Fanatic Feedback – Are We Spoiled?
OK so we’ve discussed pricing before and it seems that most of you don’t want to spend over $10 for a bottle of nail polish. And when I posted swatches of Chanel’s Gold Fiction (see below) last week, you loved the color but there were definitely some jaws dropping over the $30 price tag. Yet I’m sure plenty of you have dropped $25+ on a lipgloss, eyeshadow, blush, etc. That leaves me with the question… Are we spoiled?
Unlike most beauty products we are fortunate to have lots of low cost options thanks to online sellers. Even retail pricing for most salon brands doesn’t hit the $10 mark. Though if you consider that nail polish lasts longer than the majority of beauty products should we really be bitching over paying $15+ for a lacquer? Tons of us drop at least that much on a tube of mascara only to have it expire in three to six months. Or do we have every right to complain? Sound off ladies! Are we a bunch of spoiled brats or totally righteous?
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
Spa pediccure chairs
My jaw dropped at the Chanel prices…but I don’t spend more than $12 on makeup either. My moisturizer, foundation, blush, powder, eyeshadow, eyeliner, lip “stuff” – none of it is over $12 (I wear natural moisturizer, mineral makeup, no mascara, and natural lip products). So no, I don’t think I’m spoiled…just cheap (and consistant).
I love the gold polish by chanel but I cannot justify spending that much for a non-necessity when my car is needing gasoline.
My problem with spending that much is that I tend to get tired of a color long before I use it up. In fact, I don’t think I have ever used more than 1/2 a bottle of polish in my entire life. I guess if I had a special occassion and the polish worked, I would. But, I hate to buy something an throw it away because I am tired of it. OPI works for me!
i dont think that gold nailpolish is worth $30 dollars, and to a point, i think i am spoiled, even if i see a np that i really want, if there is no sale and i know i can buy it online, i will wait to buy it at the cheaper price. i dont think ive spend more than $30 dollars on one makeup item though, most of my stuff is mac, and their stuff-other than brushes-is less than 30 bucks-and i’ve taken advantage of the mini brush sets so i dont have to drop more than 30 bucks on a brush. in my case, i was surprised about the $30 chanel, but i dont spend more than $30 on a single mu item either. i wouldnt want to spend $30 on a HTF np either, but thats just me.
I used to spend a lot of money on makeup and skin care products, but I’ve found drugstore items that are just as good as, if not better than, the higher priced stuff.
It was a relief to find good, inexpensive beauty products, but I was disappointed, and a little embarrassed, too, to realize that I’d bought (literally!) into all the marketing ploys and gimmicks.
I’ll stick with ChG and OPI.
I agree with most of these comments, I also do not spend $$$ on other beauty products. I like to keep my beauty product spending to the $10-15 mark when I can. I wait to stock up on my beloved mascara brands (all drugstore, BTW) until they are on bogo or 50% sales, so I had to laugh at your mascara comment, try $5 not 15! : )
The most I’ve spent on a beauty product (excepting perfumes) I think was $35 recently on an eye cream and that was a splurge for me. So nope, I don’t think we’re spoiled… just realistic. : )
I think we all have in our head how much we are willing to spend tops on an item. To me $30 is crazy because some Chanel np chips like crazy and you can’t determine that just from testing you need to wear it a couple of days (unlike makeup). Also np tends to deteriorate quicker IMHO (getting thick, etc).
As much fun as it is to see *you* try $30 bottles of nail polish – it’s just not gonna happen with me! I buy department store foundation and perfume because they last forever and I need them to be consistently the same everyday.
Lip stuff, seasonal eye color and nail polish all change so often (everyday sometimes!) there’s no reason to invest that kind of money in them.
Nail polish is an accessory (not a classic blazer) and just like any other accessory you can blow your money on a “name” like Chanel or you can get something just as cute for a lot less.
It’s not about being spoiled, it’s about not buying into the labels game.
I can’t remember ever paying more than $10-15 for any makeup, skin or hair product. Why pay more when you can get equal quality for less? I’m not into brand names. My MP3 player is not an iPod either.
Nope, sorry. I’m with pretty much everyone else. I splurged on two lipsticks and paid $20 each and I always regretted it. Now I don’t pay more than about $10 for anything. And I always use up my other make-up before a polish. Usually I’m throwing polish away because it’s too thick and thinning it down with remover isn’t working.
I love polish, but I could never splurge on it because I have to reapply it SOOOOOO often. No polish I’ve ever used has lasted more than two days. And I have some nice polishes, not just wet & wild. Actually a couple of the wet & wild last longer than my OTI, lmao. But I am really hard on my hands. I’m sort of a care taker in my family, so there’s a lot of scrubbing floors and dishes, hard on the hands. I wish I could justify throwing away $30+ on a gold polish. But I never could. Not when some weeks its a stretch to buy groceries.
I do not spend a lot of makeup I rarely wear any.
I would not spend $30 for that chanel but have bid up a few mac shades on feebay I just had to have.
