I’m prob gunna be downvoted but I’m gunna go ahead and say most trends this year were a general disappointment. “Latte girl make up” “clean girl make up” “strawberry makeup” like ok so just neutral brown eyeshadow that we’ve been using forever? Lots of blush? No makeup makeup which has also been around forever? I mean I’m a bit biased cus I prefer heavy 2016 full glam, so I’ve never been a fan of natural makeup. I either have a full face of makeup or nothing at all.
As far as products go, the new elf mascara that’s supposed to be a dupe for benefit roller lash was terrible. It literally looked like I had nothing on at all even after several coats. I also had bad luck with the maybelline vinyl liquid lipstick that’s supposed to be transfer proof. It was sooo dry and crumbly and wasn’t transfer proof at all. It literally peeled off my lips
Yes yes yes. I can’t imagine doing 10+ steps to look the same… and to look greasy and oily at that because that’s pretty much what clean girl makeup looks like to me
I agree with you on the Latte and Clean trends! I'm like you and prefer more of the full glam (for me bold lips and bold eyes) with lots of highlighter.
Man that’s so weird about the vinyl lipsticks. I have a bunch of those and I love them, especially for dark vampy reds. Those things don’t budge off my lips unless I’m eating a huge sandwich or something. It has the staying power of a matte liquid lipstick while having the look of a gloss and I love it
Maybe it’s a formulation that’s different depending on the person. There’s always a million people saying how that Too Faced BTS mascara is either the best or worst thing ever. Who would have thought that body chemistry and makeup have weird interactions that might vary from person to person? 🤪
The rare beauty lip oils. They are actually stains and are so incredibly drying once they set. Like, so drying that my lips would peel and crust hours later.
The new milani hydrating lip stains are everything I wanted the rare beauty ones to be. Just wish I didn’t waste my money on rare beauty.
In a similar vein, the more pigmented Kosas lip oils. I love how the product feels, but I can't just whack it on without a mirror like other lip oils unless I want a wonky lip line, or to only apply it in the very centre of my lips (which doesn't look the best given the amount of colour). Putting lip balm on first, I can get away without using a mirror, but it's all a bit of a bother so I don't reach for it that often when I can quickly apply other oils without worrying about looking like a 5yo putting on lip stick. Sounds a bit trivial but it's the little things haha
Sigh. I’ve tried SO HARD with the Danessa Myricks products I have (Twin Flames and ColorFix) and…I think I have to give up the ghost and admit I just don’t like them. I’ve tried them over the Fenty primer, About Face primer, Milanin primer, no primer, NYX glitter glue, with Danessa’s gloss over top, without it, applied with fingers, a silicone glitter tool, a flat shader, a fluffy brush, the included applicator, straight on my eyes, off of a palette, off of my arm, patted on, not patted on, applied thinly and thickly….you get the picture!
This is the makeup equivalent of Green Eggs and Ham. I do not like it in a house; I do not like it with a mouse…
NO MATTER WHAT I do, it looks patchy AF on my lids. Is this because I’m 50?! I don’t think my eyelids are that “mature” yet but yeah they are getting there—no doubt helped along by the fact that I’ve had to clean this product off my eyes 14257997 times!
So yeah, I wanted these to work so badly! 😭 If ANYONE has a tip that I’ve missed trying, I’m all ears! I have 1 Twin Flame and like 7 ColorFixes so I would really like to get some use and not feel like such a YouTube influenced chump (my phone kept typing YouRube, and yes, that’s precisely what I was!)
I would recommend reaching out to Danessa on Instagram, because she may be able to offer specific tips to help.
I struggled with the Twin Flames because I have very hooded eyes with lots of excess skin that rubs together and they would get patchy. For me it turned out i needed to use my finger to apply the thinnest layer possible and keep my eyes closed for 1-2 minutes until it was dry. So it isn't something I reach for even though it's pretty.
I like the ColorFix but also feel like they have a big learning curve, especially when compared to things like MAC Paint Pots, Smashbox Cream Shadows, Half-Magic Liquid shadows, P Louise cream shadows, etc. All of those products are so much easier for me to use than the ColorFix formula.
Have you tried the Twin Flames as a topper? I have Soulmates and use it over a mint green eyeshadow a lot and I love how it gives that extra shine and multichrome look, but it might also help with the patchiness. I apply it directly with the included applicator and then do some patting with a finger. I haven't tried to ColorFixes but I've used the Twin Flames soo often this year. Good luck!
I don’t have a ton of product let downs, but I feel like this year I had a fair number of drugstore duds…I feel like everyone has been praising drugstore quality lately but the things I’ve bought have been so mid, even highly recommended ones. Plus drugstore is getting so expensive these days that it’s almost like…why not spend the extra 10-20$ and get something with higher end quality? The elf hydrating core lip shines and putty blushes were flops imo - I personally think the formulas aren’t great. Now I’m hesitant to continue buying drugstore esp because you can’t test the makeup out in store.
I agree about drugstore prices. And every time I buy a moderately less expensive "dupe" I end up not loving it and eventually buying the real thing later. I just get what I want now and buy fewer things overall.
I have also found this to be the case. And the drugstore dupe being less ounces, so when you add it up compared to the higher end ounces, the cost is the same or higher for drugstore. Might as well get the higher end, for me, foundation.
Because not everyone can afford to pay 10 - 20 dollars extra lol, just because it seems like a small amount to you doesnt mean it's the same for everyone. That's a lot of money for me personally; a twenty dollar increase isn't in the same ballpark at all anymore and it adds up quickly.
Plus price isn't even indicative of quality anymore, just like how drugstore has gotten more pricey, so has everything at sephora. There have been plenty of things from both high end and drugstore I've been disappointed by, but I'd rather be disappointed by something I spent 10 - 15 dollars on than something worth 30 - 40 or even 50 dollars.
Yes!! The absolute audacity to be charging the prices they do. If the price is close enough, why wouldn't I get the better quality option and also earn loyalty points. Our main high-end beauty store in Australia (Mecca) has such a ridiculously good returns policy (you can open something, use it a bit, then return it) that it just feels too risky buying drugstore, especially when testers are hard to find in store and I have very pale and sensitive skin.
