I seriously can’t remember the last beauty-related item I returned. I am notoriously bad at returning things, so it’s not surprising because I probably haven’t returned anything in sometime!
— Christine
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Diorshow mascara. I was terribly allergic.
Before that it was a YSL lipstick. Also allergic.
Bad luck I guess.
Nars blush in Luster. It didn’t show up on me at all!
3 things but they were part of a gift:
– NARS Niagara lipstick. (Very pretty colour, but disappointing!)
– NARS Heatwave lipstick. (Almost identical to Jungle Red on my lips).
– Ole Henriksen’s Ultimate Eye Gel. (So much for that blonde woman with all the children claiming it was how she got the Botox look! *snort*)
Diorshow mascara and a Dior nail polish. I liked the mascara when the MUA used it on me, but as the day went on it flaked and started to irritate my eyes. I found a dupe for the polish from YSL and it came with another color, so it was a better deal.
I can’t even recall. The last cosmetic product I remember returning was in 2004, lol, and it was returned/exchanged because the SA gave me the wrong shade. I don’t return cosmetics because most of the time there’s no need.
I returned a MAC select coverup concealer in february. it worked perfectly, but something happened when I took it off that caused my skin to turn red and burn. the funny thing is that after returning that, I got frustrated and bought a $1 ELF concealer to hold me over until I could find another one, and I’m happy with that one. I guess products not working can turn out well sometimes.
I am not sure about the return policy here in Hong Kong so I never returned any products yet in my experience. 🙁
i returned cover girl’s 24 mascara. it lasted about 3 hours and it smudged. people, 3 hours is not 24 hours.
The Quite Cute mineralized blush in Giggly. Crappy pigmentation…
I don’t know if I’ve ever returned a beauty product, other than bringing empties Back to Mac.
Smashbox’s Photo Finish Foundation Primer. The (somewhat unfriendly) MUA recommended the Light version but must have mistakenly put in the original. I really don’t like silicone-y primers and returned it, deciding to spurge on Korres’ Mattifying Primer later on. It was a good exchange. 🙂
LOVE Korres primer and it lasts forever. Smashbox primer breaks me out, even the Light version. When I returned it, I accidentally went to the rude Sephora and they were all “It NEVER breaks anyone out”
the last thing i returned was the mac prime + prep it irritated my skin
A Clinique Mascara that did nothing at all, not even with curling my lashes. Before that the Illamasqua cream shadow quad that creased regardless of what I did.
Tomorrow I returning MAC’s Reel Sexy lipstick. It just doesn’t look good with my lips. I might do an exchange, instead for another shade.
In Australia we aren’t allowed to return any beauty product, even if it’s unopened. I lived it up when I was in the US knowing I could return products I didn’t like, rather than here where I have drawers full of foundations that are the wrong colour or eyeshadows that are just awful.
Hey, I’ve returned things in Australia quite a few times, usually because I’ve been colour matched wrongly, the sales assisstant has chosen the wrong skin care for my skin type or for a reaction. I don’t think they will exchange for change of mind but MAC, Chanel, Clinique and Priceline have all been very nice about it 🙂
I don’t think that we could return beauty products in the UK either. Unopened and unused can be returned though usually only for exchange/store credit no refund. But if it’s been opened you’re stuck with it due to hygiene reasons and the fact that they can’t resell it. That’s what I’ve always thought were the rules here, but maybe I’m wrong. I’ve got so much stuff I’ve bought and it’s rubbish/wrong colour 🙁
You can return most things unopened with an in-date receipt unless it states otherwise on the receipt. I think if you have say an allergic reaction or if something doesn’t do what it says on the tin you can get a refund under your statutory rights. If only we could get refunds for just not liking something!
An Estee Lauder assistant told me products can be returned at Myer if you have a reaction to them. Also I have returned a MAC product at DJs that was incorrectly colour matched (it was unused though and I exchanged it the next day). Australia is rubbish for buying cosmetics and skincare… they are expensive and your return options are limited.
