What was the last product you purchased that exceeded your expectations?
NABLA Beyond Jelly lipsticks! I feel like this type of formula is hard to get right but NABLA did it!
— Christine
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The whole Jones Road Beauty line. I wasn’t sure what to expect but the products are fabulous. Some have a learning curve like the foundation and miracle balm. But once you get familiar, the products are impressive. Clean and reasonably priced too
The new ColourPop pressed powder highlighters in Cold One and Spotlight. The formula is an urban makeup myth, an updated version that’s better than the original! It gives a luminous glow without glitter, shimmer or sparkle and CP finally included pale shades with actual neutral (Cold One) and cool (Spotlight) undertones; a win-win for this pale vampire! I can’t stop raving about them
You’re right, Christine, they are amazing! Luz and Nocturna are my favourite shades!
Algenist Eye Balm. I got a small jar as a Sephora Points Perk and went back 2 days later to get 2 more little jars. Once there’s a VIB sale, I’ll definitely purchase the full sized jar because it’s marginally less pricey than the Clarins eye cream I’ve used for years (reformulated and a price hike a few years ago) and I really, really like it!
MAC MACStack Superstack mascara. Makes my lashes look so long and full. Love it!
Fenty Glow Universal gloss bomb, never though i would love it.
Two Chanel products that I very recently bought immediately come to mind:
• Rouge Allure Velvet in the shade Intemporelle (Possibly my favorite lipstick ever!)
• No. 5 Eau Premiere (I was surprised by how much I love this perfume because I don’t like original No. 5.)
I have a theory that today’s No. 5 Eau Premiere is the actual No. 5 from the 1950s and 1960s. That the reason people don’t like No. 5 is because they changed it (like they do most perfumes, to make them cheaper to manufacture).
Interesting take, but vintage No. 5 definitely had different notes vs. Eau Premiere, including civet, oakmoss, and patchouli.
MAC Magic Extension mascara… mascaras are usually are meah to me, they work and that’s it. I was surprised how much volume it gives me without making my lashes spidery. And it lasts all day without smudging.
Dior Dior Perfect Cushion Foundation. I have used a previous iteration of the Dior cushion and wasn’t super impressed. I saw this one on an Indie website and they were having a sale at the time. I also liked that it came in more than two shades, although still not enough and no darker shades at all. I picked up 01 as they were out of 00. I can make 01 work for me but really would have liked 00. I have to keep checking back for a restock. The previous cushion went to cakey almost immediately and there was no way to do a light enough application without it catching on my dry skin. This time around, they seem to have gotten the consistency right and I have had just a tiny amount of caking on my upper lip where my skin is really dry. Once I new how it was going to perform, I just use the air puff and once I have done my whole face, I spray the air puff with Fix + and pat it over and that seems to work. It lasts a long time on me and while some hate fragrance in makeup, I have always loved the Dior scent. If I have a choice I will get fragrance free but I would rather have a floral or vanilla scent than a chemical scent.
Having said all that about the Dior cushion, I have other cushions that work just as well and at much cheaper price points so while I would love to pick up the lighter shade to try, I won’t be disappointed if I don’t find it.
Sydney Graces valentine day palette! Bought it on clearance on impulse but never particularly was drawn to the color story before buying it. Now that I have it, I’m so into it! Pretty grungy shades with fun variety
All of my purchases from Glossgods Cosmetics, Swedish indie brand, have blown me away. I’ve tried New Neutrals, Dancing in the Sky & The Color of Rain. Their multichrome and foiled shades literally make me gasp out loud at their beauty. Like Pat McGrath
MAC’s Fleur Power blush – absolutely gorgeous. It was my first MAC blush purchase and whilst some of my blush buys have been OK, some have been disappointing. But this one is easy to apply, spreads evenly over my cheeks and lasts for the whole day.
Hourglass Unlocked Satin Creme Lipstick in Cypress has become my most comfortable, flattering MLBB lipstick. I had been hearing many positives concerning the formula, bought just that one. And it has risen to the top as a shade that really enhances my lips without drying them out or wearing off too quickly. My only “complaint” is that it is a VERY red heavy shade selection. Like, literally every tone of red you can think of, or so it seems to me!
I found myself near a Sephora and wandered and remembered I loved an Ilia lip conditioner shade Arabian Knights. Now it’s called Wanderlust. It’s got my love and attention again. Such a rich and pretty berry shade. I prefer the non flat bullet thus has now. Somehow the flat bullet seems cheesy to me. Oh well the shade works !
The Charlotte Tilbury Super Nudes Easy Eye palette exceeded my expectations. I like the quality and especially the cooler toned shades are beautiful. I use the bone color shade all the time in conjuction with other eyeshadow palettes to blend the edges near my browbone. The last products that positively surprised me but I did not intentionally purchase, were the Charlotte Tilbury Legendary lashes vol 2 mascara (received in a mystery box and expected to dislike but ended up loving) and the Dior Lip maximizer (received a travel size as a gift at the Dior counter) which doesn’t make my lips appear any fuller, but gives hydration and comfort, and is such a quick way to look more put together. I certainly consider picking this up in full size once my no buy ends.
Lancome Lash Idole mascara. I kind of knew that it would be good, I’ve so far not met a mascara from Lancome that wasn’t good.
This one is great, it suits me perfectly from the brush to the formula that gives me volume, can be built up, lasts all day, doesn’t transfer.
Of course at the cost, it should be good.
I will probably repurchase unless the YSL mascara I have lined up to try next is even better.