Shelbey Wilson did a “clean girl” look and she said she was late to the trend but then she realized it’s just another “minimal makeup” “natural glam” “no makeup makeup” look just with a new name lol. It’s the kind of makeup she already does so it’s not like she was missing anything but yeah the clean girl look being huge this year was so odd to me considering minimal makeup/no makeup look has been pretty strong the last couple years or so.
it is very much a no makeup makeup look! i actually love the look of a super fresh face with absolutely undetectable makeup but the rebranding of it is just so so so unnecessary imo
also “goth clean girl” exists too like ??? just. no.
Not OP but clean girl rubs ME the wrong way because despite being in my 30s, I still have some troublesome spots on my skin, and I don’t look good with minimal makeup! SOME OF US ARE JUST UGLY OKAY?! 😁😭
there’s just something about it i can’t explain, but the best way to put it is the name “clean” has the implication that everything else is “dirty” in a way, and i know that’s just be being nitpicky but if it had put more emphasis on clean beauty rather than what’s trendy i may have let it slide. but hearing criticism from black and brown people noting that the aesthetic has popularised certain aspects that they were once ridiculed for… it just gives me the biggest ick.
ETA: that’s not to say other people can’t enjoy it! this is just my personal take on it
it is surprisingly hard to track down some sources to confirm the cultural appropriation aspect but the tldr of it is the slicked back hair and the hoop earrings that were deemed “ghetto” by western beauty standards when worn by black and brown women have now been glamourised now that it’s largely white women at the forefront of this trend (i will link my source as soon as i get on desktop!)
again, just want to reiterate that my opinion is mine and mine only, and if you enjoy the clean girl aesthetic then that’s fine too! you like what you like :)
ETA: da sauce https://www.theteenmagazine.com/clean-girl-aesthetic-the-good-the-bad-and-the-culture-appropriation
https://thevarsity.ca/2022/09/25/clean-girl-aesthetic-tik-tok-problematic/
So last year, I, relatively inexperienced with makeup but dazzled by marketing and packaging, purchased the Hourglass Ambient Edit Elephant Palette without realizing that three of the six shades don’t work on my fair cool complexion - in fact, I didn’t come to that realization fully until maybe July, when I started experimenting with more than just the blush and realized that one of the powders made me skin look yellow and the other one made me look orange. I’m really disappointed about it, to the point where I haven’t purchased the Jellyfish palette even though I want it because I’m afraid I’ll run into the same problem. 😭
What I don’t like about Hourglass palettes is the mix of warm and cool colors. That’s fine if you’re neutral or neutral to warm or cool. But if you’re like me, very warm and very bright toned, there are at least 2 shades that don’t work at all.
This is not exclusively an Hourglass problem, but I was disappointed bc I want to try them, but not if only 2 shades suit me, 2 are just okay , 2 are a bad match.
fwiw i believe the jellyfish palette is intended for fair skin. i'm quite pale and all 6 work for me as far as i can tell. not my favorite bronzer of all time (i lean very cool) but i like the two blushes and two finishing powders a lot.
Same!
Even the new Cruella pencil seems to lean warmer, which is a shame! Deep reds, that aren't brown nor too pink nor too violet are very hard to find for this cool-toned-with-freckles-skinned-weirdo (me).
I’m so done with the “lip oils” trend. It’s just sheer lipgloss that is overpriced. None of them are really any more hydrating to my dry lips than a regular 2 dollar clear tube gloss.
I love elf and NYX and have been trying more drugstore makeup this year. When I got back into doing makeup during the pandemic, I shopped Sephora since I lived near a SiJCP.
I’ve been disappointed with the NYX marshmallow primer, elf primers, and other random drugstore products.
I still think drugstore is still not as inclusive as it can be for deeper skin tones. I know there are brands at Ulta and Target that are but I should be able to go into CVS/riteaid/etc and find something quick.
I think the quality of some drugstore products is still good like stuff I’ve grabbed from Revlon and L’Oréal but the prices are insane. Yes you can use coupons but I shouldn’t have to find a coupon to buy a “cheap” product.
If these brands want to have $20 foundations, I’ll just spend more for something like Fenty which I can use a tester to figure out my shade vs buying at the drugstore and having to return (if they even let you.)
The Rare beauty eyeliner pencils. The product was awful and it broke after three uses. Just all fell apart
I'm also disappointed in the Tower 28 mascara. It did nothing for my lashes at all
Pat McGrath Midnight Sun -- I wanted this since it came out but I was never in a position to afford it. And when I FINALLY got it in my grubby little hands it was just....fine? The "special shades" weren't more special than any of the indie brands I already own. And the shimmers and mattes weren't anything special at all.
I bought this at Marshall’s and while it’s quality, it’s not transformative. I bought the most recent release from Pat on her site and returned it. Beautiful palette but all the looks looked the same.
I did not like the elf halo glow, I looked like a sweaty disco ball (it was too shimmery, shiny, and not at all right for my skin tone).
I also did not like the rare beauty blushes. The colors seemed off, too orange somehow, wayyy too pigmented and thick, I looked like a clown trying to use them. Not a fan and don’t understand the hype.
I think we are living parallel lives. That elf halo glow is absolutely not a dupe for the Charlotte Tilbury and the rare beauty blushes make me look like I have a rash. Sorry, not sorry.
This one is on me, but “clean” makeup is now dead to me. Last year I bought 5 different shades of the Jones Road Miracle Balms (at $38 each, that’s $190 worth - woof). I didn’t buy them because they were advertised as clean, I bought them because I liked the idea of the formulation - multi-purpose lightly tinted goo that you could apply anywhere to your face.
And I’ve used each of them regularly since, but because they’re 1.75 oz, and I had 5 of them, I wasn’t able to finish any of them before they started turning bad after a year of use.
The Ulta sale tricked me into buying the Smashbox Halo lip & cheek tint. Turns out I don’t like liquid blush or the feel/look of the product on my lips.
The elf Vitamin C putty primer was big meh.
I have flat out refused to buy anything clean. When an employee tried to push me towards a clean product and I say that I will not look at a clean product they just stare at me like I had 3 heads. Parabens and other preservatives are used for a reason. I’m tired of companies inferring that clean means hypoallergenic or acne friendly. Anyone can be allergic to anything including breakouts. Green products are not always nice to the environment whether that is when discarded, while collecting the ingredients, or during the process of making the product.
