Too Faced feels like they’re just into selling, selling, selling “cute” packaging and themes but don’t pay much attention to the quality (or, at the very least, consistency in quality) of the actual product.
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I was about to say the same thing!!!!! I love my sweet peach palette though that i bought for super cheap from HSN.
I am with you, Christine. Two Faced is really annoying me. They seem to be catering to the young teen market with their packaging and their quality isn’t there. I think they are hoping the teens won’t notice that the products are substandard. It is one thing to have one blog or influencer review your product unfavorably but this is across social media and they have not responded with any better products/packaging. You can buy better products at the drugstore which is where they will find themselves if they don’t turn it around.
I feel the same way about Benefit. They make lots of cute packaging, but their new products are not so consistent or high quality. Plus… how many variations of Hoola or Dandelion do we need?
To be fair…dandelion is amazing for the fair skinned amoungst us
It is a flattering color for sure, but it has barely any pigmentation. Could be a good thing as you really can’t go overboard with it, but then again you can find sheer blushes at the drugstore for a fraction of the price. I love Rockateur though 🙂
Haha Too Faced is the first to come to mind. Where I see many brands trying to improve ie Tarte is finally releasing something exciting or Estee Lauder is trying to improve their stodgy old lady image with choice in younger representatives, I see Too Faced as tone deaf. Constantly releasing palettes without care of quality and beating a dead horse with their food themed concepts. Okay, Peanut Butter and Jelly may be cute but Peanut Butter and Honey? Do we need that? And really white chocolate chip? When does it end? And now there is going to be another peach themed palette . Uggh, I cannot take them seriously anymore!
I think they are trying to “capture” like 14 year olds and create loyalty.
I actually did need Peanut Butter & Honey. If a color is named Honey or Blush, I will probably need it. And I love it. Those golden tones.
But I also don’t have PB&J or Sweet Peach.
Lancome. My mother was a makeup artist and in high school I discovered the Artliner liquid liner. It was a staple for me for many years. I haven’t used it in a while as I have been trying out other, less expensive ones like the Kat Von D tattoo liner, and the Clinique liquid liner. I recently repurchased the Artliner this April during the Sephora sale and I was so disappointed in the quality of the felt tip (so thick and flimsy!). In addition, I have purchased a couple small eyeshadow palettes that have failed to impress me due to lack of pigment and staying-power. I did get a lip shaker (thingy) that is nice, but I much prefer the YSL Vinyl Cream Lip Stain.
I really love your blog and appreciate your reviews. I always look here before buying. Thank you!
I would have agreed with you until I tried the matte lipshaker. I LOVE it. I wish they made more things like it.
I agree with you about Lancome. But it seems like (according to a lot of the online makeup blogs that I follow), that Lancome appears to be making a slight resurgence in their products. Their lip products of late have seemed to become well-loved again. I don’t know about anything else of theirs. But I’ve actually avoided Lancome for some time now because they appeared to be getting worse for some time. I still haven’t tried the new Lip shakers.
Lancome doesn’t live up to my expectations, but I don’t think they are going downhill. Similar to some other brands like Stila, Benefit, and Clinique. They have stagnated, and none of their new releases excite. Especially because they are supposedly a luxury brand!
I totally feel you on the Artliner. It’s one of my faves too and I just consider them a good place for certain staples.
Definitely Too Faced. And for so many reasons that it makes my head spin! First up, the quality is in a death spiral, it sure seems. Secondly, there is just zero inspiration or innovation within any of their recent offerings, both permanent and especially LE. TF recycles the same shades and has them on repeat, but they just pop a new name on it and blithely believe no one notices? What!?! Lastly, there is also how the owner, Jerrod Blandino, has treated at least one specific beauty influencer in a very underhanded and unethical way. The beauty community is watching.
Mac, only because they release way too many products (often limited edition), and the quality often seems terrible. I’ve never tried too faced products, and admittedly lol, your reviews of the products have also deterred me from wanting to try them. But I trust your judgment as I’ve been a long time reader of your site. NARS seems like it is also in danger of being similar to mac with way too many limited releases, and not all are great (like their eyeshadows are not great). But I think NARS is still better than mac bc they still release great lipsticks.!
NARS actually releases 4 “true” collections each year, and many of the shades are rotated into the permanent range. Also, unlike MAC, the items that are truly LE do tend to stick around for a while, giving consumers the opportunity to try them, rather than jumping to purchase only to be returned. As for the “quality” of the eyeshadows, while many are “iffy” upon initial use, after a few efforts, they do apply beautifully; also, since there is no “white base” often found in brands of all price points, they seem thinner, and do have to be layered, leading the average consumer to think they lack pigment (when in reality, they are technically more pigmented).
Sarah, I’m sorry to hear your recent experiences with NARS have not been satisfactory. I have been consistently buying pieces from their LE collections for the past two years and the quality has been so good that NARS releases are the ones I now most anticipate. From their permanent line I love their foundations, bronzers, blushes, and their pot eyeliner (is it gel?) is the best I’ve ever used. The Audacious lipstick line is one of my top three formulas of all time. Hope you have better experiences with NARS in the future.
Well, I’m not entirely against using NARS products as I still love most of their lipsticks and other lip products. And for me, they certainly aren’t as egregious as MAC in terms of quality going down. I still do look forward to their releases (for example, I am really thinking of purchasing their latest liquid blushes, esp. the liquid version of orgasm). But I just never really like their eyeshadows. I used to buy them, but the color payoff was generally poor, and it kind of looked uneven.
