What will make you return a product? (If you can’t return in your country, suspend reality and think about what might cause you to return a product if you could!)
If it’s broken, significantly different than described, or really, really horrible.
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Faulty packaging or the product is damaged when I open it.
If I don’t like it or it’s too similar to something I already have, back it goes.
If it causes a reaction such as a breakout, dryness, or oiliness. Also if I test it out in the case of makeup and it doesn’t do what it claims. With skincare I finish products to see if they work eventually.
I can deal with slightly different as long as it still works for me, but if it either doesn’t work with my skin tone or type, it goes back. Or if it just plain sucks.
if it breaks me out
If I find that I am not going to us it for whatever reason.
I will make a return if the product performs much differently than expected in a way which will cause me to never use it, if I have an allergic reaction to it, or if it’s broken. I’ve also been sent the wrong shade before so I definitely returned it to get the right one.
If I don’t like it for whatever reason I return it, simple as that. I spend so much on products in general that I never feel bad about it.
Amen. Perhaps my expectations are too high, but for the sums I buy, I’m very demanding.
What Christine said — I’d usually try to make something work first, but there are certainly exceptions.
Broken ultimately!
Horrible product. Especially if it causes any skin irritation. Or if the product doesn’t live up to its claims.
I only return if it caused an actual medical issue (allergic reaction, significant break out) and products likely to cause reactions are usually in not-swappable formats any way (creams, lip glosses, mascaras). Otherwise if a product does not work for me for a non-medical reason, i prefer to swap.
A product has to be really disappointing or of no use at all to me before I’ll return it. The last product I returned was a Paint Pot from the MAC Champale collection (how many years ago was that?). I am very close to returning the Nars concealer I got a few weeks ago. Even when blended, it look so noticeably yellow on me that it looks like I have jaundice or a skin condition. I’m going to give it a few more tries and if it’s not more of a success, I am going to take it back (perhaps for a different shade or perhaps for a credit). Thanks to Temptalia and Makeup Alley, very, very few of my purchases are not ones I’m thrilled with.
Only allergic reaction. In the UK it’s not possible to return it for any other reason if opened. x
I have actually not returned a product yet…. not ever. But I really genuinely try to keep my collection well-edited and limited to things that I know will perform for me. That, or if it isn’t completely love at first sight, then I look for ways to *make* them work for me. If I really can’t see myself using a product in the long run (rare), or if it is in completely gross condition when I open the box, then I would definitely return.
I’m having this dilemma right now!!! Talk about timing…
Just got my Tom Ford Lip gloss in Sahara Pink. Unfortunately it totally under performed. Too sticky, way too sheer, and settled into lines. This is my first lip gloss from TF and the packaging is LOVELY. The color also looks AMAZING in the tube. However I’m leaning towards returning. I typically never return however at $45 a pop – that’s a bit much to have something pretty sitting on my vanity to collect dust. Good thing I got it from Nordstrom. But I’m so heart broken.
Products that break me out or give me an allergic reaction, foundation with a wrong shade or crappy formula for my skin type. Creasing eyeshadows and color cosmetics with other texture/formula problems like extreme patchiness, fallout, impossible to blend. Basically anything that would reqire an extreme amount of effort to work. I would never, ever return a product just because I didn’t like the shade or finish.
We are not allowed to return products here in Norway and returning pruducts that are shipped from the US is such a hassle that I never do. I have more products that don’t work for me than I actually wear. Like 90% of my lipsticks and 80% of my foundations could be trashed, I just don’t have the heart to do so.
Basically if it’s broken or if it’s fairly expensive and I absolutely hate it.
If I really don’t like something from the drugstore, I usually give it to my mom or friends.
I will return it if its a pricy item that doesn’t perform like it should for the money I paid. I returned the Marc Jacobs Lolita palette for that reason!
I’ve only returned something if it was defective when I opened it at home. For example, I exchanged a UD Naked skin foundation because the pump was broken and the foundation leaked all through the box.
