Product Letdowns of 2015

In the midst of the craziness that has been 2016 so far, I almost forgot to include a post on what products didn’t work for me in 2015.   I’ve done posts on my top beauty and non-beauty products of the year, so I feel its only fair to include my letdowns as well!

I must say that I sometimes enjoy reading about what products didn’t work for others more than hearing about those they love.  It’s always so interesting to hear why a product doesn’t work for someone, and I have way more trust for Bloggers/YouTubers who do so.  It drives me nuts when their reason for not discussing disappointing products is that because “it’s too negative.”  I mean, how often does a product work for absolutely everyone?  Almost never.  /end rant.

So in the spirit of “negativity”, here are the products that didn’t work for me or I just didn’t enjoy in 2015!  Note that I have very sensitive, acne-prone skin I’ve grouped these into 2 categories – those that caused breakouts and other.  I had reviewed about half of these products at some point last year, so I included a “Coles Notes Review” that lists the highlights of my review, as well as a link back to my original review/post if you want more detailed information.  The other half of products mentioned were ones that I forgot to do a review on, or ran out of time to do prior to the end of the year.

CAUSED BREAKOUTS

Kat Von D Lock it Foundation

I realized that I purchased this foundation back in the summer, used it for a week and then returned it and never mentioned a peep about in on my blog.  And I was really sad about it, because I think this is a fabulous full-cover foundation.  It covers REALLY well, was a great match to my skin tone and made my skin look almost flawless…until I started breaking out that is.  One of the ingredients in this is Isononyl Isononanoate and I suspect I’m allergic to it (given that it’s the common denominator in other products I’ve used that caused a similar reaction).

While this foundation provided fantastic coverage it also had a tendency to cake up really easily/quickly.  I found that using my Beauty Blender really aided in avoiding this. It is quite thick so I didn’t need more than one pump – a little goes a long way.  While I’m disappointed this didn’t work for me, if you don’t have sensitive skin and are looking for a full-coverage foundation, this could work for you!

Too Faced Born This Way Foundation

I purchased this at the VIB Rouge sale back in November and given the positive experiences I had with Too Faced Products this year, I was very excited to try this out.  I had heard/read mixed reviews on it but I wanted to see what it was like for myself.

Unfortunately this was a great big fail for me.  While it looked flawless right after I applied it, within a couple of hours my face was a greasy mess.  It didn’t matter if I set it with a powder, used a mattifying primer, or a setting spray – the result was the same.  On top of that, it also made me break out.  😦  I think if you have dry skin this could probably work wonders on you, but it wasn’t for me.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation

Coles notes review – Separated on my face, highlighted dry patches, caused major breakouts.

More detailed review here.

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder Pressed Powder:

Coles notes review – Controlled oil well but caused major breakouts.

More detailed review here.

CeraVe Foaming Face Cleanser

This was on my July favourites because it was one of the few cleansers that I’ve tried that actually removed all my makeup (including eye makeup) AND it didn’t dry out my skin at all.  After just over a month of using it I realized it was the causing some small (but consistent) breakouts.  I stopped using it and it went away.  Sigh.

More detailed review here.

eos Lip Balm

Coles notes review: Caused some breakouts around my mouth…but I haven’t considered suing them for my reaction to it (haha!).

More detailed review here.

OTHER

Cover FX Custom Cover Drops

Coles notes review – Couldn’t get these to blend properly nor last on my skin.

Full review here.

Becca Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector

Coles notes review – didn’t mattify, dries up really quickly and left a white residue behind.

More detailed review here.

Dr Brandt Pores No More Pore Refiner

This definitely made my pores smaller but left me oily by the end of the day.  Thankfully this is a sample size and I used points @ Sephora to get it.

Urban Decay Pore Perfecting Complexion Primer Potion

Coles notes review: Left me greasy and oily by the end of the day, and left a white cast on my skin.

Full review here.

Rimmel Brow This Way Brow Setting Gel

Coles notes review – This made my eyebrows orange, it had a horrible formula and the brush was way too big.

More detailed review here.

NYC Big Bold & Precise Felt Tip Eyeliner

This is one of those gimmicky eyeliners that has two different tips – one that’s supposed to be thin and precise and the other that’s thicker and dramatic.  I can’t get either side to work – it’s patchy and watery and smudgy.  And it doesn’t last very long.  Thankfully I only paid around $5 for this so I’m not too heartbroken.

