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Does it take a lot before you're return a product?
Does it take a lot before you’re return a product? Only if it’s exceptionally bad? Or if it’s broken? Or causes an allergic reaction? Or do you take back any product you don’t like, for whatever reason?
I can’t remember the last time I returned a cosmetic product, not to say I haven’t, just that I can’t recall. I would say that in general, I rarely do. I think if I wasn’t blogging about beauty products I was buying, I would return anything that I wouldn’t end up using (but I would buy a lot less than I do now!).
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For the most part, I only return products when they just don’t work: either broken packaging (my MUFE concealer pen where the product wouldn’t load) or something that creased on me.
I think the only other time I’ve ever returned something is when I bought a pan from MAC and when I got home realized I already had a new pan of it ^^;; (that was bad)
Otherwise, I do enough homework now that I don’t buy something unless I’m going to be happy with it and it works pretty well for me. Of course, I buy a lot less now than I used to, so that helps!
That happened to me also, bought an ud es and found already got one home.
When I first come to us I almost keep everything even I never reach out for them, but now I return anything I dont love
I am very lazy so I only return a product if I spent an absurd amount of money on it and it’s the wrong shade, breaks me out, or makes my skin oily. I’ve kept shattered blushes before because it was still usable, but funky-smelling foundation/lipstick has got to go.
I keep forgetting to return things. I do try to do my research before I buy so I don’t end up with products I don’t want or won’t use, but I do have a couple things hanging around that should get returned that I just haven’t bothered with because I keep forgetting. Plus it’s been months and months in one case, and I don’t want to bring a product back after that long (even though it’s never been opened).
On a sort of related note, has anyone tried the Peter Thomas Roth Anti-Aging Buffing Beads exfoliator/wash? 🙂
Is the item you’ve hd from Sephora? I had a palette for over a year and a half that I returned, no receipt, no questions asked (it caused a reaction, but I wasn’t sure it was the culprit, until I bought a second one, in a different shade, and “played” with it with no primer, liner, or mascara). Even at another store, they may at least give you a store credit.
It is from Sephora, and I’ve never opened it or used it. I keep thinking I will so I’m hesitant to return it, you know? I could use a good exfoliant and this looks like a decent one, but…
I’d totally take store credit *g* But I keep thinking I really will use it.
Well, if you end up changing your mind, at least you kno you have time. Perhaps next time you’re at Sephora, you can pick up a sample?
I get allergic reactions and breakouts from a lot of things, so I end up returning quite a few things (particularly skin care, foundations, etc). My other big issue is that it is nearly impossible for me to find a foundation that works for my very very pale neutral toned, dry, reactive skin.
Hi Chelsea,
Don’t know if you’ve seen this blog, but http://drivelaboutfrivol.blogspot.com is written by someone with very pale, neutral, dry skin, and she talks a lot about foundations. Maybe this could help you out. (Not affiliated, obviously.)
Thanks!!
Well, it takes a lot for me to return something, because I know it would just be destroyed anyway. If it’s something especially bad that I think it’s worth destroying, I’d return it. Otherwise, I’d either try to make it work, sell it, swap it, or just give it away.
The only time I have returned products in the past is when the packaging was broken or if the product was spoiled (broken pressed powder, pressed eye shadows, etc.)
I have returned items that irritated my skin or didn’t work for me by exchanging them for another type in the same line but not often.
Usually I will pass the product to someone (a friend) that can use it. I have 3 daughters and if they don’t want it I offer it to their friends as well.
It would have to be very expensive and it would have to be unusable.
I’m really picky when buying things, but I’ll return things that break me out, are broken, or flat-out don’t work like they’re supposed to. I try to not buy things unless I’m completely in love with them, so colors aren’t much of an issue; it’s more of the things that you don’t know until you unpackage the product or use it for an extended period of time.
It depends on the price and the depth of my dissatisfaction. I am returning a Nails Inc. polish that was only $5 on principle. I don’t know how I’ve dealt with those stubby little brushes before and the polish quality was strenuously bad, as in I think they must have worked hard to make the formula so foul. I guess I decided I really don’t like the packaging either, so… Same goes with a $5 $OPI where the quality was truly at offensive levels.
I’m more of a trial and error type person because everyone is different and the most praised product can be absolute crap to others (i.e. MAC fluidline- so many people love it, but, personally, I HATE IT! It transforms into grease on me, so it’s a total waste to keep it.) So, I definetly do take advantage of return policies due to my experimental nature and I don’t want to spend money for something that will be laying around.
I wouldn’t say it takes a lot, more that I have a specific set of conditions that push me to return. Things like product tampering and/or dysfunctional products (bad packaging, etc.) are the two biggies. For the most part, if it personally doesn’t work for me, then I consider it a result of my own poor investment and I’ll generally hand it off to another friend.
In Australia if you tried to return a beauty product the salesperson pretty much laughs at you!
It’s not possible to return (beauty) products where i live..
if it where i would only return if my skin reacted very badly to it, if the product was exceptionally bad or when i’m given the wrong advise.. (like a foundation that turned out to be much too dark..)
In Australia, we’re not actually allowed to return products no matter how badly they work! We can only return them if they’re unopened in their original wrapping, or if the product is completely broken/defective (like the case has a crack in it or something).
Seeing how it’s almost impossible to return make-up here (they’re really really really fussy about it…), it has to be pretty bad. I did return a primer last week. It was more than 6 months (!) past its expiry date, so there’s not much they could say about that, lol.
