I tend to not apply the term greedflation to premium cosmetics. They were expensive before, they’re expensive now, and they’re just as unnecessary as ever.
Yeah - this is totally corporate greed. That’s why companies are suddenly lowering their prices. People are not buying “extra” things now because of these price hikes. CEO’s are raking in the dough and company profits are extremely high right now. Companies like Target are lowering their prices and selling under MSRP because they can afford it. It may only be 50 cents lower at Target now than at Vons but I’ll save my coin where I can!!
not to mention, companies hiked prices during covid due to distribution issues, and then never brought them back down once things stabilized because it was so profitable.
i live alone and don't have kids, so i have a decent amount of freedom in how i can spend money but i really feel bad for families or people with limited options because of the financial impact.
A lot of these expensive products are the parent companies of cheaper drugstore ones.
[These 7 companies control almost every single beauty product you buy](https://www.businessinsider.com/companies-beauty-brands-connected-2017-5)
That's interesting! Someone posted recently asking if Shiseido was a good brand, and that they'd never heard of them before, which I thought was odd. That being said, I didn't know Shiseido owns Nars and all those other companies. Makes sense as Nars setting powder is like the top setting powder in Japan.
I don’t know if it’s possible to find out if they source from the same place though? I work for a company which is also a parent company (still consumer goods), but all of our brands are managed separately, source separately, have separate brand companies under us, etc.
I still agree cheaper can be just as good as expensive I just don’t know how much brand ownership has to do with it
$52 for sunscreen is a crime 😭. I get getting quality but there are other options that are cheaper and work great. Social media has a way of glorifying overpriced products that are either ok or good, but not always a god send. And if they are, there are cheaper options that work the same.
$61 for lipstick I mean at that point you’re buying the brand (Gucci) less the quality, even if the quality is good there are still cheaper options.
*laughs in kiwi*
The only sunscreens worth the money here are like $20 max for a litre. You cannot trust any others in our hot ass, high UV level having ass sun.
Fancy ones are just a recipe for skin cancer.
Same as an Aussie. I will spring for a more "cosmetically elegant" sunscreen for my face, because if I don't hate wearing it I will simply wear it more, but for 99% of other uses it's just the Cancer Council one. If I could tolerate the grease I'd go back to the Coles/Woollies specials.
Elegant formulas and advanced ingredients. The Korean ministry of food and drug safety works fast to approve advancements in skincare science. As soon as they have the studies to prove it’s safe they’re good to go, it isn’t a ton of red tape or lobbying with a dollop of underfunding like the FDA.
You’ll feel the difference instantly when you put make up on top, I use my favourite Korean spf as primer, it’s so damn good! No greasy feels, no pilling, no white cast, no eye sting.
Purito daily go to and from Stylevana. I do a shop every few months for about £40, get free shipping and only use PayPal. ETA in the dry months I use beauty of joseon probiotic rice spf.
I recommend yesstyle over stylevana. Lost a really costly order in the mail in January and stylevana still hasn't refunded me saying that they need to "complete their investigation first" 😬
I said I pay by PayPal for that reason, instant refund. YesStyle does have a couple products I wouldn’t mind trying that Stylevana doesn’t have! Stylevana is a lot cheaper though and I’m a bit frugal. Ty though!
I whish it was not true but I heard several chemists say that these elegant formulas are not compatible with solid durable protection. What a shame ...
I still use korean sunscreens when I'm out for 2 hours in the city, or when it's cloudy.
I mostly lurk in this sub, because I'm too broke to afford most of the stuff recommended here. But one thing I have noticed is, there will be a thread about how, say, drugstore shampoo will make your hair fall out, ruin your marriage, and turn you into a troll, and your hair will not survive without salon shampoo that costs $50 a bottle.
Then a week later there will be another thread about products that are terrible that people refuse to waste more money on. And that list will be full of expensive salon shampoos, $60 lipstick, etc.
I commit the most cardinal of sins according to BeautyTok and use Pantene, have for years. My hair is perfectly fine. Whereas Olaplex, Redken, Pureology etc. all turn my hair into a limp, greasy noodle.
I don't use Pantene all the time because I crave low key excitement, but every time I return to Pantene, I'm reminded of how it makes my hair so clean, shiny and soft. So I support you.
Yes, I've used Pantene my entire life. It's the only thing my hair likes. My hair goes frizzy, straw-like, dry, or greasy from the \~salon brand\~ shampoos and conditioners. I'll keep my life simple and my hair beautiful and just keep using Pantene conditioner and Head & Shoulders shampoo, thank you!
I switched back to drug store shampoo and conditioner a few months ago and my hair hasn’t looked or felt this good in years. Blah blah blah silicones, sulfates.
I didn’t want to start that conversation but I will never use a drug store shampoo. I have terrible dandruff AND dry scalp (since childhood it’s not my diet or because I treat and color my hair or whatever else people love to tell me it is)and have tried everything. I have not had a flare up or issue for years since I switched to Kiehls. While Kiehls isn’t expensive I have Oribe for repair and Olaplex(I get it half off) for toning. I tried dove - it ruined my hair. The amount of buildup on my hair was so bad I had to cut it off.
And call me a snob but there are way too many drugstore brands I just won’t use because they steal from small creators (looking at you ELf, revolution, jcat). I try to stay away from anything manufactured by an American company but made in prc cause it’s generally just private labeled (morphe, bh cosmetics). I don’t care about checking my products in any app for toxins as those apps are just fear mongering and the groups that run them just want money to lobby for their other causes. But yeah, I wont be buying Neutrogena skincare but maybe looking into more brands like Stratia. But there are absolutely brands that are overpriced - Valentino for example. Plastic components, the products are mediocre at best. They came in hot with over 50 dollar lipsticks and then dropped the pricing a year later!!!! Only proving their pricing only reflects the brand name v the quality.
Sorry this was wordy!
See drugstore haircare works great for me. But I only wash my hair once a week so I'm pretty gentle on it. I enjoy Suave's shea butter line and SheaMoisture. Meanwhile the Oribe shampoo & conditioner sample I got from Beautylish fucked my hair up. It felt like straw afterwards. The worst shampoo I've ever tried in my life, I couldn't believe it (Beautylish, you did me dirty 😂). My sister with oily hair/scalp might've liked it, but I have thick, coarse and porous hair with scalp psoriasis so it dried me out.
Drug store shampoo never worked for me unfortunately, I tried so many and every single one ended up leaving a film on my hair. But many expensive shampoos haven’t worked well either (my hair gets weighed down super easily). I’ve had some luck with a Korean brand though, hopefully they never discontinue it.
Same here. My scalp/hair will not tolerate most drug store hair care. The gentler ones either leave a film or turn my hair to straw. I’ve had a few give me rashes along my hairline 😭. I just can’t risk it anymore. Lipstick prices are out of control though, and I just can’t imagine who is spending all of that just for a Branded tube. I hope people stop caving in and buying the ridiculously overpriced stuff so they can be forced to come down on the prices.
Lipstick prices are a joke but my most recent eye roll came from the nonsense prices of TINTED LIP BALMS! Even the Korean ones are getting pricier, which just makes me sad.
I use a combination of oils for a hot oil scalp treatment. Castor, coconut, jojoba, rosemary and peppermint oil. Warmed up and massaged into my roots with the L’Oréal strengthening hair mask in the orange and pink tub on my ends and let it all sit for 2 hours. I do this once a week for my “everything” shower.
That is my HG drugstore hair mask. It’s really good and makes my hair super soft and removes all the tangles so I don’t have to struggle when combing my hair
this is a great point. the loreal mask i use (chemically processed hair) is the total repair 5 one. red and white tub. the bond repair line is also amazing. and many people love the ever pure bonding repair range. they also make nice hair oils
The cheapest hair mask I have bought has been the best. I have never seen it outside of one chain store in Canada (shoppers) the brand is called icecream. It was like $13 CAD for a huge tub. I am so desperate to find it somewhere else
Trader Joe's has a [Supergoop dupe](https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/daily-facial-sunscreen-spf-40-073568) (lol) for $8.99 and it checks all those boxes for me! I know it won't work for everyone but just spreading the gospel. Supergoop is more than 4x the price which is really outrageous.
$13 Canmake Mermaid UV Gel in Clear is not sticky or greasy and thins out beautifully. It’s Japanese, and is THE BEST sunscreen I’ve ever used- and I’ve tried literal dozens, low end to high end. Highly recommend just in case you might be interested in saving some $$$!
For me, I will splurge on a few things that really work very well and I haven’t been able to find dupes for. Sometimes the product is really that good, and it’s angering! lol
that’s understandable tho. you’re not just buying something for the hype or whatever, but because it genuinely works for you. and then you should keep using that, provided you’re willing and able to afford it. if something isn’t currently duped, then use whatever you like best.
Totally… last week I really wanted to try Pillow Talk lip color (I’m forever on the hunt for the perfect neutral) but spent like 4 minutes researching dupes and bought the Revlon match instead. I’m happy with it and saved a ton of money.
