Is there any difference between cheap and expensive cosmetics? What do you spend more money on? What basic brands are better than anything else?

[LaviniaLee]

Are more expensive cosmetics (e.g. shampoo, conditioner, moisturiser, makeup) worth the extra money, do you think?

I often wonder how much of it is about branding, and whether there is not much difference between cheap and expensive stuff. Maybe it's made in the same factories with the same ingredients? Is E45 moisturising cream as good as anything else?

I tend to buy standard brands and I like them. However,I do pay for expensive mascara (because it's the only one I can find that doesn't smudge and washes off easily), and primer.

I have bought a few high-end leave-in conditioners from the hairdresser (thinking it will address all my frizz problems ), but I'm not sure if they make much difference.

If you think expensive brands are better for some things, what are they?

If you think a cheap standard brand is the best thing around, what is it?

Even people saying they use mid range / high end products is subjective.
On the thread we've had someone say they use mid range No.7 and another mention they prefer to use higher end eyeshadow for its pigmentation rather than the cheaper No.7 .
It all boils down to you pay your money and take a choice .

Oh definitely. LRP is probably the finest guarantee out there IMO. Toleriane is my holy grail and my daughter's is Effaclar. And never without a Cicaplast baume.

Simple is awful stuff imo. It's really not (simple) When I was growing up, the brand marketed at problem skin, oily, acne, breakouts. Then the marketing whizzes presumably decided that that angle wasn't "sexy" (for want of a better word) and switched to the "natural" angle. I remember buying a Simple soap when I was about 14 and my mum was "why are you buying that? You haven't got acne!" (Clinique was the same at the time- sales assistants in medicinal white coats and heavily aimed at "problem" skin.

It really depends on the product. I prefer high end eyeshadow (Chanel, Dior, Lunasol, Lancome). I hate crap pigment but what I hate the most it when it kind of 'sits' on your eyelid but offers nothing. I prefer high end lipsticks for this reason (Chanel, Mac but I hate the smell, Lancome) but really rate the L'Oréal ones in the gold tube, I have maybe 5 and they are my go too. Soft, moisturising and lovely shades. They are beautiful. Foundation can be either, I do have decent skin and don't want anything too heavy. I rate Lancome, Clinique and No 7. I've always rated cheaper mascara, Max Factor, L'Oréal, Rimmel have had a few good ones, I like the ones with the plastic spiky brushes, not the traditional hair brush style brushes. My favourite high end one is Benefit Roller Lash. For skincare I choose a cheap cream cleanser such as L'Oreal, Boots cucumber range or even baby lotion, then I use Nivea blue, I use to be really into skincare but I just can't afford it anymore, my skin looks okay, it still feels soft. If I had more money I'd buy Nuxe comforting facial balm and the prodigieuse (sp?) eye cream as they work well for me. The one thing that's helped alot is No7 chemical exfoliating micellar water. I use it maybe every other day and it's sorted out the dry skin on my nose and my foundation goes on so smoothly now. Shampoo is Head and shoulders and any intense conditioner on offer, in the tubs. I've never done much with my hair.

It’s as individual as everyone’s skins and hair is. I’ve tried the whole spectrum of brands via Beauty Bible testing, Picky app testing (K-beauty brands)and various beauty boxes incl Liberty. Through trial and error I know my hair and scalp have difficulties with most high street shampoos.

I have tried £100+ moisturisers and they weren’t worth it for me. Give me (any brand) of jojoba oil though. I have tried pricey cleansers though and this is where I would spend my money because over stripping the natural oils is never going to be a good base for anything else. That’s not saying a cheap one wouldn’t be any good but I haven’t found one that I wouldn’t go back to one of my favourites for yet. A PP said they are the opposite though so I’d just say get some trial sizes and see what products do or don’t work for you. My skin loves Centella but the next persons skin could react badly to it. I would spend more than basic level on specific SPF for the face. I like https://www.stylevana.com/en_GB/deal-skin1004-madagascar-centella-hyalu-cica-water-fit-sun-serum-spf50-pa-50ml.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20027739296&utm_term=&utm_content=100178&device=m&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAqY6tBhAtEiwAHeRopU32_Tj9pjb8fdnFMjuxhxbZuQ75HRbUaGppmSDbqt_K3anauIIJHxoC1JUQAvD_BwE but it’s not that pricey. I tried it and it suits me well. I’ve tried similar price points and been disappointed.

