I'm Sorry, I've Changed My Mind

Sometimes, you can really like a product, and then for no apparent reason, just change your mind on it. It happens a lot to me, sometimes I'll buy a product and not be that impressed, and then one day I'll suddenly fall for it, but today, I'm talking about the products I used to love, but now I'm not so sure.

First of all, let's talk about the Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation. As a drugstore foundation this is great, good medium but buildable coverage, natural looking on the skin and it's got a good wear time to boot. However, over the last few months I've found that it it's so heavily scented that a) it makes my stomach turn, and b) it breaks me out. It's a shame since as far as drugstore foundations go, this is one of the better ones, but it's just not working for me anymore. 

Benefit Boi-ing Concealer was one of my first high end purchases, it's marketed as an industrial-strength concealer, and I must have liked it to start with since I've hit pan on it! However, I now find that despite the good coverage, this actually slips off quite quickly and leaves that blemish you painstakingly covered in the morning shining in all it's glory after a couple of hours. 

This one will be controversial, but I have completely gone off the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze. I don't like to wear this on it's own any more since I find it starts to sheer out after a couple of hours, and I don't use it as a base because it's too shimmery to apply shadow over. It's a shame because it's a gorgeous colour, but I'd rather reach for the Rimmel Scandaleyes Shadow Paint in Rich Russet, which wears much better.

And last but not least Batiste Dry Shampoo. I'm pretty sure there was a point in time where if you wanted dry shampoo, Batiste was your only option, and then it was great. However, now there are so many dry shampoos out there that not only make your hair look clean, but they make it feel clean too.

I'm sure some of you probably love these products, but for me they just don't work well anymore. Have you ever changed your mind on a product?

Disappointing Products #2

You probably know by now that I don't like to get too negative round here, but occasionally there are a few products that disappoint me, and I feel like negative reviews can be just as helpful as positive ones. So I've rounded up a few products from the last few months to chat about today.

I'll start with the product that was most disappointing to me, the Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara. This was a massive let down since a) it wasn't cheap, b) it had awesome reviews, and c) LOOK AT THAT PACKAGING. IT'S BEAUTIFUL.  So the problem with this is it just doesn't really do anything, and when I persist it just clumps all my lashes together, making it look like I just have three really thick eyelashes. Not a good look. Also, it's a pain in the ass to get off.

Another mascara, but thankfully a less expensive one, that was a bit of a let down was the Maybelline The Rocket Mascara. 90% of the reason I bought this was the name, and 10% all the good reviews, but this just doesn't work for me. The brush is so big and the formula is so wet I just end up with this all over my face, and not much on my lashes. And even when I get it on my lashes, it doesn't do much. I tried letting this dry out a bit but it wasn't any better, and it started to smell funky very quick, so I think this is going in the bin.

I am a massive fan of Real Techniques brushes, so I had no qualms about picking up the Real Techniques Duo Fibre Brush Set, but I've actually only managed to find a use for one of the brushes in the set, the other two are scratchy, they don't pick up product unless you really bash it in there, and they leave your makeup looking smeary.

Another big let down was the YSL Pure Chromatics Eyeshadow Palette in shade 20. The packaging was gorgeous but one week in a makeup bag and it was scratched to high hell. Whilst these shades are gorgeous, they just aren't pigmented at all and it's a real shame. I do occasionally use them on top of other eyeshadows to add a bit more shimmer, but for £38, they were a real disappointment.

I've been trying to love the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Permanent Taupe for the longest time, but I think it's time to admit defeat. It's really dry and pulls on my lids when I use it, and the colour just makes me look half dead. In a similar vein I can't get on with the Rimmel Scandaleyes Eye Liner in Taupe either, for all the same reasons.

The last product I want to mention isn't a bad product, it just wasn't as good as I expected it to be. I bought the Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub when I ran out of The Breakfast Scrub because I'm obsessed with the Sugar Crush scent, and expected it to be the same as The Breakfast Scrub just with a different scent. Sugar Crush is actually a lot less gritty, and I had to use A LOT more just to feel like something was happening, and even then it wasn't as good. If you're after a gentle scrub then it's great but personally I prefer something a bit harsher, to really do the job.

What products have disappointed you?

