As we close out 2018, it’s fun to reflect on some of the better and more interesting products that have been released and reviewed over the past year, but I also like to think about what products let me down during the year, too.  When I think about the worst of the year, it’s more about expectation levels and what was released; it isn’t necessarily that it was the worst in quality but was it super hyped up and then fell totally short?  The list below is a mix of products that are disappointing because of quality (with some being devastatingly bad) and others because these brands can or have done better.

For example, I don’t feel like Wet ‘n’ Wild improved their Color Icon Eyeshadow formula.  The mattes seem a little more pigmented and blendable, but they don’t wear as well.  The shimmers are often much worse than they were before.  I miss the old Comfort Zone palette.  Sephora reformulated their Colorful Eyeshadow range, which I deeply regret purchasing “all the shades” of based on past experience (I didn’t even end up testing them all as reader interest waned so thin after several dismal ratings and reviews!).

What’s noteworthy about this year’s list is that brands that have had very high notes in this year and past years have spots on my list.  Fenty Beauty has four products on my list: Rose on Ice (much better in the pot now!), Moroccan Spice palette (not bad but should be so much better!), Killawatt Foil Palette (packaging is a let-down, formula wasn’t as good as it could be), and the awful, awful Metallic Eye & Lip Crayons.

Luxury-priced Tom Ford earned four spots on my list of 20 with the lackluster Private Shadows (for $30+ singles, they should be consistent AND high quality), more dismal Shadow Extremes, ho-hum Soleil d’Ambre, and the more recently disappointing experience I had with the dual-ended eyeliners.  I have some long-time favorites from Tom Ford from over the years but this year, I’ve been less and less impressed by the offerings and consistency in quality.

It’s not much of a surprise when some of the more packaging-focused launches by MAC make it onto my list, like the Nicopanda kits and the Lo-Fi mega-palette.  What is a surprise is to find that Viseart’s Petit Pro 02 was such a departure from the quality I expect from the brand.  Similarly, I expect and know Urban Decay can do better, which is why this year’s newest Naked Palette, Naked Cherry, finds it way onto my list.

Did you have any product flops this year? Products that disappointed you?

MAC Nicopanda Full Face Kit

Read Reviews View Swatches View a variation... Preppy PandaPrimapandaStay Cute

MAC Baby Girl

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MAC Baby Girl Bronzing Powder ($28.00 for 0.35 oz.) is a soft, light-medium brown with warm, orange undertones and flecks of gold sparkle over a... Read full review.

Tom Ford Beauty Shade & Illuminate Eye Kohl Duo

Read Reviews View Swatches View a variation... AuroraL'AvventuraSolarisSoleil Blanc

MAC Lo-Fi

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MAC Lo-Fi Jeremy Scott Eyeshadow x29 Palette ($75.00 for 0.51 oz.) is an example where there's a lot of attention paid to the packaging but not enough... Read full review.

Makeup Geek Power Pigment

Read Reviews View Swatches View a shade... CourageousDedicatedDynamicIndestructibleInvinciblePotentialTenaciousTransformUnleashedUntouchable

The formula is supposed to be "highly-pigmented" that "will maintain their vibrancy." Some shades were pigmented, some were not. The majority of the eyeshadows had a grainier, drier texture that had some excess product kicked up in the pan and was prone to moderate fallout during application without use of a primer. In general, most of the shades were dismal applied over bare skin as the drier texture seemed more prone to picking up the natural oils on the skin, absorbing them, and looking uneven as some parts appeared darker than others. Read more...

Sephora Editorial 2.0

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Sephora Editorial 2 PRO Eyeshadow Palette ($68.00 for 1.12 oz.) is a new, permanent palette that features more muted or faded takes on pops of color... Read full review.

Fenty Beauty Rosé on Ice

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Fenty Beauty Rosé on Ice Fairy Bomb Glittering Pom Pom ($42.00 for 0.25 oz.) is a translucent dusting of fine, pale pink sparkle and micro-glitter. ... Read full review.

Wet 'n' Wild Nude Awakening

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Wet 'n' Wild Nude Awakening Color Icon Eyeshadow 10-Pan Palette ($4.99 for 0.35 oz.) is the type of product that makes one question whether... Read full review.