I’m not massively into makeup and don’t do contouring etc. so will happily stick to mid/range there. Really like Mac lipsticks but Erborian BB cream over EL DW.

For showers and baths I have my preferred brands and some that I will avoid because they dry my skin (Imperial leather no (I get sore hands even with the hand wash), Dove yes, but give me Neom any day). I’m surprised no one has been on and called anyone who doesn’t like Bayliss and Harding a spoiled princess yet!

Most of my skincare is now Inkey List - I started experimenting with it during lockdown when counters were closed and it was harder to get my usual products. I never went back. The Clarins moisturiser I have used for years was reformulated in 2023 and I didn’t like it, switched to Cerave and prefer it.

Makeup-wise I use Lisa Eldridge foundation, prefer higher end lipsticks, cheap eye shadow (Naybelline) and mascara (Essence). Blush I love the Glossier Cloud Paint, and powder is Fenty.

Nailpolish I like Essie and Barry M - I do my own nails.

Hair I switch between stuff from my hairdresser (Eleven Australia) and the OGX coconut range, and an Aveda styling product (Confixor) which I have used for years and years and never found a useful alternative.

I’ve always tried to find the cheapest stuff l can. Dove hair care makes my hair shiny.

Nivea is fine on skin. I’m 60, very very few wrinkles. I refuse to pay for high end stuff. It seems to make no difference.

Aldi dupes are amazing

An old friend of DH's was a marketing manager. She showed me the factory code on her M&S moisturiser and my Clarins one (the bottle was very similar). They were both made in the same place with near identical ingredients. That was 20+ year ago so I don't know if that still happens, but it looked like Clarins was the supplier for M&S.

I read a Sali Hughes thing once that said L'Oréal shampoos, for one example, are produced by the same company as Kerastase so benefit from the same multi million brand research. While they not be as high end, and new innovation gets to the cheaper end eventually.
There was always a rumour that Bourgeois is Chanel in cheaper packaging. Is that just an urban myth?

I think it depends on the product and also the individual.

My superdrug balm cleanser does the exact same job as my Elemis one used to, but the Elemis one smelt gorgeous and made me feel like I was having a mini facial every night. So same job but more luxurious

I buy toleraine eye cream (which I consider expensive), because others leave me with sore red skin around my eyes.

I’ll pay a bit more for a serum if it has the ingredients I look for but use cheap moisturiser.

I’ve never really learnt to do makeup properly so only buy cheaper stuff as I think it would be wasted on me!

Hair stuff I go round in circles, sometimes I think it’s worth paying more and other times I don’t!

I definitely noticed a difference in how my skin looked after I switched from cheaper brands to La Roche Posay.

Sometimes with make up it can be hit and miss. My Revolution eye shadow palettes were £4 in the sale and are excellent. But I've previously tried Rimmel, Maybelline etc and found the consistency and level of pigment terrible. I'm not sure my MAC lipsticks are much better than Rimmel ones though. And Barry M nailpolish seems to stay chip-free longer than OPI and Essie.

Mywhoopdeedoo

Aldi dupes are amazing
Oh I meant to say this!!! Hair wise the dupe for olaplex sorted my hair out!!!! (Hilariously at €4.99 each it’s a lot for me to spend on hair, I really worried it wouldn’t work!!)

@beguilingeyes Bourjois own/did own Chanel.

