Makeup: Department Store vs Drug Store

Many women have searched high and low for the perfect brand of makeup. It's probably safe to assume that most women have tried both, department store and drug store brands. Some women will swear that department store brands are far better than drug store brands, and some women will swear that there are some drug store brands that are just as good (if not better) than department store brands.

To determine which make-up is better, one must decide what she's looking for in a makeup. One of the top makeup items that women struggle with is foundation, therefore, that is what we'll begin with.

Foundation:
When it comes to foundation, women are usually looking for how well it covers, how well the color matches her natural skintone and how long it lasts. So, which is better? Drug store or Department store brands?

First, lets start with color. If you are someone with a yellow undertone, department store brands may be better for you. Most drug store brand foundations have pink or red undertones and will automatically make your face look too pink or red, which is not a very good look.
Therefore, you may want to get a department store brand that offers foundation with yellow undertones. If you are not sure of your skin's undertone, a sales rep at the department store can help you determine that for free.

Now lets talk about coverage. There are 3 different types of foundation coverages. Light coverage, medium coverage and full coverage. If you are someone who doesn't really have any skin issues or discoloration, then light coverage will work for you. Using a light coverage foundation will just give your skin a more smooth, finished look.

If you are someone who has a little discoloration or a few blemishes here and there, then you would want to use a medium coverage foundation. It will even out your skin tone and will cover small blemishes.

If you are someone who has a lot of blemishes and suffer with breakouts and scars, then you definitely want a full coverage foundation. Full coverage foundation is meant to really cover! It is meant to hide all imperfections and almost mask your face. Light and medium coverage foundations are made to let some of your natural skin show through, but full coverage foundations are made to completely cover without letting any of your natural skin show. One of the biggest problems women have is finding a foundation that covers as much as they need it to without looking like a mask. Usually when a foundation covers very well, it unfortunately looks very cakey and actually looks like you are wearing heavy makeup. That may work well under bright lights (especially on camera), but it doesn't look too flattering in person. Therefore women must decide to either choose a foundation that looks natural but doesn't cover as much as they need, or get the coverage they need but look like they're wearing a mask!

This is certainly a problem seen in both drug store and department store brand foundations. There is no easy answer to which brand is better when it comes to finding proper coverage. It can be a complete hit or complete miss with either. The same complaints come from women who have used only department store brands, women who have used only drug store brands and women who have used both!

Lastly, we'll talk about lasting power. Opinions will differ from person to person, but it's safe to say that there are drug store brands that last longer than some department store brands. This is another tricky one that can go either way. There are some department store brands that are better than some drug store brands and some drug store brands that are better than some department store brands. It really can go either way.

Mascara: There are some great drug store brand mascaras that work equally as well as department store brands. The one thing that usually separates a department store brand from a drug store brand is the way the mascara feels on the lashes. Most (if not all) drug store mascaras make eyelashes feel hard and crunchy. They will certainly make your lashes look fabulous, but most women are scared to touch their lashes! There are some department store brands that will make your lashes feel hard and crunchy as well, but there are also some that will actually allow your lashes to still feel like lashes after the mascara is on.

A big problem women have with a lot of mascaras is flaking and clumping. That problem is repeatedly found in both department store and drug store brands. Usually, the harder the mascara makes your lashes feel, the more clumping and flaking you'll have! So please keep that in mind when selecting mascara.

Everything Else: Now lets talk about eyeshadow, blush, powder, eyeliner, bronzer, lipstick, lipgloss...and everything else!

Everyting else is grouped together because there is no one thing that specifically stands out with most women. The only thing that can be compared between drug store brands and department store brands when it comes to these items, is how smooth they go on and how long they last.

It is probably safe to say that there are many drug store and department store brands that do not last nearly as long as one would hope. Both brands have eyeliner that runs and eyeshadow that creases. In addition all of the makeup mentioned can end up traveling and will ware off. Most drug store and department store brands say waterproof or long lasting, but they really aren't. Of course, there are some brands that do actually last a very long time...but not many. The same applies for lipgloss and lipstick. Some will go on smoothly and will last a long time, and some will be hard to apply or will fade away in an hour!

So which is better you ask, department store brands or drug store brands? Well, to sum it all up, it all depends. It is not accurate to say all department store brands are better than all drug store brands, or say that all drug store brands compare to all department store brands. It completely depends on the brand itself. Whether you get it at a drug store or a department store is hardly the issue.

To find your perfect makeup, you will surely have to investigate and test them out. Another option would be to try private brands of makeup. Meaning you can not get them at a store at all. You either have to order them directly from the company's website or from a distributor.

Examples of these types of brands would be Mally Beauty, Avon, Sacha Cosmetics and Mary Kay, just to name a few. The same rules apply however, test them and investigate them.

Always be sure to read reviews first if you can. Search for reviews on YouTube, makeupalley.com and drugstore.com. You can even go straight to Google or Yahoo, and type in the name of the product to see what the search engine pulls up. Don't assume that any makeup brand is good just because the sales rep or commercial tells you it is.  Also, don't assume that it is good just because it costs a fortune!