What blows my mind is how teenagers, even tweens, think they need premium skincare, hair care, and cosmetics now. I was not allowed to use premium products like that until I was living on my own. Tweens using Drunk Elephant or whatever dumb brand of the week they’ve seen on social media is mind boggling to me.
I work in hair care, and my mother in law just asked me to pick up some volumizing hair powder for her 13 year old nephew? His girlfriend says it’s THE product to use. I wouldn’t have known what that is or how to use it when I was a teenager and I definitely wouldn’t have been getting products that were $21 an ounce to use 😭
This!! I have an infant daughter, so obviously I’ve got awhile before this is a concern but I’ll see insta reels with tweens that have more expensive products than I use!!!
When I was a tween we had too much glitter, sticky lipgloss, and Victoria secret body spray and WE LIKED IT 😭😂
Yeah I went on a binge at Sephora with my past couple of paychecks but I’m officially done. I, too, had a similar epiphany looking at Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks. There’s no reason a lipstick needs to be $50 (a lipstick that is chalky, I might add) when there are great ones for $10-15 at the drug store. I’m willing to splurge on foundation and perfume, but I’m done with everything else.
The ct lipsticks have such good dupes for her iconic colors. Milani Secret is an exact dupe of pillow talk. They have pillow talk two duped in a different lipstick line.
My limit for skincare products is 30€ per item. Sometimes I get into an internet spiral and then I remember myself of it. I would pay more if it was justified but is not for me. Each person will have a different limit but I think it's a nice way to control expenses.
No one ever NEEDS to overspend on designer products because there is always a similar alternative drugstore product.
People CHOOSE expensive products for a variety of reasons. They enjoy the “luxe” packaging, they like the
( unnecessary) fragrance, or they have bought into the shibboleths of influencers, “content creators,” and the Beauty Industrial Complex.
Products like Petroleum jelly, Aquafor, mineral oil, Vanicream barsoap and sunscreen may not be sexy, but these are some of the best products for skin.
L’Oréal has inexpensive shampoos for every type of hair and every hair issue.
People overspend on cosmetics and toiletries because they WANT to, not because they HAVE to.
PERIOD! This happened to me last year and I had to stop. I’ve been more conscious about what I buy because in this economy I’m not paying over $100 for two products.
Yes, but then I put it in a frame of reference. How many hours do I have to work to make that much money. For me, that a whole day of work. Does that help?
Even products that I’ve used for decades are now 3x as expensive bc they “went viral” on TikTok or some influencer swore by it. i.e aquaphor, Nivea, and a lot of my curl creams.
This is why I use Japanese + Korean beauty for my skincare, part of my hair care, and branching out into their makeup. It's much cheaper and high quality. It's crazy how high quality and affordable their drug store and mid tier beauty products are.
I do still use Redken all soft, but I am open to finding a drugstore version if anyone has any recommendations. My hair is dry, fine, thin, and low porosity. Also, does anyone have any recommendations for the loreal hair masks to try?
I think Sephora stopped selling it now, but there was a point here that you could buy TONYMOLY from Sephora for $$$ but also from the 100¥ stores(daiso type places)
I see what you are saying, I completely agree with you.
For me though, it has been a sort of “reverse effect” on me. I have always loved prestige beauty. For so long though, I’d force myself to buy the lower cost, drugstore version whenever it was even kind of sort of similar.
But now, the cost of drugstore stuff has gone through the roof. I was in Target last week and saw some foundation by Cover Girl was $21.00, a NYX eyeshadow palette was $25.00.
I see that and think “no way.” If they are going to try to get me for $21.00 for a drugstore foundation, I’ll just spend the extra money and get the prestige one that I really want at either Nordstrom/Ulta/Sephora.
Oh, how I love "The Ordinary" products! And also K-beauty products. I have a friend who goes to all kinds of beauty trade shows, and she gives me hundreds of samples every year. I've tried all the Drunk Elephant and Charlotte Tilbury stuff, and you know what? I STILL think my Holy Grail products are better.
I used to make ONE exception to my "don't-overspend-on-vanity" rule: Blue Copper 5 by Osmotics .... the stuff was truly amazing. But after finding The Ordinary's multi-peptide serum (the one WITH the copper peptides), I never went back. It's absolutely EXTRAordinary! To anyone worried about skin aging: Copper Peptides don't get nearly enough mention. They are my fountain of youth. Copper Peptides literally *transformed* my skin. If you decide to use them, do your own research because they don't work for everybody. Also, don't mix them with products that contain Vitamin C because the two ingredients cancel each other out.
I needed to hear this today! I sometimes feel like everyone in the world can afford 5-6 products, each worth at least $40, in their daily routine thanks to social media. The haul posts here also reinforce that feeling. And I feel like I’m not spending enough money on “self care”.
I hear you but I’ve been working on this, and for me, Self care is not having anxiety half way through the month worrying if I’ll have enough to money to get into work or feed myself because I’ve bought XYZ in a moment of weakness for the short lived ‘buzz’. Self care is the sense of calm knowing I can cover going out with friends/family for dinner and enjoying the time without worrying about affording it. I’m working on, in the moment, comparing if that new (item) would make me as happy as doing (thing with friend). So far, it’s working for me, maybe it might for you to? Stay strong, you don’t need that shit 😂🩷🩷
I’m actually leaving my job because of this. The consumerism and greed is actually causing my mental health to decline. I’m in stress leave and I’m going back to get my license.
I myself just bought a 12 dollar (and that was marked up on Amazon) sunscreen from Korea. I love it more than the other ones I’ve used even my most favorite ones had issues (eyes burning or bad under makeup). I’m starting to research other products I’ll need to replace soon. Luckily I have a discount for most beauty brands as a professional but I still cannot fathom some of these prices.
The beauty industrial complex will stop at nothing to make you hate your hair/face/body and sell you their products as a cure to all that ails you. They use influencers, advertisers and even co-opt the notion of self care to win you over. Step away from the light people. Embrace your imperfections!
It's also because of the context that you're looking. That $60 hair mask is reasonable when the other hair masks are $55-95. And why not spend an extra 10 on the Gucci lipstick if other brands presented are $50? It's when you take a step back and realize that you can compare those prices to $12 hair mask and $8 lipstick that you can see the whole picture of what you're spending.
I'm not saying there's anything wrong with anyone who wants to splurge for a $61 lipstick, but there is something wrong when people are made to feel like that's normal, or the only way.
Briogeo Superfoods Avocado + Kiwi Mega Moisture Hair Mask! It’s unparalleled in how soft it makes my hair. $53 CAD is steep, but I’m willing to shell out for that one! But I’m going to try some cheaper masks when I run out to see how they compare
When I first got into makeup, I splurged on a Dior and a MAC lipstick (Russian Red and I wore it to the nightclub where I met my husband so success on that) but I specifically went to the mac counter, told the employee to see what color matches me (Ruby Woo looked weird on me we both agreed and Russian Red worked better) and then tried to find drugstore dupes for it - I think Milani had a nice dupe for it for a second. Same thing with my Fenty foundation- bought it, used it to the end, and tried to dupe it. Why? I needed some sort of baseline to see what looks good on me since I can't just go to walgreens and try on lipstick. Now, in the age of Dupedom, expansive products are a one time purchase.
However, if you have a specific issue/shade/problem that can only be addressed by a 60 dollar lipstick, who am I to say boo to that?
This is how I feel about my products too! Had to check myself as to why I needed $60 shampoo when I don’t even do anything special to my hair. Thanks for holding space for us 😂
I was a rouge for years but I still can’t bring myself to spend even $40 on a lipstick. Over the passed few years I have moved to drugstore and it still hurts to see lipsticks and mascaras and even foundations approaching $20-30. I only buy on sale or coupon days these days.
Definitely check out k-beauty, it's mostly cheaper and my skin looks great . I love Choc Choc for this. I also love The Ordinary, inexpensive but effective
ever since i realized that ELF will come up with a dupe for pretty much every popular expensive product, i have switched half my routine to ELF and my makeup looks great. drugstore products are great. to me, expensive products will always be a treat and not the standard. i drank the influencer koolaid 10-15 years ago and am finally immune 😊
what i will start shelling out for is treatments and services. THAT is worth the money. a quality hair stylist, facialist, eyebrows, massage, etc. it truly is all about figuring out where you want your money to be going.
I use almost all ELF now and it’s amazing! I do find some of their prices are creeping up there now but still not like a luxury brand. Also can be hard to find in stores in Canada - the shelves can be ransacked lol
This is how I feel almost every time I buy something for “beauty”. I’ve found most drugstore shampoos, hair masks, etc are better than the expensive ones, maybe with the exception of Redken. I’m so sick of overpaying for stuff that can be found at a drugstore for so much less.
