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What will make you return a product?
These days, it’s usually if it’s broken or if they sent the wrong shade.
— Christine
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When something is broken or the wrong shade, okay. Other than that I try to make anything work and only buy after thorough research.
Broken product or defect (i.e. a palette arrived in the mail and upon opening it, all of the pans fell out and my floor was a mess of pigments). With my buys the past couple of years, it’s either a brand I’m loyal to or I have done my research. I don’t buy-to-try and thanks to the reviews on here, I don’t buy duds.
Oh, I’ve got a few good reasons!
1.) An unexpected allergic reaction.
2.) Worse quality than I was expecting (this one doesn’t really happen much anymore, thanks to this blog!).
3.) The shade looks really awful or unflattering on me once I see it in “normal” everyday lighting and without an SA fawning over how great it looks on me!
4.) Lastly, would be if the item was shipped to me and arrived broken or the wrong shade.
Usually it’s a quality issue — promised one thing, got something far less.
That would be my issue as well. I research the heck out of everything so I know what I want.
With skincare any sort of reaction. With makeup, broken packaging or significant defects (crazy fallout, etc). I tend to be more forgiving of makeup.
Base products that don’t match (though I try really hard to get it right), egregious quality issues, or if product is not as expected/ described (ex: Becca Prismatic Amethyst)
What was wrong with the becca amethyst?jc
It was supposed to be a lavender duo-chrome, and their description says it’s holographic and iridescent… but it’s just pink! It’s a nice pink, but still just a shimmery, cool pink.
Thanks Julia good to know. I was very tempted but ordered hippo from Colourpop instead which is a lot cheaper.
I returned the Becca Amethyst for the exact same reason. Just wasn’t what they described it as.
This is one of my issues with Limited Edition, limited supply products…there isn’t time or resources available yet to do any research and make knowledgeable purchases. I know I have returned more Limited Edition products than permanent for just this reason.
Unfortunately, the only time I even CAN return a product is when it is damaged or if they sent me the wrong item. Return policies are much more strict in my country as compared to the US.
I rarely return anything.If I do, it is bc it is broken or it is the wrong color like with a foundation. I swatch in the store and read multiple reviews so I know what I’m getting into. Plus I don’t think I’m the pickiest critic so I like most things I buy. It would have to be pretty terrible and have to be some fluke that I didn’t know before buying for me to drive the 45 minutes for a return
I return products that do not perform. If I buy a pricey palette that has poor pigmentation/blendability, it’s goin’ back. Same with all makeup that is high end. I am so done with being gouged for products that just aren’t at all living up to the hype. And of course anything that irritates my skin, but that is rare. I’m not unreasonable, I have 9 Viseart palettes, and I use some very seldom because there are just other colours that float my boat more, but that’s on me, they ALL perform beautifully and remain in my collection.
I agree with you holly, I refuse to keep expensive products if they are terrible, very tired of all the hype for something that isn’t good.
It’s it’s damaged, if it’s not what I ordered, and if it doesn’t work as advertised/not pigmented.
I won’t use the bacteria laden testers so when I purchase an item I am hoping for the best. Return foundation if the color oxidizes or doesn’t perform after a few hours. Return eye shadow if it won’t blend or the color looks nothing like in the pan – although i tend to buy TF eye quads and they are great. lipsticks if the color looks different on vs bullet or oxidizes. blush if the color doesn’t look like the pan or oxidizes. so in summary: if the color ozidizes, performance lacking or if i have a reaction (have reacted to eye products and skin products). they should provide sanitary testers to reduce returns.
Trying to be helpful, can you ask for samples of products so that you can try before you buy. I do not like trying on the display testers in Sephora and have asked for samples to try at home. I know this does not work with everything, but maybe foundations, etc.
I bought hourglass ambient powder online with in store pickup and it was broken so I returned it for new. That’s the only makeup I’ve returned. I am going to return a curling iron which is sad it’s so nice but just doesn’t perform.
I rarely return anything, but when I do it’s because of:
1) Poor quality.
2) I received a damaged or wrong item.
3) Poor color match for foundations, etc.
4) Allergic or sensitive skin reaction.
5) Foundation, blush, and other face products that oxidize on me, even over primer.
I wouldn’t even call it a return if I receive a product broken or in the wrong shade. It’s just getting what I paid for. I rarely return, and when I do it’s because a product is absolutely awful. Bad enough that I simply can’t use it. So it doesn’t happen very often.
