Advice on How to Buy Drugstore Comestics

[Amy5000]

Hi all. I don't use make up much and when I used to wear it when I was younger, I basically went the dept store route especially for things like foundation.

So since I've been feeling a little frumpy I've decided to try wearing some makeup again. But since my disposable income is not what it was when I was single I definitely want to go the drugstore route for purchasing make up. But my question is...how do you choose a foundation without trying it on. Even if I were to try it, I'm not very confidant in my ability to pick a color that's even close to appropriate without some professional consultation, but I guess I could give it a try.

Is there some return/exchange policy if you choose a poor match?

Any advice before I start my self directed make over will be appreciated.

Also, if any one has any brands that they love and really want to recommend, I'd be happy to hear about it. (If it makes any difference, I'm relatively fair with dark hair).

Also, if any one has a list of what they believe to be essential (like loose or pressed powder), I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks.

Amy

 

[andymattmom]

Honestly...my local Walgreens has cosmetic people. They always seem very nice and ask if they can help you find something. Lots of times in their monthly rebates you can get makeup free...with coupons I have gotten lipstick free even when not on rebate.

 

[Justsyd2]

Avon has really good makeup prices, and a 100% money back guarantee. You can return anything that doesn't work for you. If you have someone near you who sells Mary Kay, you could get a free make over (they even teach how to apply it), and samples to see what colors work best for you.

I would start with a good foundation tint with SPF, three coordinating eye shadows, an eye liner pencil, mascara, a blush, a lip liner, and lipstick and gloss.

 

[Kae]

You can returns things at CVS & they have great sales on make up. I keep my recipt in the mirror on my visor so I always know where they are. Drugstore foundations have gotten ways better than the old orange covergirl. checkout www.makeupalley.com

Kae

 

[pjlla]

I believe that Rite Aid has a specifically liberal return policy regarding make up, although I have never tried it.

I buy most all of my cosmetics at Walmart or Target. I have used Covergirl since high school (a LOOOONG time ago ) and have always had very good luck with it. And there are almost ALWAYS coupons for CoverGirl in the Sunday paper inserts.

For skin care I have used OLAY for many, many years and I love it and I think it does an excellent job. They also frequently have coupons in the Sunday paper.

If you are truly on a tight budget, I am not sure that Mary Kay would be a good choice.... I find them to be rather pricey.... but not as pricey as the stuff in department stores, like Clinique. Department store cosmetics are by FAR the most expensive and IMHO, not necessarily worth it. You are paying for their space in the expensive stores and their lab-coat-wearing/perfume-spraying/usually-overly-madeup sales girls! (No offense intended!)

I haven't used Avon in a long time, but I did like some of their products in the past. And I am interested in trying their new DermaFull, so guess I will be contacting my local Avon lady soon! And they did used to have lots of nice tiny samples to try, so that maybe a good route to go.

Anyhow... I am not a big make-up girl either. In the winter, when I am pale and pasty, I use liquid foundation (CG Clean Makeup line), pressed powder to reduce the shine, powder blush (I found it much easier to control than liquid), and mascara (I am blonde and almost ALWAYS wear mascara). I don't own eyeliner, eye shadow and I just bought my first lipstick in a few years this week! (Usually I am happy with Chapstick.) I bought a very sheer liptint rather than regular lipstick and I am very happy with it. Fortunately, I learned years ago what color family I should wear most of the time, so I don't have too much trouble picking blush or lip color (I stick to raspberry pinks and plums). In the summer, when I am not working and I have better skin color, I stick with just masara...... unless it is a dress-up affair and then I might water down my foundation with some moisturizer and use that just to even out my face and at a touch of pressed powder for the shine (plus mascara, of course).

I find my face to be paler than my hands, so if you are trying make up on your hands, be aware of that.

Anyhow, good luck.................P

 

[wide awake]

Usually a good match for your facial skin is your lower inner arm. I usually use Covergirl foundation and powder blush, curl my lashes and use black mascara...any brand but Maybelline, which I'm allergic to. I finish w/ a L'Oreal lipstick...match to the color of your inner lower lip. I have dark hair and blue eyes, fair skin...the above is quick and looks natural. I carry transparent powder, mascara, and lipstick in my purse for touch-ups.

 

[powellrj]

Do you have an Ulta near you. They have a private label that I love and its usually on sale. They have samples out to try and while I don't find the staff at helpful, yours maybe different.

