Sitting in front of my vanity, I gather the day’s products. I blend my concealer, apply my mascara, and attempt a wing on my eyes, every day better than the one before.
Most mornings, many around the world get up bright and earlier to do their makeup in the morning. Whether this includes a full face or something natural, the majority of people who put on makeup have been influenced by social media and what products are currently popular. Recently, there has been a debate about whether high-end or luxury makeup is worth the money rather than cheaper low-end or drugstore makeup.
Because of paid sponsorships and other things of that sort, we never quite know when the information being given to us on social media is real or whether it will even work for our skin. And though the topic of high vs low-end makeup is important, the idea of people finding where they can find makeup, skincare, etc. that works for them is just as important since it can help all build a personal opinion of which makeup and which products work for you and your skin!
The term dupes has been circulating the internet, commonly used when referring to the difference in price of a similar product that essentially does the same thing. Many of all ages but especially the younger generation are heavily influenced by social media, including myself. However, it can not always be trusted.
As a high school student, I generally always look for the duped version of a product; however, this is mainly for the price, which I think is something that many children of my age can relate to.
However, when I spoke with Angie Parker, a world-renowned makeup artist, she mentioned that “cheaper is generally worse for the skin yet it depends on the product and it depends on how they perform.”
She believes that though a product has the possibility to work the same, the wear (how long the product stays and can be worn) and the ingredients are what really matter. For example, she brought up Dior and Chanel, and said, “Though they work well and are aesthetically nice, they’re not the cleanest makeup.”
Many don’t realize that the skin is the largest organ of the body, so it’s important to take care of it. When makeup is not clean, it can cause damage. “Everything that you put onto your skin goes into your body,” Parker states.
“I also believe that it depends on age, a person of an older age might be willing to invest more money into makeup, rather than a teenager or younger person who normally just looks for the product with the lowest price,” Angie says
Because Angie is a makeup artist, I know that she will have more of a professional opinion, which is most likely not the case with most who wear makeup on a daily basis.
I spoke as well with my mother, Eva Ruiz. Eva does her makeup every morning, and when she runs out of a product, she restocks or finds a new one that will accommodate for the product finished. When buying makeup, she said, ““I think it is important to weigh all the factors. If you can find a similar product in a drugstore for less money that you could buy for much much more, then I always prefer to save money. Now if buying a cheaper product means that the quality is compromised, then I would prefer to splurge. The truth is that if an item is expensive, then I will often opt not to buy it.”
However, when I asked a fellow 9th grader (they prefer to remain anonymous) they said that they generally prefer “Cheap because it is easier to buy and find and usually makeup gets really expensive and isn’t good/pigmented. It may look prettier when shown on many influencers who say it’s a “must buy” but sometimes it doesn’t fit a darker skin shade or even show up at all, while drugstore makeup can actually be really good. For me, I trust the dark-skinned influencers more because they share a skin tone with me and help me find cheap makeup that will actually show and make me look good.”
This perfectly aligns with the idea that Angie said previously. However, this also aligns with the idea that people of a younger generation are heavily fed with the idea that is given by influencers on social media.
I do believe that social media is an important factor in the beauty and makeup industry. It has become too involved in the decisions of the products people use and purchase. Speaking from personal experience when I enter a Sephora or any store that carries makeup, I am definitely interested in the makeup that has been popular on the internet, even the cheaper makeup.
This is not always a bad thing. Although the makeup has the possibility to not work on your skin, in a drugstore where they don’t let you test the makeup, it is important to go in not completely unaware of what you should purchase. And in the case that the product doesn’t work, it’s not as harmful to your bank account as purchasing a product from Sephora or Ulta Beauty.
However, in stores that carry higher-end products, it is not always the best idea to be entirely influenced by social media. The key to finding products that work for you is trying them on in-store. Testing how they wear and how they look and sit on your skin.
For example, a product that was very popular on the internet was the “too-faced lip injection” lip gloss. When I saw it in stock with my friend, we decided to try it. However, when we did, big red spots appeared all over her face. This is why all products, no matter how popular they get, are going to work on all skin types and people.
If the only option when buying makeup online is to use online research, it is important to find a source that has either worked for you in the past or has a similar skin type as you, whether that source is an influencer or a writer. It is equally important to make sure that their information will work for you. Though many factors play into the makeup you purchase, I believe it is essential to factor in skin types and tones to find the makeup perfect for you!
