November 21, 2017

I Paid $16.10 For A Maybelline Eyeshadow Palette

It continues to become abundantly clear that the cost of drugstore cosmetics has risen considerably over the last ten years. The fact has never been clearer for me than after I walked out of an Ulta recently with a receipt held in my hand for a Maybelline Eyeshadow Palette that I paid $16.10 for.

There’s a certain embarrassment that comes from spend nearly twenty bucks on a very small eyeshadow palette from a drugstore brand. You’ll find yourself thinking about how you could have went to Sephora and probably gotten a better deal on some mid-range brand. And right now, with a plentiful round of gift sets available you can get quite a good deal of bang for your buck at Sephora.

Yet here I am the proud of owner of a Maybelline Eyeshadow Palette that cost me $16.10.

As you know already Maybelline recently introduced a range of City Palettes which contain six eyeshadow shades. Fast forward several months and Maybelline collaborated with Gigi Hadid to create an entire color collection that also happened to include some City Palettes which also contain six eyeshadow shades. Now to the City Palette range is already pretty expensive at ten bucks a pop but bring Gigi into the mix and Maybelline tacked on an extra five bucks for her eyeshadow palettes.

To add insult to injury when I tried using a coupon at Ulta for $3.50 off I quickly realized I couldn’t because the palette was $14.99 and to get the $3.50 off I had to spend $15. Good grief.

As we headed into 2018 I think you’re going to see drugstore prices righting a few more dollars. Physicians Formula has already hit mid-range pricing and Maybelline and L’Oreal are right on the heels of doing so themselves. Quality has improved dramatically on drugstore makeup but you may question whether you really want to buy that $16 drugstore eyeshadow palette or just throw your hands up and head to your local MAC or Sephora store instead.

What do you think of drugstore pricing lately?

Has it gone too far?

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  • Krystle

    Price increases are only acceptable if the quality increases alongside it. With my most recent experiences with Maybelline to go by, Maybelline has no right to expecting more money for their products.

  • kimkats

    the rising prices of drugstore MU makes me veer toward non-drugstore MU. I remember (now, granted it’s been a long time ago) that I *had* to spend $14 on a Lancome mascara, and was outraged!! You don’t have to work hard to do that for drugstore now. I have gotten much more particular about DS makeup since they keep jacking the prices without doing diddly about the quality. I’m with Krystle above – unless the quality goes up along with the price, I’m not buying, and Maybelline has no right to expect more $$ for their crap. There’s very very little maybelline that I use/like, and that’s fine by me, given the $$s anymore.

  • Andrea

    They will charge that if people pay it. You should have thrown in a $4.00 chap stick or something, used your coupon and got it for free. Just sayin’

  • Christina D.

    The prices across the spectrum of cosmetics have become truly ridiculous. I’m not sure what the rationale might be, but if the quality isn’t there — and it sure isn’t with Maybelline IMO — there is no justification.

    Maybe manufacturers are seeing prestige brand prices going through the stratosphere (i.e. my aforementioned purchases of Natasha Denona, Pat McGrath, and Viseart) and rationalizing the jump in drugstore as still being more affordable to most folks. Yes, it is crazy that I’ve paid upwards of $100 for an eyeshadow palette even if it is a high quality product, but I guess it’s sending a signal that consumers are willing to shell out beaucoup bucks relative to their budgets.

    • Isabella Muse

      I think the FOMO mad frenzy that’s created online also contributes to sales!

  • Janie

    It’s sad that the bigger DS companies (Maybelline and L’Oreal in particular), which are both owned by the same giant company that make the more expensive brands, are starting to abandon the budget-minded makeup shopper. We all know that for the most part, we’re paying for a brand name or better packaging with more expensive makeup – Wet ‘n Wild, Milani, and ELF have proven you can make good quality stuff and not charge an arm and a leg. Not everyone has a credit card to shop the online brands like BH Cosmetics, Morphe, or Colourpop, and sometimes the shipping brings the cost right back up to a higher price.

