If you had done more research, what are some products you wouldn't have purchased?
No answer is jumping out at me, but I’ll say that there have been times where a brand’s past performance has made me weary of future releases, and instead of buying six shades (out of 20+) to see how those performed… I’ve bought all 20+ and came away with a lot of disappointing/so-so reviews (which I don’t mind giving but sometimes think repeating myself is unnecessary, so reviewing other products might have been a better use of my time).
— Christine
I can’t really think of much, to be honest. Maybe a Shiseido foundation that I had high hopes for but which I rarely use as it cracks, clings in areas where I didn’t even realize I had dry patches and generally isn’t worth the work involved in applying it because my skin actually looks better without it. Oh, and my most recent MAC e/s purchase – Greystone – I got all carried away by its re-release, having been discontinued years ago (many lamented that, so I thought I had to grab it this time) – but it was just the pro pan and 25% off so basically less expensive than a latte!
BH Love in London eye palette. Did not/could not see it in person. Guess people do not define ‘cool’ as I do. All the neutrals are mid spectrum to warm. I can blend it into a mess. At least I have someone to give it to. S/c: I never buy without massive research. However, I have developed sensitivity to AHA, etc. That has taken products off my useable list. I have gotten snagged by incomplete ingredients lists on Big S: back they go. That’s my only justification for return: reactivity and misrepresentation.
Definitely the Colourpop mascara in the plum/ burgundy shade. I’m still trying to make it work even using a different wand, but man is it lackluster. And the color doesn’t even show up really. I’m not even that picky when it comes to mascara.
Also borderline the metropolis pallette. I still am trying it but it’s is soooo repetitive. Like 9 of the shades dupe themselves in that pallette. Crazy.
And… some of the Bite beauty crystal glosses I got on black Friday clearance. Colors are beautiful but a bit dark on me.
I’m sort of glad I’m not the only one who feels that way about the Colour Pop mascara in plum/burgundy. I got the trio with the bff creme gel and the gel liner in the lil pot. The gel liner in the lil pot is ok, but the bff creme gel is unusable (at least in the waterline). I was surprised because their creme gel liner formula is usually decent, not amazing but good and cheap.
Melt Radioactive collection, the blushlights were so terrible. The liquid lipsticks were runny and got everywhere when you opened them. They frustrated me so much I had to throw them out. I wish there were more information available on indie brands. Some of them have such softly pressed eyeshadow putting a brush in it moves all of the powder around in the pan. The slightest touch kicks up a ton of powder. I can’t stand this, but this is almost impossible to learn ahead of time.
If I could take back any purchase it would be all of my too faced eyeshadow palettes and highlighter. I’ve had the sweet peach and chocolate bar palettes and both were disappointing- all very difficult to blend, have to put a lot of effort to make them show up on the lid. I had a highlighter from their sweet peach collection and it was too thick and appeared cakey on the skin.
OMG!! so with you on this! Too Faced! ugh! they release product after product! I found that none of it performed.. gave all my palettes away.
Nothing specific is popping up into my mind…but I know there have been a couple of things over the years. Then again, my brain still feels fuzzy from this humdinger of a cold, so that would explain that!
I do know that there are certain lipstick shades I never would have bought had I seen someone of my skintone trying them on, ie; Charlotte Holdcroft.
Get well Nancy ((hugs))
Thank you, Brenda! My daughter turned me on to Elderberry zinc lozenges and they actually do work better than any regular cold remedy I’ve ever used before! But the taste…?
I hope you start to feel better soon, there is nothing worse than a bad cold at this time of the year.
Thanks Genevieve! The lozenges I told Brenda about are actually working really well. I’m surprised, too, as I only recently began looking into natural cures or treatments for minor illnesses or issues, I wasn’t expecting much.
I hope you feel better too Nancy!!! Here’s to a Happy Healthy New Year!!!
Urban Decay naked 3. I just don’t use it, most of the time I forget I even have it. Also, a lot of random impulse buys that I almost always end up regretting and ultimately end up neglected at the back of my makeup drawer. I really need to exercise more self control!
