Is it worth paying extra for expensive make up, and should I go for bobbi brown or mac?

[Whentheredredrobingoesbobbobbo]

I prefer browny colours

Thinking of treating myself to some new make up

Essie varnish lasts really well in my experience

I spent years wearing expensive stuff, now I don't....and I can't tell the difference. I also find it interesting the direct contradictions on this thread over products. I feel it's a bit of a con really. I bought MUA eyeshadow for £1 and it's as good as the Christian Dior shadow I was using previously. I use no 7 waterproof mascara and that stuff is amazing, it doesn't clump and it doesn't budge - unlike the mac stuff I had before. I've used Clinique foundation and the whole 3 step cleansing approach. I've used Estée Lauder moisturisers. Clarins too and when I stopped buying into the dream my skin didn't look any worse. The Bobbi Brown lipstick I have makes my lips ache with dryness after a few hours, I've never had that before, I like the colour but the lipstick is torture.

My skin sometimes looks better than other times and I have no idea why - sleep, nutrition, exercise, colour I'm wearing...who knows but I'm not convinced the premium brands offer anything more than a massive money making opportunity.

I agree 90% ...

I bought some L'oreal foundation a while back and was disappointed- it was watery and just looked 'flat'. I'm happy to spend £30 on this because it lasts me 6 months.

On the other hand, my DD aged 25 struggling with student debts etc buys cheap make up on the whole, and she looks gorgeous.

You've got to remember that high price tags cover the counter assistants salary, ( your 'free' makeovers) , the advertising , the packaging, free samples etc etc. The basic ingredients of many high end products are probably the same as cheaper stuff.

Bobbi Brown lipsticks ruined my lips- they sting after using the lippy and dry/ flake like nothing else- same happens with Rimmel but at £5 a lippy I can suck that up!

My extravagance is foundation, concealer, mascara (Lancome Hypnose though Rimmel the Falsies comes close for 1/4 price) but I've recently experimented with cheaper eye shadows- Revlon, Rimmel, would buy Bourjois if they weren't so sparkly, - and can't say I see any difference.

Foundation yes. The rest, no. Just buy colours that you like (if you want expensive ones). I always buy Laura Mercier eye shadow as she does a dusky mink I love, but it's not noticeably better than my Rimmel one.

The best advice might be to register on makeupalley.com, I don't buy much without first checking what others on there think of the product. I can also use its ratings to find the best-reviewed items in any range of whatever priceband.

Temptalia is also a good review site and has lots of swatches of products on actual people - always helpful!

It's worth checking out who owns a budget brand. Bourjois for example is owned by Chanel so the products are tested to the same degree. I use one of their eyeshadows and it costs pennies rather than a Chanel one.

I like those felt tip pen eyebrow liners. Suqquu does one for over twenty pounds but the Gosh range at Superdrug does an equally great one. I use it all the time.

Personally I think it's worth getting a good tinted moisturiser or foundation. I've tried loads but I've now settled on a tinted moisturiser by Liz Earle called Skin Tint. Fantastic. It's got lots of pigment in it so you only need a little bit but I'm pale and I just smooth it on with my fingers. Love it. It's £20 and worth every penny.

Good primer, concealer and powder are worth shelling out for definitely. My favourite foundation is Suqqu and costs a bomb but I always wear Rimmel or Maybelline mascara. I will buy any old nail polish as long as I use an OPI base coat and Seche Vite top coat.

I spend a fortune on skin lotions n shizzle but that's more of an addiction than anything else.

Hmmm so where do we get Korean BB creams from then...?

Bourjois for example is owned by Chanel so the products are tested to the same degree. I use one of their eyeshadows and it costs pennies rather than a Chanel one.

How do you know this? Just because a company owns several brands it doesn't mean the ingredients or the production is the same.

Actually, Bourjois owns Chanel, not the other way round.

who owns what see here

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