17 replies to this topic

[illusion]

I am looking to update my make-up kit and would love to hear any recommendations that you girls have for my next purchase. Basically I'm looking for a good set of eye-shadow palettes, lipstick, and blush. I've heard that drug-store brands traditionally contain lower color pigments and don't last as well as the departmental store bought ones. Any truth to that? And if I were to go for a high-end brand, what are the best brands around? (M.A.C/Shiseido/Shu uemura/Bobbi Brown etc?) Please comment

[Bones]

I usually go for higher end cosmetics, and would say that 99% of my makeup collection is from MAC, Chanel, or Lancome.

I think in the case of eyeshadows and lipstick, MAC is superior as far as pigment and lasting power. I especially like the lipsticks because they don't have that nasty rose scent or a gross taste.

IMO, Dior and Lancome have top mascaras, and NARS blush (especially the color "Orgasm") is really good and lasts a long time.

I have a couple of Shiseido eye pencils, but found that the black pencil is actually blue-based so the color shifts over time. I haven't really tried their other products, so I can't say if they are good or not.

The best money I have ever spent was for Urban Decay's eyeshadow Primer potion. That seems to make most any eyeshadow stay true to color and last longer. (I even use this stuff with a small brush underneath my eyes to hold on my eye kohl and keep it from smudging. It really helps!)

I don't have any experience with Bobbi Brown, so perhaps someone else can comment there.


Hope that helps.

[ritzvin]

I am looking to update my make-up kit and would love to hear any recommendations that you girls have for my next purchase. Basically I'm looking for a good set of eye-shadow palettes, lipstick, and blush. I've heard that drug-store brands traditionally contain lower color pigments and don't last as well as the departmental store bought ones. Any truth to that? And if I were to go for a high-end brand, what are the best brands around? (M.A.C/Shiseido/Shu uemura/Bobbi Brown etc?) Please comment

There is some truth to that. For powder colour cosmetics, avoid Maybelline at the very least - they have very, very little pigment in their eyeshadows. As for blushes, I have yet to see a drugstore company come out with a flattering color w/ decent pigment and a non-obnoxious amount of perfume. (NYC has a decent color, but not enough pigment; L'Oreal had a decent color, but obnoxius perfume; most drugstore blushes have hideous colors).

My eyes are flattered by coppery shades. When I was buying my Shiseido powder foundation a few months ago, I noticed that they had a pressed eyeshadow in almost the exact shade as the loose mineral eyeshadow I loved, and bought it. My advice is to go with the department store brands. Walk around and look for the most flattering color for you. Most of the brands will probably be very good. Try the color on to make sure that it looks good, has decent pigment. The ability to try the color on first is a major thing that'll make buying form the department store worth it.

As for blush, the reviews on www.makeupalley.com can be very helpful. Certain shades are very flattering on nearly everyone. I wear one of those: Cat Cosmetics Whiskers blush. That has to be ordered online. Nars Orgasm is another universal shade that most people find very flattering.

For lipstick, I wear Revlon. If I find a lipstick as flattering on me as "Toast of New York" with longer wear, I"ll snatch it up in a second. But until then, I'm sticking with Revlon. I don't know if there is much truth in department store lipsticks lasting longer though. Those formulas are traditionally more moisturizing (the people that can afford department store makeup have traditionally been closer to middle-aged). I would think if any dept store brand had longwearing lipstick, it'd be mac (based on their average client age base, advertising, variety of color cosmetic formulas).

As for pallettes, you might want to research what size tins each department store's eyeshadow comes in. Some companies sell reusable palletes. I know Cat Cosmetics does for one. They don't have too many eyeshadow shades though, so you'll want to find out the tin sizes for different companies to make sure they'll fit. You can also make your own pallete using an old container (a mint container would work well), and sticky magnetic strips (In that case, you'll want to doublecheck that the eyshadows you buy are in magnetic tins); or you can simply glue the tins down in the container. I wouldn't bother buying a pre-made pallete, since most of the colors won't be flattering on any specific given person.

ps- here's the link for the Cat Cosmetics Pallet: Cat Cosmetics magnetic pallets - (scroll towards bottom pf page; refill colors shown towards top)

[finchleywetherspoon]

Absolutely. I cannot stress this enough, but what you pay, is what you get.

