Brands and Makeup Products to Avoid
Hello, Hello! Monsoon has struck well this year but I am mostly stranded just where I am. Nowhere much to really go. But I have been researching a lot randomly that’s when I stumbled on what really to write about next and here we are. A lot of people have been asking me to write about this, because there’s something new coming in the market every now and then. It can be really hard often to tell what makeup products to avoid or not. After a lot of thinking and actually testing 90% of these products, I am here with a list of 25 things that I think are a real no-no and products to avoid seriously! Some of these brands are my favourites and I use on a daily basis, but some products are just heart as well as bank breaking.
Highlighters
Anastasia Beverly Hills Aurora Glow Kit
ABH has some amazing products, I pretty much like all its palettes but the highlighter game just got a little over the top with the Aurora Glow Kit. It has the following shades: Eclipse, Luna, Spectra, Helia, Orion and Lyra. Okay, now I am someone who’s more about having a highlighter which is neutral. Who really needs a green highlighter?!?! This definitely tops my list of makeup products to avoid.
HUDA 3D Highlighter Palette
Over-hyped! Yes, that’s what it is. HUDA has some amazing products like lashes, lip colours and I like their eyeshadow palette too. But as I said, you need not have a whole world of highlighters with you. A neutral highlighter just works with pretty much everyone. This palette has a blush colour highlighter, makes no sense to me. The pro is this is a highly pigmented palette so you gotta be really careful about how much you pick. Can you avoid this? Yes!
Lancôme Rose Blush/Highlighter Powder
My dad was in Dubai for a Beauty Expo so I told him to get this one product. I was kinda curious too because of its packaging. Why is this one of the makeup products to avoid? Because it is absolutely non-functional. I don’t think I am ever, ever going to use it again but keep it just because of its pretty packaging. Otherwise nothing special about the product, it is overpriced and you can find a better highlighter in much lower cost.
Kylie Highlighters
Just too many highlighters around so everyone wants to go ahead and try and add another one to our vanity kits. Not happening! I love Kylie’s lipsticks and that’s all that I like. When the new highlighters launched I just went ahead and got one for myself. I instantly regretted that decision. The glow doesn’t feel subtle and just feels too much even if I have just used a little. Definitely one of the makeup products to avoid.
Becca x Chrissy Teigen Glow Face Palette
I am a die-hard fan of Becca. I guess it makes to the top of my favourites all time. However, this palette is a disappointment. I am already using the champagne pop from Becca but what I don’t understand is why this! Two shades are almost similar, what’s the point? Hence, this one is a no-no too!
Alternatives
theBalm The Manizer Sisters AKA the ‘Luminizers’ Trip Makeup Palette
Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Compact
Makeup Trends
Holographic Makeup
It took me a while to understand why would people even like a trend which is holographic. So basically all you do is create a multi-dimensional effect on your face using a paper cutting and some makeup adhesive. Inspired by this technicolour trend, a lot of brands came out with holographic makeup like Milk, Cover FX, Kat Von D, Too Faced and may be a lot more. Honestly, it’s a complete no for me since I am not really looking for ‘that’ iridescent glow!
Unicorn Makeup
There are a lot of brands which are also making unicorn-inspired makeup. Okay, for starters, cute concept but other than looking good in the YouTube videos and trying some PR material, there is absolutely no purpose of these makeup products. Because I am never going to wear them in my daily routine! Hence, unicorn makeup are the makeup products to avoid.
Brands
MAC
Now growing into makeup, there are a few brands I wanted to get my hands on first and MAC was the first of all those. I think I just loved everything they had until I realized how the products are not really great for my skin in the climate of India. I think I still own some 7-8 lipsticks from MAC and use them daily. But otherwise, I am kinda done with MAC.
Jeffery Star Products
The products by Jeffery Star are definitely the makeup products to avoid. Here’s why:
- Most of what they have is bizarre like there some strange black coloured products too.
- Hate the consistency of the lip colours.
- The highlighters, the blushes, nothing seems subtle to me.
Makeup Tools
Silicon Blender
So somehow there is this weird trend of trying to apply makeup with anything possible like a ball, bottle, vegetable and what not. Silicon blender is one of them which is of course being produced by brands and has mixed reactions. It is supposed to use less product and evenly apply it on the face. First, I hate the way it feels on my face, plastic-ky to be precise. Second, when I tried applying my foundation with this blender, I looked like a ghost. The natural feel a makeup sponge can give is not what can be achieved with a silicon blender. Again, there have been mixed reactions, I just happen to fall on the negative side.
Frushy Fish Brush
I saw a lot of top bloggers doing videos using this brush. I thought of giving it a try and I immediately regretted. Not very expensive but definitely not worth. The brushes are useless in fact I felt they were a little harsh on my skin. This is totally one of the makeup products to avoid.
Alternatives
Sephora Brushes
I have been using brushes by Zoeva, Real Techniques, Sigma and PAC. Now, they are all great quality and not very expensive. The brushes that Sephora has on the other hand burns a hole in your pockets. Nothing great about them just super highly priced. I would always prefer buying the Morphe brushes or the ones by PAC available in India.