Part of what I love about polish is that is available so cheaply (compared to some other makeup items). That lets me try the funkier colors and follow trends that I don’t usually do with makeup. While I am also a makeup addict, and love a good lipstick or cool eyeshadow, I see those cosmetics as more of an investment-I need to make sure they work with my coloring and that I will actually wear it before I plunk my money down. But nailpolish….it’s so easy to try every color of the rainbow, and most colors can *at least* be worn on toes!
In mu opinion I think alot has to do with your age and the amount of responsibility one has. When I was single and childless it was all about me and I lived it up. I would spend any amount of money on what I wanted. Now that I am 30 something and a mom.(btw, a trendy mom) My priorities have shifted. I’d rather spend 30 bucks on my son rather than a bottle of polish.
I am in my mid-twenties, and I find that I will splurge on the quality “it’s worth it” items. I will spend the cash for my Dior marcara, or Kiehls facial moisturizer. I am a huge Chanel np fan, and dropping $19 (the usual price) for a nail polish I will most likely have for years to come does not shock me. I’m not saying I’m buying these often, but I usually pick a favorite per season, and that’s my go-to shade. This summer I am anxiously awaiting LA Sunset
I guess I have the only differing opinion. I frequently spend $20-$30 on lipstick/gloss/mascara, and that’s not even chipping into my face moisturizers, which are upwards of $50-$70. yikes! I really like the gold, but i think I would like to test it out before I splurge since it seems there could be cheaper imposters. But I’m sure when i am older and have a family, these extravagant purchases will come to an end!
I will totally pay >$30 for the perfect shade/formula of polish, but not for super trendy colors. I probbaly have 50+ bottles at home, mostly essie, opi, CND, in all kinds of crazy, wearable-only-occasionally colors. But there are time to splurge and get the beautiful shades offered only by NARS/Chanel/Sheido.
That said, I’ll probably end up getting one or both of the Chanel metallic shades, even though like the other poster said, I doubt I’ll finish the bottle before it gets gunky/gross or I’ve moved on to a new favorite shade. They’ll look nice on my nighstand, and provide fodder for converstaion with other stylish nail-nerds like myself.
Also, I’d totally buy the Serge Loutens $65polish if it was THE perfect shade. It’s a fun luxury, and my friends do notice the designer just as if I had Louboutins on…
Although I’m very frugal, if something is worth it to me and I feel I absolutely cannot find a good low-end equivalent, I will pay the price. Just as I’d never pay more than $10 for mascara, I would never pay more than $10 for nail polish. Why? Because with all the fabulous lower priced options, spending any more is a waste, IMO.
I’ll pay a chunk of change if a product is really worth it. For example, I don’t mind paying a lot for NARS loose powder because it is the best loose powder I have come across. However, $30 is a lot for a gold nail polish because I can live without having nail polish on, but I do not go out of my house with out face powder. For the record, $28 is the most I have spent on a lip gloss.
i wouldn’t pay the $30 price tag but i also don’t spend over $10 for any of my make-up products either. when it comes to make-up if they don’t sell it at target i don’t wear it because i don’t even wear make-up everyday.
Honestly, $30 for one bottle of nail polish is too much. If nail polish were that expensive, I wouldn’t have an obsession with it and probably wouldn’t wear it at all. Just IMO!
To be honest, I have paid good $$ for make up that I really wanted. For example, my Bobbi Brown foundation is $45 but it is a must for me.
I wouldn’t have a problem paying that much for the Chanel nail polishes if they worked better than the rest. The only two Chanel NPs that I have chip and got gummy really fast. My OPI and MAC ones don’t do that and they are a fraction of the cost.
I agree with you!
And if I can find it, I’m gonna buy it. I spend 30 dollars on blush sometimes. I spend 20 on lipgloss, and I can understand why some people would not want to spend so much on nail polish, I dont have to worry about supporing a family or anything yet, I’m still in highschool! so while I can, I’ll be spending my money on some fun things
I usually spend around $30 on makeup products (foundation, etc, those fantastic eyeshadow packs at sephora), so I’m not really one to balk at prices until they hit about $50. And I’d never judge someone for what they spend on products to take care of their body, we’ve only got one after all!
But I’ll agree with some of the other comments, this blog is all about getting to see those sort of products in action with someone else doing the paying out. =) Maybe your average reader wouldn’t buy it for the day to day, but if someone’s looking for a little splurge to treat themselves for whatever crap they’re dealing with in life (and we all are girls!), it’s nice to have a guide to what might be worth the extra $.
What really cracks me up is that the stuff will go onto ebay and sell for even more!!!
In todays economy with so many financial advisors suggesting we all cut back this just seems like a complete waste. I’ll stick with my $6.00 a bottle salon brand… since I don’t make it to the salon very often anymore it makes me feel like I’ve had my nails professionally done and doesn’t make me feel guilty for pampering myself.
I just reread the OP and my comment, and I realized I didn’t answer the question posed.
Spending $30 for a bottle of Chanel nail polish is totally righteous, and what’s wrong with spoiling one’s self?
My indulgences, which don’t include expensive nail polish, are necessary! There are some days when I feel I will absolutely die if I don’t get a Godiva truffle, and I wouldn’t dream of giving up my high-end perfumes.
We need pampering. It’s not optional. We each just have our individual ways of getting it, and if a bottle of expensive nail polish does it for you, go for it!
