Recently, I realized it was time to go through my makeup stash and declutter some products I no longer wanted or needed, and thought it might be helpful to share. Some of these are pretty popular and/or highly-rated, but didn’t work for me for reasons I’ll go through below.
1. Maybelline Fit Me! Loose Finishing Powder ($5.99)
I was super excited to give this a shot, since I only own one loose powder (my trusty Coty Airspun) and this seemed like an equally affordable, accessible option. It has great ratings across the board and several of my favorite Youtubers have been loving it as well. I purchased the shade “05 Fair” which seemed close to my skin tone. The packaging is bulky, but secure and easy to use. But this product leaves a terrible grey cast on my skin and almost makes me look dead. It makes my face look super cakey and powdery within a few hours. If I bake with it, my undereyes look extremely dry and old. No matter how much or what technique I use, it just doesn’t work for me…super disappointing!
2. Tarte Tartelette Tease ($23)
I’ve had this palette for a few years, and though these eyeshadows aren’t bad, I’ve just found that there are tons of other palettes I prefer. Because it’s so small and sleek, it’s great for travel (there’s a small mirror inside, too). Unfortunately, the formula isn’t all that great – surprising, since it’s got pretty good reviews and Tarte is considered pretty high-end. These shadows are very hard and dry, making them a little difficult to blend and work with. Plus, I wasn’t wow’ed by the pigmentation. The colors are neutral and versatile, but with there being so many other more affordable shadows I prefer, it didn’t make sense to keep this in my collection.
3. IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness Neutralizing Correcting Cream ($32)
Do you ever have a product you don’t like and never use, but can’t get yourself to get rid of it because of how much you paid? Despite NEVER reaching for this in the past 6 months, I’m just now summoning the courage to toss this $32 investment. This is essentially meant to be a spot concealer to neutralize redness, scars, and more. It has an amazing 4.5/5 on Ulta…but I can’t figure out why. I have the shade “Natural Beige” which is WAY too dark on me, and at the time was the only color they offered (IT Cosmetics has since come out with two lighter shades). But the shade isn’t the issue with this product – it’s the lack of any coverage. Considering this is marketed as a redness corrector, it does little to cover any of my redness or acne scars. I’ve since been reaching for my normal concealers to get the job done, and will be getting rid of this from my collection. And on another note – the product has gotten goopy, gross, and textured, despite it being marked as having a 24-month lifespan and being tightly closed the entire time.
4. Colourpop Super Shock Cheek “Flexitarian” ($8)
This is another HIGHLY raved about product that I really didn’t enjoy. I’ve had it for a while, and recently it seems to have popped up again on Youtube (receiving thumbs-up from gurus like NikkieTutorials, KathleenLights, and RachhLoves). On the Colourpop website, it boasts nearly 5/5 stars. I HATE THIS HIGHLIGHT. It is SO chunky and glittery. There’s no way to make this a subtle, pretty glow – regardless of how little I apply or what method of application I use, it just looks like a glitter bomb on my face. All the blending in the world could not get rid of these sparkles. It’s EXTREMELY pigmented and creamy, and probably would be beautiful without the glitter chunks. I’m not sure if they recently changed the formula and it’s been improved, but the one I have (purchased almost a year ago) is a definite pass.
5. City Color Tinted Brow Gel ($4.99)
I purchased this at Marshalls on a whim, since I’ve had moderate success with City Color products in the past. It’s not awful, and adds a nice natural tint to my brow hairs. I’ll be tossing this because the brush is huge, and makes it very difficult to apply this without things getting messy. If you’re on the lookout for an affordable brow gel, I’d opt for the Essence Make Me Brow (which is actually even cheaper).
6. Elf HD Lifting Concealer ($2.99)
Elf is one of my favorite drugstore brands, so I was disappointed that this concealer didn’t work for me. The shade range is terrible – it comes in only 3 colors – and just does nothing for my skin. I have the lightest shade, “Fair”, and it’s darker than my skin so not flattering for my undereyes. The coverage is barely there, and about an hour or two after application it’ll create, even when set with a powder.
7. Colourpop Creme Gel Liner “Swerve” ($5)
Lastly, I’ll be getting rid of this gel liner. I love that it’s a retractable pencil, but hate that it constantly breaks off unless I’m extremely careful. Though it’s supposed to be black, it’s not extremely opaque and comes off looking more like a dark grey. It doesn’t last on my waterline, and ends up smudging all over the place if I use it to tightline. Into the trash!