Tom Ford Beauty Shadow Extreme

Read Reviews View Swatches View a shade... Frostfire #1Frostfire #2Frostfire #3Frostfire #4SS18TFX1TFX10TFX11TFX12TFX13TFX14TFX15TFX16TFX17TFX18TFX19TFX2TFX20TFX3TFX4TFX5TFX6TFX7TFX8TFX9

The formula is split into two finishes--metallics (Foil) and glitters (Glitter)--and the performance depends largely on the finish. In general, the formula is supposed to "glide" on with an "ultra-thin, water-resistant gloss of color onto the lids." Though each compact seemed to be the appropriate size for a standalone eyeshadow, they only contain 0.03 oz. a pop, which made them some of the smaller single eyeshadows on the market. There were some really lovely shades but enough inconsistency that for the price point, it never amounted to being an impressive range. Read more...

Fenty Beauty Metallic Eye & Lip Crayon

Read Reviews View Swatches View a shade... Banana FrostGuava MintIce DunesIgloo BlooParka PrincessPretty PennySlush FundSmokin' PurpSunfrost

The formula is supposed to have "insane glide" that is "creamy upon application" but sets. The brand says that they can be used as eyeliner, eyeshadow, lipstick, or lip liner. I found the performance to be underwhelming both on the eyes and lips, though on lips it was particularly disappointing. Fenty has been fairly consistent, and where they've missed, it's usually not a total failure, but I had no luck with this formula at all. Read more...

ColourPop Super Star Loose Pigment

Read Reviews View Swatches View a shade... Baby RooBadlandsCameoGolightlyHoneypotLiftedMulhollandQuicksandTyphoonUp ShotVertigoWKND

The formula is supposed be a wet/dry formula that has less intense shine when applied dry and a more metallic finish when applied wet. They're a finely-milled, loose powder that can be used on eyes, lips, and cheeks. Not wholly surprising, they tended to perform best applied with a dampened brush or over a lightly tacky primer. They can be a little messy to work with if you are not used to loose eyeshadows, but I did not find them any better or worse than the average loose formula. The pigmentation varied a lot from shade to shade, though most shades had more pigmentation when applied with a dampened brush along with greater shine.

Tom Ford Beauty Private Shadow

Read Reviews View Swatches View a shade... Agenda RougeBlack OnyxBlonde VenusBlue VelvetBody DoubleBreathlessBurnt SuedeCamera ObscuraDark VictoryEmerald SunExposureFire SignHigh RiseHushInfraredIris BronzeLoveshadeMoonlightingNaked CityNightcastPhotographicPurple ReignSilver ScreenSmoked OpalineStarletTempête BleuTempete BleuVertigoVideotapeViolet VinylWarm Leatherette

The formula is supposed to have "unadulterated color" that's "highly pigmented, longwearing, and crease-resistant." The packaging is clever, though for anyone who has more than few eyeshadows in their stash, the compact is rather large relative to the actual pan of product (which is less than average for a full-sized eyeshadow--given the price point, I would have expected closer to 0.07 oz. or even 0.09 oz.). The formula itself varied a lot between shades with enough inconsistency that would make me weary of buying blind online. Read more...

NARS Heartbreaker

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NARS Heartbreaker Holiday 2018 Cheek Trio ($42.00 for 0.36 oz.) includes three blushes from the brand's permanent range. Oddly, the brand's... Read full review.

Wet 'n' Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Quad

Read Reviews View Swatches View a variation... Bed of RosesDragon ScalesFit for a QueenFlock PartyHasta La Costa BabyHooked on VinylHouse of ThornsHouse of ThornsLights OutMythicool CreaturesPetaletteSecret Garden RendezvousSilent TreatmentStop Ruffling My FeathersSweet as CandyThe Night's QuadWalking on Eggshells

Urban Decay Naked Cherry

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Urban Decay Naked Cherry Eyeshadow Palette ($49.00 for 0.456 oz.) is the newest in the Naked series and features a mix of corals and plums. The... Read full review.

