# drugstore, other high end brands vs mac



## invadersads (Sep 28, 2008)

i really hope this i posted this in the right section because i honestly sat here trying to figure out the best place to post it lol.

i know most of the love around it here for mac, and i'm no different, but my love for makeup started with a variety of low end brands, then a variety of high end brands, trying to find what i liked, then i found mac and pretty much swapped everything away to become exclusively mac.
lately i'm realizing that as wonderful, innovative, colorful and good quality mac can be, sometimes there are just other brands that make things the same if not better.
i've stopped being so exclusive when i came to my senses and realized there are other great brands out there, some being drugstore brands! i still use mac but i've gone back to trying out all sorts of other brands including drugstore.
now don't get me wrong, i've bought some really crappy quality drugstore items, but i've also bought crappy high end items and as much as i know that usually, when you spend more you get better quality but lately i'm realizing maybe i was being blinded by the label of mac and other high end brands and almost being a "snob".
now i'm not saying that those who only use mac or high end are snobs because i definitely dont feel that way, but i feel like i was turning away from drugstore items and even other high end names because they weren't MAC.
i bought these essense of beauty brushes from CVS and they're great! i paid less than 10$ for a brush that is comparable to a mac brush and i honestly dont see how there's enough of a difference between them to make such a big jump in price. i know some mac items are something you can only find by them, like i think that i love their lipsticks more than any other brand but some of their other items like their brushes are no different than cheaper brands.
ok, i've gotten very long winded, but i just thought i'd share how i've been feeling lately. i hope that nothing i said was taken badly because i really am not judging anyone, its just mostly myself realizing that there's a whole great big awesome world of cosmetics out there which i turned my back on for a while thinking that mac was the end all be all. lol i think for some reason i had it in my head that unless you had a nice collection exclusively of one brand then it was a bad thing. i really dont know how my mind works sometimes.


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## pinklips1207 (Sep 28, 2008)

totally feel the same way...i wish i could buy mac brushes only but too expensive for me


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## pinklips1207 (Sep 28, 2008)

totally feel the same way...i wish i could buy mac brushes only but too expensive for me


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## pinklips1207 (Sep 28, 2008)

totally feel the same way...i wish i could buy mac brushes only but too expensive for me


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## invadersads (Sep 28, 2008)

well problem with me is that i ended up swapping away a lot of my other brushes (sephora mostly) for mac and although some of the mac brushes are spectacular, some are no better than other cheaper brands so i'm almost mad at myself for buying so many mac brushes because they were mac instead of finding better cheaper alternatives


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## invadersads (Sep 28, 2008)

oops i also just realized my thread posted 2 times by accident. sorry!


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## Kiss and Makeup (Sep 28, 2008)

There's only a few things that I buy drugstore.  I really like drugstore lipglosses, especially Revlon, Rimmel, and L'Oreal.  I also use L'Oreal eye cream.  I've noticed NO differences in the lipglosses, and I like the eye cream more than the Philosophy brand I bought from Sephora.  

I also really like the HIP gel eyeliners.  IMO, they're comparable to MAC fluidline but the blue they have is more vivid than any blue eyeliner I've ever seen, and the purple, which is close to MAC's ultraviolet, is flatter, which I like more in an eyeliner.  HIP also has some really pretty lipgloss.


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## HeavenLeiBlu (Sep 28, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *invadersads* 

 
_ as wonderful, innovative, colorful and good quality mac can be, sometimes there are just other brands that make things the same if not better.

i've stopped being so exclusive when i came to my senses and realized there are other great brands out there, some being drugstore brands! i still use mac but i've gone back to trying out all sorts of other brands including drugstore._

 
I might have to charge you rent for hanging out inside my head. I've been thinking about posting something similar all day today, but I have a hard time not coming off as harsh over the internet, since so much of the tone gets lost in the text. 

