March 18, 2013

Beauty Packaging FAIL: What Bothers You About Packaging?

packaging fails

Ever run across irritating beauty packaging? Faults in the packaging of your favorite products? Things that just bug you senseless about that favorite blush you use or perhaps your cleanser?

Here are some that drive me absolutely nutty!

Removable Caps
WHAT the hell? Everything should have an attached cap! I don’t care what it is attach the cap. I call removable caps floaters. I remove them and they float away somewhere and I spend 10-15 minutes, hell once I even spent 25 minutes, trying to locate a cap…it could be right in front of your face, staring at you, jumping up and down yelling “HEY!” but you can’t find it. Cleansers especially should have a cap that’s attached on. Queen Helene is notorious for having packaging with a removable cap….please for the love of all good things beauty attach the cap onto the packaging so I don’t waste valuable time hunting it down because I placed it somewhere while using the product and now I can’t seem to find it (even when it’s staring me in the face!).

NARS Packaging
NARS I love you. Your blushes are my BFF but why do you insist on going rubber with your packaging? It can’t be you haven’t realize how filthy your packaging gets! Attracting glitter, dirt, hell even hair! It’s been a while now how about a revamp on the package?

Gel Deodorant
No matter how you splice it those twist up gel deodorants are always messy! They end up creating a sticky mess. I tend to wipe them off after using but STILL they get rather messy, rather quickly.

Toothpaste in a Tube
I use toothpaste in a can now because those tubes are such a disaster. No matter how you try to keep them from making it mess they still do. Those little twisters help but I still tend to make a mess out of it.

Eye Cream
We’ve evolved no where with eye cream packaging….it still comes in a pot in most cases. Why can’t the beauty industry FINALLY embrace tubes for eye cream? I secretly believe they put it on a pot so it’ll stop working after a while (air, bacteria, etc…) so you’ll be forced to purchase a new one.

What are your beauty packaging pet peeves?

Do share!

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Chelsea

    I’m with you on the NARS packaging. Even L’Oreal is dabbling in it with their new Black Smoke mascara. I hate seeing powder fingerprints all on it.

    I also have a problem with cream eyeshadows that have a small width at their opening. How am I supposed to fit my finger or brush in it?!

    • the Muse

      oh god yes and pigment vials too that have really tiny openings…hard candy’s new loose pigments have this issue…how can I dip a brush in there?! come on!

  • Lori

    This isn’t really about makeup but I hate the new Bausch & Lomb Renu Contact Solution bottle cap! It’s a pop off (but attached) cap, and has a little texture grip for your thumb to pop the cap off, but it rarely works, and the cap always ends up breaking off for me, midway through the bottle. HATE!!!

  • Georgie

    Illamasqua packaging – some of the pot lids are so insecure, they don’t screw on or anything, making them basically impossible to transport anywhere

  • Susan K

    Products in (usually) metal tubes that come out the second the cap is off and keep coming until you hastly screw the lid back on. No matter how hard you try you always end up with more than you need.

    • Majick

      TIP: Never squeeze a metal tube – get the cap off as best you can, you won’t be able to help squeezing a little. BUT, try not to. just use what comes out on it’s own, eventually very little will come out and then you can start applying a bit of pressure without the syphon effect.

      Hope this made sense.

  • kimkats

    TOTES agree about removable caps and nars packaging!! I’ve had nars’ rubber packaging actually get sticky and gooey on me, and removable caps – well, that’s just a no-brainer. Also most over-designed packaging (hourglass shadows, I’m looking at you) drives me bonkers. I expect a lot of people will complain about cardboard packaging, but it’s never been a problem for me. I find it sturdy enough.

    I like pumps for most products,*as long as* the top screws off so you can get the last of the product out. I LOATHE wand-type primers like UD and nars (though I love the nars product). THose should be in squeezy tubes too….

