fell? What kind of
image are you projecting?
If the high price stuff makes you feel better about yourself, and you
like the way it smells, or its color, or it does whatever it's
supposed to do for you, and you can afford it, so what.
Also not discussed was image. Mary has made the point that pulling out
a Dior or Chanel lipstick, with its slick packaging, in the ladies
room (never been in one) might make a somewhat more upscale impression
than say, Walgreens.
I think the comment from the Chanel guy in the piece was probably BS.
Thier money is spent on packaging and image and you'd have to be a
fool to not be able to see it.
But, in the main I think it was an honest reporter tryingto do an
honest piece. Draw your own conclusions.
joel
AscotSilk
Joel Weber <RETRO...@worldnet.att.net writes...
Also not discussed was image. Mary has made the point that pulling out a Dior
or Chanel lipstick, with its slick packaging, in the ladies
room (never been in one) might make a somewhat more upscale impression than
say, Walgreens.
===================================
Hmmm. I find it interesting that men are the opposite, in large measure.
Millions of cans of Colgate Shave Cream (about $1.19 or so) and Barbasol
(sometimes $1.19, sometimes less...) are sold and that's gotta be real reverse
snob appeal in the locker room. Likewise, at some of this country's finest
clubs (country and city) one finds hair products by Consort and Club Man in the
powder room (or should we call it the magazine, if its the yacht club?). That
stuff is practically given away at WalMart. Not to mention the fact that the
only place I've seen Vitalis in years is at the Dallas County Club.
Now I've no clue if Cover Girl is less of a blush than Chanel. But for a man
to use something beyond drugstore fare suggests affectation in many circles,
and many of us are forced to apply a moisturizer in the sanctity of our own
mirrors, lest we be given the "look".
Now being emboldened to apply a light coat of Kiehl's Eye Gel between periods
at the Dallas Stars / Detroit Red Wings game on Sunday whilst wearing my game
sweater to confound the masses, I remain
Check out my "closet-cleaning" of scarves and ties on the Ebay auction site!
http://www.ebay.com under seller id "lerogue"
John Leslie / Dallas
CGoldTX
ascotsilk writes:
>
>Now being emboldened to apply a light coat of Kiehl's Eye Gel between periods
>at the Dallas Stars / Detroit Red Wings game on Sunday whilst wearing my game
>sweater to confound the masses, I remain
>
>
Hoo boy....I may have to send a spy into the mens room on
Sunday to get a shot of that. May I borrow your camera
that day, John?
Go Stars!!
Connie
===================================
http://www.beautycafe.com
I could swear I took an order from Antonio B.
yesterday!! Well, it sounded like him at least!!
Rweyburn
Hi Elizabeth -
Paula Begoun & her publications have been the
subject of a long-running debate in this newsgroup.
She even answered questions here, way back when.
You may want to look her up in Deja News.
Hope this helps.
Esther
Nanatchka
Dear Elizabeth, About you and perfume.I think you might like some of the old
classics: Try Joy, and Femme, and Madame Rochas. Also, you might like Kiehl's
Rain--an essence, the other end of the spectrum. Very sixties--the decade, not
your age! A ,I think.
Nanatchka
Nanatchka
I am a devoted subscriber to Consumer Reports, but I think their cosmetic
reviews arequestionable.. For a microwave or a washing machine, though, go for
it. But for the cosmetics, it is only so many user opinions--no one is
measuring lash length the way they do rinse cycles! And they have a tendency to
hit the middle market with their results. As for cars, very useful. But they
never point out what a great buy an old, great condition Mercedes diesel
is....IThey are useful, but they're not the top!
Nanatchka
Njoy...@webtv.net
Perhaps at the beginning witches and witch doctors invented it...then
later roaming, fortune-telling gypsies perfected the "self-fulfilling
prophecy". Nowadays, you have advertisers taking it to a new sublimely
higher level.
In this new sublimity, macho SUV's go up the sides of mountains, and
outre shee shee merchandising provides reguvinating miracles.
The only cosmetic miracles occurring in many pricy cosmetics have more
to do with genetic differences and relative youthfulness of willing
buyers. Many cosmetics don't degrade that easily even, since there isnt
enough to sustain sufficient bacterial growth... However, the shee shee
massage is awfully intoxicating and addictive.
