Once I find a brand I like, I tend to stick with it for a long time. It’s hard for me to try something new once I find something I love. For example, I am the type of person that orders the same thing off a restaurant menu since I “know it’s good” and don’t want to risk getting something I don’t like. Here are the brands I’ve become loyal to and really come to rely on for quality over the past few years:
Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value: While WF is obviously very expensive, I love to shop there for quality ingredients. One way I cut down on my WF grocery bill is to rely on their 365 Everyday Value store brand. Their prices for canned beans, pasta, tomato sauce, bread, etc. are extremely affordable and fair (and waaay cheap compared to the non-generic brands).
Crate and Barrel & CB2: I find CB’s prices for a lot of kitchen and home goods to be fair and affordable for the quality. Once of my best and most used purchases from CB (which I can’t find online now of course) is a stacking set of 4 different sized glass storage bowls with plastic lids for $20 – full price! My dishes from CB2 are also very reasonably priced for the quality.
Origins: I have been using Origins skincare for about 8 years now. I started out with their Checks & Balances as a teenager and now use their Pure Cream, which is an awesome product. In the past year, I’ve noticed dark circles under my eyes (oh, sweet heredity) and the only thing that has helped has been Origins GinZing, which I now can’t start my day without applying. I justify the price with the fact that Origins does not use parabens, pthalates, etc. in any of its products and I only use a little bit at a time.
Aveda: Only in the past 2 years have I started using Aveda, but I have loved it since I was little — my Aunt Mary has always been an Aveda loyalist and when I’d spend weekends at her house, I would always use all her Aveda products and wish I could have them for myself. I use Aveda mainly for haircare but have also used their skincare. A little bit goes a long way with Aveda — I’ve had the same liter bottle of shampoo and conditioner for almost a year now (and I wash my hair every day in the summer, every other day in the winter). You also just can’t beat Aveda’s scents! Favorites: Phomollient, Shampure, Light Elements Texturizing Cream. Like I said, this stuff lasts me forever so I don’t mind spending a little more money on it.
Clinique: The only make up I apply on a daily basis is Clinique’s Quickliner for Eyes in Black/Brown (the perfect in-between color!) and High Impact Mascara in Black. I have yet to find anything I like nearly as much as these products. I have been using them for years.
J. Crew: While I do love Anthropologie, J. Crew will always have my heart and the biggest place in my wardrobe. Though JC’s quality has gone down a bit in the past couple years (likely due to the recession and cost-cutting), I can always rely on this brand for classic, well-made, timeless and somewhat affordable pieces. I know JC is expensive but I say somewhat affordable because JC offers a 15% discount for students (and teachers too), and for that reason, I will hold onto my student ID for dear life (or until a Sales Associate notices the expiration date). The pieces from JC I get the most mileage out of (cost per wear) are: the 100% merino wool sweaters that last for-ev-er and do not pill, leather ballet flats that I wear every single day, leather boots that I wear every single day in the winter, their double-cloth wool coats which also last for-ev-er and are beautiful, their denim and leather bags.
So, these are the brands I am totally loyal to. What about you? Are you a brand loyalist and prefer to stick with the same stuff that you can rely on? Who are you loyal to? Or do you like to try many different brands and shop around?
