Open Letters, Vol. 002: Write Yours!
Open Letters
We’ve done this before (see volume one), and I loved how it went last year so let’s try it again! 🙂 An open letter is something that is written to a specific person/brand but is posted for the public to see, hence why it’s open. Sometimes they’re uplifting, thank you-esque notes, other times they’re more critical. Feel free to write as many as you want — I have always found writing cathartic, and you never know, you might find a reader or two who understands your perspective.
I’ve written a few myself…
Dear Guerlain,
Thank you for creating beautiful and creative powder products with design and quality in mind. I love that most of your designs go all the way through, and they’re functional and pretty look at. I’d also like to put in a request for more Rouge Gs but even more important than that is refills, please! Those cases shouldn’t be tossed. [Editor’s Note: I actually requested the same thing last year…]
Dear Illamasqua,
How is your Nail Varnish formula so spectacular? I absolutely love the formula and wear–like iron! I hope you’re able to bring more of your color range to the states, because there are so many more colors and shades that we’d love to try without having to order overseas.
Dear MAC,
My mom used to tell me, “Quality over quantity.” It’s not always a statement I follow well, though I do try to slow it down and remember to put quality first when I remember! I’m not opposed to regular launches and more than just the expected seasonal collections. I just think that with 40-50 collections per year, you might be stretching yourself thin. Between the quick sell outs/low product stock, last minute launch changes, and some product flops this year, I’d love to see more edited collections that really bring us the best in trends and classics.
Dear Urban Decay,
You can do a really amazing palette, but sometimes it feels like too many repeats or more recently, too many palettes one after another. I loved the idea behind the 15th Anniversary Palette, where we saw new and exclusive shades–except that many of them were repeated in subsequent palettes released just a a month or two later. I’d also like to say I am in the camp of the Book of Shadows palettes are just too big! They feel bulky, heavy, and I’d rather have a slimmer palette like the Naked palette, which is more travel friendly.
Dear Avon,
Why you hate Brazil? send to us your products of extreme quality too. =/
To temptalia:
Dear Christine you are an absolute inspiration to me. Your passion for makeup really shines thru in your work. I wish to one day have a blog half as spectacular as yours.
Love Emily 🙂
Xo
Aw, thank you, Emily! 🙂
agree, hehe 😀
Agree!!!
I always search a product in Temptalia before buying it!
🙂
Yes, Christine! I literally never close your page, and check it once every few hours to see if anything new is up! 😀 Thank you!!!!!!
Thank you, Eugenia!! <3
Dear Urban Decay,
let us, outside the US, buy your products online! Thank you so much!
To Temptalia:
Dear Christine, Thank You for always being Honesty and Transparent in your reviews. I wouldn’t stalk your site if it was any other way!
Thank you!!
Cute idea!
Dear Urban Decay: Offer pro artists a discount! We’d buy more if we could save some money.
Dear MAC: Please go back to the quality your makeup possessed in the 80s. Madonna made Russian Red famous, but it was the studio and runway quality that made MAC’s general line world-renowed.
Dear Inglot,
Please consider not clustering all your store in Quebec. It would personally take over 11 hours to get to one of your Canadian stores. Toronto would love to see just one flag ship store downtown being as most people outside of the GTA come to shop every once in a while. I promise Toronto might seem scary to you but I’m sure they would take you in with open arms. 😉
Dear Illamasqua,
I hope you’re able to bring more of your color range to Sephora as it’s the only way us Canadian girl can get a hold of your products.
Dear MAC,
Your overdoing the collections again. We like seeing the seasonal collections and a few surprise one are fine but the over selling of products online and low quantities has me curing you out this year more then once. Recently you lack of notification on hold/canceled due to overselling products has left me scrabbling to find out what’s going on through your customer service for days to get an answer.
Dear Chanel,
THANK YOU so much for expanding your color range with Perfection Lumiere! Ladies who are paler and ladies who are deep can now try it out and it’s great that you’ve done this. So thank you thank you.
Dear Guerlain,
PLEASE make Rouge G’s refillable! I don’t mind shelling out the $47 because the formula is phenomenal but I feel like I’d really get more bang for my buck if you made them refillable.
Dear MAC,
I love you but enough with the 10000 collections a year. Please tone it down and make Mattene’s permanent.
Dear theBalm,
PLEASE release more colours in your tinted moisturizer!! Not everyone is medium or light 🙁 Also some more colors in Overshadow would be lovely.
Dear MAC:
What has happened to you? You used to be THE product of the pro’s! Myself included! Now I find you to be a lackluster watered down product. Even the Pro items are less than the stars they used to be. While everyone appreciates great new items, we are choking on new collections with reduced quality and increased prices. Please, go back to the formulas you used before, slow down with the launching and RE-launching of the same things over and over. We get it.
There once was a time where my whole set-kit was completely MAC. Those times have changed, you just arent’ living up to my expectations anymore.
Dear MAC,
I have used your product for over 15 years and I have noticed that the quality of the collections and gift sets has decreased. I really loved your exclusive items like the try-on packs and the Nordsrtom exclusived especially from the Nordstrom Anniversary 2002 but it seems like the products are decreasing and the cost is increasing. You use to offer 6 items in the holiday mini pigment, lipglass, and lipstick kits. Also the actual quality of the items has decreased. I noticed that the new Teal pigment is flat unlike the old Teal pigment. I understand that there will be price increases yearly but I don’t understand why you would decrease the products quanity as well. Also, please consider bringing back some of your old items that did work more often like the mini lipstick set, Coco Beach pigment, or the old eyeshadow palettes. Also consider putting the pigments back in the old jars. You can cut back on the product but the actual jar was user friendly. Please allow everyone to view the Pro site as well. This helped me place orders from the Pro stores.
Dear Deborah Lippmann,
I love your products especially the gift sets. I have 2 of the Material Girl Set,the Get Nailed Set, Start Me Up Set, the Mini Glitter Set, and tons of polish. Keep the sets coming especially the ones from HSN. I would just ask that you change up the colors on the larger sets like Get Naild and Material Girl. I have too many light pink and red colors from the sets.
Dear Urban Decay,
You are really improved over time. Keep up the good work and continue to expand your gift sets and sale items.
Dear MAC!
Why is this product has risen in price and quality remains the same and even worse? I’ve been a fan of mac and worked for your company. But prices are unreasonably increase dramatically and the brand loses its appeal! I do not know whether my letter will change anything, probably not, but terribly sad that unnecessarily increases the favorite brand prices!
It’s a pity more do not buy your products you want, because there are options more profitable and better.
Thank you for your attention.
Catherine, a makeup artist
Russia, Moscow
Love this post idea!
Dear Urban Decay: I really love your palettes. I am *tots* crazy about them, and I would choose your eyeshadow over Dior or other -HIGH- end brands. Thank you so much for reducing the amount of glitter you put into your shows, this has made a big difference to me and it has made me purchase more. <3!
Dear Inglot: I love your eyeshadows, I love your selection, but could you please reduce shipping costs? It makes me not want to buy them because shipping is $7 a pop.
i should totally write some too :))
Dear Sephora: Thank you for opening your store in Fort Wayne. Now we do not have to drive 2.5 hrs to get to you. While you at it, if you can carry Illamasqua in your stores, that would be cool.
Dear Ulta: I’m very glad you upgraded my local store to include more high end products. Thank you.
Dear Urban Decay: I love your primer and eyeliner, but why you always include Midnight Cowboy in every palette/Book of Shadows? That’s why I have not purchased an eyeshadow set in years. Looking forward to buying some eyeliner sets this holiday season.
Dear MAC: the Seeds of Desire mattene is wonderful as well as Violetta. But– your quality is hit and miss, like the Big Bounce and even one of your mattenes. Please focus more on quality. By the way, I do not mind the collection releases as I usually get one or two products and that’s exciting for me.
Totally agree with you on Midnight Cowboy. That, and Baked, Half Baked. I mean, really!??
Dear the Body Shop
I love your lipsticks, I bought my favorite colour like 4 times, but I’m tired of them going rancid 6 months after opening. First time could’ve been a bad batch, second too, but third and fourth?!
Dear Urban Decay
I love your eyeshadows and cn(‘t live without a primer potion, but without a car or an Canadian credit card, I can’t get a hold of your products in Montreal…
Dear Inglot
I’m Polish, so seeing “made in Poland” on the boxes of your excellent products always makes my heart swell with pride. But why the sharp price increase, and WHY do you make such huuuge eyeshadows?! I can’t justify buying such huge eyeshadows, knowing I’ll never, ever even hit the pan on them!
Dear MAC
When I came to you for the first time, loooong ago, it was because you were different. Packaging, formulas, colours. You even offered face products that suited my very pale skin. Today, a lot more brands offer bright lipsticks, eyeshadows and blushes, in lots of finishes. And unfortunately you didn’t evolve enough to keep me as a customer. Except for MSF natural, I found better/cheaper elsewhere, even for hot pink eyeshadow. The collection kept me on my toes for a while, but I got tired of the decreased quality and crazy stock management…
i Know about Urban Decay in Montreal….. so sad. So many beauty brands that do not ship in Canada……
urban decay is at Sephora Carrefour Laval
Dear Sephora,
Why does your shipping takeover a week? 🙁 it feels so slow when UD and MAC take 3 days top every single time to ship. I just want my products. This is the reason I don’t shop online more often…and its a real bummer to go into my local sephora because the employees have without fail messed up my checkout in some way or have treated me rudely on my visits. And while I’m at it why isn’t there a way to cancel orders I changed my mind on when it take 2-3 days to even ship it? It would be easier for you and for me!
Dear MAC,
Thanks for having such amazing products most of the time!! I am a fairly new user and am in love. Just please have more product in stock I am so sad when there is a surprise release on your website and I am at work unable to order something before it goes out of stock in just under 4 hours. Its such a bummer to miss out on the one product I want. On the other hand thanks for having such great employees, I absolutely adore going to my MAC counter and sometimes I am able to snag an item there that was OOS online 🙂
Dear Urban Decay,
I have been a loyal fan of your makeup forever! This recent sale fiasco was just another reason I will continue to love your makeup. You responded to my emails quickly, treated me fairly and even gave me a credit to your site that you didn’t have to! Great CS great makeup all around. 😉 I have no complaints.
Dear Cosmetic Brands in general (esp. Clinique, MAC, Illamasqua)
What the hell is with the insane mark-ups in price in Australia?? For example, Clinique SuperBalanced foundation is $22 in the US, and $50 here. Similarly, an Illamasqua lacquer is $14 in the US, and $34 in Australia. That is just ridonkulous. It does NOT cost that much to ship those items here.