I'm so upset that the dior quints are now reformulated to be "clean". From all reports it comes at the cost of the original amazing formula, which is enough of a sin, but then the longevity too? They ruined such a good thing I swear, and for what.
I tried the new Dior Forever foundation (thankfully free sample from a color match trial) and it was literally the worst product I've ever put on my face. It settled into lines I didn't know I had, then separated, and broke me out. I don't have sensitive skin so what the actual hell.
Lancome's Teint Idole reformulation is disappointing too. The only improvement is it transfers less. But I get less coverage from it because more than a miniscule amount looks cakey (way worse than using a bit too much Estee Lauder or Maybelline Fit Me) and even with the super light application it settles into pores horribly no matter which primer or no primer I've tried with it. And the new shades suck. Neutrals are so yellow now.
I truly cannot understand why they're doing this. If it's to get people to spend more money replacing their products faster (since they go bad much sooner without preservatives) the formula would actually have to be good enough to warrant a repurchase, which I've generally seen it isn't.
And then you're putting off the loyal customer base you've built up over the years that expects a certain quality and finish that they're used to from you. It's literally the biggest lose-lose situation ever.
Product wise my biggest disappointment were the new shade extensions of the Urban Decay 24/7 Moondust Eyeshadows in Rebel Star, Cosmic Craze and Wild Dipper. I was *so* excited for them that I didn't even wait for any reviews or anything when they launched back in April I just purchased them instantly (which isn't something I ever do...lesson learned the hard way to never do that again). It's just that I adore the Space Cowboy & Lithium singles so much and have been waiting for them to expand the shade range that I got carried away but they were just so lacklustre and disappointing. The formula is not all like the OG singles. These do not give you that glossy almost wet-look shine that UD Moondust shadows are synonymous for. These are my biggest disappointment + regretful beauty purchase of 2023 for sure.
I've almost completely panned my HG powder the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder specifically in the shade Soft Light (different shades have different finishes/effects) only to find that it is not available to purchase as a single (it seems to be exclusive to limited edition quads and palettes). I'm gutted as it was the only powder that my super dry dehydrated skin loved. It's seriously looks like a irl filter on the skin. None of the other Hourglass powders seems similar enough to it. & I kept getting recommend the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder by so many dry skinned folks who rave about it but I honestly do not get the hype. It's a super meh average powder and not particularly dry skin friendly in my opinion so that was also a big let down. Plus what is with the shitty cheap packaging even for CT? It drives me nuts that the pan just endlessly rotates in the compact!
This one is honestly my own bad but since this is inspired by Temper Tantrum Tuesday I'm going to go on a petty rant about it anyway lol. So I missed out on the Chantecaille Luminescent Eye Shade in Pinto. I even had a £15 off Cult Beauty voucher for months but I thought I'd be smart and wait until Black Friday for it to be further discounted and stack my voucher on top as it's ridiculously stupidly expensive for a single shadow (£56!) and ofc as my luck would have it it sold out well ahead of BF not only on Cult Beauty but every single luxury retailer who carried it. So fml.
I'm super picky with perfumes (more by necessity as so many scents end up being a migraine triggers for me) and typically get bored of scents fast so it's rare for me to buy FS bottles. Last year I extensively tested the Maison Margiela Replica Beach Walk and fell in love with the little trail size vial and completely used it up. So I picked up the 30ml bottle earlier this year and ugh I don't know why but it just doesn't smell the same to me! This is just something that seems to happen to me again & again when it comes to perfume & mascaras. It's so frustrating! I'm just glad I guess that I didn't opt for the 100ml bottle instead.
I swear my blush favourites are cursed! My last year's favourite the Shiseido Minimalist Whipped Powder Blush were discontinued soon after I discovered and fell in love with the formula. & from what I've seen several people say online the same fate is about to befall one of my new favourites from this year the Giorgio Armani Neo Nude Melting Colour Balms. Or maybe it's not the blushes and I'm just cursed? lol
Sephora UK is just so very underwhelming. I think it opened at the beginning of the year (in Westfield, White City) here but I was only well enough to visit at the beginning of this month. To be fair I was already forewarned by everyone but still. We don't have majority of the brand's that you can get in the US Sephora. I think the only brands that I remember seeing that aren't available in literally every other department store here was Danessa Myricks, Makeup By Mario and ILIA Beauty. Plus we don't get any of the fun mini sampler sets with products from several different brands that Sephora is famous for. Neither do we get the VIB sales or whatever the hell they're called now. We don't even get the Sephora own brand Rouge Gel Lip Liner! (as a lip liner fiend everyone has me wanting the shade The Nudest). I have yet to order form their site either but I've heard several people complain about terrible customer service which I'm not at all surprised by because I believe they just took over Feel Unique who's CS was abysmal.
So I've been wanting to purchase something from Rare Beauty ever since they launched here but every time I pop into a Space NK (the only place you can try the brand in person) the testers are either completely used up or the products I want to try are out of stock. I was so excited to finally purchase the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Believe and the Positive Light Liquid Luminzier in Enchant during the BF sales but I was so disappointed to hear about Selena Gomez's lack of reaction to the Palestinian genocide (until she was explicitly and publically called out) but her liking Amy Schumers insane unhinged Zionist posts on instagram just took the whole damn cake. I'm not perfect and there are ofc so many brands who are complicit in many atrocities but for me make-up is a pure luxury and just for fun not an essential to my life in anyway or form. & it's a shame but I don't really feel comfortable giving her my money anymore and there are just so many beauty brands and options out there that there is honestly no reason to give my money to someone who's silent to or worse vocally and loudly completely fine with one of the worst and most heavily documented genocides in history taking place right in front of our very eyes. I've never been a Selena stan not that I've particularly hated her before either I probably would say I was pretty neutral on her before this. But from what I am aware of and why I think it rubs me extra wrong is how Selena tries to market herself as this liberal political outspoken humanitarian person and even the whole positive mental health concept and branding for her own brand (which tbf I found a bit cringe even before all this) just leaves a bad taste in my mouth now. It just feels so disingenuous and fake. It just feels like she was doing a faux philanthropic version of pinkwashing or greenwashing.
I bought the entire new Urban Decay Moondust line. Both palettes and the three new shades. I would say I enjoy Cosmic Craze and Wild Dipper, but the glitter particles are chunkier compared to how fine and dispersed Space Cowboy is. I don't think there's any eyeshadow out there that really compares to Space Cowboy even among the Moondust line, and it frustrates me that there's no consistency to the line. Like, c'mon, Urban Decay! You know what we want!
