Budget Makeup vs Premium

[ArtDecoGirly]

I've always bought high end makeup, Dior foundation, Chanel eyebrow pencil, NARS blusher, YSL Touche Eclat, YSL loose powder, YSL Lipstick, YSL mascara... but this weekend, due to being skint after spending a fortune on b/fs birthday last weekend, I went to Boots and bought more budget friendly products and did my full face with each item costing less than £8!! (Apart from my NARS blush...not ready to part with that just yet! So...is there really any point paying for premium beauty? I can look pretty much the same for a fraction of the price, am I deluding myself I look ok?

Sleek blushers in Superdrug are fantastic. Seen then recommended by beauty journos and I love them. Rose gold is a good dupe for Nars Orgasm. I love Life's a Peach - a lovely coral colour on paler skins. Sleek is definitely worth a try as a first foray into cheap blushers.

Sleek eyeshadow palettes also excellent ad very highly pigmented.

loving this thread. i used to be a slave to the big ££ brands but have discovered some good cheaper ones. I am nearly finished my body shop bb cream but am definitely going to try the boots botanicals one next (having tried garnier and no7 before). i have discovered collection 2000 long lasting concealer stick which is magic. i also am a long term user of rimmel clear complexion pressed powder (in the green packaging). i do however still use mac eyeshadows, mainly because they last so long so i haven't had to find a new one. think i'll try the sleek blusher next as my rimmel and natural collection ones don;t seem to last past 11am.

Not strictly make up but as I am now on mat leave I bought botanics face creams. The night cream really is lovely and smells divine and I've got high hopes for the day cream too. Certainly it felt nicer in the shop than the Roche Posay one for more than 3 times the price.

Some of the cheaper brands seem to be a bit talcy, they don't deliver the richness of colour.

Alot of the ££ you pay is the packaging though.

I went to Superdrugs with DD to scan through the MAU. GOSH and Sleek but it was like a plague of locusts had been there first.
Practically nothing there

I've bought Soap and Glory lipsticks in a pallette but they were quite dry IME.
The lipsglosses that have the plumping effect are good (MotherPucker I think)

I am not convinced anybody can tell whether I am wearing brand name make up or something I picked up at Boots. I thought that it would make a difference with foundation but even now, I don't think so.

I'd rather buy cheap make up that I touch up frequently, rather than expensive make up that I use sparingly.

I have the revlon colourstay in sand beige. It waa a spur purchase from Amazon. Its great for my skin and doesn't slip off or greasy by the end of the day. I've never spent a fortune on cosmetics, max factor mascara my expense so I have no comparison against top brands but I love being surprised by cheap make up from Aldi and body care.

The soap & glory make up has some fab items in it! I love the eyeliner and a few friends swear by the mascara and pen tip eyeliner.
I think a lots of women go for the expensive make up as a treat but so many cheaper/budget brands are just as good. It's good to use what works for you!

The best value make up is from aldi IMO. The bb cream is amazing, also the blusher.

Ok do on this basis what ha anyone successfully subbed dermalogica skin smoothing cream for?
I've tried Aldi, no7 and a garnier one which don't come close... The only other one I've got on with Is Dior and that is no cheaper

To be honest I've never been a buyer of £££ brands so can't really comment. However my sister is a "brand person" but she has quite often commented on things I've got on and has been surprised when is any it's boots, or superdrug or whatever. So based on that I think it's all smoke and mirrors ans actually people can't tell whether you're earring budget or brand, as long as whatever it is flatters you.

when I say it's boots

Sleepdodger - I used to use skin smoothing cream. I now use Body Shop Vitamin E night cream. It's not a dupe as such, but my skin is responding very well, perhaps even better. Not quite cracked a daytime replacement though.

As a youngster I started off with cheap make up. Then when I was single and working I only bought expensive brands.

As I've got older and my fortunes have dwindled and my priorities have been my children I have tried most brands.

In recent years I have discovered NYX which is dirt cheap but their lipsticks and lip creams are fantastic.

Some brands will always be a pleasure to use, not just be austral of their packaging, Chanel,Dior and YSL lipsticks are lovely but when price is a factor they are not so appealing.

I have found that some brands change over time or perhaps my skin has changed, but I find the crap they sell under the MAC name nowadays is nothing like the Mac I used to buy many, many years ago.

I swapped touché éclat for collection 2000 and have also found little gems in the avon range.

I have yet to find a dior make up product I didn't like and do still buy occasionally.

I bought some Rimmel lipsticks recently - the matte Kate Moss ones, and love them. The pigment is really good, and they last quite well without needing to be constantly reapplied.
I have a Revlon lip butter in candy apple too, which is my go to weekend lipstick. Fab for just a slick of sheer colour.

I use expensive base (currently YSL), and a Chanel blush - was previously a big fan or NARS orgasm, but wanted to tone down the sparkle for daytime. I experiment with cheaper and more expensive brands for mascara, eyeshadow etc.
Currently loving Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner, Bobbi Brown mascara and some cheap Superdrug nail polish. (Think it was Nyc brand).

I tend to stick to budget-mid range products, as I find that honestly the high end stuff is no better on me! I wouldn't mind paying more if there was a clear difference but there isn't.

I really love the MUA eye shadows. The pigmentation is absolutely fantastic. Maybelline gel eyeliner is also a brilliant product, as are most of their mascaras. Mascara is one thing I'd never recommend going high end for, there's so many excellent cheap ones. I got sucked in and tried YSL faux cils once and it was awful, clumpy and dried out very fast.

Touche Eclat is a highlighter not a concealer. I've been saying this since 2001.

Kate Moss Rimmell lipsticks peel my lips like paint stripper. Not a fan.

I can also second the Bourjois rouge edition lipsticks (mine is also 04)

Of course Bourjois is made by Chanel......so......

And yes to never bothering with high end mascaras. Biggest rip off going. I am currently using a Collection one (red wand) and it's brilliant. (and I have Boris Becker white eyelashes in real life!)

Also use the Collection highlighter. Doesn't stink of dirty cloths after 2 days unlike the YSL one.

Now, if someone canonly find me a pretend Chanel 19, my quest is done.....

Omg I thought I'd just bought a fake/dodgy Touch Eclat! Do other people's smell bad too? I've bought a few and they weren't all bad, just this one I bought in Russia. Maybe some shops keep them too long? Sorry, off topic!

*Touche Éclat, stupid phone.

I'm not sure what it is tbh, but the N7 one stinks as well!

The cheap-as-chips collection one (and I honestly can't tell the difference apart from no gold tube and fancy wrappings) doesn't pong!

The only high end make-up that I have ever found better than cheaper stuff is Bare Minerals powder foundation, bronzer and mineral veil (face powder). It is very easy to apply, lasts all day and you can't really feel that you are wearing it.
I was so impressed by it that I bought a lip gloss too but that only lasts a few minutes.
Their eye shadow is good though.

Loving these suggestions!