I have poured countless hours into researching, scripting, and editing this video! It’s my first time trying this format, but I promise to keep improving in the future. 😅 If you enjoyed it, please give it a like and share your thoughts or opinions in the comments. It helps more than you know! Much love, Elle Chu 💋
I love that you did the math, was able time bring up how these conversations have been going around even before this just in smaller circles and was just not as viral as this situation
This was so comprehensive. I finished the makeup review portion of the video and was shocked to see there was more because of the depth already there! Great job
I've got shimmers that look just as nice on my eyes that cost a fraction of the price. Some of my Colourpop, clionadh, and (I hate saying this) morphe shadows look no different. Just because something might look more dramatic as a swatch doesn't mean it wears or looks the same in use.
Patrick Ta doesn't read luxury to me at all, it has the same energy as Charlotte Tilbury: tacky. TACKY. Gold plastic is not luxurious. It's trying to mimic something that would be really luxurious (gold and metal) with something that isn't, so it just feels tacky. It's like a knockoff bag―you can get a really nice (often better quality) bag from a brand like Coach, so wearing a fake version of something really expensive just reads poorly. I will say that the taupe-y/ brown shade is actually appealing on its own merit. Besides the packaging, I think his brand reads trendy more than luxury. Trendy brands can't charge luxury prices. I don't think that the response/ backlash has anything to do with $ per gram, or anything else "logical" like that woman at the beginning saying "if you're ok with $24 for UD, then don't complain about this", because it's not about logic, it's about the vibe.
Agreed! Also the huge difference is that UD, and any of the other comparisons that have been most frequently mentioned, is that most od them were revolutionary for their time. There was nothing on the market like them when they were released. The PT duos are not something new and exciting, especially compared to what is available now on the Indie market. They have just as good, if not better, options at significantly lower prices.
4:12 i honestly hate when people say stuff like this. it’s genuinely so condescending. consumers have a right to criticize pricing on products, especially in this economy. hell, we have a right to criticize every aspect of a product
Especially when these are rich influencers WHO WERE GIFTED THE PRODUCT FOR FREE. And yeah, the price of the Urban Decay eyeshadow singles is insane too! These just deeply unserious individuals are so out of touch it continues to shock me.
I personally don’t consider brands founded by MUAs to be luxury and I do not connect luxury brands with quality, but with a specific name (Armani beauty is produced by L’Oréal). I consider brands founded by MUAs professional brands: they usually have unique formulas, unique uses not always intended for the general public (look at Mario’s mixing palettes) but more catered to professional makeup artists who can understand them and incorporate them on their kits
Professional brands is a good way to describe them! I think they usually start this way but will then launch products that the general public would enjoy
I completely agree. I also think the "luxury" label is earned by years of brand recognition. Also, generally when you see a luxury product whether it be clothing, purses/bags, fragrance, or cosmetics you can spot it by just looking at it without even seeing the logo.
it kinda baffles me how jeffree star defended the price of patrick ta's eyeshadow duos and said they have the same labs for a lot of their products but jeffrees products are cheaper in comparison For example his eyeshadow pallets Patrick Ta and Jeffree star don't scream luxury to me They're "self made" but not luxury
I consider Patrick Ta (along with other MUA brands like Charlotte Tilbury and Pat McGrath) high-end, not luxury, and he’s also a very new brand. Luxury to me are household names like Chanel, Gucci, Prada, YSL, Dior, etc. - brands that not only sell beauty but also clothes, handbags, perfumes, and ultimately a lifestyle, that everyone around the world knows. My older and extremely offline family members don’t know Patrick Ta, but they do know luxury brands.
Yes! For sure. The luxe brands mentioned here in fact aren't known for their cosmetics, they are known instead for their couture and bags. When I think of Christian Dior I don't immediately think of Dior Beauty, I think of the Lady Dior bags and their clothing collections.
Luxury, to me, is all about genuine quality. Unfortunately, many household brands deserve scrutiny these days. They’ve started using cheaper materials in their products while maintaining extremely high price tags, fully aware that their brand name alone holds significant value in people’s minds. For an MUA brand I would classify only Pat McGrath as luxury due to formulation. I believe she’s used real gold in the past for her formulations.
Jeffery Star acidently outed Patrick ta Eyeshadow over pricing. Jeffery star stated that his $50 highlighter was made by the same factory using the a near identical formulation while defending PT product price. However when you breaking it down there is a whole other side of the pricing scam. JS highlighter is 15 grams and PT eyeshadow is 4 grams. Js highlighter is $3.33 per gram and PT eyeshadow is $10.50 per gram. It just doesn’t add up at all.
Yeah, I thought this was interesting. I think Jeffrey also said that they could have charged less and your math confirms this. Again, they’re in their right to charge what’s best for the brand, and the product is good overall! But a slightly different formula isn’t enough reasoning. I think if Patrick Ta opened up about trying to create a luxury brand image, it would have been more clear! Edit: Not agreeing that’s they’re the same exact formula. But Patrick Ta used “where it’s made” as a selling point to justify high cost.
Olaplex no3 is nearly identical to other conditions, barring their patented product (whether it works or not is a different convo). But synthesis of that product costs money, hence the price. You can buy a steak at walmart or a steak from japan. They are fed ‘nearly identical’ diets but different quality diets and have different outcomes. J* is just trying to upsell his brand
Jeffrey's so smart and calculated. 😂 Everyone is questioning why he's defending Patrick but then he mentions that their stuff is made in the same place with similar ingredients. Then people notice his stuff is better value. why not go for him instead? making people realise that, instead of telling them so you aren't aware he's upselling and then his products join the hype.
Patrick Ta is definitely not luxury, it's high end in the same line as brands like Huda, NARS, Fenty, Haus labs etc. For me, "luxury" are brands like Prada, Guerlain, Pat McGrath, Chanel, Gucci etc... Patrick Ta is just a normal makeup artist and there is nothing luxury about him or his brand imo, he is not different from any other makeup artist brand brand, like ABH. Although Natasha Denona isn't one of those luxury high fashion brands, I see her somewhere in between high end and luxury, with patrick ta being firmly in the high end camp and hence below ND. I think Patrick Ta doesn't have that many good products, most are rubbish, limited in variety, and he has not made a big enough mark in the makeup world like say charlotte tilbury who everyone knows, while Patrick Ta on only known by makeup fans. non makeup veterans do not know this brand
@@ellerchui'm not the og commenter, but both PMG and ND have established a reputation of products that are amazing quality for the price we pay, which grants the entire brand a reputation that patrick ta (a much younger MUA) has not established yet in the beauty space. Not to mention, patrick ta's eyeshadow palettes have a history of having mold in them, which only worsens things for the brand when put under a microscope.
@@ellerchuPat McGrath and Natasha have more time in the industry than Patrick ta and still charges less- they are all makeup artists yes, but the fact that he’s charging $42 for two eyeshadows while Natasha is charging an entire eyeshadow palette for just a few dollars more is crazy.
This. Even ND is over rated for what she offers too. She gives me morphe redone for 2024. She figured quickly "midi" for everyday person and rolled with it. But all those palettes have repetitive redundant shades, end up giving same look no matter how they Swatch
@ellerchu if that's the case I'll admit I'm wrong. I agree with all your points though. Especially when it's proven it's not really 100% pearl and there are other identical dupes. It just feels like him and these brands are reaching for that status.
I also want to add that I find luxury makeup brands put out crazily priced makeup and then they don’t respond to people who call the pricing out of touch. They lean into the excessive price because it is luxury aka not a “necessity” there’s a very “exclusive” feel. Patrick Ta seems like he wanted his cake and to eat it too because he wants to be seen as luxury but can’t handle the critique that comes with being a luxury brand aka out of touch pricing
I think he handled it well for the most part - chose to address it and back up his product. It worked in his favor, but it would be wild to do this for every product. Especially because most luxury brands would not make that response at all. 😅
Sorry but Patrick Ta has insane prices. There's a reason why ppl are buying high-end over luxury. For me, I wouldn't get my first high-end foundation from Patrick Ta, instead I would go for Dior or Japanese brands like RMK. Drugstore prices are getting way too high tbh
What I don't see anybody talking about is that he *literally lied*. What does "100% pearl" even mean? To me it means "pure mica" or whatever sparkly stuff they put in there. But then he also says it's a slurry, so a type of liquid formula baked into the pan. So how can there be "no filler"??? It is literally pigment / mica suspended in "filler" and baked! It will have more filler than powder eyeshadows by nature. I can't believe people bought this.
@@ellerchu Maybe he meant "no base pigment", because he used the word "base" as well, but I don't think that's true either, at least some of these do seem to have a base... And it still seems deceptive. Like it's the kind of thing you say because it sounds good and is vague enough to claim plausible deniability whatever people throw at you
I also didn’t get a “positive vibe” from Patrick Ta’s response to all the controversy. It felt like another way to sell the product and it felt like it was sold to us the way you might sell an item to a 5 year old.
I didnt like the way he misrepresented the formula by stating, incorrectly, several times that the formula was 100%. pearl. That is a bold faced lie that is exposed by looking at the ingredient list.