I’d buy MAC over NARS hands down but I don’t go after their limited editions. That seems to have hit or miss quality. You have to look at their permanent range. They have fantastic foundations, eyeshadows, blushes, lipsticks, eyeliners, mascaras etc. Problem is people pay way too much attention to LE rather than checking out the real bulk of their offerings. Like their Extra Dimension blush. Kicks Nars in the behind in terms of quality , staying power, pigmentation etc. I like Nars don’t get me wrong. They have good lipsticks. I find their le collections a bore actually lol
I agree that Nars’s eyeshadows are disappointing. I wanted to like them because I love their blush, bronzer, and lipsticks, but no. Just can’t.
Too Faced. The quality of some of the palettes they released over the holiday period should never have passed quality control. I really don’t understand why a brand like that would put their name to a sub-standard product.
Too Gaced really sell a lot of new things lately, and it is sad to hear that the quality is lacking. So far I only tried a few of their blushes that were amazing.
OMG. So many old favorites!
Lancome- used to be a solid, quality, old school brand with great performance. Now it’s hit or miss. Mostly miss lately. All I buy from Lancome anymore is their Cils Booster.
Bobbi Brown- When BB first came out I was such a FAN! The first foundations/products in the US made for skin with yellow undertones- WOW!- this was groundbreaking! I finally had a foundation that matched my complexion! Now I really feel the quality of their products overall has dropped and their new releases are rather dull and similar. BB really needs to update the formulas of their foundations & concealers for better performance. I haven’t bought anything in years from BB & nothing has interested me enough to enter their store.
Estee Lauder- Ever since Aerin took over EL’s been all over the place in terms of image and quality. A teenager for the latest spokesmodel? Really EL? Talk about alienating your customer base completely. Then there’s the numerous unnecessary and bad reformulations of old favorites (ie Advanced Night Repair Serum). The only thing I bother to buy from EL anymore is the Double Wear Light foundation (performs wonderfully in the Monsoon heat & humidity here), my favorite mlbb Pink Parfait lippy, and their holiday blockbuster gift set that comes out at Xmas time.
I haven’t really looked at Estee Lauder in their past. But I really loved their special collection with Victoria Beckham. All the items from that collection were superb. But yeah, I’m not a fan of them using Kendall as a spokesmodel. It’s kind of cheapens the brand (in my opinion).
I am so glad you brought up Bobbi Brown! They really do have some solid concepts (their blushes are still impressive to me, and their lipgloss formula is one of my favorites). But I would never consider them keeping up with more popular brands these days. You are right, they need an update!
I never understood the appeal of Estee Lauder. The entire brand feels dated and old-lady to me. I know they make products anyone can use but they represent the old-school beauty counter in a lot of ways. I think a lot of their stuff is overpriced and not very trendy. But, they seem to perform well in reviews so I guess they do some things right.
Hi Bibi, I hear what you are saying about Bobbi Brown and some disappointment you’ve experience with certain products and releases. With rare exception, I’ve stopped buying BB eyeshadow palettes due to poor pigmentation and shimmery eyeshadow with excessive fallout. I am also choosy about the products within any collection. Some of the stars IMO are now in the permanent line:
Luxe lipsticks (though I like other versions, too), Brightening Bricks (underrated; deserves shade expansion), the Art Sticks in regular and liquid formats, lip glosses, the Illuminating Finishing Powder (a staple), bronzers, compact highlighters, illuminating moisture balm, and the mascaras. (I’m fond of their brush cleaning spray + shampoo.)
In the past few years, they’ve expanded the range of correctors, concealers and foundations. Customers are asking for BB’s new cushion foundation to be put in jar format. BB’s 25th anniversary was filled with interesting and consistently high quality offerings that made me wish each year was a notable year. I hope the brand makes changes that bring you back to the counter.
Hi Tracey,
Thank you!
I’ve been particularly disappointed in BB’s concealers, correctors, & foundations.
Since BB was always known for their incredible selection of base products with a variety of undertones I was hoping BB would come out new formulas in a similar variety of shades. I was hoping for an undereye concealer that performs as well as the It Bye Bye one I’ve come to love but has a yellow undertone. Not only is It’s Bye Bye concealer opaque enough to completely cover my undereye darkness it also hides my fine lines & lasts all day. It Cosmetics comes in such a limited shade range & doesn’t seem to be planning any expansion of their shades anytime soon.
Also, since many of us who started using BB since it first started (1991) are now 50+ and have wrinkles /texture issues I would think updating their base products to a ‘soft focus’ formula might make them more appealing. Actually so many women of all ages suffer texture issues it would be a boon across the board.
I actually love the restrained /muted/work appropriate shades in BB’s color products but eyeshadows prone to fallout that are so ‘barely there’ you can’t see them? Nope.
I think every brand that still refuses to not do animal testing will go downhill. I know so many make up artists who do not support them anymore (myself as well) that I think that if they do not change their brand philosophy they’re going downhill, or at least I hope so.
