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Temptalia Asks You - If you don't like a beauty product you bought, what do you do with it?

If you don’t like a beauty product you bought, what do you do with it? Return it? Give it to a friend? Burn it?

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I usually pass it onto a friend, unless it was extremely disappointing, then I’ll return it.

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51 Comments

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Catherine Avatar

It depends. I try pretty hard to always sample products before I buy so it’s not that often I get a full size of something that doesn’t work for me. Usually if I think someone else I know will like it, or that it will swap well, I’ll keep it and try to pass it on. If it was rather expensive and caused an adverse skin reaction, then I’m much more likely to return it.

Andrea Avatar

Depends. I’ll normally give to a friend or try and swap it, but sometimes I’ll return it. Especially if its something that caused a bad skin reaction.

Cherie Avatar

I usually return a product if it’s not right for me or ask my mom if she wants it; depends on price too really. If it’s super expensive, you bet I’ll return it!

I have a few MAC shadows that just don’t show up on me (even with base) or that I know I will rarely use but still hold on to them… I always check now before I depot! lol

victoria Avatar

depends, if i just bought it and it doesn’t work, i would return it. if it doesn’t work over a period of time, i would either swap it or give it to my sisters. usually a product doesn’t work for me because it’s not my color or doesn’t suit my skin type so i don’t have a problem giving it away cuz it might work for them.

amanda Avatar

I usually return it. I spend so much money on makeup I definetly like to get back any penny I can. Especially if a product doesnt live up to my expectations!

Alexis Avatar

I return it – I always make sure I keep every receipt. If it doesn’t make me burst into rashes I keep it so I test out the products for 3-5 days and sometimes guilt just sets in so I’ll return an item for that reason also. I don’t always ask for a refund – more than likely I’ll exchange it for another color, product or brand all together. Why am I going to be stuck with something that either makes me break into a rash or I don’t like, right?

sandra Avatar

Well it does not happen very often, but sometimes I return the product (did that last Summer with the Studio Fix foundation, they really gave me a to dark color and I changed it for a lighter version (HAPPY!!) and otherwise I pass it on to a friend or (in case it is eyeshadow or blush orso) to my niece (she is 11), she loved my Chanel blush (and the brand Chanel did not ring a bell, hihi), the color looked gorgeous on her (and washed me out).

Michelle Avatar

I only return it if it causes breakouts or a skin reaction. And I usually end up exchaning the item for something else — and end up picking up a few other items at the same time. I wouldn’t pass something on to a friend or swap items — I am just a germ-a-phobe who doesn’t share any cosmetics.

amy Avatar

Depends on what the item is if it is a scrub or wash I would use it for other parts of the body. For body and hand lotion if I leave in the bath it would eventually be used up. Sometimes I would pass it to a friend, but I rarely return things unless I am really disappointed in it. Because I usually take a while to decide on higher ticket items, I am rarely disappointed in the product. Actually overall I rarely dislike a product I buy and try.

Aramis Avatar

i usually make sure that i want a product. if i really dont like it then i return it! if i had it for a long time then i sorta have to make it work for me!

Im Avatar

I usually put it up for swap on Makeupalley, or if it really is absolutely awful and I think no one can benefit from it I’ll return it (though I feel it is so wrong to do!)

Anitacska Avatar

You can’t return things in the UK (unless you bought online and never used them), so I either sell them on eBay or swap them on MUA, or just keep them and hope they’ll come in handy. I don’t buy that much stuff that I don’t like anyway.

Court Avatar

Either I’ll try to make it work in a way that it might not be intended for, or I’ll pass it on to a friend/sister/mom. Or if I am just completely disappointed and feel ripped off, I’ll return it. And every so often I leave it in the bottom of my train case and just let it sit. That rarely happens though.

Nicci Avatar

Return it or just let it sit. I would like to start swapping. I gave away some of it on Craigslist for free but now I want to get something in return! 🙂 I have a make bag full of products that I have only been used for a week or two…it bugs me that it just sits there under the bathroom sink.