I think some things are cheap and genuinely good and some are expensive and worth it but it's so individual. I like to use what I think is the absolute best product/holy grail for ME whether that's cheap or expensive

For instance
Mio yoga soak is one of my fave bath things but I also adore Olverum bath oil
Tarte lights camera lashes is one of my fave mascaras but I also like essence lash princess
Aldi volume conditioner is great but I also like elemental herbology

So I wouldn't say oh mascara is definitely worth spending on because there are cheap good ones but it's finding what works for you

Then there's stuff I can't find better whether it's cheap or expensive
Joico k pak spray
Innisfree micro mascara (for bottom lashes)
Microplane foot file
Treluxe gel

I will pay for more expensive shower gel (eg Fresh or Lush) as it lasts longer (only need a small amount compared with a £1 shower gel) and smells nicer, so is an all round better experience.

For me cheap shampoo & conditioner is fine, I've tried expensive ones but my hair felt no better.

Makeup wise, No7 Hydraluminous foundation works better for me than expensive brands. But I love my Bourjois and Boots 17 eye shadows.

It's all very personal and depends on your skin and, for makeup, application skills.

Big difference:

Foundation
Mascara
Moisturiser particularly night cream
Moisture masks

Blusher and eyeshadow it’s more about staying power, range of colours.

I used to use Lancôme waterproof eye makeup remover - but Boots own brand is no less effective.

L’Oréal Absolut Repair shampoo and conditioner are much better than Aussie, John Frieda, Tresemme or Pantene.

But for hair mask any of the coconut oil ones work.

Kerastase is probably the best hair brand - but so expensive.

Chantecaille tinted moisturiser is insanely expensive but it’s also miles above everything else I’ve ever tried. Sadly for the wallet 😬

Cory bought Bourjois from Chanel in exchange for Chanel gaining a stake in Coty.

This hasn't been my experience. I have sensitive skin and find that some cleaners can be too harsh or drying.

I used to buy a lot of high end stuff pre-kids but can't afford it now. I still buy ELDW foundation as I've never found anything as good. I do try and mix it though with cheaper ones like Phoera (I mean mix the 2 together on my hand and apply). I also buy a certain EL lipstick as the shade suits me and I can't find a mb exact dupe. I tend to get them off eBay or Vinted though as they are often part of a GWP so people sell them on.

I have Revolution eyeshadow and blush palettes and find the pigment and longevity really good. Mascara I tend to use whatever's in the Beauty Advent Calendar but keep meaning to try some of the cheaper ones recommended. Love the Avon glimmer stick eyeliners which are cheap.

Skincare I tend to use No 7 eye cream, day & night creams (bought from Boots £10 Tuesday offers) and use their Retinol. I buy cheap cleansing balms - Soap & Glory, Superdrug - and use some fairly inexpensive hyaluronic acid or snail mucin in place of any serum.

Hair I'm not too bothered about - Tigi Bed Head Shampoo and Conditioner work OK for me.

Charlotte Tilbury: style over substance
Hourglass - great
La Praire - money no object & I’d have all the skincare esp gold range
Guinot skincare - some hidden gems
Creme de la Mer - generally overpriced vaseline
Aromatherapy Associates - turn your bathroom into a spa :)

When I started work at 16 my main purchases were skincare (Dior) and perfume. I am still the same now many years later. When I wasn't working due to little kids or trying to cut back a bit I would ask for it for Christmas and birthdays. I haven't stuck with Dior due to reformulations and new products etc but if I close my eyes I can still remember the smell ❤️

My priority is that it's cruelty free, I tend to use small companies that aren't obliged to test on animals for China etc.

Does anyone else take that into account when choosing brands?

I think there’s a big difference between cheap make up and expensive. I find MAC the best. I don’t think eyeshadows etc are much different but foundation or anything creamy based - yes!!! And hair conditioner aswell. Shampoo no. But cheap conditioner is shite on my long hair