October 16, 2018

Makeup & Beauty I’m Not Buying

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My list of makeup and beauty I’m not buying seems to be rather large this year! It shouldn’t be though since I tend to get mighty excited about Holiday Makeup Collections but this year, well, I feel like there’s a lot of repetitive sets and palettes that I don’t really feel I need.

So, this is anti-haul post of sorts I guess!

Here’s what I’ll not be buying in the makeup and beauty world at the moment and why.

No, no, and no to Tarte’s Let’s Flamingle Brush Set which is obviously all Insta-show without any practical functionality. Not only do I find these brushes ugly AF but they look difficult to actually apply makeup with! And the Pineapple of my Eye Collector’s Set? That’s another big no! It’s big, bulky, and I likely have every single shade in that set already!

Another miss for me is the Too Faced Dream Queen Limited-Edition Make Up Collection. Again, too many repetitive shades and bulky packaging. My money was better spent on the smaller Tickled Peach Eyeshadow Palette as well as the Gingerbread Spice Eyeshadow Palette.

Another miss for me is the new Dior Joy fragrance! I typically love Dior Fragrances but this is soooooo basic! I thought it would be a little more complex but the scent is a very soft floral that had very short wear when I tried it in store.

Fenty’s Killawatt Foil Freestyle Highlighter Palette is stunning but it’s another skip for me as the frost factor completely scares me. Does anyone look good in frost? Please stand up now! The way they described this as icy frosty shades I was concerned it would just adhere to every dry area on my face. Thanks but no thanks!

What’s on your beauty no buy list?

Do share!

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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

  • Christina

    Pretty much everything on your no buy list is on my no buy list, especially the Tarte offerings. I’m not a fan of Tarte in general, but this collection is just plain ugly to me.

    Then again, I’m not buying anything until because of my upcoming trip to Japan at the end of the month. By the way, did you get my text the other day? Message /text/email me if you want me to pick anything up for you. I’ll be buying stuff anyway. LOL. 🙂

    • Isabella Muse

      agreed! pineapples? ahh no thanks! OMG THNAK YOU! I GOT IT SORRY for the really slow time replying ;-D I might be taking you up on that offer! I’ll text ya thank you! also, I am so sorry I still have face masks to send you I’ve just been so busy and I got suck and ugh! and we still have to meet sometime soon! I’ll be in CA first week of November but not sure you’ll be back by than!?

      • Christina

        No worries, Muse! Life is busy and we all try to catch up with friends when we can!

        I’ll be there Nov 3-11, so still plenty of time to send me your list. I can always mail the goodies to you if you’re not going to be back anytime soon. I haven’t even gotten my list started. LOL! I want everything.

        • Isabella Muse

          omg you have no idea. lately I feel like I have schedule time to breath! ;-D shit! I’m in CA November 4th to the 11th (Martin and I are doing “friendsgiving” that week in CA and the following week in NY)! I won’t be able to see you unless I fly to Japan lol! ;-D OMG Japan is so damn dangerous! ;-D thanks girl! I appreciate it so damn much <3!

  • Lori

    Great (anti)picks! I don’t think I’m buying anything Tarte or Too Faced this Christmas. I think I’ll haul the Nest Roll-On set and a the Rita Hazan deep conditioner kit during Sephora’s sale and but I think I’m make-up’ed out this season. I bought the Dominique Cosmetic’s Latte Palette during the September sale and LOVE it! I have never heard of Christen Dominique before but the colors are right of my alley and I was pleasently surprised by the quality.

    • Isabella Muse

      I am ashamed to say I didn’t know who she was either but did love her palette too 😀

  • Meghan

    I love this little anti-haul from you! I have not been buying any new makeup, and my goal is to continue with that (until I run out of something of course!). I like seeing that others are noticing how makeup companies are sort of missing the mark. I mean pineapple…really Tarte?!?!? It looks so silly! And yes, I hate the bulky packaging of some of the holiday kits. If they made multiple smaller things then wouldn’t more people buy them since they would see them as stocking stuffer gifts or things for co-workers? I want more skincare sets to come out!

    • Isabella Muse

      Thanks Meghan :D! ITA about pineapples ugh! and bulky packaging. I mean maybe some of these sets as gifts but this year the Holiday stuff is just not catching me!

  • Deb

    I’m not buying any blush palette with sparkle or shimmer or glitter no matter how pretty the palette is. Im looking at you NARS. IMHO, sparkly, shiny,glittery cheeks are just not a good look at a certain age. They emphasize the hell out of fine lines and texture. No eyeshadow palettes with pink, red, or maroon shadows. As I’ve said before, with my coloring they make me look like a bunny on crack. I can’t wait for that trend to die. No matte lipsticks. Don’t need anything to further emphasize aging lips. So basically nothing for me. So far I haven’t bought a single thing from new releases and if the current trend keeps going, I’ll be saving a lot of money this season.