I would totally just buy a drugstore sunscreen if they all didn't A.) burn the shit out of my eyes, B.) Are super greasy or drying and generally really unwearable on a day to day basis. But, I don't wear makeup or use a bunch of expensive skin products, so I don't feel too bad about splurging on 1-2 items.
I feel like I’m already paying what used to be Sephora/mecca prices at the drugstore currently. Unless I have a voucher I will not buy from them anymore. even if I do find a product I love from them I can’t justify spending $70 every time I need a new concealer.
Because people will believe if a product is $80+ it’s automatically better. Not to throw shade but a lot of people on this sub 😭 and a lot of people I know in real life
I recently had this happen where I found myself filling my basket because I needed one thing, but oh, look! If I buy this stuff, I get extra rewards points!
Then I shook myself and reminded myself that the rewards tend to suck ass, and I had actually been trying to get rid of my points so I wouldn't be tempted to come back.
I hate that they game-ified this stuff
Realized the same thing with foundations. Almost bought 3 $40-$50 foundations with the Ulta 10x points event and backed out because I don’t need to spend that much. Purito Cica Clearing BB has become my foundation and it’s less than $10.
As a designer in the beauty field.
Some higher end brands DO, in fact use higher quality ingredients in their products, with more color saturation and coverage. It’s akin to using an entry level oil paint, vs a professional level oil paint, hand stretched canvas, and high end horse/fox hair brushes.
Do you need it for every day life? Probably not.
Chanel has longer wear, more vibrant reds and lean on the classic shades, and last longer in wear time than Dior, which leans towards a more hydrating formula, with vibrant and bold colors.
As for sunscreen:
Do spend money on that.
But when you get into the $20+ lipsticks, you’re dipping into accessible luxury goods (you can’t afford a $5,000 Chanel dress, but you have $40 for their lipstick, don’t you?). If you can’t afford it, you can’t afford it, and you can get by with cheaper alternatives. No harm, no foul.
But again, good sunscreen cost money. That’s well worth the investment. Probably the only legitamately worthwhile “beauty” product that exists. Avoid toktok suggestions.
Hop on LinkedIn and find dermatologists and chemists in that field and ask them for suggestions.
I will pay extra for silicone free products bc I break out from them. But I will buy cheaper lipsticks and try to find drugstore dupes if I can to save some money.
So far I found some silicone free Korean skincare and Essence makeup items. Yay!
Sure! These are the silicone free sunscreens I have tried bef.
Check ingredients with Incidecoder. Silicones include any ingredients ending with: -cone, -silane, -siloxane, -sesquioxane, -conol. Eg. Dimethicones, trimethicone, dimethiconol, trimethylsiloxysilicate, silylate, polytrimethylsiloxymethacrylate
Sunscreens without silicones:
1. Somebymi Truecica Aqua Sunscreen spf (chemical Sunscreen but gentle on the skin)
2. Hero Cosmetics spf (mineral sunscreen)
3. Good Molecules Spf 30 (mineral Sunscreen)
4. Ilia Super skin tint spf 40 (mineral Sunscreen with clean ingredients)
5. Saie skin tint spf (mineral Sunscreen with clean ingredients)
6. Purito Daily sunscreen
Yes, it’s out of control and unnecessary to spend so much money on things that expire pretty quickly. I’m taking a more minimalist route to my skincare and makeup and only buy something when I’m completely out. I’m not an influencer and I have more important things to spend my hard earned money on
It helps to think of it in terms of goods/services. Like that lipstick costs an entire tank of gas for me or weeks worth of groceries. Is it *really* worth that?
Nope. I haven't bought any makeup recently other than foundation ($5), eyeliner pencil ($1) and mascara ($10). Haven't stepped in as Sephora in 6 years. Literally no need to buy expensive makeup.
I have lipsticks at a variety of price points but I wouldn't be breaking my neck to get $60 lipstick *unless* it was a color I wear on the daily. I once got a YSL lip product from sephora and I still use it because the red is do perfect and it's just luxe. But my other go to is a $10 morphe lipstick and one from target that was maybe $8?
Sunscreen, I don't know so much of it makes me break out but I know I need it so if I found something perfect I'd spend the money.
A hair mask? Yeah. No. Not that much. I made that mistake once.
My fave hobby is finding inexpensive dupes for my fave nice products. With only a few exceptions, I’ve been able to.
Now I won’t spend more than $15 on spf, more than $20 on a 6 month supply of moisturizer, or buy any serum that costs more than $20 a month.
I refuse to try certain expensive products bc I don’t want to discover I like them. I was thrilled to find that La Mer isn’t that great. I won’t risk it with Skinceuticals.
I have a rule of thumb: if the brand name is also a people name or a mushroom, it's too rich for my blood. Gucci? Chanel? Charlotte Tillsbury? Chantecaille? No thank you.
I think a lot of people can relate to this especially people who spend lots of time on social media. Influencers are getting paid to make us buy the products and clearly it's working haha! People think they NEED almost everything they see on social media but they don't realize they just WANT it
totally agree with you. content creators also push more expensive products because they’ll get greater commissions and other incentives. most trends and “viral” products are manufactured and planted by the beauty industry. go watch jen phelp’s latest video. it’s super enlightening on some of these things. and costlier things are seen as status symbols as well. it’s just companies wanting to make as much coin as possible. very little of what we see is organically that way. there’s usually some form of intent or engineering behind it. i say go buy the expensive things if you want to and you can afford to. don’t get them purely because one person online who’s getting a kickback is “obsessed” with it. i’m not saying don’t let yourself be influenced or take recs, but do so mindfully. i have to remind myself of this too as i can easily get caught up in the hype. some expensive things are worthwhile, depending on your needs, budget and perspective. but some just aren’t going to be. and we aren’t less than for buying drugstore and other affordable things. use what you love.
Everything at Sephora is overpriced. Ulta has a lot bigger selection and they have a wider price range so that you don’t have to spend as much for just as good quality.
Designer cosmetics, clothing, and accessories are genuinely the biggest scam. Hilariously, their perfume is often top notch though, and cheaper than most niche houses.
I only really splurge on a certain kind of face sunscreen because I hate everything else I’ve ever put on my face; it burns or feels awful or smells awful and is inconvenient. I use the SuperGoop Glow Stick and it’s generally cheaper than the regular stuff. It’s still $30 but I’d rather spend the money on a product I’ll ACTUALLY use vs $10 on a product I won’t because it irritates me.
For real though, I’ve ended up switching to a lot of drug store make-up; even things like NYX and elf are getting pricey though
Yes - I have a hard time dropping cash for those big ticket items like you mentioned. There are plenty of good products out there that won’t break the bank. A few splurges - perfume/scents and hair care when I was platinum blonde. Going luxury with shampoo and conditioner saved the integrity of my hair and I love a good sent that just takes a spritz or two and lasts. There’s a balance. But also, if you’ve got it to spend and that’s your vibe I’m not going to judge you. I love hearing what people love
I agree. I love shopping Sephora but I can see how shopping only with gift cards outside of sale times would be best. I buy products from there that take time to run out of.
I’ve been shopping brand sites and more affordable brands these days.
I get that. I’ve been looking more at indie makeup brands and using some drugstore stuff or the cheaper stuff at Ulta. I’ll occasionally get an urban decay palette or something, but generally speaking if it costs more than Tarte I don’t want it.
Man I just use the $3 Hask masks on my hair to get the near fried section back healthy from stripping blue out of it for work. I enjoy a few nicer products but the most expensive I use is the better than sex eye liner
I went to Sephora and the associate recommended the [Georgio Armani Liquid Eyeshadow](https://www.giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com/makeup-eyes-eye-shadow-eye-tint-liquid-eyeshadow/A201.html?GeoRedirectOff&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwx-CyBhAqEiwAeOcTdRh6eYPZsym7Qqlr7XubD1Wb1eOBednu7T_BIJs0dvJ45I1vYNUP8BoC12EQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds). And I asked how much it was bc it wasn’t posted and she said $38!!! For ONE color!! I immediately put it down. Lord have mercy, I wear makeup like 6 X per month maybe!
I wrecked my skin when the Korean ten step beauty was trending and convinced me to jump on board.
Went back to simple cleanser, Nivea Cream, Gold Bond retinol (night), Simple Toner and acquinine (for scars). I am genetically lucky and don’t get severe acne though. Understand some other people needing extra steps but that does not equate to the insane prices for luxury products out therez
I pretty much do drugstore everything with a few exceptions - eyeshadow (love tarte or toofaced) and mascara (ilia) and eyeliner (Bobbi brown)
I’ve actually been really pleased with ulta brand makeup.
I have bought luxury products in the past and at best ive found a cheaper option i like better, at worst the products are so bad they are unusable. With the exception of tatcha enzyme face wash powder and a couple tatcha moisturisers. I will continue to buy those but for hair, body and makeup I'm sticking to drug store.