I love your opening statement about how your channel is an area for people to enjoy makeup but it’s also a place to make mindful decisions in relation to money before diving into the topic. I know in one of your previous videos, you talked about how you don’t want your channel to be seen as a place that only criticizes makeup but I think you nailed what you want your channel to be a place for in your opening :) I define luxury makeup as designer brand makeup like Chanel, Gucci, YSL. They’re all luxury fashion houses so it makes sense to define those as luxury to me. I don’t see Patrick Ta as a luxury brand. I think of Patrick Ta has high end. I usually breakdown the prices of makeup as “drugstore”, “mid-range”, “high end”, and then “luxury”.
@@ellerchuAlthough Pat McGrath is a makeup artist as well, I do consider her luxury . She has sustained herself as a makeup artist in the fashion industry . Plus her packaging is luxurious. Her eyeshadow palette packaging are very hefty and her blush packaging . She puts a lot of quality in her formulas and packaging . I always look forward to your videos ❤
@@ellerchuShe’s earned her place in the industry and worked harder than Patrick, full stop. Also better quality products, never heard a complaint about anything that she’s made. Patrick on the other hand…..😬
@@ellerchuyeah i’d day that mcgrath is more renowned? last year everyone was recreating the porcelain doll makeup look that she did for maison margiela
This is such a great video! I love your water bottle price example. This explains my feelings perfectly. It's crazy to think if he released these for like $6 less, he probably wouldn't have had an issue and probably sold out.
I bought two kiko milano shades for my sibling's birthday (for I think less than 15 dollars per shade, roughly) and its a really decent dupe texture wise. It's shimmery and creamy (a little more glittery and colour dense than the Patrick Ta, but easy enough to blend away if needed). Plus you buy them as single shades so I could pick my sibling's favourite colours to wear. And it held up so well, even for a whole night clubbing (and both of us sweat a lot... plus I have very oily lids). Oh, and the fall out really wasn't so bad. So if anything is looking for a single shade, I suggest trying Kiko
I haven't bought anything from Patrick Ta, but I think that it is steep for him to jump straight to a luxury standpoint. His latest launches have all been flops. Highlighter - flop, Major dimension palettes - mold, foundation -flop, and the eyeshadow duos - nothing special. The only thing I have wanted from Patrick Ta is the blush duo, but that has reported flashback, so I decided against it too. I think its okay to stay in the price lane of like Kosas or Makeup by Mario prices - like high end but not luxury.
Yes, I’ve tried a handful of his products especially when his brand first launched. None of them became my favorites until recently. The eyeshadow duo and his matte palette are the first products I’ve genuinely enjoyed!
For me, I think there’s a reason most brands don’t use these overpriced ingredients. There’s so many comparable formulas using comparable ingredients that are much cheaper to use, and that’s why they use them. The ‘nuance’ of the texture will not read to people in your day to day life that see you wearing that eyeshadow. I think these duos are going to be one of those things that in a year or two a lot of influencers are gonna be decluttering because they found better or similar products.
I am 36 years-old, so I would be in that range of women who could afford to buy this. But I won't out of principle. I don't need it, and I won't spend that much on eyeshadows. Period.
I would buy it if it was on sale (like i did with the urban decay moon dust) but I can’t justify the full price. I don’t think it’s worth it when there are so many options out there. I understand the cost into the production and all the ingredients, but at the end of the day i really don’t care about that. I care if it works well enough and priced at a point that i can justify spending. this product just isn’t one I can, but also that doesn’t make it a bad product just not one I would get🤷🏼♀️ I’m so glad you made this video because i’ve been seeing so much talk about these shadows and I wanted a deep dive into it like this. I’m usually a silent viewer, but I wanted to respond on this
Thanks for not being silent for this video. 🥹 You’re totally valid to consider performance and price over “cost of production.” That should be none of our business lol
This might seem a bit off-topic, but seeing this eyeshadow duo priced so high felt like a wake-up call for my impulsive behavior around makeup and skincare. I currently own the blush duo and contour duo from the same brand, and while I’ve tried to love and use them, they feel like products that aim to do everything but excel at nothing. I also have his matte eyeshadow palette wishlisted since the first teaser posts, but I haven’t pulled the trigger. Why? First, I don’t even love his existing products. Second, I can’t justify it when I already own cheaper, high-quality palettes in the same color scheme. The truth is, I barely use a fraction of the makeup I own-half of it breaks me out (thanks to my sensitive skin), and a good chunk is probably expired. This expensive price tag really made me question my habits. I realized I’m tired of chasing the “next best thing” when I already have things I love, especially when, like you said, I only liked one shade in the duo, and the packaging doesn’t even feel luxurious or indulgent. In fact, I use only a handful of my collection regularly. So, who am I buying for? Why am I wasting money on expensive, mediocre products just because others hype them up? This realization was shocking and liberating. I’ve since decluttered all the products that didn’t work for me, and surprisingly, I don’t miss them. If anything, I feel free!
I had the wake up call this year as well - but not with impulsive spending. I just realized I wasn’t being price conscious enough, so I feel you! Also, I’m happy you have found what has worked for you. 🫶 And this is not to influence you, but the Patrick Ta Matte palette is the only product I genuinely fell in love with from his brand. But I’ve bought multiple products in the past. 😅
Thanks, Elle! This journey is also what really helped me discover products that truly work for me and fit my current lifestyle. Hearing you mention the palette again highlights its quality, and I think it will remain on my wishlist for when I need a replacement. 😄
I think the lipstick lesbians put it best. The power is in the people. We are the ones spending our money, this means we give brands power. And if we dont agree with something, do not support it. I think people are forgetting that there are many products out there that are, if the same or better quality of lux and high-end brands/products. So honestly " if you can not afford it, do not get it " this line has sooo much fvcked up about it BUT AT THE SAME TIME we should do this to show that we do not support or agree with price. We should not be shamming anyone for not being able to afford anything! So let's look at indie brands that have the same quality or better at sooo much better pricing. Over all, lets give our money to the prices we agree with, whether that be $4 or $40 or $400 caz honestly babes its just makeup, we can always make choices, we DO NOT HAVE TO BUY anything. Thank you for reading my ted talk 😜
Preach 🙌 I’ll add that “complaining” (not unnecessary hate) can also be necessary for change - whether the brands listen or don’t, it’s totally up to them.
i rarely find luxury brands truly luxurious and high quality - for most things, you sadly just pay for the name than the performance. Also, brands think just because they price their items at high prices, that they are suddenly high end. I think at a certain price, it is not a luxury item anymore but a pure scam. Same goes for Charlotte Tilbury's eyepalettes (the tiny one with 4 shades) - luxury brand or not, a tiny thing like that should NOT be 55 or more dollars?? Hourglass for instance is amazing and worth the luxury brand title. But most of the time, we can literally just get a highly performing makeup item for less. Same goes for patrick ta - 2 eyeshadows for 42 dollars is outraegous, no matter luxury or not. One cannot promote stuff on tiktok to try and appeal to the majority and want everyone to buy it when it's not universally fair price. Of course there will be people who buy these, but one day they just won't get the profit they want. The price does not match the value at all!!(btw thanks for your videos, i love them! i also got the hourglass concealer and the haus labs foundation)
“Brands think just because they price their items at high prices, they are suddenly high end” “One cannot promote.. and appeal to the majority and want everyone to buy it when it’s not universally fair price” Where were you when I was editing? 😂 I’ll have to get community feedback next time. Also, thank you for supporting and watching my videos!
@ellerchu Aww, you're so sweet, I am glad we have a mutual agreement on that topic 🥹🥹 Also ofccc you're so great and you're my favorite youtuber about makeup! I don't even have to follow anyone else. though I do admit more videos would be nice because I love watching them everyday 👉👈
@ellerchu really random but can you make a review on the huda beauty icy nude palette? I really want it but idk if I should get it. I really like those 90s palettes
5:24 holy shit, i did think you’d mention the only eyeshadow palette i’ve ever purchased. i’m more of a makeup drama person than a makeup person and i never recognize the items people mention
I love that you went through what typically makes a brand luxury and what you think for each. I personally don’t think Patrick Ta is luxury simply because the quality is not there. Every product either doesn’t work for a majority of people, or takes a lot of effort to make it work. When I think of luxury brand products, I think of easy to use, high quality products that enhance my life and are dependable. His products are not that.
Thanks for this video, it was really interesting. I've no idea how these are selling but it seems to be it fell victim to confused marketing and bad positioning. Patrick Ta (the company) doesn't seem to know if they want to be cool or if they want to be luxury. They are pricing them like they are luxury but selling them like they are a cool brand. No luxury brand would have ever justified their pricing in a video like that, where they had printouts. (Also, as someone from an agricultural country, slurry will never be a selling point)
@ellerchu In agriculture slurry is cow manure mixed with water to make it into a liquid that can be spread easily. It's usually kept in a slurry pit which can be smelt from miles away. I've never heard used any other way, so I've no idea what it is in eyeshadow. And I don't want to find out! Even hearing the word makes me think of the smell of cow shit. It's so far away from luxury so it's almost funny to see them using it as a selling point 😂
Hi Elle I bought the tirtir milk toner from your reccomendation and I love it. I even had a girl say that my skin looked amazing and that I was glowing. And that was after a whole day so safe to say absolutely love it
Luxury IS greedy atp. You pay for the name and logo, no longer quality. On I think it was zulily the uggs were cheaper than regular fur lined boots last year so I got two pairs for Christmas. The brown pair which I have worn HALF the time I wore the grey pair has completely worn down and the sides around my ankle stretched beyond repair afterthe second wear
but this is also why I love your channel because then you included Javon and Monica and it reinforced not buying anything from this brand😌🥴, also the glitter shadow doesn’t seem like something The everyday person would wear consistently, maybe for like a special occasion I don’t know. I want to justify the product because it looks nice to the eye, but I just can’t.
