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Post in Beauty Confidential
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BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

What brands are you obsessed with and what sparked your love for them? What is it about that specific brand that makes you come back to buy more or try their new products? Any brands you've been disappointed with? Brands that consistently have products that don't seem to live up to the hype... or that just doesn't work for you. Maybe there's a brand you don't want to buy products from due to poor reviews/image. Any brands you've been wanting to try or any that caught your eye due to packaging or a specific product.

 

Share your stories of brand love and dislike.

 

 

One brand that will always hold a special in my heart is MAC. It was the first higher end brand that I purchased from and what started my love and obsession to makeup! I still remember looking at all the beautiful and endless products they offered. What brought me to them was a lip balm I loved. It was a tinted lip balm and I wanted to match that very specific nude beige to a lipstick and couldn’t find it anywhere else. After seeing the range of color they offered I just fell in love. I must admit that I am a bit disappointed in the brand the last few years… it doesn’t feel like it used to and I can’t really put my finger on what makes me feels this way about them.

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KVD is another brand that keeps getting my money. I'm loving pretty much everything she is coming out with! Her packaging and all the work she puts into it make it even more special.  I so wish I would have gotten the face chart reward when it was up. Definitely one of my top brands!

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I also want to mention The Body Deli.  I keep repurchasing from them. I love their products and have been using their body line for a while now.  Here's more info about them from their site.

Spoiler
THE BODY DELI is the pioneer in fresh, organic, raw superfood enhanced personal care products. Two Cosmetic Chefs, Margaret Skarin Clark and David Anton Parker, created the brand in the resort towns of Palm Desert and Palm Springs, California in 2001. Two "foodies" with an extensive background in nutrition, raw food, wellness and beauty, envisioned a personal care brand so different, fresh and unique that they started making their own healthy skin care products. Their special method is a process similar to crafting fresh juices and smoothies in a high-end Organic Juice Bar. “Fresh Food for the Skin” was their concept, and since then they have evolved a global brand committed and dedicated to providing the absolute purest alternative for nourishing the face, body and hair. Celebrities, fashion designers, Fortune 500 leaders and health conscious people have fallen in love with The Body Deli’s unique, effective and wonderful creations.

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I've mentioned these in the thread today but also a big fan of:

Natasha Denona

Viseart

Pat McGrath

Odacite

Omorovicza 

 

Love the eye products from the first 3 brands, the serums from Odacite and a few products from Omorovicza. Probably more but just have a huge memory blank right now 😄

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

🤣🤣🤣 I typically abbreviate the first (if I have to mention him) and pretend the second doesn't exist @ZombieMetroAnt

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

000.JPGLOL @ElleElleG

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

@ElleElleG@ZombieMetroAnthahaha totally agree with that leave it part 😄 Your comments are too funny!

 

Viseart is also a brand that I love very much!

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

What an excellent topic!

 

My Hits:

 

NARS – I love, love, love this line—especially the beautiful blushes.  In fact, they put the “B” in blush!  The colors are beautifully pigmented and there are options for all skintones.  As an African American woman, I grew up at a time when bright colors on dark skin were considered a no-no.  So, most of the blushes and lipsticks tended to be bronze, brown, or something muted.  Red lipsticks were okay, but strictly for evenings out.  But, as someone reminded me, we don’t "blush" brown.  So, I took the plunge and tried Orgasm and Taj Mahal.  Chile…I haven’t looked back!

 

Hourglass – A luxury brand I had never heard of until one of the Sephora beauty experts highly recommended the Mineral Veil Primer.  This wonderful primer has been a staple in my makeup kit for 4 years now.  It’s quite pricy, but well worth the splurge. 

 

Make Up Forever – Another brand that snuck up on me, primarily because I was unfamiliar with the brand until I started shopping at Sephora on a regular basis.  I took the plunge and purchased the original formulation of the Face and Body Foundation, as well as the HD Invisible Cover Foundation.  All I can say is, WOW!  Although I have a love-hate relationship with the current Ultra HD Foundation, I am obsessed with it, as well as the artisan brushes.  I adore the eyeshadows, which I can mix and match.  The HD blush is also another gem, which gives NARS a run for its money.

 

Caudalie – As my skin matured, I had to stop using the Clinique 3-step routine.  My skin is still oily, but I found the Clinique products for oily skin too drying. 

 

MAC  - I will always have a soft spot for this line.  I was introduced to it because of its large range of lipsticks and lipglasses years ago.  I love the Studio Fix powder foundation, which I sometimes use for special occasions.  However, I have to admit that something has changed with the line, and I suspect it happened when Estee Lauder bought the company.

 

My Misses:

 

Estee Lauder – Used to be my go-to, but then when they signed on Kendall Jenner to capture the younger market, I was done.  Plus, I have never forgiven the company for taking the Prescriptives line out of the department stores.  It wasn’t until loyal Prescriptives customers raised a fuss that the company made the products available online—only.  It’s difficult getting a custom-made foundation and powder (the very thing that put Prescriptives on the map) as a result.