Dear Urban Decay,
Come to Australia. I demand it. That is all…
Dear Make-up Assistants/Sale Assistants,
Let me browse the cosmetics section in peace. If I want your help, I will definitely ask. Loitering SAs make me uncomfortable.
Dear Christine (yep, I’m borrowing Emily’s idea)
After all my ranting I want to say something nice – Christine, I love the time and effort you invest in temptalia. I love your swatches and detailed written reviews. Especially the lip swatches – they’re so helpful! You don’t know how many times I’ve browsed your lip stick swatches for present ideas for my mum. She’s a temptalia fan, also.
Thank you so much, Mairyn! 🙂 Happy to have you and your mom as a fan!
I feel the same way as what Mairyn said in all your points.
I live in New Zealand.
And shipping and cosmetics is ridicously priced here.
for example Mac lipstick is usually $13USD here it is $40NZD (about the same in conversion)..
thats like 3 times the price!!
I end up buying online-but shipping is also expensive-usually about $50NZD! its crazy.
Ouch!
+1 about Australian prices. Check this out:
Website prices of MAC lipsticks:
US MAC: 14.50 USD
UK MAC: 13.50 GBP (21.00 USD)
AUS MAC: 36.00 AUD (35.00 USD)
You don’t even *want* to know how much NARS duos are. It would be one thing if the exchange rate had been like this only a short while but the AUD has been high for about two and a half years now. A price like the UK one would be more fair, I think. As it is, I try to postpone buying permanent products until I’m traveling overseas.
Australian MAC prices are so insane!!!!!!!!!!
I am with you Mairyn! Thank goodness for online shopping, huh? At least we can save some money, especially when the Aussie dollar is high.
Dear Sephora,
Please come to Australia, or ship to Australia or accept non-US credit cards.
That is all,
Love Jules
RE price mark ups. I think that it is the exchange rate and duties that are partly to blame and the rest is historic. They can so they will. I hate it too and I’ll be really depressed (and possibly richer) when I go home to NZ because I won’t have the $ to buy so much makeup.
Exchange rate is like $1 USD to $1 AUD, no excuses. 🙁
Too right Mairyn! Even overseas shipping is +$50! I would consider myself so lucky if I could buy a MAC eyeshadow for $15 or a high end foundation for less than $30! Our prices are disgustingly outrageous, NARS especially with foundations costing around $100 a pop and blush’s around $50, ahhh 🙁 🙁
Dear Urban Decay,
Please come to Turkey!
Dear Urban Decay,
I think you have really stepped it up over the years. I love your innovative and fun products – it keeps me coming back. However, similar to Christine’s critiques, as a hardcore, loyal UD fan, I have acquired several palettes. This actually discourages me from buying new ones as so many contain repeat colors (honestly, how many Midnight Cowboy’s can a girl own? I’m at about 5 right now!). Not to mention I feel bombarded with palettes at times. I would love to see a focus on a few completely new palettes with great colours!
Dear Fresh,
I love your Supernova mascara – one of my favs! However, can you please expand your makeup line? I would love to see this more mainstreamed as the quality is exquisite.
Dear Benefit,
I love your boxed blushes. I think they are underrated. I also feel you have stepped it up in the recent years and have done a great job of coming out with new and fun products regularly. Keep up the great work!
Dear MAC,
Your brand is a classic to me and something that will be always be a part of my collection. I too would love to see less but more impactful collections come out. I particularly love your MSFs and eye shadows and liners. I would love to see more innovative yet usable products from you! I also look forward to more fun collection themes. I loved Hello Kitty 🙂
Dear Chanel,
I don’t know where I’d be without your. Your foundation is a staple in my collection. I find myself using more and more eye products from you as well – eyeliners, eye shadows, etc. Keep up the great job!
Dear Rescue Beauty Lounge,
I love your innovation and devotion to detail. The colours Ji comes out with are out of this world and this brand takes the most anticipated collections award for me. I know I will always get something of uber high quality and uniqueness here. You are also so open to fan input and that shows in your Bring It Backs and Customer Created colours (seriously who else does that?!). You have the feeling of a small business but available to all. I only wish there were RBL nail shops outside of NY. Maybe in the midwest, like Saint Louis, Missouri? 😉 Keep it up and keep the colours coming 🙂
Love,
Christy
Dear Urban Decay,
Please come to Serbia, or allow international shipping at least <3
Dear Bare Escentuals,
Thank you so much for creating your Prime Time Cream Eyeshadows. They’re far better than MAC Paintpots to use as a base. They keep my powder shadows from creasing all day long. I also love wearing them alone with an eyeliner and mascara. They are notdry at all on my lids like paint pots are. They work well for mature women. I wonder why I haven’t heard about them on any of the blogs or message boards?
Dear Urban Decay,
We know the Naked palette was a huge success, and you’ve shown you can do neutrals just as well as brights, but please, don’t neglect the bright and unique colours we all love! The 15th Anniversary palette and the BOS4 both had too many neutrals in and it made them a little dull in comparison to previous palettes.
We’ve talked about the glitter before. Keep an eye on that please.
The BOS packaging is getting ridiculous. The others were too bulky but 4 is just enormous!
Kudos on the Primer Potion tubes quantity. Cut down on the limited edition collections and give us a few worth waiting for.
Please educate the staff at your stores/counters. So many of them know less than I do about the products and collections, it’s ridiculous.
Dear Urban Decay,
We know the Naked palette was a huge success, and you’ve shown you can do neutrals just as well as brights, but please, don’t neglect the bright and unique colours we all love! The 15th Anniversary palette and the BOS4 both had too many neutrals in and it made them a little dull in comparison to previous palettes.
We’ve talked about the glitter before. Keep an eye on that please.
The BOS packaging is getting ridiculous. The others were too bulky but 4 is just enormous!
Kudos on the Primer Potion tubes
It would be totally amazing if you could bring out equivalents of the Naked palette for different shades. For instance, I’d go nuts over a Purple palette or a Green palette!
Please bring back your matte shadows and give us some new shades!
——————————–
Dear MAC,
Please make Pearlglide liners and Mattenes permanent and expand the range of Fluidlines and Paint Pots to include some of the gorgeous limited edition shades you’ve released previously.
Please consider expanding the range of shades in your foundations. I love the formula of Studio Fix Fluid but NW15 is far too dark and orange on me.
Your website sucks. Seriously, it’s 2011 – get a new one.
Your online ordering/delivery sucks. If I pay extra for next day or named day delivery then I expect it on that day. On a related note, if I order a new product within minutes of it going online then I do not expect a “sorry, we sold out” email a couple of days later when people who I know ordered HOURS later than me have received their items.
Quality > quantity. Cut down on the limited edition collections and give us a few worth waiting for.
Please educate the staff at your stores/counters. So many of them know less than I do about the products and collections, it’s ridiculous.
Dear UD,
I agree with Laura’s suggestions for further palettes but I do enjoy the Naked and BoS IV for the neutrals in them. However, I also agree about Midnight Cowgirl but I’m a new UD fan. I’d also like to say that you could have skipped the tech stuff and made BoS IV half the size and that would have been even better.
Your customer service is great though and you always reply to emails.
Dear Smashbox,
Your customer service and delivery are outstanding and you always sort out problems promptly. I think that you are slightly under-rated and your shadows have improved so much since June! Softlights are my go-to highlighters. I <3 you almost as much as UD but please join the Leaping Bunny programme!
Dear Estee Lauder,
Love your products and your eye colours have improved immensely, but please join the Leaping Bunny programme!
Dear Urban Decay,
I beg to differ on your customer service I never received a response to my legitimate ‘complaint’, not even a brush off, and I know you got it. Personally I think customer service is something you can work on.
Laura,
Very well said! Especially the education bit. I walked to a MAC counter and asked for a few brushes by number and the girls were totally clueless.
Dear Mac – Please stop raising the prices of the entire store by $1.00 or $.50 every year while you reduce the amount of product in the package – even with inflation, it makes no sense. The amount of collections with sub-par quality has led me to ignore the launches for the most part. Also, please make Mattenes permanent.
Dear Illamasqua – Please expand your line into Canada!
Dear Inglot – Please open a store in Toronto so I can try the eyeshadows before I buy them!
Dear Chanel – please expand the colours available in the Aqua Lumiere foundation for more warm toned and deeper skin colours.
Dear Nars – Please make Oasis lip gloss permanent!
Dear Urban Decay,
You’ve been one of my favorite brands for years. But please, PLEASE start incorporating mattes into your palettes! And just because you’re well known for your great shadows, doesn’t mean you can overlook the quality in the palettes sometimes. When you guys get a product right, you *REALLY* get it right. I wanna fall in love with a new UD palette again, the way I did with Naked!
Dear Sephora,
Why can’t you expand my local Sephora store? I’ve seen what you can do in larger cities. We’re up and coming, plus we like makeup! Could you start mixing it up with some Illamasqua or Bobbi Brown or something? Thanks!
If Bobbi and Illamasqua were right next to each other I would LOL. Illamasqua totally *is* Bobbi’s “ugly palette” like she talked about when the Bobbi Brights palette came out. Though I can see using that new burgundy Precision Ink with some Bobbi-approved colours. 🙂
Dear Urban decay,
Please make a liquid foundation. I’m not a fan of tinted moisturizers and I want to cover most of my acne. Also, please make the liner perversion permanent.
Dear Mac,
Please slow down on the collections. Some girls can’t get all of them.And please make feline permanent.
Dear Urban Decay:
Please bring back your unique nail polishes from the 90’s I’ve never seen such beautiful/different shades. Now a days most brands just repeat the same types of colors, none really stand out.
I’m co-signing! Shirley Manson loved them and so did I!
Dear Rimmel London,
You’re a UK brand so why does the US have a better product range and colour range than the UK? 🙁
That’s so funny that you say that. I remember seeing some Rimmel products being used in a video, and being bummed when I found out that they were only available in the UK! Maybe they just have different products in different places?
Maybe! I know the lipstick shade Airy Fairy that is raved about so much is US-only and I’ve seen reviews of a “Clean Finish” foundation that we don’t have here.
On the other hand, I’m guessing you don’t have the new Kate Moss lipstick range? It’s really nice so hopefully you’ll get it soon. 🙂
Dear Sephora,
Please open stores in India soon.
XO
Ditto for Australia! Or at least if their website would ship internationally..
There is no Sephora in India yet !!@@??? Wow atleast we have MAc’s in Punjab 🙂 Looking forward in December 🙂
Dear Inglot, open a store in Chicago.
Dear TooFaced, make your palette boxes less bulky. The brush included in them is unnecessary.