Drug store makeup has very little pigment in its eye shadows and blushes. I've also found they have little variety in colors. If you don't care about how you look, buy drugstore makeup. But if you are buying makeup at all that indicates that you care about how you look.

I love Benefit, Philosophy, Stila, Chanel, NARS, Lancome and MAC - as far as price, I think MAC is the best out of the ones I just listed.

And NARS "Orgasm" blush truly is a godsend. I think right now its only available at Sephora stores or sephora.com.

[finchleywetherspoon]

I also recommend a Chanel quad-palette eyeshadow compact if you are looking for a good product. They come in a variety of shades (4 shades per compact), but damn, at $50, you had better pick colors you adore.. I bought one a year ago for my "daytime" look (at work - during the weekend I like to get a bit bolder), and its still going strong. I also bought a Christian Dior 4-color eyeshadow compact 5 years ago that I still use quite often and about 50% remains. It may be more expensive, but it sure lasts longer!

[flipgirl]

I would go for MAC - for eyeshadows, lipsticks and eyeliners, MAC is the best. With mascara, you can go either way but I like Max Factor's 2000 calorie. Maybelline is probably the worst makeup out there - it has the least pigments in their eyeshadows, the least shine eliminating power and the least coverage.

I think it's trial and error - just because it's more expensive doesn't necessarily mean it's better. However, with some things, you just have to suck itup and pay the price. Foundations and powders I would definitely go the expensive route because the ingredients are of higher quality and provide more coverage without adding weight. I would avoid those foundations that have scent as well. I find those irritate my acne and well, make me want to puke.

In my opinion, Clinique is the worst makeup, whether you have acne or not. Their lipstick colours are not the greatest and their foundations are not worth the price.

If you compare MAC to the other brands, it's not as expensive as Lancome or Shiseido or Chanel. The makeup also lasts a long time because of the increased pigments so you're not going to have to buy eyeshadow constantly.

The best thing you can do is keep your makeup tools clean. Most people aren't too conscientious about this (me included!). And while your skin may be oily, don't over wash your face and use a gentle cleanser!! Most of us think that a squeaky clean face is the trick but that is actually worse!

Just one more thing, do the most with the least. Try to get away with the least amount of product on your skin - I'm talking both skin care and makeup. If you can go without foundation, do it!! The less your skin has to deal with, the less your skin will give you trouble!

[flipgirl]

Ooops I forgot to add something....someone mentioned Bobbi Brown. I would definitely recommend her gel eyeliner - it goes on easily with an angled brush, gives a soft line and stays on all day!!! As for her other products, I don't know. Also try Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage - it has two shades of concealer which you can use separately or together to achieve the right shade. Amazing stuff! smashbox also has a good foundation primer. If you want a bronzer try Benefit and also their Benetint which is cheek and lip stain.

[acnehater]

Oh yeah! When it comes to cosmetics, 9 times out of 10, what you pay for is what you get.

Some of my holy grails:

FOUNDATION:
Prescriptives Virtual Skin (Natural Finish)
MAC Studio Fix
Lancome Tient Idole

POWDER:
Prescriptives Adjustable Coverage Pressed Powder

BLUSH:
Nars Orgasm

EYE SHADOW/EYELINER:
Anything by MAC

MASCARA:
Lancome Hypnose

LIPSTICK/LIPGLOSS:
Anything by Christian Dior or MAC

It is soooo true that drugstore brands do not have good lasting powder and the colors tend to not stay true. I used to buy BOAT LOADS of drug store makeup before I discovered that I actually spend LESS buying the good stuff...usually lasts longer and you are happy enough with it that you are not out every day buying new stuff at the drugstore.