I figured you would return all the crappy makeup products, to have more room for awesome ones 😛
It was actually a brush not product. The Sephora Platnium large powder brush #41. It was rusted around the ferrule on the bristle side when I bought it before I even used it.. I didn’t notice it until I opened it too 🙁
MAC sculpting duel powder, it was a while back maybe two years ago
Mac Mineralize Eye Shadow in Shimmermint (holiday 2011). It was broken!! 😛
I returned 2 Wet n’ Wild trios to Rite Aid last year.
NARS Pro-Prime with SPF 35. Slid right off of my face and I usually adore NARS products.
The last thing i returened was the Tarte 12 hour foundation, i returned because it only lasted around 6 on my oily skin.
What foundation are you using instead, if you don’t mind me asking? My skin is super policy and 6-hour staying power actually sounds pretty great. So if you’re using something that lasts longer, I’d love to know what it is :]
I found that to be true also. I was surprised it didn’t last me my entire 8 hour day. I’m using MAC Prolong Wear and it lasts well past 12 hours for me.
Diorshow blackout mascara. I wanted to get the original diorshow but accidentally got blackout. So actually that was an exchange…
But in the same trip, I returned urban decay face primer. Actually that was also an exchange for the hourglass veil mineral primer. gah
WELL I returned the MUFE 12 Flash Color Case because I never got any use out of it, and for $99, I didn’t think it was worth it
MAC nail lacquer in Play Day, because even if the color was just gorgeous, the formula was hideous. After five coats it was still streaky and semi-sheer, and the application of another coat always pulled on the one below… Deepest of hates!!
Mac pink popcorn lipstick, it looks so beautiful in the tube, but once you put it on, it is the most generic color I have ever owned. Tryed to make it work, but I just wasn’t what I was expecting.
MAC Dangerous Cuvee paint pot (from the Cham-Pale collection) was the last item (and the only item I can recall returning in decades) that I returned as it was just too sheer and had that chunky sort of glitter that just didn’t look nice or make it work as a base for other shadows. I check out cosmetic purchases pretty carefully so don’t need to return much (though some things I order online aren’t to my liking but are too much trouble or impossible to return – MAC’s Early Morning blush is an example – sold out in store and I’d only seen swatches online; I’d never have bought it “in store” had I had a chance to see it but returning it was just too much trouble).
thats the last thing I returned too! I did one swatch and was like nope, absolutely not, going back. thats what I get for buying online though…
We can’t return in the UK (which I’m happy about. Excuse my ignorance but I’ve always wondered what the store then does – reshelf for someone else to buy even though it’s been used and some product is missing :S), I returned a shirt this morning if that counts xP
In the US I know that Sephora actually throws away any used, returned products. Can’t be resold for hygienic reasons
I believe that the returned product is discarded. That’s what they always say, anyway (I think if they resold it, you could sue them citing unhygienic reasons). I wouldn’t feel bad for the companies losing profit, though — in the makeup industry, the production costs are much much lower than the sale prices. (Enormous margins!)
The returned products, if used, get destroyed. It’s a waste, but they don’t get sold to other people.
MAC Blacktrack Gel Eyeliner. It was all dried out!
i can’t return beauty products in my country due to hygiene issues, i guess. if i don’t like a product i think it is not an argument to return it, i guess i have to stick with it and move on. in some cases if you really fight for your point a view with a store responsible it might turn to your favor but just because in the good name of the store.
but the first (and only time because they are expensive for portuguese people) i bought a MAC lipstick, the girl gave me the wrong shade so i was super scared that they couldn’t exchanged it to the right one!
Bare Minerals/Bare Escentuals foundation. They still don’t have a hold on the proper colors for most women of color.
I just returned some eyeshadow yesterday. When I took it out of the box and opened it, there were fingerprints in the eyeshadows! There are testers, yet someone decided to open a new one, swatch it, and then put it back in a box? Eeew.
This happened to me with a drugstore.com order. Someone clearly swatched the lip product I ordered as there was a finger print on the lipstick. Drugstore refunded my money and I didn’t have to return the product – which was nice. But I won’t be purchasing makeup from drugstore.com again.
