As our lovely commenters like to remind us, makeup is not cheap. It's something we're all acutely aware of — and lament — yet we fall victim to velvety lipsticks, shimmery eyeshadows, and curl-boosting mascaras, and fork over the cash time and time again. According to Quartz , by one estimate, a woman in the U.S. will spend about £11,000 on makeup during her lifetime. An even more surprising fact: Only 15% of that money (which could be a pretty great start to saving for a down payment on a house, just saying) goes toward the ingredients. So where is the rest of the money going? Marketing, packaging, and brand prestige.