It’s a question for the ages: What, exactly, is the difference between a $30 concealer and one that costs just a buck or two? When it comes to the actual look that each creates, the answer may surprise you. In the above video, beauty vlogger Raye Boyce (a.k.a. ItsMyRayeRaye) has completed the ultimate high-end vs. drugstore makeup challenge. In it, she makes side-by-side comparisons with a full face worth of products, applying more affordable makeup on the right side of her face and higher-end formulas on the left.
The products in question include foundation, concealer, setting powder, brow color, contour powder, highlighter, liquid liner, false lashes, mascara, lipliner, lip gloss, and setting spray — and the comparison is done using corresponding high- and low-cost makeup brushes. Boyce walks us through her everyday makeup look — and as she does, we learn almost as much through her instruction as we do about the products themselves.
At one point in the video, even Boyce can’t believe how similar a $72, limited-edition highlighter looks in comparison to a $6 one. And, after the final spritz of setting spray has been fired? It’s hard to identify which side of her face required $600 worth of products versus $90.
We know what you may be thinking: The way a product reads on camera doesn’t necessarily match how it might look IRL. And, of course, there’s more to makeup than color — wear (including longevity and whether a product pills or creases), along with feel, packaging, and even scent all play vital parts in whether a product looks good, works for your lifestyle, and is easy to use, no matter what the cost.
What’s more, not every high-end product has an affordable counterpart that will provide the same effect. (In fact, Boyce skipped using blush in this tutorial because she just couldn’t find an affordable version comparable to the one she loves.) But, caveats aside, the message is clear — there are many low-cost formulas out there that can perform just as well as the expensive stuff.
Boyce’s take? Of the final looks, she says they are virtually indistinguishable. But more importantly, she offers this reminder: “Do not let anyone tell you that you're going to have to splurge to try to get a look that someone probably [used] five-hundred-bucks-worth of products to create,” she says. “You’ve just got to get creative and and come up with your own thing.”