Anything exceptionally bad in a color product (chalky, poor pigmentation, etc.) as I’m not personally going to bother with a product that requires a lot of extra work to make work since I’m fortunate enough to own plenty of high-quality products already. I have no desire to keep wearing any lip products that cause my lips to crack or peel after one use!
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I don’t give up easily. Usually, if I don’t like a product and don’t return it, I’ll shelve it and possible try again it at a much later date. Last year I bought the MAC lipstick Crosswires. I wore it a couple times, and wound up taking it off halfway through the day because I didn’t like how it looked. I put it away and forgot about it for months. Then, two days ago, I decided to give it another try and now I love it! This is why I rarely ever return anything.
I just want to add that buying a product that doesn’t work well is something that rarely happens because I always look up reviews first. So thank you, Christine, for all your hard work!
Anything that causes an averse reaction on my skin – breaking out, red, rashy, makes it sore/itchy, etc. Otherwise I won’t try things if they appear to be poor quality (chalky, hard to blend, excessively glittery), or that are uncomfortable to wear (super drying liquid lips, foundation that’s heavy and oily).
LIpsticks, foundations and mascara.
Yep, that’s the same for me Pearl.
Anything that starts off with harm — e.g., chemical reaction, irritation, flakes (like mascara that flakes and irritates my contacts and eyes) — or runs off / is messy from the start. Anything that smells funny or chemical-y. Anything that triggers an “oh no” from me — like a truly awful color.
Exactly! I would add “Oh, no” to added texture.
AB, I forgot all about the whole bad, irritating, flakey, or even fumey mascara issue! Some eyeliners or liquid eyeshadows, too. If it irritates my sensitive eyes, back it goes to the store or into the trash if returns/exchanges aren’t possible.
Lip products, crappy eyeshadows (chalky, low pigmentation, patchy), mascaras, blushes, highlighters, contours, bronzers, tools and brushes.
Of course anything that irritates my skin or eyes, makes me break out, etc.
Anything that tears up my lips! I HATE having super chapped, painfully dry lips with a passion. Usually, just prepping them with a moisturizing lip scrub followed up with MAC Prep & Prime Lips keeps products from affecting them too much, but if that doesn’t work, back they go.
Another deal-breaker is if an eye product irritates and inflames my eyes due to something allergenic. So far, only sodium saccharin and a few blue products have messed them up that much. Even with the saccharin infused TF Chocolate Bar Palette, it was something that got worse gradually over the course of wearing it 4 days in a row. Knowing what I know now, I never would’ve used it day after day like that. It may have made a difference, who knows.
Face sunscreens, foundations, pretty much creamy things I have to put on my face because I hate applying that sort of thing. It’s a weird peeve I have.
Also anything that burns or has a scent that I can’t handle.
Any skin flare ups after trying skin care is a huge no! no! Patchy and colorless eyeshadows as Pixie or Almay. Just won’t bother with those two brands again and I’m pale but they are lousy. The duo liquid lipstick from Pixie takes a long time to let dry to then apply the gloss and is just gross and thick. If a total fail on the first try I’ll guve it a second chance but hmmm? Or is returned. I hate returning beauty items as it just goes straight to our all ready full landfill but the brand should get the message their product is ‘no bueno’ and dear Pixie charges a lot for being drugstore failures. Lol! I do hear their skin is great though.
Omg! Would like to add what was Cover Girl thinking when they made that 24 hours lipstick? I got one as a hand me down it went to the donation pile. That thing is dry and like sand paper in lips. Yikes! ??♀️
I do like some of their foundations but stay away from the make up pretty much also Revlon, Pixie and Almay. Love WetnWild most things and Milani. Also Nyx but prefer Milani.
Definitely foundation – although these days I am so much more careful in what I choose, but I just don’t give any foundation more than two tries.
Lipsticks that are too sheer, don’t last longer than 5 minutes or those that hurt my lips in any way, never get a second or third try.
Mascaras that make my eyes water or smudge easily or clump my lashes get tossed as well.
With eyeshadows – I only ever buy what’s got an excellent review from you Christine. I have learnt my lesson a few times.
I also meant to say Skincare items – those that have a strong scent or botantical scent is a no no for me as they irritate my skin.
Skincare. If it irritates my skin, I don’t care if it cost over a hundred dollars. It’s OUT. I’m way happier with cheap skincare that works than expensive one that doesn’t.
The first thing that I thought of is glitter in face products-when I did not want glitter and wasn’t expecting glitter. There is just no fix and the item either goes back or gets passed along.
I think that lipsticks are the product I have the least patience in trying. I tend to have dry and easily chapped lips and if a formula is just a little bit drying then unless I can make it work by using a balm over/under then I don’t keep trying to make it work. I also tend to “worry” my lips once they are chapped which can result in bleeding and a red rash around my lips. Lipsticks that bleed outside my lip lines make me crazy and it happens even with using a wax pencil or a lip liner with some lipstick formulas. If adding a wax pencil doesn’t work then I give up on the lipstick. As we age the lip border begins to break down and the lip lines get deeper so it is harder to find a lipstick that doesn’t bleed outside. Not all beauty bloggers and reviewers take this factor into account which is why I so value when Christine mentions that the formula feels like it might bleed. It can be hard to predict which lipsticks are going to perform that way. I fell in love with a particular shade of the L’Oréal Colour Riche Shine lipsticks but because they were so balmy/shiny I figured they would bleed everywhere. I took a chance and was pleasantly surprised that they don’t so I purchased 5 more.
If it breaks me out. I’ll pretty much give anything else a chance.