I expect on this board for people to be all ga-ga over MAC, because HELLO, that's what this community is centered around. However I'd be lying if I said that it didn't bother me some when some people here ad in other places I catch up on makeup talk/news turn their noses up at drugstore/ big box/discount chain brands. The "snobbery" lots of times is just thrown out there, without ever having tried the product at hand. I'm willing to try and use EVERYTHING, and that's due to the fact that lot of commercially available beauty/hair products don't fit my needs, so I play "kitchen chemist" and "bathroom beautician" quite often. Thus,  when it comes to makeup, I'll use ANYTHING as long as it works for me.  Some people just like to rail against less expensive things  just based on the fact that a prestigious name isn't attached to it, which I feel is ridiculous. I don't pay for stuff so I can talk about the name attatched to it, I buy what gives the results that I want. For some people, the results they want may honestly come attached to a "prestige" brand all the time, but I think a lot of people need to get over themselves.


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## invadersads (Sep 29, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *HeavenLeiBlu* 

 
_  Some people just like to rail against less expensive things  just based on the fact that a prestigious name isn't attached to it, which I feel is ridiculous. 
_

 
i totally agree, but i definitely don't judge those who stick exclusively to mac or other high end brands because it's all about opinion and some people are very loyal. and don't get me wrong, at least 65% of my stuff is mac and about 25% is other high end, but i guess lately i've realized that there are some great deals out there on things that just don't have a high end name.
for example i recently bought some loreal hip e/s duos and got a compliment from a girl at sephora. also i've been watching a lot of video tutorials and this one girl i really like uses a lot of mac and other high end but all her brushes are cheaper names. 
i guess what i'm saying is that yes, sometimes mac does hold up to their name because they have an amazing range of colors and products but trying out so much of their stuff you run into a few items that aren't so hot and you end up finding something better somewhere else, and honestly, once it's on your face, no one sees the name, just how good it looks.
take those coastal scents palettes for example, everyone loves those and they're uber cheap!
i had been thinking about posting this for a while too and wasn't sure how to word it without coming off like i was snubbing mac or that i was trying to sound self rightious because that's definitely not what i was trying to say. so it's good to hear that others feel the same as i do


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## Heiaken (Sep 29, 2008)

I have to confess that my MU kit mostly concist MAC and some of the stuff has prolly ended there purely because it's MAC. For example Loose Blot Powder that I have to confess really isn't no different from the Rimmel loose powder I had been using before and to wich I'm going back after I finnish the LBP. But then I also have other stuff that I love that isn't MAC or even hig end brand at all! My choice for eyeliner pens and technakoll like eyeliner is Gosh (a Danish drugstore brand), their let's twis and velvet touch eyeliners are all waterproof and come in amazing colours, then I have some Isadora (a Swedish drugstore brand) and some Lumene (a Finnish drugstore brand). When is comes to mascara my HG's are Maxfactor and Maybelline, I haven't ever tried any high end mascaras because I haven't felt the need as these work wonderfully.
My only other hig end loves are Lancome Juicy Tubes and Make up Store stuff (a Swedish high end brand) and those are the only other hig end brands that I own items from.
As a student I don't even have the money to be MAC exclusive and even if I had I prolly wouldn't, I love cosmetics too much and like experimenting wiht different products and formulas


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## invadersads (Sep 29, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Heiaken* 

 
_I have to confess that my MU kit mostly concist MAC and some of the stuff has prolly ended there purely because it's MAC. For example Loose Blot Powder that I have to confess really isn't no different from the Rimmel loose powder I had been using before and to wich I'm going back after I finnish the LBP. 

As a student I don't even have the money to be MAC exclusive and even if I had I prolly wouldn't, I love cosmetics too much and like experimenting wiht different products and formulas 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 
i know exactly what you mean! i bought the pressed mac blot powder then i decided i wanted to try the rimmel blot powder to carry in my purse in case it broke it wouldnt be a big waste of money like if i broke the mac one, and it works totally just as good and it was only like 3$ lol. i sat there after i used it saying to myself, why the hell dont i look around for comparable products before buying expensive ones? LOL
and yeah, i love to experiment with way too many brands and products to be exclusive. i've been really loving too faced lately, some of their stuff is so cute!