Hi Elle! Excellent content and no, I don't consider PT to be a luxury brand. Also, the forrest green sweater is so becoming along with your lip colour 😊
I’ve never seen your page before; when you said at the end of the vid that this was your first video essay I was shocked!!! This was so eloquently said and I can really tell you took the time to consider all the nuances in this situation. I’m usually a silent viewer in general, but I loved you’re dissection. Can’t wait to see more of your content!!
I appreciated this video and your take on everything! You did so well breaking everything down. I agree, Patrick Ta’s brand gives me the vibe that they’re trying to reach luxury, but may be having difficulty positioning themselves in the market that way. I almost want to say they pivoted somewhere along the way from being affordable luxury to straight up trying to be luxury. I’m interested to see where they go from here. More video formats like this one!! So fun to watch!!
Awesome take...at 40, I'm finally being pushed too far by these brands. It's not just Patrick Ta, but his eyeshadows are an easy example of overpricing as anyone who buys makeup instantly thinks of brands like P Louise who can deliver identical pay off for a tiny fraction of the price. I love "luxury" experiences, like Lisa Eldridge, but I need some justification beyond "magic pearls and Italy"...plus his brand has so many quality issues, as well. I say pay full price for luxury if you truly believe and love the product and the brand, otherwise, stop caring if things "sell out" and wait for sales, like you said in the video. There's always a new thing in 2 weeks you can obsess about. It's so funny that we stopped wanting giant eyeshadow pallets and the answer was to charge nearly the same price for 2 shadows. Ranting, sorry...makeup is frustrating! Nice vid!
Luxury brands in my opinion are those from prestige luxury fashion houses. With that said, most of these brands know who their customers are and what they want. So a Chanel would go for more subtle make up and high prices. Dior goes for high performance and high glam. Also note that Dior has their backstage line which is less expensive than their usual line but it is still great products. PT on the other hand has been extremely inconsistent, has had mould on his eyeshadow. If he had a more stellar line with consistent quality and was not geared to just be trendy product, he could have gotten away with the luxury prices. The only mua make up brand I consider luxury would probably be Pat McGrath and Natasha Denona, mainly because they have always had stellar products
Woooooow I love how you broke this entire issue down! It's so hard to articulate why this whole launch felt icky to me - thank you so much for all your hard work! You gained a new subscriber today 🫶🥰
your entire video speaks to me, and so do many of the comments !! i see so much in makeup where im just like... this is not worth what these brands are trying to make it. (ps. your fit + makeup is beautiful ❤️❤️)
Such a great video! I don't know why I haven't come across you before, especially since your videos (whether like this one, or the previous ones that I took a quick glance at) are the exact thing I love to watch, but I am so glad I finally did. Your personality, presence, and how you present information is so great, so easy to listen too. I definitely subscribed, and am looking forward to watching so many of your videos in the near future.
ohmy god its a honor to be this early!! i've been watching ur videos whenever im bored and its so nice to hear ur voice rating products whenever im playing or drawing
I think that I would’ve bought this if it was between 35-38 but hearing 42$ I didn’t even want to buy it during the sale. As someone who loves and owns patrick ta and luxury it’s just too much in my opinion
Coming from a person who cannot afford to spend 42 usd on eyeshadow, I think the price is reasonable. It is glitter eyeshadow, not a necessity or something that can be worn every day. People need to start spending within their means and not buy every single trendy product. We do not deserve to buy everything we desire. And great video!!!
Food for thought; I think the people who don’t think the price is reasonable are the ones who are attempting to live within their means because they are price conscious. But your comment is a good example that it’s not all about affordability (more perception). And thank you so much for watching it! ♥️
I think the outrage is a little ridiculous. I understand economic times are tough, so just pass if you can’t afford it. I won’t be picking them up right now, but my birthday is around the corner. I am almost 48, so I predate the eyeshadow palette trend. I remember picking up 5 core eyeshadows from MAC at $22 a piece back in the day and using them up completely. So a duo for $42 isn’t unreasonable to me. Urban Decay, Charlotte Tilbury, Hourglass all have singles upwards of $26. I don’t know, just not seeing the major issue. 🤷🏻♀️
After reading the comments, I realized that the outrage over pricing is mostly because Patrick Ta brand has a polarizing reputation due to past/current inconsistencies and controversies. This makes it less about logical price comparisons to the brands you mentioned. As I explained in the video, the frustration isn’t about the numbers - It’s because people, like you vs someone else can perceive the brand's value differently. They think that Patrick Ta compared to those brands is not reliable enough to charge the same price or more. You won’t see a major issue unless you have the same idea of the brand. But of course, you and everyone else are entitled to an opinion! Edit: Grammar
Aside from the price, what makes Patrick ta luxury? Prestige brand - yes. Luxury? No. There are too many inconsistencies and issues with his formulas and quality control to be deemed luxury.
Yeah I feel luxury includes reliability. I don't think an eyeshadow that falls out of the pan like that is reliable. I used to be a cleaner and I've seen luxury makeup that has trashed and the product is still ok.
i got the dasique quads, super love it. also, I think the patrick ta duos are very similar to the ones from his holiday collection. the one with the 4 shadow topper, 2 cream blush and 2 powder blush that comes in pink packaging , thats why i didn't bother to get the duos.
I have some luxury brands eyeshadow palettes, like prada and ysl, and the experience and product you get are VERY different from patrick ta. From the samples and gifts they give you when you shop directly from them in bloomingdales or neiman marcus, to the packaging being 100 customized by them with engravings and 3d effects, even fake leather, as well as the formulas. Overall I just don't think patrick ta is at that level to try and compete with essentially the creators of what we know now as luxury beauty
YES YES !!!! all the the dupes are {HENOMENAL, peach PREACH girl, I agree I have been writing everyone influencers etc... all the dupes i have and SOME are soooo much better than PT I NEVER buy his products and NEVER will same with others its my money and im not stupid
Patrick Ta doesn’t have the best history of decent makeup, there’s been quite a few problematic things. I don’t consider it a luxury brand and other brands are consistently better. Same with Charlotte Tilbury it’s nothing special, just popular. I don’t consider an eyeshadow with fallout a decent product, no matter whose brand it is. There’s just no need for that in quality products.
The comparison to the bottle of water in theme parcs was such an eye opener! Also, this outfit and make up looks very nice on you! (you always look nice lol) Edit: higher quality comes at a higher price. But luxury and high end are purely a marketing / brand name scam with a ridiculously high profit margin
I was one of those going nuts on the Trendmood post about the price but I was sooo attracted to Still at the club and after fighting for quite some time, I gave in and purchased it without swatching first or anything. When you open the package they look really flat but when I swatched that duo… it is absolutely stunning, I cannot compare it with anything in exactness so I’m pleased
I got a pearl/golden slurry from the drug store about 9 years ago. It was by "prestige eyeshadow" and called "golden retriever". I think it was like $11.
honestly, the price didn't bother me. i can understand wanting to be paid for a quality product and r&d and even compare to singles of the same quality. however, the past couple of weeks, too many things have come out about patrick ta himself that makes me never want to support his brand. allegedly not paying a creator and he supports israel. that's enough for me to never spend money on his makeup
Thank you for this amazing topic and I do appreciate the hard work you put into this. It’s definitely an eye-opener on this.❤❤ and happy holidays everyone and be safe out there😊
I think both are too expensive in my eyes, but it’s a matter of priorities. Also, the target audiences for each product are different (although they can overlap) so I don’t think it’s the best comparison.
I am a licensed cosmetologist the problem with make up companies or beauty industry companies is that they all want to be Chanel they all want to be the next best thing so they don’t care about the clientele. They only care about their bottom dollar everyone wants to be a high-end brand, but don’t Have the consistency or the star power for all of that and it’s usually rich, wealthy people who will say stuff like oh well if you can’t afford it, don’t buy those are the dumbest people in the world because they always settle for less thinking that is going to make them better than everyone else
Patric ta is not luxury. Atleast for me. 1) pallets going mouldy because of poor quality formulas. 2) products (eyeshadow) falling off pan . 3) cheap tacky golden plastic packaging. 4) inconsistency in formulas and products all the time. Luxury comes not just from price but also from experience and pedigree. Let’s talk about Guerlain with over 200 years of history, then there is Chanel , Dior , Hermes . I would not consider him as prestigious or professional brand either because of above points , Charlotte Tilbury, Lisa Eldridge have years of experience and gave unique products when it comes to formulations and there is consistency. A owner of luxury brand doesn’t come online with a sheet with pictures and names of products and describes why it’s expensive. It was giving a desperate social climber vibe . Just not the price , class and elegance does matter . Last time there was a controversy with Dior making their bags for 50USD or 100USD. They didn’t come out with A4 sheets with pictures of bags from Chanel , Delvaux , Hermes etc explaining these also cost same to make . Me and my friend group don’t buy much makeup but we do enjoy splurging 200 usd on my foundation or a ridiculous price or purchasing a mono matte eyeshadow for more than 42usd but we would walk past his store or counter ignoring it. People who use actual luxury prefer subtle nuances , a pearly sheen is alright for evening but that tacky glitter is a strict no. You have to pay me to wear that . I have worked for major luxury houses like Guerlain, Givenchy etc behind the scenes and I know the consumer . To me he and his brand comes off as a floozy flapper .
