I was watching a video of someone showing some of her pharmacy (drugstore) beauty hauls during a recent sale (I like seeing what people buy). She picked up a cheap powder, that naturally wasn’t as impressive as something more expensive, but said it was OK because it was cheap. As I too am wont to do at a pharmacy sale, I tend to pick up random products that I may or may not have tried before. Quite often, they are below RM50 (US$12 – That’s what I’d consider cheap these days) and I don’t feel too bad about popping them into my basket.
This is the same phenomenon that happens to me when I visit a Daiso. Everything at the local Daiso is RM5.90 and to most people, that’s cheap. So, you pop 10 things into your basket, not realizing until the cashier rings up your purchase, that it’s about RM60 – and suddenly that’s not very cheap at all! LOL
But I have come home with duds from pharmacy sales or from Daiso. I’m sure you have too. That product that you bought, that you thought might work, doesn’t. Or it turns out to be more flimsy than you expected. Or perhaps, it breaks easily. Or in the case of beauty, the colours have poor pay off, or don’t smell nice, or don’t last as long as you expect them to.
Are you more willing to forgive an inexpensive dud?
I was thinking about this recently. When I have an expensive product on hand, I often expect it to be of higher quality. In the case of beauty products, I expect them to be more pigmented, smoother, more vibrant, better constructed. In the case of everything else, I expect them to not fall apart the moment I use them, or at the very least, to last or to be better than something else.
I’ll use eyeliner as an example. I used to enjoy using the Maybelline Hypersharp liquid eyeliner. It was cheap and cheerful, rocking in at just about RM20 and often went on sale. But here’s the rub – it dries out very easily. Often, in less than a month, you’d be hard-pressed to get any colour out of the brush tip.
This was a common complaint I observed. But most people would brush it off, and say “It’s only to be expected. It’s so cheap after all!” We forgive the cheap dud, because it’s cheap and we almost expect it not to work, and are surprised when it does.
Contrast that with an eyeliner like the Chanel Signature liquid eyeliner I showed you last week. I’ve been using it for about a month, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. It’s still as dark and as pigmented as the day I started using it. But it is expensive. So, we expect it to last and be better right? It’s so expensive, it better give me perfect winged liner every time (actually it almost does! LOL! 😀 )
The Maybelline Nude eye palette are on sale now for something like RM35 and truth to tell, they are quite a dud. Pigmentation is poor and colours are chalky. I’ve tested them, and I’m left unimpressed. Yes, I could say “It’s only RM35 for 12 colours. What was I expecting?” But I won’t slam them, because I’d just say “You get what you pay for”
Then, I recently splurged £60 on the Charlotte Tilbury Instant Eye Palette, and have to say I was disappointed. I was quite quick to say so (on Instagram – I’ll have a post to follow soon) not only because it has gotten a lot of hype and traction, it is also expensive. I expect more when I pay more for a product. I am also more harsh if it doesn’t measure up to my expectations, especially when price comes into play.
I’ve noticed that products from the inexpensive skincare brand, The Ordinary gets a lot of love. I personally have found little to love, and I’ve said so. I’ve had many people try to convince me otherwise, because the products are affordable. The odd thing is, I’ve seen some people who believe the same way I do. That the products can be quite ordinary. But they forgive the lack of performance because of the price. “Oh, it’s OK that it doesn’t work – it’s cheap”
I don’t think that’s OK. I think we should be discerning, whether or not the product is expensive or cheap. Ultimately, it is about performance, and that should be judged without taking price into consideration.
Expensive products do come with higher expectations, that much I’d agree. When we are disappointed with the performance, we also come down harder on it, because we feel the pinch on our wallet. We feel less of a pinch when we buy something cheap that doesn’t work, and that makes us more forgiving.
With cheap products, I know I am a little more forgiving if it turns out to be a dud. I personally however, don’t think I should be looking at them this way in terms of sharing my thoughts on it. A dud is a dud, regardless of how much it costs. While it is easy to dismiss it as an inexpensive error of judgement, it is still something that costs money, and tossing it out because it’s a piece of shit is still a waste of money.
What say you? Are you more forgiving when it comes to cheaper products?
However, does it stop me buying cheap products? Well, not really. I love finding a deal as much as the next person, and a cheap product that performs well always makes me happy. But I also feel we should call out inexpensive duds as much as we do expensive duds. A dud is a dud. What say you?
