What question would you like to see here in the future?
Tell me!
— Christine
Explore Temptalia
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:
Compare Any Two
Curious how two shades compare to each other? Type in the shades below to get instant side-by-side swatches!
49 Comments
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!
Comments on this post are closed.
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!
Makeup you packed vs makeup you actually used on a trip.
Oh – this is a good one! I always seem to pack more than I use but invariably leave behind something I wish I’d taken!
Which product in your stash brings you the most joy to use?
Good question that I’d like to see the answer.
This is probably the first beauty blog I ever followed, I’ve followed you for a long time, and if I had to pick the one site I trust and enjoy most, it would definitely be this one, Christine. So great thanks. And I want to share a struggle I have as someone who really loves considering, buying and using beauty products. And that is the enjoyment and benefit I derive from doing all of that– and how I balance that with my concern over the use of earthly materials and resources, in the products, packaging, and shipping. Much plastic derives from petroleum/fossil fuels which contribute to climate change. Paper and cardboard come from trees. All of this also creates a lot of waste. In the same way, that people support each other in doing a low-buy, how can we help each other be more mindful?
I really appreciate this, especially hearing about the mining of mica – which I want to learn more about.
Great topic, and one I’d also like to see more about. And I have to say ditto ont he following you Christine. You’re the only one I repeated come back to and can say I “follow” as far as trust your opinion. I’m here now checking a palette for not only your rating, but your databases (dupe, etc.). I’ve not found any other “blogger” that does such an extensive “job” (and I do say job as in work) as you do organizing everything so that it’s “useful”. Big big thanks!
It sounds like you’re only asking us for one question, but I couldn’t narrow it down to fewer than five. I hope you don’t mind my enthusiasm!
• What was the weirdest and/or funniest experience you’ve had getting a professional makeover?
• What was the strangest makeup product you’ve ever purchased?
• Has packaging ever turned you off of buying a product you might otherwise have wanted?
• What are your favorite makeup products to use when going to the beach or swimming?
• What are your thoughts about applying makeup in public?
I love your questions, Seraphine! All great ones that I hope to answer when Christine posts them. Today, I’m having a trying time coming up with even one interesting or good one. Probably because I’m grappling with the fact that my son turned 33 today, so I feel like a little old lady over here! LOL ?
Thanks, Nancy T, and happy birthday to your son! I think you and I are the same age, so even though I don’t have kids, I do know the feeling. Lol
Over the course of the past year, I collected questions I’d love to see on Temptalia as they occurred to me, in case Christine would ask us for suggestions. They’re in a list on my phone. Then when she asked, I simply picked a few of my favorites!
Thank you on behalf of my son, Seraphine!
You definitely have a great idea there, because sometimes a random question or two occurs to me that might be interesting to see asked on this forum. Usually either as I’m trying to fall asleep or I’ve awakened HOURS before I’m supposed to! From now on, I will put them on my phone’s Memo Pad for future reference.
Not so much a question, but I’d love to see a “Throwback Thursday” where you recreate/reimagine some of your looks from the first years of the blog, minus the awful lighting of course!
I like this idea or even just posting a review/release/swatches from many years ago so we can all relive the nostalgia.
Have you ever intentionally bought a dupe of a product you already own? Which one, and why?
i’m curious about what you and other fellow make-up enthusiasts pick when pairing two differing eyeshadow palettes said differently when putting together looks what two palettes compliment each other best…I’m trying to get more use of all my palettes
Have you introduced your love of makeup to others?
What was the last purchase you regret and why?
Do you consider makeup a hobby?
Do you follow makeup influencers on social media?
Have any makeup artists, stylists, models, and/or fashion designers influenced your makeup purchases?
Do you have a signature lip color? Tell us about it.
How often do you return makeup and for what reasons?
Do you have someone who has left a beauty tip on this blog that you’d like to thank, because you tried the tip and it worked for you? (If you don’t remember the person’s name, say something like: To the person who recommended blah-blah-blah, thanks. That was a great tip!)
Speaking of the future…
Imagine it’s 50 years from now. What do you think makeup will look like? What new products will there be? What trends do you think will be forgotten? What trends will start? What trends will persist? What will be makeup’s role in society? What role will it have in your life in 50 years?
Have you ever purchased a product because a celebrity mentioned it’s something they use? What was the result?
Aside from improvement in technique, has your makeup application changed from when you first began wearing it? If so, how?
What era.of makeup would you like to see make a comeback?
I just thought of another one:
If you had to choose between wearing a full-face of the same HG products (only one in each category) for the rest of your life, or using an endless variety of mediocre products, which would it be…?
In light of recent events, do you think brands should be obligated to disclose a) the lab they use, and b) whether a given formula is their own, or a generic product that can be used by multiple brands (ie, third-party, private label)?
If you could only use one eyeshadow for an eye look, what would it be, and why?
