Is beauty store makeup really THAT much better than drug store?

I have a hard enough time buying drug store make up. (My mother never wore make up so I don't wear a whole lot and never learned how to apply it) but when looking at my cousins and other people that have $50-$100 eye shawdow palates and $30 mascara etc. I was just wondering if they really do make that much of a difference or if it really just comes down to skill of those applying the make up.