[semolina pilchard]

i dislike the texture of mac shadows and prefer shu/nars but use loose bare escentuals glimmers, which are especially good if you foil them.

mascara, i go shu uemura basic used with armani star lash but it's definitely down to personal preference for that. lancome and dior have decent reputations as well.

nars does indeed make a good blush, but so does lorac and nyx, a drugstore brand, has decent pigmentation and texture as well. i've not tried their shadows but i understand it's just about the best drugstore quality for shadow.

bobbi brown is terribly unexciting. nothing too special about the products, save the gel liner, but even that doesn't last as long as it claims and it can flake. but i feel similarly about mac, with a few exceptions. interested in their gel liners coming out soon though. in my opinion, there isn't a single brand in which every product is all that great, and i definitely second the suggestion to check the makeupalley reviews section and do a boards search or two.

[sickofzits]

I swear by MAC concealer. Its the only company that has a product that truly matches my very pale skin. It also lasts throughout the day. Regarding the cost... I find the concealer lasts a really long time so I feel I am getting my money's worth. Like their eye shadow & lipstick too!

A Sephora store just opened up in my area so I recently puchased a large compact by Sephora with 6 eyeshadows, a blush and highlighter ($54 CAD) The shadows do go on nicely and the colour assortment in the set is very versatile.

Won't ever go back to the drugstore brands.

[ritzvin]

nars does indeed make a good blush, but so does lorac and nyx, a drugstore brand, has decent pigmentation and texture as well. i've not tried their shadows but i understand it's just about the best drugstore quality for shadow.

I do love the texture of the NYC eyeshadow. Almost creamy, but still powder. They have a really great applicator too. One end is kinda long and thin - great for those of us that line the eye in eyeshadow. I sometimes wear their white (I have it in a 3-eyeshadow pallet). I don't like most of their colors though (other than the white, they don't have anything that falls in the array of colors that flatter me). One of their blushes is close to the 'universal' color - the best drugstore blush I've seen (I would actually recommend giving it a try first and seeing if you like it before buying an expensive blush). I prefer Cat Cosmetics though (it took more effort to apply the NYC bc it has less pigment , and the color wasn't quite as good). They do however make an excellent pressed powder for touchups. $1.79 and it doesn't cake on retouches. Of all the powders I've used in many price ranges, no one else has achieved that.

[~* Dee *~]

I love MAC Studio Fix..
I always used drugstore foundations, until about a month ago, when I decided to try MAC, because of the recommendations from this site.
It is more expensive than the drugstore brands I used to buy, but it's still not that expensive.. and it looks like it'll last much longer, so it'll probably work out being more economical anyway.
MAC has so many different shades, that there's bound to be one that matches your skin tone. I've always had trouble finding foundations that match my skin and have never really found a perfect match, until I came across MAC. With the help of the lady at the MAC counter, I've got the perfect match! I'll probably need a slightly darker colour in the summer, but the one I have now is identical to my winter skin tone.

One thing the MAC lady did say to me, is that Studio Fix 'warms' when it's been on your face for half an hour, or so.. so your 'perfect colour' will probably look too pale, when you first apply it. If you choose one that matches when you first apply it, it'll probably be too dark.

I love MAC!

[~* Dee *~]

If you'd like to join the MAC fanclub, please write to Dee & Keeley

We should get comission for this! lol

[illusion]

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[sickofzits]

Wow, you girls are awesome. I'm sold on MAC now, it sounds truly fabulous. Perhaps that'd go towards the commission fund 

Anyways, has anyone here tried Clinique's All Over Face Glow? I'd love to retain the fairness of my skin but have a natural sunkissed element to it at the same time. I've tried products that only go on looking way too orange...so I'd love to hear reviews. I couldn't find any reviews for this product on makeupalley, sadly.

All of you have been SO helpful, I cannot thank you  girls enough, being the make-up newbie that I am.

I bought the MAC Hyper Real SPF 15 Foundation and it has a pearlescent glow to it - this may be what you are after. I can't remember off hand if it is water based or not but my skin seems to be fine with it. I'm really fair too and they have shades that perfectly match my skin without making me look like a ghost.

http://www.maccosmetics.com/templates/prod...UCT_ID=PROD6379