    Great poll Muse! How was your St. Paddy’s day? 🙂

    • the Muse

      hey kim! I couldn’t agree more about overly designed packaging, some stuff is actually too technical for an eyeshadow or something LOL! Amazing thanks and yours? I’m not Irish but hey everyone is Irish on St Paddy’s day right? ;D

    • Amy

      Re Nars packaging – I love the way it looks and feels until it gets really funky and the rubber actually gets sticky. I used to put powder on it to get rid of the sticky feel. Then I finally took some baking soda and water and kind of scrubbed it down and now it’s no longer sticky and it is cleaned off (if not exactly like new – but usable without being annoying).

  • Smriti

    Lip balms in a tub packaging always put me off. Fingers attract the maximum dust and bacteria and I freak out at the thought of dipping that into my lip balm and slathering it onto my lips, which incidently is a fool proof way of assuring that you ingest all the grime and germs. Ugh!

    The Revlon colorburst lipsticks also didn’t do much for me with their flat tips 🙁

    Muse, you can try those roll-on pens for your eyes. I think Garnier makes one, but it’s in gel form.

    • the Muse

      roll ons def don’t work for me 🙁 I need a hydrating eye cream and a roll pen isn’t going to cut it for my drier eyes sadly 🙁 I agree about the balm in a pot, they are JUST too hard to travel with 🙁

  • Eli

    Haha, the eycream grudge is my favourite – I don’t even buy eye creams in pots 😀 But my worst case scenario with packaging has to be small palettes with cream products in them – they get sooo messy!

  • Lyn

    Jar packaging for anything that you regularly stick your fingers into just has to go. I don’t get it. Especially things like face creams of whatever kind. Unless you thoroughly disinfect your hands before every time you use them (and most people don’t), they’re going to get contaminated with bacteria and, as you say, also oxidize and lose their power. I think companies keep using them because people like the romantic idea of sitting at their vanity with a jar of cold cream like an old-timey movie star.

    I’m also not a huge fan of click/dial up tubes with a brush on the end. It’s hard to tell when the product is actually starting to come out. Even if I go slowly, it’s always: nothing . . nothing . . nothing . . nothing . . . WAY TOO MUCH. The ones with spongey tips are fine, though.

    • Lyn

      Oh, and another thing I hate is a product with a screw-on cap that doesn’t have a little stopper to prevent you from turning it too far. I like to tighten things as much as possible, but I’ve had problems with lids cracking when I twist too hard. It’s best when they click into place, sou you know it’s closed tightly.

      • the Muse

        lyn GREAT point! I’ve had lids crack as well when I tightened them too much! They def should have some sort of stopper or safety mechanism to stop that from happening!

    • Tinkibell

      YES! YES! YES!

      I LOVE Clinique Moisture Surge more than anything, but they REALLY need to put that stuff in a pump! I keep baby wipes next to my jar so I can wipe my fingers before applying it. If it wasn’t so amazing to my skin I would have given up on it. WHY can’t companies understand we don’t like jar products!?

  • Alanna

    things in jars are so gross! I hate them! my philosophy moisturizer comes in a tube BUT the opening on it is really big so it’s almost impossible to not take out too much! I also hate things bottles that are viscous (like emulsion or w/e) and dont squeeze out so you have to wait a zillion years for the product to slowly….drip….down…

  • Michelle

    I’m with “Susan K”, I hate those metal tubes!

    I have Neutrogena healthy skin and these come in those metal tubes. I find they are always crimping and too much product comes out; not to mention you can’t ever get it back in! It’s such a waste:(

  • Jordi

    I just tried a new brand of hair color. It worked well but I’ll never buy it again unless they change the packaging. The applicator bottle was wide and round. This means that it slipped out of my gloved hands multiple times. What a mess! Those bottles need to be thinner so you can grasp the entire thing or have flat panels on opposite sides to help provide a good grip.

  • Liz Cat

    For me, this usually happens with nail polish but really with anything with a screw on cap where it isn’t rounded, square foundation bottles, square cream eyeshadow pots, ect . I just hate when they don’t line up again!! Especially I’ve noticed this with Illamasqua nail polish, they come in rectangular bottles with rectangular caps but when you go to screw them back on, the lid never lines up evenly with the bottle!! It drives me nuts because when you first get them they are even, but once you go to close it again and twist enough that it’s secure it’s just all wonky. Kind of a small peeve, but it makes storage a hassle too.

