The 10 Most Disappointing Products of 2016
They can’t all be winners, right? These were the ten most disappointing products (often formulas, not just a specific shade) that I had the fun of testing this year…
What were your disappointments?
F
$25.00/0.32 oz.
Where to Buy
F
02.
02. Lancome Audacity in London
. $68.00/0.58 oz.
Where to Buy
Lancome Audacity in London Eyeshadow Palette ($69.00 for 0.576 oz.) includes 16 eyeshadows and most of them are terrible. Read full review.
D-
03.
03. Urban Decay Naked
. $36.00/0.24 oz.
Where to Buy
Urban Decay Naked Illuminated Trio ($36.00 for 0.24 oz.) contains three powder highlighters to "give skin a luminous look" that uses "sophisticated, microfine Naked shimmer" and can be used on face and body. Read full review.
D
04.
04. Chanel Poudre Lumiere Glacee
. $45.00/0.49 oz.
Where to Buy
Chanel Poudre Lumiere Glacee Silver Reflections Shimmering Powder ($45.00 for 0.49 oz.) is a very light white with subtle, cooler undertones and a smattering of white sparkle. Read full review.
D
05.
05. Too Faced White
. $26.00/0.20 oz.
Where to Buy
Too Faced White Chocolate Chip Palette ($26.00 for 0.25 oz.) includes 11 eyeshadows in a small, compact case. Read full review.
D+
06.
06. Guerlain Palette 5 Couleurs
$69.00/0.21 oz.
Where to Buy
C-
07.
07. Too Faced Grand Hotel Café
. $49.00/1.46 oz.
Where to Buy
Too Faced Grand Hotel Café Palettes ($49.00 for 1.46 oz.) includes 18 eyeshadows, two blushes, one bronzer, and a deluxe sized mascara. Read full review.
C-
$22.00/0.17 oz.
Where to Buy
C+
09.
09. Tom Ford Beauty Lip Contour Duo
$53.00/0.08 oz.
Where to Buy
C+
10.
10. Urban Decay Full Spectrum
. $55.00/0.84 oz.
Where to Buy
Urban Decay Full Spectrum Eyeshadow Palette ($55.00 for 0.84 oz.) includes 21 eyeshadows (each is 0.04 oz.) in a variety of rainbow-inspired hues. Read full review.
I agree with your list except Full Spectrum. Mine not only swatched significantly better than yours, but it performed exceptionally well. In fact, I wore it just the other day.
I’d add to your list several Bobbi Brown products including her single shadows, highlighter, and Summer palette(s). The Honest Beauty Fall palette, the Chanel long wear nail polish, KVD Serpentina, Tartiest Eyeliner Set, and Milk Makeup Metallic Lippies were fails as well (probably a ton more but those were the first I thought of).
What base/primer do you pair with Full Spectrum?
My current go-to primers are the W7 in Transcend if I’m doing a warm look and the UD primer (original) for cool looks. I apply both using an Artis Oval brush. Then I always lay down a base shade (something neutral); sometimes I just dust with my matte Peaches & Cream powder. Then I apply my shadows.
Thank you!
Agreed on the Honest Beauty Fall Palette/ the mattes were so patchy!! it had so much potential had they used the same formula as their regular line -_-
I was really looking forward to the palette too! The shades would have been so perfect. I love their trios but they must have changed the formula for the palette.
You know, I’ve barely had any disappointing purchases with regard to colour cosmetics and it is almost entirely because of THIS SITE!!! My only let-down was the 2 Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire “lipsticks” I got in the spring-time (before they were available in the US, ergo no reviews here, I think) but considering I got them “for free” using SDM Optimum points, the disappointment was softened somewhat by the fact that I didn’t have to shell out my own money for them.
I am relieved to hear it, LOL! 😉
I so agree with you Mariella! Christine has saved me from buying so many tempting duds! The few – “not so great” products i tried were the ones which were probably not reviewed on Temptalia. Thanks a ton Christine!
Mariella, forgive my ignorance but what is SVK?
Jo – I’ve no idea what SVK is, sorry.
Lol. Sorry Mariella, i meant SDM.
The Too Faced Grand Hotel Cafe — yes, yes, a thousand times yes. How I wish I’d waited for your review!
Such a miss!
I’m still burned by the TF White Chip palette. I’m planning another round of MUFE artist shadows to ease the pain lol.
Awwww!
So sad to see so much Urban Decay on here! This was really a terrible year for them. I used to be so excited for new UD releases, and now I mostly just keep scrolling by. The quality hasn’t been there, and when it is, they’re shades we’ve seen 1000 times or seem to be trying too hard to be edgy.
And in an odd turn of events, two brands that I previously hated for eyeshadow released my go-to palettes for the year–ABH (Modern Ren) and Tarte (In Bloom)!
It is funny how products work out! I’m happy you gave both brands another chance, since their palettes ended up being well-loved!
It’s really sad to see so many high-end brands launch products of such appalling quality. Sometimes it feels like they don’t even care anymore. They’ve made their name, and that’s that, they know we’ll buy.
Kiss & Make-up Recently Posted: Beauty Resolutions For 2017
It definitely feels like they don’t care when they are exceptionally bad 🙁
I definitely agree with that top spot. Those two tone blush duos were such a big disappointment!