Paris B
Some cheaper products from Maybelline are actually quite good. I love their Loaded Bolds Range and it’s not that overly expensive. Yeah I must admit their Hypersharp Eyeliners are good but dries out fast but I don’t mind cause I have a few other eyeliners on standby when that one fails. For eyeshadows I don’t easily forgive. Even if paying RM35, I expect it to perform. I would rather pay RM35 for a Japanese brand that is super smooth and pigmented (But only 1 colour) than splash that RM35 on 12 colours that does not work properly. 🙂
Thanks for chipping in Choy Peng 🙂 Actually I have nothing against Maybelline. I have a soft spot for their lip products, because as you said, they do tend to be pretty decent and aren’t expensive at all! But are you more forgiving when it’s a cheap product? I guess for eyeshadows, it’s frustrating isn’t it? Because you can apply it and look like crap LOL 😀
The thing about price is that I’m more inclined to research reviews of an expensive product over that of a cheaper item so the chance of the former being a dud is reduced.
And it is true, I find I’m more forgiving of a cheap dud and more likely to wax lyrical if a product in inexpensive but outperforms expectation.
I’m the same in that regard. If we are putting out more money, then we are more likely to think twice or three times before buying. But if it’s cheap, we just say “Oh, I’ll try it and see. If it doesn’t work out, at least it’s cheap” 😀 But these days, even if it’s cheap, like Catrice on 30% off, I still do a quick google in store LOL Times are hard. I’d rather save my money if it’s not something I should splash on, and for that, I really appreciate it when people are honest and critical, even of cheap products (the European bloggers are quite good for this, even if they often blog in a language I can’t read – but thank goodness for Google Translate!)
When I buy something I expect it to do what it says it will do. I also tend to do more research on a pricey item. If it gets a ton of poor reviews, as in the Charlotte Tilbury palatte, I pass. After all money is money.
Hi Jan, I’ve kind of reached that stage now. Yes, a cheap product can be a “throwaway” but at the end of the day, money is money, whether it is RM5 or RM500 and I feel bad when I throw things out, because it means I’m just adding more to the trash. I think getting older is really changing how I think about disposable products and fast fashion 😛 Oh and you’d actually be hard pressed to find many bad reviews on the CT palette – most people love it 😛
I’m guilty. My expectations are lower when it comes to inexpensive products. When a product is expensive, I know I’m paying for the brand name, and with that brand name comes its reputation. I expect it to perform better, to have better ingredients, etc. Not to say inexpensive products are of lower quality, because I have found some really good gems out there, but I am guilty of expecting less of them 😛
I think most of us are guilty 🙂 It’s just a very human reaction, because we subconsciously perceive an inexpensive item to be of lower quality to start. So if it bombs, we aren’t as surprised, as when an expensive product bombs 😀
They take my money, it is unacceptable to sell me a dude. Even a gift with purchase, if it is a bad quality, it frustrates me, I feel cheated.
Well said! Money is money, regardless of whether it is little or a lot!
I somehow expect more from more expensive, I guess – don’t know why, I understand the reasoning behind why not, but somehow I’m willing to let it go if it’s cheaper 😛
I think it’s a very human reaction. We expect cheaper things to be of lower quality and if its expensive, we naturally expect more of it, since we had to pay so much!
I used to feel this way about cheap products, but after a while i realised
-on a cost-per-wear basis, splurging on a high-quality item would have a better value compared to one that would be tossed aside after a few wears due to poor quality/longevity
-cheap eye makeup tends to sting my eyes
-chalky makeup never looks good on anyone
At the end of the day if I don’t wear what I buy it’s still money wasted.
No one is going to know if I wear one palette multiple ways instead of having multiple products that end up lying around unused in a drawer somewhere ?
Having said that, some drugstore products can be gems too if we are willing to put in the research. But i personally draw the line at Daiso ?
You said it Houdini! Years ago, I used to be one of those looking for “dupes” of higher end products. I later learned the hard way, that there is no use looking for a “dupe” if you’re going to spend more money doing that, than just buying that high end product which performs as it should anyway! LOL So yes, I don’t do dupes anymore. I will go to Daiso for many things but never anything that goes on my face. Ever.
I am not forgiving to cheap stuff that doesn’t work as it should. The latest was the Maybelline Color Sensational Powder Mattes Lipstick. It dried up my lips within 10 mins. Not only did I feel uncomfortable, my lips started showing cracks/dried surface. Reapplication to cover the chapped lips wasn’t possible as this lipstick just doesn’t sit on my chapped lips anymore. I thought this is a failed product and shouldn’t have been placed on the shelf. No matter how cheap it was, there should be minimal standard to adhere to. Yes, that’s my thoughts. =)
Thanks for sharing Nicole! I haven’t come across this Maybelline product, but it does sound awful! That said, it is probably catering to the matte lip trend that’s now so popular. And yes, cheap or not, it’s still money wasted if you can’t use a product and end up binning it!
