There are things that women do not do, no matter out outwardly cool it looks. They don't clutter their life with useless luxe products but they also do not clutter their life with cheap and poor quality things either.
Sometimes it is very hard to tell the difference because retailers are very smart about marketing and giving you what you think you want before you do the research and before you get a chance to be disappointed or under served by a product.
There are a few lessons I have learned recently that I would like impart to you relating to this topic.
First and foremost: Do your research but do it in the right way.
I am finding that A LOT of blogs and websites seem to endorse products randomly. There doesn't seem to be one great product that everyone agrees with and most of the time it seems to me they are recommending products based on what is trendy or what they may have been paid to endorse. What I like to do is:
1. Research ingredients
2. Try products out myself to test worthiness.
When you research quality and recommended ingredients those should be factors that are pretty objective in figuring out what you are getting. If a brand's logo is slapped on a product, don't always mistake it for quality, because they might be resting on their brand laurels. I don't always see a lot of integrity in brand products and in some situations the brand can seem diluted to make more affordable products. Seemingly affordable, yet you will have to buy 3 pairs of one type of shoes when a high quality shoe will last you the same length of time.
Trying products is also key. What works for you may not work for others and vice versa and the only way to know if a product (for instance eyeliner) has long wear is to try it for yourself. This can be something you can do without needing to buy the product so look for work-a-rounds whenever you can.
Cosmetics
Recently, I went to the Dior counter where I was given a sales pitch from their cosmetic salesperson. She was all about pitching the expensive skin care lines. Now remember, Dior is a historic luxury brand with a long track record of well made clothing but don't get that confused with being the most amazing products for your skin. They will be able to put a high price tag on the bottle and the label Dior will look great on your dresser, but we want to be savvy not trendy.
She told me all sorts of things about the miracle properties of their skin care and that one of the ingredients even won a Nobel prize. That sounds impressive! But just because you won a Nobel prize for an ingredient doesn't mean that in another context that it does absolutely nothing for your skin. Along with the Nobel prize ingredient, the skin serum had another major ingredient of alcohol which is very harsh for your skin. The lack of pure active ingredients pretty much negates Diors otherwise "magic" ingredients.
One thing to note, if it sounds too good to be true, it is too good to be true. You can nourish your skin but you can't turn back time or find the fountain of youth. If you have super model skin, chances are you are eating healthy, getting monthly facials and do the basics of exfoliating, cleansing and protecting. The hard way.. not to mention expensive. Hm.. sounds more realistic now.
Instead, find out tested and true ingredients that are nourishing. For instance, Josie Maran's Argan Oil Serum is wonderful.. but the active ingredient is just argan oil which you can purchase on amazon for much less than the $16 her oil will cost. What you are paying for is the beautiful scent and the look of the bottle on your shelve. Some street cred per say.
NOTE: I'm not saying all luxe brands are not worth the price, just make sure you know the reasons versus just trusting the branding and marketing in these cases. Josie Maran is a great argan oil... but that's why its awesome.. because its argan oil, not because it says Josie Maran on the label.
Same with fancy cuticle oils. Almond or Vitamin E oil will work just as well but if you want you can pay twice for it.
Shampoos and conditioners similarly. Here is a list of ingredients that you should watch for:
Shampoo
Conditioner
I was smitten with the idea of Bumble and Bumble shampoo (and it may be great! I never tried it) but then I noticed that it had sulfates in it! For such an expensive shampoo I figured it would have more sophisticated and healthy cleansers in it for the price but it did not. For me sulfate free was important and it has been evident by how much softer and less frizzled my hair has been since I switched to a sulfate-free shampoo. (Aveeno makes a great one!) You just also need to know that you need to replace the cheaper cleansers (such as sulfates)... with more natural ones (such as acids) or you will still be disappointed as your hair will not feel clean. Again! Know your ingredients. knowledge is power!
Another funny thing about products is that further I get away from brands and the closer I get to just solely the active ingredients... the more effective they seem to be. All the chemical fillers don't really do well with my skin (or hair, etc) and don't actually perform the job they are supposed to. That's why I tend to opt to the supplement stores or natural grocery stores to find the natural ingredients by themselves, such as almond oil, vitamin C serum, etc.
