the forum | overhyped products

I'm sure that most of you have tried a product before that you found fell short of the buzz surrounding it. No matter how much research you may put into a purchase, sometimes products just don't work for you.

As nice as it is to discuss favorites, it's equally important to talk about products that just don't work for whatever reason, especially when those products get a lot of attention. Products usually get hyped because they work for people, but clever marketing plays an important role here, too.

So, today, we're discussing overhyped products—those lipsticks that everyone loves but that make your lips peel, or that cult-favorite highlighter that's actually just a chunky, glittery mess. I'll go ahead a leave a few of my greatest disappointments in the hype train below:

1. Chanel Vitalumière Aqua. Several beauty bloggers I adore absolutely love this foundation. Lisa Eldridge recommends it for dry skin that wants a good glow. However, the third inactive ingredient is alcohol, which is awful for dehydrated skin. The first full day that I sampled this foundation, my face felt like it was being shrink-wrapped. It had a lovely, light texture, but at what cost?
2. Laura Mercier Oil-Free tinted moisturizer. I used to adore this tinted moisturizer. My current Facebook profile features me in this very base. I really can't describe it, but it suddenly didn't work for me anymore after just a few months. Fortunately, this spurred me to try the NARS tinted moisturizer again, and, well, considering its many appearances in this space, I think you can guess how I feel about it.
3. Benefit Posietint. This just didn't do much for me. Posietint was probably my first stain product, and it turns out that I'm not a fan of traditional stains. I prefer balm or cream stains. Everyone has to start somewhere, though.
4. Benefit They're Real! mascara. I have a few close friends who adore this mascara, and I like how it looks on my lashes, but the brush is too painful for me to find it worth applying. It's like a tiny medieval torture device for your eyelashes. I typically use Maybelline mascaras nowadays anyway.
5. Shiro Cosmetics eyeshadows. Despite my love for Mother of Dragons, I must admit that Shiro's pigmentation and longevity leave something to be desired. Mother of Dragons, for example, looks lovely, but it requires both primer and glitter glue for the pressed version—which I purchased in hopes that these issues were confined to the loose formulation—to stay put. For an indie brand with such a loyal following, especially when pitted against brands like Hello Waffle, there really is no excuse for such poor quality.

What are some hyped products that have let you down?