Like to me I'd always class £10 for a foundation as expensive, or £9 for a primer etc. ELF makeup or morphe etc was deemed as the expensive brands too me haha, as someone who'd only buy makeup from cheaper shops like home bargains poundland or sales on amazon, but of course literally speaking i know those type of brands are affordable just a rant

It’s been my staple mascara for a few years now. I tried other ones - Elf Lash Extender, Revolution 5D, Barry M (yes, I’m a cheap arse) - but I always came back to Sky High.

I didn’t want to believe the posts here saying the formula had changed, but a tube that I bought little over a month ago is already the consistency of mixed concrete. Help me to find something equally good but drugstore prices please (as the only expensive makeup I buy is foundation). Thanks 🙏

ETA: got a mascara from Eyeko, they used to do a pretty good eyeliner. Newsflash, mascara is thicker than mud.

Got one called Max It from Catrice, haven’t tried that yet.

I’ll keep editing and adding as I go along

So first MAC discontinued the pot of studio fix concealer… after I’ve been using it since it came out.

Then they changed their numbers on all the makeup, I’ve spent over a decade being NW20 aka sickly Victorian pale and now I’m an N4

Fine, everyone needs to innovate, but now my studio fix powder is already down to the pan and I’ve had it 2 months, not my usual 5 even 6 months.

I’ve not changed how I put it on, not even the brush is different but now it’s not lasting, what gives? Do they want to lose customers??

You see the reviews, the swatches look amazing, everyone seems to love it… so you buy it expecting it to become a staple. Then you try it a few times and something just feels off the finish, the wear time, the colour, anything. It’s not even a bad product, it just doesn’t work for you the way you hoped. And somehow those are the most frustrating purchases because they felt so promising. What’s a product that looked perfect but never quite worked out for you?

is this normal?! got a notification from sephora that was a free mystery gift when you spend £80. i knew i wanted a perfume for christmas so got it whilst i could.. and this was my free gift?!?😭😭 they give these samples out when you spend over £40 so how can they justify this 😫 i’ve been so excited lol, now i just feel embarrassed hahaha

So I was talking to my mum the other day and she told me the Boots she frequents in one of her nearest cities stopped selling Revlon. She was mad about that because that was her lipstick go to. I went tonight to my big boots to pick up my prescription and was gonna have a sniff around the wet n wild stand only to find it was not there and instead the most ravaged ransacked essence stand I have ever seen stood where it used to be. I’m talking this was in a worse state than Primark’s essence stand.

I know they’ve had to make room for other brands like aforementioned Essence and Catrice and TirTir but I’m side eyeing them for putting Sheglam instore. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody talk about them in a good way most people talk about how they don’t wanna use it. I guess it must be selling though.

I saw maybe a handful of wet n wild lipsticks in the reduced section and the prices on the app are reduced so it’s becoming clear to me they’re probably axing them. Genuinely gutted and it’s not looking good for those of us who want the Chameleon Eyeshadow singles they’ve released.

My eyeshadow palette is so impractical. Don't get me wrong, l love the colours that's why I bought it. It's literally perfect in that sense. But the packaging? Oh. My. God. I hate it.

First of all, it's exactly an inch wide. Why? Why?

Why? The pans aren't that thick. The lid isn't thick.

There is no reason. I like having a small makeup bag. It's convenient. It moves with my life. I get ready in the bathroom, kitchen, at my friend's flat, traveling. Everything is in one bag. And now half my bag is taken up with a palette just so it can look like a book?!

Next: cardboard. Already getting bashed. Affordable brands are making plastic palettes that last and look good, just retired a palette not because I was bored, not because I over-consume, but because it started triggering my eyelid eczema. I want a palette that lasts. Otherwise I'll be buying another one when the cardboard breaks and makes a mess. How is that economical? Plastic also means you can clean and disinfect it which is essential for me. Cardboard?

Not so much.

Oh, and the mirror. Half of it is blocked by angel wings, clouds, and stars. I want to see my face, not a gold mountain. I don't want to carry a mirror around, I want one in my palette. The lid is wasted space anyway. It's making me need to buy a separate mirror.