Whatever doesn’t pan out, and with no remorse.
I used to not return items unless there was something wrong with the product, but now i return them if Im not satisfied or know that I’ll never wear it again. To me, if the product does nothing for me or doesn’t do exactly what it claims to do, why not return it for something that does?
Xo, Ann
I haven’t returned something in ages simply because I “didn’t like it” – the last was a paint pot from MAC’s ChamPale collection – it was just way too glittery and not at all what I’d expected. If a product was spoiled or if it gave me a rash, I wouldn’t hesitate to take it back but that hasn’t happened to me, fortunately. I felt bad returning the Paint Pot as it wasn’t really a bad product and had I tried it out first, I probably would not have purchased it but I didn’t have that opportunity.
I rarely return a product since the vast majority of my purchases come from the US and I live in the sticks so the hassle of repackaging, and driving to town to the post office serves as a deterrent. If the product is something I will not use, a couple of times a year, I package up these things and let the girls fight over it at my hair salon. That being said, if I were to receive a defective or incorrect product, I would make the effort without question.
I was one to return a ton foundations or concealers. They look so different in the stores because of their lighting. For me I needed oil control and full coverage. But when you put it on in the real world it looks so much different and not what it looked like at the store so I would get disappointed. Or the MUA applied the product with their primer and used a brush I didn’t have. Now I learned it’s okay to ask for as many samples as you need to take home. That way I put it on using my techniques and tools I have at home, and use my primer I have. I see how it does throughout the work day (I do a lot of sweating and after work am obligated to run due to my occupation). That is the real test. If it passed everything then I know it’s good to go. For eyeshadows and lipsticks I have found which formulas work with me, and swatch eyeshadows. I’ve only returned one eyeshadow, NARS’ Bellisima. When I swatched it at the store I only did it with my finger and it looked as though it was pigmented. But when I got home and the next day went to put it on, it was so hard to make the color show. Now I swipe with my finger and swipe the color from my finger on my arm. UD has never done me wrong.
I return anything that I’m unhappy with. I mainly shop at stores with generous return policies. I usually stick to Macy’s, Sephora, and Rite Aid for my cosmetic needs because they don’t give problems with returns. I usually don’t returen mascaras. Even if they are not the greatest, I’ll try and work with them.
This made me laugh. In Norway/Europe in general you can’t return any cosmetics. If you bought it, it’s yours.
That is true, in the US you can return a half eaten hot dog and get your money back so easily! Here in Belgium is like Sofia says, the culture of returning is nearly non-existent! I’ve only returned 2 products, one was a dress and another one was a foundation I didn’t even open (wrong Clinique product, exchanged for another one). In both cases the sales people were so confused by this rare ocurrence it took forever for the change to take place and store managers had to be involved and everything!
Maybe in the UK / Ireland is closer to the approach in the US?
In Sweden you’re not allowed to return a beauty product, not even if you get a bad reaction from it. I’m so jealous of the people living i USA. There’s many products I’d happily returned, but no not in Europe…
In Germany you can return everything. That’s so great.
I rarely return products. A lot of the products that I dislike once I start using them I end up giving to friends or family. I also have multiples of products that I had forgotten I had when I go to a store or counter. To avoid doing that, I now have categorized and alphabetized inventory lists in my Iphone’s Notes section.
Not at all! I’m quick to get buyers remorse, so its nothing for me to return a product the same or next day if I don’t like it.
I will return a product if it is bad , doesnt work , or if I change my mind. The last thing I returned was an Essie nail polish. Im sorry for the price I paid , it should not look like crap
The only “used” makeup I’ve ever returned was the Moon Baked eyeshadow palettes from Sephora. I bought the neutral one first, but when I used it, it caused redness at the corners of my eyes. Initially, I thought it was the primer or mascara I used, both new to me, but I never used any of them again. More than a year later, I bought the other palette, but when I tried it at home, by itself, I got the same reaction. Needless to say, *both* went back. I’ve since tried newer samples of the same mascara & primer I subsequently picked up, and both are fine. I *rreally* loved the quality & shades of both palettes, so I was sad to have to return them.
Otherwise, I absolutely do not return. I won’t buy a foundation without sampling on my own first, or unless it’s really inexpensive. I typically buy DS foundation, and I take advantage of BOGO sales, in which I may buy 2 different shades if it’s something I’ve never tried. If the still don’t work, they get mixed with either another foundation, or moisturizer to become a TM. If I were relegated to buy online, I would stick to what I *know* works for me already.
only if it was expensive and/or truly horrible- one was a makeup brush cleaner that just smelled TOTALLY nasty. another time was a high-end “hypoallergenic” foundation from sephora that broke me out badly. then another time with a revlon liquid lipstick-it made my lip actually blister!!! but if I get it and end up just not liking the color, I’ll throw it out if it was cheap or give it away if it was expensive. it’s not the store’s fault I changed my mind or didn’t do enough research before I made my purchase.
I’ve returned a few things. I returned a Tarte Lipsurgence pencil because the color was not a good color for me and I’ve returned a few nail polishes I didn’t like [like BL’s Trout Pout because it did not go with my skin tone at all and looked horrible on me] and exchanged them for something else (thank you nordstrom!)
I have never returned anything. I am really bad about saving receipts. I wish that I were a little more organized with it comes to saving them though. I usually just end up putting them in a container that I call “the makeup graveyard” and I wait until a friend comes over and I let them go through it and take what they want. I would definitely save more money if I were to just return it though. 🙂