Dear MAC, stop releasing crappy, chalky, unpigmented eyeshadow
Dear Urban Decay,
Please continue to make more and more shadow palettes; don’t listen to those who say you make too many because once you produce less, they’ll say make more.
Also, love the Book of Shadows! It’s a VANITY palette, so no, you can’t travel with it! It’s a special holiday palette, meant to be extra special with extra goodies! If people want travel palettes, buy travel palettes!
Dear Christine,
Can you read minds as well now?Ive been thinking of how i could express my gratitude to you without boring other readers and here comes a way!!YOU REALLY THINK OF EVERY THING:)
I am deeply grateful to you for each and everything i know about makeup..you have helped transform me from a person who hated to be in public because of uneven complexion and scars to a totally assured confident person and it has let my sunny personality shine through making me loads of friends..there are no more bad hair or face days in my life and i am secure in the knowledge that i can always ask you a question anytime and get an answer to it…Your reviews help me save money and make wise purchases and your comparison charts make shoppin a joy..plus i impress a lot of the mua,s with my product knowledge…i guess i will never be able to ever meet you in person, but i can never say thank you enough…GOD bless and may temptalia grow to be one of the biggest names in makeup blogs.
I am humbled to have been able to help you in such an amazing way! I cannot imagine what a change you have gone through – but I am so glad to hear it and how happy you must be!
Thank you so much!
Dear Urban Decay,
You’d make a lot of us very happy if you brought back a line of matte eyeshadows!
I was also the only customer of yours who liked the PP genie bottle with the doe-foot applicator, but I have to applaud you listening to feedback and changing it. You listened to the overwhelming voice of your customers, and not a lot of companies do that.
—
Dear MAC,
Way to go on the Bloggers’ Obsessions collection this year. Could you please note the care that went into those items, and the quality that came out? You used to be known for that quality across your items, and now, it’s hard to be excited about you. With collection after collection debuting every year…could you tone down the quantity and up the quality?
—
Dear Essie,
Starry Starry Night re-issue…pretty pretty please, and thank you. And PS–nice job on the Power Clutch collection. I’ll be keeping my fingers and toes lovely in those colors all fall and winter!
—
Dear Laura Mercier,
The caviar shadow sticks you just debuted? Oh, my. Sophisticated colors that wear like iron. This girl’s impressed. Well done.
I love the idea of this but honestly, it’s just venting. MAC prob wont read this, and even if they did, they probably wont give a hoot since tons of people STILL buy their crappy MU like there’s no tomorrow and obsess over their B.S. limited edition items.
Part of the point is getting it off your chest 🙂 And whether MAC reads it word for word, who knows, but MAC reads Temptalia – that much I can say.
Yikes, negativity! Not everything on Temptalia has to have a point. Some things are just fun =] I particularly liked this, because I feel like I got to vent.
I like to think that MAC (and other beauty brands) reads Temptalia and other Blogs because this is the consumer’s go-to when making their buying decisions and they want (not want, NEED) to know what we think of their products. One example is a little more than a year ago, when MAC was about to release the “He Who Must Not Be Named” collection but at the last minute backed out. I honestly don’t think that’s something that would have happened without a forum like this to voice our opinions.
Not negativity, it’s her opinion. I do however agree that there is no harm in venting! 🙂
Dear MAC,
Please stop putting out so many collections, I am having a hard time keeping up and its making not want to try.
Dear Urban Decay,
Stop with all the palettes, they all seem to be the same colors as the one before it. Do other launches that are not just palettes; how about single shadows or even a lip collection. Also, please stop making your primer potion in the “genie bottle” (I know you have them in a squeeze tube) but they are not available everywhere.
Dear Wet & Wild,
Can you please make your products easily accessible or run larger quantities of your limited edition collection. They are in my opinion the best drug store eyeshadows and I would love to get my hands on your products.
Thank you !!
Dear Lauder Group:
You bought out MAC and ruined it, all those LTD sets and the decreased quality? Why? Then on to Prescriptives, is it going? Staying? I miss the Magic collection there is nothing else like it, or your custom foundation. As an ex-Clinique employee I get that it’s not the most exciting counter on the cosmetic floor but how many ways are you going to re-package pink or lavendar shadows? And the GWP’s…NO MORE “RASPBERRY GLACE” TYVM. Last but not least the EL counter has become befuddled with all these “designer” LTD & over-priced collections. You used to have adorable holiday gift ideas/sets too, what happened? I don’t think Mrs. Estee’ would approve. Whew.
And Bumble and Bumble
I love this, thank you Christine! 🙂
Dear MAC,
You have been in my wardrobe and kit since 1997.
There was a time when you were the only makeup line I would recommend to friends, family, clients, etc… However, your quality has been seriously compromised since you became part of the Estee Lauder family. I still enjoy many of your products but with the downgrade in your formulas and pigmentation, package “improvements”, slamming the market with 40+ limited edition launches a year, charging for your pro discount when it used to be offered as a professional courtesy, and a general lack of product knowledge, skills, and customer service with many (notice how I
did not say all) of your employees, and raising prices while downgrading quality, my eyes have been opened to your faults. I am not the only one, people from consumer to professional alike are becoming disenchanted. Please, stop all this ridiculousness, and go back to the way you used to do things because we all know you can afford to do so.
Having said all that, I would like to thank Amber and Esther from MAC Riverside because they are always amazingly helpful, knowledgeable, and nice!
Dear Inglot,
I have just recently discovered you. Your line is huge and while I appreciate your wanting to carry all aspects of beauty makeup, you suffer for it. Your shadows, liner and nail products are lovely, but your foundation, powders, and off
putting product scent are a let down. For the most part, I like what I see and would love to give you more of my money. However, customer service is a huge part of any business and the main thing I hear and read about you is how terrible
your service is. Recently, I tried you out myself, you know what, everything I heard and read was (for the most part) correct. No smile, greeting, did not know answers to basic product questions, pricing, etc… It was uncomfortable at best. I know having a company expansion can be overwhelming, but people who do not even know what the product is, how much it costs, or how to apply, c’mon. Get a new hiring team, put a comprehensive managerial and employee training program in place, and hire some decent people that produce sales AND have makeup skills.
There was one employee in the store who was great, you could tell she loved being there and believed in the product. I did not catch her name but she works at the Newport Beach location.
Dear Companies in general,
While I realize there are many many MUAs, CSAs, and floor staff who are awesome, I have some real concerns about the not so stellar ones. Despite what you have come to believe, you are responsible for the actions and speech of your employees when they are on your dime. What they do and say outside of work does not matter to me, but when they are on shift, these folks represent your company and your product. For every one amazing employee you have, there are a half dozen more who are lacking. Teach your people how to use your product, what is in it, how to use it, how much it costs and if it is permanent or limited. Also, if you have a permanent line, keep ALL of your employees updated
on product and shade discontinuation. Make sure your managers are keeping your CSAs and floor staff informed and
updated. Sales are not the only thing that matters, having a returning customer base is.
I recently had a customer care representative inform me that they cannot possibly manage all employee actions. True, but you can make darn sure that they are extremely and comprehensively trained and kept updated. Also, on-floor management CAN and should manage all employee actions while they are on the job. All employees should know basics like pricing, product info, ingredients, and how to. Sorry, but it is not okay for an employee to bash another company’s product and employees to generate sales for themselves. Underhanded and unprofessional.
Uh…sorry for the novel. I didn’t realize I had written so much!
Thank you again Christine!
This. Was. EPIC!
Dear MAC,
You’re still my go-to brand and the bulk of my collection. I try other brands but I always come back to you. But this jerking me around with what seems to be deliberate understocking on hot products is really making me reconsider.
After a launch, I used to head to my MAC store on the weekend, check out the new stuff and maybe buy some perms as well. Now stuff sells out so fast, I ether snag it online on Monday or don’t even bother with the collection. I never visit my MAC store anymore; what’s the point when nothing new is ever in stock?
And, jeez, bring back some of the high demand products. I’ve been wanting Queen’s Sin ever since I missed it the first time around. By the time it comes back out again, I’ll probably be dead.
Dear Christine,
As an avid reader of your blog for 4 years now I must say I am nothing but thrilled for the continued dedication and quality that is able to withstand the test of time. Your swatches and reviews are the most detailed and through and I hope you never discontinue this blog.
Thank you, Leah!! That is so sweet of you 🙂
Dear Urban Decay,
Although I love your shadows, I wish there were more matte shades. There are some days that I don’t want to walk out like a disco ball. Also, if there was any way that a shadow primer would come out that grabs onto glitter more, so there would be less fallout, that would be great.
This is a little off the wall, however.
Dear Lush,
Your products are amazing, and the minimal packaging idea is awesome, but it’s hard to find out what scents I like when there are so few lush stores! Launching the Christmas line before the Halloween line; not cool. And for a company that’s so focused on fresh products, isn’t it a bad idea for holiday specific items to sit there for weeks to months after the holiday? It’s not gone unnoticed that you’re doing away with sales and deals. Actually, it’s gotten to the point that your loyal customers are feeling neglected. Is it too much to ask for some free shipping every once in a while?
Great idea, Christine! 😀
—
Dearest MAC,
Let me start off by saying that I love you. I really do. BUT you’re tiring me out by launching collection after collection after collection… it’s so ridiculous to have three different collections launch in the same month/week! Not all of us have high-paying jobs and can buy whatever our heart pleases. It gets VERY costly after a while. :\
Like I said, I love you. But seriously… quality over quantity.
Even though you’re lacking in quantity too. I mean, selling out of a (highly hyped?) product minutes after it’s been launched online? Just ridiculous. Especially for the loyal fans who stay up waiting and then end up getting the dreaded backorder notice. But then you end up restocking! Supply and demand, I guess… but I don’t see why you shouldn’t have enough products to go around for everyone the first time.
Which brings me to another point… is there some way to stop selling so much to people who buy (hyped up) products and then sell them on eBay for like, three times the price? It’s just not fair for the people who really wanted x item but didn’t get it because a scalper swooped in first.
So please, please, please… less collections, better quality. I think your fans will appreciate it more.
I mean… you’re burning me out, man! 🙁
On another note, PLEASE make the Mattenes perm! I also definitely agree with the people who want more fluidline and paint pot colors.
Ooh, before I forget… can you stop getting more expensive every year? I know it’s just a dollar or fifty cent mark-up but it adds up. Boy, does it ever.
Lastly! More pretty limited edition packaging! I don’t mind paying that extra dollar if it’s nice!
That’s it.
Love,
Wendy.
