ABOUT TIME! I haven’t done a product based post in a HOT MINUTE! And baby, I AM BACK!
And I love that I am about to start with a product regret; something that I have yet to experience in a while. Buying makeup has been on a rest the past couple of years and so I don’t ever buy something I feel I won’t get good use out of. So, landing on one that has irked me enough to warrant this post baffles me! That being said, this wasn’t at all a bad product!
Unlike previous product regrets post, I am going to add price and where to buy.
This is the IN2IT Lash Define mascara (volume and curl).
The product.The wand.It has a very nice curved shape! Very ergonomic for getting into the inner corner of the eyes.
Two coats! Definitely effective!
Price: MYR 29.90
Where to buy: Most drugstores/pharmacies in Malaysia.
What I liked about it: From the picture the wand is great and the formula gives a lot of volume! It even holds a curl pretty well!
What I didn’t like about it: Firstly, perhaps THE crumbliest mascara I’ve EVER used! After the very first time I used it I saw so many spots of mascara on my undereye. Secondly, and this was the deal-breaker, it is a PAIN to remove!!! Only managed to use it twice and haven’t tried it on since. When I tried applying with most of the product removed from the wand, it starts crumbling when it dries down. If I could have tolerated the fall-out and the arduous removal, I would have actually reviewed this. Alas, it had to make this post!
I know I keep saying this but I honestly can’t say this enough. THANK YOU for sticking by FiercePaint. I started FiercePaint in 2015 and in spite of the periodical hiatuses I have taken, I have kept it alive and without people reading I would have given up a long time ago! THANK YOU AGAIN. YOU keep me going!
This is a three part series about how my thoughts, techniques, and application process has changed especially with the resurgence of various methods to do makeup in 2022 (wow my very own trilogy in the FiercePaint universe!). So, this post isn’t about a specific product rather a type of product which I have changed my mind about. I must confess at least three of these was me learning off of social media and out of those three, two were because of YouTuber Robert Welsh (channel link here). Keep reading, you’ll understand what I mean.
1. Liquid liners Hold it, I know you must be confused. No I haven’t changed my mind about the product itself but instead I am coming to realise that the traditional use of it to line my eyes isn’t something that is always necessary in a makeup look, especially if one has hooded eyes. When re-watching my Indian dance makeup videos on YouTube I’ve come to realise that the eyeliner doesn’t seem to flatter my eyes. In terms of Indian dance makeup, if I ever get to dance again, the dramatic winged liner with the liquid eyeliner would still be necessary. However, there are certain techniques I’d use to change the shape and it’s thickness. As of now, on a normal makeup look I do, both on myself and on others, I would not default to the winged liner. Having a dark line on the eyelids, depending on the shape of one’s eye, can be counter-productive and end up making the eyes appear, unintentionally, smaller.
Notice how thick the line is on the first two pictures are and how some of it disappears into my lids and to the side? Yeah…
2. Soft lip liners This was influenced by Tati, yes that now infamous YouTuber. She raved on about the Essence Cosmetics lipliners that come in two variations; the twist up version and a pencil version that needs sharpening. Both of which I have reviewed and loved. I still think they’re great but not for their intended purpose anymore.
See here’s the problem with extremely soft lipliners, no 1, they are an absolute pain to sharpen, and no 2, they act more like lipsticks than lipliners. The frustration with the former goes without saying but the problem with latter is, lipliners are supposed to, in addition to making some lipsticks more wearable, be a long lasting base for a good lip combo. Even if the lipstick fades away, the lipliner is there to provide some colour. When a lipliner acts like a lipstick, it ends up wearing away just as fast the lipstick does, ergo completely negating its need. I would now opt for formulas that may not be as smooth to apply but are opaque, pigmented and really adheres to the lips.
3. Sharpening pencils Vis-Ã -vis soft pencils let’s talk about sharpening them. In every pencil I have reviewed, be it brow or lip products, I’ve added this one ‘con’; “needs sharpening”. I hate sharpening makeup pencils with a passion! However, I’ve realised that as long as I am using a good quality sharpener and the product itself isn’t like the aforementioned soft pencils, sharpening isn’t that bad. Pencils often contain a lot more product and sharpening means you can get a sharp point for precise work. So, yea, I don’t hate it so much and won’t add into a con, unless the pencils are too soft for it.
