Share: Tell us what you love and hate about NYX!
my answer: It can be really hard to find the range in-store, and it can be hard to find certain shades depending on your area. They come out with a lot of new products and a lot of new shades whenever they do, but not all of them are really amazing. They have some great products, but it can be overwhelmed by their misses at times.
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Unfortunately, the cool things (High Voltage Lipsticks, Wicked Lipsticks) NEVER get to Germany. It’s so annoying. We only get the “old” stuff over here …
Same for The Netherlands :(. I’d love to get the crazy lip colors, but I just cannot get them anywhere near.
Do you have access to Stargazer? We don’t have it in the US, but the few products I’ve managed to get ahold of are amazing, and really inexpensive!
We don’t get alot of NYX products in-store here (and I live in Los Angeles), either, and when we do, only a small amount comes in, and only 1-2 shipments. After that, it’s onlin-only… At least you have Illamasqua!
We do have Stargazer, I’m personally not a huge fan of this brand, but maybe I have to give some other products a go.
I love the prices and that they seem to come out with new things often. I hate how unpigmented their eye shadow palettes are compared to their eye shadow singles, which are great.
Rave: I love that NYX makes interesting / niche products available at reasonable prices. If you want to try a funky lip color but don’t want to drop $20 on a Melt Cosmetics lipstick, you can try one of their teal shades for just $6. I love that about them! I’m also a huge fan of their lip products, from the Matte Lip Creams to the High Voltage Lipstick. I’m also a big fan of their gel eyeliner (better than MAC Fluidline in my opinion), Jumbo Eye Pencils, and the fact that a lot of their products come in so many colors and finishes! Basically I love NYX. 🙂
Rant: They always seem to be out of stock in a lot of stores. (Thankfully I found a not very busy Ulta in the middle of nowhere and I drive the extra 10 minutes to get my NYX products there, they have most items in stock whenever I go!) Their eyeshadow formula tends to lean a bit on the dry or chalky side, and can be hit or miss depending on the palette or product.
And I forgot the biggest rave of all: Affordable AND cruelty-free! 😀
I think NYX has a quality vs. quantity problem – they seem to be so focused on rolling out new products that they don’t focus on having a quality formulation. I also don’t like the creative laziness of having so many obvious knockoffs in their collection, but I understand it from a sales perspective. I do like some of their products, like the butter lip glosses, but I would prefer a more curated line with an overall higher standard (like Milani, for example).
Maybe this is unique to my area to the USA, but their displays are always rummaged through with products opened. I would never buy one of the much loved butter glosses as you can’t tell if someone tried them on. I wish that they could seal the products. I really like their lipsticks but having to always order online is a pain.
I’ve had this problem too depending on the location. Thankfully most of the Ultas I’ve been to in the past 6 months have stocked products that are sealed and provided a tester product that’s clearly labeled. However, in stores like Target or Meijer they always seem to be opened. It’s such a bummer!
I loved that Ulta or NYX has started sealing their products and providing testers. I hated shopping for new products at Ulta because the section was always ravaged and a mess. I really love NYX products. Just about all of them from the eyeshadows to the blushes. I just hate how the new products are so hard to find. I really hope NYX expands their CVS deal so we can get some bigger displays and more products. I live near a few Ulta but they’re all 20+ minutes away. I’d love to be able to go around the corner and grab the latest without the Ulta hassle and crowds
I am glad to hear this. Thanks for the info. I’ll have to go to Ulta soon.
The Butter Glosses, lipsticks, eye shadows and other Nyx products at my local Ulta are all safety-sealed as far as I can tell.
Speaking of NYX! You mentioned a while back that you’d picked up some of their Prismatic shadows -did you ever get around to testing them? I loved the two I got and was wondering if it was worth hunting down the rest of the line for the other shades.
