Products Not Worth The Hype

It's always disappointing when you lust after a product for ages and when you finally get your hands on it, it's so underwhelming you just cannot understand what everyone else saw in it.  Doing as much research as possible does help minimise any let-down, but I have come across a few products which, despite my almost obsessive trawl of Google/Instagram/Twitter etc. etc., still haven't lived up to the hype.  While it's never nice to slate a product or brand, I think it's important to be honest - not every product will work for every person.

NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation
On paper, this foundation should be my holy grail; full coverage - check, lightweight - check, natural luminous finish - check, lasts all day - check...but no matter how hard I try I cannot get this product to work for me.  I have tried every conceivable way of applying this base, I've used fingers and brushes, primers and oils, tiny amounts of product, powders, setting sprays - I have tried it all.  The issues with this product start with application.  The pump dispenses the teeniest drop of product, which apparently is all that is required for the whole face.  Now, I'm under no illusion hat no matter how wonderful this product is, a drop of foundation no bigger than a couple of grains of rice just ain't gonna cut it to cover scars and redness.  However, use more than this and all hell is unleashed (well..not quite, it's just foundation..).   The problem with this foundation is that while initially it looks beautiful and flawless, it very quickly begins to almost separate and slide around on my face.    On my skin this happens fairly quickly, usually with the first hour of wearing it.  Less than ideal given the hefty price tag.

Bourjois Round Pot Blush
Blush is my absolute weakness, so the Bourjois stand draws me in like a tractor beam to their little pots of cheeky goodness.  I love the compact size of the products, the way they are subtly scented and the way the packaging matches the colour of the blush contained within.  All sounds good so far, right?  Unfortunately the baked texture of these products makes it nigh-on impossible to get payoff on my cheeks.  Seriously, you'd develop RSI in your wrist trying to get product onto the brush!  I have swirled, stabbed, and even scraped the damn thing and at the end of the day it's just not worth the hassle.  I've already used up far too many minutes of my life trying to get some colour payoff - I have even considered rubbing the little pot directly onto my cheeks..! Such a shame, as the colour I have (Sienne), is a beautiful muted pinky brown.  Let's hope Bourjois reformulate these soon.

Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade
My brows are very low maintenance.  A quick tidy up with the tweezers and a brush with a brow comb and they're happy.  Last year with my wedding approaching, and having decided that I wanted to do my own make-up, I thought I would treat my brows to a bit of extra grooming and ABH Dip Brow Pomade ( Pom-ade or pom-ad?) seemed like the ideal choice.  The colour is perfectly ashy, and it's relatively easy to apply once you realise that you need a very very small amount of this.  Plus, when it dries down it ain't going anywhere til you remove it.  The one major downside of this product is how quickly it dries out and becomes flaky and crumbly.  This, along with the fact you need very little means that it would be impossible to even make a dent in this by the time it starts to dry out.  Perhaps a smaller pot would be the answer?  Or a rethink on the packaging?

My tips for avoiding being let down (by beauty products....):

• Research.  Blogs, Google, Pinterest and Instagram are all good sources of information.  Check out swatches on different skin tones.  
• Don't rush.  There's always a fair bit of hype surrounding new releases, usually followed by a swathe of positive reviews.  If you sit it out a bit, you tend to find more honest reviews appear and you can make a more rational choice.
• Try before you buy.  This might sound obvious, but if it's available at a counter or stand, get yourself down there and ask the sales assistant to try the product on you then wear it for a few hours.  This will give you an idea if it's worth the splurge.

Are there any products which have disappointed you recently?