The thing for me is that only makeup fans are going to go "ooohhhh" if I say, "thanks, it's Patrick Ta. If my aunt compliments my eyeshadow at.Christmas dinner and I.say, "thanks it's Chanel" the whole table is going to take notice. We have to be honest, part of luxury is prestige. The prestige her is super niche.
I get what you mean! From a makeup lovers perspective I don’t buy products for status or others though. I splurge on high end because I notice the nuance in formula or longevity (but the look can always be duped). That’s why I think justifying luxury as a beauty brand is much harder than fashion (imo).
I feel comfortable categorizing PT as a high end brand like hourglass, Koh Gen Do. Not luxury. That in my opinion not only is reserved for formulas and pricing, and marketing but also an elegance that comes from heritage. Is it bold for PT brand to want to carve a luxury space from inception, sure. But people have different perceptions of luxury also. So reactions should not be a surprised. I also think pricing was an afterthought not an intention, bc there was a very strategic local Los Angeles, NYC campaign that was probably budgeted in the seven figures. And now is ROI time.
It’s interesting that the TikTok audience seems to have a different perception. I’m noticing the UA-cam comments see Patrick Ta’s brand as luxury while on TikTok it’s luxury.
They meant it when they said limited edition. Lol The Sephora site says it only available in store! If you go on the app, you can search for nearby stores with stock left.
And it only get worse oh my god not only is he charging far to much for very little. he supports Israel, doesnt pay his black creators and i dont mean this to be rude but all that plastic surgery makes him look so scary. Ive had him blocked for ages and um so glad others are finally realising him and his brand SUCK
I've noticed that a lot of times discussions around price and affordability on the internet, especially tik tok, is usually completely out of touch. Whether its thinking things should cost a fraction of the price to manufacture or that a high price tag somehow equates to good quality. It does not. This situation specifically reminds me of the whole Selkie dresses debate. Their clothes are sold for hundreds of dollars, and yes they are (mostly) made in small batches, designed by one person yada yada BUT the fabric composition is often cheap as all get out, like not even *fancy* polyester, cheap. But the prices are defended as its a small business and 'cost equals quality" except sometimes it doesn't. A lot of brands will knowingly overpriced products because they know people will pay, and to me thats all Patrick Ta is doing here, but people are just eating it up because they are convinced it means something.
my confusion with the $42 price is that, the way manufacturing works, the more product you order, the cheaper the cost per unit is, and this is why a single eyeshadow from a brand will be $20 per shadow and a 10 pan eyeshadow pallete will be $40, where each shadow is $4. manufacturing 2 shadows for each product should take the cost per shadow down a tad bit- NARS singles are $19 and their duos are $35 (making them $17.5 per shade). So him saying his shadows are more affordable than urban decay's $24 is just wrong, because if patrick made these single shadows, they would surely be more than $21 each
The Patrick Ta shadows are $67 AUD (not including shipping). I wouldn't consider buying those, they look similar enough on the eyes as other shadows I already own. I did recently spend $66 AUD on four clionadh shadows (including shipping) and that was worth it for me - I got some multi chromes that I can't find anywhere else and don't already own. Even as beautiful as the Patrick Ta shadows are they the shades are not nearly unique enough for me to spend that money on them. My rule with buying eyeshadow currently is that it has to be completely different to anything I already own. I have too much eyeshadow and I just don't need more!
though i swear i bought a similar single shade to the silver from an indie brand at tj maxx for 6 dollars for a pan bigger than both ud and patrick tua single shade. I also buy the UD when it's half off but i personally cannot justify spending 24 unless it was a serious impulse buy because i know it goes on sale atp.
I feel like if they were selling us a luxury experience they should have made the packaging like the eyeshadow equivalent of the Lisa Eldridge Rouge Experience Refillable Lipstick. Make it aluminium and refillable. If it's going to give sticker shock anyway, go for the whole hog, even if that drives up the price even higher. EDIT: I want to walk back my comparison to brands like Chanel/Hermes/etc. because I feel like that's unreasonable because 1) the Patrick Ta brand hasn't been around long enough to develop that kind of fan base 2) those brands are are tied to other things like fashion house, which to my knowledge Patrick Ta isn't. Also, I gushed about the lipsticks "elegant, aluminum, and refillable" which I stand by, but which I unfortunately just realized implied Patrick Ta's packaging isn't elegant, which I do NOT stand by.
Hi Elle! I enjoy watching your channel. You have thoughtful videos, plus you're a shade match to my skin tone and we have similar tastes on a lot of makeup. To answer your mid-point question - no, I think Patrick Ta is high-end, not "luxury," although I heard he's trying to rebrand himself that way.
I have poured countless hours into researching, scripting, and editing this video! It’s my first time trying this format, but I promise to keep improving in the future. 😅
If you enjoyed it, please give it a like and share your thoughts or opinions in the comments. It helps more than you know! Much love, Elle Chu 💋
I love that you did the math, was able time bring up how these conversations have been going around even before this just in smaller circles and was just not as viral as this situation
Thank you for the love 🫶
This was so comprehensive. I finished the makeup review portion of the video and was shocked to see there was more because of the depth already there! Great job
You did an amazing job on this, girl! Looking forward to seeing what you come up with next!
Yeah 50 dollar skin tint, 70 dollar pallet that LITERALLY MOLDS, and 42 dollar basic ass shimmer. Suffice it to say, this brand will be a no for me 😅
Totally understandable
Patrick Ta is literally trying to price himself as luxury houses, he doesn't have the experience or the formulas to do this.
I've got shimmers that look just as nice on my eyes that cost a fraction of the price. Some of my Colourpop, clionadh, and (I hate saying this) morphe shadows look no different. Just because something might look more dramatic as a swatch doesn't mean it wears or looks the same in use.
Exactly my thoughts
"Something isn't REASONABLY priced just because you're willing to pay for it."
WELL SAID 👏! At the end of the day, it's all about marketing.
💯 Thanks for watching!
This perfectly sums up my thoughts on this launch!
Patrick Ta doesn't read luxury to me at all, it has the same energy as Charlotte Tilbury: tacky. TACKY. Gold plastic is not luxurious. It's trying to mimic something that would be really luxurious (gold and metal) with something that isn't, so it just feels tacky. It's like a knockoff bag―you can get a really nice (often better quality) bag from a brand like Coach, so wearing a fake version of something really expensive just reads poorly. I will say that the taupe-y/ brown shade is actually appealing on its own merit. Besides the packaging, I think his brand reads trendy more than luxury. Trendy brands can't charge luxury prices. I don't think that the response/ backlash has anything to do with $ per gram, or anything else "logical" like that woman at the beginning saying "if you're ok with $24 for UD, then don't complain about this", because it's not about logic, it's about the vibe.
“Trendy” is the perfect word to describe Patrick Ta’s brand! It’s definitely about the perception or “vibe”.
PREACH girl. you clocked that bitch lmao
exactly!!
YESSS! Exactly This!
Agreed! Also the huge difference is that UD, and any of the other comparisons that have been most frequently mentioned, is that most od them were revolutionary for their time. There was nothing on the market like them when they were released. The PT duos are not something new and exciting, especially compared to what is available now on the Indie market. They have just as good, if not better, options at significantly lower prices.
4:12 i honestly hate when people say stuff like this. it’s genuinely so condescending. consumers have a right to criticize pricing on products, especially in this economy. hell, we have a right to criticize every aspect of a product
I feel like it’s also stating the obvious 😅
Especially when these are rich influencers WHO WERE GIFTED THE PRODUCT FOR FREE. And yeah, the price of the Urban Decay eyeshadow singles is insane too! These just deeply unserious individuals are so out of touch it continues to shock me.
Exactly I want to know exactly what is going into it to make it that price….. with that same logic what stops them from charging $100 lmao 😂
I personally don’t consider brands founded by MUAs to be luxury and I do not connect luxury brands with quality, but with a specific name (Armani beauty is produced by L’Oréal). I consider brands founded by MUAs professional brands: they usually have unique formulas, unique uses not always intended for the general public (look at Mario’s mixing palettes) but more catered to professional makeup artists who can understand them and incorporate them on their kits
Professional brands is a good way to describe them! I think they usually start this way but will then launch products that the general public would enjoy
I completely agree. I also think the "luxury" label is earned by years of brand recognition. Also, generally when you see a luxury product whether it be clothing, purses/bags, fragrance, or cosmetics you can spot it by just looking at it without even seeing the logo.
Idk I consider Charlotte Tilbury as luxury, I think she's done a good job from the start of her brand creating that perception though
it kinda baffles me how jeffree star defended the price of patrick ta's eyeshadow duos and said they have the same labs for a lot of their products
but jeffrees products are cheaper in comparison
For example his eyeshadow pallets
Patrick Ta and Jeffree star don't scream luxury to me
They're "self made" but not luxury
Simply a choice to position the brand as luxury 😕
L’Oréal and Armani have the same labs. Same labs don’t mean same formulation. The same group can formulate different quality products
I consider Patrick Ta (along with other MUA brands like Charlotte Tilbury and Pat McGrath) high-end, not luxury, and he’s also a very new brand. Luxury to me are household names like Chanel, Gucci, Prada, YSL, Dior, etc. - brands that not only sell beauty but also clothes, handbags, perfumes, and ultimately a lifestyle, that everyone around the world knows. My older and extremely offline family members don’t know Patrick Ta, but they do know luxury brands.