........"Njoy"
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIANDROGYNYIIIIIIIIIIIII
S
Nanatchka wrote:
>
> I am a devoted subscriber to Consumer Reports, but I think their
> cosmetic reviews arequestionable..
> As for cars, very useful. But they never point out what a great buy
> an old, great condition Mercedes diesel is.
Sure they do. Check the listings, usually in the April issue, of good
old cars.
But to be fair, diesel gas is rare in some parts of the country, so I
doubt that that particular car would make the list.
-S., whose car is on the Good Used Cars list
cut...@webtv.net
Liz Tompkins
Elizabeth & Keith Falkner wrote:
> Is this true or just a reporter trying to make a buck?
>
> Face Value: Are Pricey Cosmetics Worth Cost?
Drawing from my media experience...the reporter couldn't make more
than a few hundred $$ writing the article for Gannett. And I have to
strongly disagree with one "factor". While it's true L'oreal is made by
the one & same parent L'ancome and Revlon (I believe) the same
as Ultima and so on...
When you go to the cosmetics counter/catalogs like Benefit's or Kiehls...
you're paying for far better quality and being the decor snob that I
happen to be...packaging...packaging...packaging!!
Let's not also forget the drug stores don't hand out large GWP's. So
far this month I've placed two orders with Kiehl's, with each they
were kind enough to send a full-size product as a gift. The Kiehl's
has far exceeded anything I've ever purchased at a drugstore and
all-in-all I've spent no more than $130 with these 2 purchases. Had
I gone to my local drugstore...I would've easily plunked down $65
each visit...received no freebies...and most of the items I'd try once,
figure out it wasn't doing a thing for me..and they would've found
their way down into the blackholed pit I call my vanity drawers ;)
There...there's my $.02 -- It's the same with clothes...there's a HUGE
difference between ~real~ Giorgio Armani suits vs. Armani Exchange
clothes.
~Liz~
Almond Family
How many people here have found eyeshadows that creased badly on them? Or
lippies that went dry and flaky after a few hours? Or powder compacts that
left you looking cakey? If cheap stuff is just as good, why do MAC, Nars
and Stila have such a following? Sure it looks better, the packaging is
better, but we wouldn't be using it if it was just more expensive, without
being good quality. My makeup bag is a mix of hi-end and cheapy stuff, and
there are some lines which have really great stuff, and really rubbish
stuff, regardless of price. But if you find the colours of Stila eyeshadow
are better than Maybelline, or a NARS kit preferable to a lifetime supply of
L'Oreal, then more power to you! Everyopne has the right to choose!
Liz Almond
Leicester England
l...@revbob.globalnet.co.uk
"Cher do you know what time it is?
A watch doesn't really go with this outfit, Daddy!"
Elizabeth & Keith Falkner wrote in message <356481C2...@home.com>...
Evie
The central message of the article, that expensive does not mean better, is
nothing new and most of us agree with it. However, in buying cosmetic
products, one's perception of what is "better" depends upon several factors:
* color: does it suit your skin tone
*texture
*scent
*no allergic reaction
*packaging: not just the box in which it comes, but the product itself -
does the container seal tightly so that product does not spill in your
purse?
*efficacy: does it WORK (this applies to skin care products especially alpha
hydroxy creams)
In many cases (but not all), it is the more expensive product that fulfils
all of these conditions. It's hard enough finding a product that meets all
of the above requirements, so the price becomes a secondary consideration.
Having said that, however, I have discovered that most alt.fashionites are
quite critical of cosmetic products and will not buy something merely
because it says "Chanel" on the box (with the exception of certain people -
Foppa24, are you listening?). For instance, I like Avon's Vitamin C
capsules, Anew Night Force and All in one intensive cream (8% AHA). These
products are less expensive that the department store counterparts, but they
also happen to meet the all of the above conditions. On the other hand, with
foundations, I have had to buy department store brands because I have not
found a single drugstore brand that is yellow-based enough, sheer, does not
give me blackheads and pimples, does not give me allergies, etc.
Evie
EMiriamD
> the shee shee
>massage is awfully intoxicating and addictive.
Bingo. And I love your using "massage," even though you might have done it
inadvertently. Yes, these high-end products, with their chi-chi advertising
and packaging, do massage our self-images. It's all part of the game, and most
of us on a.f. are quite willing to play.