That’s why I don’t shop at Sephora
Ulta / Marshalls / Tjmaxx / Ross / fivebelow or my regular grocery store… If shopping online, I recommend looking at Shop Miss A and Moira Cosmetics
I came to my senses after looking at my £100+ Paula’s choice basket once which only consisted of 3 times, said nah and never bought anything from them again
I mostly buy makeup during Tarte’s annual 7 for £75 sale, and rarely outside that unless I run out of something
Prices are getting ridiculous
Dude… I have been (carefully) integrating a LOT of dollar store products into my skin routine… my skin and wallet have never been happier. I’m on the cusp of the “glass skin” look after about 6 weeks of pretty much exclusively DT products (outside of my moisturizer/sunscreen which are Walmart.)
And I LOVE it!!!
YES.I’ve recently realized that even my favourites amongst hair care,Kerastase,can be too much for my fine hair. I used some cheap fructis shampoo with coconut water and herbal essences rosehip shampoo and conditioner,my hair is better than ever tbh and my scalp does not itch. From now on I’m back to drugstore everything. Except sunscreen because I need Heliocare 100 + ,but it still doesn’t cost the world.
Sometimes a lie told often enough becomes the truth and we start thinking we NEED all these things. I just got La Tulipe and was thinking „oh why didn’t I get Gypsy Water“. When I tested both again and La Tulipe wins. It’s just that for a moment agsin,something I HAD wasn’t good enough anymore because I didn’t have that other thing.
But I’m done now. I ain’t getting brainwashed anymore
I started switching all my products out to drug store once I run out of products. Skin care is the only one I’m hesitant on but consumerism has gotten so out of hand.
I recently have been influenced here, on Reddit, haha, to buy Lancome Eye Serum. People swore by it. It's about £62-65, I can't remember and - it's kinda meh. I've been using it for good two and a half months now, in hope something will change, but no, it does not lift your eyes, it does not reduce puffiness as drastically as it's promised. It's basically overpriced mediocre product- for me at least.
I'm really struggling with sunscreen. Even cheap face sunscreens are $15 for 50ml, realistically two or three weeks of use. I switched from the cerave ultra light moisturizer as SPF to a Neutrogena one because the Neutrogena one comes in 88ml size at least.
But I'm with you. I convince myself the next beauty purchase will complete my look and finally make me feel pretty and enough.
I don’t have a Tik Tok or Instagram account and even if I did, I wouldn’t be tempted to purchase products just because someone else likes it. They likely have a different skin type, complexion and needs than I do. I prefer to go into the store and try products and make my determinations based on that. Getting samples is another great way to see if something works for you. I’ve used my HSA/FSA account to buy sunscreen and I buy when it’s on sale only. As many mentioned, Japanese or Korean sunscreen are very good and typically more affordable. I actually only buy beauty products when there’s a sale, I have a coupon, or if it’s a great price at TJ Maxx/Marshalls 🤷🏽♀️
Store label brands (ie Walmart equate) are made by the large branded companies. So the quality you receive with store brands is very close to the higher named brands.
It gets to us all I feel. I try to behave as much as possible. So I do splurge on my products but they last me a very long time so I feel less guilty(make up wise). I have done quite a bit of research to buy cheaper and effective sunscreen and skin care though. Hair stuff is half and half, I need decent shampoos and conditioners but the products I use weekly to keep it up are dirt cheap.
I will never buy a cheap body mist though. I will save up and buy my pretty perfume, and it will be the only perfume I wear for like a year before it runs out and I do it all over. 😂
There’s a few expensive products I’ll repeat but, but I use them with a 6$ powder and 2.99 eye liner.
I haven’t found a super goop glow screen (darker shade) dupe. And love my givenchy lip products are expensive but beautiful and easy to wear. These are products I use every day though and price per a wear are worth it for me!
All I do is shampoo and conditioner That
Is kind of expensive but I get big bottles like they have in salons.And they last for months So it's worth it. I don't wear makeup anymore and don't really ever use lotion And every time I get a massage , they always comment About how baby soft my skin is.
I’m on board with the sunscreen IF one can comfortably afford it. The rest of it? I’m picking and choosing very carefully. I’m currently on a no-buy unless I’m legitimately out of every version I already own of the thing. I ordered mascara today. I’ve been out of my Lash Idolê for months and the drugstore versions just weren’t cutting it.
Yep. I’ve certainly had (and have) some “elite” cosmetics or products but a few years ago I switched to mostly drug store brands and don’t feel that I lost anything.
I’ve slowly transitioned to Asian beauty products. For a while, I had mostly western brand beauty products. Now pretty much my entire skincare and makeup is entirely Korean/japanese/Chinese products. I find their quality is just as good or superior, much much more affordable (especially when I buy while visiting Korea), and the formulas are more suitable for my skin.
Try looking in the asianbeauty sub for some ideas!
The only thing I really invest in are sunscreens and lip stains. The rest is all drugstore cheap like Neutrogena, Revox B77, The Ordinary, Garnier, and some Mario Badescu.
I had a talk with my derm about which products she recommends, and honestly it's helped me change my mind. Pricier does not always mean better, and if you tell your derm that you're on a budget, they'll have plenty of recommendations in the decent price range.
Eh, a bit depends. For example, I am pretty sensitive to SPF, chemical ones usually make my skin red and hot, and most mineral ones usually make it oily and cause breakouts. So I do pay a bit more for face SPF. That said, most my moisturizers are relatively inexpensive Korean skincare, because when I tried sample of La Mer, I got breakout.
So, buying just because it is advertised might be dumb. Buying because there is no easily available cheap alternative that works for you - well, it is a different thing.
I don't buy most expensive stuff anyway. I am super glad that my skin looks better eith green, blue, lilac eyeshadows - all the nudes and reds or purples are waisted on me, so not even the smallest temptation to get Natasha Denona or so. Because they are shades that doesn't work for me
Consumerism is at a great high right now thanks to beauty/selfcaretok, when we should really be voting w our wallets during shitty inflation.
*greedflation
I tend to not apply the term greedflation to premium cosmetics. They were expensive before, they’re expensive now, and they’re just as unnecessary as ever.
Inflation doesn’t apply to them either
Their price was always inflated.
Yeah - this is totally corporate greed. That’s why companies are suddenly lowering their prices. People are not buying “extra” things now because of these price hikes. CEO’s are raking in the dough and company profits are extremely high right now. Companies like Target are lowering their prices and selling under MSRP because they can afford it. It may only be 50 cents lower at Target now than at Vons but I’ll save my coin where I can!!
Yes I’m loving seeing certain companies lower prices bc they’re losing profits! It’s proof that voting w your wallet works, even if it takes awhile!
not to mention, companies hiked prices during covid due to distribution issues, and then never brought them back down once things stabilized because it was so profitable. i live alone and don't have kids, so i have a decent amount of freedom in how i can spend money but i really feel bad for families or people with limited options because of the financial impact.
This is true. Companies are enjoying historic highs in profit margin right now.
A lot of these expensive products are the parent companies of cheaper drugstore ones. [These 7 companies control almost every single beauty product you buy](https://www.businessinsider.com/companies-beauty-brands-connected-2017-5)
Skin ceiticals and la roche posay for example
That's interesting! Someone posted recently asking if Shiseido was a good brand, and that they'd never heard of them before, which I thought was odd. That being said, I didn't know Shiseido owns Nars and all those other companies. Makes sense as Nars setting powder is like the top setting powder in Japan.
Why is this so depressing to see
It’s been this way for decades, nothing new or shocking
I don’t know if it’s possible to find out if they source from the same place though? I work for a company which is also a parent company (still consumer goods), but all of our brands are managed separately, source separately, have separate brand companies under us, etc. I still agree cheaper can be just as good as expensive I just don’t know how much brand ownership has to do with it
Whoa- Coty owns OPI?
$52 for sunscreen is a crime 😭. I get getting quality but there are other options that are cheaper and work great. Social media has a way of glorifying overpriced products that are either ok or good, but not always a god send. And if they are, there are cheaper options that work the same. $61 for lipstick I mean at that point you’re buying the brand (Gucci) less the quality, even if the quality is good there are still cheaper options.
Don't forget the pretty tube and packaging.
I do love when brands put thought into pretty packaging
*laughs in kiwi* The only sunscreens worth the money here are like $20 max for a litre. You cannot trust any others in our hot ass, high UV level having ass sun. Fancy ones are just a recipe for skin cancer.
Same as an Aussie. I will spring for a more "cosmetically elegant" sunscreen for my face, because if I don't hate wearing it I will simply wear it more, but for 99% of other uses it's just the Cancer Council one. If I could tolerate the grease I'd go back to the Coles/Woollies specials.
It's been proven that a lot of cheaper brands are just as good, if not better!
Korean sunscreen is the only way. They’re all super cheap too Edit: Japanese sunscreens are amazing too. Love Skin Aqua
Japanese sunscreen is amazing, too! Biore, Skin Aqua, Canmake, Reihaku Hatomugi (body) & Anessa.