4. Baking powders So here’s the thing, I have done baking (for definition please visit the page “Makeup Lingo Dictionary”, link here) and still do but now, I think it ought to be reserved to stage makeup. It really does behoove performers to set their face in copious amount of powder as it will help maintain base makeup through perspiration. The flipside to this is thick, cakey makeup that does not look good up close and in person. Moving forward, I would only lightly set base cream or liquid makeup with just enough powder. No more baking for a day-to-day makeup look.
5. Eyeshadow base Eyeshadows bases are typically liquid or cream products applied on the eyelids before application of eyeshadows to prolong wear time and/or enhance intensity. I have reviewed two, both from Essence Cosmetics, and, both loved and received good ratings.
So what changed my mind about these is, after using it on people and myself, I’ve noticed that these are essentially glorified concealers and on oily eyelids, it breaks down like a concealer does. It works only on specific skin types, and non hooded eyes. Eyeshadows on these concealer-like-eyeshadow-bases also tends to move around and smudge where it shouldn’t. The verdict is that I don’t think these make good eyeshadow bases. It doesn’t prolong wear because it has no element of adhesion. Now, what I would use are eyeshadow primers like the Urban Decay primer potion that aid eyeshadow adhesion to the eyelid rather than concealers or concealer like eyeshadows bases.
I’ve did it, I’ve posted over a 100 reviews! 101 to be precise.
As you might have guessed from the title, this is a list of the poorer performing products from my reviews.
No, these aren’t products I regret purchasing. Those products you can find by clicking the link HERE. Regrets usually have no redeeming qualities. These however, I used, or managed to use and review. There is the slimmest chances that these might be your cup of tea.
As usual, disclaimers; these are my personal views and I don’t believe these brands are bad just these particular products.
Funny enough, there are only 3 products with this low rating (compared to those that had a >9). But that being said, there’s are 13 products (regrets) that I have deemed unworthy of even reviewing. Haha.
Two notes: – If the product is no longer available it doesn’t make the list. – These products have a <5 rating.
Missha The Style 4D Mascara This has been marked down from MYR 18 to MYR 9 on the Althea website where I initially purchased them from, despite having a 4.5/5 stars. *insert eyebrow raise emoji* Must just be me then. Either way, judge yourself from my review or perhaps purchasing them (it’s just MYR9!).
Silkygirl Hydra Clean Makeup Remover I initially LOVED this product but it started making my skin burn. To be honest cleansing waters do a better job for me.
Avon Simply Pretty Metallic Liquid Eyeliner This pretty liner is not budge proof, smudge proof, oil proof or water proof, so unless you’re a dainty person who can keep their hands off their face, my personal suggestion would be, no. Just no. They have changed the design slightly but the bottle looks the same.
I haven’t done one of these in a while, the reason being I don’t flippantly buy cosmetics anymore. Especially if I am paying for it. The fact that this was purchased with Althea free store credit doesn’t make it any less frustrating. This could have gone into something much more worthwhile.
The box. Yes! Very professional and high end looking!
What I liked about it: It performed very well! Beginner friendly. Good dry down time. Good packaging! It was even priced affordably (MYR 23 when I purchased, it is now MYR 27)! I was very happy. INITIALLY…..
What I didn’t like about it: I only got to try it out all but THREE times… It dried out. I tried storing it upside down, I tried shaking it vigorously, I tried even cleaning out the tip in case some eyeshadow or something got stuck on to it. All exercise in futility! That’s 23 bucks that could have gone into buying a backup of my favourites!
The frayed tip from trying to hopelessly revive it…
Can’t believe there’s two of these in the span of 3 posts!
I generally can make mascaras work for me but this was hands down the WORST I’ve ever used!
The product.
What I liked about it:
The green colour on the tube.
What I didn’t like about it:
EVERYTHING ELSE! It’s like putting on a layer of clear gel on the lashes. It has NO EFFECT on the lashes! It doesn’t dry down fast and ends up smudging. The bristles are too widely spaced to catch any lash. The wand shape and bristles cause smudging during application. I can’t say anything good about this mascara! Not one redeeming quality. Paid MYR 10 for it! That’s a meal down the drain! 😥
TWO COATS OF MASCARA! This is how my lashes would look with clear mascara!
Let’s just say I am on the HUNT for a makeup sponge that can rival my Stila double ended sponge (review link here). Out of my 8 product regrets post, 2 are of makeup sponges and let’s just add another to the bunch shall we?
It is the Forever 21 makeup brand Love & Beauty and it is mostly beauty tools. I have no idea about their actual makeup product because the local store doesn’t carry them.
