Define "cheap".
I think most people would consider 22 USD for a single eye shadow, like the Laura Mercier Matte Eye Color I use, to be expensive. I consider it cheap, because it lasts me a long time. I'm well over a year on my most worn shadow color. I use a lot of Laura Mercier products, but a little goes a very long way, so I don't mind the cost. Is 45 USD expensive for a La Ligne de Chanel eye liner compact, if it lasts for years?
I also use a lot of cheaper, drugstore level stuff, mainly L'Oreal, and some Revlon. There are many L'Oreal products that are practically identical to the equivalent product the same company sells under the Lancôme brand name. Why pay more for essentially the same thing? Other L'Oreal products are very highly rated in their own right, like a lot of their True Match products.
Some of the EcoTools brushes I use are better than high-end brand brushes costing many times the price.
It pays to shop around and consider your needs carefully when selecting makeup. A lot of the high-end brands have bonus days where you can get a whole bag full of cosmetics for a relatively low price. I actually felt kind of bad about passing on the Lancôme bonus this Christmas, because I really *do* need a new tube of Cils Booster XL, but at the same time, I had just dropped about 200 USD to replenish some Laura Mercier favorites at Sephora, along with having run out of all my fragrances right before my birthday party.