2013's Disappointing Products

I don't often talk about the products that I don't get on with, there's so many products out there that I love and want to share with you guys, but I think it's important to share what products I didn't get on with so well, so that you can make an informed decision as to whether they will work for you. If the internet was full of only good reviews, we'd all be disappointed a lot more often.

I've gathered up the products that didn't impress me for one reason or another in the last year to show you. It's worth bearing in mind that just because these products didn't work for me, it doesn't mean they are rubbish, or won't work for you. 

So first up, a few base products. Benefit's Porefessional primer is majorly hyped, in the blogosphere and amongst those normal folk with a makeup collection that can fit in one small bag. For me though, it was just missing something. It does smooth out the appearance of the skin, but if anything I find my makeup stays on less time than if I hadn't applied it. I definitely fell for the hype with this one, big mistake! A foundation that I mentioned recently was a real let down, I'm a massive fan of Bourjois foundations, but the Bourjois Happly Light Foundation really missed the mark in a big way. I'm not sure what happened with the shade range of this foundation, but all my other Bourjois foundations are shade 52, this is shade 50, and it's orange. Oompa Loompa Orange. And it oxidises, so it only gets worse. Shade grumbles aside, this also turns my skin into an oil slick. Now don't hate me for saying this, but I really don't understand the hype around the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. It's thick and cakey, it doesn't blend nicely, and it oxidises like nobodies business, drawing attention to the areas you're trying to mask. Nope, don't get it at all. I even bought a second one thinking mine was dodgy, but nope. I really like the Maybelline Fit Me concealer, so I expected to love the Maybelline Fit Me Powder. However, it just didn't really do anything for me, I tried applying it with different brushes, and sponges, but it just doesn't do anything. It doesn't make my makeup last longer, it doesn't get rid of shine, nothing. And for a range that was designed to give everyone a perfect match, all the colours are too yellow or pink for me. 

I bought the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion sponge fairly recently, after rave reviews claiming it gives your skin an 'airbrushed' look when you use it to apply foundation. I just found that using this takes three times as long as using a brush, and didn't look as nice at the end. I'll be sticking with my buffing brush thank you! I was also surprised that I didn't get on with the Soap and Glory Glow All Out highlighting powder, since it seems to be everyones highlighter of choice at the moment. In the pan it looks beautiful, a gorgeous champagne pink shimmery powder, but when I put it on - nothing. It doesn't show up at all on my skin. 

I was absolutely desperate to get my hands on the Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Glam Plum Fullham, it was sold out everywhere, I ordered it from Superdrug and the sent me a childrens lipgloss with a teddy bear on it, and then I finally tracked it down in my local Tesco. But to be honest, it's just not what I thought it would be. In the bullet it's gorgeous, but it's too pink on the lips so it just looks strange. Also, because the formula is so creamy and it doesn't set, you only have to smile and it's all over your forehead. Well, it goes around your mouth, but you get the idea. The Revlon Lash Potion Mascara was another one I was anxious to get my hands on, with everyone in the states raving about it, I bought it as soon as it hit the UK. I don't mind the brush of this, but the formula is awful, it takes so long to make it look like there's even anything on my lashes, and then after a couple of hours my lashes feel heavy and itchy, and I end up trying to pull the mascara off (not a good idea).

Seche Vite Topcoat is one everyone loves, hell, I love the finish of it, but I won't ever buy it again, seeing as it's £9, and once you're halfway through the bottle it goes gloopy and then solid and you can't use it. It's a shame because it's a lovely topcoat. I think I'm the only person in the world who doesn't get on with Barry M Nail Polishes. Peach Melba and Blue Moon need 6 coats before they are even slightly opaque, and the Gelly Hi-Shine formula is so gloopy and runny and takes over two hours to dry. I don't have the time!

I am a massive Lush fan, but Ultrabland is the only product that's ever disappointed me. I still use this to take off heavy eye makeup, because it's a great makeup remover, but it leaves an oily residue on my skin, even after double cleansing, and it breaks me out. 

And lastly, I've mentioned the Lee Stafford Hair Growth Conditioner before, I loved the hair mask from the same range, but this really didn't work for me. It's so runny that even after being in my hair for fifteen minutes, it did nothing. 

So there we go! Have you used any of these products and liked them? What products disappointed you this year?