It seems like most of the comment section (so far) agrees with this!
I agree with this comment!
Yes! For sure. The luxe brands mentioned here in fact aren't known for their cosmetics, they are known instead for their couture and bags. When I think of Christian Dior I don't immediately think of Dior Beauty, I think of the Lady Dior bags and their clothing collections.
Luxury, to me, is all about genuine quality. Unfortunately, many household brands deserve scrutiny these days. They’ve started using cheaper materials in their products while maintaining extremely high price tags, fully aware that their brand name alone holds significant value in people’s minds. For an MUA brand I would classify only Pat McGrath as luxury due to formulation. I believe she’s used real gold in the past for her formulations.
Jeffery Star acidently outed Patrick ta Eyeshadow over pricing.
Jeffery star stated that his $50 highlighter was made by the same factory using the a near identical formulation while defending PT product price. However when you breaking it down there is a whole other side of the pricing scam.
JS highlighter is 15 grams and PT eyeshadow is 4 grams. Js highlighter is $3.33 per gram and PT eyeshadow is $10.50 per gram. It just doesn’t add up at all.
Yeah, I thought this was interesting. I think Jeffrey also said that they could have charged less and your math confirms this.
Again, they’re in their right to charge what’s best for the brand, and the product is good overall! But a slightly different formula isn’t enough reasoning. I think if Patrick Ta opened up about trying to create a luxury brand image, it would have been more clear!
Edit: Not agreeing that’s they’re the same exact formula. But Patrick Ta used “where it’s made” as a selling point to justify high cost.
Olaplex no3 is nearly identical to other conditions, barring their patented product (whether it works or not is a different convo). But synthesis of that product costs money, hence the price. You can buy a steak at walmart or a steak from japan. They are fed ‘nearly identical’ diets but different quality diets and have different outcomes. J* is just trying to upsell his brand
Jeffrey's so smart and calculated. 😂
Everyone is questioning why he's defending Patrick but then he mentions that their stuff is made in the same place with similar ingredients. Then people notice his stuff is better value. why not go for him instead? making people realise that, instead of telling them so you aren't aware he's upselling and then his products join the hype.
all the while coming across as supportive to another brand and not negative mind games on mind games. like a matryoshka doll
Patrick Ta is definitely not luxury, it's high end in the same line as brands like Huda, NARS, Fenty, Haus labs etc. For me, "luxury" are brands like Prada, Guerlain, Pat McGrath, Chanel, Gucci etc... Patrick Ta is just a normal makeup artist and there is nothing luxury about him or his brand imo, he is not different from any other makeup artist brand brand, like ABH. Although Natasha Denona isn't one of those luxury high fashion brands, I see her somewhere in between high end and luxury, with patrick ta being firmly in the high end camp and hence below ND. I think Patrick Ta doesn't have that many good products, most are rubbish, limited in variety, and he has not made a big enough mark in the makeup world like say charlotte tilbury who everyone knows, while Patrick Ta on only known by makeup fans. non makeup veterans do not know this brand
What factors do you consider for Pat McGrath and Natasha Denona to be luxury instead of high end? 👀
@@ellerchui'm not the og commenter, but both PMG and ND have established a reputation of products that are amazing quality for the price we pay, which grants the entire brand a reputation that patrick ta (a much younger MUA) has not established yet in the beauty space. Not to mention, patrick ta's eyeshadow palettes have a history of having mold in them, which only worsens things for the brand when put under a microscope.
I don't consider celebrity brands to be high-end. They feel fake, but that's not to say their products are bad.
@@ellerchuPat McGrath and Natasha have more time in the industry than Patrick ta and still charges less- they are all makeup artists yes, but the fact that he’s charging $42 for two eyeshadows while Natasha is charging an entire eyeshadow palette for just a few dollars more is crazy.
This. Even ND is over rated for what she offers too. She gives me morphe redone for 2024. She figured quickly "midi" for everyday person and rolled with it. But all those palettes have repetitive redundant shades, end up giving same look no matter how they Swatch
If the person who's telling me its luxury is the creator...then im not buying that its luxury
I don’t think it was Patrick Ta who said it was luxury, but he explained the quality and formula
@ellerchu if that's the case I'll admit I'm wrong. I agree with all your points though. Especially when it's proven it's not really 100% pearl and there are other identical dupes. It just feels like him and these brands are reaching for that status.
“Reaching for status” sums up this video lol
"100% pearls" stop lying, my granny isn't trying to wear it
I also want to add that I find luxury makeup brands put out crazily priced makeup and then they don’t respond to people who call the pricing out of touch. They lean into the excessive price because it is luxury aka not a “necessity” there’s a very “exclusive” feel. Patrick Ta seems like he wanted his cake and to eat it too because he wants to be seen as luxury but can’t handle the critique that comes with being a luxury brand aka out of touch pricing
I think he handled it well for the most part - chose to address it and back up his product. It worked in his favor, but it would be wild to do this for every product. Especially because most luxury brands would not make that response at all. 😅
Sorry but Patrick Ta has insane prices. There's a reason why ppl are buying high-end over luxury. For me, I wouldn't get my first high-end foundation from Patrick Ta, instead I would go for Dior or Japanese brands like RMK. Drugstore prices are getting way too high tbh
I hear you 🫶
@@ellerchu Also good job on this video!
What I don't see anybody talking about is that he *literally lied*. What does "100% pearl" even mean? To me it means "pure mica" or whatever sparkly stuff they put in there. But then he also says it's a slurry, so a type of liquid formula baked into the pan. So how can there be "no filler"??? It is literally pigment / mica suspended in "filler" and baked! It will have more filler than powder eyeshadows by nature. I can't believe people bought this.
I caught that too, but thought maybe he meant something else or misunderstood the formula
@@ellerchu Maybe he meant "no base pigment", because he used the word "base" as well, but I don't think that's true either, at least some of these do seem to have a base... And it still seems deceptive. Like it's the kind of thing you say because it sounds good and is vague enough to claim plausible deniability whatever people throw at you
I also didn’t get a “positive vibe” from Patrick Ta’s response to all the controversy. It felt like another way to sell the product and it felt like it was sold to us the way you might sell an item to a 5 year old.
I didnt like the way he misrepresented the formula by stating, incorrectly, several times that the formula was 100%. pearl. That is a bold faced lie that is exposed by looking at the ingredient list.
I love your opening statement about how your channel is an area for people to enjoy makeup but it’s also a place to make mindful decisions in relation to money before diving into the topic. I know in one of your previous videos, you talked about how you don’t want your channel to be seen as a place that only criticizes makeup but I think you nailed what you want your channel to be a place for in your opening :)
I define luxury makeup as designer brand makeup like Chanel, Gucci, YSL. They’re all luxury fashion houses so it makes sense to define those as luxury to me.
I don’t see Patrick Ta as a luxury brand. I think of Patrick Ta has high end.
I usually breakdown the prices of makeup as “drugstore”, “mid-range”, “high end”, and then “luxury”.
Thanks to everyone’s support, I’ve been able to get clarity of how to move forward. 🥹
Patrick ta need to take several seats when his eyeshadow palettes has had issues with mold. He’s not luxury he think he’s Pat McGrath he’s delulu
Out of curiosity, why do you see Pat McGrath as luxury over Patrick Ta?
@@ellerchuAlthough Pat McGrath is a makeup artist as well, I do consider her luxury . She has sustained herself as a makeup artist in the fashion industry . Plus her packaging is luxurious. Her eyeshadow palette packaging are very hefty and her blush packaging . She puts a lot of quality in her formulas and packaging .
I always look forward to your videos ❤
@@ellerchuShe’s earned her place in the industry and worked harder than Patrick, full stop. Also better quality products, never heard a complaint about anything that she’s made. Patrick on the other hand…..😬
@@ellerchuyeah i’d day that mcgrath is more renowned? last year everyone was recreating the porcelain doll makeup look that she did for maison margiela
This is such a great video! I love your water bottle price example. This explains my feelings perfectly. It's crazy to think if he released these for like $6 less, he probably wouldn't have had an issue and probably sold out.
Right. I think it would have a way different perception!
I bought two kiko milano shades for my sibling's birthday (for I think less than 15 dollars per shade, roughly) and its a really decent dupe texture wise. It's shimmery and creamy (a little more glittery and colour dense than the Patrick Ta, but easy enough to blend away if needed). Plus you buy them as single shades so I could pick my sibling's favourite colours to wear. And it held up so well, even for a whole night clubbing (and both of us sweat a lot... plus I have very oily lids). Oh, and the fall out really wasn't so bad. So if anything is looking for a single shade, I suggest trying Kiko
I have been dying to try Kiko!
This lipstick shade looks incredible on you!!
Rhode, toasted teddy. I think it’s a new fave 👀
I second commenter. Looks amazing on you @@ellerchu
I haven't bought anything from Patrick Ta, but I think that it is steep for him to jump straight to a luxury standpoint. His latest launches have all been flops.