I love how adventurous, fun, and affordable NYX is. They do some gorgeous colors and the sheer variety they offer is impressive. That said, I acutally have not been impressed by their products in general. I find their Round Lipsticks very drying and unpleasant even thought the colors are wonderful, and the eyeshadows I’ve tried have been poorly pigmented. I have been put off them enough that it would take a lot for me to try them again. Their blushes are pretty nice though, I like Taupe to contour and find it surprisingly difficult to dupe in blush/contour form because most contour shades seem to run warm and bronzer-like. Milk pencil is also a really useful product. The performance is fine, and the color and consistency are very useful for doing damage control on bad eyeshadows.
I have had such bad luck with their eyeshadows, both singles and palettes, that I’n not going to try them again anytime soon. On the other hand I swear by their Stay Matte powder foundation and retractable eye and lip pencils, and really want to give their lippies a go! I found the Soft Matte Lip Creams a little on the drying side but love them still. Definitely a bunch of misses but the hits really make up for it! Such great products in affordable prices. Availability is my only real rant, and the fact they cost so. much. in the Nordics. I usually order mine overseas.
Oh, and their blushes are so lovely with a nice variety in format and formula! Loooove.
I’ve been a big fan for years, long before they were well-known (I’m talking about 15 years!), and while I’m glad they’re growing as a company (more products, wider distribution, etc…), it’s kind of a bummer, since this previously hidden gem is now always out of stock, LOL! I kind of wish v/bloggers never discovered this brand…
I rarely buy drugstore cosmetics anymore, but based on past experience I have nothing but RANTS for NYX. Every product I have tried has been disappointing and ended up being trashed. My biggest rant has to be that they label their products as “Made in PROC” — the People’s Republic of China. You’re not fooling anyone, NYX.
Rave: Nyx is my absolute favorite drugstore brand! Certain products of theirs are must-haves in my stash, like Pinched and Taupe blushes, Milk JEP, Slide-On Eyeliner pencils esp. in Jet Black, Jewel and Esmeralda, and now the Intense Butter Glosses! Also, quite a few of the eyeshadow singles and the old 5 pan Caribbean palettes.
Rant: Those awful Round lipsticks need to be reformulated or just done away with. So drying and just…yucky tasting! Availability can be an issue, I just go to one of two not very busy Ulta’s.
As an aside note: Thank goodness Nyx has FINALLY been sealing their products!!!! Big ups for that!!!!
Rave: I’ve only used their lip products, but I love their colors and some of their formulas are really nice!
Rant: My issue here is the quality of the packaging/product in that they break easily. Their prices are cheap, so that’s probably to be expected.
I agree with difficulty in finding some products and also opened wrappers at stores. I’m guessing stores are not so concerned with cheaper products being tampered with as opposed to high-end?
For a couple of months, I’m on a hunt for a few shades of their slim lip pencils. Some popular shades, Mauve for exaple, are always out of stock. I really wanted to try them, but I’m unable to buy them. 🙁
I’ve been really happy with the blushes, both stick and powder. I had high hopes for the glosses but the one I bought, Tres Leches, turned out to be a major disappointment. It swatched beautifully on my arm but was basically invisible on my lips. I’m wary of trying any other shades.
I love that they take risks. I live in an area with an elderly population so it is often easy for me to snag their more “outlandish” colors. It’s a nice place to start if I want to experiment with lipstick or blush colors I would normally be afraid to try because the price point is so low.
As many have pointed out, their quality can sometimes be a miss. Mostly I don’t mind because I’m not paying much for products. I also have a hard time with stock, but with two Ultas near me, I can usually find what I’m looking for at one or the other.
I love and constantly re-purchase their tea tree blotting papers, because I love the light, papery feel. I recently picked up their new brow pencil, and that has been my go-to brow pencil ever since. I also love that they play around and take chances with fun and unique colors. That being said, I must echo many of the concerns already posted here. Their products usually aren’t wrapped and are therefore subject to being opened and used in the store. The lip pencils are great, but the popular shades are always out of stock. I have a hard time finding certain releases depending on the ULTA or Target that I shop at, and I live in a very rural community — so it’s not easy to get to different stores all the time!
