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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

Loves:

  • YSL—best lip products ever.
  • NARS
  • ABH—they've been making some quality stuff!
  • Too Faced—while they're seriously hit or miss these days, some of my favorite palettes (e.g. Chocolate Bar, Sweet Peach Glow..) are from them.
  • Sephora Collection—good quality products for less $$! Haven't been disappointed yet by their quality.

Leaves: 

  • Certain social media brands.. 🙄
  • Urban Decay—I know they make HG products but their new releases seem gimmicky and/or boring.
  • Huda Beauty—all the bad reviews on her $65 eyeshadow palette turned me off.
  • Laura Mercier—snooze
  • It Cosmetics
  • Smashbox

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

I agree, Sephora Collection is a sleeper brand that doesn't get the love it deserves! They have some amazing products! 

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

@myumew ABH has gone from almost never on my radar to one of my favorite brands too! Mainly for their eyeshadows and highlighters, but I also typically like their collabs and feel like they do try really hard to produce quality.

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

@veronika23 This post is awesome. 

 

It was maybe 15-20 years ago when I first spotted the Divinora Collection by Guerlain. I was young and knew I had to wait to have those beautiful products. For whatever reason, I never bought anything from that collection but I still remember that Apricot Souffle D'Or blush and the golden packaging of the lipstick, nail polish and foundation.  

 

The collection was then discontinued but, as I admired the brand, I started liking their Terracotta line. The packaging, the scents and colors embody my fascination with the orient and warm places. I use the Terracotta khol, powder and dry oil Eau Sous Le Vent, they're so exotic. 

 

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And then there is one brand that I really wanted to love but I think I was just not lucky with the products I picked as they didn't work for me. The Bobbi Brown Long-wear Gel Eyeliner, too dry and hard to work with, and the Stick Foundation, too blotchy on me. The skincare line though is something I want to try, expecially the Buffing Grains for Face and the Soothing Cleansing Oil.

 

Eleonora

 

 

 

 

 

 

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

Loved that Guerlain story @eleonorarosa 🙂

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

Glad you liked it 🙂

 

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

Guerlain products are undoubtedly gorgeous! Thank you for sharing the start of your fascination with the brand, it's amazing how one thing can draw you in and keep your attention to the brand forever 🙂

 

Also have to agree on Bobbi Brown 😞 Haven't tried a product that works for me from them yet. 

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

Oh, my pleasure..

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

Love It:

Urban Decay - Their formulas are all pretty great. Sometimes the colors don't suit me, but I haven't tried anything that I didn't think the formula was at least "pretty good" on and some of their items are HG status for me. 

Too Faced - This is another brand where even the things I don't really think suit me (like most bronzers) are still very high quality.

Hourglass - I can make nearly all their products (not including dark foundations) work on my skin, even if it's a smidge too dark in some cases. I find their foundations and powders to be excellent in quality and when I wear them, they make me feel like I'm a movie star.

Bite Beauty - I'm slowly replacing all my lipsticks with lipsticks from them. 

 

Leave It:

Kat Von D - It makes me sad to list this brand on my leave it list because I love their art, but nearly everything from Kat Von D doesn't sit well on me, stays too wet, is too drying, breaks up on my skin, etc. The colors are great, but the formulas just don't work for me.

YSL - There is so much fragrance in everything I've tried from them that I just don't even try anymore.

Benefit - I feel like their products are just ok, and several have made me itch, etc. Not worth it to me.

 

Up and coming:

Milk Makeup - I've been selective about which of their products I try because many of them don't look terribly good, but all of the ones I've tried I have ADORED. The jury is still out on Milk for me, but they are in the running for my love list.

Julep - While I don't really like their polishes, I have been loving the makeup items I've tried by them! I can't wait to see what they come out with next.

 

I go back and forth on:

Dior, Chanel, Tarte, Nars, Mac, Becca

In general the quality of the products from these brands are all over the place. Some of both my favorite and least favorite items come them. 

 

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

Love this thread idea!! I also fell in love with makeup because of MAC!

 

Love IT!!

ABH: It started with their brow products, then I picked up the Self Made palette and it was LOVE. Modern Renaissance is one of my all time fave palettes. Love the Glow Kits. Excited to see what comes out next from this brand.

 

Hourglass: The Vanish Stick foundation is HG for me. Love the Ambient Lighting Blushes and Powders. The Radiant Light Bronzer is perfect for my skin tone. Every product I have purchased from this brand has been LOVE.

 

Huda: I love the Liquid Lips, perfect formula for me. Rose Gold palette is beautiful and I don't understand the negative reviews on it. Yes it's pushed all over Instagram, but I love the products and ignore the hype!

 

KVD: Amazing products, love the creativity she has. And the packaging too! Shade and Light Eye palette is HG. And the contour palette! I don't think I have tried a product from her I didn't like.

 

Tata Harper: In LOVE with everything I have purchased from this brand. And my skin loves it too.

 

 

Leave It

Too Faced - I used to love Too Faced but to me the quality has gone down so much. I am not loving their palettes, color choices and smells! Just give me some great products Too Faced, and stop riding the Peach wave.

Urban Decay - Love the setting sprays and lipstick, dislike pretty much everything else.

MUFE - great brushes, everything else I have tried is just Mehhh

Kardashian Anything

Natasha Denona - I hear Kimberly Clark in my head every time I start to think maybe I should pick up one of her palettes! Natasha DeNOna! Don't need it and not going to buy it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

The Huda beauty rose gold palette is my current favorite, and that's saying something since I just counted my palettes the other day (54, YIKES). So glad I bit the bullet and went for that one!

