Once you find a product you love, do you stop looking for others like it?

For things like hair care/skincare, I am more apt to stick with it, but it has to be truly exceptional. I’ll often repurchase at some point, but there’s a good chance I’ll try other products in the same category (e.g. moisturizer). For makeup, no, never, LOL… but it is kind of my job to keep looking 😉

— Christine

17 Comments

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Mariella Avatar

I sort of stop but don’t close my mind off entirely. For example, my favourite every day liner is Sephora’s Cappuccino but that hasn’t stopped me buying 2 other liners (one from Nars and one from UD) in similar shades within the past year. So I do rein myself in, I guess, and don’t jump on every new thing but I can still be tempted when something is really good (or, of course, when a favourite item – skin care OR makeup – is discontinued or reformulated for the worse, which seems to be happening more and more lately).

Alice Avatar

Generally, once I find a product or formula that really works for me, I stick with it until it’s discontinued. Sometimes I’ll try something new if I’ve heard rave reviews and/or got a sample of it, but rarely. I’ve been into makeup in some capacity for about 20 years now and I just don’t have the excitement about new things that I used to. When it comes to skincare, my skin tends to be very finicky about what I use, and I have routines that work well. I change hair products as I change haircolor/style, but usually stick to the same brands.

DVa Avatar

IDK really. I’d like to think so, but the only items I can think of are facial wash, one night cream, cleansing oil and body lotion that I stick with.
There are a few items I know I’ll repurchase once I’m finished: Mac Skin Refined Zone, IT illuminating CC and corresponding illumination concealer, and of course my CT Hollywood Flawless Filter.

Z Avatar

Lol. No. Well, ok, sort of. So, as I’m sick of saying, I can’t use silicones on my skin; I don’t use them on my hair either, outside of very rare occasions. As so many companies put silicones in their formulations (and why wouldn’t you? They’re *very* cheap, smooth the skin/hair, and most people don’t get insanely clogged pores/shit skin from them), it immediately limits how much stuff I’m even able to try. After seeing what’s left, yeah….I like to jump around and try new things. I have my toothpaste settled and that’s pretty much it. Everything else is a bounce-around to see what else is out there.

Also, it’s worth noting that formulas change and improve over time and things I loved ten years ago, maybe are a little “clunky” now and show more texture or simply don’t perform as well as things purchased more recently. Like UD’s shimmers from the early days of the Book of Shadows are more like satins or have chunky, sparse glitters. The shimmers in the GoT and Honey palette are worlds apart from those. Knowing that I’d probably still search for a more efficient version of what I already know and love.

Lesley Avatar

I never stop looking. Maybe looking into new products is my hobby. However, if I love something I am using, the bar is pretty high with respect to actually trying something else. There would have to be something really significant about the new product, which could be a promising new formula or a true dupe that is much cheaper or more readily available.

BrandiD Avatar

I don’t stop looking per se, but I’ll cut way back on my interest in that particular category. Right now, my skincare, foundations, mascaras and eyebrow products are all working for me and I have no need to or interest in experimenting in those categories (especially since that can get expensive right now due to lack of testers — wasted product, returns, things trashed, etc). I also have categories of things that have never worked for me and I’ve officially given up on — hello, liquid matte lipsticks! On the other hand, if I find something I truly love in color cosmetics, I’ll often chase down other colors so….

Genevieve Avatar

That’s an interesting question!
For skincare, I do tend to switch and mix around my cleansers and moisturisers, although I am finding that I stick to brands that I generally know that their products work for me – A’kin, CeraVa, Essano, Skin Physics etc.
As far as lipsticks are concerned – I have to say that I do keep looking for fairly similar shades with different nuances.
It’s not often these days that I find an eyeshadow palette that has my kind of shades and finishes, so when one comes on the market, I tend to snap it up – eg Lorac Noir and ND’s Glam. So I guess I do keep looking!

Ana Maria Avatar

I won’t deny that curiosity still gets me, but mostly if I find something I like I stick to it.

Especially hair care, each time I switch from my regular shampoo and conditioner, even just to use up some free samples I receive, I regret it.

I haven’t purchased a different body wash in… 3-4 years???

For body lotions I just rotate between 2-3 favorites. Skincare is slightly similar, some products I just keep repurchasing year round, some I just switch between 2-3 products between seasons (I might get a more moisturizing cleanser or SPF during winter).

Heck, even for makeup in the last 2-3 years I rarely tried something new, I just keep repurposing the foundation, powder and concealer I like.

Cheryl Avatar

I try new but only when it comes to eyeshadows and I usually buy the same colors I think look good on me.
I’ve worn origins foundation for years (20) and it was awesome . They went and changed the color Andy the packaging is horrible now, it used to be in a glass jar and now they put it in a plastic container that leaks in the twist off lid. They ruined it and I find reformulation in company’s are for the worse. Not looking forward to trying to find a new one. I thought I’d try Estée Lauder but it’s so heavily perfumed it grossed me out.

Jill Avatar

Yes, I found what I like so I’m no longer looking. My relationship with makeup has gone through different phases. I used the same three products from my late teens in the late 80s until about 5 years ago, and no I’m not exaggerating. For the majority of my life until my mid 40’s I wore three products: mascara, eyeliner, and undereye concealer. In my 30s I added a blush. In my 40s I bought my first palette, the IT Cosmetics Naturally Pretty palette. When I panned my favorite shades I came here for dupes so I wouldn’t have to rebuy the whole palette and decided to see what new stuff was out there.

So about 5 years ago I waded into the beauty community and started buying products I never tried or had a desire to use before. I started searching for HGs because I’m telling you, that’s the culture the beauty community fosters. I’m so glad I snapped out of it, I started pulling away from the mindset before covid, but during the last year I’ve almost gone back to my old habits of having a handful of products I love and will repurchase. It’s more my style.

Jill Avatar

And to clarify, when I say beauty community I mean influencers and youtube and instagram. Your site is like an oasis in the beauty world, your work is invaluable and thank you for all that you do!!

Helene Avatar

Oh, dear! No, no I don’t.
I think the only things I have used and not wanted to try something new, different, maybe better, would be my cleansing balm and my eyebrow pencil. I have repurchased those two many times now.
So, maybe yes, but finding that one product isn’t easy. I don’t know how many eyebrow products I tried before finding this one, that I have stuck with for at least three years now. The same with cleansing balms.
This was me, saying both yes and no to one question. Sorry if I seem confused, I guess maybe I am 😀

Sarah Avatar

For the most part, yes. My Inglot #77 gel eyeliner is my HG and I’ve parted with every other black eyeliner that can’t hold a candle to it. And my Painterly paint pot is functional to the point that I don’t really want another eyeshadow primer. My skin care? All holy grails at this point, after going through countless products to get my routine down pat.

Once I find an HG, I tend to keep it barring discontinuation. Which explains why I still cycle through mascaras, foundations, and setting powders. Haven’t quite nailed down an HG for them yet.

Jen Avatar

For shampoo and to a lesser degree with skincare, if it’s working I don’t mess with it, but if something interests me enough I might give it a go. The fallout of being wrong – weeks of discomfort – are a pretty good dampener on trying out any new thing that crosses my path, though. Otherwise I’m pretty much a makeup magpie, especially when it comes to lipstick.

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