The problem is, with so many brands/companies merging, it’s going to be difficult to determine a brands true CF status. Also, because the only reason any commercial/mainstream brand even tests on animals is because it’s required by the governments of some countries they sell in. If people stop buying from them in countries that don’t require testing, they’ll probably just expand in markets that do. Also, “average” consumers outnumber MUAs, and many really don’t care. While millions follow what’s going on through social media outlets, there are just as many who don’t. This isn’t a new issue, it’s just one that has fallen in and out of fashion for decades…
Indie companies will be the best bet for those who feel strongly about this issue, but there are pitfalls there, too. Supply is often insufficient to meet demand, and if one is a working MUA, the shipping time could be a hindrance for a job, as well as availability.
In short, I don’t think this will have any real impact on any brand.
Most brands that claim CF use animal fat preservatives. Hence why most aren’t vegan. Also there is literally no regulation so any company can make any claim. And it’s true, China tests on animals. Big companies aren’t going to cut ties with them. MUA are not the majority who buy makeup. A few using CF isn’t going to accomplish anything
I agree with you, but it takes time. Everything the other responders said is true, but if these companies refused to sell to China, China would likely relent. It’s just…who’s willing to take the gamble first on refusing to comply with the world’s most populous nation? I don’t think that consumer behavior means nothing. I do think that the more people who are aware of cruelty free brands, even those that aren’t indie, and choose to patronize them, sends a message to the beauty companies. And influencers often play a huge role in getting many people to shop cruelty free.
I have to agree with you, Christine. Some palettes are good, like the Natural Love palette or the Sweet Peach palette, but others are total stinkers, like the White Chocolate Chip palette. Their packaging is so “cutesy” that I don’t want to buy it because it doesn’t seem adult-appropriate most of the time. Don’t get me wrong, the packaging is cute, but I like my products to be sleek and professional-looking.
Too Faced, same feelings as Christine’s.
They totally ruined the good vibes about the “power of makeup” theme.
Most of the time I don’t like their packagings.
The laterst big nude bulky palette is boring and the packaging with cardbord, don’t like.
Those chocolate palettesand other smelly palettes with biscuit box packaging, don’t like the color selections and the packaging.
Becca : They are re-releasing almost same products with different packaging, (laterst “LE” face palette is a dupe of the JH’s) and lying to people about LE products while it’s re-releasing, over and over.
I’m happy to get the JH face palette during the 2nd launch. But they should produce enough at the 1st place !
They don’t need to create that kind of irritating “needs” with LE lies while they have already good products and pretty packagings.
With high end brands, when it’s LE they don’t do re-release, Dior, Chanel, Guerlain, but they produce enought at the 1st and only launch.
Kylie cosmetics. Maybe I shouldn’t mention it here cause it’s has always being down hill imo. It’s not like they had being great at a time and then is going down hill. It has alwys being down hill, lol ! I’ll never buy anything from this unprofessional brand. They are unprofessional about the quality, the packaging, and the costumer service. What a joke !
I’m no fan of Jaclyn Hill (for *many* reasons!), nor Becca (mainly due to being overpriced using the cheapest of ingredients…), but the issue with that particular palette being rereleased now is *likely* a financial decision. I’m *guessing* JH stipulated to a specific cut/remuneration from the initial release, and time period. Now that the contract has likely expired (I’m sure Becca had better representation-JH’s mother is her “manager”…), Becca is just cashing in on JH’s numbers, and the previous popularity of the palette. Just because her fanbase jumped on the initial release, and even bought backups, they were doing it to “support” JH, and put money in *her* pocket, and likely haven’t bought another Becca product since. Is Becca likely taking advantage of the circumstances? Probably, but that’s just good business. Becca was also taken over by Estee Lauder subsequent to the initial collaboration, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they had a heavy hand in this decision…
About BECCA, I know the LE thing is very compelling but I think that we need to become discerning costumers. If an x product is very similar to a previously released item, can I say I was fooled by the company? no, because I have the internet to do my own research, I can see things for myself at the stores.
In all honesty, how unique can a higlighter be? or a blush?
Too Faced for the same reasons
I don’t want buy anything from them
YSL – they were one of the best… innovative and luxury
But now, no one talks about their blushes, bronzers, eyeshadows, lipglosses, pencils, powders, primers, concealers, they don’t even have highlighters…
They are popular for their illuminator, lipsticks and mascaras (the new one is not better as the Chanel Volume) – but nothing changes… the formula of their lipsticks could be better, and now there are better illuminators as Touche Eclat..
and their packaging could be better (the gold loses the shine, fingerprints desaster, very cheap for high-end – the only high-end item that broke when I wanted to put it in the Z palette…)
I agree about YSL’s powdered eye and cheek products; they’re not pigmented at ALL as of late. However, I still love Touch Eclat Bour primer ; it makes my skin looks poreless and perfect. I also love YSL Volume Effet Faux Cils; I’m a diehard Diorshow fan, but I like this YSL mascara MUCH better than Dior’s last few mascara “revamps”.
I cannot bring myself to buy anything YSL bc they always seem like expensive Loreal. Um duh they are owned by Loreal. I tested a lipgloss from them and they feel and smell no differ than Loreal. Maybe not surprising but they are too expensive for that BS
L’oreal owns Laura Mercier, Lancôme, and Giorgio Armani, too; the YSL products I use (mascara, primer) are much better than their counterparts by L’oreal and L’Oréal-owned brands.
