BellaOnline Forums Beauty and Self Cosmetics Products that disappointed you

Sometimes we see makeup on others that we think will look just as great on us; sometimes we get suckered in by advertising;and sometimes the makeup counter employees talk us into buying a product we aren't sure about...products that turn out to be a disappointment, even if everyone else is raving about them.

A few on my list:

Disappointing Makeup

*MAC Studio Fix foundation: recommended to me by a friend who also has oily skin and swears by it. Instead my skin looked greasy and I broke out. Ironically, I was advised MAC's Green Gel cleanser would clear up my skin; it didn't. I used a lot of Clearasil that year.

*Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara: I really wanted to love this mascara! But not only did it clump and flake, it smudged. I thought perhaps I had a bad tube but my roommate had same result with her tube.

*Benefit Erase Paste: I love Benefit products, but this was a big disappointment. It seemed to draw attention to my skin flaws, not cover them up. It also came out almost chalky and difficult to blend.

*Too Faced Beauty in a Box - Nude Review: I love Too Faced makeup, so when I saw they had a set to give a natural yet sexy face I immediately ordered it. While the eyeshadows were as good as all of their shadow, there was nothing special to the neutral colors. The eye and face primer worked well, but the bronzer was in a small case, difficult to use and did not flatter my fair complextion. The worst item was the lipstick, Centerfold, which made me look like a corpse. I even tried salvaging the lipstick by applying gloss over it, but I ended up throwing it out.

And now for my most disappointing product:

*CoverGirl Smoky Shadow Sticks: I really wanted to love this product. As soon as they hit the market, I picked up Bronze Fire and Purple Plume. The colors were beautiful and the shadow looked fun to use. I used my eyeshadow primer like I normally do and applied the Purple Plume exactly as directed. The color is very sheer; I had to layer to achieve any purple. Much to my dismay, the shadow was creasing within two hours and gone by lunch. I tried Bronze Fire the next day, again using the primer and even setting the shadow with a bit of powder. Even with the extra step, I had a repeat of the day before. CoverGirl has an excellent idea but the formula needs reworked so it does not crease and disappear within a few hours.

Are there any products that you have to rant about? Here is the place to rant!

Sally Hansen Hard as Nails with nylon. Pink clear liquid.

Made my nails split and break more than they usually do!

Linda I've also had negative experiences with Sally Hansen Hard as Nails. I was hoping it would actually help my nails, but I had the same problem as you.

Any suggestions for my now 'brittle' nails?

There are a few things you can do to get your nails healthy again. The first being avoiding Sally Hansen's product . Actually, not using any regular nail polish or remover for a while will allow your nails time to heal and grow stronger.

Tips to Strengthen Nails

*Supplements to strengthen your nails: Vitamin B6, A,and C. You may also want to try including zinc and increasing calcium in your diet.
*Moisturize: Use a heavy moisturizer on your hands and nails. Several are listed here.
*Remedies in your cabinets: soak your nails in olive oil for about 30 minutes or so three times a week.
*Strengthening polishes can help your nail become stronger. You can try a product like Sephora's OPI Nail Strengthener.

The following tips will help your nails to grow healthy and strong again: abstain from typical nail polish for a while, take the recommended supplements or incorporate them in your diet, moisturize your hands and nails daily with a rich cream, soak your nails in olive oil a few times a week, and apply a nail strengthener. This should help your nails grow stronger!

Thanks Kim for your healthy nail tips. Even I was in need of it.

Thank you Kim, think I will give the Sephora a try. I like OPI products.

And I sure will be throwing my Sally Hansen away.

My most recent disappointing make up purchase: Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner. I bought this in Indigo. It wasn't as bold as I expected and left a weird bluish stain on my eyelids after I tried washing it off.

I have picked up some good tips from this debate.

What I want to know is some natural remedy to get rid of makeup. Like aloevera does a great job on skin, makes it smoother, I want something natural to clean my makeup.