What was the last beauty product you thought you’d hate but you ended up loving? Share!
Maybe the NYX Macaron Lippies — I was fairly skeptical of them once I swatched on my arm, but they did better than anticipated. I didn’t LOVE most of them, though, but a few were nice! 🙂
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Probably liquid eye liner. I’ve tried several of the brush-and-well style and hated them because my eyes are watery so it just runs. I recently got one of the pen style ones in a beauty subscription box and ended up loving it.
Benefit Coralista (Tint, Blush, and Gloss) – normally orange and peach colors look terrible on me, but this is a peachy pink coral that gives a very fresh, natural look. Same with Revlon Lip Butter in Candy Apple -it looks like a bright coral red in the tube, but applies very sheer and totally brightens up my face. Love it!
Wet ‘n’ Wild’s Mega Glo Illuminating Powder in Catwalk Pink, I thought I was going to hate but I ended up loving it because it gave me such a nice highlight on my check bones. Now I can believe I only got it because it was buy one get one 50% off.
The MAC Gravitas palette. I didn’t think I’d “hate” it (I wouldn’t have bought it if I did…), but I didn’t think it would be as complementary as it is.
That’s a palette I wish I had indulged in!
I also didn’t think I’d love the MAC x Rick Baker Monster’s Bride palette as much as I do – it’s also nicely complimentary!
I’ve seen quite a few on eBay, and considering the Canadian MSRP, the prices aren’t too bad. They don’t seem to be moving, and I think sellers are slowly dropping the prices…
Hmmm I’ll have to take a peak & maybe add to a watch list then! 😀
Dolce & Gabbana blush in Nude – when I just swatched it on my hand, I didn’t think it had any color at all, so I was going to return it. Then I thought I’d give it another try, and it is such a pretty nude-pink! I’m glad I didn’t return it!
That same scenario happened with me and Becca’s damselfly mineral blush! 🙂
Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot Box o’ Blushes. I don’t typically like frosted finishes, but the colors are so soft and muted that somehow I don’t mind the extra shimmer. Very happily surprised!
That is an interesting question, as so often it is the other way around. I don’t usually buy beauty items I think I’ll hate.
Higher end: Tarte Amazonian Clay Gel Eyeliners. I’d hated every other kind of gel liner I’d tried, but I got the Tarte in Bronze with an eye set I bought. It was soooo incredibly smooth and pigmented. I ended up buying all the colors.
Drugstore: I threw an e.l.f. Studio Moisturizing Foundation Stick in Ivory in with an order to get the free shipping, and what they heck, right? I have major issues with even high-end foundations not being light enough, or being too yellow, or too pink, or oxidizing, or melting off my oily skin, etc. This stuff actually sat on my vanity for a few months. I was bored one day, and thought, it’ll probably be crap, but I may as well try it. It was a perfect match, gave good coverage, didn’t oxidize, and lasted all day. It was the best experience I’d ever had with a drugstore-quality foundation. Is it the best foundation I own? No. Is it pretty darn good for everyday use? Absolutely! It’s nice to have another foundation option.
Nars Dual Intensity eyeshadows! I’m somewhat disappionted because it’s look so sheer and I don’t like powder type to used it in wet or damp brush but then I bought Himalia and BAM I’m return to bought more!
Hourglass Ambient Powder. I thought it was a complete scam, the idea of a soft focus powder. I tried Dim and it didn’t work for me. But then I tried the Mood powder. Now I cannot live without it.
I was the same way but with Diffused Light! I love the finish 🙂
Cream eyeshadows! I thought they were always a greasy mess, but the newer cream-to-powder formulas in the market actually stay put on my lids! Some of them even help extend the wear of my powder eyeshadows. 😀
I agree! I love cream eye shadows & I was always weary – especially because of my oily eye lids.
Truly??! Been tempted by the pretty cream shadows coming out past 1-2 yrs but assumed they were like old ones – creasing, slipping, sliding, melting, MESSES – w/ or w/o primer.
Which specific brands and colors do you two girls (and anyone else, pls!
The one that works best for me is Maybelline Color Tattoo! Bad to the Bronze is my favorite one-color-wash, no brush needed so great for lazy days.
I find that I still need a primer underneath, however, but I have olily, hooded lids and watery eyes.
Whoops!
