The danger that is Maybelline Japan

This isn't a discussion about cosmetics. This is a post about marketing.

I'm kind of a brand whore when it comes to cosmetics. Except for Japanese brands (which produces drugstore/budget brands under giant cosmetics companies like Kose, Albion, or Shiseido), I never use drugstore brands. Not trying to be a total snob, but drugstore brands just don't do anything for me (especially brands like Maybelline or Sally Hensen, which have bad, cheap-looking packaging, and almost non-existing quality, but well, I guess you get what you pay for).

So it was totally surprising when I saw this really cute loose powder from Maybelline Japan. It's currently a limited edition product in Taiwan, and available only through Watson's from mid Aug-mid September.


It's metallic-pink and shaped like a giant pacifier. I know -- it doesn't feel like Lisa at all. But it's cute, and I figured if I end up not liking it, I could always find someone more appreciative to give it to. The price seemed reasonable at NT425, too (that's roughly a bit over USD$12). Not to mention it was supposedly a Japan-exclusive item. So, a good deal right? I asked Jack to purchase it for me because it's available for such a short period of time, and he agreed.

Meh.

Good thing I wasn't so dazed by its pinkness that I forgot to read it up on an online discussion board about makeup and skincare (it's in traditional Chinese, but here it is anyway: http://www.urcosme.com/index.htm). Turns out there's only 4.3g of product in the tiny loose powder case. That's 125NT for ONE GRAM, making this Maybelline product more costly than Chanel or Dior. (My Anna Sui loose powder is around 1400nt for 25 grams, that's around 65 nt/gram.)

Just looking at the display picture, you'd never know right? It looks so typical Maybelline - messy, a whole lot of loose powder cases crammed in this tiny allotted space - it looks so cheap.

I personally think it's their intended goal -- cute packaging, seemingly reasonable price, limited availability -- to suck you in and you end up paying more for this drugstore brand item than for products from premium brands.

From my limited understanding of how this works, probably 3/4 of the price you pay for goes toward funding the company's advertisements, rents, and other expenses. Customers end up paying premium for something they figured was cheap and a "fashion item" instead of a "luxury item."

This is rather impressive coming from a brand known for its affordability and availability in the US and pretty much around the globe. So far I don't see this happening in the US drugstore makeup brands business yet, but only exclusive in Japan. Guess this proves the already-undisputable fact that the Japanese are just that much better at conducting business than the rest of us.

I told Jack that he didn't have to buy it for me anymore. It's so not worth it.

p.s. Although it's supposedly a Japan-exclusive, it's made in China. I'll have to admit that 90% of the reason why I gave up on wanting this product is because of that. Toxic powdered milk, toxic food, clothes, mattresses... etc. Toxic loose powder will look so good on this list.