Just yesterday, I returned a MAC Extra Dimension eyeshadow in “Modern Pewter.” The colour is beautiful, but pulls WAY too green on me and looks very unflattering on my skin tone. Loved the colour and texture, just not for me.
Maybelline Dream Nude Airfoam foundation. I keep trying to find a drugstore foundation that I can work with. I can’t seem to find something that will match me. A lot of foundations that are close end up being too orange. That’s exactly what happened with this foundation. I looked like Snooki from the Jersey Shore.
Swedish stores don’t have returning policies as far as I’m concerned.
The last and maybe only product I returned was one of the first “plumping” lipglosses. I can’t even remember the brand now. I don’t think they make it anymore. It simply didn’t work.
Sadly it was a YSL glossy stain, the color wasn’t good for my skin tone and the stain stayed on my lips for like 2 hours max!
Revlon’s Orange Flip, just couldn’t take the smell and taste – such a shame because the price was good and the color is beautiful.
Nars foundation in Mont Blanc. Too dark for me and then Siberia was too yellow. Ended up switching over to MUFE.
I’m sad to have returned this one, because its proceedings go to a good cause, but I had to return Viva Glam Nicki. It just really dried up my lips and accentuated every single line on them.
laura mericer tinted moisturizer and too faced anti featherling lip liner.
the tinted moisturizer made my skin even drier and the lip pencil didnt do anything to stop my lipstick from bleeding
Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation Mattifying Oil Free in Porcelain – I actually liked the finish and staying power, but, boy, did I look sick after applying this foundation! Jaundice Queen!
The Urban Decay Revolution Lash Curler. It was recalled, but I held onto it because I didn’t see any issues with it …until it chopped off half of my eyelashes!!!! Ugh! Always listen to recalls warnings. I was surprised that the recall was not more publicized. I learned about it through my employer (Sephora).
I didn’t hear ANYTHING about this!
Ugh I returned that curler too. It sucked!
I enjoyed the cage-free design, but the actual curling capability was less than desired. I hope your lashes were spared!
I wondered why that product disappeared so quickly after it was released! Thanks for that info!
Yeah, I think the product was only out for less than a year. I tried to do some online sleuthing when I learned that the curler was getting recalled, but I found NOTHING about it. I’m so shocked that Urban Decay wasn’t better about reaching out to their customers about this. Growing back bluntly cut lashes is no fun. I felt like I needed to wear falsies everyday to cover up the glaring lack of lashes on just one of my eyes. If you know anyone that owns one, please tell them to return it! All Sephora’s should know about the recall, and their return policy is so good that you should have no hassle returning the used curler.
Stories like this is why I’ve been scared to use an eyelash curler…never owned one. Yikes.
Boscia pore strips back to Sephora – I used one strip and the only thing that it took off was the skin from my nose. Seriously, my nose hurt and was sensitive for days. There was no way I was going to pay for that type of injury. I’ve never had that experience with Biore pore stips that you get at the drug store.
Maybelline Bouncy Blush. I loved the texture, but it just did not show up on me. The color I had was Hot Tamale. My skin is around Mac NW50.
It didn’t show up on me, either — and I’m NW25
Same here…NC20. I actually hesitated because the color is so vibrant in the pan, but no luck. 🙁
Returning my Perfection Lumeire tomorrow because it is very wrong on my skin, they’re going to rematch me.
My Stila Kitten Eyeshadow. It was the second one because my first one cracked and I didn’t do anything to it and the same thing happened with the second one.
It is superrrr crumbly- I have it in two palettes and it’s the only color I like in either, but I can’t even de-pot (de-palette?) them because I know they’ll disintegrate instantly. I need to buy a Kitten dupe!
A few months ago I returned the Lancome green petal gloss and the one of the new Buxom cream glosses. Couldn’t stand the smell/taste of the Lancome and the Buxom wasn’t the right color and settled into lip lines. What a shame, I was was really looking forward to both 🙁
I returned a Clinique lipstick in Guava Stain to Sephora last week. It was a lovely color but it smelled so strongly of crayons! My other Clinique lipsticks don’t have any scent so I think it must’ve been old stock.