Highlighter - flop, Major dimension palettes - mold, foundation -flop, and the eyeshadow duos - nothing special. The only thing I have wanted from Patrick Ta is the blush duo, but that has reported flashback, so I decided against it too. I think its okay to stay in the price lane of like Kosas or Makeup by Mario prices - like high end but not luxury.
Yes, I’ve tried a handful of his products especially when his brand first launched. None of them became my favorites until recently.
The eyeshadow duo and his matte palette are the first products I’ve genuinely enjoyed!
For me, I think there’s a reason most brands don’t use these overpriced ingredients. There’s so many comparable formulas using comparable ingredients that are much cheaper to use, and that’s why they use them. The ‘nuance’ of the texture will not read to people in your day to day life that see you wearing that eyeshadow. I think these duos are going to be one of those things that in a year or two a lot of influencers are gonna be decluttering because they found better or similar products.
I actually had a very similar thought! Brands might also start launching similar formulas in the future that compete with it.
i was thinking the same thing
I am 36 years-old, so I would be in that range of women who could afford to buy this. But I won't out of principle. I don't need it, and I won't spend that much on eyeshadows. Period.
I think this proves that it’s not simply about affordability. Thanks for sharing your perspective!
I would buy it if it was on sale (like i did with the urban decay moon dust) but I can’t justify the full price. I don’t think it’s worth it when there are so many options out there. I understand the cost into the production and all the ingredients, but at the end of the day i really don’t care about that. I care if it works well enough and priced at a point that i can justify spending. this product just isn’t one I can, but also that doesn’t make it a bad product just not one I would get🤷🏼♀️ I’m so glad you made this video because i’ve been seeing so much talk about these shadows and I wanted a deep dive into it like this. I’m usually a silent viewer, but I wanted to respond on this
Thanks for not being silent for this video. 🥹 You’re totally valid to consider performance and price over “cost of production.” That should be none of our business lol
This might seem a bit off-topic, but seeing this eyeshadow duo priced so high felt like a wake-up call for my impulsive behavior around makeup and skincare. I currently own the blush duo and contour duo from the same brand, and while I’ve tried to love and use them, they feel like products that aim to do everything but excel at nothing.
I also have his matte eyeshadow palette wishlisted since the first teaser posts, but I haven’t pulled the trigger. Why? First, I don’t even love his existing products. Second, I can’t justify it when I already own cheaper, high-quality palettes in the same color scheme. The truth is, I barely use a fraction of the makeup I own-half of it breaks me out (thanks to my sensitive skin), and a good chunk is probably expired.
This expensive price tag really made me question my habits. I realized I’m tired of chasing the “next best thing” when I already have things I love, especially when, like you said, I only liked one shade in the duo, and the packaging doesn’t even feel luxurious or indulgent. In fact, I use only a handful of my collection regularly. So, who am I buying for? Why am I wasting money on expensive, mediocre products just because others hype them up?
This realization was shocking and liberating. I’ve since decluttered all the products that didn’t work for me, and surprisingly, I don’t miss them. If anything, I feel free!
I had the wake up call this year as well - but not with impulsive spending. I just realized I wasn’t being price conscious enough, so I feel you!
Also, I’m happy you have found what has worked for you. 🫶
And this is not to influence you, but the Patrick Ta Matte palette is the only product I genuinely fell in love with from his brand. But I’ve bought multiple products in the past. 😅
Thanks, Elle! This journey is also what really helped me discover products that truly work for me and fit my current lifestyle.
Hearing you mention the palette again highlights its quality, and I think it will remain on my wishlist for when I need a replacement. 😄
Definitely not a need if you have similar things. ♥️
I think the lipstick lesbians put it best. The power is in the people. We are the ones spending our money, this means we give brands power. And if we dont agree with something, do not support it.
I think people are forgetting that there are many products out there that are, if the same or better quality of lux and high-end brands/products.
So honestly " if you can not afford it, do not get it " this line has sooo much fvcked up about it BUT AT THE SAME TIME we should do this to show that we do not support or agree with price. We should not be shamming anyone for not being able to afford anything! So let's look at indie brands that have the same quality or better at sooo much better pricing.
Over all, lets give our money to the prices we agree with, whether that be $4 or $40 or $400 caz honestly babes its just makeup, we can always make choices, we DO NOT HAVE TO BUY anything.
Thank you for reading my ted talk 😜
Preach 🙌 I’ll add that “complaining” (not unnecessary hate) can also be necessary for change - whether the brands listen or don’t, it’s totally up to them.
@@ellerchu yeassss totally!
When is your next one?! I’m here for it 😂
Patrick Ta, gives me the energy of a family channel that was selling xmas pjs that came into my feed. 😅
Oh yes! I heard about that too.
😂😂😂😂
i rarely find luxury brands truly luxurious and high quality - for most things, you sadly just pay for the name than the performance. Also, brands think just because they price their items at high prices, that they are suddenly high end. I think at a certain price, it is not a luxury item anymore but a pure scam. Same goes for Charlotte Tilbury's eyepalettes (the tiny one with 4 shades) - luxury brand or not, a tiny thing like that should NOT be 55 or more dollars??
Hourglass for instance is amazing and worth the luxury brand title. But most of the time, we can literally just get a highly performing makeup item for less. Same goes for patrick ta - 2 eyeshadows for 42 dollars is outraegous, no matter luxury or not. One cannot promote stuff on tiktok to try and appeal to the majority and want everyone to buy it when it's not universally fair price.
Of course there will be people who buy these, but one day they just won't get the profit they want. The price does not match the value at all!!(btw thanks for your videos, i love them! i also got the hourglass concealer and the haus labs foundation)
“Brands think just because they price their items at high prices, they are suddenly high end”
“One cannot promote.. and appeal to the majority and want everyone to buy it when it’s not universally fair price”
Where were you when I was editing? 😂 I’ll have to get community feedback next time.
Also, thank you for supporting and watching my videos!
@ellerchu Aww, you're so sweet, I am glad we have a mutual agreement on that topic 🥹🥹 Also ofccc you're so great and you're my favorite youtuber about makeup! I don't even have to follow anyone else. though I do admit more videos would be nice because I love watching them everyday 👉👈
I always intend to post more in a week, but I end up choosing quality over quantity. 😆
@ellerchu really random but can you make a review on the huda beauty icy nude palette? I really want it but idk if I should get it. I really like those 90s palettes
5:24 holy shit, i did think you’d mention the only eyeshadow palette i’ve ever purchased. i’m more of a makeup drama person than a makeup person and i never recognize the items people mention
I love that you enjoy the drama content over makeup alone. 🤭
I love that you went through what typically makes a brand luxury and what you think for each. I personally don’t think Patrick Ta is luxury simply because the quality is not there. Every product either doesn’t work for a majority of people, or takes a lot of effort to make it work. When I think of luxury brand products, I think of easy to use, high quality products that enhance my life and are dependable. His products are not that.
This is the overall perspective I’ve been seeing!
Thanks for this video, it was really interesting.
I've no idea how these are selling but it seems to be it fell victim to confused marketing and bad positioning. Patrick Ta (the company) doesn't seem to know if they want to be cool or if they want to be luxury. They are pricing them like they are luxury but selling them like they are a cool brand. No luxury brand would have ever justified their pricing in a video like that, where they had printouts.
(Also, as someone from an agricultural country, slurry will never be a selling point)
I’d love to hear your insight on a “slurry” formula! I keep getting the impression that it’s much higher quality and super expensive to produce.
@ellerchu In agriculture slurry is cow manure mixed with water to make it into a liquid that can be spread easily. It's usually kept in a slurry pit which can be smelt from miles away.
I've never heard used any other way, so I've no idea what it is in eyeshadow. And I don't want to find out! Even hearing the word makes me think of the smell of cow shit.
It's so far away from luxury so it's almost funny to see them using it as a selling point 😂
I was so confused at first but that clears it up 🤣
You know the fact he hasn't gotten this right, indicates poor business, lacking knowledge. Him desiring to make max profit Vs his actual products.
Hi Elle I bought the tirtir milk toner from your reccomendation and I love it. I even had a girl say that my skin looked amazing and that I was glowing. And that was after a whole day so safe to say absolutely love it
Wait, yay!!! I’m so happy you love it. ♥️
"It's about maketing" and "how available you are" to "accept it". Dont cry when you get ripped off.
Luxury IS greedy atp. You pay for the name and logo, no longer quality. On I think it was zulily the uggs were cheaper than regular fur lined boots last year so I got two pairs for Christmas. The brown pair which I have worn HALF the time I wore the grey pair has completely worn down and the sides around my ankle stretched beyond repair afterthe second wear
Wait.. I might actually change my title to this bc it’s a thought I had too lol
but this is also why I love your channel because then you included Javon and Monica and it reinforced not buying anything from this brand😌🥴, also the glitter shadow doesn’t seem like something The everyday person would wear consistently, maybe for like a special occasion I don’t know. I want to justify the product because it looks nice to the eye, but I just can’t.
Appreciate your feedback 🫶 all good things to consider before paying $42 for something
Okay but the Dasique and UD quads are so cute
Ikr!!
So true about "luxury" just being marketing to make people spend more
I’ve been sitting on this thought for a while 😅
Loved this video Elle! I enjoy your thoughtful commentary so having a long form version is really fun
Thank you for watching 🫶
Hi Elle! Excellent content and no, I don't consider PT to be a luxury brand.