 

[Goofyzgurl]

I like Ulta b/c they have samples and ppl to help you. So does Sephora but they've got a lot of high end stuff. Like the pp rec'd makeupalley is a great place to go to see reviews and what other ppl are saying. I've been using Bare essentials forever, it's about $25 but I've discovered Rimmel foundation. I love love it too. You can't beat the price either, I think it was under $7 at target. DD has just started experimenting with make up and I saw that Kmart was having a buy one get one free with their Wet and Wild. I think that's great stuff to experiment with and they're eye/lip pencils are great. I also just bought at sephora a kit with a whole bunch of eye/lip/blush for $22. I'll see how it works out.

 

[reservations4five]

I am somewhat of a make-up junkie. I don't wear a lot- I just like it!

I love Almay eye-shadows and eye kits that are designed for your eye color. I have tried TONS of brands and I like these the most. They go on great and they last most of the day. Which for me is amazing.

I wear Maybellene Dream Mouse Foundation, and regular chap stick everyday.

 

[PrincessMama605]

I use Bare Minerals for foundation and all other powder stuff (not exactly budget, I know) but I do get other types of makeup from Target usually. I use Covergirl or Maxx Factor Mascara (always look for coupons or deals) and I like the Rimmel eye pencils. Now they have the Boots brand at Target too, which I love.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I used to work as a makeup artist and I'm a bit of a product junkie, so here are my recommendations.

I would first suggest going to a department store or Sephora for a makeover so you can get advice on colors and products that will work for you. You are not obligated to buy and this will help cut down on the guess work when you go to the drugstore.

I also recommend Makeup Alley for real reviews!

The only thing I buy from a department store brand is foundation (actually, tinted moisturiser) and this is because I'm so fair (natural redhead) drugstore brands are not light enough for me! (I'm seriously, seriously pale!) There are more color choices with higher end brands. I have heard good things about Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse and Neutrogena Healthy Skin foundation, though.

For mascara, Maybelline is the best, hands down (with the exception of Great Lash in the pink and green tube; it is overrated.) My favorite for a natural look is Full and Soft. My favorite for a more glam look is Colossal Volume and new Stiletto. CoverGirl Lash Blast is also a very good mascara.

Other than Lash Blast, I do not care for CoverGirl products. The colors and quality are not very good, IMO. There are much better quality brands at similar prices.

I think my favorite overall drugstore brand is L'Oreal. The L'Oreal Group owns Lancome and I feel many of the products are similar to Lancome but at 1/4 of the price. I love the Colour Juice tubes and sticks. L'Oreal makes good lipstick, too. L'Oreal Pro Manicure nailpolish is the best polish you can get at a drugstore, IMO. I love L'Oreal translucent loose powder to set my makeup and reduce shine. The mineral eyeshadows are fantastic, but the other mineral products, not so much.

The L'Oreal HIP line is comparable to MAC cosmetics. Very high quality, very pigmented, lots of on-trend colors.

However, L'Oreal eyeshadow tends to be hit and miss. They can be very dry and hard to apply and lack pigment. I have had the best luck with singles but I find a lot of the duo or quad shadows are very dry and lack pigment. This does not include the HIP line, however.

Maybelline makes great shadows and they have nice duos and quads. I also like their pencils and the Cool Effects shadow/liner sticks. Maybelline lipstick and gloss can be very hit and miss, though. The moisturising lipstick and mineral lipstick is good. All of the glosses are a waste of money. Go with L'Oreal gloss instead. Maybelline makes good blush and I love the Dream Matte blush.

Neutrogena is my second favorite drugstore brand. Their Healthy Skin line is amazing! From foundation to blush to powder-- amazing. The Healthy Skin blush blends is one of the best out there. The Moisture Shine lips line (gloss, lipstick, sheers, soothers with SPF) is hands down my favorite. Natural looking and good for your skin, too. The new Nourishing Eye Duos and Quads are nice shadows in lovely colors and help improve the condition of your skin. The Mineral Sheers eyeshadows are the best drugstore mineral eyeshadows out there, along with L'Oreal mineral shadows.

Revlon has the best variety of lipstick colors. I hate Revlon mascaras and the eyeshadows are so-so with the exception of the ColorStay quads.

Rimmel is good to experiment with different lip and eye colors at a good price.

Almay's new Pure Blends line has wonderful shadows and gloss. Their Intense I-color line has great shadows for bringing out your eye color.