Sephora Colorful Eyeshadow

Read Reviews View Swatches View a shade... A Cup of Coffee (350)About Last Night (360)Antique Copper (359)Astral Blue (383)Ballet Shoes (205)Be Chic (329)Black Lace (304)Blonde Ambition (211)Bonfire (354)Break the Bank (386)Catch the Moon (348)Champagne Please (372)Cherry Blossom (364)Choco Excess (297)Chou a La Creme (353)Cinnamon (373)Coffee Break (299)Copper Rush (291)Cotton Candy (342)Dark Ocean (337)Daydream (358)Dear Cactus (335)Demanding (31)Diving In (254)Espresso (377)Fairy Dusty (334)Fairy Princess (234)Fantasia (33)First Light (29)Flawless (332)Getaway (236)Girl Night Out (216)Girl Talk (232)Glazed Donut (365)Glitter Dress (357)Go Wild (345)Golden Bronze (381)Golden Marshmallow (351)Good Vibes (237)Hippie Girl (223)Hollywood Calling (292)Hurricane Wave (346)Ice Queen (333)In the Woods (343)Into the Sunset (382)Jump Into the Mud (340)Lazy Afternoon (207)Let It Snow (201)Let's Dance (268)Let's Party (326)Lucky Penny (220)Magnolia Garden (341)Make a Wish (344)Mocha Latte (352)Morning Freshness (225)Morning Sunrise (324)My Dear Nude (282)Mystic Queen (330)Natural Beauty (328)No Place Like Home (257)One in a Million (388)Playing with Fire (387)Prom Date (374)Radiant Sand (338)Roasted Chestnuts (302)Romantic Comedy (227)Sand Dunes (327)Satin Corset (281)Scented Candle (229)Secret Boudoir (206)Secret Garden (363)Semi-Sweet Chocolate (375)Shooting Star (367)Sir Yes Sir (275)Smell of Roses (258)Soft Suede (378)Spiced Plum (379)Stadium Fever (277)Starry Night (349)Strawberry Macaroon (259)Sunset at the Beach (210)Surfin USA (253)Sweet Brownie (339)Sweet Candy (260)Sweet Lollipop (356)Tahitian Pearl (285)Tiramisu (298)Tree-Hugger (301)Twinkle Twinkle (362)Under the Cover (204)Unicorn Dust (361)Vampire Lovers (368)Very Bad (318)Walking in the Sand (217)What Happens in Vegas (283)Wild Island (347)Wine O'Clock (371)

The formula is supposed to be "highly pigmented" and wear for "10 hours" while being blendable and layerable. There are three finishes, and I found that the quality did differ depending on the finish more than anything else. The glitter finish was comprised of a mix of more matte and glitter-packed shades, where glitter would fallout during application and often were under-pigmented, along with denser, more silicone-heavy glittery shades with the latter applying and holding up better on the lid as it adhered better, though they typically didn't have great pigmentation. The matte eyeshadows were medium to opaque in coverage but often buildable with fairly soft, thinner textures with some powderiness, though there were some definite winners in the bunch. The shimmer eyeshadows were more often quite pigmented with moderately dense, smooth textures that were easy to use, but there were a few that had a little too much slip or were too dry and so application wasn't impressive without a dampened brush or an eyeshadow primer underneath it. The wear was between six and eight hours. Read more...

Fenty Beauty Moroccan Spice

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Fenty Beauty Moroccan Spice Eyeshadow Palette ($59.00 for 0.47 oz.) is a new, 16-pan palette that features an array of shimmers and mattes with pops... Read full review.

Fenty Beauty Killawatt Foil

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Fenty Beauty Killawatt Foil Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter Palette ($54.00 for 0.70 oz.) is a new, limited edition palette featuring seven hues... Read full review.

Tom Ford Beauty Soleil d'Ambre

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Tom Ford Beauty Soleil d'Ambre Eye & Cheek Palette ($155.00 for 0.45 oz.) is a new, limited edition palette that contains four eyeshadows and two... Read full review.

Viseart Petit Pro (02)

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Viseart Petit Pro (02) Petit Pro Palette ($30.00 for 0.28 oz.) is new, eight-pan palette with four matte shades and four shimmery shades. I usually... Read full review.