I have nothing against others who return for reasons like the color doesn’t look good on you it doesn’t perform like you think it should; the lax return policies exist for a reason so use them if you want to! I was just brought up to believe that was wasteful. So, I do a lot of research before I buy and find a way to use things up!
Most definitely if it’s broken or defective. But also if it breaks me out or just doesn’t perform well. I didn’t use to return anything at first but my stash is getting too large to hoard stuff I don’t like or use
I will only return a product if I opened it and found it broken or leaking. I will never return a product because the shade is “not for me” or it breaks me out. I remember my retail working experiences and never understood why so many people bought items that they didn’t research or intended to keep. That kind of behavior makes product prices soar because neither consumer or company benefits from returned items.
As a former shop owner (I was the first shop in NYC to carry Urban Decay & Hard Candy when they were still boutique brands ti guve you an idea of my “eye” for things) and cosmetic lover. While it is a pain for the shop owner to be returning items deemed unusable, the cosmetic companies would rather you return than wear or “badmouth” their products because of not liking or worse allergy as there may be many with the same problem so the formula needs to refiined due to an issue that wasn’t there previously. There is also the issue of lighting. What may look good in-store, may look completely different in natural or office lighting. So the answer unfortunately isn’t that cut and dried, and cosmetic companies need to know how their cosmetics are performing. Granted, many are impluse buyers and thats something to avoid as well as being a pain to deal with as a shop owner. But my experience was that people did have legitimate reasons for returning, and those weren’t the only reasons product prices soar, most of the time its simply a case of supply and demand for a hot item that makes the company raise prices to match the “trend” level as well as any key ingredients suddenly soarinng in price. Many things to factor in besides just irresponsible buyers.
I’m aware of all of this! However, based on a lot of the responses and attitudes that I generally witness, I’m still inclined to believe that irresponsible consumers play a much larger role in this issue, in comparison to the consumers who have legitimate reasons for returning items. Companies test their products extensively before their even allowed to enter them into the market. Most brands know how their products appear in all lighting and on various skintones because they are required to. Allergens, I can meet you half-way. I can only go half because it is not difficult to look up an ingredient list. People have become too entitled to play their roles effectively within consumerism and because of this, everyone gets to suffer.
Based on having to jump through hoops to get ingredient lists, I very much disagree that they are easy to get. Conglomerates often do not give them out via phone and require an email or written request – and the response time is 4-6 weeks. I’m not joking. The only way I can get an ingredient list faster than that is by purchasing the product. Occasionally, I try calling the store/counter, but trying to have an associate read the ingredient list over the phone is an exercise in frustration. Many ingredient lists that are available online do not match the ingredient list as printed on the box as well.
Ehh. Well, we will agree to disagree. I have yet to have an issue finding out what I am putting on my skin. I don’t understand how someone could ever rationalize buying an item without knowing all ingredients if they have problematic skin. It does not make sense to me.
Please clarify your statement KGLL, as it seems to me that after explaining my experiences (and sometimes those of others) make me (and those like me) an irresponsible customer; in spite of the fact that we don’t always know what we’re allergic to until we try it.
Christine, that’s insane! And as I mentioned previously, not all of us know what it is we’re allergic to as it can change. Truly a lesson in futility, its like they have us in a chokehold!
I would love to some day see legislation that requires all cosmetic companies to disclose their ingredient lists online – basically, if a brand sells directly or a retailer sells multiple brands (like Sephora), ingredient lists should be mandatory. They should be kept up-to-date (this is a major problem, as yes, some products have ingredient lists – Sephora has a tab and often it contains a list, and I know Nordstrom started to add it) on a regular basis (perhaps “ingredient list as of 4/7/2014:”). The most complete ingredient lists I find are for anything with SPF – because then the copy, including mock-ups of packaging, are sent to FDA and get published online that way.
Christine, yes it would be very helpful if there were complete lists online. However in my case & those of others, if its a new ingredient we have no way of knowing if there is an allergic reaction unless we physically try it. I hate waste, but if I have an allergic reaction I most certainly am bringing said item back. I and others can’t afford to eat the costs involved in some of these things, since prices (even on drugstore items — I noticed on common brands gel liner was a whopping $2 less than Mac, ingredients I know won’t give me an allergic reaction, not to mention that its completely insane to pay that kind of price for a drugstore product!) have gotten so high in general.