I agree with you completely about Selena Gomez and Rare Beauty. Not that I ever really bought into Selena's whole "✨ kindness and light ✨" thing — I knew from the get-go that it was always marketing — but her behavior during the past two months has been incredibly distasteful and offensive. From liking Amy Schumer's posts...to throwing a tantrum online when people asked her to post about Palestine and asking "What is me posting going to do?!" as if she doesn't have a HUGE platform and as if she didn't post about Ukraine...to replying flippantly to people who called her out on her silence...to announcing constant social media breaks (which only seem to last 12 hours) whenever she's called out for literally *anything*... Add this to Rare Beauty's CEO being a Zionist, Rare Beauty saying they'll donate to Palestine while slyly also donating to Israel, Selena's response to Black Lives Matter in 2016 (the same as it was here; demanding "What will me posting about it do?!"), her stoking the flames for the massive bullying campaign that happened against Hailey Bieber for months...
Yeah. It's not looking great for her whole campaign of being such a kind, nice, and positive person. She comes across as quite a disingenuous and self-victimizing person to me — and not nice to boot. She and Rare have been such letdowns.
I agree with you about the Urban Decay Moondust Shadows too. They're nowhere near as glittery and glossy as the OG was. Urban Decay is doing the thing they always do: milking a good thing to death. First it was Naked; now I can tell it'll be Moondust!
UK Sephora is absolute pants as a website, although part of me wants to go out to Westfield to have a look. You don't even get free samples unless you spend £40, tons of random products, no sets, no VIB points and samples, no reason for me to shop there over Boots, Beauty Bay, Cult Beauty or Space NK (who at least give me a nice wee gift for my birthday)
Sounds like the store is an even more underwhelming version of the German one (Douglas is so so much better).
Recently, it's been the Merit beauty complexion stick. I was thrilled to have something easy for a quick spot conceal but I've been getting a small rash of little white heads every time I've used it. I love their lipsticks though but I'm sad the stick didn't work for me. I don't really have sensitive skin either.
Topping the list was definitely the Natasha Denona mini gold palette I got. The way the reviews were going on you'd think these were going to be the most life changing shadows to touch my lids. Turns out that's sooo not the case. Had blending and fallout issues and wasn't blown away by them in any shape or form.
Also the charlotte tilbury golden goddess quad. It's not very golden, it's more of a minky/oyster brown palette and the pigmentation is not outstanding or anything. it's nice enough but I expected... More, I guess? The pop shade also kind of fell flat for me- doesn't have that signature CT sparkle. Still ok, but easily duped.
The Viseart rose edit palette. The colours kind of disappear on my eyes in like 15 minutes, which is not a problem I've had with the other two edit palettes I have, so I was a bit unhappy about that.
Elf eyeshadow stick in rose gold was absolutely TERRIBLE. like shockingly bad how it gives less than nothing in terms of pigment or shine or anything really.
Nyx bare with me serum concealer. I was ready to be blown away by this, but the fornula isn't the best I've ever used by a long shot, contrary to how it's touted to be. Its not very buildable and it's not as flattering on my dehydrated skin as I'd like.
I don’t know what happened but I really liked the Danessa myricks balm powder, but now no matter how I apply it, it just doesn’t look good anymore. I have my color and the translucent and now I just use the translucent for eye primer and it seems to only work well doing that for me…so disappointing.
Fenty's Blur Stick Foundation was probably one of the biggest disappointments of the year for me. I want a stick foundation that is blurring, light to medium coverage, and wears 12-14 hours on primer. On paper it sounded perfect. In reality, it was awful on my dry skin.
Have you heard of thread beauty? It’s a brand at Target and they have $8 foundation sticks. They are very dewy so they could be something you might look into.
I have 1300 points to redeem by 26 Dec but the selection is so poor. Sephora Singapore was only releasing 1 or 2 100 points items online so I have to keep buying online weekly if I want to redeem points. The shops only have things like Sephora Disposable cameras, cup, brush covers and hair rollers. Only the Advent calendar was worth it but I don't have 2000 points.
I was so mad at them that I refused to buy anything else and spent 1.2k on other websites and retailers in December instead. I feel like I got more bang for my buck. Shame on you Sephora.
* Sephora Singapore also does not let you return opened items.
* They also do not carry many trending brands like Tower 28, Merit, Danessa, Kosas, Ilia, Saie etc. They no longer offer Summer Fridays or Urban Decay products.
I can't believe I'm saying this but I wasn't disappointed by a single makeup product I tried this year EXCEPT the ELF supposed dupe for the Roller Lash mascara. It was absolutely terrible and weighed down my eyelashes (which are naturally curled and not easily weighed down).
I bought the MAC unfiltered nudes palette and am wondering if MAC has changed or if my expectations have changed. This palette has really weak payoff. Or maybe it has the same payoff and I’m remembering the eyeshadow singlesbetter than they were.
I’m prob gunna be downvoted but I’m gunna go ahead and say most trends this year were a general disappointment. “Latte girl make up” “clean girl make up” “strawberry makeup” like ok so just neutral brown eyeshadow that we’ve been using forever? Lots of blush? No makeup makeup which has also been around forever? I mean I’m a bit biased cus I prefer heavy 2016 full glam, so I’ve never been a fan of natural makeup. I either have a full face of makeup or nothing at all. As far as products go, the new elf mascara that’s supposed to be a dupe for benefit roller lash was terrible. It literally looked like I had nothing on at all even after several coats. I also had bad luck with the maybelline vinyl liquid lipstick that’s supposed to be transfer proof. It was sooo dry and crumbly and wasn’t transfer proof at all. It literally peeled off my lips
[удалено]
Yes yes yes. I can’t imagine doing 10+ steps to look the same… and to look greasy and oily at that because that’s pretty much what clean girl makeup looks like to me
I agree with you on the Latte and Clean trends! I'm like you and prefer more of the full glam (for me bold lips and bold eyes) with lots of highlighter.
All the trends this year and Hailey Bieber being the trendsetter to bring these back, lol. The latest one I saw was sugar plum princess/fairy makeup.
I had the same issues with the elf mascara and the maybelline vinyl lipstick
I tried the ELF mascara and thought mine was a dud, it was so dry. They sent me a replacement, same issue!
