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?

the favorites | january 2015

Seeing as we've just gotten into February, it only seems appropriate for me to inform you lovely folks about my favorites throughout the month of January.

I am still planning to make a massive 2014 favorites post, but it'll take a bit more time due to my own busyness. Hooray for getting back into a university schedule!

Anyway, on to the good stuff.

makeup

My poor beloved NARS eye primer is nearing its end, so I picked up the Wet n Wild Fergie Take on the Day primer to replace it. Oddly enough, since it's a bit tackier than my beloved NARS, it works better with my LORAC Pro palette. Also on the eyelid front, I received my order from Hello Waffle Cosmetics upon my return to school, which included Catticus Finch from the cult classic Catssic Literature collection. Catticus Finch is a light pink-toned lavender with subtle copper shimmer that translates to a soft, romantic lilac on the eye. I will continue playing around with this for lovely months to come!

January's rediscovery was the now-infamous MAC 217 brush. This brush isn't the softest tool in the shed, but it's one of the most versatile. I can use it for a sheer wash over the lid, for a softly defined crease, or for a top-notch blending job. I recommend that anyone with a love for eyeshadow at least try a brush with a similar shape to the 217.

Not too many of the bloggers I follow loved Maybelline's Lash Sensational mascara, but I was in the market for a new mascara in January and wanted to check it out anyway. So far, I'm very impressed. It's the perfect cross between the Rocket and the Falsies Black Drama: it's lengthening and volumizing, but it offers quite a bit of definition, too. I can get dramatic lashes in just a couple of coats—or three, if I'm really feeling it. Plus, the packaging is a definite upgrade for Maybelline. Obviously, sleek packaging isn't everything, but it never hurts.

Last fall, I resisted the hype surrounding Colour Pop because I was a bit wary of their sudden success and because part of me finds the name "Lippie Stix" a bit much. Anyway, for $5, I figured I couldn't go wrong, and I'm so glad that I decided to buy it. Lumière [not pictured] is just about the most spot-on "my lips but better" shade, and its matte finish isn't drying. You don't get a ton of product for $5—I'm about halfway through it after a month and a half—but it's a very flattering shade with a decent formula.

Finally, this past month marked my first foray into the world of tinted brow gels. I used to use a clear brow gel last year, but I just sort of stopped when I ran out of my second tube. After hearing rave review after rave review of the Benefit Gimme Brow, I decided to give it a whirl. The Light/Medium shade matches my ash-blond brows just about perfectly, and it doesn't make my brows feel stiff or crunchy. I will often wear this alone or with my Anastasia Brow Wiz if I want a really strong brow.

body

/r/Indiemakeupandmore has been in love with Haus of Gloi for as long as I can remember, and now I understand why. Their pumpkin butter in Madcap Garden [not pictured] is a godsend for my dry winter skin. It has such a rich, emollient formula, and the slightly sweet minty scent isn't too powerful. I'll definitely have to try some more scents. I also have a sample in the earthier Insalata Nocturna, which I very much like but tend to reserve for days when I'm wearing Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin since the two scents complement each other.

fragrance

Speaking of things that smell nice, I purchased a travel spray of Stella by Stella McCartney [not pictured] and am already a third of the way through it. This is rose without any sort of powdery, saccharine, or patchouli-laden trappings. Whenever I smell it, I think, "This is what good perfume smells like." It doesn't last very long on me, unfortunately, but I love it all the same.

Have an excellent February!

What have your favorites been thus far this year?