Some time a couple of weeks ago, I was looking up the price of Hydraluron serum and I noticed that it was now RM109 as opposed to RM80 back in December 2013 when I first used it. Now, I am quite aware that a price increase over time is inevitable, and in the big scheme of things, considering the price of skincare these days, RM109 is still fairly affordable. But at a RM29 price hike, that is an over 36% increase, not including the 6% GST (Goods and Services Tax) to be levied.
It’s not just Hydraluron that’s gone up in price. Since I started this blogging lark, a lot of prices of beauty products have slowly creeped up over the years and what was expensive back then is astronomical now, and what was “quite expensive” then would be considered “luxurious” now.
And I just wondered how it has affected you, as the consumer? Have you noticed this slow creep of upward prices and does it influence your beauty spending?
I’ve actually cut back a lot on my beauty spending since the year began. Not so much because of the impending imposition of GST here, but mostly because I felt that I was drowning in too much. Yes, apparently there can be too much of a good thing! LOL! 😀
For me however, it was more of a quantity rather than price issue, because I noticed that for the past 2 years, I do most of my beauty spending online. Sometimes, it’s not because they are always cheaper, or because I’m unsupportive of local economy, it was because I just did not have the time to go out to the malls and trawl the counters. There are not many local online etailers that are reputable nor carry the items I want, much to my surprise.
But it hasn’t stopped me noticing the upward trend of prices of makeup and skincare products globally. These days, I’d be hard-pressed to find a good facial moisturiser for under RM100 or a good antiaging serum for under RM200. Yes, I can go to the pharmacy (drugstore) but my skin doesn’t take kindly to pharmacy brand skincare. If you can handle it, kudos! I place great emphasis on skincare so I splurge and it’s actually getting harder to justify that splurge.
When it comes to makeup, I’ve noticed that most department store lipstick now cost upwards of RM100, when previously I could pick one up for less than that. Eyeshadow palettes now inch towards and surpass the RM200 mark and you can barely find anything to buy under RM100 at luxury brands like Dior and Chanel and Guerlain. Estee Lauder lipsticks used to be RM80 just a year ago and the new ones will be RM102 soon. Luxury brands like SK-II, La Mer and Cle de Peau, which belong in their own stratosphere, too have gone up significantly in price over the years.
Even at the pharmacy, prices have gone up. 7 years ago, I wrote a post about buying a whole face of makeup for RM200 or less. Today, I’d be hard-pressed to repeat this feat unless I go for brands like Essence or Catrice; not awful brands by any stretch of imagination, but they’re not the more established L’Oreal or Maybelline or Bourjois. Maybe I should repeat this experiment just for larks eh? 😀
This is just a cross-section of the price increases I’ve been noticing over the years. As I said, rising prices are inevitable. Cost of ingredients go up, so does marketing and advertising costs and in the case of luxury brands, the need to retain the image of luxury; hence the astronomical prices. But for the consumer, it does impact our beauty budgets, because income levels rarely go up as quickly as prices.
I like my luxury but I sometimes feel it’s all too much. So I’ve actually consciously cut back. Part of the reason as I’ve said, is the quantity. The other part is because I can’t bring myself to pay some of the asking prices anymore. Well, not for a mere “I’ll just test this new lipstick/ eyeshadow/blush etc for the blog in 5 different colours” If I have the opportunity to try it, great. If I don’t, c’est la vie.
Also, when an eyeshadow palette now costs RM200 I think “It better be worth RM200 because I could buy a month’s fresh groceries with that money!” Well, ok maybe not a month – groceries have gone up in price too!
Perhaps my priorities are changing, or I’m just getting more discerning, or perhaps also a little jaded. I know it’s awkward for me to say so, especially because I’m holding myself out as a beauty blogger with a “duty” to share my thoughts on new products, but that’s the truth. Rising prices of beauty products do impact my beauty spending habits and I’d like to think, in a good way, for I no longer spend willy nilly but am more discerning and picky about my beauty buys 🙂
Are you affected by the rising prices of beauty products? Are you cutting or controlling your beauty spending?
I’m curious, because as in my Hydraluron example above, we’re talking a 36% increase in price. RM80 was a reasonable price to pay and while RM109 isn’t exactly unreasonable, RM29 does make a significant dent in the wallet. It means RM29 you have to divert away from buying something else, and while again, it’s not that much in the big scheme of things, it’s still money that’s hard-earned. So, how are you managing your beauty spending amidst rising prices?