Taryn Avatar

If it’s too late to return/exchange, I either give it to a friend/relative or if I can’t find someone who wants it, I’ll send it out as an RAOK to someone online. Or, if it’s new, I donate it to a favorite charity of mine.

hrbiaggi Avatar

I do try to work it for me. If that doesn’t happen after 2 or 3 trials, I usually give it to my mother or any of my 2 daughters to try(of course, if the product hasn’t caused any reaction to me!)

kpenn Avatar

I never used to return (felt guilty) until recently, when I decided that I spend enough money on cosmetics that I shouldn’t be afraid to return something if it lets me down. I’m really not THAT picky in terms of products, and I generally try before I buy, so I rarely have returns.

I have passed some stuff off to my younger sisters, too. Often I get my mom’s rejects (usually MAC shadows that she’s decided are too “wild” for her).

Ashley Avatar

I always return what I do not like, unless it was really cheap or I have exceeded the return-date limit. I bought a few things some weeks ago, and I’ve already returned 3 things – one of them I returned the SAME day I bought it!

Basically, if it doesn’t work for me, I’m getting my money back. Screw my friends, if they want to try it buy it yourself! What can I say, I’m cheap at heart.

The only things I will keep or give to friends are cheap things, like DS shampoos or something. Like, I have an old shampoo I’m using up as body wash, some old facial moisturizers I’m using for my body.

This usually only happens with face stuff though. My face is temperamental, so I don’t think that it’s really smart for me to say “well this broke me out, I might as well give it to a friend” because then I’d be losing money that could have gone to replacing it with something ELSE to try out.

But I must say, returns and exchanges are tiring. In the last 2 weeks, I’ve managed to return 2 face scrubs and am now on my 3rd. I am just hoping this one works, I do NOT want to go back there to return yet ANOTHER scrub (plus, it seems to be the same SA every time)

Beck Avatar

If it was cheap (a d/s mascara, for example) I may just toss it. If it’s an issue of a color not working on me, I’ll try to exchange it for something that does work. Sometimes I also give things to my mom, who has different taste and a different skin tone and also LOVES free makeup.

I rarely return stuff outright because I usually agonize like crazy before I buy – and I always look to bloggers for swatches before committing, too. You really do provide a great service, because undertones and color payoff are sometimes hard to predict in a shadow pan, but you can’t miss them on actual skin. I’ve deleted items from my wish list after seeing swatches as often as i’ve added them 🙂

Christy Avatar

I’ve returned a few things in the past, but most places don’t allow returns on beauty products here in Canada. Especially drug stores. Some SA’s at counters will also be not so nice when they get a return. In general though, I try to use what I get as much as possible. I remember a few face creams that didn’t serve me well that I ended up using as hand creams instead. I’ve also had a few bad face washes that I used as a body wash instead. Thankfully they weren’t too expensive.

Rosie Avatar

Usually I try things out and wait a while to buy something. Usually. If I bought it online cause it wasn’t in store and I end up not liking it (eyeshadow swatch off or something) I’ll return it. The last items I returned were some Illamasqua eyeshadows I wasn’t thrilled about when I received them in the mail.

Yaël from France Avatar

If I never use it, I return it and I usually give it to my mom or friends if I use it. But it’s only for make-up because I try everytime with samplers before buy skincare.

Bridgette Avatar

I normally return it but once in a while I will swap it with a friend. And if the return policy on the make up item has ended. I will just have to use it somehow.

Heather L. Avatar

for a whole week, all the atrocious bodysprays and lotions i bought when i was a kid were left on the lightrail for (un)lucky souls to find/keep. i have also considered leaving them in random public bathrooms.

Jennifer Avatar

I will sometimes return them if they are very expensive and I feel as if there is a quality/value issue. Much of the time I will place the item on makeupalley. However, I have to admit that I have so very much in my vanity that I don’t use, but just hang onto it. I wish I could give it up, but wow, I am very addicted to my makeup collection. Makeupalley is great when I really don’t care for something, but I get to add a new item without spending money.

Becca Avatar

I swap or give/trade with a friend or my mom. I hate returning things b/c they just throw it away and it’s such a waste….I always try to find someone else that could use it.

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