EMiriamD
"I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year's fashions."
Lillian Hellman to House Un-American Activities Committee (1952)
awi...@my-dejanews.com
In article <356481C2...@home.com>,
Elizabeth & Keith Falkner <falk...@home.com> wrote:
> Do I *need* to spend $40 or more on foundation? Do I want to spend over
> $20 for a lipstick? I CAN if the high priced items are that much
> better, but why waste money!
There are some categories where drugstore products are just as good. For
instance, you'll notice that a lot of people around here use Wet and Wild lip
liner pencils, which sell for about a dollar. I've been really happy with the
L'Oreal automatic liner I bought about a month ago on a whim.
I have lipsticks from every line starting at Maybelline all the way up to
Chanel. They vary, but each one has its use.
In foundation, you want to look at several different factors--do you want
sunscreen, oil-free, how much coverage? Liquid, cream, powder or some hybrid?
Fragrance? The most important things are that it matches your skin tone and is
apropriate for your skin's texture.
I don't think you have to spend $40 on foundation. Lines like Clinique have
good, basic foundations for less than that, with the advantage of being able
to try on. Revlon and L'Oreal both have a lot of shades and formulas at the
drug store level.
I think it's rather telling that top makeup artists don't wear much makeup,
but advocate skin care until they're blue in the face. Basically, if your skin
is in good condition, makeup will look better on you. That's a roundabout way
of saying that if you're going to spend your money in one place, may as well
be skin care.
My opinion, anyway.
--Amanda
-----== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==-----
http://www.dejanews.com/ Now offering spam-free web-based newsreading
Joel Weber
Liz said in part:
> Drawing from my media experience...the reporter couldn't make more
> than a few hundred $$ writing the article for Gannett.
=====
Based on my media experience and my experience as a Gannett employee
in Westchester, she was luck to get $50 bucks for that piece and my
instincts tell me she's a staffer in the Westchester Rockland group.
Incidently the CR nail polish thing she quoted in the story was
published in 1995 and probably isn't too relevant today.
joel
Sophie Du Brul
Liz Tompkins wrote:
> Elizabeth & Keith Falkner wrote:
>
> > Is this true or just a reporter trying to make a buck?
> >
> > Face Value: Are Pricey Cosmetics Worth Cost?
>
> Drawing from my media experience...the reporter couldn't make more
> than a few hundred $$ writing the article for Gannett. And I have to
> strongly disagree with one "factor". While it's true L'oreal is made by
> the one & same parent L'ancome and Revlon (I believe) the same
> as Ultima and so on...
>
> When you go to the cosmetics counter/catalogs like Benefit's or Kiehls...
> you're paying for far better quality and being the decor snob that I
> happen to be...packaging...packaging...packaging!!
>
> Let's not also forget the drug stores don't hand out large GWP's. So
> far this month I've placed two orders with Kiehl's, with each they
> were kind enough to send a full-size product as a gift. The Kiehl's
> has far exceeded anything I've ever purchased at a drugstore and
> all-in-all I've spent no more than $130 with these 2 purchases. Had
> I gone to my local drugstore...I would've easily plunked down $65
> each visit...received no freebies...and most of the items I'd try once,
> figure out it wasn't doing a thing for me..and they would've found
> their way down into the blackholed pit I call my vanity drawers ;)
>
> There...there's my $.02 -- It's the same with clothes...there's a HUGE
> difference between ~real~ Giorgio Armani suits vs. Armani Exchange
> clothes.
>
> ~Liz~
I feel that it depends on the products. I find that expensive foundations
are too heavy and rather greasy, but as far as eyeshadows and blushes are
concerned--the more expensive ones have better color and don't smudge off as
easily. Eye pencils are eye pencils. I like L'Oreal eye pencils and
mascaras and lip sticks. I will say that some products are just as good in
drug store brands for far less $$$$.
Sophie
TheRealBlonde
Joel Weber wrote:
>
>
>
> Based on my media experience and my experience as a Gannett employee
> in Westchester,
>
>
Joel Weber
===========
No, it was many, many years ago. I was news editor in Yonkers. In
those days I bothered to proof. I left because I wanted some of the
little extras in life--food, shelter. I think I was the lowest paid
news editor in America.
joel
Njoy...@webtv.net
The modern commercial massage that will compel a willing buyer to fulfil
a self wish with an SUV, occurs mostly thru the good graces of modern,
well-paved roads...IMO.