I agree that irresponsible buyers factor in quite a great deal. And also the lighting etc, that companies ue to test on various skintones. But we’re all individuals. Take two people, same skintone and lighting and you will nearly always get a different result (minus photoshop or any retouching of course), its just human nature at its most basic. I can vouch for this firsthand as I was at one point a hair/makeup artist for film — it really hit home when I worked with identical twins!
You are incorrect about reading labels and allergies. We don’t always know what our allergies are, nor are they always caused by food (sometimes medicines — allopathic, homeopathic, herbal, etc), we can even be allergic to the very air we breathe. Allergies also can come and go. Ever hear of a kid “outgrowing” an allergy? Or like me, some arrived later in life, others are caused by the hormonal changes due to menopause. And I find new ones all the time. So again another case where it isn’t so cut and dry.
I agree 100% with the blatant consumerism. I choose the word “selffishness” as it seems more a personal matter. I made a vow some years ago to shop secondhand first. I’ve been doing so for nearly 4 decades (made a biz out of my love of vintage at one point) so it comes easy. But the vow was to consciously cut down on my consumerism in *everything* and try my hardest to keep things out of the landfils by (almost wrote “buy” wow talk about irony!) recycling, donating, passing things on, selling where applicable. And you know what? We still have way more than we need, I can afford better quality things when I do need to purchase new, which lasts forever, if not, at least a very long time, usually repairable. Even though I’ve always done it (the thrill of the hunt!) the conscious vow was a huge step and feels great knowing I’m doing a good part of helping to keep consumption levels down and in the process helping our poor battered planet. Those who are selfish will not even open their eyes to see that we’re in trouble and that scares me as its too many and those of us who do care don’t have much of a choice until another freedom is taken and we all are all “forced” make those changes. Wish they’d open their eyes and think of someone else rather than admiring themselves in the mirror!
Actually, on some products it’s pretty hard to read the ingredients list – they are printed in about 2-point type on the back of the labels, which means peeling off the label and using a microscope to see what’s in it.
Additionally, MANY MANY ingredient lists say “MAY CONTAIN” blah…blah…blah. So does it contain it or not?
That still does not take your responsibility away. You are to know what works for you! You have to do the research. Sorry, I have to stand firm in my beliefs, as well.
Ugh those tiny fonts drive me crazy & I actually carry a small magnifying glass to try to be able to read them. And yes, how do we know if a product does or does not contain a product if the label says “may contain”?
You call the company! Why would you even risk purchasing an item that “May contain” an ingredient detrimental to your personal health? Vanity is not a good enough excuse. If you sign a legal binding contract that includes small text that you did not read or fully understand and then you decide to sue the company with the contract, you lose your case. Why? It is your responsibility to know what you agree to and sign. It is also your responsibility to know what you buy.
I agree with Christine and actually just experienced that. I will also return if the product irritates me, was too expensive for what it turned out to be, and lastly if I changed my mind. 🙂
If it’s damaged, I will usually just exchange it for another one. But to actually return a product, I will really need to be unhappy with it. But I typically only return something if it’s more expensive – drugstore items aren’t always worth the trip back to the store.
it’s a pity we can’t return products where i live.
i’ve been matched to wrong foundation shades, so i mean, if i could, i would return it.
alternatively, i would return products that really don’t work out for me (e.g. lack of pigmentation, creases like mad, defective)
I have absolutely no qualms about returning a product. I work too damn hard for my money to keep tangible items I don’t like or will not use. As a woman of color, it is really difficult to know how a product will look on you until you wear it because most mainstream items are not made with diverse complexions in mind. This applies to everything. On Saturday my best friend and I were shopping for nude hosiery. None of the “nude” hosiery complimented our medium brown skin tones. The poor salesclerk tried her best to no avail. Who defines Nude? Same rule applies to makeup, especially drugstore makeup which prevents you for pre swatching. You can have “lists”, do your research, etc till the cows come home. Returns are inevitable. Luckily most retailers understand this. Excuse my rant (lol).
