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| NARS The NARSissist Eyeshadow Palette // H&M Makeup Sponge // MUFE HD Microfinish Powder // Bumble and Bumble. Surf Spray // Guerlain Rouge G L'extrait in Paresse // Illamasqua Precision Gel Liner in Infinity // Estee lauder Double Wear Stay-in-place Makeup |
One of the thing I enjoy the most about beauty blogging is browsing the internet for new products to try; I read loads of reviews, look for swatches if the case and gather as many information as possible. Every so often though, no matter how thorough my research was, some products fall short, don't live up to the hype or simply don't work for me. I try to keep things positive around here, because, let's face it, writing about amazing products it's just so much more fun, but I think the time has finally come for you to meet some of the products of my flop list.
First up is my most recent fiasco, the NARS NARSissist Eyeshadow Palette (£55). Infuriating doesn't even begin to describe this palette and my experience with it. It's undeniably gorgeous, with the perfect mix of warm and cool neutral shades and a combination of matte, pearl and shimmer textures. Unfortunately the eyeshadows themselves are totally rubbish, chalky and extremely hard to blend; also, the pigmentation is so poor is not even remotely comparable to the intense color pay-off that most of the shadows offer in their single and duo form. Also, after reading a lot of enthusiastic reviews I realized that the quality is not consistent from palette to palette - either that or people don't know what buttery soft and super pigmented mean -; there's no way to control this aspect, therefore I highly recommend you stick to the single eyeshadows or simply check out other nude palette offerings.
I've been raving about Bumble and Bumble. products lately as I love pretty much everything I've tried from their range, but there's one product that really doesn't work for me. The uber popular Surf Spray (£21.50) does everything it says on the bottle - gives volume and an effortless, tousled beach look - but sadly doesn't get on well with my hair: it makes my sensitive scalp oh so itchy and feels a bit drying on the ends as well. I kind of like it but I get the same result with more gentle products, like the fabulous and beautifully scented Bumble and Bumble Thickening Hairspray (£7.50).
Illamasqua is another brand that I absolutely adore and hardly ever lets me down. The Precision Gel Liner (£18) in the shade Infinity is extra black and incredibly pigmented but for some reason it doesn't set and ends up smudged on the upper lid and in the inner corner of my eyes. The formula is supposed to be long-wearing and water-resistant but it doesn't quite keep its word. I also tried it on a client and experienced a lot of blotchiness and a very difficult application: as I was refining the wing, the more product I applied the more it came off with the brush. Not a winner in my books, sorry.
First up is my most recent fiasco, the NARS NARSissist Eyeshadow Palette (£55). Infuriating doesn't even begin to describe this palette and my experience with it. It's undeniably gorgeous, with the perfect mix of warm and cool neutral shades and a combination of matte, pearl and shimmer textures. Unfortunately the eyeshadows themselves are totally rubbish, chalky and extremely hard to blend; also, the pigmentation is so poor is not even remotely comparable to the intense color pay-off that most of the shadows offer in their single and duo form. Also, after reading a lot of enthusiastic reviews I realized that the quality is not consistent from palette to palette - either that or people don't know what buttery soft and super pigmented mean -; there's no way to control this aspect, therefore I highly recommend you stick to the single eyeshadows or simply check out other nude palette offerings.
I've been raving about Bumble and Bumble. products lately as I love pretty much everything I've tried from their range, but there's one product that really doesn't work for me. The uber popular Surf Spray (£21.50) does everything it says on the bottle - gives volume and an effortless, tousled beach look - but sadly doesn't get on well with my hair: it makes my sensitive scalp oh so itchy and feels a bit drying on the ends as well. I kind of like it but I get the same result with more gentle products, like the fabulous and beautifully scented Bumble and Bumble Thickening Hairspray (£7.50).