  • amy

    I hate cardboard packaging, and packaging that appears aimed at the under-20 set (ie, benefit, The Balm); if you want to charge a certain pricepoint, the package & the product should be in line with said pricepoint. If I pay a certain amount, I don’t want to pull out a product that looks like it could’ve been purcased at Claire’s Boutique. I also hate cheesy, punny names for products; give me a color description, please…

    I don’t mind rubberized packaging; a simple swipe of with a baby wipe solves the issue. I also keep my makeup in a cool, dry place, so I have no issues with “gumminess”. I also wash/wipe my hands as I apply makeup, so fingerprints aren’t a problem. The only situation I had with NARS was when Cyprus broke, and powder got on a few products, but most of my compacts still look as new as when I bought them…

  • Cj

    I hate hate hate hate moisturizers in jars. I will literally go out of my way to not buy one, no matter how amazing it might be.

    Sprays that don’t spray a fine mist, instead shoot out at you like a freaking water gun.

    Can’t think of anything else… For now -.-

    Now on a happy note! Hiii wifey how was the weekend??

    • the Muse

      omg mists that spray out like a water gun YES! hate that! It was wonderful and yours my dear?! 🙂 <3!

      • Cj

        I had a blast. My wallet on the other hand lol. No but it was awesome I swear one of these days I’m going to move to Orlando. My city is like a retirement home compared to it lol.

        • the Muse

          lol isn’t most of florida a retirement home 😀 I’m kidding I’m kidding don’t hit me 😀 Did you make it to disney at all 😀

        • Amy Amethyst

          Sorry, but I had to butt in here and say that Orlando is the best, isn’t it? My sister lives there now and I love going to visit her.

    • Jade

      I was thinking that not a lot bothers me, but after reading the comments I do have one or two pet peeves! Someone mentioned sprays that stream too much instead of misting, and YES, I completely agree! I have MAC Fix+, and I feel like I waste a lot when I use it. I usually end up with heaps on one area of my face and not enough elsewhere, which means I have to spray again. Not to mention I STILL feel a lot wafts off into the air!

      I also hate it when caps on tubes split – I had TWO different Smashbox mascaras do that to me, so I gave up on Smashbox mascaras entirely. I’ve never had another brand do that.

      It also bugs me when print on tubes rubs off. The print on the side of MAC lipglasses always rubs off in my handbag. However nothing has compared to a Designer Brands (Australian brand) mascara I JUST bought – the black print SMEARED everywhere! I’ve had it less than two weeks!

      Last but NOT least – MAC Brush Cleanser. The dispenser is COMPLETELY WRONG for the product! You need SO little product to do the job, and after you’ve poured too much out, product drips down the cap and down the bottle. I’ve taken to using it like nail polish remover – I take the cap off, and turn it upside down on a cotton pad. I’m hoping I will go through it much more slowly now, I always felt like I wasted so much before.

      Oddly enough I like tubs and pots. I hate not being able to get the last little bits of product out of bottles, and pots mean I can scrape it clean!

  • Janet

    I hate pumps that, no matter how you try, always spew out way more product than you want. I love Premier Dead Sea Eye Serum, but the pump always squirts out enough for my entire face. I now transfer it to a different bottle so I can get just the amount I need.

  • amy

    I need to add those pumps (usually skincare) that you can’t open, and they’re completely opaque, so you have no idea how much you have left. If I find a routine that works for me, I don’t want to change it, so I have to keep a backup on hand at all times, just in case I run out, or the pump breaks. Fortunately, every product in my current routine is in a clear bottle, and can be opened.

    • Angela

      I’m so with you on that! My two favorite moisturizers come in mystery pumps. How do I know when I’m nearly out? The pump stops working or a little dribble comes out. Frustrating!