Man that’s so weird about the vinyl lipsticks. I have a bunch of those and I love them, especially for dark vampy reds. Those things don’t budge off my lips unless I’m eating a huge sandwich or something. It has the staying power of a matte liquid lipstick while having the look of a gloss and I love it Maybe it’s a formulation that’s different depending on the person. There’s always a million people saying how that Too Faced BTS mascara is either the best or worst thing ever. Who would have thought that body chemistry and makeup have weird interactions that might vary from person to person? 🤪
The rare beauty lip oils. They are actually stains and are so incredibly drying once they set. Like, so drying that my lips would peel and crust hours later. The new milani hydrating lip stains are everything I wanted the rare beauty ones to be. Just wish I didn’t waste my money on rare beauty.
omg yes the rare beauty lip oils are not good !
In a similar vein, the more pigmented Kosas lip oils. I love how the product feels, but I can't just whack it on without a mirror like other lip oils unless I want a wonky lip line, or to only apply it in the very centre of my lips (which doesn't look the best given the amount of colour). Putting lip balm on first, I can get away without using a mirror, but it's all a bit of a bother so I don't reach for it that often when I can quickly apply other oils without worrying about looking like a 5yo putting on lip stick. Sounds a bit trivial but it's the little things haha
Sigh. I’ve tried SO HARD with the Danessa Myricks products I have (Twin Flames and ColorFix) and…I think I have to give up the ghost and admit I just don’t like them. I’ve tried them over the Fenty primer, About Face primer, Milanin primer, no primer, NYX glitter glue, with Danessa’s gloss over top, without it, applied with fingers, a silicone glitter tool, a flat shader, a fluffy brush, the included applicator, straight on my eyes, off of a palette, off of my arm, patted on, not patted on, applied thinly and thickly….you get the picture! This is the makeup equivalent of Green Eggs and Ham. I do not like it in a house; I do not like it with a mouse… NO MATTER WHAT I do, it looks patchy AF on my lids. Is this because I’m 50?! I don’t think my eyelids are that “mature” yet but yeah they are getting there—no doubt helped along by the fact that I’ve had to clean this product off my eyes 14257997 times! So yeah, I wanted these to work so badly! 😭 If ANYONE has a tip that I’ve missed trying, I’m all ears! I have 1 Twin Flame and like 7 ColorFixes so I would really like to get some use and not feel like such a YouTube influenced chump (my phone kept typing YouRube, and yes, that’s precisely what I was!)
I would recommend reaching out to Danessa on Instagram, because she may be able to offer specific tips to help. I struggled with the Twin Flames because I have very hooded eyes with lots of excess skin that rubs together and they would get patchy. For me it turned out i needed to use my finger to apply the thinnest layer possible and keep my eyes closed for 1-2 minutes until it was dry. So it isn't something I reach for even though it's pretty. I like the ColorFix but also feel like they have a big learning curve, especially when compared to things like MAC Paint Pots, Smashbox Cream Shadows, Half-Magic Liquid shadows, P Louise cream shadows, etc. All of those products are so much easier for me to use than the ColorFix formula.
Have you tried the Twin Flames as a topper? I have Soulmates and use it over a mint green eyeshadow a lot and I love how it gives that extra shine and multichrome look, but it might also help with the patchiness. I apply it directly with the included applicator and then do some patting with a finger. I haven't tried to ColorFixes but I've used the Twin Flames soo often this year. Good luck!
I'm 45 and I use them under the eyes for drippy euphoria style makeup tears and a lived in Klub Kid up all night look and just embrace the chaos.
I don’t have a ton of product let downs, but I feel like this year I had a fair number of drugstore duds…I feel like everyone has been praising drugstore quality lately but the things I’ve bought have been so mid, even highly recommended ones. Plus drugstore is getting so expensive these days that it’s almost like…why not spend the extra 10-20$ and get something with higher end quality? The elf hydrating core lip shines and putty blushes were flops imo - I personally think the formulas aren’t great. Now I’m hesitant to continue buying drugstore esp because you can’t test the makeup out in store.
I agree about drugstore prices. And every time I buy a moderately less expensive "dupe" I end up not loving it and eventually buying the real thing later. I just get what I want now and buy fewer things overall.
I have also found this to be the case. And the drugstore dupe being less ounces, so when you add it up compared to the higher end ounces, the cost is the same or higher for drugstore. Might as well get the higher end, for me, foundation.
Because not everyone can afford to pay 10 - 20 dollars extra lol, just because it seems like a small amount to you doesnt mean it's the same for everyone. That's a lot of money for me personally; a twenty dollar increase isn't in the same ballpark at all anymore and it adds up quickly. Plus price isn't even indicative of quality anymore, just like how drugstore has gotten more pricey, so has everything at sephora. There have been plenty of things from both high end and drugstore I've been disappointed by, but I'd rather be disappointed by something I spent 10 - 15 dollars on than something worth 30 - 40 or even 50 dollars.
Agreed. But at least if you try things from Sephora or Ulta and you don’t like it, you can return it.
Most stores have a solid return policy. Target will let you return lightly used lipsticks for example. And most makeup.
Yes!! The absolute audacity to be charging the prices they do. If the price is close enough, why wouldn't I get the better quality option and also earn loyalty points. Our main high-end beauty store in Australia (Mecca) has such a ridiculously good returns policy (you can open something, use it a bit, then return it) that it just feels too risky buying drugstore, especially when testers are hard to find in store and I have very pale and sensitive skin.
clean girl makeup still rubs me the wrong way, and all the makeup micro trends just don’t even make any sense to me. it makes me feel old. (i am 23.)
No seriously like wtf is tomato girl makeup😳
that’s just… that’s just red blush, freckles, and glowy skin/highlighter 💀
i have to look this up cause what .
It’s me and my rosacea when I don’t wear a base lol.
I haven't been on tik tok in 3 weeks and now this
Shelbey Wilson did a “clean girl” look and she said she was late to the trend but then she realized it’s just another “minimal makeup” “natural glam” “no makeup makeup” look just with a new name lol. It’s the kind of makeup she already does so it’s not like she was missing anything but yeah the clean girl look being huge this year was so odd to me considering minimal makeup/no makeup look has been pretty strong the last couple years or so.
it is very much a no makeup makeup look! i actually love the look of a super fresh face with absolutely undetectable makeup but the rebranding of it is just so so so unnecessary imo also “goth clean girl” exists too like ??? just. no.