Dear Urban Decay:
As someone who studies art criticism, design, and aesthetic, I regret to inform you that I refuse to buy your products on principle: your packaging is terrible. Makeup is an artistic medium and a symbol for all things trendy and beautiful. Therefore, I’m reluctant to buy these items of style when they’re attached to purple butterflies and brown velvet. I find that your image is trashy and juvenile.
Please, fire whoever it is who is designing your packaging. You are completely missing a market of those of us in the art department who say, “Well, if they can’t even get THAT right…” You don’t need black plastic and you don’t need to look like other brands, but for the love of god you do NOT need brown velvet, “genie” bottles, and fixative sprays that look like they were purchased in Panama City Beach.
Sincerely,
Maureen
Ha! I’ve thought this for a long time myself!
I agree with this, except the bit about Naked, which I thought was quite a show of restraint on their part. Their products are fun but their graphic design sensibility (and some of the text on their products/website) is a bit stuck in the grunge-era nineties. I remember UD from back then, but I’d love it if they freshened up their look and went with something simpler but still bold.
That’s just their style, it’s meant to be trashy and kitsch. I love their leopard print packaging for their shimmer powder! Don’t take life so seriously, not everything has to be in perfect taste!
Yeah… I “get it.” I just said I study design, remember? Problem is, they’re doing it really poorly. You can’t produce something crappy and defend it by saying it’s SUPPOSED to look like that. They need to change something. There’s a right way to do trash/kitsch, and then there’s the UD way.
I personally love Urban Decay’s “trashy” and fun style.
I think it adds variety to my makeup collection: from the elegant Laura Mercier and NARS, to the trendy MUFE, to the fun Too Faced, Benefit, to the “trashy” Urban Decay. It’s great!
I think Urban Decay is probably your best quality bang for the buck, and if they get discredited just for their packaging then some people are seriously missing out 🙂
In my view, it’s kind of like how every time Christine posts a new collection with a photo of a model, and about half of the posts are inane comments about why so-and-so isn’t buying the collection because the model is too beautiful or young or has weird hair or something. The model stuff doesn’t bug me, but a company’s packaging will definitely turn me off to a line.
Dear Essie,
I was 100% serious when I wrote you that letter about “Van’D Go” being a really bad nail polish name. Puns are fun, but not necessary. My art history department was confused about your choice to name a peachy-pink color after Van Gogh.
Dear MAC,
As someone who is fairly new to the cosmetics obsession (only for the past 5/6 months?), it saddens me to say that I’m already over the LE game. It used to be so exciting, but really you’ve overdone it. Back off & calm down.
Dear Chanel,
Thank you for showing me that sometimes reputations are made for a reason :D. I will continue to save my pennies in my poor college student budget to occasionally indulge, if you continue to make such incredible products.
Dear Smashbox,
I don’t really like your products much, the ones I have tried don’t work for me. *But* it was the Softbox Palette (one that did work for me) that got my whole crazy cosmetics fascination started, so thank you for that :-).
Dear Sephora,
Thank you for existing, and being there during the bad times, heehee.
Dear Christine,
Thank you for your fabulous blog :D! I have learned so much & saved so much money because of Temptalia. Keep up what you’re doing because you make so many makeup lovers happy & more knowledgeable!
So happy to have been able to save you some money!
Dear Chanel,
Please provide EU consumers with the normal eyeshadow quads instead of the baked ones!!!And sooner launches as well. In Portugal we still can t find the Fall collection….
Dear Urban Decay: Please fix Mauie Wowie. It’s the most lovely colour and it’s unique but it’s virtually unwearable because of the fallout! (while you’re at it, could you do a similar “fix” on Sidecar and Midnight Cowboy Rides Again).
Dear MAC: What Christine said…stop launching SO MUCH new stuff; instead, maybe bring back some favourites like Jardin Aires, Laugh a Lot and Hushabye!
^THIS
Sidecar, Midnight Cowboy, Maui Wowie. UD has a knack for ruining brilliant colors with sparkle.
Dear Clinique,
I have to thank you from the bottom of my heart for creating an amazing skin care for my acne prone blemished skin and relieving me the trouble I faced. I am so hooked by your skin care that I would not give a second thought to any basic skin care other than yours.
Dear Sephora,
Why do you offer free shipping at 120$ canadian dollars? We are most of the time equal or higher than your American dollar, there is no need to have a 70$ difference between free shipping.
Why can we have the weekly specials or promo codes available for Canada???
Dear beauty brands (Urban decay, Bobbi Brown, Giorgio Armani, Nars etc…)
Why no shipping to Canada? We’re neighbors…. and you already sell your stuff in store…..
Dear Illamsqua,
Please make yourself available in Canada. With a cherry on top? Or at the least, allow Sephora to ship your products from the US to Canada? xx
Dear Mac,
Please stop releasing so many makeup collections at one time. currently on the uk mac website there are 7 collections featured WHY???? Also please change your back 2 mac policy to make it more appropriate. E.g a £23 empty foundation bottle is considered as equal as a £13.50 lipstick. Why??? Also ensure that your back to mac policy is the same in ALL MAC stores, i get frustrated when people are allowed to take empty pro pans with the magnets as a back to mac, and when i try to they say its subject to location! Not fair
Dear MUFE
Please have more counters available in the uk, i.e John Lewis, Selfridges, Boots, Debenhams, House of fraiser! All top brands are featured there, why not you?? Or allow us to buy directly from your site.
dear urban decay,
i swear i could write fervent, passionate love poetry about your shadows and palettes every moment for the rest of my life, but instead i’ll try to sum it up here. i am not a girl that blends in with the crowd, and your bright colors, glitters and shimmers, and high quality makes it easier to translate that onto my face. some people criticize you for your vast array of glitters and lack of mattes, but i, for one, really enjoy the fact that i can rely on you to keep me on my toes (and that’s hard to do, these days). you have yet to come out with a bright shade that i wouldn’t wear in everyday life. also, let me just say that even on my more neutral days, you come through for me in the form of half baked, which is actually my favorite eyeshadow of all time. i’ve got big blue eyes and i’ve never seen anything that makes them pop as much as half baked. if half baked was a person, i’d marry him/her. half baked half baked half baked half baked. okay, i’m done now.
much love always and forever from your glittery mermaid girl,
scarlett xoxo
Makeup Companies in general: please take the known poisons out of your formulas. Tom Ford lipstick, EL lipstick, Armani eyeshadow – do we really need phthalates on our skin?
Elizabeth Arden: I feel for you. I love Bluegrass. I love your story. But I just feel sad at your counter, as though I shouldn’t get attached to something lest your brand peter out.
Christine: thank you so much for your website. I value your impartiality and consistency; where I disagree with your assessments I always disagree so I can predict what I’ll like or dislike about something. You are a true resource. I can’t even imagine how much time and planning go into this blog. Thanks.
Thank you, Jane! 🙂
I subscribe to your blog and read when you publish new stories, but I never comment. Just want you to know that you have some fans who are silent. I love this open letter
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment, Rashidah 🙂
Dear Wet n Wild,
Please start shipping out your LE collection to EVERY store that sells your products and provide at least 3 displays for each store. It’s not over kill…they sell out and it’s hard to get your stuff. It makes me not even want to purchase your products because I hate having to run around near and far to find your products.
Dear MAC,
Too many collection, not enough money…but that’s another story. Keep the collections coming because I love variety, but please please jack up the quality of the products in these collections. I’ve gone from buying almost entire collections down to picking up one to two items or null! It’s true. I’m getting tired of the disappointment. I find myself in Sephora and at other counters looking for things to make up from not buying from you guys.
Dear Estee Lauder,
I just wanted to say…keep up the good work!
Ugh yeah with Wet n Wild. I spend 2 months scouring all the drugstores in my area for the Go For The Gold collection and I never ever found it! Nobody else in like a 50 mi. radius found it in stores either. Then the other collection (that Christine has been reviewing lately) popped up in 1 Rite Aid for like a day and it was gone. I was lucky to be able to snag a couple trios I’d wanted. If I had not gone that day I’d never have even known they’d had it!!!
Also echoing what you (and everybody else) is saying about MAC.
Dear Urban Decay,
Please start showing some love to other times of the day. Dawn, Dusk, Afternoon, and all the other times of day are feeling neglected because you give Midnight so much special treatment. I think Afternoon Rodeo works just as well.
Dear Neutrogena,
Why did we have to say goodbye to the MoistureShine lipsticks?! ;_; I loved the packaging and the quality, and now it’s all gone. I love your products because they seem so friendly to acne prone skin, but please bring the beautiful lipsticks back!
Dear Temptalia,
I came across this site in May or April after Google Imaging “MAC Girly swatch.” Never did I imagine that I would be here, commenting on all things makeup four months later. It’s all because of your honestly, hard work, and integrity that I’m still checking this blog five or more times a day! Your consideration for your readers, your “blog ethics”, your neutral attitude towards controversy (OPI, Lime Crime for example). I may get bored and never return again to this site one day, but your personality and way of handling everything has left a strong impression on me. God forbid I ever become famous (not that I’m aiming to be), I’ll always mention that Christine from Temptalia.com has been an inspirational figure to me. You are more than someone who just posts truthful blogs: you are a great role model, beautiful and strong willed. Dare I say that you are growing into your own definition of Temptalia?
Oh, wow, Devi!! Thank you so much very much. Your words are so kind and humbling! I can only dream to one day embody the definition of Temptalia 🙂
Dear MAC, I have been with you many, many years. I appreciate the edgy, youthful sales help you hire but too often they recommend things that are not flattering for my age. Every time I am at a MAC counter I see people aged 50-90 looking at the products. We’ve been with you since way back. I would like to see some sales people who resemble myself. I would also like to see some products (except Mac me over had one gray haired person) geared for our age. You say MAC is for all people, do you mean older people too? Also, my store got 3 Lightscapades and sold them in advance before they even opened the display. What kind of shenanigans is that?
Dear Clinique, your store displays are disgusting. You need a qtip to reach down to see the colors of some samples. Many products are sold out or not on display.Can’t you put out a new one? MAC has much higher volume and their
display does not look gross like that.
Dear Estee Lauder, why can’t you just sell a few of Prescriptive’s best selling products along with another one in the store?
To MAC:
I hate you, and I love you.
I love you because of your variety. I hate you because you come out with new stuff ALL THE TIME, and — like many other commenters have noted — the quality has suffered.