    Hopefully new brands will slowly get introduced to fill the gap – major drug retailers won’t stock what doesn’t sell so if the bigs get too expensive, they may not be able to throw their weight around like they used to. Plus, DS will have to start putting the more expensive stuff under lock and key, which makes displaying the stuff more expensive and a pain in the a** too. It’s a big gamble – it will be interesting to see what happens!

  • kjh

    This is interesting. We old folks would note that the ds products have improved in leaps and bounds, say over ds vs dept store in the 70s or 80s. In the 60s, you bought revlon blush on, bec it was the only powder cheek product. The rest was pot rouge. But, to charge prices that approximate midrange, like Nyx is doing now, means you need to have a midrange performing product. Most of the Gigi collab has not been well received. Product ‘values’ and size have been the biggest complaint. When you are quoted $500 and refuse a non-covered script and can feed a family of four at Mickey D’s for $50, you get a tad of perspective. Everything is out of control on price. I think it is a trend, and that most ds will increase. Then the lower mids, and midrange will kick it up a notch. The HE, UHE will never surprise us. Stratosphere seldom does. The new TF hybrid glosses are double what a Nars VLGs are! But I agree, there should be some value added for the increase in price….and it isn’t a celeb endorsement, either.

    • Magenta Wilde

      I have to agree with kjh about quality improving, at least for the most part, with ds cosmetics. I was in junior high and high school in the 1980s and the quality is a lot better these days. I remember brands like Wet n Wild being practically throwaways, and now you can find a lot of good, affordable stuff in drugstores. (Jordana and Wet n Wild are two that come to mind.) Maybelline, though, seems to have climbed significantly in price in the last couple years, but I don’t think it’s improved the quality of its products. The only places where their makeup seems to garner raves is in magazines or via some bloggers, and it’s pretty obvious they’ve received freebies. Everyone else seems to be responding with a “and this costs how much?” and “the quality isn’t there.” With Sephora, Ulta and other companies rolling out holiday deals, you can actually get high-end for drugstore prices. (Just about…)

    • Eraser

      Ah, I’m not the only “woman of a certain age” here… Yes, there was a big difference in quality between the stuff you got at drugstores or 5 & 10s ( for you youngsters, the precursors to the big box stores) and department stores. I know I’ve said this before, but you really did have to go to a department store to buy Revlon and L’Oréal! Also, there were so fewer brands at any price point than there are now. I’m on the verge of trying Beauty Pie, one of those transparent-pricing online shops that supposedly gets their products from the same factories as the high-end/designer brands.

  • Sammy

    I just find most (not all) drugstore makeup, especially eyeshadow palettes, to be of poor/mediocre quality. Especially Maybelline and Covergirl, which may make some decent mascara’s but that’s about it imo. The prices have really jacked up lately, but again not the level of quality to justify the price increase.

  • SuzanneS

    Ive skipped drugstore and gone more to MAC this year. I feel they offer a better product at a similar price point or a little more. Its ridiculous. Im not going to support DS like I once did. Elf, Milani , NYX are still in rotation because theyve been reasonable but Maybelline, Revlon and Loreal? No.

  • Susan

    I agree that most drugstore makeup (DM) is better in quality than it was in the ’70s, which is the earliest I ever bought any. Most, but not all. How I miss some of the old Yardley and Coty products! They had some really good stuff, especially the Yardley lipsticks and glosses.

    I don’t think Maybelline has improved enough to warrant some of their current prices. There are other cheaper DM companies at the same or better quality. Muse, have you tried any of the new Profusion brand things at Target? I almost got an eye & cheek palette there the other day but wanted to think about it first.

    • Eraser

      Gosh, I loved Yardley Pot o’Gloss! I swear that if Yardley brought back its cosmetic line, it would sell like hotcakes.