Essence Super Fine Eyeliner Pen

For $2.99, I really can’t complain too much about this eyeliner pen.  It’s super black and has impressive lasting power BUT the tip is super thin and damages easily.  As a result it becomes too flexible and you can’t get a precise line with it.  So while this one didn’t work great, Essence’s Original Eyeliner Pen has all the benefits of this one but without the easily-damaged tip.

Fructus Full & Plush Fortifying Shampoo

Coles notes review – Actually had the opposite effect of volume on my fine hair.

More detailed review here.

COLAB Dry Shampoo

Coles notes review – did nothing to soak up greasy roots and doesn’t even compare to my beloved Batiste.

More detailed review here.

Kirkland Signature Daily Facial Towelettes (available in-store)

I discovered these @ Costco late last year and I think I paid $15 for a large box of them.  It seemed like such a deal and because I’m generally impressed with most things from Costco so I couldn’t resist giving these a try.  Sadly these are probably some of the worst face wipes I’ve ever used.  They are so heavily fragranced and they dried out my skin like crazy.  And now I’m stuck with multiple packs of them.  I may give some away and I’ll use the rest to clean off my makeup vanity and swatches.

Dove Original Dry Spray Antiperspirant

Coles notes review – not effective, heavily scented,

More detailed review here.

Even though this is a pretty extensive list, I still feel like I forgot a few. I was kind of disappointed with how many products didn’t work for me, especially those that made me break out.  I know I have sensitive skin, but it can pretty discouraging.   The good thing is it really makes me pay attention to ingredient lists!

What were your product letdowns for 2015?

Thanks for reading!

 

Loves & Letdowns – June

Welcome to July!  I’m super behind on posts –  I was away for a little over a week on vacay and lately it’s been super hot here, which means I’ve not been sleeping well, which means I haven’t had much energy to do much at all lately.  Thankfully it sounds like it’s going to be cooler this week so I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things.   I’ve noticed it seems a little slow in terms of posts for everyone so I guess it’s just that time of year!  Gotta get out and enjoy the warm weather while it lasts right?

Moving on to my loves and letdowns for the month of June!  Let’s start with my loves:

Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation – $8.99 CAD

I’ve had this foundation for just about 2 months now but I’ve only started using it regularly in the last month.  About a month ago I was breaking out like crazy and I was a little worried that this was one of the products causing it.  Having used this everyday for a few straight weeks I can confirm that this was not the culprit.  Which is great because I really like this foundation!  First off –  the plastic tube packaging is great!  I really dislike foundation in glass bottles – it’s just a matter of time before I drop of the bottle on the floor and smash it to pieces.  I don’t have to worry about that happening with this.

Secondly, in terms of coverage I’d classify this as medium, that could be buildable to full if desired.  My only caution with that is that I think it may look a little cakey if you pile too much of it on.  I still need to wear concealer with it as it doesn’t completely cover the broken capillaries under my eyes and old acne scars.  On my skin this dries to a demi-matte, slightly powdery finish but it doesn’t look dry at all.  My only complaint is that I do get slightly oily about mid-day which is  easily remedied by blotting with powder.  I wear shade 115 which is their lightest shade and it matches my skin tone really well and doesn’t oxidize at all.  I find this applies best for me with a damp beauty blender.  For the price, I’m super impressed with this and definitely plan to re-purchase!

Garnier Skin Renew 5 Second Blur Instant Smoother – $15.99 CAD

I was at Winners last month and they had a bunch of Garnier products in their cosmetics section.  I picked up this primer, read the description, was intrigued and was even more intrigued when I noticed it was priced at  $5!  I figured I didn’t have much to lose by giving it a try for that price!  When I finally cracked it open a little over a month I was pleasantly surprised about how good it was.  It really does most of what it claims: “Our light reflecting technology creates a visible blurring effect: lines and wrinkles are filled, pores and irregularities minimized, shine is mattified.”  It really does blur over large pores (and I have large pores on my nose and cheeks) and any acne scars.  Does it make them disappear completely?  No, but I’ve yet to find a product that successfully does that.  I do have some fine lines under my eyes and unfortunately I don’t find it does much for those.

