It’s one of life’s many dilemmas, is expensive make-up any better than its cheaper counterparts? Carrie-Ann Skinner investigates
Make-up is one of the biggest expenditures for women across the globe. If you’re like me, then you just don’t feel ready to face the world without your war paint on. But the choice available is amazing. There are hundreds of brands to choose from and with beauty experts advising us to replace our make-up every three to six months, it can turn out to be a very costly investment!
Every week a new must-have product is released and almost every magazine on the newsagent’s shelf will be recommending it. After all, if the likes of Kate Moss and Scarlett Johansson can’t live without it, then why should we? However, designer make-up brands don’t come cheap and the high street is constantly bringing out like-for-like products at prices much friendlier to our purses. But do they work as well? Or are they simply a poor imitation? I hit the high street to find out.
Probably the most well known ‘must-have’ beauty product is Yves Saint Laurent’s Touche Éclat. Open any women’s magazine and you are guaranteed to see this light-reflecting concealer heading up a list of beauty products that a girl shouldn’t be without. Available in two shades, the concealer should be dabbed on to the area around the eye and according to YSL will disguise black circles and blemishes. Encased in a beautiful gold tube, the concealer pen screams money but then again, so does its price tag. At £22.50 it doesn’t come cheap, especially when Marks & Spencer offer the similar Autograph Concealer Pen, available in five colours for just £11. However, in my opinion it’s worth the money. The Marks & Spencer version doesn’t feel as lightweight on your skin as Touche Éclat and there isn’t the same visible difference after applying the product. YSL’s Touche Éclat is definitely one product where high street can’t beat the designer brand.
Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream is described by Victoria Beckham as a godsend in her fashion bible, That Extra Half An Inch. Used by many celebrities, the thick, luxurious moisturiser, protects the skin from drying out during flying and is an ideal remedy to bring zest to a face that is drawn and tired from too much partying. But in this case, you could try Neal’s Yard Remedies for an alternative. Organic Wild Rose Beauty Balm deep cleanses and re-nourishes the skin, making it ideal for flying or even to give your skin some recovery after a hard night’s partying. Priced at £22 for 40g, the beautiful smelling balm also comes complete with an organic muslin cloth.
Another of Victoria Beckham’s secret weapons is Lancôme’s Juicy Tube. Available in a host of shades, the designer lip-gloss costs £13.50. However Maybelline‘s Fruit Jelly Lip Gloss is available in ten shades and offers just as good shine and gloss as Juicy Tube. And at £3.99, it’s a fraction of the cost too.
Urban Decay’s Cocktail Flavoured Body Powder Brush is a sparkly powder in a brush. You simply twist the bottom and the powder is dispensed into the brush ready to be dusted over your body. Priced at £20 and available in three colours: white, cream and pink, it smells delicious and creates a fantastic shimmer for any night out. However The Body Shop’s Brilliance Powder, which costs just £14, is a brilliant high-street alternative. The handy pen features a pump action to deliver the powder to the head of the soft fluffy brush, allowing you to shimmer and sparkle your way through any night.
Keira Knightly is just one of the many stars openly proclaiming their love for Benefit’s Benetint, a cheek and lip tint that, according to its manufacturers, creates a water-proof and even kiss-proof healthy flush for cheeks and lips. At £22.50, it’s not cheap, but it does work wonders and a 15ml bottle can last near on a year. No other cosmetic manufacturer offers an equivalent. The nearest comparison comes from The Body Shop again. Its Lip and Cheek Stain is a red gel-like formula. Its stain is little bit deeper and slightly less natural than Benetint and it does take some blending. In my opinion Benetint is worth splashing the cash on.
Professional make-up artists rely on Mac and its Fibre Rich Lash mascara is one of the most widely used products in the industry. It lengthens and fattens short lashes without clumping or spiking and at just £10, it isn’t too pricey either. Boots No 7 Intense Volume Mascara is a very similar equivalent, priced at £9.50. Having used both brands, I’d plump for Mac every time. The formula is smoother and doesn’t clump unlike the No. 7 version and if it’s good enough for professional make-up artists, then it’s certainly good enough for me.
Finally, no polished lady is complete without gorgeous nails. For lasting glamour, Channel Les Vernis Rouge Noir is priced at £12 and offers a stunning deep red colour that has been available for over 20 years. However Bourjois Very Vernis nail enamel in Rouge Venise offers a very similar shade with a price tag of only £4.99, so your digits can dazzle without breaking the bank!
Carrie-Ann Skinner is a freelance journalist and PR executive specialising in fashion, music and property. She can be contacted at carrieannskinner@hotmail.com.
