If the product was a matte powder of some sort, yes, definitely. If it was a cream or shimmery product, how it swatches is a good indication of performance re: coverage elsewhere.
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it depends what the product is, honestly… like with very sheer balmy lipstick swatches, I know they aren’t going to swatch well, but they do help me guess what they will be like on my lips. So for example with the new tom ford balms, I know my natural lip color will play a big role, and with Chanel’s noir moderne rouge coco shine, I could tell that even though it didn’t look like much on your lips or review, christine, that it was still something up my alley, at least probability wise! 🙂
So much depends on the type of product. With most powder products, it needs to at least work over an eyeshadow primer or foundation in order for me to even consider it. But with lipstick and other creamy products like lip/eye liners, cream eyeshadow and blush, nothing much is going to help those! One exception would be if I intended on using an otherwise wimpy performing lipstick as a topper.
I have done, though typically avoid. Most recently, Bobbi Brown eyeshadow in Toast — just the color I was looking for but dusty and medium pigmentation, so am using with primer
No. I have been disappointed too many times.
Flat out no. There are too many good shadows out there to go with one that doesn’t look promising.
I am reluctant to purchase a product that swatches poorly. If it swatches poorly I will try a second and a third swatch, just to make give the product a chance, especially if I can find another tester and then I decide.
No. Whether makeup or skincare, powder or cream, eyeshadow or face product, texture is as important to me as color (and critically important if it’s a skincare product, or a translucent or flesh-toned face cream or powder).
I’m sure there are exceptions (like a powder exfoliant – who swatches that?), but texture tells me a lot about a product. If it’s too dry swatched, it’s going to be too dry on my face.
At this point, I can’t imagine anything in any line tempting me that much to deal with a product that could perform sub-par consistently over time. So no. Bad swatch = no buy. Too many other choices out there.
That’s hard. If it swatches poorly it’s an indication that the product itself is lacking. I think the only leeway I would give it is if it were an eye shadow. I’ve had some that swatched poorly but with glitters, for example, if I use a sticky base they turn out quite lovely.
But usually if I see swatches and they look patchy or chalky I just save my money and skip.
Yes. Usually swatches within a specific eyeshadow palette that I want. I will deal with problematic shadows if I like the palette as a whole, or I’m drawn to a specific problematic colour and willing to go the extra distance (Prep and ABH beauty genius strategically placed can help a whole lot).
Swatches can give me an indication about a product but it does not determine if I buy something. Just bc something swatches well is no indication of how well it will perform on my skin throughout the day. Some things don’t swatch amazingly but they apply well to the skin. Something can swatch well but be a difficult product to use. The elf blush quad has four very pigmented blushes. They swatch amazingly well. Those blushes are so pigmented you need a very light hand when applying. They are almost too pigmented and too fussy to use, I ended up giving it away. On the other hand, the Tarte blushes swatch terribly yet they are a great blush to wear and it lasts very long. Not my favorite formula since I this dry but a good blush nonetheless. So it depends with swatches and it is not the determining factor if I will buy/ will like something!
I won’t buy something that doesn’t swatch well for eyeshadow. For blush and bronzer, I will, since most bronzers that match my fair complexion don’t show up in swatches very well. Since I’m not the biggest fan of blush, if the blush doesn’t swatch amazingly, that’s okay with me.
If I go and swatch a product in a store, then no, especially for products that are supposed to have good color payoff, such as eyeshadows. For blush I’m looking for softness and blendability. Anything that looks patchy is a no no.
If I’m looking at swatches online then it really depends, because I can’t feel the texture myself. I try to read reviews to see if the products perform better on the eyes/face than swatched, because that happens.