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## Beauty Mark (Sep 29, 2008)

I use paint brushes from an art store, except my foundation and blush brushes (only because the store doesn't seem to any art brushes that big or soft enough). They work just as well, and they've lasted me two years. Also, I have cats who like the brushes. I won't bawl if they destroy my $5 brush.

I wear a lot of high end makeup, but I think you can do some good things with not expensive makeup.


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## GoldenGirl (Sep 29, 2008)

I hear what you're saying, definitely.  As someone who's new to makeup I found this forum and then went out and bought a bunch of e/s and foundations from MAC only to have them break me out or cause an allergic reaction.  Then I went from MAC to MUFE foundations and experienced the same thing.  I'm sitting here now with a face full of bumps because my skin reacted badly to an ingredient in a high end (expensive!) foundation.  Not that a drugstore foundation couldn't produce the same results, but it just goes to show that just because something is well known widely praised and expensive as all get out, doesn't mean it's the right thing for YOU.  Sometimes it's all hype.


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## kittykit (Oct 1, 2008)

Most of my MU kits are from high end brands - MAC, Bobbi Brown, Dior, Lancome and Nars. The only thing that I'll definitely buy from a drugstore is mascara. I love Maybelline mascara! I've sensitive skin and once I find a product that doesn't cause any breakouts on my face, I'll most likely stick to that brand for a long time.


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## QueenEmB (Oct 1, 2008)

i am wearing max factor mascara and my skincare regime is all drugstore brands - boots, olay, nivea, st ives scrub but pretty much most of my make-up is high end i have to admit.

i'm spreading my wings past MAC but when I first got into make-up I knew MAC was good so I stuck with them religiously. Now I have the confidence to shop around and research the beauty pages of the fashion mags for new and recommended products.

Not all high end brands are good though - I wish I hadn't spent £17 on Nars Turkish delight - it's good but not worth the hype!!


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## slepre (Oct 23, 2008)

i wish i could have eveurthing in mac but alas i dont becuase its so expensive the only thing i am super picky about being high end like mac or other [prestige as in higher quality not drugstore] brands is eyeshadow. 
it really is diffrent and i dont buy drugstore eyeshadow becuase its so low pigmented its not worth it. 

lip products i dont wear all that often and when i do i like to have lots of colors and since i dont wear it alot i go cheap.

eyeliner i buy expesnsive becuase it like eyeshadow i wear every single day [and i have greasy lids] so it has to stay and look good and be easy to apply which most more expensive liners do have

foundation i am so picky about cause it cant be a liquid or a powder and it cant leave my face with a sheen so i only wear one type and its maybelline

and mascara is just as good drugstore and you have to replace it so often why waste money?

ALSO! think about this! 
drugstores brand more often do animal testing becuase it is cheaper because you dont have to have as much liability on insurance as when you test on people.

more presitige makeup brands dont including MAC URBAN DECAY AND OTHERS AND DRUGSTORE ALMAY!


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## Dizzy (Oct 23, 2008)

I used to be very picky about only buying high-end makeup, but it's just too expensive of a habit lately.

I've got a few things from MAC, but I found that the face products break me out something fierce so I decided paying a bundle for something that made my skin turn bad wasn't worth it.  I've got two fluidlines that I've been using for a very long time (around a year) and I'll use them until they either dry out or start to irritate my eyes.  

Other than that, I've started branching out to more 'cost-effective' brands.  I have a few NARS blushes, but they last forever for me.  I'm still working on the first Orgasm I bought about 2 years ago.  I like Nixie's eyeshadows because they're like 2x the size of MAC's, are of comparable quality and around the same price.  