The modern commercial massage that will compel a willing buyer to fufil
a self wish with cosmetics [high or low end] occurs mostly thru the good
graces of good genetics and/or relative youth [ex: lack of skin/body
chemical reactions or skin aging/deterioration]...IMO.
The clearer the awareness, the more likely that the indulgence will not
go to negative excesses... Or, be subject to manipulation. How
threatening or unconstructive can such a differing opinion be??? <--[ex:
what gourmand would want to enthusiastically frequent a shee-shee
restaurant that had a kitchen full of cockroaches and mousedroppings???]
......"Njoy"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~ ~~ ~
~ ~~
~
TheRealBlonde
Joel Weber wrote:
>
> it was many, many years ago. I was news editor in Yonkers. In
> those days I bothered to proof. I left because I wanted some of the
> little extras in life--food, shelter. I think I was the lowest paid
> news editor in America.
He was managing editor of the Gannett West Chester Group about 18 years
ago.
Njoy...@webtv.net
In reply to post from awi...@my-dejanews.com (Amanda)...
Amanda, your cosmetic opinions display good emphasis and balanced
perpective...IMO.
....."Njoy"
Sbensong
Where the low-end lines haven't caught up:
*Are there any low-end powders comparable to Bobbie Brown's pale yellow or that
French banane stuff?
*Are there any yellow-toned, pale ivory bases? (I've never found a match as
good as Prescriptives. I'd settle for just a yellow toner I could add to a
base.)
*Cellex-C seems to be unique because it's patented. Any cheaper Vitamin C
serums to recommend?
*Trish McEvoy's brushes are incomparable. They'll never be a low-end
equivalent.
*It would be great to have packaging like the nine-pans and the Trish inserts
that allow you to build your own kits. The M professional lip palette is a good
start.
*I've never seen a pre-packaged kit that comes anywhere near the Coloring Book
or the Trish kits.
Hana W.L. Yeo
> Even if two products list the same ingredients on their labels,
>''There are different grades
> of purity. But on the label they all look the same.''
Hmmm.... I think that this is often true ..... for example, 2 products
may claim that they have ginseng extracts in them, but one may cost
$30 more than the other, but the ginseng may have come from Korea
(according to my granny and chinese medicinal shops, ginsengs from
Korea are of higher grade than those from US for instance)and hence
costs much more. I think that there may be a point here.
Hana
bg...@ginseng.ca
On Sat, 23 May 1998 08:12:08 GMT, wl...@pacific.net.sg (Hana W.L. Yeo) wrote:
> > Even if two products list the same ingredients on their labels,
> >''There are different grades
> > of purity. But on the label they all look the same.''
>
> may claim that they have ginseng extracts in them, but one may cost
> $30 more than the other, but the ginseng may have come from Korea
> (according to my granny and chinese medicinal shops, ginsengs from
> Korea are of higher grade than those from US for instance)and hence
> costs much more. I think that there may be a point here.
>
> Hana
more highly regarded than Asian Ginseng, and the price is
accordingly higher.
Unfortunately, many extracts use very little ginseng, and you are
almost always better off to buy the roots and make your own
ginseng extracts. Our web site tells you how to do it you're
interested. (http://www.ginseng.ca/gi02000.htm).
Sincerely,
Brad Gies
----------------------------------------------------------
Brad Gies - Lavington Ginseng - Greenhills Ginseng
586 St. Annes Rd, R.R.#3, Ph.(250) 545-0400.
Armstrong, B.C., Fax. (250) 545-0440.
Canada, V0E 1B0. e-mail bg...@ginseng.ca
visit our web site at http://www.ginseng.ca
----------------------------------------------------------
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Joel Weber
I was at the Westchester Rockland group in the mid-60s. When Gannett
bought it, the papers were hiughly profitable so they left it alone.
The result was the most exploited reporters and editors in America.
When I left for a Pr job they all of a sudden were fofering me things
like the Miami Herald, Detroit Free Press and Florida Today (the
forerunner of USA Today). But I was too poor to move and my wife would
have never gone for it.
joel
Jarvis57
> need critiques of this, please...
