Have you ever been hesitant to try a product only to fall in love with it later? Share!
Cleansing oils… I didn’t think I’d like the consistency/feeling of it on my face, and very early on, I was scared of adding oil to my face (I know better now!), but I love them!
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Josie Marans Argan oil, and Argan illuminizer for the very same reason!
Same. Now I’m a facial oil junkie.
Oh god — only ALL EPILATORS EVER. Those things are terrifying: loud and growly and fast-moving, but so worth it overall. I’ve had mine for a few years now, and it’s never so much as looked at me sideways, but I’m always still convinced that it’s going to have a horrible change of heart one day and start ripping my skin off out of spite (or, you know, demonic possession.)
The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette. I keep shimmer far, far away from my oily skin, and I was on the fence about trying the Hourglass powders, but after seeing the reviews and swatching in person at Sephora, I decided to go for it at the last F&F sale, and while it might not be the love affair of the century, there’s definitely lust happening. I just make sure I use a light hand to keep the subtle glow subtle.
I tried wearing blush through my early-20s, but I never felt it looked right. The problem wasn’t the product, but the colors I was choosing. I wore what I was “supposed” to wear, according to the “experts”, and even shades that came in comprehensive palettes, but I didn’t like any of them, so I gave up. It’s only been in the last year that I’ve been into wearing it, and now that I know what yields the best results, I’ve amassed a nice little collection.
Bronzer was another product I couldn’t get behind, since I don’t go for a “sun-kissed” look, but the right shade, combined with the right blush, can create a nice, healthy glow, and add dimension.
Specific product: Maybelline “The Rocket” mascara. It seemed so “blah” to me, but then I tried it and now it’s my HG 🙂
Product line: Cleansing oils. How would adding oil to my acne-prone face help in any way? Well, it did help.
Yes! I knew I would love NARS TM. I also knew Finland would be too dark for me by a long shot. I have a NARS counter about an hour and half from my place that I go to every few months mostly for fun. As soon as Terra Nueve came out, I scooped it up!
I was also hesitant to try the L’oreal Infallible eye shadows, but I love them!
I’d have to say bright, bold lipsticks! But truthfully, when I was younger I didn’t feel they suited me. My face lacked the maturity I needed to pull off the look. I like bright lips on younger girls now, but if I think back it was also not a thing/trend when I was in my late teens.
cheek and lip tints , i think it’s weird to put something on both your cheeks and lips lol
I was hesitant to try metallic lipsticks. Now, I love how they look against my skin. I absolutely love Milani’s Raspberry Rush and Violet Volt colors. I don’t look like a specimen of the ’90’s.
yes. that is what samples are for
Micelaire waters! I didn’t think it would actually remove make up,but it does.
I was the same way with cleansing oils. It makes sense to use them, though, because as many of us learned in chemistry, like dissolves like! I did try the Bobbi Brown one, and it was just a little bit too runny for my taste. Which one do you use?
As for me, I hated on the Naked Pallet for years and then I finally got one and fell in love.
Blush! And maybe I was right to be, I have bought so many lately. I’ll have to get my lovely sister in law a nice new blush or something as thanks for insisting I try it.
Several times… with cleansing oil (like you), Korean skin care, with Barry M TMLP Lip Color, with the Konjac Sponge, with the Beautyblender (original) and above all, with orange lipsticks. It shows I need to keep an open mind about trying beauty products.
Oooh there are a few. Ambient Powders – I always figured powder was either translucent or matches your skin. This was a concept that I didn’t think would work for me, but low and behold I found 2 that I love. Primer and under eye primer – figured they were just another layer of make-up that could potentially break me out. So no so. Love Smasbox for under my eyes and Tom Ford face primer. Cleansing oils – I thought they would feel awful on the skin – but Tactcha, Josie Marin and Boscia changed my view.
Dark/bright lipstick. I was always told that it’s not for my small, thin lips. I’ve been building my lipstick arsenal since I discovered I love it last year.
I was afraid to try highlighters. I figured that glitter/sparkle didn’t belong on middle-aged cheeks. I’m happy to say that I was wrong.
I remember, years back, being skeptical about eye shadow primers. And of course they lived up to my expectation.
You betcha! The 2 that come to mind straight away are MAC Strobe Cream and Naked Lunch eye shadow. When I first really got into makeup and specifically MAC, I was much more about matte shadows and any time a SA tried to put Naked Lunch on me, I would say “No thanks – too glittery and too peachy”. Eventually, I learned just how beautiful a pearly shadow looks on my “not exactly young” eye lids and how it really brightens my whole eye area. Now, shimmery shadows are my favourites though,unlike a lot of people, I don’t like shimmer on the brow bone (too over the top and garish looking most of the time).
Sounds strange, but moisturizer. My skin was VERY VERY oil throughout my 20s and the idea of adding MORE moisture to my face scared me. When I thought moisturizer, I thought grease and breakouts. However, I’ve discovered lighter moisturizers that don’t leave me feeling greasy. Also, my skin has gotten dryer over the years. I’m now 35 so while I still have an oily t-zone, my skin is now combination and can get very dry, particularly in winter. So not only do I now use moisturizer, it is an absolute must.
I was the same way with intense moisturizers. I now use a thick moisturizer year-round and then extra in the winter.
