It may feel glamorous to buy your makeup from the cosmetics counter at a swanky department store, but the glow will quickly fade when the credit card bill arrives.  The cost of high end designer makeup brands such as Estee Lauder and Lancome can really take a bite out of your budget and it may not be worth the free samples they throw in with your purchase or the glamorous bag you carry out of the store.  The reality is that drugstore makeup can provide many of the same benefits as designer cosmetics if chosen properly.

It might surprise you to learn that drugstore makeup may come off of the same assembly line as the designer makeup lines you buy at cosmetic counters.  Although they may not have the same fancy packaging or a big name on the cover, it may be the same product that’s sold at the cosmetic counter of your local department store.  The key is to learn to recognize a quality cosmetic product, regardless of its packaging.

One of the advantages of buying makeup at the cosmetics counter is the opportunity to try it on before you buy it.  In most cases, you’re not going