MakeUp Not Worth the Hype (and what to try instead!)

It's so easy to get caught up in the hype of new (or old) products when everyone and their dog is singing its graces. But often all the hype results in a let down and the supposed magical qualities are little more than a dream. Today I'm sharing some of the products I've been disappointed in over the last year or so. I'll also be sharing with you the alternatives that I love - and don't often hear much about!

Click here to watch my Video on the Youtube Page :)

Highlighter I'm quite fussy with my highlighters, I don't like them over the top, but subtle isn't my thing either. Basically I want to look lit from within (with perhaps a little enhancement). The highlighter that I don't think is worth the hype is Bourjois Chocolate Block Highlighting Powder, it's very hard in texture and just doesn't give enough colour pay off for me. It does however smell delicious! Instead I would recommend trying MUA's Undress Your Skin Shimmer Highlighter in Iridescent Gold (£3). It has the golden sheen of the Bourjois one, but amps it up resulting in a beyond beautiful highlight - also a dupe for theBalms Mary Lou-Manizer.

Bourjois Delice de Poudre Highlighting Powder, MUA Undress Your Skin Shimmer Highlighter - Iridescent Gold


Cream Eyeshadow Cream Eyeshadows can be one of the most temperamental products in the make-up world. Often they can crease horribly, be sheer and greasy. In all honesty I have quite a few cream eyeshadows that would fit into this category, but I've chosen SEVENTEEN's Wild Metallic Eyes as they crease so quickly (both with and without powder eyeshadow over the top) and feel quite greasy. It's such a shame as the shades are beautiful (I've shown Wild Nude), although the blue one is super duper sheer! The obvious alternative would be Maybelline's Color Tattoos, but I'd rather tell you about something equally as amazing, but less talked about - ELF Long-lasting Lustrous Eyeshadows (£3.95). I'll keep it short as I have a post scheduled talking just about them soon. They're metallic, shimmery, pigmented and stay put, couldn't ask for more!

SEVENTEEN Wild Metallic Eyes - Wild Nude, ELF Long-lasting Lustrous Eyeshadow - Gala

SEVENTEEN Wild Metallic Eyes - Wild Nude, ELF Long-lasting Lustrous Eyeshadow - Gala
Eye Primer I'm sure some of you will disagree with me, but the eye primer that I don't think is worth the hype is the Urban Decay Primer Potion (£16), probably the worlds most hyped and talked about primer. I just find that eyeshadows don't blend very well over the top of it and that cheaper ones do that same job - if not better. I adore the ELF and MUA ones, both of which I've completely run out of! I also love the Essence I ♥ Stage Eyeshadow Base (£2.50), it is tinted slightly which at first I wasn't convinced by. But it does help to even out the colour of your eyelids, covering over redness and veins, I can't complain at that!

Urban Decay Primer Potion, Essence I ♥ Stage Eyeshadow Base


Lipgloss/ Lip Lacquer This was a hard one for me, I knew exactly what I wanted to share as not worth the hype, but finding something similar that I though was good enough to share was more of an issue! You may have guessed it as I've said it before, but I don't think the Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquers (£6.49) are worth the hype, they're just too darn messy! I can't fault the colours and pigmentation though, I want to like them so much, I just can't! Instead I opt for a super pigmented lipgloss (although not as opaque as the Apocalips), the MUA Intense Kisses Lipglosses (£2) are just the thing, pigmented, not sticky and with a beautiful gloss to them. If you have a little more to spend then I'd highly recommend the OCC Lip Tars too!

Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer - Aurora, MUA Intense Kisses High Intensity Lipgloss - Quick Kiss

Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer - Aurora, MUA Intense Kisses High Intensity Lipgloss - Quick Kiss
Skin Primer I love a good silicone based primer, they're perfect for covering over larger pores and giving the illusion of a more even skintone. However there's one that I just can't get on with, it makes my make-up slip and slide around like a goose on an ice rink no matter how little I use. Not a good look. The primer in question is the Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser (£7.99) - granted it does erase pores, but I don't really want my primer making my foundation last less time. One that I've found to work well though is the 2True Pro Prime Perfect (£5), it's not so slippery so does a much better job of making my foundation stay on along with the benefits of covering over pores - it's also a pretty good dupe for the Benefit Porefessional.

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser, 2True Pro Prime Perfect
Cream Blush Oh Cream Blush, how I love thee! Great for this time of year, when the chill in the air dries out your skin, or for anyone that suffers with drier skin normally. The one I dislike is actually not so much because it's an awful product, more to do with the price tag and how gimicky it is. The Benefit Fine One One* (£23.50*) is a three in one highlight, blush and contour designed to be applied all at once. The contour shade is orange though. I only really use this with all the colours mixed together into more of a sheer coral shade. It can be a little patchy also. I prefer the GOSH Giant Blush Sticks (£6.99) as a sheer cream blush as it's a lot easier to apply and use, whilst still lasting a good amount of time on the face.

Benefit Fine One One*, GOSH Giant Blush Stick - Shy
What make-up do you think is not worth the hype and what would you prefer instead?

* PR Sample - Full info available in the Disclaimer tab Follow Me On // Twitter! // Bloglovin' // Youtube // Pinterest // Instagram