  • Alice

    The only thing that really drives me crazy is flimsy packaging. Those are mostly from the drugstore, but I’ve had some high end blushes and stuff that have had the flimsiest packaging! I’m in college, so I’m constantly going back and forth from home for weekends and stuff, and having to worry about my products shattering is just too annoying. I mean, how hard (or expensive) is it to put a blush or an eyeshadow in sturdier packaging? ELF blushes come in decently sturdy packaging, and those are only $3, so why can’t the Wet n Wild?

  • Christine Joy Luikuo

    I hate product packaging, in general, in which the label easily fade away, especially the brand name. My weird bathroom ritual is to read labels of toiletries, especially when they are new. Haha! I take time reading what specific kind of product it is (ex. moisturizing, smoothening, etc.) and the directions for use even though I know them most of the time.

    • the Muse

      chrstine you’re weird lol ;-D but yeah, I know what you mean hehe!

  • Littlecreek81

    Lipstick caps that won’t stay on. I’m looking at you Clinique Almost Lipstick. Nothing worse than reaching in your purse to find that the cap came off and there’s lint all over your product.

    • Christine Joy Luikuo

      I have to agree with Clinique. I have two Long Last Lipsticks and the caps are so loose that it gets very messy and sometimes the cap gets detached inside the bag.

  • Sai

    I completely agree with u on the NARS packaging and the eye cream one!

    Usually if I got the moisturizer in jar, I will transfer them to a pump bottle

  • Lauren

    I HATE palettes that have cream and powder products in them. The powder crumbles and gets stuck in the cream and then you end up with black blush and it’s really just a nasty mess. I also hate lipstick palettes. I agree with the other comments about putting your fingers in the lip products. Gross.

  • Alexa

    I love Nars packaging. I don’t mind that it gets kind of finger print-y, I just wipe them off. I’ve never had trouble with glitter, hair, etc. getting caught on them. Also, I’ve never in my life had trouble with toothpaste in a tube being messy. Ever. lol

    • Maggie

      Me too! I LOVE NARS packaging!!!!!! The shock-resistant rubber coating is so resistant to my clumsiness that anything it attracts is totally forgiven. I’ve broken so many blushes (I’m looking at you, tarte!) but all of my NARS one’s are still going strong. Those are the only blushes I refuse to depot.

      I also dislike removable caps–especially in my gym or travel bags. I don’t mind searching my own bathroom for a lost cap but in other bathrooms? What if it lands somewhere you just DON’T want to touch?! Ewwww!!!! =D

      Anything that is packaged in a pot/jar: with the exception of gel liners and body balms (bc how else would you package those formulas economically?). The only thing I willingly buy in pot packaging is Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream.

      And pumps/sprays that have a pressurized hosing effect–why?

  • diane

    i couldn’t agree with you more on removeable caps! every cap should be attached. i know this is silly, but i like when products are in doable pumps or anything opposed to screwing a cap off, etc. when i am doing my makeup and skin routine, i want it done as soon as possible! =) this post was enjoyable- i related to so much of it!

  • Kadie Lee

    Definitely lipsticks that don’t retract 100%. Either I’m in such a hurry or I have enough caffeine in my system to nearly always mess that up. And novelty shaped palettes. The Milani palettes have great shadows but I can’t use the brushes that I want because the product itself is too thin! I’m also a big hater of mini brush compartments. I won’t use them because they usually suck across the board so its just wasted space for me!

  • Amy

    I hate pretty much anything that I have to sharpen or stick my fingers into. Potted lip balm? Eww.

  • Marina

    I HATE the Nars packaging too! After a while it gets on my last nerve so I take a face wipe and wipe em clean, lol. Even foundations without pumps annoy me because I have to get my hand dirty. The Wet n Wild gel liner has an amazing formulation, but sadly dries out in a week because of poor casing 🙁 But especially for Nars’ high price, I feel like they could ditch their current packaging!

  • blueraccoon

    I’ll echo others on here – potted lip balm and moisturizers, no thank you! The one exception I will make is for my FAB Ultra Repair Cream, which comes in a giant tub, but I always put that on right after I shower so my hands are clean. Right now I’m using Kate Somerville moisturizer, and I love it, and I love that it comes with an airless pump so I’m not sticking my fingers in it – BUT I can’t tell when I’m running out as the jar is opaque. So annoying.

