Iyanna Grant 
By Iyanna Grant, Sarah Jimenez & Emma Horton
Most have been inside a store just to window shop for expensive products but some prefer to own the expensive version instead of just window shop for them. Why is that? Drugstore vs. High-End products have caused many debates before. Is there a difference other than price between the two?
First, it is crucial to analyze the pros and cons of generic brand drugstore makeup. Primarily, drugstore
makeup is more likely to use cheap products as substitutes for expensive ingredients, such as irritant preservatives- like parabens. Not only are parabens damaging to sensitive skin, but The Dirty Dozen: Parabens – David Suzuki Foundation, has evidence that “… they interfere with hormone function. Parabens can mimic estrogen, the primary female sex hormone. They have been detected in human breast cancer tissues, suggesting a possible association between parabens in cosmetics and cancer.” Not only this, but parabens have been found to increase skin aging due to its reactivity with chemical compounds found on skin. However, drugstore products are much cheaper and accessible than higher end makeup brands and stores. According to Nicole Spector, the average drugstore makeup product cost around “$9-$13, while high end makeup product prices often vary around the $30-$60 mark.”
Additionally you can examine the positive and negative contributions of high-end name brand makeup
products. Higher end products are often of better quality. As stated by Jenny Lelwica Buttaccio, “…high-end products, like MAC or Bobbi Brown, often have premium formulations, higher quality ingredients, more pigment, and include more costly technologies in the creation of those products.” All of these factors combined create makeup that is more likely to be hypoallergenic, better suited for sensitive or aging skin, easier to apply, longer lasting, and more pigmented compared to its drugstore counterparts. On the other hand, high end products are not as accessible as drugstore makeup. Drugstore makeup can be found in almost every grocery store, including Walmart, Publix, and Costco, as well as actual drug stores like CVS and Walgreens. These stores are often found near suburban and urban areas. Higher quality makeup however, is primarily found in beauty stores in malls and plazas, which are typically found in larger metropolitan areas..
Many of your favorite high-end products are owned by the same companies that create drugstore brands. For example, YSL and L’Oréal are owned by the same company. A L’Oréal lipgloss may cost $10 while a YSL lipgloss can range from $20-$40. Many of these products have extremely similar formulas. This would be called a dupe. Dupes are very similar products with minor differences such as packaging, consistency, and texture. A popular example of a dupe is the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter and the e.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Filter. These products are almost identical with the main difference being the price. Charlotte Tilbury’s product goes for $46 while e.l.f’s product goes for a mere $14.
It may appear that the main difference between drugstore makeup and high- end beauty supplies is trivial and based primarily on price. This is misleading because the makeup you buy can affect not only your finances, but also your health and skin. It’s important to weigh the pros and cons of each price range, and analyze which makeup works best for the look you want to achieve. The next time you go shopping for beauty supplies, consider the varying elements of different makeup supplies and the affect they have on you.
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