Hope that helps! 😀
I thought I’d hate the hourglass primer sample I got. I mean, how different can primers be? Everyon ewas blogging about it like it was fairy farts and unicorn drool so it had to be hype, right? Turns out, it is a highly effective primer and I rather like it.
Power foundation! I’ve always been a liquid foundation kind of girl but Bobbi Brown’s Skin Weightless Powder Foundation turned me.
I bought the No Faux Pas lipstick from MAC’s Heirloom collection and it turned out to be a little brighter than I expected, so it was quite disappointing because usually hot pinks don’t really work for me. But then I had an idea to layer it over Inglot’s matte lip pencil in the shade 22 (deep matte burgundy), and the resulting color was just beyond pretty and so original. Like a dark matte plum color with a hint of burgundy. Love, love, love.
Hmm…I usually don’t buy anything if there’s a chance I’ll hate it, but I think…I didn’t expect to love the Anastasia Dipbrow as much as I do (I’m on my second jar!)
The dipbrow is something I’d really love to try, but I’m afraid of hating it! I don’t usually do anything to my brows except for maybe apply the Marc Jacobs brow gel.
I’m scared to buy it too! I hate trying stuff & then returning it, otherwise I’d prob have tried it by now. There’s this gorgeous boy who works at my local Sephora that wears it, & it looks great on him…he’s also a decade younger than I am lol…
it’s very intense. i had to return the auburn, and none of the other colors worked for me. the sephora SA said that dipbrow works best for someone who wants an intense, “statement” brow.
MAC Sideshow You blush. It looked beautiful in the pictures and swatches I saw online but I was disappointed when I first received it. It looked so light when I swatched it but it’s so beautiful when applied. It’s actually become one of my everyday blushes
I can honestly say I didn’t think I would love this blush as much as I do. I’ve been wearing it alot lately.
I don’t use lip liners. I can’t say I hate them, but I sure don’t like them on me. Why I picked up an NYX lip liner in Nude Pink, I will never know. There was a sale, and I though, well why not. After I got home, I put it aside to return along with an NYX eye shadow base. I decided to try the liner out. It was amazing. Did not tug on my lips, blended in perfectly with my lipstick and lasted through dinner. I am hooked….on this brand, at least, and now I want to try more.
Me too! I got a bunch of NYX stuff during an Ulta %40 off (of NYX, Physician’s Formula, & Revlon only) sale, & I got that exact same lip liner, & I love it to death too. I also bought a bunch of those NYX Butter Glosses (they come in dessert names), & LOVE them too.
I usually won’t buy something I think I will hate. I was skeptical when I bought my Guerlain Kohl that I’d use it right but alas I did and it was easy. I put it off for far too long for being worried over nothing.
Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder and I did hate it in the beginning. I was using it as an all- over setting powder and way over-applying it, with the wrong brush, to boot. I now use it to set concealer and eyeliner (works incredibly well for both) and have learned to use the tiniest amount and the proper brush (Real Techniques Domed Shadow Brush is perfect for this). It’s all love now.
I love this. I put it over Touche Éclat under my eyes and in the bow of my lips. A little goes a long way and really brightens. It lasts a long time, but I’ve used it so much that I’m on my second container.
I have been on a long mission to find a blush that I love so I was skeptical when buying quite a few of them. A couple by MAC I absolutely love. Yay!
Clinique moisture surge tinted moisturizer. I’m not a fan of tinted moisturizers but Sephora’s color IQ matched my skin up to this one in shade 1. When I apply it with my fingers it has the coverage of a regular foundation and the color matches very well with my skintone. Unfortunately, the tip recently broke off the top which is its dispenser. I’m going to bring it back to Sephora to get a replacement.
Also, MAC lip pencil in Hover. Thought it would be way too dark, but when applied with lighter lipsticks, especially after the lipstick has been applied, it mixes with the lipstick to give a beautiful, warm auburn shade perfect for redheads. I use it with almost all my lipstick shades now to warm up or deepen the color, its giving new life to many nudes that were previously unflattering!
Lavender Whip lipstick. I dislike all things pastel, particularly lavender, and I tried this on for a laugh. I was absolutely floored!! I wore it all summer almost every day and reluctantly put it away for the fall, just to make sure I had some left for next summer. My new rule of thumb is to never say never without trying it on first, just because of this.
Covergirl ready set concealer, thought it would be a miss but it’s one I reach for often. I didn’t hate the Mac Riff Raff Palette but I didn’t think I would love & use it as much as I do, it’s one of my favs now.