Logically, I want to say no, but I’m not sure that’s accurate. I take a lot of swatches, such as yours into account, but I generally prefer to swatch myself to see if I can work with it, if the bad swatch was an anomaly or if what makes it swatch badly doesn’t translate into usage. Like everyone else, I swatch lipsticks on the back of my hand, but that’s not remotely close to what my lip color or texture is like. An MUA told me once to swatch on the palm of my hand or fingertips as that more closely resembles lip color/texture. I’ve done it occasionally, but always end up on the back of my hand again. I can also recall a LE Nars duo that you had issues with and swatched roughly but that I was able to make work for me. I think it came down to skin tone and how much effort needed to go into getting an end result.
Yes when it is for my collection and I will not use it and yes when it is a lipstick. In my experience lipsticks often look different on me than in swatches and my own natural lip colour is so pigmented that some sheer lipsticks do not look so sheer on me.
No
N to the O.
I’ll spend money on something worthy.
No. I don’t want to bother with having to make something work.
Probably not. I have too many products (drugstore & higher end) that perform great, so my tolerance for unimpressive swatches is low. At this point, my collection is such that, unless it blows my mind or I really need it (like I’ve run out of mascara or something), I’m not buying it anyway.
I will not purchase something with issues of application. The brand’s of products I purchase are too costly to “need help”. I heavily rely on you, Christine, and always trust your opinions.
If the swatches are straight up terrible, across several sources, almost always no.
Sometimes I’ll make exceptions if I don’t think the product was swatched for its intended usage. For example, I didn’t worry that the UD Moondust palette didn’t swatch great on its own, with no primer. I use it with a glitter primer or patted with my finger to top another shadow. The same goes for some lipglosses and lipsticks that I would intend to use as toppers. I may still buy even if they don’t look great on their own.
If eyeshadows look just slightly off, and I’m familiar with the brand, I may buy anyway because I always use primer. But that would depend on cost, uniqueness of product, packaging, etc.
Blushes often don’t swatch well so, in that case, it wouldn’t matter at all.
Some eyeshadows can also give less than impressive swatches but look great on the lid. I may be more cautious when purchasing but it doesn’t mean I never would buy. I’d probably look for a review saying that it is one that swatches poorly but performs well on the lid. I’d also try to be sure I could return it easily just in case I got a bad batch (or a run manufactured with a different, inferior formula.)
Nope.
Absolutely! I’m learning that finger watches do not always give a good indication of product performance. For the longest time, I refused to purchase any of the Hourglass Ambient Blushes. Whenever I finger swatched them, they had no color payoff. But when read the only way to test them was with a brush, they were gorgeous! Even brushes made of certain bristles can make colors appear more or less vibrant.
No I wont – there are too many great products out in the market place that swatch well and show promise.
Nope. Never. It has to perform. What’s the point otherwise.
No! I would never purchase something that swatches poorly, especially a matte powder. I have always found matte powders (even the best) hard to blend. I have found with a few bad purchases in the past , that if a product doesn’t swatch well, it won’t wear well.
I’m a HUGE fan of matte lipsticks. If the lip swatch is dry, I can live with that if the color is beautiful, but if the swatch is patchy, I won’t buy it.
For eyeshadow, I won’t buy it if it swatches poorly UNLESS I adore the color.
If the color is unique, one which makes me almost scream with excitement being beautiful or unique I’m willing to wear primer or use specific brush to work around it. But also, if the product is very poorly patchy, chunky, glitter falling off everywhere then is a big No! No! I have too many to bother with a real sour apple. Luckily, they have turned out great so far.
No, I really try to avoid doing that.
It depends on the format (palette, single) and what I’ll use it for (eyes, brows, etc). Mattes can be sheer but still workable though shimmers which swatch poorly, in my experience, do horribly on the eye unless a tacky base is used. As a quick answer, I will most likely not purchase but I like sheerer powders for setting the eyelids and setting my brow pencil/pomade. If a palette has a few shades which swatch badly but most are good, I’ll still purchase if I like the overall palette. If I know I will most likely be packing the shade on my lids, I will still purchase unless it is a very patchy swatch. For highlighters, I like texture more than pigmentation because I don’t mind building up sheen. For bronzers, patchiness is a no-go. Same with lips.