1. What is the most expensive holy grail item that you use on a regular basis: makeup and/or skin care?
2. What is your favorite makeup remover?
3. Have you tried beauty supplements for your skin, hair or nails? Did you see any positive results?
4. What makeup products do you feel are overpriced?
What do you use skincare- or makeup-wise that is unusual or uncommon use of a product?
Yes, this is a question I would like to see. What products you might use for other than their intended purpose?
I have a few hope that’s ok:
1) what is your favorite eye makeup remover?
2) what backup products did you buy but never use?
3) what makeup do you use on short (weekend) trips? Longer trips?
4) what is your one HG product of all time? Can be a specific thing or a category of a thing but no cheats, no “more than one” – just one!
5) what is your favorite cheap-but-works-amazing product? What is your pricey-why-did-I-buy-this-but-I-love-having-it-it’s-not-rational-you-guys product?
6) what is your biggest makeup regret? Or biggest makeup success?
7) how old were you when you fell in love with makeup and why?
8) what’s your favorite thing about makeup? Or least favorite thing?
9) favorite eyeshadow?
10) your biggest makeup secrets????? ?
I love this question:
What is your pricey-why-did-I-buy-this-but-I-love-having-it-it’s-not-rational-you-guys product?
Love all your questions, Valerie! Thanks.
Do you use different primers with different foundations? Also, how often do you mix something into your primer or foundation to achieve a dewy or glowy effect?
Excluding sunscreen and moisturiser (and a life raft!), what 5 beauty products would you take to a desert island?
What’s your favourite hand cream?
How many beauty products are within your arms reach right now? (and where are you?)
Do you have any weird compulsions or habits regarding makeup and/or beauty products?
Do you clean or disinfect your makeup? How often?
What prompts you to de-stash or get rid of makeup? Do you purge stuff as you go or do periodical clean outs?
How many eyeshadow brushes do you use on a regular basis? What are they and what do you use them to do when applying eye makeup?
How has your beauty routine and preferences evolved over the last 12 months?
What’s one “hidden gem” in your makeup collection?
Do you feel you makeup and beauty products are well organised? What would you change if you had the resources (space/time/money) to do so?
What’s the worst or most misleading beauty claim you’ve ever heard?
What are your thoughts on lip filler? Have you already or would you ever consider getting it?
What’s your favourite blush & highlighter combination currently?
What makes you feel beautiful?
Last 3 lip products used?
Have you ever had a fragrance or perfume react badly with your body chemistry?
What was your worst makeup mistake when you first started using makeup?
What makeup trend did you hate? Which did you love?
What’s your favorite mascara & why?
Same Q on favorite: makeup remover – eyes, face.
Facial device – ie. Nuface, Tria, Clarisonic, etc.
Nail polish.
Just about any other product catagory you can think of. I’m most interested in the above.
*Have you ever given someone else a compliment on their makeup?
*Have you ever received a compliment in person on your makeup?
*Have you ever asked someone what makeup they are wearing?
*Has anyone ever asked you in person what makeup you are wearing?
*Have you ever wanted to give someone advice on their makeup?
*Have you ever wished someone had given you advice on your makeup or told you something was smeared/running/uneven, etc?
*Is there a single product/look that you think looks good on most/all people?
*Is there a single product/look that you think does not look good on anyone?
*Is there a particular cosmetic store you’ve never been to that you’d love to visit just once?
*Is there a brand you’ve never tried that you’d love to try but haven’t yet?
*What’s the one step in your routine that always goes on well and looks good, no matter how rushed you are?
*What’s the one step in your routine that never goes well, no matter how careful you are to apply it?
*What steps in your routine are essential and never skipped?
*What steps do you leave out because you never seem to have enough time, but would like to incorporate?
I know some of these are not really for you, Christine, because of the nature of your job, but maybe for your readers. And I tried to keep them short so you wouldn’t need to do a lot of editing.
-Rebecca
I would like to know how people store their double-ended brushes!
Here, here!!!
Really good question!
I’d like to know what products women use to get that wonderful dewy slightly moist texture on their faces! Is it a primer? I want that look! My highlighters don’t give it to me, and I’ve tried everything…
Thanks—
Jill
A lot of makeup artists swear by products like Embryolisse as a priming moisturizer to achieve this glowy-not-greasy-skin look; Pat McGrath taught us the MUA tip of using something like Aquaphor on top of foundation for a similar effect. It is honestly probably a combination of products.
For me, primers that are meant to be “dewy” are usually just greasy so I haven’t tried it yet, but I have heard that the Wet n Wild dewy primer is not bad for this same kind of look. I do own and use the Milani Prime Light primer, which is kind of similar to Strobe Cream I guess, and it is nice (just not in summer.)