It does have a very silicone-like, slippery texture which I am personally fond of because I like how it allows my foundation to blend flawlessly into my face.  I use this with the Covergirl foundation I mentioned above and it works wonders on me.  I always have the problem of foundation and powder sinking and sticking into my pores and this has completely solved that problem for me.  The only thing I’m not crazy about is the packaging; I find air gets caught in the tube so when I’m trying to remove it I’ll get a puff of air out of it and sometimes a bit of product with it and it’ll go flying across the room.  That doesn’t bother me too much though, and even though I’ve seen this in the drugstore being sold for pretty much triple the $5 I originally paid for it,  I would definitely repurchase this!

Maybelline Volum’ Express the Mega Plush Mascara – $8.99 CAD

I’ve been on the never-ending search for my holy grail mascara for months now and this was my newest candidate.  I was intrigued by the flexible brush as well as the gel-mousse formula so I thought I’d give this one a try.  Overall, I’d say this is a pretty solid mascara.  Is it the most voluminous mascara?  Not for my lashes.  But it did separate and define each lash, didn’t clump and provided really great length.  I liked how it left my lashes feeling quite soft and natural and not hard and crunchy.  There was also minimal smudging and flaking while wearing throughout the day which is really important to me.  I can’t stand having racoon eyes!

My only gripe about this is that I think the flexible wand is a little gimmicky and might contribute to the lack of volume this provides.  I find the flexibility means that the brush can’t grip your lashes as much as a non-flexible brush can.  But the brush itself is quite full and bristly which is a preference of mine.  Another thing I liked – you can build this up quite a bit without it getting clumpy.  Again, it’s not perfect but it’s definitely one that I’d purchase again!

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush – $10 CAD

I’m a bit late on the Real Techniques train but I thought I’d start slow with this Expert Face Brush.  Now I realize how much I’ve been missing out because I absolutely love this brush!  I’ve used it to apply mineral powder foundation, liquid foundation, and finishing powder and it applies them all fabulously!  The bristles are so soft and dense and it gives my skin an airbrushed finish.  I can’t believe how fantastic this brush is for $10!  If you’re looking for a new foundation and/or powder brush I’d highly recommend this one!  I can’t wait to try some of the other brushes they have!

Sephora Beauty on the Fly Travel Bag – $5.95 CAD (No photo)

Apologies for not having a photo of this item; I realized I forgot to include it after I edited the picture and I was too lazy to go back and retake and re-edit the photo! 😦

I purchased one of these way back in April prior to our trip to Mexico.  I used it on that trip, loved it and then my husband eyed it up and stole it for a work trip.  So what is it and why is it so great?  It’s a re-useable, TSA approved bag meant to store your liquids in when you travel.  It’s made of a thick, transparent plastic with a sturdy zipper at the top.  Previously I’ve used ziploc sandwich bags which work fine but would often rip and tear by the end of a one-way trip.  I’m constantly digging into my purse and/or carry-on for chapstick, hand sanitizier and hand cream before, during, and after my flight so I loved how no matter how much I did this, this bag stayed intact and didn’t rip or tear.  I also appreciate the zipper because I often forget to zip the ziploc bags (or I think I zipped it and I actually didn’t) and I’ve had products fall out of my purse.  I  purchased another one of these for my most recent trip to Vegas and it just re-affirmed how much I love it (and why my husband stole my original one!).  I received this free @ Sephora because I purchased 3 travel sized products (the ones around their cash registers) but you can buy it on it’s own for $5.99 and I personally think it’s well worth that and more!  Particularly if you travel a lot!

And now for my letdowns:

Colab Dry Shampoo (Rio) – $7.99 CAD

I’m not sure why I bought this.  I needed another can of dry shampoo and I happened to be in London Drugs and this was sitting right next to the cans of Batiste.  For the record, Batiste is my absolute favourite dry shampoo and I’ve never found anything that even comes close to working as well as it does.  This, and Batiste, were on sale for $7.99 so I picked up a can of each.  The fact that this was invisible is what intrigued me about it but unfortunately it does absolutely nothing to soak up the oil from my roots.  In fact, I almost feel like it makes my hair look and feel greasier/oilier.  It also provides no texture as well so if you’re looking for that from a dry shampoo, this is not the one for you.  On the bright side, I do like the fact that it’s invisible and it has a lovely scent.  But it doesn’t provide what I need from a  dry shampoo so I won’t be repurchasing this.

