Even high street brands are putting their prices up – would you pay nearly £11 for a mascara in Boots? I’m a self-confessed high end product junkie, but I’m trying to be more savvy with where I spend my money. Yes, I might spend £25 on a pot of foundation, but I know it lasts me for months and the shade is perfect. When it comes to certain products, I’m hesitant to pay over the odds – is there really much of a difference between a £3 nail polish and an £11 one? I honestly don’t think so (although don’t get me wrong, I still indulge from time to time).
There are some great brands that offer fantastic quality products at good value prices - Sleek, GOSH, Bourjois, Collection to name but a few, but it worries me that the general trend is a yearly increase on some of my favourite brands. I’m going to be doing some testing to compare budget vs high end products and see how they perform. Is high end really better quality?
I’d love to know your thoughts on which bargains you think I should test out, and what you’re always happy to splurge on. There are some real gems out there that need discovering!
I agree, makeup is starting to get ridiculous. I think the companies are becoming more aware of how popular their products are, and are starting to get cocky. I remember when a MAC lipstick was £13 and was outraged when they started going up. It's because the companies know that people will pay for a good product. It's really annoying, and it's not like its costing them more to make (e.g. the lip pies) because they are EXACTLY the same as they always were. It's just corporate greed I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteSteff Xx
I think makeup is becoming a joke. Its all down to the demand! As girls are wearing it younger and younger, the demand is so much higher, much more than ever before! I always shop high street and mainly boots as I think their the best price.
ReplyDeletexxx | daisydaisyxxo
Totally agree with you, Sleek and GOSH are two of my favourite brands and they are such good value for money. I have two Dior Lipsticks which I got in a sale for £15 which is a massive reduction x
ReplyDeletewww.beautyqueenuk.co.uk
That's a great reduction! x
DeleteMake Up is indeed getting very expensive! To be honest I am coming to London to shop for MAC, because in Germany all products are even more expensive - can you believe that? We sell MAC Lipsticks at €20 each, which should be around 17-18 GBP. Given, I usually shop at the airport, but still.
ReplyDeleteI do love Sleek though, which I think has great value for a small bargain. I do like Beauty UK aswell, as I think they have great chubby lip pencils!
Luckily for UK residents is the amazing offers of Boots, who attracts with 3 for 2 offers.
As in for quality - well I am sure everyone is aware that with many companies, you simply buy the brandname and not a high quality product. Don't get me wrong, I think expensive Make Up does generally offer good quality products, however there are brands as Sleek who offer the same, if not better quality for a lower and more reasonable price. I might get a lot of boo for this, but I recently went to London to visit the browbar from Beneft (which is awesome) and was offered the brow powder - however I really just the day before purchased the brow set from Sleek for GBP 10 (and actually it was cheaper, bc it was a 3for2 at Boots). Tbh I didn't really see a big difference except the price.
I think in the end it's often also just the extreme hype certain brand receive, which gets them to raise prices - bc people simply will buy it.
xx
Nina
That's such a big difference in price! 20 euros is a lot. I definitely know what you mean about some of the high street products being just as god quality x
DeleteI'm with you. If a drugstore foundation is more than $10 I'm hesitant to go for it. I noticed a drugstore mascara was $13 the other day. That's outrageous.
ReplyDeleteIt's a lot of money. In the UK some of them are nearly £12 which is so expensive! x
DeleteI completely agree with you! Sometimes i just think i may as well buy a high end product as it can be so similar in prices to drugstore! x
ReplyDeleteA Little Treat | Beauty & Lifestyle Blog
very true x
DeleteI agree with you! I'm willing to pay a bit more for something I know works really well and will last me a long time, but I'm reluctant to make a habit of it because I know that most of the time I can find products on the high street that are just as good. I'm looking forward to reading your budget vs high end posts :) xx
ReplyDeleteI guess it depends what your definition of value is. I go through skincare much quicker than I do cosmetics. Which, imo, is how it should be. ;) However there are brands that are treat items. For example, I treated myself to a Lancome Juicy Tube last weekend. Normally I make do just fine with Rimmel's or another less expensive brand. What you can do is look for sales and discounted offers on high end products. I love Nail Polish Direct for discounts on OPI and China Glaze, my two favourite nail polishes. Escentuals often have good buys on skincare and cosmetics too.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point Ali. I often end up spending more on skin care than makeup too as I prefer certain brands x
DeleteTOTALLY agree with you, great post! It is absolutely shocking. I know that you and lots of other commenters have cited Sleek as an example of good value (which I can't deny they still are), but their prices have gone WAY up too. I remember getting my first Sleek palette in 2009 and it cost £4.87. What are they now, £8 or £9?
