Beauty Snob?

I had a very big need for a little retail therapy after a visit to the doctor’s office (don’t worry, I’m okay, the little unborn kid is good too, I just didn’t love the visit) Anyway, I decided to go to Ulta to grab some makeup goodies, as I have been seeing so much about some of the new products being launched. Since this visit I didn’t have my gold card with me, I opted to look mainly in the mass brands half of the store. I was in search of something new…something that maybe could change my life. Okay, so not my life, but maybe my brows? Or how about perfect looking skin?

With my wish list in hand (and coupons and of course sales galore — this is Ulta after all) I stepped in side all for a little retail therapy. I B lined for the mass department and not only saw a few items on my wish list, there were new products I had not yet heard of or seen. Oh, a feeling of beauty euphoria was warming my soul.

On my visit, I ultimately ended up grabbing a Rimmel foundation – Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation With Comfort Serum (not a new product, however, new packaging – I  read some really fab reviews, and thought what the heck. $6.99? I’m gonna go for it). Since it was buy 1 get 1 50% off, I also went for the new Brow This Way Eyebrow Gel(in hopes in would be a dupe for the Benefit Gimme Brow Eyebrow Gel). While I’ve been loving my current mascara, the new Maybelline mascara -Lash Sensational Luscious Washable Mascara – was intriguing me…so I put that in my Ulta shopping tote too. Since that was buy 1 get 1 50% off, I grabbed yet another brow product to see how it compared to my NYX Micro Brow Pencil or Anastasia Brow Wiz pencil, the Maybelline Brow Define And Fill Duo – Again, I was hoping I would find another dupe. Then I grabbed a couple other NYX products, NYX Hydra Touch Brightener and  Soft Focus Primer, “cause guess what? Buy 1 get 1 50% off those too. After points and my $3.50 off $10 coupon, I walked away not spending more than a week’s worth of Starbucks Grande White Mochas. I felt better. Much better. That feeling of beauty euphoria had enveloped me and that doctor’s visit was a distant memory. But alas, I had to go to work, so I had to wait a full day before I could even start to play!

The following day I decided to start off with the Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation With Comfort Serum  and to be fair, I had to stick to my otherwise normal routine. I mean, I’d hate to try the NYX primer and Rimmel foundation and not like the finished look. Then how would I know which product, if any wasn’t right for me? So, starting with my current priming team (Boots No7 True Identity in Light and Andalou Naturals BB Cream; equal parts mixed) I then followed with the Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation With Comfort Serum. So far so good. I chose the right color. As reviews had indicated, nice coverage, satin matte finish and a flawless coverage. Setting powder I later learned was really optional, depending on how much more matte you would like to be vs a natural finish without powder. Now, I’m focusing on this product because prior to the Rimmel foundation, I was using the Dior Star Fluid Foundation, which I was really enjoying. Nice medium natural coverage, long lasting, satin finish…I loved every aspect of the product, except the color. I just couldn’t find a color that I felt was a perfect match…not even really a good match. Just decent and that was with some bronzer and blending. Back to the Rimmel foundation. Overall, it really has exceeded my expectations. But I think the part that blows my mind the most is the price. After coupons and discounts it was just over $5 for a 1 oz bottle. The Dior Star Fluid Foundation? Just a bit over $40 and that was with my 20% off Sephora coupon I had. While I was really crushing on the Dior Star Fluid Foundation it wasn’t until I noticed how hard it was to get the color to work with my skin, (but that is what happens when a store doesn’t have the best lighting to choose your best color and the other choices were not even close to a match), that I realized how disappointed I was. However, the Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation With Comfort Serum seemed to meet all of my requirements and it was just about $5. And with that, I felt even better about my Ulta shopping session. Who needs a therapist when there are beauty products?

Prior to my cheapie foundation discovery, I have always believed that foundations from prestige brands were better. Not only can you sample them, you can make sure the color is best for you, and of course the packaging and marketing make me fall in love with them even more so. I mean, I still have my Dior Star Fluid Foundation. The bottle really is fabulous…but it now just sits there. I know that it will sit there until it goes rancid or I find a friend or family member that can use it instead. As with my  Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation With Comfort Serum, maybe because it is a UK brand and in Europe there are just higher standards when it comes to the ingredients and making of a product. The packaging is okay, I didn’t buy it because it looked beautiful, but more so because the reviews it has received were high. Oh, and the price…how could I not try a raved review product for just about $5? While I have purchased cheapie foundations in the past, I never stuck with them. It was an impulse purchase because at that time I was selling products that competed with those cheapie brands and I wanted to know what those other products could and couldn’t do. However, I would still wear my prestige foundations 95% of the time…Looking back, I’d totally call myself a foundation snob.

I guess now, especially being in different circumstances to where I was when I could easily purchase the prestige/higher end products I never really gave those mass brands a chance. Now that I really can’t just go to Sephora or Ulta or visit the beauty counters in the department store and drop some serious cash, I really have been able to see that many mass brands in fact do live up to the quality and performance of those prestige brands.

If you are a current beauty snob I suggest heading over to your local drugstore or Ulta and checking out some of the mass beauty products. There are some really great finds that will meet and or exceed the expectations of some of your current prestige products.

Are you a beauty snob? Or do you like to mix and match? Or do you stick to mass products that have received the top notch reviews for quality and performance? Leave your comments below!