  • Winni

    Hmmm…I hate it when liquid foundation doesn’t come w a pump. Hate NARS rubbery packaging, dislike most potted creams, hate click pen brushy things…..and super hate when lipsticks don’t retract all the way! Also, super messy loose powders.

  • Lauren

    Canned toothpaste – They ALWAYS pump too much toothpaste and then more oozes out overnight or during the day and becomes this semi-dry blob on the nozzle. It irritates me so much!

    Squeeze-tube lip gloss – I refuse to buy lip gloss in that form. The slanted tip is incredibly imprecise and you either wind up with globs of gloss in places you don’t want or not enough gloss.

    Lip balm/gloss in a tin or tub – ICKY and where are you supposed to wipe the excess, especially if it’s a colored one?

    • Christine

      I agree! Canned toothpaste always ends up self-dispensing and I swear I only get to use half of it… who wants the dried-up stuff that oozed out?!?

  • Sara

    I love Wet n Wild, but I hate that their lipsticks don’t retract! (This also goes for Covergirl’s new concealer balm…I’m afraid I’m going to break it off every time I use it!) I can’t stand the packaging on Benefit’s Stay, Don’t Stray either; I always get too much and it’s such a waste of good product! I also find myself getting mad at my Revlon Photoready primer & my Boots liquid highlighter – the pumps always clog and I get tiny bricks of product when I’m trying to use it (I have no idea if that made sense).

    • Tinkibell

      Sara, I don’t know if you know this or not,(or if you are talking about this version) but Stay don’t Stray now comes in a new package. It has a doe-foot applicator.

  • Spooki

    One of my biggest packaging pet peeves is when eyeliner pens/ pencils have a cap that doesn’t fit on the other end. It seems like it would be obvious to do that but I have so many that don’t. The stupid caps are always round and just roll away and wind up under the couch or somewhere.

    I also hate cheap lipstick packaging that doesn’t hold the bullet snug and causes it to spin around or snap off (looking at you Wet N Wild).

  • cncx

    Like Lauren I hate palettes with cream and powder. so funky and grimy.

    I also hate bourjois blush packaging- i love the colors and the texture (I think they are as
    good as Chanel JCs) but they always keep coming open in my makeup bag.

    I don’t mind pot lip balms but I do mind always making sure my hands are 500% clean before I use one.

  • Veronica

    I’m fine with NARS rubberized packaging because I get that it’s supposed to be function over aesthetic – it may pick up dirt, but it’s also easier to grip. Considering how clumsy I am, I appreciate that. 😛 (I cry every time I open my Bobbi Brown concealer duo and see the empty corrector pan where I dropped and shattered the powder section.)

    I rather dislike wasteful packaging. After seeing a DIY video showing how much product is still left after you can’t get anymore out with the wand, I refused to buy UD’s Primer Potion. I shouldn’t have to go to all that trouble to get the most out of a product that expensive.

    • Leigh

      Ummm. You do realize that you can get it in squeeze tubes right? I have one and I see it at Ulta all the time. granted it’s about 30 bucks but It lasts a year easy (plus with the little squeeze opening it’s actually fairly hygenic for a cream product, just squeeze it onto a small brush what you need and close very promptly). Clean the nozzle with anitbacterial stuff every so often and you’re good! 🙂

      • Leigh

        *looks at post and sees a million grammar mistakes* GAHHHHHHH Sorry everyone for not editing properly, my parents would be ashamed. 🙁

      • Veronica

        I should add that I wasn’t particularly impressed with the product when I had a trial size version from one of their palettes awhile back. The squeeze tube does strike me as the better value, but since I have hooded eyes and don’t wear eyeshadow exceptionally often, it’s not a worthy financial venture for me. 🙂

    • Christymg

      I think UD now has a primer potion in a squeeze tube. Which then has the isssue of possibly not getting out every.last.bit., but it’s wand free!

  • Amy

    My biggest pet peeve is when foundations come without pump.it’s so annoying. Revlon has mastered that art.