NYX is probably the beauty brand that I hate the most! All the products I’ve tried have been awful quality wise. Their eyeshadows crease within 10 minutes without a base and within 2 hours WITH a base. Completely useless unless you’re only going to the grocery store or something. Their blushes are decent, I guess, but not something I would spend my money on. Their lipsticks feel thick and uncomfortable on the lips.
Well I guess my rant is more about my Ulta than the actual NYX product line. The display is so picked over with huge gaps where products might have been. What items are left have been “used” by customers swatching or whatever they are doing. I always check out the display when I am in the store but I rarely buy anything because of this.
They’re one of my favorite drugstore price brands, especially when it comes to lip products and blushes. I’ve never tried any other face products, like foundation or powder, and I’ve been a little underwhelmed by their eyeshadows. I don’t mind the occasional misses, given their prices. Like everyone else, I with their availability was a little better. I live in a mid sized city–my local Ulta is right next to one of our busiest malls and all the local Targets are busy too, so finding stuff is a pain.
I’m upset that, at least here in Canada, they’ve phased out the old “quilted surface” eyeshadows and I’m not familiar enough with their new ones to know what the quality is like and, of course, I can’t replace or get backups of my favourite “quilted” ones. NYX is sold near 2 schools where I teach but the selection is limited, as you pointed out, Christine. Also, I wish their Jumbo Pencils were all reliably crease-proof.
Hi, Mariella. All Cosmetics Wholesale has them. The ones on their sale page are an extra 40% off right now with the code OMG40. They ship to Canada.
http://www.allcosmeticswholesale.com/
I really like their lipsticks, but their eye shadows tend to be patchy on me. I also like the “slim” lip and eye pencils.
I absolutely love this brand. I remember ordering two lipsticks by them off of Amazon when they were only sold in Ulta. A few months later they popped up in Target! I wish they were offered at more places. I’ve seen them at one CVS location and Targets, besides Ulta. I love that Ulta always has NYX on sale! They’re one of the brands that offer the best lipsticks and liners in the drugstore. I really want to try a foundation by them. They offer really interesting products and color selections. Gaaawd bless NYX!!!
Rant: I have to mostly buy them online. The stocks at Ulta and Target are constantly wiped out, and not all that large to begin with. The eyeshadows are hit-and-miss in terms of pigmentation and texture (often runs dry). The HD blushes are fragile, so I’m afraid to try them.
Rave: Overall, great quality, especially for the price point. Great color and product range.They go on sale often. They’re cruelty free. I adore most of their lip products (the vampy lip chubbies are the only ones I haven’t liked so far). They have excellent blushes. They have adventurous lip colors, such as those in the Wicked, Macaron, and High Voltage lines. Also, they have some unusual colors in their lip- and eyeliners (good formulas, but not the best). I like their website: It has a larger range than Ulta, things are mostly in stock, fast shipping that is free for orders of $25 and above.
Rave: low prices, easy to find. They make good lip products and sometimes launch cool collections with unusual colors. Quite creative for a drugstore brand.
Rant: I’ve never really been into any of their products besides the lippies. The quality is often just OK but not outstanding.
Raves: I think it’s awesome that Nyx puts out really fun colors at a fair price and without testing on animals. I like that (at least for living in the US) it’s not TOO hard to get their products by ordering online from their site or through Ulta’s site, but the selection is never complete inside the store, and Target’s selection usually is really lacking in my area.
Rants: What I said about finding in store. I don’t mind shopping online but it’d be cool if I were able to easily just run to a store and find exactly which Nyx product I wanted and not have to worry about paying for shipping, or spending a minimum amount for free shipping. Also, some of the packaging (like High Voltage lipsticks and jumbo pencils) is cheap and the caps break and pop off, but it seems to come with the territory of affordable makeup at times.
Rant – My only problem is that they sell out so quickly in Target Australia that it is hard to get the shades you like/want. Just need more lipstick shades – but maybe we only get half the stock here. Their eye shadow palettes look fairly average to me.
Rave – Their overall prices are great. Their lipsticks are very good. The blush palettes are fabulous.