ReplyDeleteEven brands like Bourjois and L'Oreal are charging upwards of £8 for a lipstick now. Insane! And don't get me *started* on high end mascara.
wow - I didn't realise the Sleek palettes started off that cheap! Mascara is my one massive bug bear - I tried to find high end mascaras under £20 for a future post and it was almost impossible as most are nearly £25...
DeleteMakeup is definitely getting more expensive now! It's a bit ridiculous really, but I guess it makes me more determined to actually finish products now before buying more so I won't complain too much xx
ReplyDeleteD Is For...
1000% yes! I know you're talking about high end but there was a day when high street brands would never dream pricing anything over £7 and now mascaras are at least £10 from brands like L'oreal. It's pretty outrageous when you think minimum wage is £6.31 so some people have to work two hours just to be able to pop into Boots and buy a mascara or foundation. I know make-up is a luxury but still, working all day just so you can afford a Dior lipstick doesn't seem like a very good deal to me. Make up, like everything else, has increased in price because of the recession and yet people just aren't making enough money to keep up with inflation.
ReplyDeleteThat's a really good point. I might start thinking to myself how many hours I have to work in order to buy that lipstick now! x
DeleteI agree so much on this! im unemployed at the moment, health issues deeming me unable to work, if I need to replace a makeup item I have to ask my parents, or its just too pricy!
ReplyDeletethe only time I can buy something that I want, not need is when I have extra money via birthdays/Christmas etc or something is cheap enough that I can!
its mental, I know makeup isn't needed, but it makes me happy! the latest mascara from no7 is £12 something! I love brands like collection, bourjois, barry m etc whos prices are not that bad.
Catherine x
http://www.beautyisintheeyeofthebeholder.co.uk
There are definitely some great items at budget prices x
DeleteI totally agree, it's nice to have that higher end brand. But is there that much different between a high end or high street product, probably not. Only thing that does it, is the name and it's the same with clothes too. Yet people will never stop buying them and they get away with the more expensive price. x
ReplyDeleteKate | A British Sparkle
I agree Kat, makeup is getting very expensive and I find Skincare is going the same way. The only thing I think is worth paying a premium for is nail polish, (although I never pay the full retail price on more expensive polishes - thank you QVC!) I bought 2 Rimmel polishes last week and they were that crap I threw them away after swatching them. I'll stick to Nails Inc, OPI and Leighton Denny xx
ReplyDeleteDefinitely make-up is reaching a very expensive high. I had to get some make-up for my kit and let's just say it was coming in at a grand and then some compared to when I did it a few years ago. I mean everything goes up in price but it's insane considering a lot of us go through make-up like toilet roll xo
ReplyDeleteMakeup is definitely getting more expensive!
ReplyDeleteTaslima | The little things in life
If you're looking for an AMAZING cheap mascara - try the 2tru pro Flash Eyes mascara (yellow tube). It costs about £3 from Superdrug and is hands down the best mascara I've ever used. Yes, even better than Benefit or Chanel ones I've tried! The Miss Manga L'Oreal mascara is pretty good too, but I'd choose the 2tru every time. Bargain.
ReplyDeleteRosie xx
everythingsrosieblog.com
ooh, thanks for the tip! I will have to test that one out x
DeleteI agree, I need to get new mascara, and I haven't had to buy one for ages, due to gift sets and samples etc, but when I dared have a look the other day I was pretty appalled to see the prices! I'm keeping on the look out for a good deal, as I do like my Lancome <3
ReplyDeleteThe price of highstreet mascaras are ridiculous, luckily I really like Natural Collection mascaras, which are about £2!
ReplyDeleteThis is true... But I doubt it will change, year on year I expect the prices to increase! Whatever happens I think il always spend a bit more on foundation I think a good base is worth paying extra on but some colour products can be bought cheaply with good results IMO
ReplyDeleteSiobhan xxx
Www.glitter-x-couture.blogspot.co.uk
I've had my eye on one of Illamasqua's Glamore lipsticks, I've just been waiting for some spare cash to treat myself, but yesterday I was really disappointed to see they're now £18.50! I'm sure when I first discovered Illamasqua, only about a year and a half ago at the most, they were £15 and then went up to £16.50. I really can't see me buying one now as I feel that's too expensive and I'd rather use that amount of money on a few bits from Boots x
ReplyDeleteBecky @ The Little Blog of Beauty
that's very true. I guess underneath all that celeb advertising there lies the same product as a much cheaper version! x
ReplyDelete