Illamasqua is another brand that I absolutely adore and hardly ever lets me down. The Precision Gel Liner (£18) in the shade Infinity is extra black and incredibly pigmented but for some reason it doesn't set and ends up smudged on the upper lid and in the inner corner of my eyes. The formula is supposed to be long-wearing and water-resistant but it doesn't quite keep its word. I also tried it on a client and experienced a lot of blotchiness and a very difficult application: as I was refining the wing, the more product I applied the more it came off with the brush. Not a winner in my books, sorry.
The Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-place Makeup (£27.50) is possibly one of the most hyped up foundations on the market and, for that reason, it was a huge letdown for me. At this day I still can't understand what all the fuss is about. It's heavy, it looks like makeup - a lot of it actually -, smells like moldable paste and above all it feels like a clay mask on the skin because once it sets, I feel the weirdest pulling sensation. I used it during summertime, with primers, I mixed it with lighter foundations... Nothing I do seems to work to make this base any better.
Another top rated product that everyone but me seems to love is the Makeup Forever HD Microfinish Powder (£24.95). My biggest complaint with this is that it looks ashy on pretty much every skintone I've tried it on, whilst the Laura Mercier Universal (£29) or the Vichy Dermablend Setting Powder (£14.50) for instance, are actually invisible on the skin. Apart from that, it's ok, I guess, but nothing more; it does mattify the skin but not as well and for as long as other similar products and it does blur pores but, again, not as well as more recent releases. There're so many amazing setting powders on the market I wouldn't spare this one a passing glance to be honest.
Plenty of very positive reviews at the time convinced me I needed to try the Guerlain Rouge G L'extrait (£29.50) but as it turned out, I could definitely do without it. There's something really upsetting about this liquid lipstick. It could be the dopey packaging, which weights almost as much as my phone does, or the dark pink shade - I own Paresse - that looks a bit dull due to the not-quite-matte, not-quite-satin finish. On top of everything, it's quite sticky and not at all long-lasting on me and I actually ended up eating all of it along with my quick lunch once, which was quite annoying to say the least.
Lastly, there was a time I thought sponges couldn't be bad - I mean, a sponge is a sponge, right? - but something clearly went wrong with the H&M Makeup Sponge (£1.99). It's rough, it doesn't apply foundation evenly and is so dense it's definitely really unpleasant to bounce around the face. Don't let the cute bubblegum pink and the price tag fool you; those two are actually the only good aspects about this blender.
Have you tried any of these products? Any fans out there or you're just equally disappointed as I am with these guys? Do you have any beauty let-down to share?
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Another top rated product that everyone but me seems to love is the Makeup Forever HD Microfinish Powder (£24.95). My biggest complaint with this is that it looks ashy on pretty much every skintone I've tried it on, whilst the Laura Mercier Universal (£29) or the Vichy Dermablend Setting Powder (£14.50) for instance, are actually invisible on the skin. Apart from that, it's ok, I guess, but nothing more; it does mattify the skin but not as well and for as long as other similar products and it does blur pores but, again, not as well as more recent releases. There're so many amazing setting powders on the market I wouldn't spare this one a passing glance to be honest.
Plenty of very positive reviews at the time convinced me I needed to try the Guerlain Rouge G L'extrait (£29.50) but as it turned out, I could definitely do without it. There's something really upsetting about this liquid lipstick. It could be the dopey packaging, which weights almost as much as my phone does, or the dark pink shade - I own Paresse - that looks a bit dull due to the not-quite-matte, not-quite-satin finish. On top of everything, it's quite sticky and not at all long-lasting on me and I actually ended up eating all of it along with my quick lunch once, which was quite annoying to say the least.
Lastly, there was a time I thought sponges couldn't be bad - I mean, a sponge is a sponge, right? - but something clearly went wrong with the H&M Makeup Sponge (£1.99). It's rough, it doesn't apply foundation evenly and is so dense it's definitely really unpleasant to bounce around the face. Don't let the cute bubblegum pink and the price tag fool you; those two are actually the only good aspects about this blender.
Have you tried any of these products? Any fans out there or you're just equally disappointed as I am with these guys? Do you have any beauty let-down to share?
***
