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Of all the types of holiday sets and kits, they’re one of my favorites. I feel like it is hard to finish lip products before they go bad (particularly glosses), so it’s nice to have minis.
— Christine
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I agree with you. My only complaint is when the colors in the sets are too similar… Like I don’t want 4 mini nude lips, or four pinks. Give me a red, a berry, a nude and a pink… Or throw in a fun statement color, because I definitely never use up full sizes of those even though I keep buying them!
I don’t like lip sets because there might be one shade in the set that actually looks good on me, and the rest are completely wrong for my skin tone. In many cases there isn’t even one option. If a company offered a kit where customers could choose the shades themselves, I would definitely be game. But until that happens, it is just a waste of money for me to invest in lip sets or kits. I’m better off buying the full size of the one shade that works instead.
I agree about the lip sets. I like minis because they’re easy to carry and they’re less of a commitment, which is great when you want to try something different. Also, a friend split a recent lipstick set with me, and it worked out perfectly because she was attracted to the ones that I would never wear!
I love love love mini lipsticks!
But I hate that mini sets are always a bunch of colors I’ll never wear and only 1 I will. Luckily for me there’s ebay!
I love the idea of lip sets- trying a bunch of colors and/or finishes. But I am way too accident prone and feel like I am going to lose the tiny lip products.
I love them – in theory. I really like the idea of having smaller sizes of different colors because odds are I’ll never finish all of my lip products. But, I never end up liking the whole color selection, or I already have that shade or ones like it, so it’s never as cost-effective as it looks at first glance. Until they make sets more customizable, I’m best off just buying the one or two shades I’d actually wear in the full size.
Agree with you, wouldn’t it be nice if we could select which 4 or 5 minis to make up our own sets?
I love lip sets, too, but only when they’re themed by tone (warm or cool). When shades are mixed, usually only half the colors will look good on you, and you need to find someone to take the shades that don’t.
What I hate is that they almost invariably contain colours I just would never wear, mixed in with a few I like and would wear. But in a set of 6 lippies, if 2 or 3 are not shades that I find flatter me, the whole thing isn’t really a worthwhile purchase. I do like the smaller sizes, generally (if we’re talking minis) because that allows me to use them up before they go bad or I tire of them.
I love the concept of lip sets, but I also would love to be able to choose from a given group. I can’t wear orange or nudes, and there is almost always one of those (or more) in sets that otherwise appeal to me. I love the size and the ability to try many colours and formulas I would not otherwise get to try.
I like lip kits because lip color is where I like to experiment the most. Everything else in my make-up routine tends to stay pretty close to the same but I love trying new lip colors and minis are a perfect for that. The ones that don’t work for me I just give to my sister.
Lip products go bad? That’s news to me! I still have my first lipstick from when I was 12, and that’s more years than I care to count! (No, I don’t use it, but it doesn’t smell bad or look funny.) The only thing I can see going wrong is with ‘natural’ lipsticks like Bite, where they don’t use traditional preservatives, and thus really DO have a shorter shelf life.
Oh yes indeed lip products can and do go bad. Biggest tip offs are changes in the smell (say a vanilla scented lippie is now reminicent of playdoh) or a change in the texture or the way a lip product applies (lip gloss that once applied like a dream is strangely goopy). Maybe a lip product with a fragrance deteriorates faster than one with no decernable taste or smell? The way one stores their cosmetics is probably a factor as well. I don’t know if things really need to be replaced when the expiration date is up…think a big part of that is intended to make the consumer buy/spend more. Just use your best judgement and if something smells or looks “off”, time to pitch it. Otherwise, I personally hang on to stuff past the so called expiration date. I think we pay too much for products only to be told to pitch and buy new after a certain time frame. Buncha bs in my own humble opinion, lol.
I totally agree about expiration dates. Some eye shadow palettes have 18 MONTHS on them, LOL! I don’t know if they do this to cover their butts, or (more likely), to get you to toss out ‘expired’ products and buy MORE.
The only things I toss for certain are opened mascaras and pretty much anything that goes near my eyes. I’m not up on lip gloss, since I pretty much never use it. But lipstick? Nah.
I’ve had fragranced lippies lose their scent, and maybe that playdough fragrance replaced it. But I’m not sensitive to fragrance at all. I may not like the playdough aroma, but it dissipates pretty quickly. If the color is one I like, and the bullet is good in every other way, I’ll still use it.
Liquid lipsticks, though, are another animal. I can see issues with something sealed up in a tube turning into something unsavory at some point.
I’ve never had a problem with lipstick bullets. Oh wait, I did, once. With Bite Beauty. You know how they have a fruity scent? Well, one that was just over a year old smelled…rancid. Not playdough, but like rotted fruit. And the bullet was sweating. That i tossed, but not after calling Bite to complain. They replaced it, which was gracious on their part.
But the truth is, ever since then, I’m loathe to buy anything full sized from Bite. Natural products may appeal to me on some aesthetic level, but I’m very antsy about products without traditional preservatives turning.
I like the mini sets (assuming the value per oz is good) as it’s a good way to try formulas and shades you may have not before, and of course it takes forever to finish a lip color unless you only have a few so minis are great.
I’m not a fan of those jumbo sets of full size lipsticks, as it feels like a big waste of both money and product for me.
Rave: The mini lip sets are a great way to try before you buy the full sized version. And for shades that you wouldn’t use, they are a great little stocking filler or gift to a friend/family member who would.
Rant: They often contain shades that I wouldn’t use. And often the shades included are very similar ones, consisting of stock that hasn’t sold.
Lip sets are a nice way to try out a brand but there are always at least 2 colors in a set that don’t work. I’m looking at you light shades that give me the corpse lips!
It’s a big kick in the pants to get a lip set to try out where half or more of the colors do not work on you. Or if a brand constantly puts out the same colors for lip sets…boo! Thank goodness for swatches and reviews!
I only purchase ‘onesies’ in lip products as well as eye products. I find I waste far too much when I purchase in sets.
This is a new one for me, because I never,ever buy lip sets. That is until I fell in love with Charlotte Tilbury !!!!! Love her line of makeup/skincare. So whats new is her set of 3 lipsticks. Gorgeous colors!!! Its a limited edition so I will be purchasing more before it ends. But putting the kits aside, I would never buy them, because I usually only l like one out of the set. So thumbs down for this collection.
I prefer buying singles each time a color screams my name. I only have a set I purchased at Ross for fun is a City Color vampy set and was actually surprised at the soft, smooth quality when first time tried last week, however not very long lasting but is ok. Oh! Gosh I need to stop buying lipsticks! Seen a few beautiful shades Milani colors I’m drooling for though they do last and leave a stain never fades out completely which I love like my beloved WetnWild matte ones. ❤️??
It seems, esp in winter, M. Nars is usually the only one who usually channels sets I like. Blanche et Noire. Certainement! Last year’s VLGs, yes! But the majority contain pinks and corals I would be hard pressed to wear. I like this year’s Tarte set….since the shades are grossly the same family, you either like it, or you don’t. Not like 1/2 of it, which is so common. I think sticking to the same general shade family is a very sensible way to go.
I feel like lip sets are a fun way to try new colors and formulas, and discover new favorites! The Sephora Favorites Give Me More Lip looks awesome this year!