The best thing you can do to get the most out of your cosmetics is invest in a good set of brushes. Those little sponge applicators and tiny blush brushes are worthless. Throw them out! Seriously! They will only hinder your application. Those sponges waste product and the tiny blush brush will only make it look fake and obvious. A good set of brushes really makes all the difference. The most expensive makeup in the world will look bad applied with those little sponge tipped applicators.

Sonia Kashuk for Target offers professional quality brushes for decent prices. They often go on sale (watch the ads) and sometimes limited edition brush sets will be clearanced out (often after the holidays and at the end of each season.) An eye shadow brush (small for better control, big for covering more area with one color), and loose powder brush will be best. Use the loose powder brush for blush-- it is a bigger brush and will make it look more natural.

If you use loose powder, get a blush brush for it and do not use the puff! Counter intuitive, I know, but it is smaller and will keep you from using too much. (If you use loose powder, that is, not everyone needs too. I get shiny (oily) so it helps me but if you don't have that problem, don't worry about it.)

If you want to invest more, get a foundation brush(for liquid foundation), and blending brush (for eyes). The other brushes can be added as you get more comfortable with application techniques and as your budget allows. The brushes with the white handles are fine, the black curvy handled brushes are priced higher but the part that matters (the brush) is no different. It is just the handle. Don't get a travel set-- the longer handle and bigger brush head on the regular brushes is better.

The entire Sonia Kashuk line is fantastic. I love love love the eyeshadows. It is priced a bit higher than other drugstore brands, but is still less than department stores. She is a professional makeup artist and her products are very high quality.

Hope that helps!

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Just looked at the Target ad in today's paper and Sonia Kashuk is 10% off this week!

 

[Amy5000]

Thank you guys so much for all the input. Every time I read a post I kept thinking "That's where I'll start..." (I've switched from starting at the local cvs, to sephora, to ulta, to target). I actually think I am going to head over to Target this week, if for no other reason than there is a sale there, and I also noticed there were some sales on at Ulta so I've decided to check it out also (although I have to say it's a bit of a haul from where I live).

I'm pretty excited to check this stuff out, but I just hope I actually use and enjoy it and that it doesn't just take up space in my medicine cabinet.

I think I have my list of what I need to start. I actually have a bit of make up from the days when I actually used to wear make up, but I seriously question whether I can still use some of it. I mean I haven't purchased make up (other than lipstick) in years and it has to go bad sometime...right?

Anyway, thank to all of you for your input and advice. I've written down all the brands that you all like and I'm ready to go. I'll try to post again if I actually successfully purchase some make-up.

Enjoy what's left of your weekend. Amy

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

I used to work as a makeup artist and I'm a bit of a product junkie, so here are my recommendations.

I would first suggest going to a department store or Sephora for a makeover so you can get advice on colors and products that will work for you. You are not obligated to buy and this will help cut down on the guess work when you go to the drugstore.

I also recommend Makeup Alley for real reviews!

The only thing I buy from a department store brand is foundation (actually, tinted moisturiser) and this is because I'm so fair (natural redhead) drugstore brands are not light enough for me! (I'm seriously, seriously pale!) There are more color choices with higher end brands. I have heard good things about Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse and Neutrogena Healthy Skin foundation, though.

For mascara, Maybelline is the best, hands down (with the exception of Great Lash in the pink and green tube; it is overrated.) My favorite for a natural look is Full and Soft. My favorite for a more glam look is Colossal Volume and new Stiletto. CoverGirl Lash Blast is also a very good mascara.

Other than Lash Blast, I do not care for CoverGirl products. The colors and quality are not very good, IMO. There are much better quality brands at similar prices.

I think my favorite overall drugstore brand is L'Oreal. The L'Oreal Group owns Lancome and I feel many of the products are similar to Lancome but at 1/4 of the price. I love the Colour Juice tubes and sticks. L'Oreal makes good lipstick, too. L'Oreal Pro Manicure nailpolish is the best polish you can get at a drugstore, IMO. I love L'Oreal translucent loose powder to set my makeup and reduce shine. The mineral eyeshadows are fantastic, but the other mineral products, not so much.

The L'Oreal HIP line is comparable to MAC cosmetics. Very high quality, very pigmented, lots of on-trend colors.

However, L'Oreal eyeshadow tends to be hit and miss. They can be very dry and hard to apply and lack pigment. I have had the best luck with singles but I find a lot of the duo or quad shadows are very dry and lack pigment. This does not include the HIP line, however.