I used to adore Laura Mercier.. I loved that a real artist was behind the brand, one who understood implicitly the importance of the “right” lighting and its effect on skin. Sadly, that brand’s quality has also degraded.
Makeup Geek comes to mind, with its recent misstep on repricing and in some cases reformulating its products; maybe a misstep, maybe an unfortunate trend, time will tell. UD has become more inconsistent. MAC might need to work to keep or reclaim its genuine leadership status. I never knew Too Faced in its heyday, just know it interests me not one bit now.
I think MAC is making a genuine effort to adapt to the current market, and has made some significant changes (price lowering, more sales, lower “free shipping” threshold, expanded permanent range…). It took a while, but it seems they’re at least *starting* to get it!
The good thing about Mac is that they have the best core permanent line among all makeup companies, in my opinion 🙂
I agree about Too Faced! I feel like they always come out with the same eyeshadows, which is boring and unoriginal. It’s like they are only good at creating beautiful packaging, but that’s about it.
I never agree with your comments about Too Faced Christine 🙂 I’ve read you saying this before but from my point of view their quality level is pretty good.
I agree – as much as I like the palettes I have from them (including 2 more recent “Chocolate” ones), I think their adding of fragrance deliberately to eye products is just one example of how down-hill they are going in their attempt to appeal to some demographic (not sure which one) that I’m not in!
Thank you for reminding me of that 4th issue I have against TF, Mariella! The “stink” factor, with its addition of a serious allergen for many of us out here: Sodium Saccharin. If one is allergic to sulfa and uses these palettes unaware that this artificial sweetener has been added, the results can be quite painful and disturbing!
Nancy, I’m someone fortunate enough not to have issues with fragrance in products but even so, I find adding fragrance to eyeshadows to be really foolish and a disturbing trend (fortunately, not one that’s growing too much except for Too Faced).
Many thanks for your comment, Nancy, I just read up about Sodium Saccharin– horror show. I would never want to put that on the sensitive eye area. Do you know if there are other companies that use it in their eye products? Does MAC?
Alison, I don’t know of any other brand out here that adds sodium saccharin to their eyeshadows! MAC doesn’t, UD doesn’t, etc. Only Too Faced with all their stinky food-themed eyeshadow palettes, ie; Chocolate Bar, Peanut Butter & Jelly, Peach, too many to name!
My understanding is that the chocolate scented products were introduced because of the “amazing skin care benefits” derived from the plants involved. OK, I can understand that but then it was as if they forgot why the scent was introduced in the first place. Adding PB&J? Peach? PB&Honey? Somewhere they forgot what they were doing and just went after the trend. I never had much concern about scented products, as long as they didn’t create problems, but I just can’t get behind putting food smells on my face. The last thing I enjoyed from Too Faced was their Hangover Rx primer….
MAC.
They now sell in Ulta. Nothing wrong with Ulta, but MAC is far reaching. They have competition with others for lower prices and better quality. Too Faced very gimmicky. I do know a person who loves that brand. Tom Ford…quality lower over the volume of new products….just like MAC.
I also found MAC going to Ulta a curious move. It’s not like they lack for market penetration. I disagree on Tom Ford though; I think they remain consistent overall. They’ve had the occasional miss, but I think that happens to all brands.
Disagree about MAC. I think making them a bit more accessible brings them to a wider audience and then keeps them as competition. Many brands are competitive bc they are too difficult to obtain. Plus MAC still has superior eyeshadows, blush, highlighters, foundations, eyeliners, lipsticks etc. It’s like they are dammed if they do dammed if they don’t.
I’ve heard so many stories about people having bad experiences in MAC stores. Maybe selling through Ulta is a response to young women who won’t enter a free standing MAC store? (btw, I have only had good experiences in every MAC store I’ve ever been in but when I was younger I would never go to a department store cosmetic counter because of the “attitude”, so I know it can happen.)
I think bringing MAC to Ulta is a great move. Ulta is expanding HUGELY. I live in a small town and I can buy MAC in Macy’s…if I want to go to a mall almost an hour away. (Let’s not even talk about how Macy’s are closing all over the country). Ulta is expanding everywhere. I have two within 20 minutes of me and they are opening like 100 more stores this year.
Of course, I do most of my shopping online, but when I do want to make a shopping trip, just to check out what’s new, I head to Ulta. I just looked and the only places in my state to buy MAC are two Macy’s. No Mac store. We don’t have a Nordstrom. But we have 12 Ultas in my small yet populated state.
That’s a very fair point. I’m spoiled living in Northern Virginia/DC and having malls everywhere that give me access to everything from ultra high-end to low-end. All I know of MAC is generally what I read here; I’ve never been a MAC user myself – maybe a half dozen products when they first launched way, way back. If you’re a fan and this brings more access, then I’m all for it and hope they bring more of the larger line in for you!
I agree concerning Tom Ford, that brand is getting into some deep and muddy waters imo… (even though saying that feels almost like swearing in church) Extremely overpriced stuff that are pretty much re packaged EL stuff. Weird re releases in different packaging of the same products, like the fire lust something orange highlighter that came out last year in a glass bottle and this year more expensive for less product in a plastic bottle even though it mostly was a fail the year before? What is up with that?? They are still good at hyping up their releases, but the product quality is declining. Like the weird limited release of the two summer palettes last year for instance that had decent quality but sold out in seconds. Then months later a new version was released that was slightly different from the first two, but with same packaging. But this one is holding significantly lower quality than the first two… What’s up with stuff like that? The horrible new also LE lip thingy’s that came in an eye shadow case… How could such an unfinished formula even leave the drawing board? And the new ultimate bronzers… even more sheer than it’s predecessors… And so hard in the pan that if your brush is not totally clean each time, it will develop a film on the pan. Is that ok for a product that cost so much money?