I wish brands would give up defining things as ‘nude’ or ‘flesh toned’. ‘Flesh’ comes in lots of colours, and nude skin comes in lots of colours (also ‘flesh’ is a gross sounding word), so the words are usually too vague to be descriptive.
I’m usually stuck with the opposite problem- ‘nudes’ look obviously dark on me, and foundations and concealers pale enough generally have the wrong undertone (ivory’ is not pink).
More brands should make an effort to show swatches on a range of skin tones, so at least if you order online you have a slightly better chance of knowing what it will look like on.
I’m a little jealous of the seemingly generous return policies in the US. Where I live, you can’t return a beauty product once it has been opened / used. Which is why I have 5 foundations that are too dark for me. If I could, I’d return those, as well as products that give me an allergic reaction.
I’m originally not from the US, so I’m used to the “once you buy it, you can’t give it back” policy. It’s weird but when I first moved to the US, I felt awful about returning products, so I would never do it. I still have a hard time, but now I force myself to do it and I’m getting more comfortable with it. I’m very lucky though that in this country many stores have an amazing return policy.
I’m pretty lazy but will return if damaged product at arrival or if it breaks me out.
If it makes me have an allergic reaction it’s going back!
If it’s really terrible or if I’m allergic to it.
It has to be broken but other than that i dont ever return anything anymore. if i dont use it i give it to someone who will
If it doesn’t live up to my expectations, or breaks me out. Or if I find it cheaper somewhere else!
An allergic reaction. Broken when i get it home. Color or consistency not what I expected. Wrong color/shade
If the product is broken, shattered, or tears my skin off (true story). Through the mail, MAC has been the most accommodating, Sephora is slow, and Urban Decay forgets (long story).
If it goes on sale, that’s the worst.
In every other case I just give it away to a friend.
When the webstore do not list the product ingredients and I find out I’m allergic to it. (but returning is not very well accepted in my country, unfortunately)
If it’s broken, contaminated in some way or absolutely unusable (like, say, a lipstick so drying it chaps your lips).
Sadly, this country doesn’t do returns, so you get pretty darn careful about what you do buy! Thank the Gods for beauty blogs!
I don’t return drugstore products. It’s not worth the cost/effort ratio to me. When it comes to high end skin care or makeup I will only return if I have an allergic reaction and can not use or if it glaringly under performs. For example, I received a sample of the Marc Jacobs Gel Mascara. I was unimpressed with how it long/full it made my lashes but what was unacceptable was the drying time. I sneezed about 3-4 minutes after applying my mascara and it was EVERYWHERE! Unacceptable. I would have returned that in a heartbeat. Since high end lines allow samples and testing I rarely find myself in this postion. When I do make a bad blind move online like puchasing Sunday Riley’s tinted moisturizer, I have no problem with admitting my folly and returning it! Some beauty lines overreach when they price themselves among the high end lines in my humble opinion.
I just returned 2 palettes – ‘In The Know’ by Stila because some of the colors were not very pigmented and chalky; Lorac Pro Palette because it was very powdery and made my mature skin look like alligator skin. I tried 3 different primers because I really love the colors – but it didn’t work for me.
It has to be bad or expensive for me to bother. If I only spent a few dollars I don’t bother. The few times I’ve sent something back it was a pricier item that either smelled horrible or was broken.
I didn’t use to return many products, usually just if they were broken or really bad, but not if I wasn’t really using them.
Lately, I’ve been trying to save a bit of money, so I have a new deal with myself. I tend not to buy as much, but if there’s something I really want, I can get it. I can only keep it though, if after trying it a few times I still like it enough, I don’t have something else completely identical and I actually see myself using it long term. If I buy it and within a few days I haven’t used it yet and I’m not excited about it anymore, it goes back.
So far, between buying less and being more honest with my purchases, I don’t feel guilty as much and I enjoy more what I do get.
If it breaks me out, or of it’s absolutely terrible. Thankfully, I’ve never purchased anything with broken packaging.