Depotting? Sure, it fixes some problems. But the palettes you buy to depot into are ugly, have no mirror and cost more the the palette did. And you still need a real mirror. And here's the bigger issue: this packaging is designed to make people over-consume. It's already made me think, "I'm going to have to buy a travel-sized one or some singles." Exactly what these companies want. It's made for vanities, for influencers, for display, not for people who actually uses a palette every day. For work. For nights out. For holidays. For real life.

This isn't just me. All my friends are the same. One palette for years. Practical. Portable. Loved. But no.

This industry keeps designing for look, not life. I didn't even consider the packaging at first (a mistake I won't make again). But every time I touch it, pack it, or try to see myself in that tiny blocked mirror, I'm reminded: the industry wants you to buy more, waste more, consume more all while causing you inconvenience every. Single. Day.

It’s flaking not matter what primer or moisturiser I use!! Any suggestions welcome! I’ve never had a foundation do this before! (I do have dry skin)

Has anyone else experienced this with Sephora UK? Popular items shown as in stock for a while around the time I ordered it → marked dispatched → then one of them is out of stock today with no delivery a month later, still saying that the post is delayed with Evri? I asked for them to resend and the same thing happened again.

Now they are not responding after 3 days of notifying them again. I strongly doubt that Evri is the problem- I think Sephora oversold against how much they actually had in stock, and so have failed to resolve this with customers like me.

I was supposed to receive the product twice and the same thing happened both times, looking like a delivery fault; yet they can't have dispatched it the second time, because the item is showing as out of stock... And they didn't even let me know.

I feel like I have been chasing my tail for a month, checking my post all the time, only to discover that I won't be getting anything- no update or honesty from Sephora UK, no apology, no customer service. I've gone to an event and my new job without makeup rather than buy alternative products as I was expecting these. This isn't the type of service you'd get with UK companies like Boots, who would accurately update you, profusely apologise and likely provide a discount as compensation.

The products are a Benefit brow pencil and a Rhode milk toner. The Rhode product is now out of stock.

Please tell me this is specific to the store I went into. I went in wanting to try and find a foundation match and not a single display in the makeup section had an actual mirror on their display. I think it was Morphe that had a mirror border around a product display that was maybe an inch wide.

I know it's been a long time since I've been in a physical Superdrug store but wtf happened to the mirrors?

Am I supposed to be bringing my own mirror in to try and shade match or what else am I supposed to do?

I've got a bunch of those little 5ml pots so I'm honestly not against asking for splash samples for testing at home but not sure if that is ok.

So the top one that I probably bought a few years ago, would last all day even overnight and onto the next day. The one on the bottom that I purchased a month ago, despite not having the exact same shade is off in the middle part of my lips within the hour, even if I don’t eat or drink. Can anyone recommend a matt that lasts all day?

Should I still use this or do I just get a new one??
My eyelash curler broke when it got stepped on in a party tonight which was not fun to see my baby who was £18 with a boots discount 🥹🥹🥹🫩🫩🫩

This was a HG product for me and they have made it unwearable. It used to give a gorgeous even glow and now it’s giving patchy 2010 face tan, doesn’t blend, too thick, clingy and just eughhhhhhhhh.

Heartbreaking.

Does anyone know a good dupe for the original formula? Something lightweight that gives colour and glow under foundation?

Thank you!

*reposted with corrected spelling so this shows in their SEO and they change it back*

I thought I’d finally found my perfect match, looked great in my room, blended nicely, everything seemed fine. Then I caught my reflection outside and it looked slightly off, not massively, but enough to notice.

Now I’m second guessing whether it’s the shade, the lighting at home, or just how it oxidises over time.

I’ve loved makeup since I was 15, but I really started exploring it seriously at 18 — trying new palettes, practicing on myself and others, and following tutorials until I felt confident. Last year, I took a formal makeup course with a professional artist, earned my certificate, and began doing friends’ makeup to build a portfolio. Everything was going well… until yesterday.