They still have some great products, like most of the brands mentioned here, but there is definitely imo more hype than quality in the latest releases…
Too Faced ruined their business imo. I’m sure they’ll still make loads of money, but I can’t respect the bombardment of poor quality cutesiness. And Tarte seems to have jumped the shark.
AGREED!!! What happened to this brand? They used to be a stand out but now they littered with gimmmicky, over priced products. Too Faced quality has most definitely taken a major hit as well. The brand needs to do the right thing by it’s customers and re-evaluate their place in the market. They should start by making their contour and eyeshadow palettes with refillable options. Because the majority of Too Faced palettes are filled with HALF standout product and HALF bogus product (that is obviously just filler).
Too Faced came to mind immediately.
I agree 100% with this one.
MAC – at least as far as their Limited Edition items are concerned. They release too many such collections which sell out in a flash, and in some cases are never restocked. The quality of these is usually subpar which makes me think that either MAC don’t care, knowing that their diehard fans will purchase any old thing ‘just because it’s MAC’, or release these in a rush in an attempt to beat off competitors. These days, the term LE in my book stands for Lousy Editions.
MAC has actually had some pretty good LE ie the Nutcracker Sweet but I have stopped paying much mind to LE. The fact they release so much and the most luster after collections never have enough supply. I do think they cater to their diehard fans and not the majority. My love for them has much more to do with their permanent pieces
I agree. I think the palette trend has gone overboard with Too Faced leading by a mile (and others feeling the push to catch up). I want quality over quantity. It makes me appreciate companies like Bite that stick to what they do best: lips.
I feel like Guerlain has been sliding for a few years. Their lipsticks are still lovely, as are their foundations and bronzers, but the quality of almost everything new that they’ve introduced has been below the standards their prices should require. I also feel like they’re just resting on their laurels: every collection is a couple of nice but dupe-able lipsticks, meteorites (or bronzer in the summer) and something sort of new but gimmicky
another thing that irks me about Guerlain (as I’ve mentioned here before) is that they have this very pricey, lavish packaging and it’s not refillable.
Clearly tf. Some will likely say TF, too, due to the blush reformulation. With only 1 TF (yay Stavros from CCO) I really can’t speak to that. Personally, I think some brands, like Fresh and to some extent Benefit, have utterly changed direction, and are no longer relevant to me…but have not necessarily made a downturn.
I agree about TF. When the beauty line first came out (yes it was super pricey), but the colors of the products were unique, gorgeous, and high quality. Now it seems as though TF is just re-releasing the same old color schemes of neutrals/golds, and just re-releasing them during the different seasons. Getting kind of boring. Also, I really wished they brought back Burnished Amber and made it permanent (lol this is because I didn’t purchase it back when it was available, and I deeply regret it to this day). lol
Curious about what way you think Fresh has changed direction? I feel like they’ve stayed true to skin care roots.
Do you go back to the beginning, with their color cosmetics? Skincare is an evolved version of what they always had…but no lipsticks, e/s, blush? They were super, and fairly priced. Now, it’s a bunch of lip balm for color. I need to see if they still have some of their fragrances, some of which were unique. I think their color has become a one trick pony. And it was nice, decades ago.
I do actually – the Milk nudes and Cranberry Leomade reds – and did really enjoy their lipsticks and glosses, but that was always mixed in with their skincare, which seemed to be the bigger emphasis. The brand background started with their soaps. As much as I liked their beauty products, it was pretty limited and I honestly think it didn’t sell well enough compared to their skincare. You’ve got to go with what keeps you in business and trim what drains your resources unfortunately.
100% agree on Too Faced. They seem to only care about being as cutesy as they can be and quality has taken a distant back seat. Doesn’t seem like a sustainable business plan to me.
Too Faced, for sure… for me, it’s not about the packaging. I think it’s cute for what it is, and I don’t mind if a brand is trying to appeal to a certain demographic. My problem is with production inconsistencies for the same product from customer to customer. Watching and reading reviews for the Natural Love palette, for example, as well as swatching in person made it crystal clear that not everyone was getting the same product. Some were great and some were crap. Ditto the Power of Makeup and the Peanut Butter & Honey. (Granted, some of the variation has to do with reviewers building up swatches to get better results, but I’m only talking about folks like Temptalia whose reviews have consistently proven to be trustworthy.)
Why on earth would I take a risk on a product when I have no idea if it’s going to be a good version of that product or a bad version? I find that kind of inconsistency unacceptable, and it speaks to a kind of carelessness with your customers that is really off-putting to me.
I agree with you wholeheartedly. Too Faced is just super eager to run their brand into the ground. The lack of quality and the drama the brand has been stirring up lately has convinced me to stop buying. Maybe someday if they decide to stop being so cute and start releasing quality again I may buy, but at this juncture you couldn’t make me spend money on Too Faced, especially their LE products.