>From: sben...@aol.com (Sbensong)
>Date: Sat, May 23, 1998 03:27 EDT
>Message-id: <199805230727...@ladder03.news.aol.com>
>
>
>Where the low-end lines haven't caught up:
>
>*Are there any low-end powders comparable to Bobbie Brown's pale yellow or
>that
>French banane stuff?
Revlon Even-Out
>*Cellex-C seems to be unique because it's patented. Any cheaper Vitamin C
>serums to recommend?
Avon Anew vitamin C capsules
Tara
Kris Dow
In article <199805212036...@ladder01.news.aol.com>, Starriest wrote:
>>The reference to
>>Consumer Reports was interesting. CR is a testing organization and
>>if the test results show that a lower priced product tests better than
>>a higher priced product, then the cheapie is going to get a higher
>>rating.
>>
>>
>
>One thing that has always bugged me about CR though is that they do take price
>into consideration, especially when coming up with their "best buy" ratings.
The trick to CR is to realize that the best buy item is just
that, the best buy. That doesn't mean the best overall necessarily, but
rather the best value for money. And for the average person, that's
good. The best buy will be reasonably priced and functional enough to
do the job. Perhaps not as nicely as a more expensive model, but good
enough.
I personally never pay much attention to their best buys when
I'm using them (well, used them, when I lived in the US) to find information.
I read the article, and I look at the breakdown of the entire review.
A lot of times I find that I rate something as being more important (and
thus am willing to pay extra for it) than they do. (An example of this
is their car reviews. Past experience with cars they rated as average
for maitenence and above-average has taught me that, for me, the above-
average maitenence is worth it. I like a car that will go and go without
needing to visit the garage every three seconds. That's me, and that's
what I'm used to. So, unless the car is given an above-average rating
in that area, I probably won't consider it, barring getting a *really*
great deal on the price. :)
Also, you do have to remember that CR is as scientific as they
can be. Things like cosmetics are highly subjective. (Avon, for example.
People seem to agree that they're pretty good quality, but some people
don't like them because of the fragrance. Other people don't mind it. :)
So reviews of things like that you really have to read carefully and
have an idea already of what you consider to be important. (Fragrance
vs. no fragrance, staying power vs. colour selection, etc. :)
-Kris
(Whose dad worked with CR for a while way back when.)
Kris Dow
In article <356481C2...@home.com>, Elizabeth & Keith Falkner wrote:
>
>Face Value: Are Pricey Cosmetics Worth Cost?
>
>Service. Samples to take home. Pretty packaging. Cachet. ''Free'' gifts.
>But there is one thing they can't count on: getting better quality than
>they'd get at the drugstore.
>
>
>Do I *need* to spend $40 or more on foundation? Do I want to spend over
>$20 for a lipstick? I CAN if the high priced items are that much
>better, but why waste money!
>
The bottom line is really that some things are worth the higher
price, and some aren't. Unfortunately, it's not universal. :) (You can't
say all higher end foundations are better than drugstore brands. Some
people swear by drugstore brands and they work for them. Other people
can't find a match/coverage they like in the drugstore brands, and turn
to the higher end stuff for it, and also for the help in matching and
choosing the appropriate product.)
I buy a mixture of high end and drug store. As others have pointed
out, things like eyeliner you can find in perfectly acceptable quality
in drug store brands, so why bother spending the extra money? For
things like foundation, basic eyeshadow colours, basic lipstick colours,
I want quality, and I want to be able to play with the samples and
get colours that I really like. So I go with the higher end stuff. (after
checking alt.fashion to see what higher end stuff is better quality in
people's experience. :) If I want some eyeshadow or lipstick just because
it's an interesting, "in" colour, but can't see myself adding it to my
stable of basic shades, I'll get a drug store brand simply because I
don't want to spend that much on something I won't use regularly, and
if I'm not going to be using it all the time, I don't mind so much if it
doesn't wear as well or whatever. :) That's actually my basic rule of
thumb. If it's something I'll wear a lot and will generally fall back on,
I'll pay to get just what I want. If I'm not sure about it, I generally
hold off and, if I end up deciding that I want it, I'll probably try
a drug store brand first to make sure it's worth the investment.
You just can't let yourself be sucked into the marketing hype. :)
-Kris