I’m pretty much the same- broken or wrong product. I don’t end up having to return a lot otherwise as when it comes to skincare or base products I usually get a sample to see how my skin reacts given the medications I’m on have made it even more sensitive than it already was.
I’ve rarely had a product break or the wrong one sent to me, but in those circumstances, I would definitely return. I just returned a lip matte from Chantecaille in Suzy. I had to take a chance on it; they didn’t have a tester available and so I took a chance. I should have stuck with my gut on the color being too washed out for me, but since I couldn’t make it work without altering the color significantly I returned it. I hate returning products I’ve tested since they get destroyed, but in some cases it’s necessary. I try to test before buying if there’s a question, but it’s not always possible.
Fragrance or flavoring in lipstick or gloss, dry consistency in any facial product, except powder, of course:), stinging sensations in any makeup product, weird smell.
Gummy moisturizers, bad smell, not into expired products.
If it is broken or a foundation that is completely off.
After working in cosmetics and seeing how some women use testers, I refuse to use them on myself! So if I buy and the color doesn’t work for me or quality is crap, I will return a product and exchange for something else!
I don’t think i’v EVER returned a makeup product?
It’s not as hard as europe, but not as easy as america, here to return products.
I feel too anxious and scared to return products LOL. So I’ll try and give to friends, or do blog sales!!!
Usually only if I get a bad reaction or if something about it is broken.
If something gives me an allergic reaction to it and if I spent more than just a couple dollars to buy it.
Wrong product
Damaged product
I often order more than one item of the same product if it is LE, so I have More when I like it and can return if I do not need backups
In Germany it is really hard to return used products even if it irritates your skin and you cannot use it. But I would return it if it was possible. But my mom saves money because she gets all the creams I cannot use now.
I don’t – I give products I don’t want to friends and/or family.
I would, like you said, return if they sent the wrong thing or it was broken. I’ve never returned anything yet though. But it’s funny that you asked this question right now, when I had just ordered the Stila Heaven’s Hue highlighter online w/o seeing swatches & when it came I was so disappointed in how much glitter was in it. So I plan on returning it. I will never use it & I think if they had better swatches (or ANY) swatches I wouldn’t have ordered it. And I think it’s ridiculous that I be stuck w/ a $30+ highlighter that I’ll never use.
It’s pretty difficult to return a makeup product here, especially one that has been opened and tested. I’ve had a few lipsticks break fairly soon after purchase and Clinique gave me a new one, but Dior would not. And you wouldn’t be able to return an eyeshadow palette or a foundation.
If the product had a terrible odor. Or if the consistency was very different from usual. If it was broken or seemed used and I have had that happen
Basically, if I’m not ever going to use it.
I don’t return many things, but the main reason is bad match for my skin tone. This is either because I bought online and colour didn’t turn out as expected or I bought in store and the colour didn’t suit me in more natural light. One foundation. One lipstick, which I traded for a better colour, so not a real refund.
Once I returned a Clinique foundation cuz it smelled rancid at first opening.
Because of you, I don’t return unless defective. I shop online almost always and can’t stand the thought that I may receive a previously returned item. I research before purchasing and check your reviews and swatches.
I barely order on website, like to go physically shopping instead especially beauty items unless I’m alradycsure if a brand then I’ll place an order. Receiving it broken, having the minimal reaction to something, too light especially eyes shadows without any punch to it, too dry. I hardly return items concerned on our landfill full of junk.
Definitely if something is damaged or the incorrect product. I typically do much research before purchasing a product. However, I think sometimes you must use it before you truly know how it will work for you. I am pretty good at making most things work, but there are a couple things that will cause me to return.
1 – if I have a reaction to the product (I have found that, sometimes, even if I sample a product first, the sample does not last long enough to really see how it will treat my skin. This is more related to skin care rather than makeup.
2 – if there is just no way to make the product work for my face/look. This is related to makeup. If I see a color that looks beautiful on someone, even similar to my own skin type/tone, it has not always meant it will look great on me.
Other than these two things, besides damaged or incorrect products, I will try my best to make the item work!!
I rarely return things — in fact I’ve probably done it a half-dozen times in a dozen years. Defective products (eyeliners dried out right out of the package, twist-up or click products that … don’t, etc), a formula so poor that it’s unusable, wrong color, received broken (too broken to fix or bother with). I think that would be it. A couple of those have never happened to me, but I would return if they did.