If you’re like me, you can’t go past the cosmetics aisle in the drugstore without picking up a little something. A nail polish… a lipstick…

But if you visit the drugstore frequently, those little impulse purchases add up and put a dent in your wallet. It’s even worse if you frequent department or specialty store counters. So, which is better? Drugstore cosmetics or department store cosmetics? Is there any difference, really?

I took a Fashion Merchandising course at a business college after I graduated high school, and in the Marketing class we learned a lot about packaging and product ingredients and how sometimes, where cosmetics are concerned, the packaging can cost MORE than the ingredients. How a product is marketed has a lot to do with whether or not we’ll buy it. If you walked into a store having never used a particular product, the color or design of the packaging would have a lot to do with your choice of what to purchase. So, how do you choose? You have to look past the attractive packaging and start looking at ingredients.

Let’s use makeup foundation as an example. You saw a commercial on TV and want to try a specific foundation. It’s important to read the ingredients, as a lot of products have “fillers” or preservatives that have nothing to do with how the foundation looks on your skin. These foundations may be less expensive than going to Ulta, Sephora, or your favorite department store. But one thing to remember about buying cosmetics in a drugstore is that the lighting is quite different in the store, and when you get your makeup home and try it, it looks completely different. You also can’t try anything before buying because there are no testers, so you take a chance at buying a color that won’t look right.

The nice thing about going to a specialty store is that there are testers and there are also makeup artists who can give you a consultation (usually free the first time) so you can try before you buy. And it’s easier to exchange or return something a product when you have a person who is knowledgeable about the line. It can get frustrating to keep returning makeup at a drugstore when choosing a shade is like a shot in the dark.

Another thing to consider is that, according to Reddit.com, cheaper makeup is “made to look like it is high in pigment in the package, but the filler content is very high”, meaning that you have to use more of the product to get the same coverage than you would with more expensive brands. In reality, you may end up spending the same because you will be buying the cheaper brand more frequently.

So, for something like foundation, I would stay away from drugstores.

Eye shadow palettes are another splurge item. All those gorgeous colors that you can mix-and-match! They’re especially nice for traveling – everything all in one place. But we all know the difference of an eye shadow that glides on smoothly vs. one that is chalky and dry.

It is also deceiving because when you buy a palette, you are buying a smaller amount of product for each color, as opposed to buying a single shadow that you might use all the time. I can’t tell you how many shadow palettes I have where I favored a few colors and ran out of those quickly, only to be left with those I wouldn’t use. You might be better off finding a single shadow in a similar shade to one you love in a palette. Also, I’ll mention the drugstore lighting again in terms of making the product appear different in the package than it actually is.

As we get older, shimmery, frosted eye shadows are not flattering due to the crepiness of our eyelids; matte finishes are much better. I have bought eye shadow palettes multiple times when the majority of the colors looked to have a matte finish, but when I got home, they were not as represented. More wasted money for product I wouldn’t use.

A better option would be a higher-end option, such as Urban Decay’s Naked 3 or Ultimate Basics Palettes, the latter of which are all matte shades. The shades are more pigmented and buttery smooth. If you just can’t splurge on the more expensive option, be sure to use a good eye shadow primer before applying the shadow; it will give the shadow a bit more pigment.

The same principals apply to lipstick, so I would say that your makeup concealer, primer, and foundation are better purchased from a higher-priced brand. You can get by with less expensive lipsticks, eye shadow, blusher and mascara if you follow some of my previous suggestions or unless your skin is sensitive – you might fare better, then, with a higher-end product with better ingredients.

Interestingly enough, many cosmetic companies own multiple brands to appeal to the most buyers. For example, L’Oréal owns Garnier, NYX, and Essie but also owns more high-end brands such as Lancôme, Urban Decay, and YSL. So if you really love that Lancôme mascara but don’t want to spend that much on something that you should be throwing away every six months anyway, you may be able to find a similar product in one of the budget-conscious L’Oréal-owned products.

As always, prior to applying your makeup you should be sure to have a cleansed face.

Here’s to a beautiful you! Happy Shopping!