High-End Makeup: My Honest Thoughts
Can a foundation ever be worth the £40 price tag? You have two hours.
The
topic of high-end makeup is a controversial one: some people swear by
luxury brands, others don't think the price is justified. Sure, there
are some things worth investing your money on that are far more
important than makeup, but these products are here for a reason and
recently I've been thinking about my own views on the matter.
Granted,
I don't own a lot of high-end makeup: my holy grail foundation, the
odd lipstick and quite a few nail polishes from my nail-mania craze a
couple years ago. My knowledge of these products is much more limited
than other bloggers, however in that sense, I feel more relatable
than bloggers who own (whether they buy it or are sent it as PR)
drawers full of high-end makeup.
I think that you do not have to invest in luxury brands to have good quality makeup. There are a lot of brands, like Kiko, NYX, L'Oréal
(although their prices seem to be going up little by little!) or even
Sleek and Revolution, which make really good makeup for good prices.
A good thing about the beauty industry getting bigger and bigger
through Internet and social media is that it allows more brands to be
in the market, and give their buyers good products for competitive
prices.
However,
there is also this inevitable attraction that lures us into luxury
brands. It is true for makeup as it is true for fashion, homeware,
cars or even food. (Waitrose vs. Lidl, where do you place your bets?)
Luxury is (generally) seen as a sign of good taste, good quality. It
makes you feel fancy and good about yourself. Look at that shiny
Chanel lipstick... and that sleek Dior nail polish... The both
combined are probably worth a full week of shopping from Waitrose, now that we speak of it. So are they really worth spending your pennies on?
Personally,
I invest in luxury products that I know I will love and make the most
of. The few high-end items that I have, I cherish and always feel
happy using. Is the quality always outstanding? Not really. Those two
nail polishes above could have easily been replaced by Barry M or
Kiko nail polishes. Like any other nail polish, they chip. They don't
last five days on your nails without chipping, in fact. But because I
love the texture, the brushes, the shades and the brands themselves, I do not regret at all spending my money on them.
Some
other products, like the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation, are a
real godsend. You know where your £30 go. You could save £20 and
buy a Kiko foundation for a tenner, but find that actually, the
finish is not that great, or you could part with your hard-earned
money and get a foundation that will give you exactly what you were
expecting from it, and make you feel confident every time you wear
it. Of course, it is a privilege to be able to afford either of those
products, and makeup is not, in my eyes, a necessity, and will never
be.
And
just because of that, because affording makeup is a privilege, when
some girls and women cannot even afford period protection, I think
that knowing the worth of what you are buying is very important when
making a high-end purchase. The worth can be calculated in many ways,
but quality is not always one of them. I find that it is not about
how the product is, but how it makes you feel.
And it is something to keep in mind maybe when you are undecided
about whether to buy that YSL mascara: are you doing it for yourself,
because everybody else owns it too, or just because, well, you have
the money right there so why not?
If
you ask me, I am sure there will be a pretty good dupe of that
mascara in the shelves of Boots or Superdrug. We all know it. But we
all crave that little bit of luxury in one way or another. And to be
honest, that mascara will always be cheaper than a Louis Vuitton
bag...
What are your thoughts on high-end makeup? Do you invest in a lot of luxury products?
Lots of love,
Julia x
Lots of love,
Julia x
21 commentaires
I don´t invest in a lot of luxury makeup, but I do have the odd bits and bobs that make me feel extra special when I use them. Like you said, it isn't only the quality, but the way they make us feel, and sometimes a luxury product can makes us feel ready to conquer the world, as superficial as that sounds.
ReplyDeleteAnne - Linda, Libra, Loca
Yes, as superficial as it sounds, to each their own and I do agree with everything you said Anne! xx
DeleteI do agree that sometimes what matters most is how something makes you feel. It doesn't have to be all about quality, sometimes sentimental attachment plays a part in our purchases as well- and it's nothing to be ashamed about. I don't buy any luxury make up, I just never got into habit of doing in...but I don't think there is anything wrong in buying it.