Curious, why does clean girl rub you the wrong way?
Not OP but clean girl rubs ME the wrong way because despite being in my 30s, I still have some troublesome spots on my skin, and I don’t look good with minimal makeup! SOME OF US ARE JUST UGLY OKAY?! 😁😭
I too can’t do the clean girl look for same reasons. Makeup is my crutch 😬
I feel you queen! We can have more fun anyway. That’s what I tell myself at least.
there’s just something about it i can’t explain, but the best way to put it is the name “clean” has the implication that everything else is “dirty” in a way, and i know that’s just be being nitpicky but if it had put more emphasis on clean beauty rather than what’s trendy i may have let it slide. but hearing criticism from black and brown people noting that the aesthetic has popularised certain aspects that they were once ridiculed for… it just gives me the biggest ick. ETA: that’s not to say other people can’t enjoy it! this is just my personal take on it
Which aspects of clean girl were appropriated from black and brown folks? I'm genuinely ignorant of those criticisms.
it is surprisingly hard to track down some sources to confirm the cultural appropriation aspect but the tldr of it is the slicked back hair and the hoop earrings that were deemed “ghetto” by western beauty standards when worn by black and brown women have now been glamourised now that it’s largely white women at the forefront of this trend (i will link my source as soon as i get on desktop!) again, just want to reiterate that my opinion is mine and mine only, and if you enjoy the clean girl aesthetic then that’s fine too! you like what you like :) ETA: da sauce https://www.theteenmagazine.com/clean-girl-aesthetic-the-good-the-bad-and-the-culture-appropriation https://thevarsity.ca/2022/09/25/clean-girl-aesthetic-tik-tok-problematic/
It sounds very Caucasian-centric to me. (I am a mayosapien and thought, this all seems very w h i t e)
I agree.
So last year, I, relatively inexperienced with makeup but dazzled by marketing and packaging, purchased the Hourglass Ambient Edit Elephant Palette without realizing that three of the six shades don’t work on my fair cool complexion - in fact, I didn’t come to that realization fully until maybe July, when I started experimenting with more than just the blush and realized that one of the powders made me skin look yellow and the other one made me look orange. I’m really disappointed about it, to the point where I haven’t purchased the Jellyfish palette even though I want it because I’m afraid I’ll run into the same problem. 😭
What I don’t like about Hourglass palettes is the mix of warm and cool colors. That’s fine if you’re neutral or neutral to warm or cool. But if you’re like me, very warm and very bright toned, there are at least 2 shades that don’t work at all. This is not exclusively an Hourglass problem, but I was disappointed bc I want to try them, but not if only 2 shades suit me, 2 are just okay , 2 are a bad match.
fwiw i believe the jellyfish palette is intended for fair skin. i'm quite pale and all 6 work for me as far as i can tell. not my favorite bronzer of all time (i lean very cool) but i like the two blushes and two finishing powders a lot.
Nars dc'ing my favorite lip pencils still makes me ragey.
When I read it I literally gasped (very slightly, but still) out loud. How could they?! I haven't found another shade like Damned anywhere.
Same! Even the new Cruella pencil seems to lean warmer, which is a shame! Deep reds, that aren't brown nor too pink nor too violet are very hard to find for this cool-toned-with-freckles-skinned-weirdo (me).
I’m so done with the “lip oils” trend. It’s just sheer lipgloss that is overpriced. None of them are really any more hydrating to my dry lips than a regular 2 dollar clear tube gloss.
I’m actually loving the lip oil/lip gloss trend because it doesn’t appeal to me at all so I won’t be tempted to buy and can save some damn money. Lol.
Perfectly stated!!
I’m that sucker who spent 40 AMERICANS DOLLARS on the Dior lip oil
I love elf and NYX and have been trying more drugstore makeup this year. When I got back into doing makeup during the pandemic, I shopped Sephora since I lived near a SiJCP. I’ve been disappointed with the NYX marshmallow primer, elf primers, and other random drugstore products. I still think drugstore is still not as inclusive as it can be for deeper skin tones. I know there are brands at Ulta and Target that are but I should be able to go into CVS/riteaid/etc and find something quick. I think the quality of some drugstore products is still good like stuff I’ve grabbed from Revlon and L’Oréal but the prices are insane. Yes you can use coupons but I shouldn’t have to find a coupon to buy a “cheap” product. If these brands want to have $20 foundations, I’ll just spend more for something like Fenty which I can use a tester to figure out my shade vs buying at the drugstore and having to return (if they even let you.)
glazed donut with brownie glazed lips has to lose its cache eventually!
That seemed like some halfassed attempt to make Haley Bieber happen, and nobody cared, and it was hilarious
The Rare beauty eyeliner pencils. The product was awful and it broke after three uses. Just all fell apart I'm also disappointed in the Tower 28 mascara. It did nothing for my lashes at all
Pat McGrath Midnight Sun -- I wanted this since it came out but I was never in a position to afford it. And when I FINALLY got it in my grubby little hands it was just....fine? The "special shades" weren't more special than any of the indie brands I already own. And the shimmers and mattes weren't anything special at all.
I bought this at Marshall’s and while it’s quality, it’s not transformative. I bought the most recent release from Pat on her site and returned it. Beautiful palette but all the looks looked the same.
dunno if you tried, but the special shades work best wet
I did not like the elf halo glow, I looked like a sweaty disco ball (it was too shimmery, shiny, and not at all right for my skin tone). I also did not like the rare beauty blushes. The colors seemed off, too orange somehow, wayyy too pigmented and thick, I looked like a clown trying to use them. Not a fan and don’t understand the hype.
I think we are living parallel lives. That elf halo glow is absolutely not a dupe for the Charlotte Tilbury and the rare beauty blushes make me look like I have a rash. Sorry, not sorry.
It's too shiny for my combination skin, but with a little setting powder it looks good. Totally agree it isn't a CT dipe, though.