Tarte Unicorn Brushes
Those of you guys have seen these brushes and disliked it, I am with you. Sticking to why I dislike Unicorn these, I guess I pretty much don’t like these brushes by Tarte. Nothing really great about them, only fancy packaging, which is of no utility. However, Tarte happens to be one of my favourite brands and I own some make I can never do without.
Alternatives
Blush and Contour
NARS Liquid Blush or any Liquid blushes
NARS has amazing cosmetic products, but the Liquid Blush was a fail for me. One, the packaging is really sad. Two, I am more of a Matte blush person and this blush gets cakey. Overall, liquid blushes are a no!
Benetint
Some of you might want to kill me for writing about Benetint, since it is a favourite of many. But here’s why this is one of the makeup products to avoid and I definitely avoid. It’s a liquid which will not work with every skin tone, not on lip not on cheeks. It’s priced a lot for what it has to offer. Benefit has some of the best products which are irreplaceable for me like their eye products and primer. But the Benetint is something I would surely avoid.
Lorac Pirates of the Caribbean Cheek Palette
Lorac, I love you, but this palette is not cool. Problem? Similar shades and silly packaging, no purpose at all. However, I use the Lorac’s Pro To Go Eye/Cheek Palette and its bomb! Do check that out you guys!
Kim Kardashian West Creme Contour and Highlight
Kim Kardashian is sure a fashion icon and so recently she came out with a product she’s known to use the most- The Creme Contour and Highlight. Alright, the product looks sleek but I guess I will not be able to use it beyond 15 times, that’s where I lost interest. This is a kit of both contour and highlight with a brush cum blender stick. I don’t see myself using that brush ever! So, that might look interesting, but never buying. So, this sure is one of the makeup products to avoid.
Alternatives
Eye Makeup
Urban Decay Naked Heat
Okay, I love Urban Decay’s Naked collection but I guess the palette in ‘Heat’ was unnecessary. If you look at the palette, there are similar colours, I mean I can’t even tell the difference in two of them. So not spending my $54 on this one ever and is definitely one of the makeup products to avoid.
Marc Jacobs Beauty Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara
Marc Jacobs is another favourite especially the foundation, which I ran out of a few days ago. They have this mascara which is supposed to give look of a thick false eyelash. My friend gifted this to me and of course I have used it a couple times but will I buy it? NO! The brush on the wand does not elongate my lashes in anyway and I also felt the product is a bit chalky.
Alternatives
ABH Modern Renaissance Eyeshadow Palette
Tartelette in Bloom Clay Palette
Benefit Cosmetics Roller Lash Mascara
Lip Makeup
Bobbi Brown Art Stick Liquid Lip
If you love lipsticks and a lot of them, Bobbi Brown has you covered. I am a fan of all their lipsticks but this art stick made me wonder. It costs almost $40 but the packaging is a big let down. You need to squeeze the stick to apply it and that’s a little shabby. A similar version is available in Clinique and that’s definitely the one I’d prefer.
Dior Addict Lip Glow Color Awakening Lip Balm
I was at Sephora and I was looking at some Dior products that’s when I came across their lip balm. As much as I love the brand, I know this for sure that I would never spend that much buying a lip balm which does literally nothing! This can be one of those makeup products to avoid certainly.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Palette
Alright, the palette looks fancy with 18 different shades like black, yellow and blue. That could be fascinating to many but definitely the kind of makeup products to avoid. If you have lipsticks and then liquid lipsticks, you really don’t need a palette with just weird colour combinations because I won’t use them daily!
Alternatives
Clinique Chubby Plump And Shine Plumping Gloss
Facial Oils
Farsali
I love face oils and especially the ones you can blend with your makeup. But I think the ones by Farsali are over-hyped. I’d rather use my Kiehl’s serums with my makeup, which I do pretty much everyday and it works just right. If you feel the same, then definitely add this to your list of makeup products to avoid too!
Primer
YSL Touche Eclat Blur Primer
Yves Saint Laurent is another luxury makeup brand and like the others I love this one too. I got the Touche Eclat Blur Primer last month and have been using for a while. It is not blurring, not hiding any pores or making my skin makeup ready. This is definitely one of the makeup products to avoid especially when there are better primers out there by brands such as Benefit Cosmetics, Smashbox, Hourglass, etc. This primer is one of those makeup products to avoid and maybe get something that’s better and cheaper.
Alternatives
Estee Lauder Genuine Glow Priming Moisture Balm
Hair Tools
Dafni Hair Brush
I am not a very big fan of hair brushes, but here’s the thing: I would buy something that’s practical and not exorbitant. The Dafni Brush costs Rs. 15000 which is about $220 and makes absolutely no sense as to why is it that pricey. Works like any other hairbrush which are of course cheaper than this one like Corioliss.
So that’s my quick take on what makeup products to avoid because you might not necessarily buy everything that’s just in market. Always shop like it is an investment whether it is makeup, skincare or makeup tools.
P.S. This is no brand bashing but an opinion on what I didn’t love so much, hence, the makeup products to avoid.
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