Maybelline makes great shadows and they have nice duos and quads. I also like their pencils and the Cool Effects shadow/liner sticks. Maybelline lipstick and gloss can be very hit and miss, though. The moisturising lipstick and mineral lipstick is good. All of the glosses are a waste of money. Go with L'Oreal gloss instead. Maybelline makes good blush and I love the Dream Matte blush.

Neutrogena is my second favorite drugstore brand. Their Healthy Skin line is amazing! From foundation to blush to powder-- amazing. The Healthy Skin blush blends is one of the best out there. The Moisture Shine lips line (gloss, lipstick, sheers, soothers with SPF) is hands down my favorite. Natural looking and good for your skin, too. The new Nourishing Eye Duos and Quads are nice shadows in lovely colors and help improve the condition of your skin. The Mineral Sheers eyeshadows are the best drugstore mineral eyeshadows out there, along with L'Oreal mineral shadows.

Revlon has the best variety of lipstick colors. I hate Revlon mascaras and the eyeshadows are so-so with the exception of the ColorStay quads.

Rimmel is good to experiment with different lip and eye colors at a good price.

Almay's new Pure Blends line has wonderful shadows and gloss. Their Intense I-color line has great shadows for bringing out your eye color.

The best thing you can do to get the most out of your cosmetics is invest in a good set of brushes. Those little sponge applicators and tiny blush brushes are worthless. Throw them out! Seriously! They will only hinder your application. Those sponges waste product and the tiny blush brush will only make it look fake and obvious. A good set of brushes really makes all the difference. The most expensive makeup in the world will look bad applied with those little sponge tipped applicators.

Sonia Kashuk for Target offers professional quality brushes for decent prices. They often go on sale (watch the ads) and sometimes limited edition brush sets will be clearanced out (often after the holidays and at the end of each season.) An eye shadow brush (small for better control, big for covering more area with one color), and loose powder brush will be best. Use the loose powder brush for blush-- it is a bigger brush and will make it look more natural.

If you use loose powder, get a blush brush for it and do not use the puff! Counter intuitive, I know, but it is smaller and will keep you from using too much. (If you use loose powder, that is, not everyone needs too. I get shiny (oily) so it helps me but if you don't have that problem, don't worry about it.)

If you want to invest more, get a foundation brush(for liquid foundation), and blending brush (for eyes). The other brushes can be added as you get more comfortable with application techniques and as your budget allows. The brushes with the white handles are fine, the black curvy handled brushes are priced higher but the part that matters (the brush) is no different. It is just the handle. Don't get a travel set-- the longer handle and bigger brush head on the regular brushes is better.

The entire Sonia Kashuk line is fantastic. I love love love the eyeshadows. It is priced a bit higher than other drugstore brands, but is still less than department stores. She is a professional makeup artist and her products are very high quality.

Hope that helps!

Very interesting post! thanks

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I actually have a bit of make up from the days when I actually used to wear make up, but I seriously question whether I can still use some of it. I mean I haven't purchased make up (other than lipstick) in years and it has to go bad sometime...right?

Yes, makeup does go bad. Most makeup has preservatives in it and those don't last forever.

You can google makeup expiration and get varying opinions, but this is what I go by, personally.

Mascara: replace every three months
Liquid and Cream Foundation: six to 12 months
Powder foundation: up to one year
Lipstick: up to two years
Powder eye shadow or blush: up to two years
Cream eye shadow or blush: up to one year
Eye pencil: one year (I also sharpen before every application so I don't spread bacteria near the eyes)
Lip pencil: one year (sharpen before every application)

If there are any changes in scent, color or texture, discard the product.

Once liquid foundation seperates pretty badly, toss it. You can shake it up again, but it won't be the same. Sometimes lipstick will harden and you'll see little drops of oil on the outside of it-- that is a sure sign it has gone bad. Same thing for some pan powders (eyeshadow, facial powder) the top layer will harden and get kind of a sheen on top; it's old, throw it out. Even if you scrape off the top layer, the rest of the product is old.

Make sure everything is capped tight and stored at room tempature. The bathroom is one of the worst places to store makeup; the changing humidity is terrible!

Also keep in mind that skin tone and texture changes as we age and with the seasons. The lipstick color that worked last summer will not always look as good next summer, for example, due to natural skin changes.

Makeup trends and innovations are always changing, too. I'm not saying you should adopt a new, trendy color each month, but it is a good idea to update your look every few years or so. Wearing a color that is out of season can make you look older and dated. If the company stops selling the color, it is time to find a new one! Plus, new innovations are making cosmetics better all the time!