Australia has targets!?!? =o
I love their products (especially lip colors and the skinny pen eyeliner–great for cat eyes!) but the NYX displays at my local Target and Ulta always look like a hurricane blew through them. 😐
Nope. Nope. Nope. I rather buy products made in US to support where I live…..than something like NYX. I got the milk in pencil form. A tacky mess. So not good for the delicate eye area.
They are hit and miss. The products are reasonably priced and some are decent quality but it seems they are raising their prices the more popular they get. I get discouraged because the displays look like a cyclone hit them. People go nuts over this stuff, I guess.
Rave – HD Eyeshadow Primer! Shadows look more vibrant than with any other (UD, Tarte, Milani, etc) and last without fading much longer. Luv,luv,luv!
Rant – Same as many other posters, displays are sparsely stocked and take a long time to refill. Come on Nyx, give the people what they want!
Rave: I love most of the NYX Lip products that I’ve tried (round lipsticks, Lip creams, butter glosses) but the Simply Red JLPs are my latest obsession. The pigment is awesome, the wear time is great & the price is unbeatable.
Rant: The Simply JLPs are ridiculously FRAGILE! I’ve accidentally dropped Candy Apple twice (once it just rolled off the counter) & had to hunt for a new one both times. Once it hits the ground (floors & carpets alike) the entire pencil comes out of the base & smashes against the inside of the cap, rendering it utterly useless. To add insult to injury, that color is NEVER in stock in stores, at ULTA or CVS. Each time I had to order a replacement from the ULTA website. #frustrated
I love the range of products, some of which are amazing and HG for me. But the quality is inconsistent and the color range for certain items can be a bit redundant. I also really wish they would streamline, standardize, and expand the skintones for their foundation/concealer/powders and offer more face makeup color options in stores and not just online.
Rave: They’re good for trying out new colours for cheap and their lipsticks are pretty good. I also love the Push Up Bra brow pencil. I use it every day and it’s still beating much more expensive ones imho. I also like their jumbo eyeliners as a base for indie shadows.
Rant: They are hard to find, most stores only have very small selections, ordering online is a pain because the products are never true to colour, they don’t bring a lot of their cool stuff to the EU, and the soft matte lip creams are vile. They stink and feel like chalky paint.
Rave: Love most of their products.
Rant: In Spain, they’ve been available in the stores for the last 2 or 3 years but right now they aren´t available anymore, so we have to purchase them internationally.
i love most of their range, but unfortunately, on their customer service front, they’re really spotty. i’ve also got a personal vendetta against how they run the face awards, but that could just be me. otherwise, i really haven’t met a product i don’t like from nyx.
Nyx is an awesome and affordable brand, there’s a lot of hits and misses but the dupes that are found for high end products are mostly found in nyx – in my opinion!
They have such HUGE diverse colors in lipsticks and blushes, such an awsome brand
Rave: NYX has so many great products in all categories—their lip products, eye products, and blushes (never tried their foundation or concealers) are all of very good quality, many of them comparable to some high-end brands. They really stand out at the drugstore with their pigmented products and chic, mature-looking packaging (I find so many things at the drugstore look quite juvenile!). And, of course, they’re affordable as heck, considering the quality of many of the items.
Rant: As almost everyone has mentioned, the access issue. It’s even worse here in Canada; the only retailer that really carries them consistently is Rexall, and even their availability is spotty and varies from store to store. Also, for some reason, NYX shut down their Canadian website. They used to have nyxcosmetics.ca, but they discontinued shipping their items to Canada, which is a total mistake in my opinion! We don’t get all of the brands that they do in the US, so I think there’s probably a big market for something like NYX here.
i have quite a few NYX faves but i agree most of their displays are picked over. i go to a suburban beauty store in a less popular strip mall and they always seem to have the core products stocked, but not the new releases. i love their original lip pencils, the baked blushes and bare my soul is my fave matte shadow ever. it’s my brow fill-in color and my default crease color for most shadow looks. i also think they’re a good place to start for costume looks. i helped a trans man learn makeup and was able to get a comprehensive selection of products for him to do all the dramatic makeup he wanted.