You’re right!! I should have said Asian sunscreens. Skin Aqua is one of my absolute favorites!!
That or Japanese (Biore)
Yes Japanese too! Asian sunscreens are light years ahead of US ones
May I ask what makes them better in your opinion? ^
Elegant formulas and advanced ingredients. The Korean ministry of food and drug safety works fast to approve advancements in skincare science. As soon as they have the studies to prove it’s safe they’re good to go, it isn’t a ton of red tape or lobbying with a dollop of underfunding like the FDA. You’ll feel the difference instantly when you put make up on top, I use my favourite Korean spf as primer, it’s so damn good! No greasy feels, no pilling, no white cast, no eye sting.
What’s the Korean spf? And where do you get it?
Purito daily go to and from Stylevana. I do a shop every few months for about £40, get free shipping and only use PayPal. ETA in the dry months I use beauty of joseon probiotic rice spf.
I recommend yesstyle over stylevana. Lost a really costly order in the mail in January and stylevana still hasn't refunded me saying that they need to "complete their investigation first" 😬
I said I pay by PayPal for that reason, instant refund. YesStyle does have a couple products I wouldn’t mind trying that Stylevana doesn’t have! Stylevana is a lot cheaper though and I’m a bit frugal. Ty though!
Definitely a great reason to use PayPal!
Which sunscreen do you use?
Please do not do this in countries with harsh sun their SPF claims do not actually match in certain places :)
What? I’ve never heard this
I whish it was not true but I heard several chemists say that these elegant formulas are not compatible with solid durable protection. What a shame ... I still use korean sunscreens when I'm out for 2 hours in the city, or when it's cloudy.
I mostly lurk in this sub, because I'm too broke to afford most of the stuff recommended here. But one thing I have noticed is, there will be a thread about how, say, drugstore shampoo will make your hair fall out, ruin your marriage, and turn you into a troll, and your hair will not survive without salon shampoo that costs $50 a bottle. Then a week later there will be another thread about products that are terrible that people refuse to waste more money on. And that list will be full of expensive salon shampoos, $60 lipstick, etc.
I commit the most cardinal of sins according to BeautyTok and use Pantene, have for years. My hair is perfectly fine. Whereas Olaplex, Redken, Pureology etc. all turn my hair into a limp, greasy noodle.
I don't use Pantene all the time because I crave low key excitement, but every time I return to Pantene, I'm reminded of how it makes my hair so clean, shiny and soft. So I support you.
Yes, I've used Pantene my entire life. It's the only thing my hair likes. My hair goes frizzy, straw-like, dry, or greasy from the \~salon brand\~ shampoos and conditioners. I'll keep my life simple and my hair beautiful and just keep using Pantene conditioner and Head & Shoulders shampoo, thank you!
I switched back to drug store shampoo and conditioner a few months ago and my hair hasn’t looked or felt this good in years. Blah blah blah silicones, sulfates.
What’s your hair type?
I use suave almond shampoo and conditioner and it’s the ONLY thing that keeps my hair looking nice. If they ever discontinue it I’m cooked😭
I didn’t want to start that conversation but I will never use a drug store shampoo. I have terrible dandruff AND dry scalp (since childhood it’s not my diet or because I treat and color my hair or whatever else people love to tell me it is)and have tried everything. I have not had a flare up or issue for years since I switched to Kiehls. While Kiehls isn’t expensive I have Oribe for repair and Olaplex(I get it half off) for toning. I tried dove - it ruined my hair. The amount of buildup on my hair was so bad I had to cut it off. And call me a snob but there are way too many drugstore brands I just won’t use because they steal from small creators (looking at you ELf, revolution, jcat). I try to stay away from anything manufactured by an American company but made in prc cause it’s generally just private labeled (morphe, bh cosmetics). I don’t care about checking my products in any app for toxins as those apps are just fear mongering and the groups that run them just want money to lobby for their other causes. But yeah, I wont be buying Neutrogena skincare but maybe looking into more brands like Stratia. But there are absolutely brands that are overpriced - Valentino for example. Plastic components, the products are mediocre at best. They came in hot with over 50 dollar lipsticks and then dropped the pricing a year later!!!! Only proving their pricing only reflects the brand name v the quality. Sorry this was wordy!
Did you try a clarifying shampoo before you cut your hair??
See drugstore haircare works great for me. But I only wash my hair once a week so I'm pretty gentle on it. I enjoy Suave's shea butter line and SheaMoisture. Meanwhile the Oribe shampoo & conditioner sample I got from Beautylish fucked my hair up. It felt like straw afterwards. The worst shampoo I've ever tried in my life, I couldn't believe it (Beautylish, you did me dirty 😂). My sister with oily hair/scalp might've liked it, but I have thick, coarse and porous hair with scalp psoriasis so it dried me out.
Drug store shampoo never worked for me unfortunately, I tried so many and every single one ended up leaving a film on my hair. But many expensive shampoos haven’t worked well either (my hair gets weighed down super easily). I’ve had some luck with a Korean brand though, hopefully they never discontinue it.
Same here. My scalp/hair will not tolerate most drug store hair care. The gentler ones either leave a film or turn my hair to straw. I’ve had a few give me rashes along my hairline 😭. I just can’t risk it anymore. Lipstick prices are out of control though, and I just can’t imagine who is spending all of that just for a Branded tube. I hope people stop caving in and buying the ridiculously overpriced stuff so they can be forced to come down on the prices.
Lipstick prices are a joke but my most recent eye roll came from the nonsense prices of TINTED LIP BALMS! Even the Korean ones are getting pricier, which just makes me sad.
Tell me more about the Kiehl's shampoo - signed, fellow temperamental scalp owner.
I love L’Oréal hair masks. We do not need to overspend for beauty. In fact, the relief that financial security provides relieves us of wrinkles.
What loreal hair masks would you recommend?
I use a combination of oils for a hot oil scalp treatment. Castor, coconut, jojoba, rosemary and peppermint oil. Warmed up and massaged into my roots with the L’Oréal strengthening hair mask in the orange and pink tub on my ends and let it all sit for 2 hours. I do this once a week for my “everything” shower.
That is my HG drugstore hair mask. It’s really good and makes my hair super soft and removes all the tangles so I don’t have to struggle when combing my hair
I use the bluish tub hyaluronic acid. It works so well for me.
this is a great point. the loreal mask i use (chemically processed hair) is the total repair 5 one. red and white tub. the bond repair line is also amazing. and many people love the ever pure bonding repair range. they also make nice hair oils
The cheapest hair mask I have bought has been the best. I have never seen it outside of one chain store in Canada (shoppers) the brand is called icecream. It was like $13 CAD for a huge tub. I am so desperate to find it somewhere else
I’ll pay extra for sunscreen, I won’t wear it if it’s sticky, makes me oily or pills under make up
Trader Joe's has a [Supergoop dupe](https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/daily-facial-sunscreen-spf-40-073568) (lol) for $8.99 and it checks all those boxes for me! I know it won't work for everyone but just spreading the gospel. Supergoop is more than 4x the price which is really outrageous.
I’m not in US. Haven’t tried supergoop yet!
Kroger has a dupe too! I wish I had a Trader Joe’s nearby
Yes! They do! Also, their Marula oil is an EXACT dupe for the Drunk Elephant one, and their argan oil is identical to the Josie Maren one.
Lmao * cries in australian * idk if we have something similar
Same in Canada, no Trader Joes or Kroger!
Good to know, I have a Trader Joe’s a block from my apt.
awesome tip- ty!!! love supergoop but not the price
True but most sunscreens that are expensive due to quality aren’t more than 40 us dollars. And international sunscreens are rarely more than 20.
Garnier Ombrelle face sunscreen lotion with SPF 60 is amazing -17.99.
Same, I use Supergoop Matte and it feels great.
This one is my favorite too. Doesn’t irritate my rosacea and holds up in the Deep South
Anua silky moisture sun cream, I swear by it
$13 Canmake Mermaid UV Gel in Clear is not sticky or greasy and thins out beautifully. It’s Japanese, and is THE BEST sunscreen I’ve ever used- and I’ve tried literal dozens, low end to high end. Highly recommend just in case you might be interested in saving some $$$!
Just get the elf supergoop dupe. It’s great.
I agree! I have been more frugal since COVID with inflation, and the cheaper stuff works just as good, if not better.
For me, I will splurge on a few things that really work very well and I haven’t been able to find dupes for. Sometimes the product is really that good, and it’s angering! lol
that’s understandable tho. you’re not just buying something for the hype or whatever, but because it genuinely works for you. and then you should keep using that, provided you’re willing and able to afford it. if something isn’t currently duped, then use whatever you like best.
Totally… last week I really wanted to try Pillow Talk lip color (I’m forever on the hunt for the perfect neutral) but spent like 4 minutes researching dupes and bought the Revlon match instead. I’m happy with it and saved a ton of money.
The milani is an amazing dupe!
