Why Is Make-Up So Expensive?

@Janey1966 (24170)
Carlisle, England
November 4, 2010 7:18am CST
I can understand the likes of Clinique, Clarins, etc being expensive but Boots No.7 and No.17? They seem to be catching them up in price! The other day I received a £5 off voucher from Boots and I was so annoyed at how expensive ALL the make-up brands were I gave up in the end. Does anyone know why? I reckon there HAS to be some ingredient that goes into ALL make-up that's making it expensive. Question is; what is it?
2 people like this
7 responses
@daiweian06 (1405)
5 Nov 10
Those make-ups are expensive because of the production cost and packaging. Not just that but with a very nice brand. Have you notice that when the brand is popular their getting expensive. Of course, they have to maintain the quality and depend on the demand. Like celebrities the more that you see them in television the more their getting paid. their talent fees are getting bigger.
1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
5 Nov 10
I'd never thought of it like that. It's like the Juicy Tubes from Lancome. I think they were about 7 or £8 when they first came out..they're not far from £15 now. Same size, same product but, due to its success, dearer prices! It works out cheaper if you buy a set of 4 different ones but I can't afford those either, at present.
• United States
4 Nov 10
once a brand starts selling-even if it's only by default of people fleeing the even higher priced brands-the price goes up. that's like buying food in the supermarket-ramen noodles used to be cheap til martha stewart opened her big mouth about using them in dishes.it went from 12 for $1 to one or two for a buck.
1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
4 Nov 10
Yes, you could have a point there. It's like..we'll put the prices up therefore it must be as good as Clinique. In fact, anything by the designer brands lasts absolutely ages and I do try my best to find bargains online. Unfortunately, everything I have bought in the past is now running out. I'm down to the last dregs of my Lancome Juicy Tubes and "alternatives" are crap for the price. In fact, many brands don't have an alternative at all..not even basic lip gloss. Does my head in!!
4 Nov 10
Boots hands those vouchers out pretty much all the time, I've started refusing them because I don't see the point. It's only ever for make-up and my Wife isn't interested in that so it's really pointless, we did give some to a friend who later complained about the prices. I really don't know though. Surely they're not selling many though or the amount they would like to be, as giving out these vouchers makes it seem they struggle.
1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
4 Nov 10
I wonder if they've put the prices up because they know people are going to use the vouchers? I'd not thought of that one. I've not used mine so they've not made any money out of me on this occasion!
@shaggin (71665)
• United States
6 Feb 11
I dont know why it has to be so expensive. I think the more popular a brand becomes they see that people are buying it and know they like it so they slowly increase the prices knowing that people wont want to switch brands. I found this lately even with covergirl. The price of powdered compact went up alot. Used the be the pressed powder compacts were about $3.25 or so now they are around $6. Thats a huge price difference. I am thinking of switching brands of pressed powder because I dont like the huge price increase. I dont see what the need for that was.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
6 Feb 11
I can't understand why the cheaper brands raise their prices either. It happens over here all the time. They must think, "well, the products last a long time therefore the customers won't notice." We DO notice, don't we, especially when it's a huge jump like your Covergirl powder compact. Foundation in general is sooo expensive now. Fortunately, Mum bought me a load of make-up at Christmas including some gorgeous Lancome liquid foundation that makes my skin feel like silk. It's an amazing product (about £22) which, when you think about it..isn't bad considering it is pump action so is impossible to use too much at any one time. That's the only advantage of buying a more expensive brand, they do last ages.
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
6 Nov 10
I think it is the demand for makeup that makes it so expensive. One of the things that has not crashed here is makeup and candy..lol. I am always annoyed at the price of makeup.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
6 Nov 10
Perhaps the ingredients they are putting into the products are becoming scarce? Whatever the reason it is annoying, I agree with you!
@doormouse (4599)
6 Nov 10
make is soo expensive these days,i don't know the answer to your question but all i have to say is EBAY EBAY EBAY,i get all my make up from there,it's not cheap cheap but you will get about £2-£3 off
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
6 Nov 10
I don't use Ebay (but thanks for the suggestion) although I have used a site called Cheap Smells in the past. I'm shocked that the savings aren't that great at the moment. I guess they want to make as much money as possible in the run-up to Christmas. I'm hoping there will be bargains in the New Year because that's usually the time I buy make-up online anyway..with Christmas money off my brother!
@yanyanyow (326)
• Philippines
4 Nov 10
maybe its because of its ingredients but my mom says we just pay because of its brand name
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
4 Nov 10
This is why I'm surprised that Boots own brands are catching up (in price) to the other so-called designer brands. I was shocked to see how much it's all gone up. I don't buy that much make-up each year. I suppose if I did I wouldn't notice the prices going up.