Which is so sad, because my first foray into high end make up was with Too Faced and their natural eye palette was amazing. Then again, that was like…seven years ago and back then they seemed to be about quality, not cute packaging with cruddy makeup.
Too Faced mainly for me, they seem to be getting overly cute with their products. I didn’t mind the cuteness before, but now it seems to me that that’s all they’re focusing on. Quality is not there anymore, thus I’m not interested in them.
Becca – somewhat, just because they seem to be just focused on highlighters instead of branching out more and the collaborations are getting annoying, I’m rarely interested in their products these days. The quality still seems to be the same though which is good.
TF overall seems to have declined in consistent quality overall, which is a shame because they were my first “high end” makeup brand and I’m nostalgic like that. Both TF and UD have had some issues recently with manufacturing consistent quality products, but with Urban Decay it seems like that hasn’t happened as frequently (more like just around the holiday).
Makeup Geek also seems to be suffering from some inconsistent releases of late, but fortunately they still have the higher quality products that they’re known for, like eye shadows, blushes, and brushes.
Agreed – I haven’t bought Too Faced in a while. I feel like they have just been repackaging the same things in new palettes with inconsistent formulas. Too bad as there were several items I enjoyed from them and this whole collab issue with Nikki has me iffy as well. I had been underwhelmed with mac for a while, but recently have found a few things I really like – I feel like they’re on a comeback and working to reposition themselves as a brand.
I agree with Too Faced.
I totally agree with Too Faced. It’s all just about being cute with packaging and putting stuff out constantly… but none of it is quality. Also Almay lacks on the skin shades
Too Faced: I feel like the brand is just recycling the same shades. I actually like the packaging as a concept but, with shades of their poor quality and permaneutral selection, it’s not worth it. Also, can we stop scenting eyeshadow? It just restricts the consumer audience by cutting out people with asthma, allergies, sensitivities, etc.
Benefit: I look forward to the day when Benefit starts releasing small-packaged cheek products and creates new shades for deeper skin tones. Until then, bring on the giant and inconvenient boxes (which, though kinda cute as a concept, are a pain and a half for travel) and lighter versions of preexisting shades.
Becca: nothing is ever “limited edition” and the timing of their launches show that the so-called “brand new” shades that “customers asked for” (aka Prosecco Pop or Pearl) were already in production. And the shades are so recycled–how many times have we seen Rose Gold now?
MAC: I already didn’t like MAC because they’re certainly not taking decisive action to end animal testing. The poor shade quality and the sheer amount of collections is off-putting. How does anyone keep up?
L’oréal: again with animal testing, but also the quality seems to be going down. Their attempts to create a UD Naked kind of palette are overpriced and don’t work well, even for the drugstore.
Jeffree Star: I have adamantly refused anything from this company because of its namesake’s comments and behaviors in the past, but the lawsuit against them for the Manny collab is killing their image.
I think that, while some brands in the beauty community are making huge strides ahead, the quality, practices, and employee behavior is driving others downhill fast.
L’Oreal is actually taking a stand against animal testing, and have put forth money and time into finding suitable alternatives that “other countries” can agree to. Very few brands still test on animals (I personally can’t think of even one…) directly in the West, but only L’Oreal is actively leading research efforts for alternatives in the global market.
I personally really like the nude palettes. I don’t always need, or want, OTT pigmentation/shimmer, and they’re perfect for my “everyday” needs…
That’s so great to hear about L’Oreal, since they are a HUGE company who owns many others, including some of my favorites. While I don’t love their nude palettes, and I own both, they and their child companies make lots of great makeup and I am so happy to see that they care about alternatives to animal testing.
Too Faced, Benefit, Tarte and Urban Decay. They are so interchangeable with each other. Quantity over Quality or as I like to say it: Crap products in cute packaging. Loads of it.
I do not buy any of those brands anymore and what first started as unintentional (the products were just not interesting) has now turnt into an absolue No-Buy for me.
Other than those companies I see Makeup Geek being at a risky point right now. They don’t seem to care anymore about the ideas they originally started with. They were innovative with their products, as well as their concept as a whole. But with all the new launches, price increasings and quality problems I don’t really know what they stand for anymore and what I can expect from them..
I find Too Faces packaging so unappealing that it actually prevents me from buying their products (same thing happens with Benefit).
Oh, I haven’t bought anything from Urban Decay in 5 years probably, I used to go crazy with their palettes, but the latest color range of their eyeshadows are really blah and teenage for my taste.
I still have a ton of Too Faced products that I love, but I can definitely see the decline. Their latest marketing campaign for their bronzers is “Smart Girls Fake It”. I’m starting to get the impression from their social media that the brand is laughing at their own joke they play on their customers.
*I have to agree with everything you said about Too Faced. Plus, I’m getting tired of seeing the same eyeshadow colors recycled. Now there are ethics questions. I still love some of their permanent products, but this brand is getting less and less appealing. And they used to be one of my favorites.
*MUG — packaging issues and misrepresenting the eye sparklers, those awful liquid lip colors, changing the blushes’ finish and some colors (but keeping the same names), new products having mid-range prices, etc. Though to be fair, the blushes are still good, and their highlighters are gorgeous.
*Stila hasn’t excited me in years, when they used to be one of my favorites. They got rid of their excellent eye palettes, and totally changed their offerings. (Although I’m happy they’ve recently gone cruelty free again.)