  • koolchicken

    My Nars packages melt. I used to think it was just me but then I saw a blog on depotting Nars blushes and the girl was somewhere tropical like me. She was doing it because she was having the same problem. Seriously, who designs a package that can only be used in cold climates? I never had a problem with them when I lived in the North East, it was only ater I moved to Hawaii. At least the pans are steel so they pop into my Unii Palette without a problem. But I shouldn’t be forced to depot anything.

  • Eraser

    I hate pumps.know I’m in the minority but I think they’re wasteful and I go out of my way to avoid them. The pump mechanism accounts for extra packaging & displaces a lot more product than one would think, but the worst thing is that you can never get to the last bit of the product. Besides, if your hands are clean (as they should be), you’re not going to contaminate something in a jar or a pot. I loved the lip gloss pots we had back in the day & consider it superior to today’s version, which has to be thin & liquidy to fit in tubes. All you had to do was wipe the excess off your finger with a tissue. Simple.

    I also agree with the complaint about Nars packages – I had to throw away a perfectly good eyeshadow because the compact began to disintegrate literally into a rubbery slime.

  • Laura

    I know this must sound weird, but I hate it when companies use tubes with foil printing. The metallic foil letters/design comes off onto my fingers when I do my makeup. Too Faced and Clinique tubes seem to be the biggest culprits to me. I look at my hands and I have silver dust all over them. Weird.

  • Tinkibell

    So many things I agree wit here!

    It boggles my mind that with all the high-tech formulas and products the companies are coming up with, they STILL can’t figure out how to design functional packages that are user friendly!

    • MJ

      I am a Lumene junkie, and I am thrilled with their eye cream container – a tube with a very thin top that gives you enough control to dispense exactly the right amount. I have two different Lumene products with pumps which also dispense a reasonable amount of product. Why, then, do they insist on the jar moisturizers? And to add insult to injury, the lid on the day cream has a thin area that spontaneously snapped off the other day. I’m waiting for the night cream lid to do the same.

      I also dislike tubes – e.g. for concealer or mascara – that are cylindrical and roll right off the medicine cabinet shelf into the sink. I have a Revlon concealer whose tube is square, and it stays put much better. It only goes flying if one of the round ones goes barreling out of the medicine cabinet and pushes it off the shelf.

  • Caitlin

    NARS PACKAGING DEAR LAWD. yes i like the design and it looks ever so classy but it gets dirty as soon as it leaves the box. They hardly need to change the physical design of the compacts! Just put some kind of glaze finish over it please please please

  • Danielle

    Clinique packaging! Leaves so many fingerprints that it looks a scene from CSI!!

    Loose powders where the jar holes are too large so too much powder comes out of them! (I’m looking at you, Ben Nye!)

    Doe foot applicators in tubes for concealers/primers/anything! Why can’t everything come in a squeeze tube? Or I like the brushes where you click, though some people hate it b/c too much product comes out.

  • Christymg

    Face creams with the flat top pump. Mark makes theirs with this kind of pump, and they’re ok for a bit, then you have to take it all apart to get anything out. No bueno.

    I also wish lipstick and lipgloss tubes were better designed for getting every last bit out of. My favorite blistex balm is low past the level of the inner tube, and it’s not always convenient/hygenic to dig it out with a fingernail :-/ and I don’t always like using a lipbrush, or else that wouldn’t be an issue 🙂

  • Batsheva

    the naked 1 attracts dust like no other!!!!!….at least i know the theres no dirt left in my draw…cuz its all stuck on the palette..yay:)

  • Amy Amethyst

    Like several people have said I hate jar packaging. The moisturizer I’ve been using comes in a jar and I like it but hate the jar. So today I actually got an empty squeeze bottle and transferred it into that. Kind of a pain but I hate dipping my fingers in product even though I know my hands are clean.
    I also have gotten to where I hate cleansers with pumps bottles because when I travel I can’t take that bottle. So yet again I have to transfer it to another bottle that’s travel friendly.