    • Corgi88

      I totally agree with everything you said! How many highlighting products does 1 person need anyway!
      I couldn’t wear the matte lipsticks or the pink/red eyeshadow! I’m trying to cover up the pink & red on my eyelids!!

    • Susan

      I think you are my alter ego, Deb. Totally agree on: no sparkly blushes, no more highlighters (one is probably more than I need anyway), no palettes with red or black eyeshadows, and definitely NO MATTE LIP ANYTHING. I truly do not get the matte lip trend; it looks dull, dead, and unhealthy on everyone I’ve seen wearing it, and it emphasizes the hell out of lines and flaky lips. Otherwise, no: mermaids, unicorns, or idiotic-shaped brushes. No palettes so large I need a porter to carry it for me.

      While not a holiday offering per se, the item I’ve gotten lately that I love is the new Blush Bomb Drops from Flower Beauty. Sheer and matte, they give a lovely, realistic blush glow.

  • April

    I’m with you, Muse. My “won’t buy”� list is pretty long this year. So far most holiday collections have been a big let down. I find myself buying very little but what I have purchased has been from a brands permanent line ( Charlotte Tilbury for example). Actually I think most of what has come out this year has been pretty boring.

    • Isabella Muse

      Pretty weird isn’t it? I’m so negative lately but nothing really calls to me 🙁 I’ve been leaning on CT a lot lately and other higher end brands! It’s more $ but at least the quality is there and I’m actually using the items if that makes sense!

    • Leigh

      Missed the boat? I don’t think they ever found the dock!

      In all seriousness though this set looks the most ridiculous yet! I have a friend who works for a company who designs packaging and about a year and a half ago they did one of the Tarte sets, can’t remember which one but we laughed over the packaging. I told him about this set and he said “Well now I’m just glad my name isn’t attached to THIS one!”.

      • Wendy Sue

        LOL! Especially the brush set. Seriously, someone over there is on some serious drugs, and/or getting paid way too much LOL

    • Nikole

      Definitely hearing you on boring stuff coming out. The only recent release that actually caught my eye believe it or not was the tutti frutti collection from Too Faced; not that I bought any of it because of too much shimmer/glitter for my aging face and their lip products are all drying. I’ve bought very little makeup this year because everything seems to be repeated or recycled colors in the palettes. The only (really great) release as far as I’m concerned was much earlier in the year, the Stila liquid shadows. Otherwise, my beauty purchases have been skincare related.

  • Jane

    Ha! I love Joy and I have hated 95% of the fragrances Dior has been making. Opposite noses!

    I’m trying to think of the last thing that I was super excited about – the new Clinique lipsticks have been great for me, as have the two new Shiseido lipsticks. But even Nars has been uninteresting for the most part, I never look at Tarte and Too Faced because they’re just uninteresting. Sooo much stuff is so terribly warm toned and I’m just not.

    And everything just feels orgiastic now. There’s too much. I feel guilty partaking in makeup at all now, you know? I still do, but gosh it’s just too much.

    • Isabella Muse

      total opposite noses 😀 I felt like Joy was too sheer and light! I wanted something a little more complex! ;-D I totally know whatcha ya mean :-/ It just feels like a waste of $$ lately 🙁

  • Jujubes

    I agree with your choices! I am also staying away from large palettes and anything glittery.

    I swear, some of these companies must be targeting 14 year olds with these clunky, gimmicky brushes and palettes. 😛

  • kjh

    You are so right about insta-F. Agree on all the anti-haul, except maybe the Fenty. I got the kilawatt pink/blue, and find it a decent multiuse product. So, if it is not a frost bomb, that palette is a maybe. My frost-killed disappointment is the top row of Viseart Bridal Satin. Oy vay, Jesus, is that an oncoming train, BAD. As far as the aging thing goes, I accept my wrinkles…which really right now are part of my skin mystery condition..and have always had poor texture. I figure I earned it, through both genetics and experience. But, I never was a glitter bomb, even in the disco days. Hoping I don’t like the Nars palette, bec s.o. will have to bury that Nars stash (read large train case) with me, and have difficulty lifting it…. But I learned not to fear Exhibit A, so anything goes! I might be able to cut the list to 2 purchases for self in color cosmetics. Tarte and some TF is so bloody retread. I never succumbed the first (or fifth) go-round. No drama kings/queens, no warm neutrals, no overdupes. Guess I won’t buy much, either.

  • Jan Kelley

    If you really want a laugh watch the video by RachhLoves where she tries to use the flamingo brushes. What garbage! She had to give upas they were useless.

  • Tj

    Yes agree with your list. Can we do a list of what you recommend with the ulta 20 coupon

  • Enya

    All of the same things as you plus I know they’re supposedly DCing the first Naked palette but nah no thanks, even though I never owned it before it’s just meh. I’m basically banning myself from buying highlighters too.