*Jeffree Starr — I love his products, but his behaviors have left me cold to the point I no longer buy from him.
Everything you just stated, Rachel! Especially disturbed by the ugly drama that Jeffree and Jerrod both put out there. Both are sinking their own ships with their antics. So I won’t be buying from either of them until there is genuine, meaningful changes on their parts.
I always like seeing your comments in these discussions, you have such great things to add and a funny way of describing things! “Antics” got me!
Bobbie Brown used to be ahead of the pack with foundation colors that really matched women’s skin tones and a good range of blushes and lipsticks. Now it seems they can’t make up their mind who their customer; lots of duplicative palettes and prices that seem out of line with the quality and amount of product. I still like BB lipsticks, though.
My other beef is with MAC. Stop with the new collection every other week, with LE products that sell out in the blink of an eye. Their eye shadows and blushes used to be top-notch. Buildable color that lasted. Now, not so much.
In my mind so many brands are not what they used to be. Back in the day I used to love MAC. They used to put so much thought into their collections. The quality was better and the packaging was better. I have this old MAC Tour de Pink train case (an exclusive from a department store) that I couldn’t imagine MAC ever doing today. Their brushes were far better too. Same for Bobbi Brown, which I adored. They cheapened their products and changed their focus to appeal to a wider demographic. I can see why Bobbi Brown finally left. Maybe it’s all just the Estee Lauder effect, where you squeeze every penny to make a profit. I don’t deny them a profit, but I’d be willing to pay a bit more for better quality. Other than that, I think Tom Ford is getting rather repetitive, and I miss Peter Phillips at Chanel.
Agree! (I ordered the chocolate chip palette and immediately returned) But if you like super cute then Too Faced certainly fits the bill.
I’ve noticed Lancome mentioned a few times and I’d almost forgot about them as a brand, which is sad. They used to be the brand I sort of “idolized” when I was a studentsand had limited funds. I’d save up to buy Immencils (their mascara, which was the only one I used) and their blush and try to time it to a GWP. They had a real image of elegance and “French-ness”. Now, well – I don’t think I’ve purchased a product from them in 25 years or more (save for a blush my daughter wanted for her birthday – apparently a dupe for Nars Orgasm). Another brand that has really fallen by the wayside – Elizabeth Arden! They were the first to come out with fatty/jumbo eye shadow/liner pencils waaaay back in the 70’s.
Too Faced, Tarte, MAC
I agree! Their latest collections judt seem to be a rerun of the same shades in different packaging. We’ll see where they go after being sold to Estee Lauder.
Amen! I thought the same thing when I saw this on twitter! Too faced is kind of dead to me as a brand anymore because not only is it irritating that they’re only about cute packaging now but I think their prpducts have all become so alike. I haven’t seen much diversity in color schemes lately and quality of the eye shadows is going downhill too.
Laura Mercier. If it wasn’t for the loose powder, they’ed be out of business already!
That’s how I feel exactly! Too Faced products used to be so much better, now the packaging is getting cuter but the product quality is slipping. It’s annoying purchasing their latest products just to return them later. I’m just over the brand at this point.
Too Faced, Benefit, Lancôme despite Lisa Eldridge (aside from their matte/juicy shakers there is nothing I would ever buy). I also feel like Tarte is really hit or miss in terms of quality, and it feels like they don’t even know what direction they’re going in. Stila and Smashbox have literally never caught my eye, and Dior needs to up their quality or seriously lower their prices. Tom Ford isn’t necessarily going downhill but no brand needs to price their products so high. It’s just about making a HUGE profit margin.
I am also surprised despite the magic of Lisa Eldridge that Lancome is floundering the way it is. Not in a company sales perspective (though maybe there too?) but just from a creativity standpoint. Everything is safe or overly gimmicky. Their quality used to be above the rest but now it feels cheaper and cheaper. And no one I know really cares about the brand, especially younger people.
Very true. Their eyeshadows are quite frankly crap these days, and their lipsticks are absolutely nothing extraordinary. I think the only thing they have going for them is some of their foundations come in a wider shade range than other people, but NARS still has them beat there and I find their foundations better anyways. I feel like they either need to revamp the whole brand, or drastically lower their price point because at this point, aside from the Shakers, I feel like I’d be better off buying drugstore-priced items. Same (or better) quality than Lancome.
Too Faced for all of the reasons stated here.
BECCA because how many highlighters do you really need?
Lancôme because of quality issues.
Lancôme for sure I used to buy it exclusively but got fed up with patchy hard to blend shadows and signed off on the brand except for mascara. I no longer use it now it’s overpriced IMO.
My experience with 2 faced isn’t good. The born this way foundation and concealer is crap but I have the Peach cheek palette and it’s nice and I like the metal container.
I would say their target customers are teens and teenagers their eye palettes have such bad reviews and colors don’t look special.
Benefit has such bad reviews on Dandelion and their cheek palette I’ve passed on it and their packaging seems cheap.
Sorry meant tweens and teenagers
Very true. And I find it odd that their target age range seems so young, as most of them don’t have the money to buy Too Faced in the first place!
Lululemon does that too! Who would buy a tween/teen $130 yoga pants?
It’s a great marketing tool but not good common sense.