I’m guilty. I tent to forgive it more if the product is of a affordable range ; and my expectations are high if the price is higher.
Take Sisley cleansing milk and Avene as example. If the Rm400 Sisley one felt like Avene, I’ll be furious at Sisley. But because Avene is “only” Rm80 ( I say “only” coz it’s 1/5 of Sisley ), I forgive the less luxurious texture of the milk. But of course Avene has to deliver the Rm80 value la. Btw, Aeon wellness now having promo on the Avene cleansing milk at Rm70.79 till 31/10, the cheapest ever since I start using. Good time to try it.
Hahhaa Thanks for the recommendation Bugs 😀 I missed out on it, but I’ll keep an eye out for any future promotions. I think we are all guilty of cutting cheaper products some slack. But RM80 is still not a small amount of money! I’d expect it to at least perform like a RM80 product should! 😉
I always search for reviews for stuff I am going to buy, cheap or expensive. That is why you are really important to me as you give very valuable reviews. Does not matter if the stuff is cheap or not, I am not as forgiving even if it is cheap. It’s hard earned money. Some inexpensive stuff are better in quality then the expensive ones. The expensive brands merely spent more on marketing, some drugstore brands are better in quality than the expensive ones. What matters is, the product MUST be effective for me, I don’t care if it’s $10 or $100, as along as it works for me.
Thank you Weinie for finding my blog useful 🙂 Whether cheap or expensive, money is money! We want our money’s worth right?
When I first started doing makeup I very much had that attitude “It’s cheap so it’s okay if it isn’t the best!” That was 3 years ago (I’m 18) and nowadays I definitely have a different look on it, I’d just rather pay more to have a beautiful stable makeup product that I can trust to always do me well, and will last as it gets older!
Obviously being a student I don’t have tons of money to toss around hoping for cheaper products to work well for me, I’d rather do quality over quantity and get products that I’ll actually use and love. Cheap makeup like elf and essence simply don’t capture my heart the same way as my first highend lipstick did (shiseido) they might work well and then I’ll use them, but they’ll never give that same sense of satisfaction and like I spent my money well.. plus I’d rather pay extra for pretty and sturdy makeup when it’s gonna be a stable 🙂
You have hit on the secret Anne, quality over quantity! No point running around buying 20 blushes to look for a “dupe” of one high end blush. You spend more money and energy and time and derive less satisfaction. This isn’t to say that everything cheap is bad. There are gems. But often, the search can be more frustrating than just splurging on one more expensive item that you might use everyday and be happy doing so! 🙂
Yeah you often hear people say about a crap product that it’s ok because it’s cheap anyway. I don’t think so. Cheap still carries monetary value, isn’t it?
Firstly, I am not in the business of exploring new products. That task is bestowed upon you, Paris. heh heh heh. So I don’t really need to go and buy a new lipstick just to see if it performs. I have your blog to turn to. 😉 See how I use you? HAHAHAHA
Secondly, I still browse quite a lot of product reviews daily on Bloglovin. So you can get a general feeling of new launches and stuff by various bloggers. If something is so good, you will definitely hear/see a “Rave” in the internet. 😀
That said, even if the product is cheap but useless, I won’t buy it and think that it’s ok if it doesn’t perform. It doesn’t work means it doesn’t work. I really don’t need another crap product in my stash. 😀
LOL! My shoulders carry a heavy load, my friend! 😛 And yes, I agree that a cheap product is still money. Sometimes, I think we should treat all products the same way i.e. judge them on how they perform, then maybe give bonus points for price, rather than just say “Oh, it’s cheap so it’s ok if it’s a little crappy” LOL!
HAHAHAHA that’s right! When you have to throw that crappy product away, you’re really throwing away hard-earned money. UNLESS… it was a gift i.e. the giver has absolutely no idea about the product / has never read any reviews before buying it.
So in effect you can say “Oh, it’s free so it’s ok if it’s crap”! :p
Sometimes, if it’s a gift and it’s kind of crappy I feel bad that my friend had to PAY for that. Sigh…
Oh well… the damage has been done and there’s nothing you could do. hahaha
I agree. A dud is a dud! But I admit I am more vocal about more expensive duds.