Instead of releasing a new limited edition collection every other week or however often, how about just doing one every couple of months? You can still do a launch of permanent products every so often (I’m looking forward to trying some of the Pro Longwear stuff!), but with the limited edition releases, please to be putting some more thought into it. *nods*
Also? How about bringing back coloured paint pots? And make the 226 brush permanent. 🙂
* * *
To Illamasqua and Sephora:
Illamasqua, you have some fantastic products. I love your whole vibe, focusing on the alter ego and the creative side of makeup. I think it’s fantastic. I also love how you cater to us palelies out there; it’s very hard to find foundations and colours that work well for us.
However, many of your items aren’t more easily accessible Stateside. Yes, I know I can order most of your stuff directly from you, but have you seen the exchange rates between the British pound and US dollar lately? Let’s be honest; it’s a bit crazy.
Sephora, I’d love it if you carried more of Illamasqua’s line. Bring Light Liquid Foundation and Skin Base over here, along with the entire blush range. Just… MORE PLEASE!
* * *
To Inglot:
According to the Inglot USA Twitter feed, it looks like you’ll be coming to select Macy’s stores in the future. That’s great! I love that you’re expanding, making your products more accessible to people. I’d like you to remember one thing when you do expand, however…
The United States does not end in New York City.
Sephora knows this. Ulta knows this. MAC knows this. Given that, currently, the closest US Inglots to me are in NYC, I’m not sure you know that. So when you add Inglot counters to select Macy’s stores, please remember there are a good lot of New Englanders (myself included) that would like to purchase your products in-store. Thanks!
PS: Don’t forget the Pacific Northwest, the Midwest, or the rest of the Southwest, either, among other places. 🙂
PPS: Sort out your employees and customer service! Everything I’ve read about them — particularly in your Times Square store — has been godawful. Your employees should know your products inside and out, be warm and friendly, be willing to answer questions. Otherwise, people will not recommend you.
Dear BECCA,
Thanks for promoting the view that covering your entire skin isn’t the way to go. It’s really sad to see people cake on full-coverage foundation when it’s only a few spots here and there that need to be covered, I really adore your foundation system that only covers what needs to be covered and slightly enhances the rest. My skin gets to breathe and looks like skin rather then a layer of paint.
It’s lovely to see this attitude seep through to your cosmetics ads with models that don’t look like they’re wearing a mask as well. You’ve quickly become my favorite brand because I feel your products just make my skin and features look it’s best without caking pigments over it/them until I can’t recognize myself anymore.
Dear Illamasqua,
for days that I don’t feel like looking like my natural self (which is okay too!), I turn to you! Not only your lovely quality but also, and especially, your fresh and creative artistic vision and the products that come with it! I’m really excited for every new seasonal collection and even more so because I know they won’t sell out 5 minutes ago and I have a realistic chance of getting and repurchasing items I want.
Dear Revlon/L’Oreal/ect
Please, for the love of God, STOP adding completely ridiculous and pointless punchlines to your products, especially those having to do with “DNA”. Sorry, but exactly how stupid do you think we are? Do you think we don’t know that skin care can’t (and shouldn’t!!) change our DNA??? Do you think we don’t know that “DNA defense” equals SPF and antioxidants (which is in a lot of products really, so why call it something unreasonably fancy and mark up the price?). You’re really taking your customers for stupid, but sorry, I’m not going to be stupid enough and continue to purchase products with meaningless claims like that anymore.
Dear (almost) everyone,
Please stop photoshopping your ads to a point that they have nothing in common with reality anymore, in fact: try to not photoshop them at all? What’s the point of me looking at an ad for mascara if I’m in fact looking at false lashes? What’s the point of me looking at the miracles your newest foundation can preform if it’s all photoshop magic? Maybe you feel pressured by other companies that photoshop like that too, but you’d be surprised to find a huge amount of support from women worldwide if you tried an “hey! having skin is okay!”-approach. I get that you’re selling your artistic vision as much as you’re selling your product, but if you really have any shred of confidence in your actual product – let us see them and let us see how they can potentially change our lives.
Dear Paul & Joe
I’m the last person on earth that’ll get excited over packaging… well, you do it anyway! I absolutely LOVE your gift with purchases!!!
Dear Shiseido Maquillage
Please be more available in the west already. I really like the concept of having sparkly sophisticated make up. Your products glisten and gleam and don’t look and preform like make up made or 5 year olds! And your quality is freaking amazing.
I completely agree with you about the ad/photoshopping thing! I wish the companies would just give us a somewhat realistic portrait of the product before we buy. Why not have a minimally edited ad that actually shows how the product works? If the product is awesome like you say it is you should be able to do that, right? I guess that really would be too much to ask.
At least there’s Temptalia to consult before making a purchase! 🙂
Dear MAC,
Thank you for the years of quality products at reasonable prices. Since my early twenties ( I am 34 now) , I have loved your brand and faithfully bought your products. As one of the first mainstream cosmetics companies to see the beauty and potential in all skintones, you brought color and quality mua’s to the masses; Mua’s that were as excited about your products as I was and who made makeup fun. So it saddens me to inform you that our 10+ year relationship may be ending. I do not know if this is just a trial separation, or if a divorce is in our future, but something has to give. The writing has been on the wall for sometime; the decreased quality of products (horrible pigmentation in eyeshadows and lipglasses especially), the craziness around low quantity of limited edition products and the increased numbers of limited collections. Even your mua’s seem disillusioned and disinterested in you. I do not have the fun I used to shopping for and using your products. I feel like a collector and not a user of makeup. I need to just shop my stash and maybe rekindle the love I once had. Maybe you will miss me and realize the key to my heart is innovative products and great colors, instead of stress over getting a coral seahorse that I enjoyed for a week before I had to stress about getting stereo rose (or was it a bite of an apple?) . You may not even care that I have left – there are too many young girls/ women ready to take my place. But know, a loyal customer with years of affection (with a steady job and disposable income) just feels underappreciated and abused… please become the MAC I onced loved unconditionally.
Well written. I am in the same separation right now. Divorce is in the back of my mind. I think I will see what the new year brings before signing the papers. I’ve only purchased a few MAC items this year, mainly some of the amazing Bloggers Obsessions, and a couple eye shadows from Fashion Flower and Surf Baby. The upcoming holiday/winter seems like such a huge overboard release. To many products sold mainly based on fancy packaging.
I agree. I have been a MaC user since long a go, I would say I am a collector but lately I am really disappointed with MAC, I am getting bore of them. It has been a while since a collection made me go guauuuu!!!I’m tire of seeing the quality of the collections being lower and lower and prices higher and higher. I think that more and more MAC customers are getting tired of this situation.
Please MAC become the MAC you used to be we all prefer quality over quantity.
Leticia said everything I wanted to say. This is it exactly, MAC.
Dear Illamasqua,
Please come to Canada! You’re already in the US Sephoras, expanding into Sephoras across the border shouldn’t be hard… You’ll be dearly loved 🙂
Dear Chanel,
I’m just a student, yet I’ve been using your products more and more, because they’re just so amazing. Keep up the Chanel wonder! 😀
Dear Essie,
Please bring back Starry, Starry Nights and possibly make it permanent. It doesn’t make sense not to when it’s a sure fire sell-out shade!
Dear MAC,
Please bring back the coloured paint pots and make them permanent. A repromote of just A Pinch gel blush would be nice to and slow down on the collections!
Dear MAC,
Please stop making some of my favorite products limited edition (I’m looking at you MAC 226, Viva Glam Cyndi, and Pearlglide eyeliners). PS I wish I could order Pro stuff on your website instead of having to call the Pro Store or go to NYC.
Dear Urban Decay,
I love your 24/7 eyeliners and your Primer Potions (thank you for the new squeezy tube. yay!) but I’ve stopped buying your palettes because of all of the repeat shades. I love Baked eye shadow and Zero eyeliner but how many does a girl need?! Also all the Midnight Cowboy glitter bombs need to go.
Dear Zoya,
I LOVE you! You are my new favorite nail polish company thanks to Christine!
Dear Sephora,
You may want to actually LOOK at some of your employees before you hire them. I really do not want someone with foundation that looks like paste and dark lipliner drawn WAY out of their liplines to give me ADVICE on beauty products! Some of your staff make Lady Bunny look understated!
Thank you for stating what I have been thinking every time I go! It seems that even the younger sales associates are caked with poorly applied makeup. I know the lights can be harsh, but there’s gotta be a point in the day where they look into one of the mirrors!
Oh I love this!
Dear Sephora,
The Canadian dollar has been at or near parity to the American dollar yet there is still a huge gap in prices. Why is this? Please consider a straight exchange rate charge on your site, as the big jump in price prevents me from making MANY purchases. Also, a $50 purchase for free shipping in the States but a $120 purchase for Canadians? Why do you hate us!?
Dear Sales Associates anywhere,
Please stop matching me to foundations based on the darkest part of my face. I am a woman of colour and have had hereditary hyperpigmentation around my eyes forever, but this is still a very small part of my face!
Dear all cosmetics companies,
Mini versions aren’t popular just for travel, some of us love them because we know we would never use up the full sized product and so we cannot justify purchasing it! Consider making more ‘mini’ versions and you will likely make more sales!
Also, please consider putting out more lipstick palettes. Lipstick and not lip gloss. If I could buy a palette of Rouge G or Dior I would have an opportunity to sample more colours and would likely come back for the full sized item!
Dear Marc Jacobs,
Please send me some bottles of Cucumber. I will pay! They are impossible to find and it smells divine on me.
Dear Lipstick Queen,
Where are you? I managed to get my hands on Jean Queen and I am in love! I cannot even order from your site. Come to Toronto!
Dear Tarte,
Please consider putting out a mini sized version of Natural Beauty Cheek Stain. It will go bad before I can use that whole thing so I refuse to buy it.
Finally, dear Christine,
Your site is immensely useful. The reviews, the foundation matrix, the ability to look up swatches based on colour family. Plus your reviews are always honest so I know I can trust them. Your fans are loyal to you for a reason, you put out a quality product. Keep it up! We are extremely thankful!
Oh Ps.
Dear Nars,
I love your Sheer Glow Foundation but cannot find a good match so I have had to stop using it. Please release a few more shades!
Thank you, KD! I’m so glad you enjoy the site!
Dear Christine,
Your site is so amazing even my MAC and Sephora girls recommend you for checking out new products. Thank you for all that you do for us.
Thank you, Laura!! 🙂
Dear MAC,
I cannot understand why the Prolongwear foundation and Matchmaster foundation are only available in Singapore (and rest of Asia) 1 year after its release in USA?? How is it that the rest of the Prolongwear collection is available shortly after releasing in the USA but not the foundation? Please please bring your new foundations to Singapore asap.
Please also make pearlglide eyeliners permanent and expand your fluidline collection.