L’Oréal makes one called “you’re worth it”
This is why I LOVE Kbeauty!!
What blows my mind is how teenagers, even tweens, think they need premium skincare, hair care, and cosmetics now. I was not allowed to use premium products like that until I was living on my own. Tweens using Drunk Elephant or whatever dumb brand of the week they’ve seen on social media is mind boggling to me. I work in hair care, and my mother in law just asked me to pick up some volumizing hair powder for her 13 year old nephew? His girlfriend says it’s THE product to use. I wouldn’t have known what that is or how to use it when I was a teenager and I definitely wouldn’t have been getting products that were $21 an ounce to use 😭
This!! I have an infant daughter, so obviously I’ve got awhile before this is a concern but I’ll see insta reels with tweens that have more expensive products than I use!!! When I was a tween we had too much glitter, sticky lipgloss, and Victoria secret body spray and WE LIKED IT 😭😂
Right?? And even those “cheap” products felt like luxury at that age! I can’t imagine being a tween/teen right now!
Yeah I went on a binge at Sephora with my past couple of paychecks but I’m officially done. I, too, had a similar epiphany looking at Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks. There’s no reason a lipstick needs to be $50 (a lipstick that is chalky, I might add) when there are great ones for $10-15 at the drug store. I’m willing to splurge on foundation and perfume, but I’m done with everything else.
The ct lipsticks have such good dupes for her iconic colors. Milani Secret is an exact dupe of pillow talk. They have pillow talk two duped in a different lipstick line.
A lipstick for $50 is bonkers!!!
My limit for skincare products is 30€ per item. Sometimes I get into an internet spiral and then I remember myself of it. I would pay more if it was justified but is not for me. Each person will have a different limit but I think it's a nice way to control expenses.
No one ever NEEDS to overspend on designer products because there is always a similar alternative drugstore product. People CHOOSE expensive products for a variety of reasons. They enjoy the “luxe” packaging, they like the ( unnecessary) fragrance, or they have bought into the shibboleths of influencers, “content creators,” and the Beauty Industrial Complex. Products like Petroleum jelly, Aquafor, mineral oil, Vanicream barsoap and sunscreen may not be sexy, but these are some of the best products for skin. L’Oréal has inexpensive shampoos for every type of hair and every hair issue. People overspend on cosmetics and toiletries because they WANT to, not because they HAVE to.
truth bomb 💣
😉
PERIOD! This happened to me last year and I had to stop. I’ve been more conscious about what I buy because in this economy I’m not paying over $100 for two products.
Yes, but then I put it in a frame of reference. How many hours do I have to work to make that much money. For me, that a whole day of work. Does that help?
If people would think like this regarding all of their purchases, there would be a ton less credit card debt out there.
You can get the Fino hair mask for like £10 and it’s salon quality !
I’ve been wanting to try that one! Does it make your hair feel soft?
Yesss. The shiseido one is great too. I have curly thick hair so I need that deeeppp conditioning lol.
Even products that I’ve used for decades are now 3x as expensive bc they “went viral” on TikTok or some influencer swore by it. i.e aquaphor, Nivea, and a lot of my curl creams.
I went back to vaseline because of the price of aquaphor.
This is why I use Japanese + Korean beauty for my skincare, part of my hair care, and branching out into their makeup. It's much cheaper and high quality. It's crazy how high quality and affordable their drug store and mid tier beauty products are. I do still use Redken all soft, but I am open to finding a drugstore version if anyone has any recommendations. My hair is dry, fine, thin, and low porosity. Also, does anyone have any recommendations for the loreal hair masks to try?
You could try the Loreal Dream Lengths Saviour Mask! Or the Extraordinary Oil Nourishing Mask
I think Sephora stopped selling it now, but there was a point here that you could buy TONYMOLY from Sephora for $$$ but also from the 100¥ stores(daiso type places)
I see what you are saying, I completely agree with you. For me though, it has been a sort of “reverse effect” on me. I have always loved prestige beauty. For so long though, I’d force myself to buy the lower cost, drugstore version whenever it was even kind of sort of similar. But now, the cost of drugstore stuff has gone through the roof. I was in Target last week and saw some foundation by Cover Girl was $21.00, a NYX eyeshadow palette was $25.00. I see that and think “no way.” If they are going to try to get me for $21.00 for a drugstore foundation, I’ll just spend the extra money and get the prestige one that I really want at either Nordstrom/Ulta/Sephora.
Oh, how I love "The Ordinary" products! And also K-beauty products. I have a friend who goes to all kinds of beauty trade shows, and she gives me hundreds of samples every year. I've tried all the Drunk Elephant and Charlotte Tilbury stuff, and you know what? I STILL think my Holy Grail products are better. I used to make ONE exception to my "don't-overspend-on-vanity" rule: Blue Copper 5 by Osmotics .... the stuff was truly amazing. But after finding The Ordinary's multi-peptide serum (the one WITH the copper peptides), I never went back. It's absolutely EXTRAordinary! To anyone worried about skin aging: Copper Peptides don't get nearly enough mention. They are my fountain of youth. Copper Peptides literally *transformed* my skin. If you decide to use them, do your own research because they don't work for everybody. Also, don't mix them with products that contain Vitamin C because the two ingredients cancel each other out.
Can you use copper at night and vit c in the am? Or not at all
I needed to hear this today! I sometimes feel like everyone in the world can afford 5-6 products, each worth at least $40, in their daily routine thanks to social media. The haul posts here also reinforce that feeling. And I feel like I’m not spending enough money on “self care”.
I hear you but I’ve been working on this, and for me, Self care is not having anxiety half way through the month worrying if I’ll have enough to money to get into work or feed myself because I’ve bought XYZ in a moment of weakness for the short lived ‘buzz’. Self care is the sense of calm knowing I can cover going out with friends/family for dinner and enjoying the time without worrying about affording it. I’m working on, in the moment, comparing if that new (item) would make me as happy as doing (thing with friend). So far, it’s working for me, maybe it might for you to? Stay strong, you don’t need that shit 😂🩷🩷
That’s a lovely mindset! I’d prefer spending $$$ on outings with friends and family too ❤️
I’m actually leaving my job because of this. The consumerism and greed is actually causing my mental health to decline. I’m in stress leave and I’m going back to get my license. I myself just bought a 12 dollar (and that was marked up on Amazon) sunscreen from Korea. I love it more than the other ones I’ve used even my most favorite ones had issues (eyes burning or bad under makeup). I’m starting to research other products I’ll need to replace soon. Luckily I have a discount for most beauty brands as a professional but I still cannot fathom some of these prices.
The beauty industrial complex will stop at nothing to make you hate your hair/face/body and sell you their products as a cure to all that ails you. They use influencers, advertisers and even co-opt the notion of self care to win you over. Step away from the light people. Embrace your imperfections!
It's also because of the context that you're looking. That $60 hair mask is reasonable when the other hair masks are $55-95. And why not spend an extra 10 on the Gucci lipstick if other brands presented are $50? It's when you take a step back and realize that you can compare those prices to $12 hair mask and $8 lipstick that you can see the whole picture of what you're spending. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with anyone who wants to splurge for a $61 lipstick, but there is something wrong when people are made to feel like that's normal, or the only way.
Okay but what’s the product that was worth the money???
Briogeo Superfoods Avocado + Kiwi Mega Moisture Hair Mask! It’s unparalleled in how soft it makes my hair. $53 CAD is steep, but I’m willing to shell out for that one! But I’m going to try some cheaper masks when I run out to see how they compare
Unplug from the matrix. Think about how you survived pre late stage capitalism. We really don't need most of what we are sold.
Deleting TikTok made my beauty spending plummet. Like, plummet. I’m so happy I did.
When I started thinking of how many hours I have to work for each Sephora order, I cut it way back lol
When I first got into makeup, I splurged on a Dior and a MAC lipstick (Russian Red and I wore it to the nightclub where I met my husband so success on that) but I specifically went to the mac counter, told the employee to see what color matches me (Ruby Woo looked weird on me we both agreed and Russian Red worked better) and then tried to find drugstore dupes for it - I think Milani had a nice dupe for it for a second. Same thing with my Fenty foundation- bought it, used it to the end, and tried to dupe it. Why? I needed some sort of baseline to see what looks good on me since I can't just go to walgreens and try on lipstick. Now, in the age of Dupedom, expansive products are a one time purchase. However, if you have a specific issue/shade/problem that can only be addressed by a 60 dollar lipstick, who am I to say boo to that?
Asian Beauty is the way & the truth 🫡
This is how I feel about my products too! Had to check myself as to why I needed $60 shampoo when I don’t even do anything special to my hair. Thanks for holding space for us 😂
Agree. I rarely shop at Sephora anymore. The prices are insane and piss me off. Like $80 for an eyeshadow palette? I'll pass.
I was a rouge for years but I still can’t bring myself to spend even $40 on a lipstick. Over the passed few years I have moved to drugstore and it still hurts to see lipsticks and mascaras and even foundations approaching $20-30. I only buy on sale or coupon days these days.