 

Clinique – It pains me to say that, but with a few exceptions (All About Eyes, Take the Day Off balm and mascaras), the line barely registers as a blip on my radar when it comes to skincare and makeup.   This is another brand that is owned by Estee Lauder.  Is there a pattern here?

 

Laura Mercier – I tried the translucent powder that everyone raves about.  It’s a beautiful powder and is universal to all skintones.  However, it contains an ingredient that irritated my skin and caused my eyes to water.  I’ve been tempted to try the new powder for darker skin tones, but I’m gun shy because of my previous experience.

 

Bobbi Brown – Although I love the nude lip gloss and retouching wand, the line is grossly overpriced especially for what you actually get.  For instance, I use the yellow retouching powder to set my undereye concealer.  However, it’s frightfully expensive for so little product.  Plus, I was devastated when Bobbi Brown stepped away and Estee Lauder added the company to its portfolio.

  

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

Lots of problems because of EL right... They seem to ruin things! 😄

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

Since I try to stick to cruelty-free brands my range is more narrow...

 

Love:

 

* Nars: this was the brand my mom has always used growing up, so to me its the definition of a good high-end staple.  I've loved everything I've tried from them, and I just trust that if I buy something from Nars, its going to be a good product.  They're my first choice whenever I need to find a new "x".

 

* Marc Jacobs:  I don't want to like this brand 😧  I have a pretty negative opinion on a lot of Marc Jacobs stuff, especially their handbags, but their makeup keeps surprising me in a good way.  I expect their makeup to be mediocre and selling just based on the name, but the quality has been soooo good and many have had a surprisingly good value.  Between their new coconut bronzer and highlighter gel, the highliner liners, some of their lipsticks, etc, I keep finding myself impressed by them.

 

 

Leave:

 

* Too Faced:  I keep wanting to like their products...but without fail every product I've tried, I've disliked.  I tried their famous Chocolate Soleil bronzers...the smell was decent at first but within minutes all I could smell was a harsh artificial flavor and it induced a bad migraine -_-.  Don' even get me started on PB&J.  Then I tried their Melted lipstick....that was a hot mess.  Their highlighter aged me twenty years.  Then their mascara...honestly its all been bad in my books.

 

* Becca: I first tried Becca when I bought my first highlighter - everyone was raving about the Skin Perfecters.  It was alright, and not having much to compare it to, I liked it.  But since trying more highlighters, Becca have been mediocre in comparison.  Most of the other products I've tried are...just ok to bad.  I want to like them but I haven't found much of a reason to.

 

 * Urban Decay:  their products are just ok.  I dislike their marketing, I dislike how they try to be edgy, and they constantly come across to me as tone-deaf.

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

I have to agree with being impressed by MJ Beauty. I don't have much but what I have I really like for sure!

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

I agree with MAC!  @veronika23   The color selection especially back in 2000 and MUA quality at reasonable prices was a dream!  MAC has some very good lipliners as well. 

 

 

I want to have a 'matching luggage set' but it is not possible.  All my go-to products are different brands.

I try everything and actually love most of it! 

 

But, for Hair Care.  Love everything Dry Bar.  It just works for my hair type.  And, since 2016 it is Freeeeeeeeeeee at Ulta (with my points!).  

 

I love OPI and Essie nail polishes. Buy Marc Jacobs because I love some colors.....but. don't like the bottle too much or price!  

 

Gucci and MJ make-up.  Just love it! 

 

I am also obsessed with 'green eye make-up.'  Sephora Brand and Ulta Brand have some beautiful  'greens' and excellent quality. 

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

@wheeeee  I know what you mean about matching! When I was younger I didn't like all that much the LE packaging because I wanted all my MAC to match in their black packaging 😄

Anonymous Insider

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

Leave it

 
Too Faced:
 
All the products are way too over packaged the added fragrance is also a major turnoff. I prefer my makeup/skincare in general to have no fragrance. Perfume is fine but the smell of food in makeup is just kinda ewww.
 
Clinique:
 
Just bad in general. The three step skincare thing destroyed my skin… makeup is very whatever, the colors are just not intriguing. Meh in general don’t care for them much.
 
Laura Mercier: 
Whatever, the translucent powder doesn’t work on me.
 
Bobbi Brown
In general brand is very meh… Nothing stands out to me, even Bobbi herself is out.
 
Estee Lauder/Edit
Estee lauder is like a old grandma that has some good tips in life but refuse to keep up with time. I still can’t believe Double Wear still doesn’t have a pump. This little thing shows how horrible their marketing team is. They’ve got some good stuff there but their A&R is stuck for a long time. Entire estee edit line is crap.
 
Social Media brands in general: Morphe, Ofra, MUG….
LOVE IT!
 
