little white truths

This post has been on my list for a couple of weeks now and I'm pleased to be sitting down to write it today.

I like to do one of these posts every year and I think they're useful - perhaps even more so than my Best in Beauty posts - because they can help people know which products to avoid.

If you'd like to see last year's list of disappointing products, it's here.

Also, the usual disclaimer: just because I don't like these products, doesn't mean they're bad products. It just means that they haven't worked for me or my preferences - so if you happen to like any of the products on this list, I'm super happy for you because it means that you haven't wasted your money! But I have.

In no particular order...

Burberry Complete Eye Palette in No 7 Pink Taupe

This is easily my biggest product regret of all time because it was so damn expensive (even though I bought it for 20 per cent off) and it just doesn't perform as well as it should, given the price. I've reviewed it here.

My biggest issue with this palette is that two of the shades don't work for me at all. The palest shadow doesn't show up on me no matter what I do, and worse still, the green looks like a muddy grey when applied so I have no use for it because it's unflattering and weird.

While I do like the dusty rose shade, the brown looks flat on the eyes and the best use I have for it is as a brow colour, which isn't how I want to be using an expensive shadow like this.

I've thrown this quad into Pan that Palette 2018: I just want it out of my collection. It's sad because the shadows swatched so well in-store, but as we all know, you can't always trust a swatch. Foo.

Burberry Light Glow Blush in 07 Earthy

Yep, another Burberry product for the disappointing list. I could have included either Earthy or Tangerine because I don't rate either of them, but Earthy's worse because it doesn't show up on me whereas I can get some pigment from Tangerine. Full review here.

I have no idea why people love this blush because not only does it not show up well on me (and it should, because I only have a light/medium to medium complexion), but it doesn't do anything special: it doesn't blur texture; it doesn't lift the face and it doesn't airbrush my skin like other expensive blushes do.

Sure I can get away with it as a very light contour, but it's not even the right colour for that (it's not cool enough), so I'm not sure why so many people love it. The best thing about it is the packaging.

Another expensive waste of money.

Clarins Rouge Eclat Lipstick in #13 Woodrose

This product was disappointing because it looks so fancy and it doesn't come cheap, plus it felt nice when I first applied it so I thought it was going to be good. It was not. I've reviewed it here.

While it felt so wonderful when I first applied it, after using it daily for over a week, it completely dried my lips out so I had to stop using it and move on to something else that could manage the issue this product caused.

It also faded and slipped around unbelievably on me - even if I didn't eat or drink. Indeed, I've never used a lipstick that vanished into thin air like this one did.

I've also never used a lipstick that bled as much as this one! On top of that, it emphasised texture and settled into lip lines - not something my dry, 37yo lips need.

Double blurgh.

Zelens Transformer Instant Renewal Mask

Full review here. Each time I used this, I left it on for at least 15 minutes and often closer to 30, and each time I noticed absolutely no difference in my skin - I couldn't even say that it hydrated a little because it didn't, or at least it didn't for me.

I did some research on this product and saw that a few people had the same issue (that is, it doesn't do anything) so they suggested leaving it on for at least a couple of hours in order to get an effect. Can I just say, though, that if something that costs almost $200 says it will work after 15 minutes, then by golly it should do that. Period.

For me, this didn't meet any of its claims when used as directed. This annoyed me because it's so expensive and I didn't see 'immediately visible' results: indeed I didn't see any results at all. 

Hoh well, my wallet is happy that I didn't love this ; )

Frank Body Lip Scrub

Full review here. I absolutely hated this product and indeed I couldn't use it on my lips so I ended up using it as a foot scrub, just to get through it.

I liked the scent and it also contained a decent amount of scrubby matter, but what I couldn't live with was how it felt on the lips. I don't know what's in it that made it feel so waxy and greasy, but whenever I used it, I felt like I'd wiped my lips with old, crusty candlewax that had gone all melted and goopy. Honestly, it just felt disgusting.

On top of that, it was bloody hard to remove. I normally apply my lip scrubs whenever I feel like it - often after cleansing in the morning or after cleansing in the shower - but I couldn't with this because I needed a good cleanser to wash it off. And even then I was sometimes still aware of the stuff on my lips after use. 

Avoid.

Kerastase Elixir Ulitme Hair Oil

Full review here. This is one of those products that just didn't want to work for me no matter what I did. It didn't feel like other oils - it was so lightweight that I was barely aware of the product when I pumped it into my hand. It also had a jasmine scent that I enjoyed, but that was the only good thing about it.

I have dry, frizzy hair that's always in need of hydration and I usually love hair oils - but unfortunately this product just didn't hit the mark. When I applied it to my dry ends, all it did was coat them so it made my hair look dirty and I could feel the film whenever I touched my hair, plus it reduced the time between washes because it made my hair so lank.

In my experience, a good oil should 'bind' with the hair shaft and make your locks look and feel more nourished, but this didn't do that for me. It was like my hair 'repelled' it so it didn't absorb: instead it just left my hair feeling coated and gross.

Not for me.

Mecca Cosmetica Sunbrella Invisible SPF 50+ Superspray

This was disappointing because I was so excited for it and I really thought it would answer the problem of how to reapply sunscreen over makeup. It really didn't. I've reviewed it here.

It's a clear spray that's greasy and it made me look slick, so I needed to powder over the top of it. Plus it reeked of alcohol and the scent lingered after application, and the formula was too much for my face because it stung if I had any dry patches or sensitivity. I also wouldn't recommend getting it anywhere near your eye and lip areas because it may burn them - it certainly burned mine.

On top of that, it lifted/dissolved makeup - no matter how carefully I patted it on with my hands. Of course it did. It's oily. So it's definitely not the 'top up' sunscreen product I've been searching for all these years.

Just not good.

In sum

I hope you enjoyed this little post and found something useful in here. 

Please note that I had quite a few disappointing products I could have mentioned this year, but I went for the eight items that disappointed me the most because I thought it would be more helpful to really narrow things down and only include the worst ones.

Do let me know in the comments what disappointing products you've found this year: I'd love to hear.

Hope all's well with you, and speak soon x