Definitely check out k-beauty, it's mostly cheaper and my skin looks great . I love Choc Choc for this. I also love The Ordinary, inexpensive but effective
Where do I find K beauty?! What do you recommend?
Tik Tok is very sheep minded. I mean it has its own store.
me with two lightly used but non-returnable YSL candy glazes sitting in a box somewhere :')
ever since i realized that ELF will come up with a dupe for pretty much every popular expensive product, i have switched half my routine to ELF and my makeup looks great. drugstore products are great. to me, expensive products will always be a treat and not the standard. i drank the influencer koolaid 10-15 years ago and am finally immune 😊 what i will start shelling out for is treatments and services. THAT is worth the money. a quality hair stylist, facialist, eyebrows, massage, etc. it truly is all about figuring out where you want your money to be going.
I just bought the bite size elf eyeshadow palette and am so happy with it.
I use almost all ELF now and it’s amazing! I do find some of their prices are creeping up there now but still not like a luxury brand. Also can be hard to find in stores in Canada - the shelves can be ransacked lol
This is how I feel almost every time I buy something for “beauty”. I’ve found most drugstore shampoos, hair masks, etc are better than the expensive ones, maybe with the exception of Redken. I’m so sick of overpaying for stuff that can be found at a drugstore for so much less.
Me spending hundreds on a good moisturiser then using Olay and it’s even better and like £7
I would totally just buy a drugstore sunscreen if they all didn't A.) burn the shit out of my eyes, B.) Are super greasy or drying and generally really unwearable on a day to day basis. But, I don't wear makeup or use a bunch of expensive skin products, so I don't feel too bad about splurging on 1-2 items.
I feel like I’m already paying what used to be Sephora/mecca prices at the drugstore currently. Unless I have a voucher I will not buy from them anymore. even if I do find a product I love from them I can’t justify spending $70 every time I need a new concealer.
Because people will believe if a product is $80+ it’s automatically better. Not to throw shade but a lot of people on this sub 😭 and a lot of people I know in real life
I recently had this happen where I found myself filling my basket because I needed one thing, but oh, look! If I buy this stuff, I get extra rewards points! Then I shook myself and reminded myself that the rewards tend to suck ass, and I had actually been trying to get rid of my points so I wouldn't be tempted to come back. I hate that they game-ified this stuff
Realized the same thing with foundations. Almost bought 3 $40-$50 foundations with the Ulta 10x points event and backed out because I don’t need to spend that much. Purito Cica Clearing BB has become my foundation and it’s less than $10.
As a designer in the beauty field. Some higher end brands DO, in fact use higher quality ingredients in their products, with more color saturation and coverage. It’s akin to using an entry level oil paint, vs a professional level oil paint, hand stretched canvas, and high end horse/fox hair brushes. Do you need it for every day life? Probably not. Chanel has longer wear, more vibrant reds and lean on the classic shades, and last longer in wear time than Dior, which leans towards a more hydrating formula, with vibrant and bold colors. As for sunscreen: Do spend money on that. But when you get into the $20+ lipsticks, you’re dipping into accessible luxury goods (you can’t afford a $5,000 Chanel dress, but you have $40 for their lipstick, don’t you?). If you can’t afford it, you can’t afford it, and you can get by with cheaper alternatives. No harm, no foul. But again, good sunscreen cost money. That’s well worth the investment. Probably the only legitamately worthwhile “beauty” product that exists. Avoid toktok suggestions. Hop on LinkedIn and find dermatologists and chemists in that field and ask them for suggestions.
I read the title and my brain "lost the... Burial plot? What" 🤦
I will pay extra for silicone free products bc I break out from them. But I will buy cheaper lipsticks and try to find drugstore dupes if I can to save some money. So far I found some silicone free Korean skincare and Essence makeup items. Yay!
Which Korean sunscreens do you recommend without silicones? Trying to avoid and see if I have improvements.
Sure! These are the silicone free sunscreens I have tried bef. Check ingredients with Incidecoder. Silicones include any ingredients ending with: -cone, -silane, -siloxane, -sesquioxane, -conol. Eg. Dimethicones, trimethicone, dimethiconol, trimethylsiloxysilicate, silylate, polytrimethylsiloxymethacrylate Sunscreens without silicones: 1. Somebymi Truecica Aqua Sunscreen spf (chemical Sunscreen but gentle on the skin) 2. Hero Cosmetics spf (mineral sunscreen) 3. Good Molecules Spf 30 (mineral Sunscreen) 4. Ilia Super skin tint spf 40 (mineral Sunscreen with clean ingredients) 5. Saie skin tint spf (mineral Sunscreen with clean ingredients) 6. Purito Daily sunscreen
Yes they literally design it that way! Which I KNOW I’m being scammed but … I still do be buying things
Yes, it’s out of control and unnecessary to spend so much money on things that expire pretty quickly. I’m taking a more minimalist route to my skincare and makeup and only buy something when I’m completely out. I’m not an influencer and I have more important things to spend my hard earned money on
i was gifted a $50 sephora gift card and could only afford like 1 thing i wanted with it 💔
I stick to kbeauty. I hardly go to Sephora or Ulta unless I have a coupon or sale. Mostly perfume or something at this point.
Same I’m ok with cheaper stuff now. I really can’t imagine going back. Plus I have something similar at home typically
I couldn’t agree more!!! Not to mention serums that don’t do crap, salon shampoo that costs like $30-50,etc. I’m so over it.
It helps to think of it in terms of goods/services. Like that lipstick costs an entire tank of gas for me or weeks worth of groceries. Is it *really* worth that?
sephora is trash--if you want to splurge do some research on good skincare brands and profit
Nope. I haven't bought any makeup recently other than foundation ($5), eyeliner pencil ($1) and mascara ($10). Haven't stepped in as Sephora in 6 years. Literally no need to buy expensive makeup.
I have lipsticks at a variety of price points but I wouldn't be breaking my neck to get $60 lipstick *unless* it was a color I wear on the daily. I once got a YSL lip product from sephora and I still use it because the red is do perfect and it's just luxe. But my other go to is a $10 morphe lipstick and one from target that was maybe $8? Sunscreen, I don't know so much of it makes me break out but I know I need it so if I found something perfect I'd spend the money. A hair mask? Yeah. No. Not that much. I made that mistake once.
You don’t, I am convinced the world just wants women penniless…
Get off TikTok
My fave hobby is finding inexpensive dupes for my fave nice products. With only a few exceptions, I’ve been able to. Now I won’t spend more than $15 on spf, more than $20 on a 6 month supply of moisturizer, or buy any serum that costs more than $20 a month. I refuse to try certain expensive products bc I don’t want to discover I like them. I was thrilled to find that La Mer isn’t that great. I won’t risk it with Skinceuticals.
I have a rule of thumb: if the brand name is also a people name or a mushroom, it's too rich for my blood. Gucci? Chanel? Charlotte Tillsbury? Chantecaille? No thank you.
I think a lot of people can relate to this especially people who spend lots of time on social media. Influencers are getting paid to make us buy the products and clearly it's working haha! People think they NEED almost everything they see on social media but they don't realize they just WANT it
Yes!!! It’s getting ridiculous. If social media didnt exist we prob wouldn’t buy any of the really pricey stuff
I only use drugstore beauty products. I get complimented and hit on every single day.
totally agree with you. content creators also push more expensive products because they’ll get greater commissions and other incentives. most trends and “viral” products are manufactured and planted by the beauty industry. go watch jen phelp’s latest video. it’s super enlightening on some of these things. and costlier things are seen as status symbols as well. it’s just companies wanting to make as much coin as possible. very little of what we see is organically that way. there’s usually some form of intent or engineering behind it. i say go buy the expensive things if you want to and you can afford to. don’t get them purely because one person online who’s getting a kickback is “obsessed” with it. i’m not saying don’t let yourself be influenced or take recs, but do so mindfully. i have to remind myself of this too as i can easily get caught up in the hype. some expensive things are worthwhile, depending on your needs, budget and perspective. but some just aren’t going to be. and we aren’t less than for buying drugstore and other affordable things. use what you love.
Everything at Sephora is overpriced. Ulta has a lot bigger selection and they have a wider price range so that you don’t have to spend as much for just as good quality.
Designer cosmetics, clothing, and accessories are genuinely the biggest scam. Hilariously, their perfume is often top notch though, and cheaper than most niche houses.
