CVS is Way Overpriced

A few days ago, I stumbled into a disgusting little corner of the internet: the Tumblr #shoplifting tag. It was filled with pictures of the hundreds and thousands of dollars of things people stole from stores and were bragging about. I know people excuse shoplifting by saying the people who do it really need those items to live, but seriously? Luxury underwear and makeup is not a life necessity! And for the most part, it wasn't even poor kids who were stealing it to resell for money, it was rich (white) kids who probably have no basic understanding of how the world works and tried to justify it by saying that they were "fighting capitalism." It hurts the employees more than the rich corporates they think they're hurting, and it's honestly repulsive how they're so greedy and self-centered.

That said, I can't say I wasn't tempted when I went to CVS today. I rarely go shopping for myself at all, because my mom prefers to buy everything in bulk, but today I needed to buy some things before traveling for the Speech and Debate State Tournament in Temecula. It's the district spring break right now, but I will be busy with preparing for State and traveling for college visits, plus I was at Leland for coaching anyway so I thought I might as well pick up some things on the only day I had time. I had a list of what I needed and was only going to buy those things, but I still ended up having to return a whole bunch of items to be able to afford my purchase; the total was still almost $50! I didn't have any other choice because I needed this stuff before the tournament, so I went with it, but I'm still annoyed at how expensive it was.

Once I got home, I decided to compare CVS prices to online retail prices to see how much I was really overspending. For quality, I tested them out too, so this is like a joint rant and review. Ratings based on a five-point scale, 5 being maximum quality/would buy again, 1 being minimum/would never buy again.

»Scandal Eyes Micro Eye Liner by Rimmel

CVS Retail price: $6.79 // Online Retail Price: $4.79 // Quality: 3/5 // Buy again: 2/5

I'm not running out in the eyeliner department, but my e.l.f. liquid liner never stuck onto my lids very well anyway, even with primer, I can never get a dark line with pencil, and gel is a bit inconvenient to use, so I thought I'd pick up a pen liner. I looked online, and it said that NYX, Jordana, and Maybelline were the best brands, but NYX and Jordana aren't available at CVS and the Maybelline one was way overpriced. I can say that I was pleasantly surprised with this one. It's not as opaque as I had hoped, but it easily made a clean, visible line. The pen tip is not sharp and hard like some other pen liners I tried out, but it wasn't flimsy either. I'm pretty happy with it, but I wish I had bought it elsewhere.

»Essie Ballet Slippers Sheer Finish Nail Color

CVS Retail price: $8.50 // Online Retail Price: $8.50 // Quality: 4.5/5 // Buy again: 4/5

I've been looking for a light pink/neutral nail polish for a while now, so I decided it was finally time to get one for the tournament. Ballet Slippers is an award winning shade and countless websites rave about it, so I thought it was a safe, solid choice, and indeed, it is. One coat is sheer, but three layers creates a more opaque light pink. Essie quality is always dependable, and I am happy with this versatile, classic shade.

»OGX Moroccan Sea Salt Spray

CVS Retail price: $9.49 // Online Retail Price: $5.79 // Quality: 3.5/5 // Buy again: 3/5

I've heard lots of good things about Sea Salt Spray. It gives hair volume and a "fresh from the beach" look, almost like a lightweight hairspray, so I randomly decided to pick some up. This one smells incredible and absolutely works, but at the CVS price, is absolutely not worth it. Buy it elsewhere. Your wallet will thank you. It's not too hard to use, but I'll do a post later with a demo to show how hair looks with it in.

»Simple Kind To Skin Exfoliating Facial Wipes

CVS Retail price: $7.49 // Online Retail Price: $4.39 // Quality: 3/5 // Buy again: 2/5

My biggest struggle after tournaments is washing my face and removing my makeup. I literally take hours to get that done, despite it being absolutely necessary. I picked up a packet of these two-in-one wipes to get the job done faster at the tournament and they are decent. They feel dry to the touch, but they are damp on the face. The roughness of the exfoliating is like sandpaper, but it isn't painful. I'm not a huge fan of the smell, but it's not too noticeable. The wipe itself leaves little shreds of material on my face, but it doesn't leave chemical residue, so my face actually does feel clean and fresh after using them.

I also bought a travel-sized anti-perspirant deodorant and waxing strips, but those aren't really worth talking about much. I normally don't sweat much, but Temecula is pretty much in the desert, and I'll be wearing a suit the whole time. I'd also think its better not to have to shave every day, especially if I might be foregoing panty hose because of the temperature, and because three people will be sharing a hotel room. I also meant to buy eyedrops, because I will be wearing contacts, and the desert air will be dry, but I didn't bring enough money with me (so sad) and it was the most expensive item.

On a side note, once I go to college and get a .edu email account, I can sign up for Amazon Student Prime, which has a six month trial, and has free two-day shipping and some discounts. Then, I will buy a ton of personal supplies to hoard for the next four years in college, so I won't have to spend a fortune whenever I need something. I'm still new to the whole money management thing, but I feel like I'll be learning fast. The bottom line is, CVS is pretty overpriced, and I will be shopping elsewhere as much as possible. ◊