The Shakespeare quote goes: “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” With the constant acquisition of new brands and companies by the big three (Estee Lauder, L’Oreal and Revlon), the lines are constantly blurred as consumers try to sort which brand offers consistent quality at a price point that makes the most sense.

The latest move comes from Estee Lauder, with two new foundation launches. The brand’s Futurist Hydra Rescue Moisturizing Foundation gained traction at the start of 2020, with both an SPF and a price point of $45. The foundation comes in 20 shades that range from light to dark with a variety of undertones. It claims to be medium to full coverage, with a wear time of 12 hours. Reviews on this foundation have been mixed, with the consensus being that it’s better suited to normal to dry skin. It’s available at all the major cosmetics outlets, including Sephora, which is famous for its customer-friendly return policy. So even if you didn’t get your perfect shade, you can exchange it for the right shade or even a full refund.

Right on the heels of that foundation release, Tom Ford launched the Shade & Illuminate Soft Radiance Foundation. It boasts an SPF of 50, and comes in 40 shades. The shade range does not match the company’s typical numbering and naming system, and it’s currently only available on the Tom Ford website. That’s not even the worst news. It’s $150. Keep in mind, Tom Ford does not accept returns on opened makeup, so if you got the wrong shade, you’ll have to find a way to make it work. Nordstrom has the foundation listed as ‘out of stock’, which may be an indicator of a later release date. Nordstrom does accept returns, so maybe for some this foundation will be worth the wait.

But it gets better. Tom Ford Beauty is owned by Estee Lauder. A quick comparison of ingredients will find only minor differences in placement (with the highest concentrations listed first) within the formulation. There is only a small handful of actual ingredient changes between the two. Estee Lauder’s offering comes in a handy plastic tube, while Tom Ford’s version comes in a heavy ‘vanity worthy’ glass bottle. While it’s true that we spend money and time on things that are most important to us, many makeup lovers would be hard pressed to make a $100 jump for the sake of a bottle. To date most wear tests, ingredient reviews  and efficacy reviews appear to run parallel. In fact, many reviewers have the same complaint: neither foundation is medium to full coverage. Both are a solid medium coverage, with similar wear.

It will be interesting to observe the marketing strategy going forward, in an age where information is so readily available from the consumer’s vantage point. If nothing else, it gives buyers the advantage of being fully informed before purchasing any product from any brand, at any price.