Also, the forrest green sweater is so becoming along with your lip colour 😊
Right! I was so happy when I realized I unlocked a new sweater and lip combo for the winter. 😆
I’ve never seen your page before; when you said at the end of the vid that this was your first video essay I was shocked!!! This was so eloquently said and I can really tell you took the time to consider all the nuances in this situation. I’m usually a silent viewer in general, but I loved you’re dissection. Can’t wait to see more of your content!!
Thank you so much for watching until the end and taking the time to comment. 🥹🫶
This was very fair and well thought out! I also wondered why he didnt chose singles
I think he was trying to stay on brand with duos, like his blush and bronzer!
I appreciated this video and your take on everything! You did so well breaking everything down.
I agree, Patrick Ta’s brand gives me the vibe that they’re trying to reach luxury, but may be having difficulty positioning themselves in the market that way. I almost want to say they pivoted somewhere along the way from being affordable luxury to straight up trying to be luxury. I’m interested to see where they go from here.
More video formats like this one!! So fun to watch!!
Right, only time will tell! I’m guessing they’re trying to build the luxury reputation now that they have a strong customer base.
Awesome take...at 40, I'm finally being pushed too far by these brands. It's not just Patrick Ta, but his eyeshadows are an easy example of overpricing as anyone who buys makeup instantly thinks of brands like P Louise who can deliver identical pay off for a tiny fraction of the price. I love "luxury" experiences, like Lisa Eldridge, but I need some justification beyond "magic pearls and Italy"...plus his brand has so many quality issues, as well. I say pay full price for luxury if you truly believe and love the product and the brand, otherwise, stop caring if things "sell out" and wait for sales, like you said in the video. There's always a new thing in 2 weeks you can obsess about. It's so funny that we stopped wanting giant eyeshadow pallets and the answer was to charge nearly the same price for 2 shadows. Ranting, sorry...makeup is frustrating! Nice vid!
Preach 🙌
6:21 i do feel like you can really tell which one is Patrick ta though, at least for me. Anyway love the video
Fair! I personally only see a shade difference. Thanks for watching ♥️
I agree. I could see a very slight difference. But I do agree it's not a huge deal. I'd buy the cheaper one knowing what I know now.
I think if you hadn't mentioned it, we probably wouldn't have noticed 😊
Luxury brands in my opinion are those from prestige luxury fashion houses. With that said, most of these brands know who their customers are and what they want. So a Chanel would go for more subtle make up and high prices. Dior goes for high performance and high glam. Also note that Dior has their backstage line which is less expensive than their usual line but it is still great products. PT on the other hand has been extremely inconsistent, has had mould on his eyeshadow. If he had a more stellar line with consistent quality and was not geared to just be trendy product, he could have gotten away with the luxury prices. The only mua make up brand I consider luxury would probably be Pat McGrath and Natasha Denona, mainly because they have always had stellar products
It seems many people relate luxury not just to quality but brand trust and product reliability!
the wycon eyeshadows from italy that are $12 a pop are the exact same thing as the patrick ta eyeshadows, and manufactured in the same place: italy.
Yup
Great video! The hair and makeup are top tier today too 👏
Thank you so much for the love ♥️
Woooooow I love how you broke this entire issue down! It's so hard to articulate why this whole launch felt icky to me - thank you so much for all your hard work! You gained a new subscriber today 🫶🥰
Thank you for watching and subscribing 🥹
elf has a gold glitter topper….
To be fair, I think that there is a significant difference between Patrick Ta and elf glitter shadows! Elf shadows are less reflective to me.
your entire video speaks to me, and so do many of the comments !! i see so much in makeup where im just like... this is not worth what these brands are trying to make it. (ps. your fit + makeup is beautiful ❤️❤️)
Thanks for leaving a comment and being kind. ♥️
This feels like a high quality video, great editing 😊
Thanks for the positive feedback. ♥️
Such a great video! I don't know why I haven't come across you before, especially since your videos (whether like this one, or the previous ones that I took a quick glance at) are the exact thing I love to watch, but I am so glad I finally did. Your personality, presence, and how you present information is so great, so easy to listen too. I definitely subscribed, and am looking forward to watching so many of your videos in the near future.
Hey! Thank you so much for watching and subscribing. I’m so happy you love the content. ♥️
ohmy god its a honor to be this early!! i've been watching ur videos whenever im bored and its so nice to hear ur voice rating products whenever im playing or drawing
I’ve got 40 minutes of drawing for you today 😂 thanks for watching!
I think that I would’ve bought this if it was between 35-38 but hearing 42$ I didn’t even want to buy it during the sale. As someone who loves and owns patrick ta and luxury it’s just too much in my opinion
Right, I think the perception may have been different if it was even slightly under $40
Really thoughtful and thought provoking analysis! Thank you!!
Thank you for watching ♥️
Coming from a person who cannot afford to spend 42 usd on eyeshadow, I think the price is reasonable. It is glitter eyeshadow, not a necessity or something that can be worn every day. People need to start spending within their means and not buy every single trendy product. We do not deserve to buy everything we desire.
And great video!!!
Food for thought; I think the people who don’t think the price is reasonable are the ones who are attempting to live within their means because they are price conscious. But your comment is a good example that it’s not all about affordability (more perception). And thank you so much for watching it! ♥️
I think the outrage is a little ridiculous. I understand economic times are tough, so just pass if you can’t afford it. I won’t be picking them up right now, but my birthday is around the corner. I am almost 48, so I predate the eyeshadow palette trend. I remember picking up 5 core eyeshadows from MAC at $22 a piece back in the day and using them up completely. So a duo for $42 isn’t unreasonable to me. Urban Decay, Charlotte Tilbury, Hourglass all have singles upwards of $26. I don’t know, just not seeing the major issue. 🤷🏻♀️
After reading the comments, I realized that the outrage over pricing is mostly because Patrick Ta brand has a polarizing reputation due to past/current inconsistencies and controversies. This makes it less about logical price comparisons to the brands you mentioned.
As I explained in the video, the frustration isn’t about the numbers -
It’s because people, like you vs someone else can perceive the brand's value differently. They think that Patrick Ta compared to those brands is not reliable enough to charge the same price or more.
You won’t see a major issue unless you have the same idea of the brand. But of course, you and everyone else are entitled to an opinion!
Edit: Grammar
Aside from the price, what makes Patrick ta luxury? Prestige brand - yes. Luxury? No. There are too many inconsistencies and issues with his formulas and quality control to be deemed luxury.
Been reading this perspective a lot!
Yeah I feel luxury includes reliability. I don't think an eyeshadow that falls out of the pan like that is reliable. I used to be a cleaner and I've seen luxury makeup that has trashed and the product is still ok.
where did you get those brushes you talking into there so cute i want some
It cosmetics! They’re limited edition but launch occasionally throughout the year ♥️
i got the dasique quads, super love it. also, I think the patrick ta duos are very similar to the ones from his holiday collection. the one with the 4 shadow topper, 2 cream blush and 2 powder blush that comes in pink packaging , thats why i didn't bother to get the duos.
This is my first video I’ve clicked on for you and I looove this content style!
Thank you for watching ♥️
Your microphone being a makeup brush is genius haha
Hahaha thank you!
I would LOVE to see you and Shawna Ripari collab!
Hey Elle! I just wanted to say I got bangs because of you and I love them and love you 🥰 ❤
Yay!! I bet you look great 🫶
I have some luxury brands eyeshadow palettes, like prada and ysl, and the experience and product you get are VERY different from patrick ta. From the samples and gifts they give you when you shop directly from them in bloomingdales or neiman marcus, to the packaging being 100 customized by them with engravings and 3d effects, even fake leather, as well as the formulas. Overall I just don't think patrick ta is at that level to try and compete with essentially the creators of what we know now as luxury beauty
They could likely be moving in that direction, but they’re probably going through some growing pains. 🤷♀️
YES YES !!!! all the the dupes are {HENOMENAL, peach PREACH girl,
I agree I have been writing everyone influencers etc... all the dupes i have and SOME are soooo much better than PT
I NEVER buy his products and NEVER will
same with others its my money and im not stupid
I love that you know what’s best for your wallet!
I love that you know what’s best for your wallet!
Patrick Ta doesn’t have the best history of decent makeup, there’s been quite a few problematic things. I don’t consider it a luxury brand and other brands are consistently better. Same with Charlotte Tilbury it’s nothing special, just popular. I don’t consider an eyeshadow with fallout a decent product, no matter whose brand it is. There’s just no need for that in quality products.
It’s interesting that brands are attempting to put out a luxury image, but many people perceive them more as just popular/trendy instead.
The comparison to the bottle of water in theme parcs was such an eye opener!
Also, this outfit and make up looks very nice on you! (you always look nice lol)
Edit: higher quality comes at a higher price. But luxury and high end are purely a marketing / brand name scam with a ridiculously high profit margin
Your edited comment is something I wish I added in the video for more clarity.
And thank you so much! 😅
I was one of those going nuts on the Trendmood post about the price but I was sooo attracted to Still at the club and after fighting for quite some time, I gave in and purchased it without swatching first or anything. When you open the package they look really flat but when I swatched that duo… it is absolutely stunning, I cannot compare it with anything in exactness so I’m pleased
I don’t blame you! I can’t deny that at least the product is good despite the price. And with 20% off I’m not mad about it either. 👏
PLEASE I have to know what lipstick you are using! It is SUCH a beautiful color on you and brings out the flush on your cheeks so beautifully!