Before that, I returned a Tarte Lipsurgence pencil when they first came out. Maybe I was allergic to an ingredient; they’re described as being super moisturizing but made my lips dry up and peel.
all old lipsticks I have smell of crayons. that’s when I know I have to toss them. I havea discontinued lipliner whose shade I love and can’t find another exact match. A few days ago I realized it smelled heavily of crayons. I haven’t put it in the trash yet, but will. Sigh.
So jealous that you can return stuff! Can’t in Ireland and it can be quite frustrating, especially if you’re mislead by a sales assistant! That’s why it takes a lot for me to fork out on something, as once I do I’m stuck with it!
It’s such a shame that in my country you can’t return even new product. I would probably return Essence eyeshadow base, because I realized it was opened when I came home. Also, I would return MAC Creme d’ Nude lipstick, just too pale and too sheer in my opinion. Don’t look really nice on lips.
I just returned a few things to mac! Pink Cult blush, Lovecloud Blush and Watch me simmer Lipstick! All just looked like things I already had and I figured I didn’t need anymore.
T3 hot rollers from Sephora! My $40 hot rollers from Conair worked so much better than these $110 ones!
which ones do you like? I’m looking for hot rollers and had been eyeing the T3 ones. I had ones from Conair that worked well for over 15 years (a holiday gift when I was 10) and then one day someting must have gone wrong eternally as they quick charging)
you can’t return beauty prducts where i live..
though a while ago i ordered from H&M online and i recived a used lipbalm (with yucky fingerprints & hairs in ..)So yeah i did return that one with a complaint. (and was given a new one & my money back..)
ewwwww that’s horrible!! How could they “accidentally” sell used lip products?! 😮
That is foul!!! Good for you for returning AND complaining. That is inexcusable. Go Nicole.
a bunch of items i got as gifts. I love my family members but they’re so clueless! just get me a gift card please!!!
Recently I returned a Guerlain Terracotta Sun Shimmer Highlighting Blush (Sunny Pink). It received rave reviews on the net but I couldn’t make it work… guess I need to work on my skills.
Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Light – it was too heavy for me. So much for “light” 🙂
CLINIQUE EVEN BETTER SERUM
I returned clinique clinical dark spot corrector because it didn’t do anything for me. I don’t think I have returned any makeup because I tend to research before I buy. That’s why beauty blogs, especially this one, are so awesome. 🙂 Thanks!
I’m a cronic non-returner. I usually try to give a product 3-4 chances and by then I feel horrible trying to reutrn it. I usualy just swap it out at that point (via MUA). I did feel extremely tempted to return Urban Decay De-Slick setting spray, and it was $30 for 4 oz and didn’t control oil at all.
I have a tendency to hold on to things but in this instance I did not; A MAC 182 Kabuki brush that was shedding. The in-store associate couldn’t have been nicer and gave me a new one that’s still holding up beautifully, even with daily cleaning.
The last thing I returned was the Urban Decay eyelash curler that was cage free. It pulled out too many lashed. I noticed Sephora isn’t even carrying it anymore… I am not surprised!
I return everything I do not like. Sephora is great with returns!!!!!
Last thing I returned was to NARS, the Silent Night shadow. The gold flecks were just horrible. Fall out city with no way to help it from happening. Also before that I returned the Evil Eye Quad from MAC because of the terrible products that were the shadows. And it sucked because they were such great colors in the pan.
some of you guys are gonna kill me because it was so difficult to find but the last item I returned was Laura Mercier Rose Rendezvous highlighter. Beautiful product both in the pan and skin but honestly lasted for 2-3 on my skin. So disappointed.
2-3 hours*
nars orgasm blush!i tried it on at sephora and it looked so good on me so i bought it and the next day i used it and it didn’t show up on me at all!which was weird,sephora lighting is so tricky,so i exchanged it for the nars angelika blush love it!