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

@AlicehoopzI am too!! It took me forever to finally purchase it. I have used it every day since I picked it up!

 

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

Love:

 

Nars. I discovered the lip pencils years ago, and they became an instant favorite. From there, I started trying and loving everything else from that brand. The only product I've hated from Nars is the mascara. Other than that, I wear something from Nars nearly every single day, such as the tinted moisturizer, concealer, blush, highlighter, multiple stick, eyeshadow stick, or lip product. Lip Glide is one of my favorite formulas, but I'm currently obsessed with the Charlotte Gainsbourg lip tints right now.

 

Givenchy: This brand is my luxury brand of choice. Le Rouge is my favorite lipstick formula in the world, and trust me--I've tried a lot of lipsticks. The packaging is gorgeous, and the formulas are amazing. I also love the Teint Couture foundation. And Prisme Libre powder. And Rouge Interdit lipsticks.

 

Ole Henriksen: These products really work for my sensitive skin. I tend to try deluxe samples for a few weeks when I run out of an Ole product just to see if there's anything else I could love, but I always end up going back to buying Ole.

 

Leave it:

 

I'm not going to buy anything from well-known terrible people. Like Jeffree Star or Lime Crime. Or any brand associated with the two. And beauty gurus don't affect my purchase decisions. Established makeup artists who have YouTube tutorials are a different story.

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

Awesome thread idea @veronika23! ❤

I will be back later to share mine! 😄

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

oh it's so funny this thread appears today! I was just making a list of my top 5/bottom 5 brands! Hopefully they don't offend anyone - just my own personal preference 

 

Top 5:

Tarte - I know. I kinda hate to admit it myself, but truth be told, I love 95% of the products I've tried. Their eyeshadows work really well on me as well as foundations, concealers, eyeliners, mascaras..you get it.

Kat Von D - KVD is one of those brands I wasn't initially interested in, oddly enough. But wow. While I love most of Tartes stuff, I LOOOOVE most of what I've tried from Kat. Holy grail level stuff!

Smashbox - I actually think I may own more from this brand than any other. We have good chemistry lol

Bobbi Brown - BB seems to get right what other brands struggled with (gel liner, stick foundation, and omg Beach is true love for me!)

Benefit - people either love them or hate them. I love them! Their blushes are my favorites and they're real is my HG mascara. Plus I've never found better brow products 

 

Bottom 5:

Hourglass

Laura Mercier

Nars

Dior

Becca

- it's the same sentiments with all these brands so I'll just put it together: I always feel disappointed when I try their products. Some of these have cult status products that just make me go "..what is the fuss?" And yes, I'm totally talking about the big products you're thinking! BORING imo (again, just my opinion!!!)

 

Sorry that was long and sorry if I hated on anyone's brands!!

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

@Alicehoopz  haha that is funny 🙂  No no...  Not everything is made for everyone right! I totally understand the "what's the fuss all about" 😄

 

Smashbox isn't a brand that I've seen much talk on but they do make good products!  And Bobbi Brown does make the best gel liner 😉

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

Sometimes I'm so used to YouTube comments that I forget just how amazing the BT community is. We actually respect each other's differing opinions! So grateful I found this place 🙂 🙂

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

@Alicehoopz  it would really really suck if we only had 1 company to choose from. I am already po'ed that EL is buying up all the brands and only a few major companies have the monopoly on everything.  Competition is good! It's good for the brands and the consumer. 🙂

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

 Great thread!! 🙂 Here's what initially comes to mind:

 

LOVE IT

  • KVD - been a fan of her since her Miami Ink days. I love her brands overall aesthetic, the packaging is just beautiful (and the quality of her products is typically spot on).
  • NARS - Nars was the brand that sparked my relationship with Sephora (and makeup overall). Back in my teens I was having a hard time finding a foundation that actually matched my fair skin. I was also having a love-affair with the band Evanescence. I was into Amy Lee's makeup and always looking for tutorials on it. Somewhere along the way I read that Amy Lee, another fair-skinned girl, used Nars foundation. That was my first time hearing about Nars, and within the week I had my first bottle of their Sheer Glow foundation. I've loved the brand ever since and they make some of my favourite beauty staples (their DI eyeshadows, blushes, and lipsticks are some of my all-time faves).

 

LEAVE IT

  • MUFE - This might be really surprising, but there's something about this brand that is really unappealing to me. I like their eyeliners and their brushes, but I've never had luck with any of their other products. Their HD primers and foundations have been some of the worst I've tried, and I've had no luck with their eyeshadows either. 
  • Tarte - Overall the brand doesn't generally appeal to me. Anything I've tried hasn't wowed me. It's okay, but not fantastic. The only thing I really love is their Tarteguard sunscreen.,
  • Morphe
  • Real Techniques
  • Color Pop
  • Huda Beauty
  • Lime Crime
  • Jeffree Star
  • Kardashian anything
  • Gerard Cosmetics
  • Z-Palette
  • Makeup Geek

Some of these are probably obvious, but more than anything, I'm just so sick of these brands being shilled on youtube. I find them all so unappealing and don't want to hear about them anymore.

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

@Asche 

I feel the same about MUFE, not appealing enough to catch my attention whenever I have to choose a product, even though the overall quality is good.

I did try their Rouge Artist lipsticks and Aqua Lip Lipliner Pencils though and they work so well, you should try them.

Re: BRANDS: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

@eleonorarosa Oh yes! You reminded me, I do own a Aqua lip liner, and I actually really love it. I just had such a miserable time with their face products that it really turned me off the brand. I feel exactly as you described: they aren't appealing enough to draw me in when it's time to make an actual purchase. There are too many other options that I like a heck of a lot more.

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