All the time lol. It seems like those turn out to be the best purchases! I bought the new NARS primer on a whim even after all the mixed reviews and I just love it!! It knocks out the shine in my t-zone and plumps up the super deep lines I have underneath my eyes. I can’t believe it’s received so many bad reviews but I’m so glad I bit the bullet and tried it for myself
Beauty Blender! I didn’t understand how a sponge could be so hyped up until I tried it…and now it’s my favorite method of applying liquid foundation. Plus, I found a dupe that costs only around 3 bucks and works just as well.
Blush, most definitely. I was afraid of the clown cheeks, the sunburn effect, etc etc. I just kind of assumed somehow that I would mess it up because I’m so pale. Then, almost on a whim, I got Chanel Affinite cream blush, and now I’m almost ready to set up a little altar where I can worship it. It’s super pigmented, but blends out beautifully, is just the right colour, and the first time I applied it, it magically drew my fingers to the perfect spot to apply it.
Only problem is… Now I want to own all the Chanel cream blushes…why couldn’t I have fallen in love with something less…uh…wallet emptying?! 😀
I love when this happens! It’s always fun to be surprised by awesomeness when expecting not-so-greatness. The last time this happened for me was with Benefit’s High Beam. I’m generally more of a powder product kind of gal, with the exception of foundation. I got a sample of High Beam awhile ago with a Benefit kit, but set it aside because I just was not into the liquid thing. Well, in an effort to use up some things in my collection, I pulled it out. Surprise, surprise, I love it! Definitely will be purchasing the full size when my mini is gone. It gives my combo skin such a pretty glow!
Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Foundation. I was hesitant to try it because of the price tag so I picked up a sample of it and omg I think it’s my holy grail foundation! I tried going back to Revlon’s Colorstay afterwards and it just wasn’t the same. Also red lipsticks. It turns out I just hadn’t found the right red lipstick (I need a cherry red lipstick warm or burgundy reds don’t do me any justice.)
Yes, setting spray! Whenever I watched YouTube videos and saw people using and raving over setting sprays, I never understood what the big deal was. They just appeared to be fancy water to me. However, when I tried one for myself, I was amazed! I love how the spray meshes with my foundation to give me a more natural look, moisturizers my skin, and helps set my makeup causing it to last so much longer! My spray of choice is MUFE Mist & Fix. I can’t live without it now. I love it so much!
Well I was waffling on whether or not to buy the beautyblender for a long time because I thought it couldn’t possibly be worth the $. I finally caved and tried it out and now I love it and will never be without it
I’m glad I bought a muslin cloth. They’ve got a lovely fine weave to give the face a lovely polish. Plus they are more economical than blowing through cotton pads.
Yes. YSL Touche Éclat several years ago. I didn’t use it for 6 months. And then I fell in love with it.
Honestly, before trying blush I thought it was the silliest thing to wear. I understood mascara, foundation, powders etc. but blush just seemed odd. When the makeup bug hit me, I tried a drugstore blush just to see how it looked and I was in love!
Um…anything high end, haha?
Like, I’m not a price snob and prefer plenty of cheaper priced things, but I’m almost afraid to try expensive things and then want to buy more of them. I kinda wish I’d never gotten any Butter London or Illamasqua nail polishes, in a way! Because then I wouldn’t want more. At least I limit polish and eyeshadow splurging to more unique colors.
Oh–I actually have a specific answer, too. Bronzer. I’m not super fair, but I’m light skinned and generally don’t try to get tan, but I like having a bit of a golden glow sometimes. I just have to be picky about the undertone and depth of the bronzer, but I really like wearing it, especially since I rarely wear blush.
for me it would definitely be bronzer. i have fair skin and didn’t want to look like i caked mud all over my face. then when i got a makeover from mac during the “to the beach” collection, the makeup artist used refined golden on me to contour and define my face and i loved it! it was really flattering and made me look healthy and suited me perfectly and my pictures turned out better when using it! i’ve been totally won over and still use it to this day
cleansing oils, i thought it would make me break out but they have done the exact opposite and other positive things for my skin
I’m so messed up with skin are right now and need to try something different. Sigh. What about oils is great, and how do you use them? Thanks!
Red lipstick: I tried many, many times when I was younger experimenting with various shades of red lipstick with the aim of looking, well, classy, but instead ended up looking er…not classy, if you know what I mean. Its only now, decades later, thanks to Giorgio Armani, shade #401, that I’m actually managing to pull off the classy look and I’m loving it.
Moral of story: Somewhere out there is a brand and shade that will be just right for you. Just keep on looking. And reading Christines blogs….where would we be without them?!
Foundation! I never used to wear it, and I was in dread of wearing it and having it appear cakey. But now that I’ve found formulations and application methods that work best for me, I absolutely love it!
Paint Pots from MAC. I thought they were too expensive for cream eyeshadows, but they worthy every cent.
And Revolution Lipstick from Urban Decay, for some reason, I thought it would be too creamy for my taste, but I felt in love with the formula! Amazing shades and they´re not sticky at all!
Yes, I was very hesitant to buy Lancôme’s Sparkling Intoxication palette. Apart from the fact that the Lancôme people in Australia had never heard of it, none of the beauty internet sites that had it were shipping to Australia. However it was/is a beautiful palette of teal, silver and gold that I knew I had to have. I have red hair and a very fair complexion with gray/blue eyes. Where there is a will there is a way. After using Hop Shop Go I obtained the palette and it is amazing.
Yes! AHAs, BHAs, and Retinol skincare! Now my Clarisonic mia2 and I having a love affair! 😉 second, BB creams! 🙂 YaY! We all have such different skin types and textures that I find it so fun to read through everyone’s answers… So cool. Thanks for the question! 😀