Clothing
Ingredients are not just for cosmetics, they are also for clothing. A big part of why clothes last longer is the material they are made with. Also, the fit of the clothing is really effected by the material. I have heard people say that have one extra percent of spandex in their jeans makes them fit much better, so sometimes the ingredients in your clothes can make a big difference.
This goes for bargain hunting too. A deal is not a deal if the material that the clothing is made out of stretches out, wears out quickly, shrinks insanely or doesn't fit right. Shoes are a big one. Synthetic materials tend to not hold up and can cut on your feet. If possible, go for linen, wool or cotton clothing and leather shoes, they will wear better.
HERE are some quality check tips for clothes. Make sure you feel the cloth. Its pretty intuitive to know whether the cloth is quality or not. Check the inset of the zippers and that the seams are well constructed. High quality clothes will be more fitted and have more darts to contour to your body.
Don't buy things (for the most part) that scream trend, or if you do, feel free to buy lower quality in trends. They are bound to go out of style before you know it!
Something I do that helps me be on the look out for clothes that are in line with overarching trends and classic looks is I watch runway shows. I have a go too selection of my favorite designers and I frequent www.style.com to watch and analyze the runway shows. This helps you see what colors, fabrics and silhouettes are coming down the pipe (retail generally is slower to absorb styles that trickle down from the runway) and know what to be on the look out for when it become available.
Brands I use as a bench mark for level of design. When you see a brand name on the rack, it may not be quality or a good style for you to wear but its a good place to start because you know the design and styling will be current and on trend. (FYI not all designers can always manage the details on how their clothes turn out on the rack or are as knowledgeable about how cheaper fabric translates a design... so use your own judgement in editing their pieces) Being educated about good brands helps you spot good finds at the thrift store as well as know what to expect in-terms of on-rack to on body translation. Sometimes a dress that is flat on a hanger doesn't seem to have very much potential, but can look edgy and chic on your body. I use brands as an index for how much this may be the case. Go for the unexpected. It will be the most fun to wear the garments that are edgy but within your comfort zone, than clothes that are boring to wear and you end up avoiding in your closet.
Some interesting brands to be on the prowl to try out:
Jeans:
Paige
J Brand
7 For All Mankind
Guess
Tops, etc:
Vince
Joie
Splendid
Free People
French Connection
Handbags:
Marc by Marc Jacobs
Kate Spade
Shoes:
Jeffery Campbell
Seychelles
Luxe Aspirational Brands:
Rodarte
Chloe
Miu Miu
Chanel
WARNING: be aware that most brands you see at off shoot stores and outlets like TJ Maxx and Nordstorm Rack are sometimes made specifically for that store. Those outlets request certain styles of brands to be recreated for them at a lower price point and to do this they use different materials. This doesn't necessarily mean the product will be poor quality. Remember: you are still getting that brand's design decisions and if you have done your ingredient research you will know if the clothing item is made with quality or not. It very dependent on each piece. Also, note where the item was made. This also can make a big difference. High quality versions of a brand might be manufactured in England or the United States and lower quality versions will be manufactured in Mexico or Korea. Just make sure to research manufacturing qualities by country. Shop smart and you make get away with a steal!
Part of research part two is that you may need to learn from your mistakes. Its not going to always be possible to identify good ingredients or what works with you before you buy. You will learn brands to stay away from at certain stores and fabrics that don't work for you. Take as many opportunities to try things for free though. Many luxe brands offer samples of their cosmetics at department stores. Perfume sample companies will send you luxury and niche perfume samples for you to try at a small cost (Surrender to Chance, The Perfumed Court). And consignment/thrift stores will allow you to purchase certain brands (depending on what you find) for a deep discount. The nice thing about pre-owned clothes as well, is you can tell how they wear and if there are flaws in a style or brand that come out after being worn for awhile. They are tested and broken in of sorts.
Mostly, have fun! You will have to learn about what you like and what works for you, so don't feel to guilty about spending money to figure it out. Just be savvy
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