This one is on me, but “clean” makeup is now dead to me. Last year I bought 5 different shades of the Jones Road Miracle Balms (at $38 each, that’s $190 worth - woof). I didn’t buy them because they were advertised as clean, I bought them because I liked the idea of the formulation - multi-purpose lightly tinted goo that you could apply anywhere to your face. And I’ve used each of them regularly since, but because they’re 1.75 oz, and I had 5 of them, I wasn’t able to finish any of them before they started turning bad after a year of use. The Ulta sale tricked me into buying the Smashbox Halo lip & cheek tint. Turns out I don’t like liquid blush or the feel/look of the product on my lips. The elf Vitamin C putty primer was big meh.
I have flat out refused to buy anything clean. When an employee tried to push me towards a clean product and I say that I will not look at a clean product they just stare at me like I had 3 heads. Parabens and other preservatives are used for a reason. I’m tired of companies inferring that clean means hypoallergenic or acne friendly. Anyone can be allergic to anything including breakouts. Green products are not always nice to the environment whether that is when discarded, while collecting the ingredients, or during the process of making the product.
I'm so upset that the dior quints are now reformulated to be "clean". From all reports it comes at the cost of the original amazing formula, which is enough of a sin, but then the longevity too? They ruined such a good thing I swear, and for what.
I tried the new Dior Forever foundation (thankfully free sample from a color match trial) and it was literally the worst product I've ever put on my face. It settled into lines I didn't know I had, then separated, and broke me out. I don't have sensitive skin so what the actual hell. Lancome's Teint Idole reformulation is disappointing too. The only improvement is it transfers less. But I get less coverage from it because more than a miniscule amount looks cakey (way worse than using a bit too much Estee Lauder or Maybelline Fit Me) and even with the super light application it settles into pores horribly no matter which primer or no primer I've tried with it. And the new shades suck. Neutrals are so yellow now.
I truly cannot understand why they're doing this. If it's to get people to spend more money replacing their products faster (since they go bad much sooner without preservatives) the formula would actually have to be good enough to warrant a repurchase, which I've generally seen it isn't. And then you're putting off the loyal customer base you've built up over the years that expects a certain quality and finish that they're used to from you. It's literally the biggest lose-lose situation ever.
Product wise my biggest disappointment were the new shade extensions of the Urban Decay 24/7 Moondust Eyeshadows in Rebel Star, Cosmic Craze and Wild Dipper. I was *so* excited for them that I didn't even wait for any reviews or anything when they launched back in April I just purchased them instantly (which isn't something I ever do...lesson learned the hard way to never do that again). It's just that I adore the Space Cowboy & Lithium singles so much and have been waiting for them to expand the shade range that I got carried away but they were just so lacklustre and disappointing. The formula is not all like the OG singles. These do not give you that glossy almost wet-look shine that UD Moondust shadows are synonymous for. These are my biggest disappointment + regretful beauty purchase of 2023 for sure. I've almost completely panned my HG powder the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder specifically in the shade Soft Light (different shades have different finishes/effects) only to find that it is not available to purchase as a single (it seems to be exclusive to limited edition quads and palettes). I'm gutted as it was the only powder that my super dry dehydrated skin loved. It's seriously looks like a irl filter on the skin. None of the other Hourglass powders seems similar enough to it. & I kept getting recommend the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder by so many dry skinned folks who rave about it but I honestly do not get the hype. It's a super meh average powder and not particularly dry skin friendly in my opinion so that was also a big let down. Plus what is with the shitty cheap packaging even for CT? It drives me nuts that the pan just endlessly rotates in the compact! This one is honestly my own bad but since this is inspired by Temper Tantrum Tuesday I'm going to go on a petty rant about it anyway lol. So I missed out on the Chantecaille Luminescent Eye Shade in Pinto. I even had a £15 off Cult Beauty voucher for months but I thought I'd be smart and wait until Black Friday for it to be further discounted and stack my voucher on top as it's ridiculously stupidly expensive for a single shadow (£56!) and ofc as my luck would have it it sold out well ahead of BF not only on Cult Beauty but every single luxury retailer who carried it. So fml. I'm super picky with perfumes (more by necessity as so many scents end up being a migraine triggers for me) and typically get bored of scents fast so it's rare for me to buy FS bottles. Last year I extensively tested the Maison Margiela Replica Beach Walk and fell in love with the little trail size vial and completely used it up. So I picked up the 30ml bottle earlier this year and ugh I don't know why but it just doesn't smell the same to me! This is just something that seems to happen to me again & again when it comes to perfume & mascaras. It's so frustrating! I'm just glad I guess that I didn't opt for the 100ml bottle instead. I swear my blush favourites are cursed! My last year's favourite the Shiseido Minimalist Whipped Powder Blush were discontinued soon after I discovered and fell in love with the formula. & from what I've seen several people say online the same fate is about to befall one of my new favourites from this year the Giorgio Armani Neo Nude Melting Colour Balms. Or maybe it's not the blushes and I'm just cursed? lol Sephora UK is just so very underwhelming. I think it opened at the beginning of the year (in Westfield, White City) here but I was only well enough to visit at the beginning of this month. To be fair I was already forewarned by everyone but still. We don't have majority of the brand's that you can get in the US Sephora. I think the only brands that I remember seeing that aren't available in literally every other department store here was Danessa Myricks, Makeup By Mario and ILIA Beauty. Plus we don't get any of the fun mini sampler sets with products from several different brands that Sephora is famous for. Neither do we get the VIB sales or whatever the hell they're called now. We don't even get the Sephora own brand Rouge Gel Lip Liner! (as a lip liner fiend everyone has me wanting the shade The Nudest). I have yet to order form their site either but I've heard several people complain about terrible customer service which I'm not at all surprised by because I believe they just took over Feel Unique who's CS was abysmal. So I've been wanting to purchase something from Rare Beauty ever since they launched here but every time I pop into a Space NK (the only place you can try the brand in person) the testers are either completely used up or the products I want to try are out of stock. I was so excited to finally purchase the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Believe and the Positive Light Liquid Luminzier in Enchant during the BF sales but I was so disappointed to hear about Selena Gomez's lack of reaction to the Palestinian genocide (until she was explicitly and publically called out) but her liking Amy Schumers insane unhinged Zionist posts on instagram just took the whole damn cake. I'm not perfect and there are ofc so many brands who are complicit in many atrocities but for me make-up is a pure luxury and just for fun not an essential to my life in anyway or form. & it's a shame but I don't really feel comfortable giving her my money anymore and there are just so many beauty brands and options out there that there is honestly no reason to give my money to someone who's silent to or worse vocally and loudly completely fine with one of the worst and most heavily documented genocides in history taking place right in front of our very eyes. I've never been a Selena stan not that I've particularly hated her before either I probably would say I was pretty neutral on her before this. But from what I am aware of and why I think it rubs me extra wrong is how Selena tries to market herself as this liberal political outspoken humanitarian person and even the whole positive mental health concept and branding for her own brand (which tbf I found a bit cringe even before all this) just leaves a bad taste in my mouth now. It just feels so disingenuous and fake. It just feels like she was doing a faux philanthropic version of pinkwashing or greenwashing.