The texture of some of them was downright bizarre due to how stiff theyw ere!
I have had no great disappointments this year, thanks to Temptalia 🙂
Aww <3
Yep. All of the above that you listed were some very dismal failures, Christine. The one that made me really sad was the much anticipated UD Full Spectrum palette. To have had a perfect rainbow palette would have been awesome, but UD dropped the ball. Surprising, considering how wonderful last year’s Urban Spectrum’s quality is!
They did! It could have been better – man, UD could have even created a special white base for it if they had to!
Right?? I swatched UD Full Spectrum in store, and it felt awful, thin and dusty, with cheap looking micro-glitter, like some DS shadow or no-name brand. Such a huge shock after the original Spectrum! I felt like UD got lazy and greedy, took a super cheap formula, and slapped the “Spectrum” label on it, hoping it will sell on name alone. But the UD After Dark palette is really nice, so not sure what gives at UD
I believe wholeheartedly that this palette has some serious batch issues. Swatched it at 2 different store locations, both times over UDPP. Te first st time it applied just as Michele up above described, just fine. Nearly bought it, but thankfully didn’t. At the 2nd store, it was utter crap. Dusty, patchy, cheapy. Even over primer!
Oh dear, that’s what I suspected, a QC batch issue, as the ratings online are either all good or all bad, but mostly bad. But you’ve just confirmed it, thank you. Lucky Michele got the good batch! It’s on sale, and I guess if it doesn’t work out, I can always return to Sephora or Ulta, hmmmm, I’ll have to think about it
Luckily I avoided all of that. I still kind of want the rose palette from Guerlain though. I think that one scored the best but it’s still probably not worth it.
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Phew 😀
Fortunately, I didn’t buy any of these, thanks to your site, but was disappointed by the new Guerlain shadows (even worse than the old formula), UD Full Spectrum (didn’t swatch well in store at all), the Lancome Audacity palettes ( thought Lisa Eldrige would make a difference but nope). I did buy the Dior Capital of Lights quad and had to return, the shadows all faded or got muddy on my super oily lids, and that was probably my biggest disappointment this year.
I didn’t think they’d get worse, but I agree – they are harder to use and I bet on your oily lids they are more than worse, since the new formula is just so dusty.
I really wish Lancôme would let her have more control over product quality, I just don’t think it’s right that someone of her caliber should be so under utilized. Her vast knowledge of the history of cosmetics, self adornment, she’s almost like an anthropologist come make artist. I find her fascinating. I bet Lauder would use her in a more imaginative way.
This list equates to a bunch of ‘saves’ by you, for us. We are always grateful.
Always my pleasure!
I agree with you about the Full Spectrum – it just looked awful in the swatches and I saw it for myself at Mecca Maxima and it still was pretty bad.
Maybe that Smashbox little palette you reviewed a week or so ago could have been added as well.
A pretty average list above. Thanks Christine.
My pleasure, Genevieve!
I’ve got to say, I am relieved I don’t any of these on your list this year!!!
Phew 😀
Thanks to you Christine I steered clear of your entire list 🙂
Yay!!
It wasn’t necessarily the worst, but most disappointing was UD Full Spectrum. Urban Spectrum had been so good that I had really high expectations for Full Spectrum: I thought it was going to be my dream palette. Unfortunately, the pigmentation is inconsistent. I’m glad I waited for it to go on sale, and used a coupon. The good shades are worth it, but I would have been upset if I’d paid $55 for it. Fortunately, the so-so shades can be made to work, and I love the packaging, so it’s a nice enough addition to my collection.
KVD Serpentina was really disappointing, too. The awful mattes made it a pass for me. I had been really looking forward to it and its beautiful packaging.
Too Faced Sweet Peach eye palette: The over-hyped release was an absolute disaster and left a bad taste in my mouth. Then all the reviews I saw said it was nothing special. I saw that it had only a couple of peach shades, and they weren’t that good. My FOMO disappeared in a hurry, and I felt dumb that I stalked their website to try to get it. I bought the Makeup Revolution New-trals vs Neutrals palette instead, and I don’t regret it a bit. (That would be my top budget-brand eyeshadow palette of the year.)
That’s how I felt about Full Spectrum – not the WORST palette in terms of quality but disappointing? Yes, very.
Thanks to you Christine, I’ve managed to save a lot by reading your reviews. I was so excited for the 2 tones blushes from KVD but boy am I glad I waited before buying them, and they were available for such a short time too I guess they realised how bad it was!!!
My biggest fail is the TF Bonbons palette. Don’t know why everybody loves it so much: the shadows all disappear within like 5 hours (and most of my e/s last at least 8on me), like 4 or 5 shades all look the same on my eyelids and the smell is so overwhelming, eurk!!!!!
It was odd – KVD pulled them quickly and never said a word about why or if they’d come back!
I have one of the KVD blushes and maybe I just got lucky cause it’s fine for me. The product I found to be the most disappointing was the Mac Spank Me eye gloss. I wanted it to work so badly but it is without doubt that worst makeup purchase that I have ever made.
The Eye Gloss is terrible!!