Thursday, June 14, 2012

Apparently, buying "drugstore" cosmetics in a drugstore is gonna cost you!


Ok, so my latest lipstick obsession is L'Oreal Colour Riche in Sea Fleur--it is the PERFECT blue-based magenta and the formula is amazing (non-drying and does NOT feather--YAY). When I find lipstick shades I love, I feel compelled to hoard them get a back-up or 2 in case they are discontinued. My desire to hoard back up Sea Fleur led me to do a google shopping search for the shade and when I did, I noticed the massive price difference between a tube of Colour Riche lipstick depending on where you get it. That prompted me to search a bunch of other products that I have and love just to see the differences in everyday prices store by store. That search prompted me to start a short list of all my favorite cosmetics and their varying prices in 4 of the stores I go to the most--Target, Walgreens, CVS and Walmart. Soooo you wanna see the list? K, here goes:

I originally made up a pretty little chart for this but I'm too stupid to figure out how to get the chart out of my word processing program and into my post (I know, I'm lame--I really have no business trying to run a blog), so I'm just going to show a color-coded list. By the way, I am in no way trying to present this as complete list and I know prices vary by location. I'm just providing it as an example of  the different prices of random products at different places. 


Walmart price = blue
Target price = Red 
Walgreens price = green (get it hehe--yea I'm a raging dork)
CVS = purple

L’oreal Colour Riche lipstick~~~~~~~~~~$5.97~~~~~$5.99~~~~~$9.49~~~~~$8.99

Maybelline Lasting Drama gel liner~~~~~$6.94~~~~~$7.94~~~~~$9.99~~~~~$9.99

Maybelline Falsies mascara~~~~~~~~~~~$5.94~~~~~~$5.04~~~~~$7.49~~~~$7.49

Revlon Lip Butter~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~$6.48~~~~~~$6.49 ~~~~$7.49~~~~$7.49

Sally Hansen Insta-dri polish~~~~~~~~~~$3.58~~~~~~$3.59~~~~~$4.99~~~~$4.99

Maybelline Color Tattoo shadow~~~~~~~~$5.84~~~~~~$5.84~~~~~$6.99~~~~$6.99

L’Oreal  Infallible eyeshadow~~~~~~~~~~$6.97~~~~~~$6.99~~~~~$7.99~~~~$7.99

Covergirl Lashblast 24 hr mascara ~~~~~$7.98~~~~~~$7.94~~~~~~$9.99~~~~$9.99

Almay Clear Complexion Foundation~~~~$11.73~~~~~$11.99~~~~~$13.99~~~$13.99

Garnier Anti-Dark Circle eye roller~~~~~$9.97~~~~~~11.99~~~~~$12.99~~~$12.99

Revlon Colorburst lipgloss~~~~~~~~~~~~$5.94~~~~~~~6.49~~~~~$7.49~~~~~$7.49

Revlon Colorstay foundation~~~~~~~~~~~~$9.98~~~~~~$9.99~~~~$12.99~~~~$13.49

Essie nail polish~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~$7.75~~~~~~$7.79~~~~~$8.00 ~~~~$8.00

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable balmstains~~~n/a (haven’t found these here yet)~~$7.69~~$8.99 ~~~$8.99


Are you as amazed as I am by some of those price differences?? Granted drugstores have frequent BOGO sales and rewards programs and whatnot, but instead of saving you money, it looks like they might just be giving you BACK the money you could have already saved by just buying your makeup at the everyday price with no savings gimmicks at a "big box" store. Use coupons at these stores on top of the lower prices and you'll keep even MORE of your money.

I know I, for one, will be much less likely to go hauling at drugstores from now on...

8 comments:

  1. I agree. Walmart gets a lot of flack and I don't like to shop there til after 9 pm, but the prices speak for themselves. When you're pinching pennies, every penny counts!

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    1. exactly! I know lots of folks who boycott Walmart for various reasons but I'm like "um, I can't afford to boycott it" lol...

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  2. Yep, I noticed this myself, just between Walgreens and Walmart (as I don't have Target or CVS in my city). The downside though, is the that the selection at Walmart here is greatly diminished from that of Walgreens. They don't even carry Essie! :(

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    1. wow no Essie there? My Walmart isn't the greatest but they do have Essie (most of which have been opened and swatched all over the displays though--yuck).

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  3. WOW. Yeah, I think the only time it ever pays off to buy stuff like this at CVS or the like is if you play the "drugstore game" and rake up points. Otherwise Target and Wally World FTW!

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    1. exactly! I am queen of Xtra bucks hoarding lol but with some products--like foundations, some liners and mascaras, the prices are SO much cheaper at Target and Walmart that I only get them there.

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  4. I've always been shocked at the prices at CVS, but wow, to see that Walgreens is just as pricey and the huge variation between them and Walmart is like WOW! Thank you so much for doing this.

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    1. no problem! i always assumed walgreen's was cheaper too...obviously don't think that anymore lol

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