I recently bought some eyeshadows from Joe Fresh. I really was digging some of these shades and decided it was worth breaking my "I dont buy single shadows" rule (because I never wear them, I just grab a palette) for. I realized as I was grabbing them that they were more than what I would typically expect to see for Joe Fresh items. It was only as I was walking away that I realized that they were the limited edition collections and that the regular ones were less than half the price. So I HAD to pick up a $5 shadow as well as the $12 ones so that I could see the difference. Or if there was one.
These two are part of the Future Effects collection. $12 each.
Here is one from the basic collection. Meaning it comes in at a mere $5. I think its even less if you buy multiples. 3 for $12 or something like that? Not quite sure, but its less if you buy more.
And these are three of the four from the Spring Pastel Palette collection. Also $12 shadows.
So with that, is there a difference? Yes. The difference is the $12 ones come in plastic packaging that is silver and the regular ones come in a clear plastic case. To be honest that is really the ONLY difference I could find between them.
Across the board the quality didn't wow or excite me on ANY of them. They were not at all bad, but nothing that makes me jump for joy. From my limited experience with drugstore beauty (lets be honest, almost nothing I buy or use is drugstore or has been in MANY years) these are on par with the offerings. Which is fine. And that is not to say that I don't think there are FABULOUS drugstore products out there that rival the luxury brand offerings. There are. I just have little patience to seek them out.
BUT - if you are going to charge more than 220% of the cost for a limited edition one, it sure as hell better be WORTH the price difference. And these are not. And they are not even a BIT better in quality which frankly pisses me off. There is no excuse for such an exorbitant price hike for the same quality. A dollar or so more, fine. Limited edition has a value (or a perceived value) that gives a brand some room to up a price. Yes, these are still affordable, but that to me is really neither here nor there.