  • Angela Pinkerton

    I’m hoping though along with this trend that maybe we’ll see some new in expensive Brands hit the drugstore. If the prices keep going up one ould hope that a cheaper brand would take their place

  • MM

    Honestly if the quality was going up that would be one thing but both drugstore and high end brands alike have been having hits and misses lately. It’s like what someone above said: they’ll keep raising the prices if we keep forking over our cash, the only way to keep prices low is to show companies that customers won’t pay for their products at that price point especially when the quality is not always guaranteed.

  • TropicalChrome

    Nope. Just nope. At that price, I can throw in another $4 and get a $20 steal from any number of higher or midrange brands, I can test it out first, and I’ll probably like it a lot better. I agree the quality has gotten better, but it’s not THAT much better.

    I was in Walgreens the other night for a non-makeup purpose, and as I wandered through the beauty department, I realized it had been months since I’d shopped there (or any other drugstore) for makeup.

  • Beautywithmadeleinelucy

    When I see this I can see how it is annoying that prices are increasing but aren’t better quality in price, but as someone from Australia that is price gouged all the time with drugstore brands (eg elf, Revlon charge 200% more than us prices for no reason really). It’s something that you get used too, but I’m still not happy about it.

  • Kelly

    I refuse to buy drugstore makeup because I can’t try before I buy and the prices don’t justify the leap of faith. Sure, Ulta will let me return it, but that means an extra trip and wasted time. So I just bypass and go with what I know works. I do buy Nyx eyeliner though because it’s so great. The Gigi palettes looked pretty, but Maybelline just went too high with the prices for what you get.
    I can’t wait to read your review on the palette!!!

  • Chris

    I only visit the drugstore when CVS has a buy one get 2nd item for 50% off on L’Oreal products. Buying the brow pencils with the spoolie on one end makes it worth the trip. Add a coupon or 2, maybe some Extra Bucks and it drops the price even more!

    I do agree that drugstore pricing is starting to get out of hand. Having grown up in the 60’s/70’s there weren’t that many cosmetic companies around. I remember buying Maybelline products & then eventually Almay & Covergirl products. Now when you walk into a drugstore “�1/3 of the store is devoted to cosmetics!

  • Kate

    Around here I wouldn’t buy DS anywhere but Harmon Discount which offers a significant discount and 20%, but recently the selection is not as varied as it used to be.

    Muse are you going to give us a review of that GiGi palette soon, ☺

    • Isabella Muse

      I typically rely on Harmons too since they have great palettes. I reviewed it a few weeks ago already!

  • Silvia

    Either Maybelline or Revlon I can find much that u like from them. Maybelline their mascaras are decent but now Essence Princess have kiked them to the curve. I rather expend more on Nyx they are pretty good but a $30.00 eyeshadow palette? I think they have list their mind. I will still be loyal to WetnWild they continuously make great products I think they really do beaf the entire DS variety.
    I noticed at Target they are still selling Revlon palettes the berrie ones and forgot tge other ones name but they are available at Big Lots for so much cheaper! I still did not fall for it just don’t like the quality. Huh! Is insane! $$$

  • Gisela

    I just noticed the other day that the collection has arrived in Sweden. My issue with that? Well, a good example is the Jetsetter palette. Price I found is put at 549 SEK (about 66 USD!!). I almost fainted seeing that price tag. They can’t be serious!

  • Agona

    Consumers can speak with their wallets. If the quality isn’t there, then def don’t purchase or at least return it so companies realize that higher prices need to correlate with higher quality. I set a personal limit of $50 for palettes because I have so much makeup, I can’t justify to myself spending anymore based on my rotation of use.

  • Randi MacDonald

    FYI< I always throw a nail file( for 1.00) in to get 3.50 off. I'm amazed at your tax. Ours is 10%

  • genevieve

    Revlon is the one DS that is SO, SO overpriced here in Aus – their Colourstay foundation retails for nearly $40…that’s right.
    Our budget beauty prices are about the same as your mid level ones, except on deals.