High End Makeup Vs. Drugstore Makeup: What Are You Really Paying For?
Amongst my circle friends and colleagues, I'm typically the person that knows everything that there is to know about makeup launches and releases for luxury brands.
Because of my years of working professionally in the cosmetic industry, people expect me to a snob when it comes to makeup. Little do those people know, a lot of my favorite products come right from the cosmetic section of your local Target and Walgreens, and in my opinion some have out performed their department store counterparts by far.
As someone who has a background in marketing, I've often wondered if the extra coins that I scrapped up to splurge on high end cosmetics was honestly even worth it. I'm not to saying that high-end makeup is a complete scam but their inflated prices are for minor differences that you may not get from a drugstore brand.
Say for instance the luxury brand Lancome, which is owned by L'Oreal. Lancome's Rouge in Love Shade Pink Bon Bon lip color, is equivalent to L'Oreal's Colour Rich Shade Pink Flamingo, however, you will pay three times as much for Lancome than L'Oreal.
The prices of your high end splurges, usually depend on:
Packaging
Most of use makeup wearers out there are total suckers for pretty packaging and even more so for convenient and innovative packaging. Drug store packaging tends to be simple with no frills, while high end department store packaging can be drop dead gorgeous and to die for.
Pigmentation
Makeup application is something that is aesthetically pleasing, so there is no secret that we want our colors to be nice and bright instead of washed out and dreary. Eyeshadows especially need to be pigmented enough whereas the color does not show up chalky, especially on darker skin tones. Though drugstore eyeshadow has come a LONG way, they usually still take a little more work and building up of product to get that “uumph" that you would get from a high-end one (depending).
Applicators (if provided)
Whether its drugstore or high-end, I personally opt not to use the applicators that come with the products unless I'm trying to travel light but I do notice a big difference between the quality of an applicator from a drugstore product and a high-end one.
For instance my favorite drugstore loose powder comes with the pouf that I have never used while some of my favorite high-end loose powders tend to come with more practical small brush applicators that I may use on occasions. Whether you decide to use them or not, somewhere down the line it is a portion of the price that we pay for the product that it comes with.
Fragrance (or even lack of)
Whether we want to believe it or not, every thing that goes into a product, drugstore or high-end, were paying for it someway, somehow; that includes that vanilla scent of that lipstick that you love so much or even that luxury brand that takes out all fragrances completely. You'll often find that fragrances in higher end cosmetics smell better as they should for the extra amount of cash that we spend on them.
The Brand Name
Perception is reality. If that doesn't apply anywhere else, it definitely applies in the world of cosmetics. The way we perceive a brand determines if we will actually spend the extra money on a product. That is how high-end brands thrive.
What woman doesn't want to rock that bold $26 lipstick that she gagged over when she saw it in a magazine? Or a product that has her favorite actress or singer face plastered on the advertisements for it? We all do it every once in a while. A big part of why we are willing to spend more on certain brands is the fact that in our minds, whether consciously or subconsciously, we feel we are perceived as being “luxurious by association".
The Experience
Chances are shopping for makeup in the drugstore is much different from shopping for high-end makeup in a department store. High-end brands provide a shopping experience with the million and one testers you get to play with, consultants to interact with or even get a make over from and everything else that you don't get out of a trip to your local drugstore. While some of us could live without it, many of us really enjoy it and feel the extra coins are really worth it.
I'll be the first one to tell you, “don't cheat yourself, treat yourself" and splurging on high-end makeup is no different. Knowing when and when not to spend extra “unnecessary" money on makeup is all about trying new things, whether its from the drugstore or the department store, and getting a feel of what is and is not important to you when it come to your makeup. Use the article as a guide the next time your wonder if your splurging justifiable.
Though there are definitely some benefits that we get out of going for the gold with luxury cosmetics, we also are paying for "unnecessary" things that we honestly can live without.
Are you a drugstore make-up junkie or do you prefer to buy your make up from high-end brands?
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ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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How A Stay At Switzerland's Luxurious 7132 Hotel Reminded Me To Live The Life I Deserve
Sometimes, as women—especially as single Black women—we simply need to be reminded that we are deserving of living a life we dream of. Even if that means creating it for ourselves. I recently set out on a weeklong trip to Switzerland, a trip I’ve been wanting to take for years, and near the end of my visit, I had an epiphany.
“DeAnna, this is the life you deserve,” I thought to myself as I took in the gorgeous bathroom in my suite at the famous 7132 Hotel and Thermal Spa. It was one of the most luxurious hotels (and bathrooms) I had ever stayed in—and that’s saying a lot for someone who often travels for work.
To help you better understand why this was such a mental awakening for me, I first need to give a bit of my backstory. I’m in my late thirties. I’m an attorneyand a journalist. I own a home and have traveled the world extensively. Essentially, I’ve done everything in life I set out to do. However, when it comes to dating, I struggle. Not because there is anything wrong with me per se, but because my career and “lifestyle” often create problems in my romantic relationships.
View from my hotel room
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I’ve been told everything from, ‘I can’t continue to date you because you seem to choose your career over wanting to settle down and have kids’ by a man after only the second date to ‘Maybe if you just sat down somewhere for a while, I’d actually wife you’ by someone who has honestly never proven themselves to be the settle down type. And these are only a handful of the things I’ve been told over the years.
It’s been frustrating, to say the least, and there have even been seasons where I purposely dimmed my light in hopes that my career wouldn’t push away potential suitors. I know what you’re thinking, “Girl, why would you even consider that? If they’re for you, it won’t matter what you do.” Hey, don’t judge me, but also, I one hundred percent agree.
My hotel bathroom
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That’s why this recent moment in Switzerland was right on time. When I first walked into the hotel to check in, I was blown away by the surrounding beauty. It was a five-star property with one of the world’s most famous thermal bathhouses. Yet, it was something about seeing that 90% of the hotel’s guests were couples, that forced me to sit back for a bit of introspection—while soaking in the thermal spa, of course.
As I went through the mental conversation, there was a battle of sorts. On one hand, I knew that being able to partake in experiences like the one I was having at that moment was important to me. I knew that, at times I actually love being able to dabble in the finer things—after all, I’ve worked hard to be able to afford them. On the other hand, and sadly, I knew that sometimes being a single Black woman that publicly showcases her “luxurious” habits can intimidate men and even scare them off from pursuing you under the guise of them feeling like they “can’t do anything for you, because you have everything.”
My hotel room
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So, what is a girl to do?
Do I minimize/hide the life and experiences that I have? Do I play down the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am professionally? Or, do I risk being single in exchange for being able to have said life, without backlash?
Luckily, the joy that I felt while being at this property won. There was something about taking a full day to simply pamper myself at the bathhouse and in my in-room steam shower and soaker tub, indulging in cuisine from a 2-star Michelin restaurant and doing all of this while surrounded by an amazing group of Black women that reminded me—this is certainly the life I was meant to live and that I deserve. Even if it means that right now, I’ll just have to provide it for myself until the right partner comes along. And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Restaurant at 7132 hotel
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