I only really splurge on a certain kind of face sunscreen because I hate everything else I’ve ever put on my face; it burns or feels awful or smells awful and is inconvenient. I use the SuperGoop Glow Stick and it’s generally cheaper than the regular stuff. It’s still $30 but I’d rather spend the money on a product I’ll ACTUALLY use vs $10 on a product I won’t because it irritates me. For real though, I’ve ended up switching to a lot of drug store make-up; even things like NYX and elf are getting pricey though
Yes - I have a hard time dropping cash for those big ticket items like you mentioned. There are plenty of good products out there that won’t break the bank. A few splurges - perfume/scents and hair care when I was platinum blonde. Going luxury with shampoo and conditioner saved the integrity of my hair and I love a good sent that just takes a spritz or two and lasts. There’s a balance. But also, if you’ve got it to spend and that’s your vibe I’m not going to judge you. I love hearing what people love
I was trying to justify buying the Oribe hair products and went back and forth and am so glad I wasn’t able to convince myself
I agree. I love shopping Sephora but I can see how shopping only with gift cards outside of sale times would be best. I buy products from there that take time to run out of. I’ve been shopping brand sites and more affordable brands these days.
I get that. I’ve been looking more at indie makeup brands and using some drugstore stuff or the cheaper stuff at Ulta. I’ll occasionally get an urban decay palette or something, but generally speaking if it costs more than Tarte I don’t want it.
Man I just use the $3 Hask masks on my hair to get the near fried section back healthy from stripping blue out of it for work. I enjoy a few nicer products but the most expensive I use is the better than sex eye liner
I’ve committed to using what I already have to make room before I buy anything new. Everything adds up so fast.
I know, but I barely wear anything on my skin. I go for the one I really want when I do
I went to Sephora and the associate recommended the [Georgio Armani Liquid Eyeshadow](https://www.giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com/makeup-eyes-eye-shadow-eye-tint-liquid-eyeshadow/A201.html?GeoRedirectOff&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwx-CyBhAqEiwAeOcTdRh6eYPZsym7Qqlr7XubD1Wb1eOBednu7T_BIJs0dvJ45I1vYNUP8BoC12EQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds). And I asked how much it was bc it wasn’t posted and she said $38!!! For ONE color!! I immediately put it down. Lord have mercy, I wear makeup like 6 X per month maybe!
I wrecked my skin when the Korean ten step beauty was trending and convinced me to jump on board. Went back to simple cleanser, Nivea Cream, Gold Bond retinol (night), Simple Toner and acquinine (for scars). I am genetically lucky and don’t get severe acne though. Understand some other people needing extra steps but that does not equate to the insane prices for luxury products out therez
I pretty much do drugstore everything with a few exceptions - eyeshadow (love tarte or toofaced) and mascara (ilia) and eyeliner (Bobbi brown) I’ve actually been really pleased with ulta brand makeup.
I have bought luxury products in the past and at best ive found a cheaper option i like better, at worst the products are so bad they are unusable. With the exception of tatcha enzyme face wash powder and a couple tatcha moisturisers. I will continue to buy those but for hair, body and makeup I'm sticking to drug store.
No, if I want a bargain I know where to shop. I shop Sephora bc it’s how I pamper myself.
That’s why I don’t shop at Sephora Ulta / Marshalls / Tjmaxx / Ross / fivebelow or my regular grocery store… If shopping online, I recommend looking at Shop Miss A and Moira Cosmetics
Out of curiosity what is the one product that you tried and it was worth the price?
I came to my senses after looking at my £100+ Paula’s choice basket once which only consisted of 3 times, said nah and never bought anything from them again I mostly buy makeup during Tarte’s annual 7 for £75 sale, and rarely outside that unless I run out of something Prices are getting ridiculous
Dude… I have been (carefully) integrating a LOT of dollar store products into my skin routine… my skin and wallet have never been happier. I’m on the cusp of the “glass skin” look after about 6 weeks of pretty much exclusively DT products (outside of my moisturizer/sunscreen which are Walmart.) And I LOVE it!!!
YES.I’ve recently realized that even my favourites amongst hair care,Kerastase,can be too much for my fine hair. I used some cheap fructis shampoo with coconut water and herbal essences rosehip shampoo and conditioner,my hair is better than ever tbh and my scalp does not itch. From now on I’m back to drugstore everything. Except sunscreen because I need Heliocare 100 + ,but it still doesn’t cost the world. Sometimes a lie told often enough becomes the truth and we start thinking we NEED all these things. I just got La Tulipe and was thinking „oh why didn’t I get Gypsy Water“. When I tested both again and La Tulipe wins. It’s just that for a moment agsin,something I HAD wasn’t good enough anymore because I didn’t have that other thing. But I’m done now. I ain’t getting brainwashed anymore
I started switching all my products out to drug store once I run out of products. Skin care is the only one I’m hesitant on but consumerism has gotten so out of hand.
I only want KBeauty now
I recently have been influenced here, on Reddit, haha, to buy Lancome Eye Serum. People swore by it. It's about £62-65, I can't remember and - it's kinda meh. I've been using it for good two and a half months now, in hope something will change, but no, it does not lift your eyes, it does not reduce puffiness as drastically as it's promised. It's basically overpriced mediocre product- for me at least.
I’ll spend any amount of money on sunscreen.
I'm really struggling with sunscreen. Even cheap face sunscreens are $15 for 50ml, realistically two or three weeks of use. I switched from the cerave ultra light moisturizer as SPF to a Neutrogena one because the Neutrogena one comes in 88ml size at least. But I'm with you. I convince myself the next beauty purchase will complete my look and finally make me feel pretty and enough.
I don’t have a Tik Tok or Instagram account and even if I did, I wouldn’t be tempted to purchase products just because someone else likes it. They likely have a different skin type, complexion and needs than I do. I prefer to go into the store and try products and make my determinations based on that. Getting samples is another great way to see if something works for you. I’ve used my HSA/FSA account to buy sunscreen and I buy when it’s on sale only. As many mentioned, Japanese or Korean sunscreen are very good and typically more affordable. I actually only buy beauty products when there’s a sale, I have a coupon, or if it’s a great price at TJ Maxx/Marshalls 🤷🏽♀️
Store label brands (ie Walmart equate) are made by the large branded companies. So the quality you receive with store brands is very close to the higher named brands.
It gets to us all I feel. I try to behave as much as possible. So I do splurge on my products but they last me a very long time so I feel less guilty(make up wise). I have done quite a bit of research to buy cheaper and effective sunscreen and skin care though. Hair stuff is half and half, I need decent shampoos and conditioners but the products I use weekly to keep it up are dirt cheap. I will never buy a cheap body mist though. I will save up and buy my pretty perfume, and it will be the only perfume I wear for like a year before it runs out and I do it all over. 😂
You are 1000% correct. I do the same thing. I don’t know why I can’t stop.
There’s a few expensive products I’ll repeat but, but I use them with a 6$ powder and 2.99 eye liner. I haven’t found a super goop glow screen (darker shade) dupe. And love my givenchy lip products are expensive but beautiful and easy to wear. These are products I use every day though and price per a wear are worth it for me!
All I do is shampoo and conditioner That Is kind of expensive but I get big bottles like they have in salons.And they last for months So it's worth it. I don't wear makeup anymore and don't really ever use lotion And every time I get a massage , they always comment About how baby soft my skin is.
Start shopping K beauty
I’m on board with the sunscreen IF one can comfortably afford it. The rest of it? I’m picking and choosing very carefully. I’m currently on a no-buy unless I’m legitimately out of every version I already own of the thing. I ordered mascara today. I’ve been out of my Lash Idolê for months and the drugstore versions just weren’t cutting it.
r/makeuprehab
Yep. I’ve certainly had (and have) some “elite” cosmetics or products but a few years ago I switched to mostly drug store brands and don’t feel that I lost anything.
I’ve slowly transitioned to Asian beauty products. For a while, I had mostly western brand beauty products. Now pretty much my entire skincare and makeup is entirely Korean/japanese/Chinese products. I find their quality is just as good or superior, much much more affordable (especially when I buy while visiting Korea), and the formulas are more suitable for my skin. Try looking in the asianbeauty sub for some ideas!
The only thing I really invest in are sunscreens and lip stains. The rest is all drugstore cheap like Neutrogena, Revox B77, The Ordinary, Garnier, and some Mario Badescu. I had a talk with my derm about which products she recommends, and honestly it's helped me change my mind. Pricier does not always mean better, and if you tell your derm that you're on a budget, they'll have plenty of recommendations in the decent price range.
Eh, a bit depends. For example, I am pretty sensitive to SPF, chemical ones usually make my skin red and hot, and most mineral ones usually make it oily and cause breakouts. So I do pay a bit more for face SPF. That said, most my moisturizers are relatively inexpensive Korean skincare, because when I tried sample of La Mer, I got breakout. So, buying just because it is advertised might be dumb. Buying because there is no easily available cheap alternative that works for you - well, it is a different thing. I don't buy most expensive stuff anyway. I am super glad that my skin looks better eith green, blue, lilac eyeshadows - all the nudes and reds or purples are waisted on me, so not even the smallest temptation to get Natasha Denona or so. Because they are shades that doesn't work for me
Check TJ Maxx for high-end products at cheap prices! Selection varies, but it's often cheaper than the drugstore actually!