The UD Naked3 palette. If you use one or two shadows at a time it’s fine but more than they and it all muddies together. I don’t find the shadow’s themselves to be that great in general either. I had a friend who loved hers and hit pan so I just gave mine to her. Anastasia liquid lipsticks are another. I bought a couple when they first launched and regretted it entirely. It’s one of my least favorite liquid matte formulas.
The most recent failed-to-research and now I’m stuck-purchase was the Tati Beauty eyeshadow palette. I don’t use glitter, but didn’t realize that there was only one real matte in each column. I also didn’t enjoy the color story, which is limited (though I’m ashamed to say I didn’t even look closely at it). I’m not knocking the palette – I realize many people enjoy it. It’s was just a complete waste of $ for me because I don’t wear glitter and 10 of the shades are either glitter are have glitter in the mattes (a practice I wish would die and never ever ever be resurrected).
There is definitely a few that I wouldn’t have bought in the more distant past if I had researched them better eg Estee Lauder’s Emerald Oasis and a couple of Lancome’s quads. But that was 4-5 years ago now. Since then I have generally only purchased what has been reviewed here and the quality of my eyeshadows has improved greatly.
Agreed!
Off the top of my head, the Viseart Amethyst Theory Palette and the Coloured Raine Berry Cute Palette. Both got plenty of friend recommendations, but I should have waited for more reviews, including yours.
There were some Ciate Blushes I purchased that I wasn’t getting colour payoff when I was using my brushes, but when I started using my fingers it helped immensely. That is the only thing that comes to mind.
There are so many releases I am happy that I no longer feel compelled to buy them. I have become very judicious about my purchases and do not mind spending more money for top performance products. I have given away all of my ABH palettes. I love the colors but found they did not wear long for me and at the end of the day the shadows blended together into one muddy color. I let go of my Urban Decay eye shadows and Too Faced just looked to frosty on me.
So which ones did you find worth keeping/buying now?
Naked Cherry. Actually, I got it when my makeup obsession was just starting so maybe I can forgive myself a bit for not researching more. Easy to dupe, number of shades don’t perform, every look comes out looking the same. The brush it came with is one of my favorite crease brushes though lol.
I can only really think of two.
The L’oreal BB Cream turned out to not work for me at all. I heard a couple people say they really liked it so I went and purchased a tube. Two things made me regret it, it was one of those products that came out white and was supposed to “adjust” to your skintone. It did come in light, medium and deep but (problem 2) it was a much fuller coverage than I like. So, between the coverage and the shade “range” I was not happy.
The second product was a Farsali primer. Again heard good things but when I got mine it was a gloppy mess. It had thickened up so much that the dropper dispenser would not work. The only way you could use it was as a wand. That one I returned. I also belatedly read reviews that pointed out the exact problem I had with it.
I wish I did more looking into of ColourPop. I ordered two pallets one was perfect and the other had cracks and fingerprints on the colors. Even my husband said it looked used. After much back and forth, they refuse to send me a new one. I’m so frustrated!!! If I knew they were known for sending products in less than perfect tact I either wouldn’t have purchased or at least I would know what I was getting into. The other thing I wish I could research more is products that have Dimethicone. There are still vendors that don’t list ingredients and sometimes I can help myself so I just buy it. Most of the time I end up having reactions and almost always turns out to contain Dimethicone…it’s hard to avoid today. My biggest pet peeve is when a company has poor CS!!!
PS:Please let me know if anyone has had challenges/advice for my ColourPop situation.
PPS: Please let me know if anyone knows any concealers that don’t have Dimethicone.
PPS: Happy Healthy Holidays!!!
I just wanted to update my post. After very much back and forth ColourPop has agreed to send me a new pallet as a one time courtesy. It took a lot of time and effort, but I’m grateful with the end results.
All the eye products (Too Faced and Tarte’s Be a Mermaid and Make Waves palette mainly) that I’ve bought over the years that have talc in them. I have come to realize that I am sensitive to talc, and when it’s in eyeshadow products it often makes my eyes heavy and sleeping.
At the same time, I’ve been decluttering my makeup stash so the stuff that remains won’t aggravate the sensitivity