By Sheila Arkee
Okay, ladies & gents, it’s time to dish at our weekly open post. Pour the coffee, pull out the raspberry cheesecake, we’ll be here for awhile.
In our journeys as beauty connoisseurs it is a given we will encounter products that just don’t work out for us. But what if they’re products that everyone else is raving about? It happens. I have several that I just really, really wish would have been awesome for me, but they just weren’t. My top three are as follows -
1. Maybelline Great Lash Mascara – We all know how this one goes: Great Lash, why can’t you let my lashes be great?!?! Works amazingly for many, voted best of on every list, but is a true lash repellant on my lashes. Insane!
2. Rosebud Lip Salve – Oh, how I truly wanted this highly touted and beautifully scented lip balm to work and be my all-time favorite thing! But then there’s the fact that my lips blister like no tomorrow when this is applied. Oh, so sad.
3. Bare Escentuals Mineral Foundation – It’s funny how mineral makeup has changed since this was introduced on the makeup market. I wanted to jump right in and have it be the best foundation I’d ever tried, but it just made me look like the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz. True story.
What are some of your makeup misses?
I don’t even like Great Lash’s clear mascara for brow grooming! It does nothing, way too watery.
Rosebud Salve leaves a bitter taste on my lips (but I can use it as cuticle moisturizer).
UDPP is utterly meh for me. I find it creases. I’d rather spend $5 and get Jesse’s Girl eyeshadow primer. (but most often I use MAC Paint Pot in Painterly as my eyeshadow base and it never allows creasing or fading)
Seche Vite. yeah it dries fast and is shiny but the shrinkage? UGH. right now I’m looking at a gorgeous mani I did yesterday and it’s got the tip wear of a 5 day mani. even with wrapping the tips. ARGH WHEN WILL I LEARN.
I’m the one people hate who can wear all three of those.
But I can’t wear Nars Orgasm.
Oh, yes, Seche Vite … horrid!
I’m with you on Great Lash. Tried it, hated it, tossed it. Also, the Lush lip scrubs that everyone loves? I got one as a gift. It’s nice and it works fine, but even tightly sealed it dries and crusts on top, and for $8.95, it doesn’t do anything I couldn’t do myself with a pinch of sugar and a few drops of peppermint oil right out of my kitchen.
I have a love/hate relationship with Seche Vite. The drying time is obviously great, and it doesn’t smear nail art. But YES, THIS to the shrinkage issue, and it gets thick and unusable so quickly after you open a new bittle. Has anyone found a thick, non-smeary topcoat that doesn’t share SV’s negatives?
Oh yeah, Seche Vite is utterly frustrating. On the one hand — superglossy and smooths out even chunky glitter, plus allows me to have nail color and a toddler at the same time (plus get back to my knitting in a reasonable amount of time). But it absolutely destroys the wear of your nail polish. It isn’t such a big deal for me because I like to change my nail polish like I change my lipstick, but it’s just awful if you’re looking for more than a day or two or wear.
Clinique Black Honey does NOT work on me…even the gentleman at the Clinique counter agreed. It pulls a weird awful on my lips.
Me either, Megan. That and Dr. Pepper lip smacked
Not sure if this counts (it’s not *exactly* beauty): Mario Badescu Pink Lotion. I’ve heard & read RAVES about how good it is, celebrities use it, blah blah blah. Tried it. Not impressed. My OTC products work better – and they’re more accessible and cheaper.
All the Essie nail polishes I’ve tried have been terrible.