I wish we could return makeup in Australia! I certainly would have returned a couple of foundation and concealer purchases that didn’t work out. There have been a few other products I’ve tried that have been total duds for me (felt tip liner pen, smudgy mascaras, sunscreens that broke me out, products with a fragrance I’m allergic to) which would be nice to be able to return, since they otherwise end up in the trash. I think I would probably be a little more adventurous with trying new products if I could return things. : /
Clinique tinted moisturizer because it was definitely not my color !
Laura Mercier Bonne Mine Palette…I wanted to love it, but the colors are awful for cool fair skinned girls like me. The highlighter looked like a bronzer on me! That and it made my skin turn red. 🙁
Urban Decay Naked Palette. I read wonderful things about it everywhere, but it certainly didn’t work for me. I don’t think I’ve ever had an allergic reaction to makeup (that I can remember), but my eyelids and lower lash line got red and felt like they were burning. I don’t know if it was the UDPP or the shadows themselves, but I couldn’t get them off fast enough.
I felt bad about returning such a large item, but there’s no way I could ever have worn it. My eyes still burn two days later. I can’t say that I was dazzled by the collection anyway; I couldn’t believe the fallout.
prep + prime line filler. I purchase to prevent under eye creasing. Total fail because it works just like my shadow primers, bare minerals eye primer and UDPP.
I don’t feel bad returning makeup because if it crappy why should I pay for crappy products. I also hate when you ask for a sample sometimes they act like they don’t want to give you a legit enough sample to be able to make a decision on if you would like it or not so since they want to act that way I will buy it used it and if I don’t like it I will return it. Now don’t you think it is simple to just give the samples out instead of us buying the full item and returning it…. Also drugstore items are a hit and miss so you have to gamble and since I have to do that if it does not work it is going back. I took an NYX glitter eye shadow palette back because it was glitter only on top and after that it was just cream shadow.
I just sent back the MAC Mineralize foundation. I bought it online based on all the rave reviews on YT, but it just didn’t work for me. I was excited because the color was spot on (how often does that happen in the first try??) but it just sat on the skin weird and would get cakey after a while, no matter how little I used. I think I was using the wrong kind of brush or something. I exchanged it for my tried and true studio fix. I also recently returned two different NYX eyebrow kits to Ulta. I tried two different colors, but both were horrible. The colors were super dark and I just couldn’t get them to work. I’ll just stick with my Charcoal Brown from MAC. ;D
Since when can you return products because you don’t like them? I don’t get it… you bought it and if it doesn’t work, well bad luck. Stores here don’t allow returns unless the product is faulty or the seal was already broken.
The only product I returned was an Australis eyeliner that had snapped when I opened it.
In some countries, that is not the policy. Why should it be your bad luck? How often do stores have inadequate lighting? How often are we purchasing online? What if you have a reaction to a product? What if the product is just not performing well? Makeup has one of the largest price markups as an industry – brands can afford returns. There are very few people who are habitual returners who abuse return policies.
Thank you Christine!!! Cosmetics and skin care are, in my opinion, very high cost items for the 0.01 to 0.5 oz you get for many items. If I have an allergic reaction; if it is not performing as it was advertised to get me to buy it; if the color in the swatch on the monitor is completely off from what I receive… knowing different monitors read colors differently; and the retailer has a no question return policy to entice customers to purchase at their store…since I live in a small town 12 hours (in summer weather) round trip from a beauty supply store…I’ll make the returns…that is the policy that the store has made. I also choose to pay more at a store with a return policy if it is a new item and I don’t know if I will be allergic, etc. FYI, I tend to buy at Sephora who are huge on-line and have stores all over the US…so clearly the returns are not putting them out of business. If they don’t want to take that risk, it is the retailer who sets there policies and who can change them if it affects their bottom line.
If you don’t agree, don’t make returns, but kindly don’t judge people who do when you are not aware of the reasons.
FYI, if I buy something that I am not allergic to and is as advertised and I just don’t like the color…I keep it and I don’t repurchase that item or color, so I’m not abusing the policies.