For me, I love to get a box full of tiny, colorful bottles from 8ty8or Head2Toe, and I feel absolutely decadent as I decide which to try first!
You know I love a gold polish… well…like it was gold! But on the flip side, I’m not one for spending a certain amount for cosmetics anyway with the exception of perfume. I don’t wear mascara and most of my face makeup is either L’Oreal, Mark, Avon, or Revlon. I buy most of my hair styling products at Sally’s Beauty (’cause you know I got my Sally’s card which takes an additional bit of savings off). I tend to buy when it’s BOGOF or similar savings. If I have money during BBW semi-annual sales, I stock up on my faves, and generally don’t have to return until the next SAS. I also love a good clearance at Ulta & Trade Secrets. Lets not forget the bargains I’ve found in dusty nail salons!
With that said, polish & perfume overall have a longer shelf life than lipgloss, mascara, and liquid foundation so I can better justify the $30 price tag for this Chanel polish *if* I were to find myself buying this color. Chanel is a luxury brand; therefore, one can expect that luxury price tag for this item. Because I may already have something that looks like it, I’m going to pass on this opportunity. Sounds funny because I know I have bunches of reds that are duplicated thru my collection, but I still haven’t caved on the Chanel color equivalent either.
hontapocasgreen
Overall, I live by the spending advice my stepmom gave me: buy the best you can afford of what you need, and the good enough version of what you want. Of course, we all have different ideas of what a “necessity” is. I spend more on face makeup because I wear it everyday and have pretty sensitive skin, but generally watch my pennies on the “accessory” makeup like eye shadows, nail polish, and lip gloss. I wouldn’t criticize someone for dropping $30 on the Chanel if it’s worth that much to them, but it’s not my priority. I don’t make enough money to be spoiled (hello, college loans!), but I do try to make sure I budget well enough that I can pay for higher quality on the things that are important to me.
I’m not sure that $30 for other makeup actually is realistic to be honest…the only makeup that I would venture to guess most women spend more than $3o a pop on is perfume and foundation. But those are high price items in general, it’s well known that nail polish can be produced cheaply and when it’s the exact same quality for typically $5,$6, it just highlights how incredibly ridiculous a $30 price tag on polish is. Nail polish is actually a very good example of how overpriced that is because in all seriousness, most nail polish of different brands is very similar, the only rarity being color, unlike foundation or perfume. But no I wouldn’t spend $30+ on most makeup items, including eyeshadow, lipstick, lipgloss, mascara, etc. And certainly not nail polish. That said, if you have the money not to worry about it, I don’t judge at all. It’s if you don’t have a lot of spending money/have a budget especially in this economy that it seems silly to spend that much.
I do not spend $25 on a makeup item. I’d spend a lot more on someone else, but as for myself, I rarely splurge. I don’t have enough money for that.
Hi!
First of all, thanks for a really nice blog! I read it as often as I can ( i e when you post something).
Regarding the nail polish prices, I live in Sweden and here a bottle of Essie costs approx $18, a regular bottle of OPI about $23, and a OPI DS $40. The cheapest polish you can get here is a tiny bottle of Mavala polish at $5.
Hence, I don’t think that a $30 Chanel polish is very expensive.
Now I do what I can to avoid the Swedish price tags by ordering most of my polishes fråm American web shops. Shipping included, I paid approx $30 for my latest order (6 bottles of OPI & China Glaze). Thank you Head2toe!
This is super pretty but there has to be a dupe out there and I bet it’s from Milani. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you show and Milani polishes.
I think this post is confused. We aren’t “spoiled” by low nail product prices- the price of makeup in general has reached ridiculous heights! All makeup should be “cheap” like nail polish.
Doing my nails is one of the few beauty treatments I get to do. I don’t wear any makeup, and I’m too busy to spend much time pampering myself. I can’t afford $30 polish because it takes me 4 hours of misery (pre-tax) to earn that polish. I love to have a whole bunch of colors so I can select the ones that I want. Often, that means I’m choosing between 4 of my favorite shades. That’s $120 on polish, and if I can’t justify spending that amount on soaps/lotions that I use every day, I certainly cannot accept it for the polish I use once every week or so.
Nope, I don’t think we’re spoiled at all. When some of their best selling competition sells for a third of that price, it’s hard to choke down the idea of spending $30 on a bottle of nail polish. Hell, I only buy high end cosmetics and it would be very rare indeed for me to pay more than $15 on a single eyeshadow.
It would be nice if more companies offered smaller bottles. In a case like this, they would probably have a major success for selling a bottle half that size, for half the price. But justifying spending $30 bucks on a bottle that most of us are not likely to ever use up, is a lot harder to do.
The Anon commenter that I deleted, have the balls to say those things to my face or don’t say them at all. My email address is posted, use it if you have a problem with me. Hiding behind the blanket of anonymity is gutless.
I must say I do spend more than 30 dollars on make up from time to time, but never on nail polishes. The make up lasts much longer for me, while polishes dry out etc. So i don’t think they are worth the money. I buy OPI from time to time, but lately i prefer minis – ORLY and Mavala