Dove Original Dry Spray Antiperspirant – $5.97

Antiperspirant and I have a long history together and it hasn’t been a great one.  I sweat.  ALOT.   So I need a good, strong antiperspirant to help me get through the day without pit stains and BO.  That’s probably TMI but it’s true.  I’m always on the hunt for the best antiperspirant and I haven’t found one yet that works for me and this one is no exception.  I liked the concept of this – it’s a dry aerosol spray so it just feels cleaner and more effective when you spray it under your arms.  The things that annoyed me about it were 1) You have to hold the can 15 cm away from your underarm prior to applying it.  I’m not sure who came up with that measurement but it’s ridiculous.  I needed to pull out my ruler to figure that one out.  If you hold it closer you’ll end up with little balls of deodorant under your arms, which is a good look if you’re wearing a sleeveless shirt!  If you don’t hold it close enough it won’t be effective and you’ll smell all day.  Made both mistakes multiple times while trying this out.  2) I hated the smell of this.  I usually always purchase unscented deodorant because a) I have sensitive skin and b) when I wear scented deodorant that’s all I can smell all.day.long.  Wiffs of “Powder Fresh” and “Summer Rain”…..barf!  Anyway I thought this one would be a little lighter and smell similar to Dove soap, which I don’t mind.  Unfortunately the scent of this is like the dove soap scent on steroids and the scent is REALLY overpowering, to the point where I started feeling nauseous by the end of the day because it’s all I could smell.  So, I definitely won’t be repurchasing this but I did manage to find an Unscented men’s version of this that I’m currently trying out so I’ll keep you updated on what I think about that!  #sweatypeopleproblems!

Essence I Love Extreme Volume Mascara – $3.99 CAD

This might just be the worst mascara I’ve ever used.  😦  Good thing it was only $4!   The brush is huge and way too big (and I like big brushes!) and I had mascara all over my eyelids after attempting to apply this.  The first time I wore this I was at home on a Sunday, when I was being lazy and lazing on the couch.  An hour in, I had racoon eyes and flakes under my eyes.  Which was pretty shocking given that I had done absolutely nothing that day – I hadn’t even stepped outside. I can’t imagine what it would look like if I had wore this to work.   So needless to say I won’t be repurchasing this.

And that’s it for this month.  Have a great week!

Loves and Letdowns – May

Well I figured it’s about time I jump on this bandwagon, because why not?  I love reading other bloggers monthly favorites posts as it’s such a good way to learn about new products! Basically I’ll be sharing the products I loved throughout the month, as well as those that were letdowns and just didn’t work for me.  Pretty much the same as a favorites and unfavorites post but I thought I’d switch up the words a bit because I’m different, like this goat:

I laughed way too hard at this – hope it made you giggle too! 🙂

Enough about goats, on to the topic at hand:

LOVES:

NYX Butter Gloss – Tiramisu ($7.99 CAD)

I picked up this gloss a few weeks ago at London Drugs and I’ve been using it every day since.  It’s the perfect pinkish nude for every day use!  I find it works great on it’s own or on top of a brighter lip color to tone it down.  I love the formula – it’s super creamy, not sticky and glides on smoothly.  It smells delicious as well, I’m not sure how describe it (maybe like a vanilla cupcake?) but not overly sweet.  I’ll definitely be picking this one up again and I’d love to try the other shades at some point as well.

Maybelline Volum’Express The Colossal Mascara ($8.99 CAD)

Its been a long time since I’ve ventured out to try a new mascara; for years I was happy using L’Oreal’s Voluminous Carbon Black mascara.  Then something changed and it began to flake and smudge on me and I was crushed.  I’ve been in search of a replacement and so far this one has stood out the most.  It has the natural bristle brush that I like and it lengthen and thickens my lashes really nicely with very little to almost no clumps – which is really rare!  I find it flakes a little sometimes but I’m willing to live with that given it’s other benefits.  The only thing I’m not crazy about is the scent – it smells flowery.  Which I find kind of weird – mascara shouldn’t have a scent right?.  Doesn’t bother me though so I will definitely be repurchasing this one!

Dove Nourishing Oil Care Leave-In Smoothing Cream ($7.99 CAD)

Lately I’ve found my hair is getting super dry, particularly around the ends.  I attribute that to my use of my curling iron on a daily basis, in addition to my hair being colour-treated.  I also tend to only wash my hair once every three days, using dry shampoo in between.  I find my hair feels and looks pretty dry during those in-between days, particularly on day 3.  I came across this and thought I’d give it a try.

