On a personal level, I think I’m most forgiving of highlighters – like I don’t care if it emphasizes skin texture, it’s fine if they’re more or less pigmented, etc. I love all the finishes, and I don’t mind building up coverage for cheek colors (in general). Again, personal-level – I believe I am still quite critical of these in reviews!
We're here to help you make better beauty purchases that you'll enjoy and love! We recommend signing up to take advantage of personalized features like tracking products you own, viewing dupes that you already have, and more!
Here are some useful resources for you:
Curious how two shades compare to each other? Type in the shades below to get instant side-by-side swatches!
Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!
Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).
We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!
We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!
Gosh, this is a tough one but probably lipstick because I choose them based entirely on whether they’re the colour and texture/finish I like best (so hardly ever any matte lipsticks – I think I own 3!) So there’s little room for disappointment. Ditto blush – I tend always to choose the same shades and the only time I was disappointed was with a MAC Mineralize Blush in the shade “Early Morning” that got a very high rating from you, Christine, but which turned out to be waaaay too orange for me. The finish on it is absolutely gorgeous though (and still makes me gnash my teeth that I didn’t get the more pink blush in the same release) and so I still pull it out from time to time even though it looks unnatural on me just because of that glowing, almost “buffed” finish.
Can you put a pink base under to cool it down?
I never layer cheek products (always end up with too much colour and looking like I have a fever or Fifth Disease). A blush has to work “as is” for me and I can’t really imagine cooling this one down. So every few months, I give this blush another whirl, just because I have it and love the finish.
Highlighter for me as well. Especially powder ones. I like pretty much any finish out there, so unless it has cocnut in the ingredients (coconut breaks me out and so it’s a dealbreaker), literally doesn’t show up on the skin at all, or hardpans, I’ll at the very least think it’s decent in all likelihood.
Lipglosses is another category that I don’t tend to be critical of. They’re pretty foolproof. I don’t mind if they’re sticky or sheer. And I don’t expect them to be particularly long wearing, so I’m pretty much gonna be a fan so long as it doesn’t smell or taste disgusting.
Probably blush. I don’t care if they are too sheer, because I don’t really like a lot of blush. So long as they aren’t patchy I don’t care that much.
It would be blushes, I can wear almost any color and you can build the color up quite easily, I haven’t run into too many problems with any out there and I learned from you Christine that you can get a better color payoff by using your fingers on some that don’t want to cooperate.
I’m probably least critical of powder products like setting or finishing powders (they can always be fixed with a spray if necessary), blush or bronzer (as long as shade is good) because I find powder products in general to just not be that difficult to work with.
I think I’m least critical of blush. I have been able to make almost anything I’ve tried work at least to some degree.
Lipstick. I generally feel these are a products brands get right. Yes, I have my preferences but it’s typically a type of product I can make work and I know I will like from a brand!
Highlighter. Again it’s pretty fail proof. Only reason I may not like it is of preference or tone. I may prefer shinier or certain color for my skintone. But it’s a type of product brands usually get right.
Hence, when a brand is just starting, it makes perfect sense they come out with lipstick or highlighters! Those are easier to do so less chance of failure!
Lastly, I think blush is another product brands just get right. I think from drugstore to high end to luxury, I generally like every blush I have tried. If I don’t like a blush, it’s because the color doesn’t work for me or the product is good but I think it’s too high priced for what it is. I cannot speak to cream blushes as I cannot wear those. Only powder products.
I tried thinking and I feel like I’m quite critical on anything I put on my face. 😆
To an extent, I’m not that critical on eyeshadows, since I believe a good eye primer can help a lot. But I like a good quality blendable and buildable eyeshadow, without fallout (since I do my base first).
I barely use highlighters, but that somewhat makes me more critical, since I want something very natural and not shimmery.
I’m definitely least critical of the ones I don’t use (everything but skin/bodycare and balms/sheer lipstick), for obvious reasons.
Of the products I do use, I’m least critical of physical exfoliators because as long as you stay away from St Ives and other products with large, harsh grains and surfactants, you’re pretty much golden and guaranteed a gentle but thorough exfoliation.
I don’t know that there’s any area where I’m NOT critical and discerning! Possibly brow products? I mean, considering that I still use L’Oreal Infallible Continuous Cocoa and whatever brow pencil will withstand the intense AZ heat without melting all over the place and smudging. Other than that, I just have nothing else readily popping up in my head.
Lip balm. I’ll use any old thing from the drugstore and be fine. Well…except for ChapStick. I hate ChapStick.
Funny about that Rachel – I hate ChapStick too – too thick and gluey. Yukko on my lips.
Too waxy for me, and all the flavors taste strange.
I’m pretty sure I’m critical of most everything I put on my face. I suppose I’m less critical of brow pencil formulas–I’m more picky of nailing the exact right color–a deep brownish grey. I’m less critical of body lotions: so long as it’s truly fragrance-free.
It has to be bronzers for me. I think I have only two requirements for a bronzer. The first is that the shade is deep enough for my MAC nc 50 complexion and two that the finish is matte. Thats it!
I would agree: highlighters.
Every other product from lip liner to powder and foundations to lip gloss and mascara, I’m picky to various degrees (from meh to hella no).
I have so many formulas of highlighter, liquid cream, gel and powder and they all serve a different purpose. The only ones I don’t “like” are the ones I’ve erroneously purchased; too gold/yellow or too white/blue for my complexion, so I tend to not use them.
I love that experession – meh to hella no!
Hmm – that’s a hard one to answer because I always buy the same kind of foundation (porcelain, with pink undertone), blush (coral/peach), setting powder (translucent), eye brow pencil (soft taupe).
Lipsticks and eyeshadows – I definitely have my set favourite shades.
But to answer the question, probably mascara. It’s no big deal to me – as long as it doesn’t clump and is easy to remove at night, I am pretty well OK with whatever DS brand.
What eyebrow pencil do you like that comes in the shade soft taupe?
I’ve racked my brain on this and can’t come up with one thing that I am not critical of. I’m not overly critical of anything and very open to new formulae and colors, but for each product, I can think of deal breakers on both fronts.
Mascara. I have really good natural lashes, so I’m just looking to add darkness. As long as it doesn’t smear all over my face I’m good.
I’m fussy about foundation (I’m extremely pale) and eyeshadow.