Lastly, some shades are not available in Singapore eg soft orche paintpot and cubic blusher. Please bring them in.
Thanks!!
Dear NARS,
Please come to Singapore. There are lots of NARS fans out here!!
Dear MAC, why don’t you make Violetta, and Show Orchid lipstick permanent for us non-pro members, just because I’m not a certified makeup artist yet doesn’t mean that I don’t need a bright purple in my life. Also, how aboutn some more permanent line matte pigments on the website, I remember seeing a bright matte yellow, a matte black, and magenta madness is only pro now? I don’t own any pigments and I am doubting whether I should buy any considering that they are about half the size that they used to be and for the same price, how about charging $17 for a pigment? that would be reasonable!
Dear Sephora,
I love your eye pencils. There is just one tiny problem: they don’t fit in any of the pencil sharpeners I own! Is this just a ploy to get me to spend an extra $5 on a Sephora brand pencil sharpener? My black pencil is stuck in a sharpener right now, and I have lost hope of ever getting it out, and my purple one is chewed up because I tried to use the larger side of the sharpener because it didn’t fit in the small side! Perhaps you could have included a warning on the box, so I would at least know to get a new sharpener. Now I need to make a trip to the mall just to get one.
Dear MAC,
Stop with the collections already. All you are doing is making money for people on ebay! I should not have to pay $35 for an Oh, Oh, Oh lipstick just because you did not have the foresight to make enough to meet demand! Limited editions should have a 2 per address limit for God’s sake, no one needs 20 tubes of the same color lipstick, not even artists!!!
Dear Hourglass,
Thank you for making your wonderful mascara. Please bring the price down to a normal range!
Dear Urban Decay,
Thanks for making the Naked Palette. It’s a great traveler. On the other hand, the 15th Anniversary Palette, not such a great traveling companion. How can I go to Vegas without those wonderful colors? Please rework your palettes to be more like the Naked!
Dear Chaz Dean,
WEN is a wonderful product. I love watching you on QVC, but everytime I do, I want to buy more stuff. I could seriously use a volume discount. Thanks!
Dear MAC
I know everyone loves the vanilla scent of your lip products, but if you made a few unscented options once in a while, I could buy them and we’d both be happy! Think about it, won’t you?
Dear Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics:
I’d buy every shade of your Lip Tar, if only you’d ditch the peppermint oil. (Burt’s Bees, please take note.)
Dear Bare Escentuals:
You have done the impossible! You’ve created the only powder shadow IN THE WORLD that doesn’t end up under my eyes in two seconds (nope, primer doesn’t help). Whatever you’re doing, please don’t stop! xoxo
This is gonna be a long one.
Dear NARS,
I love most of your products and cannot say how much I appreciate your great custmer service. Only complaint: I’m kind of sick of everything in an Orgasm shade. But you’re still one of the best brands out there and I love your blushes and eyeshadow primer (NOTHING compares).
Dear MAC,
I, and most makeup addicts, are sick of the constant collections with mostly low quality items and low quantities in the good products. It really keeps me from buying from you. I do enjoy your Fluidlines though and wish you’d add more to the permanent line.
Dear Urban Decay,
Cut it out with the glitter in the eyeshadows. Seriously. You keep those and get rid of your mattes? So disappointing. Thank you, however, for the beautiful Naked Palette.
Dear Le Metier de Beaute,
Thank you for being the best makeup brand I’ve come across in the past year, and one of the best in general. I appreciate your quality products and knowledgeable, kind staff.
Dear Chanel,
I have truly been impressed with your makeup. I’ve been loving your nail polish colors and adore the new cream shadows and the Prelude quad. Please work on making the Rouge Coco Shines more long-lasting and moisturizing, and EXPAND THE ROUGE ALLURE EXTRAIT DE GLOSS LINE, those things are incredible!
Dear Everyone,
Please post ingredients online, keep in mind the value of good customer service, and STOP TESTING ON ANIMALS. Thank you.
Dear MAC,
I would love to see some consistency in the shade range amongst the various foundation finishes. I have noticed some new wonderful options, such as the neutral range in Matchmaster, and some additional colors in the Studio Fix Fluid; However, I love the finish of the Pro Longwear, but cannot find a great match because I have neutral undertones. It’s just difficult when I find a good color match but not the right finish, or vice versa. Would be great to see some universal, across the board numbering for all foundations, and a broader shade range even.
I also would like MAC to remain close to the core idea of what MAC even was started for- for the art of makeup. When I think of MAC, I think of a broad range of colors, finishes and shades. I think of highly pigmented, pro-worthy products. Beautiful promo images, and a simplified product, down to the little black pot. Some recent products (Art of Powder, Jeanius) have strayed a little from my idea of legit MAC, and I would love to see a renaissance of the brand without all the gimmicky products.
Dearest MAC,
Please add more fluidlines and paint pots to the permanent collection. Please improve your nail polish. Please sell short handle brushes separately. You have to many limited time launches that are poor in quality. Just a few good ones a year please.
Dear Christine,
I learned about make up from you.
I always liked the idea of make up but grew up without anyone to teach me about it. Thanks for your incredible site and honest product reviews. I’m still learning, but your site has steered me toward the good stuff and away from products that wouldn’t work for me.
So..Thank you.
Aww, thank you so much, Coraline!! 🙂
This is really been fun reading all of the open letters! I agree with virtually all of them in one way or another.
First, thank you Christine for your hard work and all you do for us! Your videos and pictures are so high quality that really I check them first to make a decision on whether or not to put in effort to get a product. You are an invaluable source for so many. You are AWESOME! 🙂
Dear Mac, just like everybody I am sick of the constant and overwhelming number of collections. So much is lost due to the barrage of names and colors limited edition items. When I first started out buying your products I could tell you each collection name and the gist of what the collection was about and what each of the items were. Now……..forget it! I am so lost ……….I can’t keep up financially or mentally!!! The ridiculousness of it is making me just look at other cosmetic companies and their comparable items. It is too much.
When an item is limited edition and it sells out in one day…….what is up with that? It almost feels like a scam. You lose money that could be spent on your products because people buy the limited items and then sell them on Ebay for much higher prices! If they could have just gone to one of your stores or website and bought it for regular price then everyone wins.
Lastly, your campaigns of late are totally lost on me. Not pretty, I don’t know in some of them if I am looking at the actual products, and I think you can be “cutting edge” without being too “out there.” Whether you are a make up artist or not, the goal usually is to look as attractive as you can without going overboard. Mac needs to find the balance between the avant garde and the mainstream make up needs/wants.
Dear Wet n Wild,
Thanks for stepping it up with some amazing eye shadow palettes in the last year or two. The pigmentation and colors are amazing! Please don’t jack up your prices just because you can………keep making better products with the lower prices and I will be a customer for a very long time!
Dear Philosophy,
Please remove the lavender oil from your primer “the Present.” As a company who touts themselves as doing whatever they can for healthy skin…….I don’t understand why this is in your product. At least address it and explain on your site the justification of the oil so we as consumers can make up our minds on whether to buy or not.
To all cosmetic companies,
Strive to change all formulations of products to reduce any known or potentially harmful ingredients in them. We need companies that care and try hard to do what is right and the most healthy for their customers. I think in this day and age……the companies that don’t change will at some point be left in the dust.
To Inglot,
Please come to Oregon!!!!!!! 🙂
To Boots, Collection 2000, Barry M, and many more International cosmetic companies,
It seems that countries outside of the US have more access to our cosmetic brands than we do to theirs. I would love to have the ability to get items from the UK, Ireland, Australia, Japan……..or anywhere really, much easier than I can now. I know Boots has some items in Target but it is a limited selection. I wish we had Boots in America! I just want a bit easier access!
I could go on and on……..sorry this is so darn long but the Mac thing I really needed to vent on! I hope they get a clue and seriously take to heart what a lot of us are saying here. Thanks!!!!
Thanks a lot, Sonja! 🙂
Dear MAC,
Please don’t make awesome products in such limited stocks. Seriously, its depressing. Everyone deserves to get their hands on CANDY YUM YUM. 🙁
Here goess…
Dear MAC,
When I was 14, I went on holiday to Florida and made my first 2 MAC eyeshadow purchases…and then I was hooked, your LE collections kept me interested, planning out my purchases and waiting for the release dates and making sure I didn’t miss out, now I feel like you’ve gone stale. A new collection every week, made up of maybe 3-4 new products and the rest being promoted from the permanent line, or just old colours that keep coming back, If you kept re-releasing favorite lipsticks or blushes that would be fine, but honestly, doesn’t everyone have showstopper eyeshadow by now? and about 4 deep truth eyeshadows if you ever buy palettes! the quality of your LE stuff is going down hill, it’s like you’re just trying to push out as many collections as possible to keep us talking, but really it’s not working, everyone’s a bit bored, I look at the press releases now and just go “meh, got something like that. It’s nothing special, but every now and then I go oo that sounds nice”…then read reviews and it’s actually not as good, the quality is bad. Maybe taking a leaf from Illamasqua’s book, bring out a few big collections a year, where time and thought as gone into it, and the products are of amazing quality, or even just from other brands, where Limited Edition means around for a limited TIME not until the 50 or so you made run out, when you know an item is going to sell out quick, MAKE LOADS so we can all get one, and the people that love it can get a back up! that would make us SO much happier! don’t just send 4-5 stereo roses to a counter, that’s not going to work.
If I’m honest, I’ve bought nothing in months now, you need to get back on your game, focus on creating fantastic products and adding them to the regular line, and have maybe…12 collections a year, one a month, hell even 2 a month but not 50 a year!
PS. I am also the only person who likes the new pigment jars, the old jars stopped me from buying pigments.
Dear Illamasqua,
Your products are fantastic, your brand has an fantastic concept and brilliant imagery, I love how when you bring out a collection, it’s got new products that we’ll be able to get for a while, if not ones which are permanent, it’s great, but please bring out more shades in the cream blush and powder blush line! I bet we’d see some amazing ones!
Dear Urban Decay,
I love the Naked Pallete, but please bring out a version with cooler colours, as there’s a section of mine I can’t use because they’re too warm and it pains me as they’re beautiful. HUGEEE thankyou for listening to your customers and repackaging UDPP into a tube, it makes life so much easier.
Dear almost all brands,
Please expand your foundation colour ranges, girls like me who are very pale, or women who have darker skin find it really hard to find a good foundation colour match, then trying to find a formula that works for us!? it’s a pain.
Dear Sephora,
PLEASE COME TO THE UK!!! or at least ship to us! I want Make Up Forever!
