Everyone is familiar with the overwhelming feeling of walking into Boots and deciding how much you are willing to spend on a new foundation. But do you really get more for your money when buying from luxury make up brands or is it best to stick with the familiar drugstore cosmetics you have been using since you were twelve?
Women’s news and lifestyle website The List argues that the only real difference between make-up is the price as most companies are integrated with each other, resulting in similar products being found across the pricing spectrum. Furthermore, the highly developed beauty market means you can create similar styles with most products, regardless of their price. Nevertheless, the better packaging, reputation and quality associated with high-end products is not a myth and sometimes it may be worth splashing out.
So, what causes the different prices when it comes to make-up?
Firstly, most high-end products tend to contain larger quantities of active ingredients which are often naturally derived and free from synthetics. This means that more expensive products are often, but not always, kinder to your skin. When buying make-up, it is important to know what ingredients you should be looking out for. It is recommended that you avoid buying products with ingredients such as fragrance, parabens, triclosan and sodium laureth sulfate (for a full list follow this link).
Surprisingly, the biggest contributor to price is not ingredients but exclusivity. High-end make-up is seen as more limited (likely due to the brand attached to it) and can only be purchased online, in their open stores or in large retailers. This exclusivity increases its price. Unfortunately, this is where the vicious circle of business comes into play as by charging more for the exclusivity of their product, means that companies can invest this into more expensive technology and resources (such as professional, make-up artists involved in the early stages of a new formula), resulting in their formulas being viewed as more sophisticated. However, it would be wrong to assume that you can’t get a high-quality product at a lower price and drugstore brands are perfect for simple styles and daily use. Drugstore and high-end brands create products with different purposes. Whilst cheaper products are created to be affordable, more expensive products tend to appeal to individual choice. Therefore, drugstore formulations can be useful when trying out new products but as you become more familiar with want you want from your make-up, a high-end option may be better.
At the end of the day, the make-up you buy is a personal choice with factors such as how often you wear make-up, durability of make-up, your ideal price, your skin type and personal preference on shades and textures, all having an impact on your purchases. For this reason, you may be more willing to pay more for some products than others. The general recommendation is to spend slightly more on foundation but to opt for a cheaper alternative when it comes to products like highlighter and blush. However, the choice ultimately depends on what works with you.