Paris B
I’ve been consciously making an effort to spend less. I will still spend on skincare that works for me but I’ve cut down on buying makeup and i don’t chase after limited edition items. I still have a weak spot for base products though and I keep an extremely long makeup wishlist. I don’t know, I may never buy everything on my list but I enjoy looking at my list now and then and crossing an item off if I eventually do splurge.
One of my favourite budget products is Innisfree’s sunscreen. My daily sunscreen is the water based eco safety daily sunblock SPF 35 PA++. I think it’s something like 10SGD at Changi Airport and about 60HKD in Hong Kong retail stores for 50mL. I have another innisfree SPF 50+ PA+++ that I use when I know I’ll be under the sun for prolonged periods and it’s only a few dollars more. To me sunscreen is something that I use up quickly and you can’t skimp on the amount so that’s an area I try to save on.
It’s amusing that so many of us feel that way about makeup and limited edition items. I’d like to think we are growing up hehe… Or rather, more careful where our money goes. Ooh I haven’t tried Innisfree sunscreen but it’s good to know that it works so well and is so affordable! If I come across a counter/store I will take a look 🙂
I’ve been buying a lot less for a while now, but it’s because I have a huge collection already. And most of that stuff has barely been touched. So, now I try to buy only what I need or know I’ll use regularly, so it doesn’t go to waste. But prices in Italy have skyrocketed in these past few years. Even drugstore brands that used to be really cheap are now quite pricey. *sighs*
Sounds like me Gio – I too have a stockpile of product I’m working through, accumulated over the years. Quite scary when you come to think of it right? And prices are going up in Italy too? Gosh… it looks like it’s a worldwide problem!
I’ve been making a conscious effort to buy less makeup / skincare and use it all before replacing it and look out for offers / promotions. Makeup is getting very pricey – £35 for a lippie?! Don’t think so!
Yeouch! Yes I paid that for a Tom Ford lipstick through a friend, and while I don’t regret it coz it’s really pretty, I don’t think I’d be able to pay it again >.<
My new years resolution this year is to be more thrifty! So I’m making a conscious effort to cut down on unnecessary spending. So far, I have enough stuff to last me ages! I am using everything until it is really empty! Then if I do need something, I weigh out the pros and cons of the purchase. I’ve managed to talk myself out of a lot of things that I don’t need.
Here’s hoping you keep to your resolution, Su 🙂 I too am more consistent in finishing up my skincare before opening up another. Well, if I like it that is. If I dislike the product, I tend to move on quite quickly 😛
I’ve been buying much lesser for the past two-three years. Instead of getting all excited about new launches like in the past, I go through my choices more thoroughly and pick out the ones that I truly enjoy and love. And getting to rediscover my older buys and appreciating them , loving them more too. Win win situation thanks to the rising prices.
🙂
Yes! I’m also rediscovering old loves and stuff I have from ages ago. Often, new collections or limited edition items are a rehash of something they’ve already released previously or similar, so that’s how I talk myself out of it. That said, disliking something helps too e.g. the Summer Tie Dye collection from Dior. I dislike it so much that no amount of online raves will make me get it 😛
I did not really notice the upward trends. Have been getting my beauty stuff mostly from airport/DFS. Yes, I’ll stock up whenever I travel.
DFS is a wonderful place to be in haha! But everytime I’m there I get so overwhelmed I end up not buying anything! Tsk 😛
I wanted to do some makeup shopping, Miss P. I ended up putting it back at the shelf.. So i guess i just look see and weep..
I know right? Now to wait for Sephora’s 20% off sales I suppose 😉
Naturally, I made a pre-GST dash for my tried & true skincare items in bulk sizes where possible because well, skincare is worth it even if my next credit card statement might convince me otherwise.
Makeup…I have lots to work through so I wisely held back despite the thought of having to pay more in future. It’s all inevitable yes, but I do think I’ve finally arrived at a point where I have to be more financially responsible in light of rising costs all around.
Indeed, the generally upward prices of all things combined with the devastating finality of an official *gasp* GST in this country has been a wake up call for me to delve deeper into my stash. So yes, I’m finally ready to crack open my beloveds and start using all the lovely beauty products I have been hoarding instead of using. Finally!