Sorry this is long, but I feel better now 🙂
Dear Illamasqua
I live in the UK and have noticed your magical nail varnishes are $14 in the US and £13.50 here, around $21. I know our tax is 20%, but still… Why are they more expensive in your home country?
Dear MAC
I can’t keep up with you!
Dear Temptalia
Thank you for the most wonder website and advice! Always makes the day brighter!
Thank you, Andrea!
Dear MAC,
Less collection, BETTER quality, less price hikes.
I really wonder how some of this stuff gets put into stores! I love your permanent stuff but most of the LE is a dud. It would be better to focus on less, better collections that people will actually be excited about.
Dear Urban Decay,
I love your eyeshadows. Hands down my favorite out of any company. BUT, your packaging is way too bulky. Another thing about the palettes, stop doing so many repeat colors! I can understand if it was the same color in 2 palettes. But you put the worst glittery colors in every single palette, it’s frustrating.
Dear Inglot Canada,
I’d love to try your products, but the ONLY stores in Canada are in Quebec.. and I am not willing to fly there to buy your products. Try putting some locations in Ontario or BC.
Order online you say? Why would I do that with prices 60- 80 percent higher than US prices. Not only that but shipping prices are atrocious.
Now I know this sounds harsh, but I’m upset because you all have the potential to be great companies! Good products and “hype” aren’t everything.
The in-store Canadian prices for Inglot aren’t any cheaper than online. (And actually, they did have Inglot store in Ontario a few years ago. They shut them down because they didn’t do well.)
Dear Make Up For Ever,
Thank you for making such great product line. You made me wanna buy everything on the shelves, if only you have discounts sometimes. I love how your simple packaging made the brand writings more noticeable. Utmost thank you for your impeccable range of foundation :*
Dear MAC,
Please make your special edition brushes (holiday collection) as high quality as the regular ones. They are pretty, I’d love to buy them, it sucks when the quality prevents me to do so.
Dear MAC,
Okay, so I would definitely call myself a loyal customer of yours. A large portion of the makeup I own is MAC. However, I find myself becoming more and more bored with your increasingly repetitive and unoriginal collections. Instead of coming out with SO many collections each year, why not cut it down to one every month or two, and devote more attention to each one? I want to see innovative, original, creative, fascinating, bold, and most importantly HIGH QUALITY products when I shop LE collections. Unfortunately, I’m just not seeing that from you guys anymore. Venomous Villains was the last collection I got excited about and that was a year ago. I feel like I’m just losing interest in your brand.
On a positive note, I do enjoy that your permanent line offers one of the larger selections of colors conveniently available to me (I’m sure there are more impressive ones out there but unfortunately they can’t be found at my local mall).
Dear Illamasqua,
I absolutely love your bold, daring colors and the quality of your products. Your nail polish, like Christine said, is amazing. The colors are unique and there are a lot of them, and the formula is great. However, what’s up with releasing collections that just consist of permanent items? That’s not very exciting. I would like to see NEW colors in your collections. I am always looking forward to new products and seeing the creativity your brand is capable of.
Dear Wet N Wild,
You have really made some impressive improvements in your product line recently! I love your eyeshadows, as well as lip colors. The quality is amazing for the price and your shades are much more unique and interesting than most other drugstore makeup brands. Sometimes 1 or 2 shades in a palette are a flop, but I can deal with that when the whole thing only costs 5 bucks. Thanks to you, I have been able to experiment with color and venture out of my comfort zone (neutrals) without spending hundreds of dollars. I actually find myself reaching for WnW ES palettes more these days, the quality and color is right up there with my more expensive ones! However, I do wish you sold all of your products online (including LE) because they are often just so hard to find in stores, and I’ve heard that your products are quite inaccessible to people who live outside of the US. That’s my only gripe.
Dear Christine,
I have been reading Temptalia for a year or two now. I must say, your blog is amazing and is hands down my favorite beauty blog out there (and there are a lot that I read). You have a great combination of product reviews, polls, looks, etc, and you do the most amazing swatches! I always search the Swatch Gallery before buying a product, or to get ideas for colors I would like to try! I remember back when I first started reading, I was surprised to find that Temptalia was just written by one person because of the level of professionalism and the variety and detail that is in every post. Christine, you obviously put a lot of effort into this wonderful blog and I thank you for that. Temptalia is a great source of information and is also just fun to read. I read it every day and will continue to as long as I can! Thank you Christine! 🙂
Thank you, Margaret! I’m so happy to know you enjoy the site and especially the Swatch Gallery! 🙂
This may seem kind of off-topic, but your post just made me realise I haven’t thought twice about a MAC Collection since Venomous Villains, either!
I’m just not into keeping up with things so by the time I arrived to try VV all the products at my local MAC had been sold out in two days. I wanted to try Strange Potion and this lead to the girl at the counter continually insisting that Pink Lemonade lip gloss was EXACTLY THE SAME! I’m a bit scared to go back after that!
I will add that’s not why I haven’t checked out any of the new collections! I really agree, there’s been nothing there that’s caught my eye. Things like this need a story, a real theme, and maybe they can’t carry it releasing collections one after another so rapidly.. Venomous Villains was exciting because it had all these things, it was interesting!
Dear Makeup Companies across the board,
Please do not shun matte shades. I realize they’re not super pretty sparkly so they do not immediately catch the eye but there is an audience for them. Perhaps if you gave them your full attention in terms of quality you would get better sales as sometimes I feel like those available were an after thought so the pigmentation and texture suffer considerably. Not saying you have to come out with matte only promos but giving much needed attention to the ones you have (and releasing some non basic colors) would be very much appreciated.
I TOTALLY agree with you on this.
I want my shadows matte! And like buttah.
Dear Sephora
Please come back to the UK. Or at least make it so that the French site can be translated into English so that we can buy from there. I know Sephora France ship to the UK but its impossible to translate the website and my French is pretty dire.
Dear MAC
Please stop pumping out collection after collection after collection. You are focusing to much on quantity and some of the collections have been epic fails with really poor quality. Also please have more colours in paints/paint pots and fluidlines in the permanent collection.
Dear Illamasqua
Please open more stores or at least counters in places that aren’t London or Manchester. Not everyone in England lives in these two places and I’d quite like to see the products rather than just order blindly online.
To all makeup companies
Stop discontinuing your matte eyeshadows! You should be increasing the range not making it smaller. Not everyone wants/is allowed loads of sparkly eyeshadows!
Thanks 🙂
Dear temptalia,
Best blog ever. I used your swatches to determine what zoya polishes I wanted to purchase on yesterday’s bogo. Thank you for your tireless dedication to the beauty community. *hugs*
Thank you, Kimberly!
What MAC products were flops this year?
Those big bounce (cream/moussey) eyeshadows. I’m still scratching my head on that one..
and the mineralize eyeshadows that came out with the semi-precious collection and from what I understand, a large part of the duos/quads they released this year were disappointing
The big bounce collection was utterly terrible and the quads that have been released recently have had 3 rubbish colours with poor quality and then 1 amazing colour. The quality across the board is not consistent. As much as I love MAC they really do need to work on that x
Dear Inglot,
Open some counters in the U.S. so we can have a chance to try your products!
Dear MAC,
I love you, but I hate you. You’re coming out with wayyyy too many worthless collections. How about focusing on your permanent items for once? The luster finish eye shadows need a LOT of work and I’m starting to see more downsides than upsides as I continue to use your products. I originally thought your shadows were pigmented but now I realize that a lot aren’t.
Dear MAC:
You guys, I love a cool new product as much as the next girl… expect when it’s not as cool as originally thought. I used to feel like you were the affordable high-end brand, but your products have an increasingly lackluster quality to them. I beg of you, please slow down and put out good quality items, people will rave about them if they’re good, I promise. I commend you on having brought back the very coveted Lightscapade and hope to see Queen’s Sin and/or Port Red lipsticks come back as well. But please, when you KNOW an item is very coveted, for @$#$#$# sake, do not play games with people and ship out like 3 per store… it an a-hole move. I constantly question where your marketing department’s heads are at because it isn’t making sense to me. In addition, when you notice an l/e item is doing well, make it permanent. More people will buy it and get to experience a great product – isn’t that the whole point? On a lighter note, did you guys reformulate the msfs? They’re so smooth and silky now, good job!
Dear Inglot,
I just discovered you guys this year and so far, have only tried your eyeshadows and lipsticks. I’m very impressed. My only pet peeve is that your eyeshadows are a bit heavy on the fallout, but considering how good they are, I’m willing to overlook it. Keep up the good work!
Dear Jesse’s Girl,
Thanks so much for putting out affordable duochrome eyeshadows, you people rock!
and finally…
Dear Christine,
I can’t thank you enough for Temptalia – it’s the holy grail of makeup blogs – I get to find out about new products and launches… get to see swatches of products before they’re even in stores, so I can decide if it’s worth the trip to check them out. You have saved me a ridiculous amount of money and helped me find items truly worth lusting over. I literally check temptalia.com nearly ever day and don’t know what I’d do without it. You’re an inspiration to beauty bloggers everywhere. Keep on being awesome 🙂
Thank you so much, Safyre! 🙂
I couldn’t agree more with what you said to MAC!
Dear Mac 109 Small Contour Brush,
Please stop staining my pretty white towels after I lay you down to dry after every wash. Like seriously…you’re the ONLY ONE that does that. It’s not cute.
Dear theBalm,
Please keep showing up at my TJ Maxx and Marshalls for ridiculously awesome prices.
Dear UD Naked Palette,
I think we clicked instantly when we first met but I’m starting to feel like I need my space. It’s not you, it’s me. And maybe theBalm and the Beautiful…
Dear Chanel,
You’re the love of my life. Everything else is fleeting.
You’re passionate about Chanel. Respect!
Dear Inglot,
I hate your website. It’s not user friendly, shipping is too much, and nothing looks like it should.
Dear Illamasqua,
I like your products but I wish more of them were offered at Sephora and your brand was more accessible.
Dear MAC,
Why do you repromote limited edition powdery unpigmented eyeshadows but not items like Stereo Rose? Why does it seem your quads have gone down in quality so much? And then you put one good shadow in them like hazy days or whatever it was called. Are you just trying to figure out how many people don’t pay attention to quality or is it that you are just testing how many really obsessive crazy MAC collectors there are?
Dear Urban Decay,
Can you please make a Maui Wowie eyeshadow without the glitter?
Dear L’Oreal,
Just because you own Olay and Lancome doesn’t mean you should repackage Olay Regenerist serum and sell it for 3x as much at Macy’s. I know what you’re doing. While you’re at it, can you please stop testing on animals? Sometimes it can make it difficult to be cruelty free at the drugstore, and that includes the rest of you too: Unilever, P & G, Johnson & Johnson…you all know who you are.