  • Brandy

    Agree with the Nars comments. Also, I hate cheap brushes that come with some eyeshadows\blushes! Why bother? Hate body lotion bottles with pumps as opposed to squeeze bottles; I can never get all of it out…

  • Joan

    Ok….my biggest pet peeve about cosmetic packaging are shiny black compacts/mirrored compacts, i.e., Bobbi Brown compacts and Clinique compacts. Just hate the fingerprints that get all over them. Maybe it’s just me and I’m too fussy about that, but it drives me crazy. Why can’t they just make matte finish compacts?

  • Christine

    Eyeliners that won’t retract. Primer in a jar (L’Oreal Studio Secrets)= primer all under my nails, even though they’re short. Drugstore brands that are glued to the packaging, so when you remove it, the label with the product and color is peeled off!

    Just a hint on the deodorant gel: I find that if I retract it a few turns when I’m done, it makes less of a mess.

    • the Muse

      oh thanks christine will try that ;D anything to not having it gunking all up!

  • anareczynski

    Cheap pumps that jam…and then I have to open the top and the neck of the bottle is tiny that a qtip barely fit and when.you hold upside down it takes FOREVER to come out…and then I scream

  • TwirlyGirly

    I’ve got one that hasn’t been mentioned (probably because it’s so new). The Sephora + Pantone Universe Colorbyte Lip Wands!

    I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if the containers win an award for innovation and design in packaging, because they ARE beautiful and very different. Not quite certain why they’re called “wands” (unless it’s because you need to invoke a magic spell to get the gloss out of the container).

    These “wands” are clear acrylic squares about 1 3/4″ x 1 3/4″ x 1/2″. The center portion of the squares is made of a thinner plastic – you have to depress the “wand” in the center to squeeze out the product.

    I have to use BOTH hands to squeeze hard enough to get the product out, and that’s with the “wands” FULL. I can’t imagine what it’s gonna take once the “wands” are half-empty (Twirly considers stopping by the hardware store to invest in a clamp……).

    So, while the packaging is certainly gorgeous AND innovative, it is simply NOT practical in the least. Most people really don’t want to work THAT hard to get to the product. Unless possibly their fingers are a bit chubby and in need of a workout???

  • Swims alot

    Metal tubes with those white plastic tabs especially the ones by Crabtree and Evelyn once you get your hands all gooey with cream they ate nearly impossible to rethread.
    on another note water bottles with sports caps, especially the Poland Spring ones. half the time I cannot get that little tab to come off and the water goes spritzing all over the place to me. Hey. Being hydrated is beautiful

  • Rachel B

    I agree with most of the comments here, but I especially can sympathize with the toothpaste in a metal can comment. I have the Sensodyne Pronamel iso-active. No matter what I do, there is a big glob of dried gel that I have to wipe off the nozzle three times a day when I brush my teeth. I follow the bottle’s instructions and wipe it off after every use. I even wait until I’m done brushing my teeth and doing or removing (depending on AM or PM) my makeup to make sure it is done “oozing” prior to wiping it off and putting the lid back on. But nothing works!

    Also I agree with the people who hate the powder and cream formulas in the same palette. And there is a special place in hell for whoever designs an eyeliner where the lid doesn’t fit on the back of the pencil/pen while you are using it. Not only so it doesn’t roll away to be promptly carried away by my cat who thinks it is her new “toy”, but also because, if it is a pencil that you have to sharpen, having the lid fit on the back while you are using it makes it much easier to apply when the eyeliner gets sharpened down too small to hold (especially true for the smaller UD pencils that come in a lot of the value sets).

  • Christina

    For storage purposes, I hate round containers. It’s probably me, but I seem able to store many more items neatly when they are square or rectangular. For example, I hate the packaging on L’Oreal Hip Shadows…what a huge waste of space. Speaking of L’Oreal, I hate the package on the new eyeshadow quads, although the shadows themselves are OK. Also agree that pots of any sort are awful, especially when I love the product (i.e. Color Tattoos, are you listening Maybelline?). Your theory sounds spot on that the cosmetic companies purposely do this so that product goes “bad” quickly enough to have to buy a replacement.