This is meant to boost shine, control frizz and smooth your hair without making it feel greasy.  I take a dime sized amount, and distribute it through my ends right before I use my curling iron.  It definitely makes my curls feel smooth and sleek and I find it does help hold my curls a little longer when the humidity is present outside.  It also smells amazing – a little bit fruity but nothing overpowering.  I’m very careful to not get this anywhere close to my roots as I can see it weighing my hair down and making it super greasy (it also recommends against doing so right on the bottle).  So far I’m loving this and would recommend it!

L’Oreal 12 Hour Infalliable The Super Slim Liquid Eyeliner ($11.99 CAD)

THIS.IS.AMAZING!!! Best liquid eyeliner pen I’ve ever used, hands down and I have tried them all from the super cheap drug store versions to the higher end brand-name types.  Nothing beats this.  It is the only liquid liner that I’ve tried that truly stays on all day long and does not budge.  Yet it is simple to remove at the end of the day using my regular eye makeup remover!  I’m just blown away by this! I also love the super slim tip, it makes it very easy to get  precise line!  I have a bad habit of pressing down too hard on the tip when I’m applying liner and damaging it.  The tip on this is sturdy enough that I have yet to damage it (although I am trying to be more gentle!).  It’s also very pigmented and build-able – if you don’t get a thick enough line to begin with you can easily go overtop of it without it dragging and erasing the previous line.  If you wear liquid liner and you haven’t tried this yet – go out now and buy this!  I can’t rave enough about this, I’m in love!

The Original Beauty Blender ($26.00 CAD)

Okay, I really didn’t want to like this.  Previously I’ve used Beauty Blender knock-offs and convinced myself that there really wasn’t much difference between them and the original.  The thought of paying close to $30 for a makeup sponge seemed ridiculous.  However, I took the plunge over a month ago and ordered one to see what all the hype was about.  And at first, I wasn’t crazy about it. But the more I used it, the more I grew to like it and eventually love it and now I’m not sure I can go back to the knockoffs.  I feel like I’ve used and abused this and it’s practically in the exact same condition it was when I bought it.   No rips and no tears, unlike the cheaper versions where that occurred within a couple of weeks of use.  I can also get every trace of makeup out of it when I wash it which is impressive because I usually go an entire week of use before giving it a good cleanse.  It also applies my foundation beautifully and I’m loving it for applying mineral makeup! So I suppose I’m a convert now.  Which I’m okay with because I see the light now – this thing is really great!

LETDOWNS:

Essence I Love the Stage Eyeshadow Base – $3.99 CAD

I have super oily eyelids and I usually have trouble trying to find a primer that keeps my eye makeup set all day and doesn’t crease.  Unfortunately this was another one to ad to the fail pile.  It was super cheap so I’m not too crushed but it sure would have been nice if it had worked!  Despite the fact that it did basically nothing to stop my eyelids from creasing, I also hated the formula.  It’s super thick and dry and very difficult to blend!  The color is a little odd too – it has an orange/yellow tint which I’m guessing is meant to hide any discoloration and even out your lids but the problem is if I got this anywhere near my eyebrows it turned them orange!   Won’t be repurchasing this one!

Urban Decay Pore Perfecting Complexion Primer Potion – $37.00 CAD

In my hunt for the perfect primer I picked this up a few months ago, used it for a week and it was promptly thrown into my black hole of products never to be worn again.  Which is disappointing because I used Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer Potion for years and liked it.  Also it was pretty expensive (I should have taken it back, I forgot and now its too late). I found this did absolutely nothing to minimize the appearance of my pores and my skin was just a complete oil slick halfway through the day.  Consistency-wise it’s pretty thick and it definitely leaves a bit of a white cast on your face so I can’t see this working well for anyone with darker skin. I tried using it with different foundations and setting powders and I had the same result every time. This could possibly work for someone with super dry skin but it definitely wasn’t for me.

NYX Wonder Pencil (Light) – $5.99

This is supposed to be a 3 in 1 product that you can use as a concealer, eye brightener and lip liner.  I’ve tried it for all 3 purposes and I haven’t been impressed.  When using it to line my waterline, I could barely get any transfer.  I think part of the problem is that it’s just too hard and dry.  Same problem when using it as a concealer, I found it really highlighted any dry spots on my face, barely covered the areas that I applied it to and lasted an hour at most.  As for using it as a lip liner, I found it hard to apply – again given how hard it was, and it didn’t make any difference in the lasting power of my lipstick.  So all in all, a big thumbs down for this one.

That’s about it for May! Until next time!