Dear Estee Lauder,
You’re guilty of this repackaging thing too, get to work and give me more if you’re going to charge me more than Clinique.
Dear Mary Kay, Avon, Mark, Arbonne, Cookie Lea, Lia Sophia, Partylite, and Pampered Chef,
When having parties, can you and your hosts and consultants and everyone involved forget my address and phone number or even that I exist? My husband and checking account dislike you even more than I do. If I need something I promise I’ll let you know.
This is such a cool idea. So entertaining too. It feels good to see I’m not the only feeling a certain way about a product:) Thank u for this
Dear Sephora and Ulta :
2 things. PLEASE teach your associates how to properly put on makeup. Tell them this is not Jersey Shore, they dont need to be ORANGE in the middle of winter.kthnks. Also, please teach your associates to treat everyone fairly. I dont need to be followed around the store because of the color of my skin. Every customer should be greeted and acknowledged.
Dear Cosmetic Brands in general: We are not all one skin color , so why the limited shades of foundation? why only make the lightest shades possible – the dark skin girls love makeup too
Dear Mac: please STOP with all of the collections. And can you make more product in a collection – so instead of sending 4 of product X to a store , can you send more ? thanks
Dear Inglot: why arent you in Chicago? There are other big cities than just NYC. State street or off Michigan Avenue would be great 🙂
Dear Sephora,
I keep waiting for you to open your 1st store here in Indonesia. When you’re gonna make it happen? We’re dying here… 🙁
FYI, I literally have to flew to Singapore like 3-4 times a year to splurge, it’s insane! I rather to shop more makeup than paying for plane tickets & hotels.
Dear NARS,
I’m obsess with your products but please, please, pleaseeee… Open your store here in Indonesia.
I’m tired paying extra for shipping or markups from 3rd party. I’m paying about 10 more dollars for your products, it bothers me to realize that whenever I bought 3 products of yours, I could have 1 more blushes if I bought them in stores (even though I already have EVERY SINGLE BLUSHES of yours *lol*).
Dear Illamasqua,
I seriously want to collect your products, please open your store here in Indonesia. From what I already had, I’m pretty sure my collection will grow fast if we have your stores here, your products ARE amazing.
Dear Urban Decay,
Why Zero? Why Ransom? I have too many of them, please put Lust instead on your next palette or your 24/7 Liquid Liner. And agree with other participants, I’m hesitant to buy new palette if there’s too many repeats. You don’t wanna know how many Midnight Cowboy Rides Again pans I have when I only worn about 1/5 pan (yes a pan, per pan).
Oh, and please make 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Perversion permanent, I’m enough with Zero. Not that I hate it, but I’m pretty sure you’ll feel this too if you have a pencil case full of travel size Zero for yourself.
Dear CARGO,
I’m crazy about your blushes and how “green” you are. Why now it’s so hard to find you? And what’s about your discontinued blush shade? I find most of them are a great shade, please bring those back.
Dear Benefit,
GREAT JOB on Feelin’ Cheeky! Minis, but could you replace High Beam with Cha Cha Tint? It’ll suits more… And maybe create new a set of highlighters that contains High Beam, Moon Beam & Girls Meet Pearl?
Dear Tarte,
Really? I cannot reach QVC, why most of your products are exclusively sold at QVC only? But great job on your Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hours Blush! Kudos to you!!!
Dear Rock & Republic,
Is it necessary to discontinue your cosmetic line? Is it because the price that’s too high? Well, Guerlain, Le Metier, Cle de Peau for example put a very high price tag to their products, but it sells. I love your blushes, especially Call Me. Please bring those back. A little advice, maybe sell them in a smaller quantity to make them cheaper. We as makeup junkie doesn’t care if you reduce your quantity, less quantity, more excuse for us to buy more product, HA! *lol*
Dear Clinique,
I love your Pore Minimizer Instant Perfector, I finally found my perfect primer! You have no idea how long I’ve been searching for this and yet after my 3rd tube, you replace it with Pore Refining Solutions Instant Perfector and no, I don’t like it. Now I’m back in search to find my perfect primer 🙁
Dear M·A·C,
Thank you for making Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder in pressed form! *standing applause*
I also love your MSF in Cheeky Bronze, please make it permanent.
Why do you have to discontinued some shades in Pro blushes? I love Devil, but I also love Apple Red, please bring Apple Red back!
Dear all high end mascaras company,
Please, reduce your quantity of your mascara. I always replace my mascaras every 3 months (for hygiene/health issue) and even with a daily wear, it still has a lot of products left. I think, if there are less quantity of products, it will affect you price tag to become more affordable and it’ll make me feel less guilty when I toss them 3 months later.
Here’s the formula:
Less products = cheaper price = happy customers = more sales!!! Easy-peasy.
Dear all companies I’m gonna state below,
Here in my country, Indonesia, we don’t have NARS, Urban Decay, Illamasqua, Benefit, Too Faced, Smashbox, theBalm, CARGO, Tarte, Hourglass, Bare Escentuals/Bare Minerals/Buxom, LORAC, Laura Mercier, Stila and even Sephora! I usually paid $10-$25 extra when I bought they products, and once a while I have to go to our nearest neighbor Singapore/Malaysia/Hongkong to shop. That’s what I called commitment to makeup! But isn’t it ridiculous?
Is it because you’re afraid that you can’t make any sales here? Because from M·A·C to Guerlain, they’re doing fine here.
Whoops… Oh dear Lord, that’s a very long letter. Sorry Christine! 😛
Btw, after I reread my comment, I think I’m a blush hoarder… I need an intervention! >___<"
Dear Bobbi Brown…. Please take lavender oil out of your foundations , It’s an irritant for many ( including myself) and I don’t think it adds any benefit. And please put an ingredient list on your web site.
To all companies: I reject giving any of my business to companies that with hold ingredient lists. As a consumer, this makes you look like you have something to hide.
This may have been said before in a similar way but I need to get it out of my system:
Dear most-Make-up-companies,
I cannot understand and have been puzzled by the question for quite some time now: Why do you think people in Germany only come in midrange colours? I see loads of people everyday who, like me, are quite pale. If you DO make pale foundation shades, why not sell them in a country that is likely to be inhabited by rather pale people?
Likewise, there ARE darker skinned people here. If one of them wanted to buy a foundation here, they would probably have the choice between MAC and Bobbi Brown and certainly nothing cheaper.
Please sell your entire shade range here aswell!
Dear MAC,
thank you for making Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer. It increases the quality of my life every day for only 17 €, in a pot that has lasted me over a year!
Dear Inglot,
Thank you for creating a sturdy case to hold my eyeshadows so when my clumsy self drops your shadows, they don’t break. I would also like to thank you for your high pigmented eyeshadows that are reasonably priced. Even though others has complained about your customer service, I visited your store in New Jersey and your employees were very helpful.
From a satisfied customer,
Angelina
Dear Mac,
I have been a loyal customer for over 12 years, but for the past few years I have been disappointed with the pigmentation of eyeshadows in your limited edition collections. I used to be so excited to buy your holiday limited edition eyeshadow sets for my friends as presents, but now I don’t bother because I will be paying a large price tage for one or two pigmented eyeshadows, while the others are of poor quality. Please bring back quality over quantity. Also, why don’t you make a holiday eyeshadow palette that features many your permanent colors (like you used to) that way you can introduce new people to your permanent line? Please step your game up!
From a disappointed customer,
Angelina
Dear MAC,
I wish every shade you brought out was somehow permanent. I can’t keep up with fleeting trends!
Dear Clarisonic,
I love you! I want to thank you for keeping my skin clear and making me realise I haven’t had a bad skin day in a whole year now – I only just remembered reading something on a message board how horrible my skin used to feel.
Dear Hourglass,
I wish you were cheaper here… your products cost half as much in the States! And Sephora has free shipping!
The same goes for you too, Chanel, and you, too, just about everywhere else that exists in the States and gets imported over here!
Dear OPI,
I’m looking for this shade. Its blue, almost purple, with red shimmer in it. Do you know what it is?! I’ll be on the lookout next time I run into you, okay?
Dear Benefit,
Ten years ago I visited a Benefit counter in Macy’s where a makeup artist named Micheal taught me how to tweeze my brows for the first time. He also sent me home with Dandelion, Hula and a serious makeup addiction! Thank you for hiring approachable people that made me so comfortable with makeup. Other companies take note- makeup artists should be fun- not snobby!
Dear MAC,
You make some of my favorite products! However, you are pushing it too much, too fast. My favorite makeup artist spent years at your company, but left because he felt too pressured to get the right number of units per sale. As a customer, I know that I need to be prepared to say “no” to all the extras I’m often strongly encouraged to buy when I visit your counter. It’s exhausting! Also, I would really love if you would sell Studio Tech in a shade lighter than 15. I’m pale and I like being pale!
Dear Ulta,
Please consider giving a discount on your “prestige” cosmetics – even if it is one day a year! Otherwise, it isn’t worth buying those brands from you. Sephora gives points that can add up to things I actually want – like full-size Benefit items. Plus, they give 20% off coupon codes that work on most things around Christmas. I like them, but it would be conveient to buy my “nice” makeup and drugstore makeup at the same place and get a bargain!
Christine,
Thank you so much for working so hard on this site! You made me braver in my makeup choices. I always try to check out your reviews before I buy – you saved me from some duds (but “made” me spend a whole lot more on other things)!
Thanks Again!
Aw, thank you, Diane!
I was just thinking the same about MAC…. so many collections and not so many amazing products anymore. It was a time when MAC was the makeup brand I went for whenever I thought about makeup. Now I think of many other brands that are doing amazing quality products.
Dear Urban Decay,
Great job with the NAKED palette! You have done so well with the recent palettes, such as the 15th Anniversarry palette. And *please* keep the glitter level low. I’ve gotten backups for my UDPP, its a classic in my makeup collection! Good job with everything, keep up the quality and continue to come out with great products!
Dear Benefit,
These past couple of months, I’ve started to buy your makeup. I’ve been amazed at the creativity, the cute designs, and quality. I love Coralista blush and the Mini lip and cheeck tint set is great! All the holiday sets are fantastic! I love the Benefit brand because it is so fresh and clean, so do not lose your creativity. Also, please bump down the prices because money is tight these days, and we could all use better deals. Thanks!
Deal Clinique,
The chubby sticks are so great! The eyeshadows are very good too. The prices are actually not as bad compared to some other brands with quality that you top. Thanks for making crisp and clean products, stay how you are Clinique!
Totally on board with you, Christine!