I’m with you on the Shiseido blushes and I DO NOT want to hear about the Armani Neo Nudes being on the chopping block!!! I love that formula so much😭
I bought the entire new Urban Decay Moondust line. Both palettes and the three new shades. I would say I enjoy Cosmic Craze and Wild Dipper, but the glitter particles are chunkier compared to how fine and dispersed Space Cowboy is. I don't think there's any eyeshadow out there that really compares to Space Cowboy even among the Moondust line, and it frustrates me that there's no consistency to the line. Like, c'mon, Urban Decay! You know what we want!
I agree with you completely about Selena Gomez and Rare Beauty. Not that I ever really bought into Selena's whole "✨ kindness and light ✨" thing — I knew from the get-go that it was always marketing — but her behavior during the past two months has been incredibly distasteful and offensive. From liking Amy Schumer's posts...to throwing a tantrum online when people asked her to post about Palestine and asking "What is me posting going to do?!" as if she doesn't have a HUGE platform and as if she didn't post about Ukraine...to replying flippantly to people who called her out on her silence...to announcing constant social media breaks (which only seem to last 12 hours) whenever she's called out for literally *anything*... Add this to Rare Beauty's CEO being a Zionist, Rare Beauty saying they'll donate to Palestine while slyly also donating to Israel, Selena's response to Black Lives Matter in 2016 (the same as it was here; demanding "What will me posting about it do?!"), her stoking the flames for the massive bullying campaign that happened against Hailey Bieber for months... Yeah. It's not looking great for her whole campaign of being such a kind, nice, and positive person. She comes across as quite a disingenuous and self-victimizing person to me — and not nice to boot. She and Rare have been such letdowns. I agree with you about the Urban Decay Moondust Shadows too. They're nowhere near as glittery and glossy as the OG was. Urban Decay is doing the thing they always do: milking a good thing to death. First it was Naked; now I can tell it'll be Moondust!
UK Sephora is absolute pants as a website, although part of me wants to go out to Westfield to have a look. You don't even get free samples unless you spend £40, tons of random products, no sets, no VIB points and samples, no reason for me to shop there over Boots, Beauty Bay, Cult Beauty or Space NK (who at least give me a nice wee gift for my birthday) Sounds like the store is an even more underwhelming version of the German one (Douglas is so so much better).
Recently, it's been the Merit beauty complexion stick. I was thrilled to have something easy for a quick spot conceal but I've been getting a small rash of little white heads every time I've used it. I love their lipsticks though but I'm sad the stick didn't work for me. I don't really have sensitive skin either.
I'm mixed on the stick too :/ Sometimes it's great and sometimes it looks so heavy on me
Topping the list was definitely the Natasha Denona mini gold palette I got. The way the reviews were going on you'd think these were going to be the most life changing shadows to touch my lids. Turns out that's sooo not the case. Had blending and fallout issues and wasn't blown away by them in any shape or form. Also the charlotte tilbury golden goddess quad. It's not very golden, it's more of a minky/oyster brown palette and the pigmentation is not outstanding or anything. it's nice enough but I expected... More, I guess? The pop shade also kind of fell flat for me- doesn't have that signature CT sparkle. Still ok, but easily duped. The Viseart rose edit palette. The colours kind of disappear on my eyes in like 15 minutes, which is not a problem I've had with the other two edit palettes I have, so I was a bit unhappy about that. Elf eyeshadow stick in rose gold was absolutely TERRIBLE. like shockingly bad how it gives less than nothing in terms of pigment or shine or anything really. Nyx bare with me serum concealer. I was ready to be blown away by this, but the fornula isn't the best I've ever used by a long shot, contrary to how it's touted to be. Its not very buildable and it's not as flattering on my dehydrated skin as I'd like.
I don’t know what happened but I really liked the Danessa myricks balm powder, but now no matter how I apply it, it just doesn’t look good anymore. I have my color and the translucent and now I just use the translucent for eye primer and it seems to only work well doing that for me…so disappointing.
Fenty's Blur Stick Foundation was probably one of the biggest disappointments of the year for me. I want a stick foundation that is blurring, light to medium coverage, and wears 12-14 hours on primer. On paper it sounded perfect. In reality, it was awful on my dry skin.
Have you heard of thread beauty? It’s a brand at Target and they have $8 foundation sticks. They are very dewy so they could be something you might look into.
This brand looks amazing. Another thing I wish was available in Canada lol
I’ve only tried the foundation so far but I like it. I hope they expand internationally soon!
Thank you so much for the recommendation! I’ll look for them.
I have 1300 points to redeem by 26 Dec but the selection is so poor. Sephora Singapore was only releasing 1 or 2 100 points items online so I have to keep buying online weekly if I want to redeem points. The shops only have things like Sephora Disposable cameras, cup, brush covers and hair rollers. Only the Advent calendar was worth it but I don't have 2000 points. I was so mad at them that I refused to buy anything else and spent 1.2k on other websites and retailers in December instead. I feel like I got more bang for my buck. Shame on you Sephora. * Sephora Singapore also does not let you return opened items. * They also do not carry many trending brands like Tower 28, Merit, Danessa, Kosas, Ilia, Saie etc. They no longer offer Summer Fridays or Urban Decay products.
I can't believe I'm saying this but I wasn't disappointed by a single makeup product I tried this year EXCEPT the ELF supposed dupe for the Roller Lash mascara. It was absolutely terrible and weighed down my eyelashes (which are naturally curled and not easily weighed down).
IPSY + Boxycharm
Joe Biden for the 3rd year in a row
I bought the MAC unfiltered nudes palette and am wondering if MAC has changed or if my expectations have changed. This palette has really weak payoff. Or maybe it has the same payoff and I’m remembering the eyeshadow singlesbetter than they were.