Definitely cream blush. I prefer it to powder now.
I’m not sure if this “counts,” but last year (I think) when Illamasqua was having a “Buy X number of lipsticks, get one free,” I threw in “Magnetism” just to get the “deal.” When it came, I thought, “Meh – nice, but that’s all; I’m underwhelmed.”
However, after trying Magnetism with various stains, liners, and glosses, I rather like it. I might even repurchase it eventually.
I was a huge UD fan for a long time (not that I’m not a fan now, I’m just not feeling their marketing techniques—”it’s here”, “it’s sold out”, “it’s here”, “it’s sold out”, etc.—plus they seem to be having lab issues, as both Naked2Basics & Vice3 are both…not your typical UD standard shadows..), & I faithfully bought every palette they put out until the Electric Palette… I thought about it, was going to get it just for the three green shades, couldn’t convince myself to drop the $50 for two & 1/2 shades, forgot about it, thought about it, decided I didn’t like it enough, & after a few months, I totally forgot about it again.
& then I saw it! It was hidden in the corner of the Cherry Hill, NJ Sephora, & I just happened to turn & look in it’s direction…. there it was…all bright & vibrant (not so bright & vibrant compared now to MUFE’s new shades, but hey…that was then), calling my name…
I saw, I swatched, I bought, & I love ;’D
* I mainly use it for liner at the moment, but I sure do love muh Electric palette…
**ssl
Benefit Porefessional! I didn’t want to believe the hype of it but it’s one of the few primers that actually does something for my pores.
Dior Star Foundation. I kept hearing how others were having longevity/ wear-time issues with it. But after trying out a sample I was so impressed I bought a bottle in the Sephora sale. It actually wears even better on me than EL DoubleWear and stays looking satiny and natural.
I do a lot of research and swatching before purchasing beauty products, so I don’t tend to purchase products I’m not sure about. However, I’ve seen swatches of products that I didn’t think I’d like, such as some of the darker Nars Audacious lipstick shades, and been surprised by how much I love the look of them!
the iope bb cushion i received as a gift. i thought the coverage would be too sheer but it actually provided really great coverage. it lasts a really long time too!
I tend not to buy things I think I’ll hate – I don’t quite see the point. But I did buy the Kat von D Monarch palette and thought I’d hate and never use the very orange shade in it. While I don’t exactly “love” the shade, I have tried using it and it hasn’t been horrible….so I guess that’s almost like “loving” or certainly closer to “loving” than to “loathing”. Oh yeah – and the more coppery side of Nars Cordura. I don’t like that colour but I do wear it on the lid from time to time and I’m always surprised that it looks nicer than I was expecting.
Definitely MAC Cleanse Off Oil / Tranquil.
Tengo “la cara ULTRA-sensitiva”. Or if you will, I have the face that would make Cain run in terror due to it’s sheer super-sensitivity and pure wanton “pickiness”!!!
Thought for sure an OIL makeup remover/cleanser (even one for sensitive skin) would do VERY bad things but I tried it out of desperation! My eyelids and all around my eyes would turn beet red, burn, and become so tender I could not touch it after removing eye MU using MUFE Sens’Eyes or UD Melt Down (and doing so w/o rubbing prod in – just letting sit for a bit as directed – then GENTLY wiping off w/cotton pad)… And those were only the last in a long line of eye MU removers/MU removers/cleansers of all types I had tried for YEARS!
MAC Cleanse Off Oil / Tranquil removes all my eye makeup effortlessly – and ALL my MU – while cleansing my face completely – while leaving my extremely dry skin in great condition, beautifully clean but not irritated or “stripped” at all! And my lids and eye skin are happy, happy, happy! 😀 😀 😀
Makeup forever aqua brow ….i thout it would look awful because i already had full brows but with ver light hands its just ….awesooome
Fresh Brew from MAC Cosmetics and Jordana Lip Liner in Tawny. I thought Fresh Brew would make my lips look like an ashy death despite it being touted as the nude for women of color but it suited me just fine; with Tawny, I thought it was too dark but it worked quite well with some of my neutral lipsticks. Not bad for a lip liner that only cost me $1.
Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick in Motorhead.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting powders. I bough the palette last year during Sephora F&F and it just sat there for months. I just didn’t want to want it and not be able to have it after it sold out. I was going to resell it on Ebay. But one day I decided to crack it open and give it a whirl. Sold ever since!