ReplyDeleteYes, if you invest in something more expensive, that you worked hard to get, it can definitely be a sentimental piece too! xx
DeleteI have mixed opinions about it, honestly. I just feel like sometimes you do get what you pay for and other times, it's just about the name.
ReplyDeleteIf you wanna spend the extra money on any luxury good, then do so. Make yourself happy as that's important.
http://tales-of-the-stars.pw/
Yes sometimes it's just about the name, that's why finding honest reviews online before buying is super important! Thanks for sharing your opinion :) xx
Deleteeach person will be different one different, in the same, that the good search that are the good choices for your health.
ReplyDeletehttps://lizado.com/
I loved reading your thoughts on this! I loved what you wrote about how the makeup makes you feel, if it makes you feel more confident maybe it is worth putting more money towards it :D I adore high end makeup products like Too Faced foundation but I can rarely afford it so I will use it so sparingly but it is still so lovely to have haha! I avoid purchasing high end mascara or lipgloss because they don't last very long for me and I will have to throw them away, don't get as much use from them :D xx
ReplyDeleteelizabeth ♡ ”Ice Cream” whispers Clara
Thank you Elizabeth! You're making smart decisions, it's great to find what works for you and what doesn't so you can splurge on what you really want and will enjoy! xx
Delete*PS such gorgeous shades you own! xx
ReplyDeleteelizabeth ♡ ”Ice Cream” whispers Clara
And thank you! ♥
DeleteI think one of the amazing things about the internet / blogging/ YT is that you can really research the best brands out there for whatever budget you have! I don't really buy designer makeup as it does feel as though I'm paying for the name and packaging as opposed to product performance - I honestly have Maybelline lipsticks I like more than ones I have from YSL... At the same time, it's nice to treat yourself to something that feels a bit special! My philosophy is that I work hard and if I want to spend a bit of money on payday buying something 'frivolous', then what's it to anyone else? I'm sure they have interests / hobbies that they spend money on that I wouldn't understand haha
ReplyDeleteJasmine xx
Jasmine Talks Beauty
Yes definitely, you can research and there are a lot of budget brands that do amazing quality products, well worth designer brands. I totally get your philosophy and I do agree too, sometimes it's so rewarding to get something as a treat - you deserve it! xx
DeleteVery interesting points in this post Julia and I really love how you've mentioned how some women are unable to even have access to decent way of coping with periods. Personally, I don't buy many high end makeup products, though have a few 'faves' I tend to repeat purchase :) Hope you're having a fabulous week so far!
ReplyDeleteaglassofice.com x
Thank you Gabrielle! It's always important to remember how lucky we are to be able to care about such things as makeup. Having some faves to rely on is great - that can be a little secret you pass on to your makeup wearing-friends at parties haha! xx
DeleteSuch a great blog post! Thanks for sharing x
ReplyDeleteAdventures in May | Miss Nev
Glad you enjoyed! xx
DeleteHello, Julia
ReplyDeleteI think like you, luxury make up brands are not worth the effort, we are just paying for the status that the brand gives us for being a luxury product and for having high design packaging but in terms of quality they are not supriores to brands such as LOreal for example. I don't spend fortunes on these products and I don't suffer for not buying them I understand that it's all a psychological marketing game.
xoxo
marisasclosetblog.com
Hi Marisa! L'Oréal is a great drugstore brand, they have amazing products - and amazing packaging too! It's definitely possible to have good products without buying any luxury products at all so I understand your point of view! :) xx
DeleteThis is a very helpful post! I am a drugstore makeup gal, but am starting to want a few high end pieces for my skin. Have a good weekend!
ReplyDeletexoxo Shannon
www.ThatsSOShannon.com
I'm glad you enjoyed Shannon! xx
Delete