They recently ran a, buy 2 get 1 free promotion for the tools. I actually wanted to get the tweezers; the sponge was an impulse purchase, and it is technically free but I still paid for two other products!!!
The sponge! Don’t be fooled by the shiny packaging and the cute colours!
The brand. Pretty packaging isn’t it?
What I liked about it:
It’s pretty.
What I didn’t like:
EVERYTHING ELSE. It is the exact same dud MYR 5 of a sponge I purchased from Mr. DIY (Malaysian version of the dollar store, regrets post link here). Hard as rock and fair warning people, there is a high chance of bruising when bounced of the face. Doesn’t expand when dampened, doesn’t soften either! COMPLETE WASTE OF MY COIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The nice display with the plastic cover masks the softness or lack thereof. Pressing it with the plastic cover on gave me hope! And it was crushed into a million pieces when I took it out!!!!!!!!!!!!
*slaps myself*
Repeat Harivaindaran K. Veeriah, don’t buy anymore makeup sponges unless you know it’s good!!!!
DON’T BUY ANYMORE MAKEUP SPONGES UNLESS YOU KNOW IT’S GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, the superfluous capital letters and exclamation points are to convey my utter dismay and disappointment!!!
Two negative posts in a row… 😦 I realised I had this post set up and ready to go before the last one but pushed it forward because I wanted to post the previous, Cathy Doll post up first (link here).
So Silkygirl is perhaps one of the very first mainstream makeup brands in Malaysia that launched a liquid to matte, liquid lipstick. And when it first came out everyone when nuts! And so far I have seen and heard very little complaints about it. However, when I decided to put it to the test I was sorely, SORELY, disappointed…
The product.
Initially swatched.
When completely dried down. Gorgeous, true red colour! Absolutely beautiful!
So, as you can see, it’s a gorgeous shade of red and it dries down to a complete matte finish. See, here’s the problem, one coat is not opaque enough to cover the difference in pigmentation of my upper lip and my lower lip. However, it is a complete mess when it is layered. The second coat makes the first layer move around and then it bunches up and crumbles off. When it was worn on the lips, within the first half hour, there was so much product missing from the inner part of the lips. I did try it with my favourite lipliner but when the lipliner wears off so does the product, so it isn’t so much the lipstick but the lipliner that works.Of course this may just be this particular shade…
Sigh…. That’s MYR 18.80 I’m never getting back!!! 😦
Ok, so there’s this brand called Cathy Doll in Guardian in Malaysia and I have been curious of one thing. Their Ice Cream Magic Blender makeup sponge. If you have not used a sponge to blend your makeup you are missing out because it gives your makeup the most amazing and flawless finish!
Moving on, here’s the product.
Looks pretty cool right? And it is really soft too.
Now, what I assumed is that it needs to be dampened. But here’s what happened when dampened.
If you can’t already tell the sponge is completely out of shape. And this is after me positioning it for a few minutes to snap the shot!
See here’s what happens when it is dampened. It looses it’s bounciness! Completely! You can squish it down and it holds its shape for a good 10 to 15 seconds! A sponge shouldn’t do that because it then completely looses its ability to push and spread product on the skin. And although it is soft even before being dampened, it cannot actually do much in its dry state. I paid MYR 20.30 for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT’S A LOT FOR A CHEAPSKATE LIKE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mr. DIY is the Malaysian equivalent of the dollar store. Everything in Mr. DIY is very VERY affordable and the downside of this is that there are bound to be misses. If you know how and where to look, there are some hidden gems there (I have actually found some, here,here, and here).
Alas, this wasn’t one! 😦
I saw this egg shaped sponge which looked a lot like one of those makeup applicators that can be used by wetting it, squeezing out the water and using it damp.
Let’s take a look at some pictures first shall we?
Looks promising doesn’t it? Can you blame me for taking a chance?
Excuse the little plastic thing at the bottom. Used it to prop the sponge upwards.
Pretty high claims for something that doesn’t work.
Why I didn’t like it;
The appearance is where the similarities with that certain revolutionary yet expensive sponge end. Everything else is completely different. It is so hard that you could actually bruise yourself trying to bounce it off your face. It does not expand and/or become softer with dampening it. It doesn’t help blend powder or cream products. It tugs on the skin. Because it is so hard you cannot manipulate it to fit crevices on the face.
If you feel that you can tolerate all this then, buy it, be my guest!
What’s good about it;
It cost me only MYR 5.30 (I am sore even about this because the same 5.30 can buy me an entire bag of sponges from Daiso).
FiercePaint 