I didnt buy from a story but i bought it offline and that would have to be Chaz Dean’s Wen haircare system. It wasnt because the product was bad, its bacause the company and the people who work for Dean ARE horrible!! Extremely rude customer service , rude reps, and rude managers. Not to mention they pretty much rob you blind..if you ever think of ordering anything offline from them, be prepared to cancel your debit/credit card cause they will rape the crap out of it! Yeah thats right, they have that secret auto memebership BS thing going on. Everytime i got online and looked at my account…30 to 40 something was taken out and another box would be on its way. Why would i need another box when i just got the first one?
The way they have it planned is: You should be done with first box in a bout of month or so (meaning using it EVERYDAY) so by the time your new shipment gets there you can go ahead and use it. ugh no!! I dont wash my hair every day, that would do more damage then good, I already have dry hair so why would i want to make it drier? So in the end i sent it back, canceled my card and havent looked back sense.
O i also returned the china glaze magnetic polish that i picked up from ulta..them bad boys were 10 dollars each yet sally’s had them going on sale for 6.97? Got two for just 12 something.
mascara mascara and mascara….mostly revlon & physicians formula… a few maybeline…i like rimmel for drugstore mascaras
I bought the loreal version of the lancome hypnose. I hate hate the ball looking brush. I would so return it if I could.
I usually love Make Up For Ever but I bought their shadow number 304 and I really wish I had returned it. For one of their shadows it is way under pigmented.
buxom lip gloss. loved the formula not the tingle
The new buxom gloss it wad so thick
I returned the MUFE HD foundation. It was just slightly too pink on my skin and seemed to flake on the dry parts of my skin. Even though I have no problems with ‘cones, something in the foundation didn’t play well with my skin so I broke out a bit. I was going to try something else but the sales lady was just so rude and condescending that I didn’t end up buying anything! (I would have complained but she was the manager)
Maybelline Illegal Lengths…formula was too dry…
I sure have.If I dont like it and wont use it I return it for a better product.Lancome’s foundation was the last think I exchanged for Estee Lauder’s.
I just returned one of those magnetic nail polish at sephora. $16 and didn’t work! Booooo
Color stay powder.. I wish drugstore brands come up with testers..
I wish I returned my Sibu face products. so allergic to them 🙁
Nars waterproof liner in Nude. The formula isn’t at all what I expected, coverage was streaky.
LMDB holiday polish set. the formulas were such a huge dissapointment
Mac studio fix powder broke out really bad…
Peter Thomas Roth’s new Laser Retexture scrub thing. DId n’t do a darn thing but felt like I was rubbing my face with grainy vaseline.
Nars sheer matte foundation
I hardly ever return anything. Last thing was a MUFE lipstick–because I bought it not realizing I already owned it. Oops! (It looked really different under the store’s lighting!)
We can’t return cosmetics in the UK but if I could I would have returned my Clinique foundation that made me look like an orange.
Sephora’s Pantone stuff. I’m too pale for it.
Clinique’s Even Better foundation – broke out like crazy from the first time wearing it. The color match was so good too 🙁
Uuumm. NYX glitter crap, haha.
MAC’s PRO LONG WEAR FOUNDATION.
MAC’s Mineralize powder and blush. Broke out like a hormonal teenager
Benefits Watts Up highlighter
Lancome’s eye cream @ $68 it runs into your eyes. I even put a small amt. It still burned my eyes. Rtnd’ to NORDSTROM I only buy my good makeup there. Great return policy no ?’s asked.
Buxom lipstick the ones that twist up. It stung my lips so bad. I don’t like those plumping products.
Smashbox lipstick. It was an impulse buy – I came home and realized there was nothing special about it to worth $19. I also bought this silicone pad thingy that a blogger raves about it for $5 at sephora and it is such a waste. – -“
MUFE foundation… It was the wrong shade.
I wish we could return cosmetics here in Singapore! You guys in the US are so lucky. I would have returned Bobbi Brown’s Extra Eye Cream. It was too rich for my eyes.
I returned the YSL new lip stain. What a stinky bunch of crap! Not impressed with the lasting power, and the smell was intolerable.