Other than that, I'll give DS products a try.  I like L'Oreal's version of the fluidlines and I'll probably pick those up when I run out of MAC's.  I love Rimmel's lipglosses and Maybelline mascara.  And Wet'N'Wild's lipliners work just fine for me, as does Revlon's lipstick on the rare occasion that I use it.

I guess I'm more of a makeup hoarder than a makeup snob.


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## chocolategoddes (Oct 23, 2008)

You could look into NYX. For the price, the quality is pretty awesome. I hear their brushes are really good. I like their products a lot.


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## sweetnothing25 (Oct 23, 2008)

I sort of wish I could actually get more drugstore products. I love MAC and I don't think I'll ever stop buying MAC, but sometimes I'd just like to try other things, or try something new randomly without paying over 10 dollars for it. I'm highly against animal testing though, which incredibly limits me. I do like Revlon products, but I think MAC is superior and honestly, Revlon isn't a whole lot cheaper. I do have a couple Wet n Wild nail polishes which I'm pretty happy with seeing that I paid under a dollar for them. I wish I could use CoverGirl or Maybelline!


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## marusia (May 15, 2010)

I'm not even sure how I found this thread it's so old...

Yes, there are some drugstore brands that are just as good or better. For instance, I read a discussion from a MUA for Lancome where she was told there were several L'oreal products that were the same exact thing, just put in their packaging instead of Lancome. I used to be a total Lancome snob. If it wasn't Lancome, it wasn't touching my face. Now I realize how stupid that is.

I bought an exfoliator scrub from Lancome for $28 that doesn't do 1/10th of what my St. Ives Apricot scrub does for $3!


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## Nepenthe (May 15, 2010)

All of this is a big experiment to me.

I definitely have brand preferences for particular items, but I'm usually willing to try most things.  There are tons of alternatives out there, and I've never found a brand that was amazing across the board.. every company has their strengths and weaknesses.  I don't want to limit myself by only using one brand, so I branch out.. I have a lot of fun exploring and trying new things.


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## Purrceys (May 30, 2010)

I personally like a lot of drugstore items. Some of them are quite good quality and cheaper (which is always a plus). I consider MAC to be "middle end"; more money than drugstore but cheaper than HE.

For me to purchase a HE item it has to be very special and well worth the $$. As a result, I don't own very much HE items (a few NARS blushes and Benefit's boxed blushes).


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## Twinkle_Twinkle (Jun 1, 2010)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *HeavenLeiBlu* 

 
_I might have to charge you rent for hanging out inside my head. I've been thinking about posting something similar all day today, but I have a hard time not coming off as harsh over the internet, since so much of the tone gets lost in the text. 

I expect on this board for people to be all ga-ga over MAC, because HELLO, that's what this community is centered around. However I'd be lying if I said that it didn't bother me some when some people here ad in other places I catch up on makeup talk/news turn their noses up at drugstore/ big box/discount chain brands. The "snobbery" lots of times is just thrown out there, without ever having tried the product at hand. I'm willing to try and use EVERYTHING, and that's due to the fact that lot of commercially available beauty/hair products don't fit my needs, so I play "kitchen chemist" and "bathroom beautician" quite often. Thus,  when it comes to makeup, I'll use ANYTHING as long as it works for me.  Some people just like to rail against less expensive things  just based on the fact that a prestigious name isn't attached to it, which I feel is ridiculous. I don't pay for stuff so I can talk about the name attatched to it, I buy what gives the results that I want. For some people, the results they want may honestly come attached to a "prestige" brand all the time, but I think a lot of people need to get over themselves.
_

 
Hmm, in my experience, DS brands/products are hit or miss.  But there are some great products out there and every high-end brand has a few duds as well.. I have a small drugstore stash (some Milani, HIP, NYX, and Hard Candy) but as much as I like my DS products, I have high-end ones that are better, but it's the combination of decent quality and decent price that makes DS products good.  

I do agree that MAC isn't the in-all-be-all, and the grand scheme of things, MAC isn't what I would call "high-end", not compared to the likes of Dior, Guerlain, Chanel, Armani, etc...


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