I clean my brushes at least weekly with baby shampoo. Some brands sell brush cleanser, but baby shampoo is more budget friendly and gentle. Clean the brushes gently and they'll last a long time. Sponges should be changed once a week.

Good skin care is the base of any look. Your makeup will always look best when you take good care of your skin. I really like the Olay and Neutrogena skincare lines. Truly, I think some Olay innovations are better than expensive high-end brands. Moisturiser and sunscreen are more important than any lipstick!

Hope that helps!

 

[Amy5000]

Yes, makeup does go bad. Most makeup has preservatives in it and those don't last forever.

You can google makeup expiration and get varying opinions, but this is what I go by, personally.

Mascara: replace every three months
Liquid and Cream Foundation: six to 12 months
Powder foundation: up to one year
Lipstick: up to two years
Powder eye shadow or blush: up to two years
Cream eye shadow or blush: up to one year
Eye pencil: one year (I also sharpen before every application so I don't spread bacteria near the eyes)
Lip pencil: one year (sharpen before every application)

If there are any changes in scent, color or texture, discard the product.

Once liquid foundation seperates pretty badly, toss it. You can shake it up again, but it won't be the same. Sometimes lipstick will harden and you'll see little drops of oil on the outside of it-- that is a sure sign it has gone bad. Same thing for some pan powders (eyeshadow, facial powder) the top layer will harden and get kind of a sheen on top; it's old, throw it out. Even if you scrape off the top layer, the rest of the product is old.

Make sure everything is capped tight and stored at room tempature. The bathroom is one of the worst places to store makeup; the changing humidity is terrible!

Also keep in mind that skin tone and texture changes as we age and with the seasons. The lipstick color that worked last summer will not always look as good next summer, for example, due to natural skin changes.

Makeup trends and innovations are always changing, too. I'm not saying you should adopt a new, trendy color each month, but it is a good idea to update your look every few years or so. Wearing a color that is out of season can make you look older and dated. If the company stops selling the color, it is time to find a new one! Plus, new innovations are making cosmetics better all the time!

I clean my brushes at least weekly with baby shampoo. Some brands sell brush cleanser, but baby shampoo is more budget friendly and gentle. Clean the brushes gently and they'll last a long time. Sponges should be changed once a week.

Good skin care is the base of any look. Your makeup will always look best when you take good care of your skin. I really like the Olay and Neutrogena skincare lines. Truly, I think some Olay innovations are better than expensive high-end brands. Moisturiser and sunscreen are more important than any lipstick!

Hope that helps!

I was lol as I read the above. I should just junk just about everything I own. I seriously wouldn't be surprised if some of the stuff is more than 10 years old. I know I haven't purchased foundation since my son was born and he's 6 and 1/2! I am so out of touch with these things.

Amy

 

[branv]

I just wanted to add that I tend to get the Ulta circular in my Sunday paper AND in my mail since I signed up for their reward program. That means multiple coupons a month for $3.50 off when you spend $10. If you're starting a makeup bag from scratch, this can really help you out

 

[Imzadi]

Rite Aid also has a 100% Cosmetic Guarantee. You can simply return any product for a refund, if you don't like it.

I use Revlon Colorstay eyeliner. It goes on, allows a couple minutes to smudge & soften it around then sets like a Sharpie marker & doesn't come off till washed off. Rite Aid has sales of BOGO (Buy one get one free.) It's a great way to test out the colors until you find one you like. Return the color you don't want & get the another of the right color when you find it.

As for foundation, I will not use any other makeup that MAC cosmetics. The foundation and concealer are so highly pigmented that it covers brow/age spots beautifully, but a requires only a very thin coat that looks like I'm really not wearing thick foundation at all. It's also what the professional makeup artists use for film & TV. It is so worth the price. It's one area I don't skimp on. So not worth it to wear foundation that looks bad to save some bucks. Been there done that. I save the cheap cosmetics for eye makeup.

There's been a few MAC cosmetics threads here in the past. Well worth doing a Google search here to find them. Once you have one of the professional MAC makeup people help pick out your color, you never have to do it again. (Unless your coloring changes.) Why go through endless bottles of the wrong foundation to find one with the perfect invisible texture and coloring?

 

[distherapy]

Don't forget to check out the brands you're interested in at http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/special/parentsguide/summary.php?nothanks=1

It's a safety guide to costmetics and personal care products. It's disturbing what is in some of these things...

 

[Chickysmom]

Both Walgreens and Rite Aid will take back cosmetics that don't work for you...just keep your receipt.