As I wrote about my current favourite beauty products last
month, I thought I’d tell you about the products that have let me down. While I'm shouting AVOID, AVOID, AVOID, bear in mind that we all have different
tastes, skin types, hair types, and so on. Just because something didn’t work
for me, doesn’t mean it won’t work for you.
Soap & Glory Supercat
Carbon Black Extreme Eyeliner Pen (€8): Soap & Glory say this pen is “foolproof” and they’re not
wrong - it’s super easy to use. The felt-tip is sturdy and the colour is a
deep, glossy black. The issue I have with it is its longevity. While there are no long-lasting
claims on the packaging, I expected this to wear well without primer. That’s
not the case. Without primer, this smudges within 3 to 4 hours. Once my primer
is on, Supercat lasts all day, but as I don’t have oily eyelids, having to
apply primer every time I use this really irks me.
Bourjois Liner Feutre
Ultra Black 24H Felt-tip Eyeliner (€8.99): Oh dear. This is the worst
eyeliner pen I’ve ever tried. Even with primer, this fades and flakes. You must
be thinking at this stage that my primer is useless! Not so. I use the
much-lauded Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion. It’s not cheap and I prefer to
keep it for nights out. We’re all used to mammoth claims from the beauty
industry but this 24 hour declaration from Bourjois is just plain bizarre!
Garnier Ultimate
Blends The Revitalising 7-in-1 Dry Shampoo (€4.99): Seven actions? More
like no action! This dry shampoo made no difference to my unwashed hair. Not a
thing. This was commended when it was first released due to the fact that it
doesn’t leave a white cast like traditional dry shampoos, but I think that’s where
the problem lies. At least with those products you know they’re absorbing oil.
As much as I disliked Garnier Ultimate Blends, it’s nothing compared to the
level of loathing I have for Herbal Essences Dry Shampoo. It left my hair in
such a sticky mess that I threw it in the bin before I could take a photo of
it. I’ll never stray from my darling Batiste again!
Rimmel Brow This Way Brow Styling Gel (€5.49): The only person I
can imagine getting on well with this is Chris de Burgh. I’ve been ‘blessed’
with naturally full brows but even this brush is too large for me. Despite
wiping excess gel on a tissue (the brush holds a lot of product) and careful
application, it’s impossible not to get some gel around your eyebrows. The product
itself is quite wet and takes a few minutes to set. What’s more, the deepest shade
Dark Brown is more like a chestnut brown. A big thumbs down from me.
Sleek Matte Me Ultra Smooth Matte Lip Cream
(€6.49): The description says “this doesn’t cake, flake or dry out”. I’m afraid
it does all that and more. Matte lip products are notoriously difficult to
wear, so I prepped my lips before application and kept them apart while the
cream set. Nonetheless, it wore away quite quickly on the inside of my bottom
lip which was really obvious. Reapplication was disastrous with the product
balling up into little clumps. When I removed the product, which I couldn’t
wait to do, my lips were sore and dehydrated. Admittedly, I’ve never had an easy friendship with matte lipsticks; I think my lips are naturally too dry. I do have one
good thing to say about Sleek Matte Me; the colour is very strong and vibrant,
but Fandango Purple didn’t suit my skin tone at all.
Lipcote (€4.99): My
never-ending quest for long-lasting lipstick brought me to Lipcote. This is a
lipstick sealer that has been around for 50 years. While most of the negative
reviews online focus on the strong alcohol scent and the fact that it stings on
application, my problem with it is that it doesn’t work! Again I followed the instructions
to a T, but my lipstick faded within the normal time frame and began to look patchy.
One plus - it didn’t feather, but I still couldn’t recommend this.
What products have
left you feeling a little “meh”?
