How much does a shade or product's name impact your decision to purchase?
In general, it’s not a make or break thing for me unless it’s a problematic name!
— Christine
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Not at all. There was a Tom Ford lipstick (or maybe Nars) years ago that had my daughter’s name but the price was too steep and the colour not at all appealing. I think BITE did a horoscope series but the colour for my horoscope was so ugly looking to me so, again, easy pass.
I won’t buy from Nars at all because of the shade name starting with G.
G?
For the life of me, I can’t figure this out.
Yeah, I can’t see myself wanting anything named for a derogatory slur/epithet. If I wouldn’t say it out loud, I wouldn’t buy it. Or if it’s gross and gives me the ick.
I roll my eyes at long and overly descriptive product names, but it’s not a dealbreaker;
Pretty names and references to things I already enjoy are tempting, ha ha, but I’m mostly not susceptible to that anymore…
I didn’t finish that middle thought! I was going to say that product names that invoke pseudoscience/woo/greenwashing do give me pause, and brands that participate in that kind of marketing are ones I prefer to avoid, as a whole, when possible.
To the degree that anything spiritistic, demonic, overtly vulgar, misogynistic, sexually explicit (think Isamaya French) imagery or names, and I’m out. Although oddly, I don’t mind Orgasm blush et al (even though I really don’t like the name) because at least it’s not a lipstick shaped male genitalia!
Same goes for those that have cultural or racial appropriation going on. It’s disgusting! One that has stuck with me was that absolutely outrageous one MAC did several years ago with Indigenous People of the North American continent. They have also done one even further back that was almost making a MOCKERY out of Mexican women being murdered in a specific region. Just tasteless and vulgar in its insensitivity!
Oh, and also anything that is spewing hate for any group of people and White Supremacist/Nazi terminology (certain old KVD, J*, and I’m pretty sure there’s other guilty parties right along with those main two offenders).
Totally agree Nancy – you’ve said it well@
Anything overtly sexual, misogynistic or just plain stupid (MAC’s Dance Off Pants Off lipstick from the Trolls collection comes to mind) is a no no for me.
Some years ago here in the UK a mother was outraged that her 17 year old daughter was able to buy an Obsession Obsessive Eyes eyeshadow palette with shade names such as MILF and Foreplay. The palette also had other shades with dubious names. and it made the headlines.
none.. I really don’t even pay any attention to the names.. unless it happens to be really offensive.. (if I notice)… I wish they would move away from the “better than sex” etc… even orgasm annoys me but the color is great.
If there’s something that I want regardless of the name I’m going to buy it. I might roll my eyes but it is what it is. C’est la vie!
Oh I would say I’ve steered clear of many lipsticks due to names. NARS beginning with G a huge no no. Many UD lipsticks that were even hinting at hence triggering anyone due to sexual lewdness. I think first names can be tricky. My best friend loves Nars Anita lipstick but it his her husbands ex-wife’s name…she won’t buy it or utter the name. There are so many beautiful words, why go to derogatory ones. They are base.
PS I am by no means saying Anita is a base or bad name. I actually like it. It’s an example. I’m talking about why anything needs to be called. Collared’ or ‘tied up’ … it’s crass and we’ve had enough rude/crass behavior imo
I’ve always been bothered by drug references as I have a sibling who love with addiction. Urban Decay used to be terrible about this. Milk and Melt still are.
Problematic brands are more likely to have problematic names, and I don’t buy from problematic brands because makeup isn’t worth giving up my ethics.
Same as you, Christine! Slurs and other derogatory names are a big no!
I feel quite strongly about shade names that are vulgar, overly sexualised (think NARS, some PMG< UD) and reflect a drug culture and I generally don't buy from them – although I do have a few PMG products.
There are so many great names that brands can choose from that they don't need to resort to the abovementioned.
Honestly, I’m looking for any excuse to buy something so if a product name conjures happy thoughts/memories, I am more likely to purchase. For example, if a lipstick is called Amalfi Nights, my brain thinks, “I remember visiting the Amalfi Coast. I should buy this lipstick so that I am reminded of that trip every time I wear it.” It’s embarrassing to admit but, yes, the name of a product can sway me to purchase.
I got a MAC lipgloss from a Star Trek collection, the shade was called “Set to Stun” and I enjoyed the name and the intended pun that I got it despite it being something I don’t wear. Eventually it went bad before I could finish it.
I do avoid the kind of names mentioned by everyone here. There’s such an abundance of products in the market that I don’t have to settle for something that evokes any kind of negative emotions or connotations. I appreciate Rare Beauty in this regard a lot, the shade names are always something pleasant and for me it’s an added value when applying makeup I additionally think of something nice.
A lot.
I am pretty brand loyal because it streamlines things for me, but I will still pass on a product if I find the name distasteful.
Makeup is my one indulgence and sometimes it’s a comfort to realize “you know what, I might have to muck the stalls/I’ve got glue in my hair/I have to put up with this customer’s shenanigans, but I’ve got [Insert preferred brand here] on my lips and [Insert preferred brand here] on my cheeks and this situation will be over soon, but I still get to go home and reapply a favorite product another day.” In any of those trying moments throughout the day, remembering that I’ve got a product with a funky or distasteful name ruins that perspective for me.
And honestly, how much are you scraping the bottom of the barrel or is your profit loss that bad to where you have to go for shock value names to generate interest and sales? I feel like Tom Ford jumped the shark with names like lost cherry and f**king fabulous. Just seems desperate and unoriginal to me.
These days, yes–a product’s name can be a deal breaker. Ad campaigns can turn me off a brand completely. Like others have said, there are a TON of brands of all price ranges competing for my attention, and these days, I’d just rather not pick up a product on my counter and be reminded of issues that are shocking/controversial/offensive/triggering when I’m trying to relax into my beauty routine/rituals. This sort of ritual is meant to be solely focused on me and my needs and so it should be meditative, peaceful, caring and creative. In that sort of space, any words around me should only generate neutral-positive feelings.
Also, now that I’m often traveling around with people–awful names would be inappropriate–especially if there’s a good chance a curious young cousin would be interested in reading off labels as I set down a blush for example. I remembered being young and thinking it was amusing to read aloud words I wouldn’t normally think to say and watch the reaction of those around me (which is probably what marketing was thinking). Back then, if I loved a product I didn’t care what name was on it and I’m sort of desensitized to the names of products I ALREADY own but would I bring it out of the house or repurchase? Absolutely not.
Like a few others here, it does matter. So deepening on what the area is ‘and Nancy mentioned a large gamut, it can be a total “no-purchase” for me EVEN if I very much like the color scheme, price or quality. Ex. I didn’t purchase the “Sinner or Saint” palette by Kat Von D (or maybe it was already KVD, don’t remember) because of that. I do have a few palettes in my collection when it either didn’t bother me as much or I didn’t pay attention when I purchased it to the names of the individual colors, and so what I do is cover them with paint, but unless I have to tell someone the name for a look, it doesn’t matter to me that they have names.