I find first impressions that apply products as they were intended, like a new eyeshadow palette that is swatched and applied to eyes, useful to get an idea of how it works, how it applies, how it blends, and so on. I do like to see most of the shades in action, or else the information is only good...

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For skincare/hair care, they often guide me to what might work better for my particular concern/skin or hair type, but I tend to look at the brand at a higher level to see what they’re selling and how they sell it more than a few reviews. For makeup, I tend to buy ahead of reviews, and if I’m...

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It depends on the swatches; if they are the type of swatches that seem to be done to fit an aesthetic (or to just look “good”) then I put little trust in them in terms of telling me anything meaningful about pigmentation, finish, application, blendability, and even texture. Whether they’re...

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I determine if I’m keeping it, and a lot of that is based on the brand, whether it’s permanent/limited edition, and getting to the point whether performance was good (if it was a terrible LE launch, I rarely keep these days!). My system is mostly set-up by brand, then by formula/type, so at this...

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