I tend to return products if there is damage to the product or packaging or if the product was costly and doesn’t work as intended for me.
I have no qualms about returning items. I am a responsible buyer, not having the dosh to spend frivilously. I am a pubhished author, writer, blogger, and ghost writer, so I have research honed to an art form and I use it when purchasing any skin care or cosmetics. I have very sensitive skin, am going through menopause (with its own skin related problems), so oftentimes things that I used to be fine with suddenly stop working, or worse, cause an allergy. I think its a cosmetic company’s responsibility to know if something gives someone an allergy or bad reaction — enough cases and they have to rethink the product. I do wish cosmetic and skin care companies would sell a good-sized sample (perhaps a month’s worth) at a reasonable price as I don’t fancy getting a germ-filled sample via Sephora. It isn’t costly (I make fragrance oils and can afford small bottles) at the quantities they’d be purchasing the price would be negliable considering the customers they could gain. I recall back in the 70s when I sold Avon we had these tiny lipstick testers which really gave a great sample of the shade, why not try that again since we are now much more germ-savvy and it could create a whole new spectrum of jobs? Oh and BTW for those in other countries without such lenient laws on returning cosmetics, it probably has to do with single cases as well as class-action suits that have happened here because of allergies, etc. They are covering themselves so that they aren’t open to being sued. Pretty smart I guess, just stinks for you guys! Cheers! Jet
Damged and near expiry stuff makes me return the product but in India returning is not all that easy.. 🙂
Here, in my country, It’s not posible to return makeup products if they’re open. Sadly, I have several foundations too dark for me.
if it causes a reaction like rash, breaks me out. if i try it and hate it. arrives to me broken.
The only times I’ve ever returned a product is if it is damaged when I receive it. Also, living in a very hot climate, lipsticks are forever melted and break off really easily. I do return those as well.
I will return a product if it is used (products with no seals), if it’s broken, or it the color doesn’t fit my skin tone.
I actually did return products a few weeks ago; I bought some new face products, and while the smell seemed like one I could deal with nose-wise, my eyes were a different story when I had them on my face. My eyes burned like crazy from the scent of these things! One was a serum and the other was a BB cream, both from Biotherm. They aren’t meant for use on/around the eyes, and I didn’t use them in that way; the scent alone is what made my eyes burn. Thankfully, Biotherm guarantees their products and I could get my money back.
Anything that doesn’t work for its intended purpose is going back, unless it was something fairly inexpensive.
Absolutely if it IS used. I am quite forgiving to slight damages e.g. melted tip of a lipstick and the like. Another would be if it gives my skin major grief.
If the color simply doesn’t work, or I realize I have something very similar to the product, purchased, or I decide I simply don’t like it!
I will return a foundation if I was color-matched by an employee at the counter and the color is wrong. I feel I’m trusting the “expert” to know what will work. The return issue is a good reason for the companies to provide samples. I bet this would be cheaper for them than taking back a bottle of $40 foundation that’s barely used.
Damaged product or packaging, weird/strong smell, poor performance, and anything that I have an immediate reaction to (though for the latter I usually just gift it)
If it has any defects, if I have a bad skin reaction to it or if the quality does not reflect the price tag.
I not only return products that break me or cause irritation, I also notify the company, especially if it claims to be “gentle” or “for sensitive skin”. It’s also important to write reviews so other people know which products might cause a reaction. I had a bad experience with ProActiv many years ago (when my face was raw and swollen for days) and when I called the company they said it was fairly common and nothing to worry about. Nothing to worry about?!?! My face felt like it was going to fall off! Companies need to know when products harm customers and other people deserve to know if a product is bad. Regardless, companies should list possible reactions on packaging.
You generally cannot return products in the UK where I live but if it had broken/faulty packaging or completely did not perform I would try to return. I bought a Maybellene blush a couple of months back and when I got it home I practically scrubbed my finger in the blush and it yielded nothing! I have to grab the end of a brush and scratch it in the product to get it powdery for the colour to show. I should have returned that product if it wasnt for the fact that I do like the colour when you destroy the blush to get some powder!