  • Ashe

    I hate lip glosses in palettes. What’s the point? If you need to reapply, you’d have to carry the whole damn thing with you.

  • Telma

    I agree with the removable caps, and I also mistrust any cosmetic that comes in a jar.
    I know a lot of people have a problem with MAC Pro Longwear concealer pump but I personally prefer wasting a bit of product and keeping the rest of it untouched in the bottle than having it in a jar or tube where the air can get back in.
    My favourites are pump bottles like Benefit’s Hello Gorgeous Oxygen WOW

  • Iris

    I don’t like lip colours which come in pots or jars. I like to re-touch throughout the day and don’t want to fumble with a lip brush at work or in a public place. I tend to just use the colour in the morning and apply a different one when I’m on the go.

    I am frustrated by packaging which breaks apart or stops functioning before the product is finished.

  • Angelica

    I must be the one person who loves Nars packaging. Rubberized plastic is just such an awesome tactile sensation for me that I don’t mind it gets dirty. I just really like that they feel nice while I’m holding them. And they grip so much better, too.

  • Avalith

    You should compile this and send it to a cosmetic company; they will appreciate all this reports lol

  • Holly

    Garnier BB cream. It’s really runny, and when you open it, the product just floods out everywhere! I love the oil control bb cream, but WHY couldn’t they put it in a pump bottle! I always have to repackage mine. I lose my religion with the tubes 🙁

  • Elena

    I hate Hate HATE any foundation without a PUMP. Especially if it’s glass packaging or runny consistency. It drives me mad!

  • Pamela

    I hate when a product is so hard to open that you could (and do!) break a nail. These products are, for Pete’s Sake, for women.

    Also, it is disturbing when you can’t see how much product is actually inside, and find out there is very little for the price you paid.

    And when a product is very over priced and the package is very fancy, then you know why it’s so expensive. Not for the reason you would like.

  • cat

    I don’t really travel around with my makeup. I don’t go on many trips and the most I’ll toss in my purse is probably some lip products and a concealer for touch ups. Thus, I don’t really have an issue with packaging being bulky other than that it requires me to find more storage space in my tiny apartment. I dislike lipsticks or eyeliners or really anything with loose caps that just fall off so the product gets ruined. I’ve become very fond of products that sort of “click” when they close so I know they’re secure. Obviously I dislike products that fall apart. For some reason my expensive MAC eyeshadows are hot messes. The clear plastic covering has fallen out and it drives me crazy. I also dislike packaging that is cute but not practical. I love the Rimmel shadows that are shaped like a Union Jack but it’s so hard to fit your brush into the little triangle of shadow.

  • Tanya

    One of my biggest beauty packaging complaints is different than most people’s, and that is why is some makeup packaging so big? Do you really think I’m gonna use a 1/2 ounce tube of lip gloss before I’m sick of the flavor or color? Same goes for nail polish and even mascara. I’ve taken to just buying mini, trial, deluxe sample size, etc of packaging to avoid the regular size products. I also happen to have sort of small features so that’s part of it, but even if I didn’t I’d rather have a variety of smaller packages than 1 jumbo/standard size of the same thing. That’s why the holidays are my favorite time of year for beauty shopping. Smaller gift sets everywhere :).

  • Tijana

    Hello! I read trough all these comments and I must say, I do agree with most of complaints. Now I actually have a favor to ask. My brother, an industrial design student, is joining a competition for the cosmetics containers design. So, my question is – If the product itself was perfect, what packaging would you decide on? Do you like innovative stuff, practical, compact, refillable? Let your imagination run wild.
    P.S. All cosmetics included – from toothpastes to eyelash curlers.

  • Anna

    Drives me crazy when some drugstore lipsticks/glosses don’t have safety seals on them (the sticker you have to break to open the tube the first time). It makes it insanely difficult to find one that hasn’t been “tested” by rude customers. On the flip side, Wet n Wild does not need three hardcore stickers to seal their eye shadows!

  • Michele

    I don’t like mirrored compacts. It gets smudged with fingerprints after one use!