I actually agree with you about toofaced. I’m all for cute packaging but if I’m going to spend my money on a product it better be good quality and the very least make so type of sense. I thought the chocolate chip and white chocolate chip palettes were so cute but that price tag hardly seemed worth it especially for the quality and over all product. Some of the shades in those made absolutely no sense and did not even coordinate a good color scheme.
They have fallen very far off that high pedestal they put themselves on. I actually quit buying their products because there are so many other brands with better quality that I would much rather have.
Also enough with the peach stuff, I get it,people love it but I for one can not stand the smell of peach and it’s just enough already.
I’m honestly kind of pissed that they jabbed at tarte with the whole unicorn thing, I like be tarte, they are an amazing brand, I have never heard them say anything bad about another brand and they have some of the sweetest people working there.
Too Faced- it’s all chocolate or peach, I’m so sick of it! $30 for blush that isn’t that great?
I wish they’d do something new and also less crappy!
Definitely Too Faced…i feel the quality is terrible and I’m not helping him fund his mansion lol. To me that company is the slimy used car salesman of makeup.
On a positive note…can your next post be “what companies are you loyal to or have been impressed with lately?”
I don’t buy a ton of stuff…but lately I was impressed with loracs pirates cheek palette…the benefit cheek parade…and a bare minerals lip gloss.
I’m over the “look what’s trendy and new!” Which is what seems to be being pushed down our throats by the cosmetic companies. I’m more interested in “here is a quality product you can use for a long time”.
But…guess that’s another sign I’m in my mid thirties and want quality and performance when I pay the higher price.
Too Faced – and I think that in the beauty world on this blog at least, we’re all agreed on that one!
Lancome – their eye shadows have been awful in the past few years, their skincare over priced too.
Guerlain – same as above. I wouldn’t buy any of their products now.
Nars – refuse to buy because of the product names – even though their Audacious Lipstick line was sensational
I happen to agree with the Too Faced, but would like to also mention Bobbi Brown! When I first got into higher end makeup about 10-15 yrs ago B.B. Was one of the classic lines you could always count on for staples. Now every time I even think about making a purchase, I read the reviews and talk myself out of it! She still
Puts out good lip products but everything else, esp eye shadows, have gone WAY downhill.
Too Faced and Benefit immediately jump to mind for me. I have always liked the Beneft “kitsch” packaging, but the quality just seems to go further and further downhill. I had Dandelion and CoraLista blushes I adored, when I repurchased I noticed neither seemed to be as good as the previous products, and after repurchasing Dandelion a third time (all due to hitting pan), the quality seems even worse! Just powdery and almost no pigmentation. I was left wondering what the heck happened!! As for Too Faced, the packaging is getting way too cutesy and quality is getting to old drugstore brand levels (before drug store brands started upping their game). And can we please pick a name for a shadow shade and stick with it?! Seriously Too Faced, do you think that we don’t notice!
To be fair, I have a Dandelion blush that is more than 10 years old and when I wore it recently, I was like “why did I like this again?”
I am not doubtful their ingredients and production have changed, but it’s possible with more brands and products out there Dandelion doesn’t seem as special as it once was. There are so many brightening blushes out there.
That’s a very valid point!
I agree with you on Too Faced. What happened to them. I was really into them when they first came out and I (still) have one of the first palettes I got from them because I loved it so much (it was the Sex Kitten palette). I hit the pan on many shades, but I still kept it since I loved it. I haven’t bought anything from them in a while.
Also, Benefit. Used to buy a lot of their products. They just seem to be putting out similar dupes from their own products (like the Hoola light). The number of foundation shades they have is ridiculous IMO. I do like their brow bar services and I do like their new Galifornia blush. Overall though, I think they need to step it up.
Jeffree Star. ??? I don’t think I would ever support someone like him. So much controversy surrounding him with Kat von D and now Manny.
Clinique and Lancôme were always on my wishlist when I was a teen since they seemed so fancy and chic. I haven’t bought anything from them in more than 10 years!!
Other brands that have totally lost their appeal for me have been YSL, Bobbi Brown, Bourjois.
Also, although I do not buy exclusively cruelty-free products I do try to search out brands that are and to me it seems counterintuitive to still be testing cosmetics on animals on this day and age.
Agreed! I’m sad to say this but I haven’t enjoyed Makeup Geek’s recent launches (not to say they’re going downhill, I just hope that’s not the case). I really didn’t like their Sparklers and their new liquid lipsticks… well, don’t get me started on that. Their eyeshadows are great and I’m hoping future releases show the quality we’ve all come to love from MUG.
Lancome cosmetics. It’s a brand I pay little attention to on the cosmetics side. I haven’t liked the pigmentation of Lancome’s eyeshadow palettes, have not been compelled to try a juicy shaker or and never got into their lipsticks. There was a time where I’d ask for a Lancome eyeshadow palette for Christmas. I’m a fan of Visionnaire.
you read my mind Christine! i feel like too faced puts so much thought into their packaging, but forgets the actual product!
I see everyone’s already touched on Too Faced lol. I’m surprised not many brought up Urban Decay. I think they have really declined over time compared to back in the day. They still have some products I enjoy, but they’re pretty inconsistent now and you can’t trust any of their non-permanent releases to be of good quality, sadly. Their limited edition collections used to be so fun.
Almay I would guess? Their eyeshadow have no pigment at all I tried a lavender shade and even been a pale ghistcdidnt do a thing for me.