YSL: 
I love YSL packaging and yes I do realize that I am paying mostly for the packaging but it is well worth it because it is that awesome. Ysl has the best colors and all lip products minus the round sheer lipstick bs is great. My first high end purchase in Sephora is the glossy stain and I’ve been eyeing it for so so so long and finally bite the dust and bought it. Now I have more than ten YSL lippies and I think they smell amazing. YSL also use to make my HG Touché Éclat foundation but they f-ed up changed the formula and screwed me over, I have never been so bitter in my life. 
 
TOM FORD
OVERPRICED. However, lipstick, eyeshadows, highlighters and blush are to die for so I don’t regret dishing out my arm and my legs to own them. Packaging is amazing as well. I also admire Tom Ford himself as a designer there is also that.
 
Love and also leave it
 
BECCA highlighters always gets me I just love them. Other stuff are pretty bad tho.

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

Clinique is also a mostly leave it brand for me... Not a huge fan... but their lid and cheek pops are cute!

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

Here are mine... there are actually very few brands that I LOVE LOVE LOVE, if any... it all depends on individual products and collection releases.

 

Love it

 

NARS - I don't love every product that comes out but I do enjoy many of their product lines! Audacious lippies, lip pencils, blushes, tinted moisturizer...all great quality products! I have a couple of blushes and used the tinted moisturizer for a few years but I'd say the Audacious line was what really impressed me.

 

Clinique - there are some bad apples in this line...like their 3-step skincare system BUT there are also many great products, many of which are unscented (which is a huge plus!). I recently started using their thirsty skin spray which was a SAVIOR for my skin after traveling on a plane... and I love their makeup removers.

 

Sephora Collection - an underrated brand. There are really some gems in this collection (like their lip cream stain and Pro brush line) and being an in-house brand hurts the wallet a little less!

 

Leave it

 

Bite - I think they're a great brand with amazing quality products, but they use an ingredient (or two, or 3) that my lips don't like. I can't wear anything made by Bite, basically. Which hurts me to the core...I still hold onto my Frozen Berry, Maple collection and LLLR lipsticks in hope that one day my lips won't react 😞 So it's a "Leave it" brand in a classic case of "It's not you, it's me"

 

YSL & Dior - I find many of their lip products too sheer and overly glossy/slippery, eyeshadow quality subpar, and in general most products heavily fragranced. I do have a few items from each brand that I do enjoy, but this is not a brand that I typically fall for.

 

Too Faced - poor quality products, too many new releases, overhyped products, everything too cutesy.  

 

Tom Ford - I have a few lipsticks that I love but in general I find their products way too expensive for the quality. Definitely a luxury brand that I don't need in my life.

 

and like Asche...any of the hyped up brands over Youtube...especially Makeup Geek, Kylie Cosmetics, Jeffree Star, Morphe.

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

Bite has very beautiful colors and the simple packaging that I prefer!

 

But, the lipsticks taste like Juicy Fruit!  I just can't!!! 

Whatever sophistication Bite has it is left at the door with the fake fruit scent. 

 

 

 

Omg!  The lipliners.....don't have any Juicy Fruit scent.  I still buy Bite!  LOVE those lipliners! 

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

@wheeeee  that Bite comment is too funny! So true!!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

@k617  I fell into the Tom Ford hype a while back... but have to agree with you... It's too expensive for the quality. I might get a product here and there because of color but that's about it.

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

Oh I totally understand your heartbreak with Bite @k617! 😞 I have that relationship with them too with their Amuse Bouche formula specifically. Their old Luminous Creme and new Multistick formulas don't bother me though. Very odd. 

 

Ahh I understand why people don't like Too Faced but I can't stop loving them. They were my first makeup love 😄 

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

@Mcakes I haven't tried using the Multistick on my lips, but the new lip liners are OK. I rarely use liner though... so not a big win for me!

 

I react most strongly to the Luminous Crème formula, then the high pigment lip pencils and the matte lip crayons. The Agave mask, I believe, is what started the product allergies 😞 my lips sting if I try to put this stuff on!

 

I'm building up the courage to see if the LLLR will be better since they're not scented like their regular lines and it's a slightly different formula. But whenever I get a reaction, it takes my lips a few days up to a week for the bumps to go away!

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

I recently discovered how much I like Clinique too! I kinda had them mentally placed in a category of "16 and just discovering higher end makeup" lol, but they actually make some amazing products for all ages!

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

@Alicehoopz some of their new skincare formulas are very impressive! And I like their Pep Start eye cream although I wouldn't purchase the full size.

 

I haven't used any of their makeup for a long time, but used to regulary use the Stay Matte pressed powder. I also have a few of their cream eye shadows, eyeshadow duos and blushes!

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

Do you like the custom smart serum? I think it compares to serums that are much more expensive. Really glad I found that one!

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

@AlicehoopzI haven't tried it as I'm swimming in serums and face oils right now, but I've been intrigued by it! 😄

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