Can you create an eye look with pizzazz for the early 40 somethings? I see palettes with sparkles and metallics but I tend to stick with mattes because I feel to old for that. I received glitter drops in one of my recent Boxy Charms. Can I pull that off? They’re fabulous but how would I use them without looking a teen wannabe??? Thank you
I don’t think we’re supposed to answer the questions here (lol), but I can’t resist. Wear whatever makes YOU happy and don’t worry about judgmental people. I’m a lot older than you and I wear the metallic shades in my palettes all the time (my favorite place for shimmers is on the lids). I can’t tell you how much I hate those lists that tell you what you should never wear past a certain age. Just enjoy your makeup, experiment with it, and be yourself, whatever age you are. 🙂
I’ll add to Seraphine’s answer by saying that the idea that certain things are only for a certain age feels really wrong to me. I’m not just talking about makeup! I’m 51 and I ride motorcycles. I know a man who took up singing in his mid-40’s and is now in a band that gets actual gigs. The mother of one of my friends (who’s my age — the friend, not the mother), got her hair dyed in one of those natural-at-the-root-shading-to-hot-pink-at-the-tups hairstyles, and it looks amazing on her.
As far as eyeshadow, I think the only real concern is whether the texture of the shadow disagrees with the texture of your skin. I rarely wear mattes on my lid because, while my skin has barely started to age, I find that mattes are more likely to make my lid skin look textured or unpleasant — satins and shimmers are much more flattering! And the potential for skin-flattering effects of highlighting products is almost entirely dependent on the texture of your skin (and keeping in mind that one product might not work well with your skin, while another might be amazing). Everyone’s different; if you’re interested in the idea, it would be a mistake to try once and give up because it didn’t look right. Makeup washes off — watch some Lisa Eldridge videos and try, try again with the drops until you feel like you’ve used every approach you can think of.
I believe there’s a stigma attached to the idea of “clinging to youth and beauty,” which in my opinion is valid, but I believe that idea is broad-brushed in a way that makes being onerself and indulging one’s own interests perilous in its potential for being misunderstood by others. Those of is who wear these things (sparkle, shimmer, etc.) aren’t desperate for our youth, we’re just doing what we want because we like it. We’re well past the eras where women “of a certain age” transitioned to neutral shades, blue rinses, and bingo. Life’s short: play with your makeup. ?
All the questions I’d like to see here that I’m able to think of tonight are fragrance-related.
-What’s your favorite celebrity fragrance (Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Sofia Vergara, etc)? How much, if at all, does your opinion of the celebrity affect your enjoyment of the scent?
-What’s your favorite designer/prestige/department store fragrance (Dior, YSL, Marc Jacobs, Guerlain, etc)?
-Do you ever buy fragrances from smaller “boutique” brands? Which brand or brands?
Small correction: “boutique” should read indie/”boutique”.
I am pretty devoid of any creative questions right now. Racking my brain and the only thing I am curious about is how many lipsticks are in your purse right now and specifically what are their brands and names. I am curious if people end up carrying a variety of shades, finishes, brands or what?
If you had to pick one skin care product that you think has been the most effective in dealing with whatever problem you purchased it for, what is it, what is/was the problem and how did it change your problem?
How long do you give a skin care product before you decide it is really working for you and you commit to it or feel like it isn’t working and you dump it?
If you had to pick just one brand for all your makeup needs which brand would it be and why?
If you had to pick just one brand for your skin care needs which brand would it be and why? (I think this is harder with skin care than it is with makeup)
How often do you de-clutter your makeup and what criteria do you use to de-clutter?
If you were giving advice to a new makeup user what advice would you give them?
If you were recommending brushes to a new makeup user what type of brushes would you say they needed to get started? Not specific brands but types of brushes.
If you could afford to have cosmetic procedures done, what would you have done? If you have had procedures done, were you happy with the results? Do you continue to have the procedure done, if it is something that needs upkeep?
If you had to pick one product and only one product that is your absolute favorite product from any category, what is it and why is it your favorite? Do you actually use it or just “have it”?
Are there products that you have that you have never used and why don’t you use them?
Do you follow makeup trends or do you have a signature look that you do, maybe just switching out the products that you use or the shades you use?
Wow, for feeling “devoid” you’ve come up w/ a ton of great questions! I’d love to hear answers to most of these – especially interested in the cosmetic procedure fantasies/realities that different people have.
What makeup or body products give you that smell of nostalgia? Like take you back to HS or a trip or certain time in life. For me, it’s Gap Dream for HS and BBW Pearberry when I was a German exchange student, both in the ’00s.
Hey Christine!
I would be interested to know if anyone ever made their own makeup or thought about it? What they would like to create?
And what are people’s favorite multitask products? Like a product that they use as blush-lipstick-eyeshadow?
Also does anyone use eyeshadow pigments as blush?
Which eyeshadow palette would you buy a back up of and why