Beauty 101: Your Drugstore And Department Store Recommendations

Yesterday, I asked our commenters to recommend their favorite products from both drugstores and department stores, and to point out why they felt certain things were worth the extra cash. Here’s what they had to say:

It would be impossible to list every single recommendation posted in yesterday’s thread, as there are currently over 700 comments filled with detailed suggestions from your fellow readers. Instead, I thought I’d do a basic roundup of products that a majority of commenters felt were either worth spending or saving on. The majority of readers seemed to favor a mix of department store and drugstore products, so it’s good to keep in mind that it’s really a matter of personal preference in terms of what you choose to spend a little extra on. With that in mind, here are a few reader recommendations:

Foundation: Many commenters noted that foundation was one of the products they felt was worth the extra cash. As commenter Sir notes, “Foundation sits on a large part of your face all day, so you should splurge on something non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic, breathable, long-lasting, comfortable and cruelty free. A good foundation will provide better, more natural-looking coverage. It’ll probably last longer too since you’ll need less product to get your degrees of coverage (light/medium/heavy).”
Department Store Favorites: Make Up Forever, Bare Minerals, Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, Clinique
Drug Store Favorites: L’Oreal True Match, Physician’s Formula Mineral Wear, L’Oreal Bare Naturale

Lipstick/Lip Gloss: Lipstick was also worth spending extra on, according to many readers. MAC lipstick, in particular, seemed to garner quite a bit of praise. As ClassiqueMisdirection writes, “I recommend MAC because it’s the cheapest high(er) end brand with *great* pigment and it stays on so well! Even when it starts coming off, it doesn’t look gross, it just sort of fades gracefully. Plus, you can try them on before purchase unlike drugstore lipsticks.”
Department Store Favorites: MAC, NARS, Dior
Drug Store Favorites: Lip Smackers, Burt’s Bees

Eye Liner: Our readers seemed to be split on whether or not eye liner was worth spending more for, so again, it comes down to a matter of personal preference.
Department Store Favorites:MAC Fluidline, Urban Decay
Drug Store Favorites: Rimmel, Almay, Revlon Colorstay

Eye Shadow Eye shadow was another product that seemed to split down the middle: some commenters recommended picking up a department store primer, like Urban Decay’s, in order to make drugstore shadows last longer.
Department Store Favorites: MAC, NARS, Stila, Urban Decay
Drug Store Favorites: L’Oreal H.I.P., Maybelline

Mascara: When it comes to mascara, however, drugstore brands were preferred by most. “The stuff in the drugstore is pretty much identical to the stuff in the department store,” writes commenter keyamarie, “It is mostly about technique. Plus, it really should be thrown out every 3 months, and who wants to do that to a $25 tube?”
Department Store Favorites: Diorshow, Lancome Definicils, YSL Faux Cils
Drug Store Favorites: Cover Girl Lash Blast, Maybelline Full N’ Soft, L’Oreal Voluminous, Maybelline Great Lash

There were so many detailed recommendations in yesterday’s thread that it was hard to narrow it down, so I’d recommend scrolling through and reading the very thorough recommendations of your fellow readers. What it all comes down to, really, is trial and error: the benefit of department store cosmetics, for many, was the opportunity to try things on before purchasing them, though it’s also good to keep in mind that some drugstores, like Rite-Aid, offer refunds on beauty products. The one uniting thread that seemed to run through most of yesterday’s comments was the tendency for commenters to mix high and low—there are effective cosmetics in every price range, and in the end, it’s up to you to determine what’s really worth the money.

Have any recommendations you’d like to add? Disagree with something you’ve seen here? Feel free to set the record straight in the comments.

Earlier: Beauty 101: Spend Or Save?

Looking for advice on another beauty topic? Check out the other Beauty 101 Q & A sessions:
Beauty 101: Your Makeup Removal Questions, Answered
Beauty 101: Recipes From Readers
Beauty 101: Your Scent-Related Problems, Solved
Beauty 101: Your Summer Beauty Dilemmas, Solved
Beauty 101: Your Blush And Bronzer Questions, Answered
Beauty 101: Your Skincare Questions, Answered
Beauty 101: Your Eye Queries, Answered
Beauty 101: Your Nail Questions, Answered
Beauty 101: Your Lipstick Questions, Answered
Beauty 101:Your Hair Questions, Answered
Beauty 101: Your Waxing/Shaving Questions, Answered
Beauty 101: Your Foundation And Concealer Concerns, Answered
Beauty 101: Your Eyeliner Woes, Solved