Rhode, toasted teddy blush on my lips ♥️
I got a pearl/golden slurry from the drug store about 9 years ago. It was by "prestige eyeshadow" and called "golden retriever". I think it was like $11.
Amazing in depth video🤍
Thank you!
Loved this video and appreciated the info. Just subscribed
Thank you for subscribing! 🫶
Crushed it girl! Would love more video essays
Thank you!
honestly, the price didn't bother me. i can understand wanting to be paid for a quality product and r&d and even compare to singles of the same quality. however, the past couple of weeks, too many things have come out about patrick ta himself that makes me never want to support his brand. allegedly not paying a creator and he supports israel. that's enough for me to never spend money on his makeup
Right. 😞
Thank you for this amazing topic and I do appreciate the hard work you put into this. It’s definitely an eye-opener on this.❤❤ and happy holidays everyone and be safe out there😊
Thank you for watching 🫶
I’ll never understand why so many people were OK paying insane prices for Stanley’s but when it comes to makeup it’s a problem
I think both are too expensive in my eyes, but it’s a matter of priorities.
Also, the target audiences for each product are different (although they can overlap) so I don’t think it’s the best comparison.
Great video! 🙌🏻❤️❤️
I am a licensed cosmetologist the problem with make up companies or beauty industry companies is that they all want to be Chanel they all want to be the next best thing so they don’t care about the clientele. They only care about their bottom dollar everyone wants to be a high-end brand, but don’t Have the consistency or the star power for all of that and it’s usually rich, wealthy people who will say stuff like oh well if you can’t afford it, don’t buy those are the dumbest people in the world because they always settle for less thinking that is going to make them better than everyone else
That urban decay eyeshadow, though is amazing
I love it too 😊
Love the Winter/Holiday touches! ❄️ Also you look GORG!! 🎀🎄 The makeup, the hair, the sweater, the earrings.. !! It’s giving!
Thank you 😊
Patric ta is not luxury. Atleast for me.
1) pallets going mouldy because of poor quality formulas.
2) products (eyeshadow) falling off pan .
3) cheap tacky golden plastic packaging.
4) inconsistency in formulas and products all the time.
Luxury comes not just from price but also from experience and pedigree. Let’s talk about Guerlain with over 200 years of history, then there is Chanel , Dior , Hermes .
I would not consider him as prestigious or professional brand either because of above points , Charlotte Tilbury, Lisa Eldridge have years of experience and gave unique products when it comes to formulations and there is consistency.
A owner of luxury brand doesn’t come online with a sheet with pictures and names of products and describes why it’s expensive. It was giving a desperate social climber vibe . Just not the price , class and elegance does matter .
Last time there was a controversy with Dior making their bags for 50USD or 100USD. They didn’t come out with A4 sheets with pictures of bags from Chanel , Delvaux , Hermes etc explaining these also cost same to make .
Me and my friend group don’t buy much makeup but we do enjoy splurging 200 usd on my foundation or a ridiculous price or purchasing a mono matte eyeshadow for more than 42usd but we would walk past his store or counter ignoring it.
People who use actual luxury prefer subtle nuances , a pearly sheen is alright for evening but that tacky glitter is a strict no. You have to pay me to wear that .
I have worked for major luxury houses like Guerlain, Givenchy etc behind the scenes and I know the consumer .
To me he and his brand comes off as a floozy flapper .
Thanks for sharing your insights and perspective!
The thing for me is that only makeup fans are going to go "ooohhhh" if I say, "thanks, it's Patrick Ta. If my aunt compliments my eyeshadow at.Christmas dinner and I.say, "thanks it's Chanel" the whole table is going to take notice. We have to be honest, part of luxury is prestige. The prestige her is super niche.
I get what you mean! From a makeup lovers perspective I don’t buy products for status or others though. I splurge on high end because I notice the nuance in formula or longevity (but the look can always be duped). That’s why I think justifying luxury as a beauty brand is much harder than fashion (imo).
I feel comfortable categorizing PT as a high end brand like hourglass, Koh Gen Do. Not luxury. That in my opinion not only is reserved for formulas and pricing, and marketing but also an elegance that comes from heritage. Is it bold for PT brand to want to carve a luxury space from inception, sure. But people have different perceptions of luxury also. So reactions should not be a surprised. I also think pricing was an afterthought not an intention, bc there was a very strategic local Los Angeles, NYC campaign that was probably budgeted in the seven figures. And now is ROI time.
It’s interesting that the TikTok audience seems to have a different perception. I’m noticing the UA-cam comments see Patrick Ta’s brand as luxury while on TikTok it’s luxury.
@ellerchu very interesting
Color pop is looking rly good rn 😮
I like how this eyeshadow's price and the video's lenth are nearly the same number :)
.. I didn’t even think this far 😂
the duos are $61 CAD, thats actually unbelievable 😭
Can we get details on the lip combo? Please and Thank you.
Rhode toasted teddy cream blush on my lips 🫶
That four pan urban decay moondust palette has been scraped off the internet. I can’t find it anywhere lol.
They meant it when they said limited edition. Lol The Sephora site says it only available in store! If you go on the app, you can search for nearby stores with stock left.
@ thanks for the tip. Idk why i only want it now thats it’s gone lol.
And it only get worse oh my god not only is he charging far to much for very little. he supports Israel, doesnt pay his black creators and i dont mean this to be rude but all that plastic surgery makes him look so scary. Ive had him blocked for ages and um so glad others are finally realising him and his brand SUCK
I've noticed that a lot of times discussions around price and affordability on the internet, especially tik tok, is usually completely out of touch. Whether its thinking things should cost a fraction of the price to manufacture or that a high price tag somehow equates to good quality. It does not. This situation specifically reminds me of the whole Selkie dresses debate. Their clothes are sold for hundreds of dollars, and yes they are (mostly) made in small batches, designed by one person yada yada BUT the fabric composition is often cheap as all get out, like not even *fancy* polyester, cheap. But the prices are defended as its a small business and 'cost equals quality" except sometimes it doesn't. A lot of brands will knowingly overpriced products because they know people will pay, and to me thats all Patrick Ta is doing here, but people are just eating it up because they are convinced it means something.
Yes. Price is sometimes mistaken as higher quality, but that’s not always the case. 😕
We need a makeup look tutorial for your look in this video 😍😍
I should film my makeup before every video at this point 😂 lol
my confusion with the $42 price is that, the way manufacturing works, the more product you order, the cheaper the cost per unit is, and this is why a single eyeshadow from a brand will be $20 per shadow and a 10 pan eyeshadow pallete will be $40, where each shadow is $4. manufacturing 2 shadows for each product should take the cost per shadow down a tad bit- NARS singles are $19 and their duos are $35 (making them $17.5 per shade). So him saying his shadows are more affordable than urban decay's $24 is just wrong, because if patrick made these single shadows, they would surely be more than $21 each
They definitely would have charged more as a single 😅
The Patrick Ta shadows are $67 AUD (not including shipping). I wouldn't consider buying those, they look similar enough on the eyes as other shadows I already own. I did recently spend $66 AUD on four clionadh shadows (including shipping) and that was worth it for me - I got some multi chromes that I can't find anywhere else and don't already own. Even as beautiful as the Patrick Ta shadows are they the shades are not nearly unique enough for me to spend that money on them. My rule with buying eyeshadow currently is that it has to be completely different to anything I already own. I have too much eyeshadow and I just don't need more!
The clionadh eyeshadows look beautiful! I hope you’re satisfied with them. ♥️
hi Elle. where are your earrings from? they’re so elegant 😍
Tj Maxx! I think they’re House of Harlow
I don't get why you say you'd be forced to get the shades you don't want, you could judt not get any of the eyeshadow
When I say “forced,” its clearly not literal.
though i swear i bought a similar single shade to the silver from an indie brand at tj maxx for 6 dollars for a pan bigger than both ud and patrick tua single shade. I also buy the UD when it's half off but i personally cannot justify spending 24 unless it was a serious impulse buy because i know it goes on sale atp.
....korean eyeshadows been have toppers and colors like this though....
Right
I feel like if they were selling us a luxury experience they should have made the packaging like the eyeshadow equivalent of the Lisa Eldridge Rouge Experience Refillable Lipstick. Make it aluminium and refillable. If it's going to give sticker shock anyway, go for the whole hog, even if that drives up the price even higher. EDIT: I want to walk back my comparison to brands like Chanel/Hermes/etc. because I feel like that's unreasonable because 1) the Patrick Ta brand hasn't been around long enough to develop that kind of fan base 2) those brands are are tied to other things like fashion house, which to my knowledge Patrick Ta isn't. Also, I gushed about the lipsticks "elegant, aluminum, and refillable" which I stand by, but which I unfortunately just realized implied Patrick Ta's packaging isn't elegant, which I do NOT stand by.
+1 on the packaging!
Hi Elle! I enjoy watching your channel. You have thoughtful videos, plus you're a shade match to my skin tone and we have similar tastes on a lot of makeup. To answer your mid-point question - no, I think Patrick Ta is high-end, not "luxury," although I heard he's trying to rebrand himself that way.
Hi Karen, thank you for watching my videos. ♥️ Interesting to hear he’s trying to rebrand..