And will I change my spending habits in general? Absolutely! Gone are the days of careless abandon lol I’ll be a penny-pinching misery guts from now on 😛
I have a friend who uses La Mer. Imagine the dent in her wallet! LOL But looking at the post-GST prices, it was worth it. I didn’t do any stocking up though. I realised that the only product I’d be really particular about using back the same item would be my sunscreen. For everything else, I keep looking around to try different things so I didn’t want to bog myself down 😀 But for makeup, I’ve been playing around in my stash and rediscovering old loves. It’s wonderful! It’s like having a store right at home LOL 😀
The rising prices are some how mind boggling. For an example I bought the microdelivery peel set from philosophy at Sephora for RM240 in early 2014. Fast forward to Dec 2014, it’s RM260. And just last week it’s RM285! Eeek! That’s almost 20% increment without any change to the formulation. What gives?
wow! In part, the rise in prices for us anyway, have been due to the exchange rates. This is especially for imported products, because our RM is really not doing very well 🙁 But otherwise, I can’t imagine a 20% increase in a product in just a year!
I’m getting married this year and the sudden surge in prices, is really hitting me right now:/
But… Once I fill my stock and pay my makeup artist, I won’t be spilling much on makeup after that. And that’s a promise I made to myself 😉
On a more serious note, I guess it’s a blessing in disguise since I focus on finishing products now instead of getting more shades only. I also feel there is still a certain number of brands that are a good cheap alternative for some products that I buy and want to keep using in future. Rimmel is a brand that’s been my saviour in the blush and foundation departments. And a few others that I can’t seem to recall for now but you get my point 🙂
Ooh congratulations! But weddings are expensive affairs to start with – good luck! 😀 I know what you mean about trying to finish something before buying. I can’t do that with makeup unfortunately (don’t use them enough LOL!) but with skincare I’m doing this. Unless it really sucks, I’ll use up the product before I move on. So, it’s probably a good thing I’ve had to cut back on my blogging coz I’d have nothing to blog about otherwise LOL 😀 Some drugstore products are good, I won’t deny that. Rimmel have pulled out of here (again!) but yes, they do have some nice products
Oh and in my country, they increased the GST to 17% on all imported items.
So yeah… I’m doomed. -_-
OUCH! And here I am complaining about a measly 6% 😛
Well… Aussie prices are already at Whoa! levels and we’re not enjoying the great exchange rates that made Sephora US hauls so economical any more. Plus Strawberry Net is now nearly equal to Aussie retail (and charging for shipping!), so yeah, I’m cutting back. While I used to buy things sight unseen online, I don’t anymore. I tend to research my products a lot more (which is where MWS is so useful!) and try and then go away to think before purchasing.
I wanted the new Shu palette that’s all browns, but I think it retails at over $200 AUD here…I have the Naked palettes, I’ll survive happily with those!
Oh boy, tell me about Aussie prices! I swear they floor me everytime! Eh I have noticed that Strawberrynet isn’t offering such great deals anymore and I thought I was the only one who spotted it! It’s interesting right? They used to be a great source of beauty product shopping but I haven’t bought anything for months (quite a feat for me!) I remember seeing that Shu palette you mentioned and it seems to be quite popular, but a lot of them are comped, so yeah, a bit biased methinks. I used to love Shu Uemura shadows, but then they changed their formula, which I felt to be a bit more “korean style” and that put me off so I no longer look at Shu for makeup!
This is a great topic- I definitely have become much more careful with which make up and skin care products I do purchase in the past year. That is actually how I happened to stumble upon your blogsite while researching products! I definitely appreciate that you have given honest feedback on items that I may want to purchase, thanks so much! 🙂
Hi Ruth, thanks for sharing your thoughts and I’m glad you stumbled on my blog! 😀 Hope you’re enjoying your visits and yes, definitely do your research and don’t fall for every new shiny thing out there 😉
I seem to spend a lot, but I am good at justifying it. 😉
Whenever possible, I like getting a multifunctional product. Blushes are a great example – nowadays you can get one that includes several shades for the same price as one (think Givenchy, but there are so many). Of course, there is less grams of each shade, but I am yet to finish up a blush in my life, so even if I do, it will feel like I got my money’s worth. (Better yet, find a palette with it!)
With skincare, if it’s something I really want, I usually can find it somewhere in a set or with free travel-sized samples. Or at least with a nice beach bag thrown in. This way the price for a single item goes down.
My most expensive purchases are carefully planned, usually involving duty-free shops, loyalty points, gift cards, discount coupons or cashback.
But even if I reach a point in my life when money is no object to my beauty spending, I would not want to become wasteful. Being ripped off is so not pretty.
Good point about getting multi-tasking products Satsuki 🙂 It sounds like you’ve got your shopping habits carefully thought out – that’s impressive! 😀
one of my mental resolutions this year is to cut budgets for skincare/make up.. since it is the area where our money, women are tied to; P
and so far I’m sticking to it, hoping it will last.
Good Luck to us!
Good job Eniz 🙂 I have cut back as well, preferring to be a little more selective.