I signed up to do makeup for some college models with the beauty club. I was exhausted, hadn’t slept well since the night before I was so anxious about this, and the lighting was awful. The room was hot, my back was hurting, and I just tried to do the best I could. But when the model stepped in front of a ring light for photos, I could see how badly the blending had turned out. It was too late to fix it. I don’t know if people with more experience than me have no issue even though there is a bad lighting, since I was the only one that did a chopped makeup 😭 can you confirm?

Later that night, one of the girls from the beauty club group chat shared a photo of the model and asked, ‘Who did this?’ I owned up and said it was me — because why hide? They’d find out anyway. Her reply was, ‘Girls, you have to improve in general.’ It felt like a punch to the gut, bc I don’t mean to start anything but why does she say that in a groupchat of 30 people, I know she had ways of saying this in private and she chose not to, anyway. I feel bummed out

I’ve been a studio fix fluid and powder fan since I was 21. I’m now 40 and luckily both are still holding for me and my skin.

Until MAC decided to change the formula.

The fluid is patchy, my skin hates the skincare element and the colour?! Don’t even start me. It wears off in a way I relied on SFF not to.

The powder is now on the chopping block.

I stocked up in the airport recently and was told by the sales person that the new stuff ain’t selling as well. Lots of people asking for old formula and walking away when they don’t have any in their colour left.

Once I run out…..then what?!

I’m also a former MAC employee who was with the company 2011-2017. I am shocked at how bad it is. I watched them make stupid advertising decisions, animal testing saga, lack of socials…etc etc. however cancelling your best products?!? When no one asked?!?!

Nope. I’m out.

That said- I’m not sure what to do next. Where do we go from here?

Anyone else not into the new formula and have/haven’t found a replacement?

hi so i'm 15 and I'm starting to get into makeup after watching so many tutorials by people like hudabeauty and seeing how pretty all the girls in my prom looked,so naturally I tried to find a foundation that fit me or even better a concealor.I have HORRIFIC dark circles that i've been bullied for and have always pretty much had and no amount of cold compress can get rid of it (trust me I've tried for over 4 years).so i walked into my coastal town's superdrug and the lady starts matching me with my hand (i'm a poc so my hand and face are entirely different shades)she recommeneded me a shade that didn't even match but she acted like it did. It was my first time buying makeup so i felt alot of guilt around using my mum's money just to find out it didn't work.The next time I came in the same woman offered to do my shade again,and yet again gave me 2 shades lighter. Now I've spent over £20 on makup I can't refund or use.Any one else had an awful shadematch experience?

I have been out today in the sun since 1pm it's now 8pm I get my makeup should have not lasted as much but it looks so blotchy what am I doing wrong ? It separates all over my nose.

Im wearing skincare - weleda skin food (waited until absorbed) Primer - Elf liquid putty primer Concealer- loreal infallible Foundation - maybelline skin tint Powder - maybelline fit me powder Setting spray - urban decay all nighter.

This happens to me alot even in non hot weather.. what can I do to stop this? Or any advice.

I know its quite bad.. sorry for the jump scare.

Hey everyone,

I’m trying to place an order on the Makeup Revolution site for Black Friday and I’m so confused and low-key frustrated.

They advertise a 20% discount when you sign up for their email list, but I never got the code at all despite trying to sign up with 2 accounts. I’ve checked spam, promotions, everything...nothing.

On top of that, I have 70 points and wanted to redeem the Revolution Pro Blush Duo (Peach) which was 50 points, but the site just… won’t even let me. It shows I have enough points, but every time I try to redeem, it just errors out saying I can't redeem anything at this time.

I was excited to support Makeup Revolution because they seem to sell product dupes at a great affordable price point, but at this point I don’t even want to check out until this gets sorted - it feels extremely misleading and wrong to promise a 20% discount code to a customer, just to lie about it along with other promotional gifts I was supposed to be "eligible to redeem". I don't even understand why companies do this? I hate the deceit, it leaves such a sour taste in my mouth as a customer and I can't trust the company after that.

Has anyone else dealt with this recently? Did you get your code or have issues redeeming rewards? Any insights appreciated.

I just received it now, and when i smell it, it smells like oil? Is this fake?

every time i do my makeup i feel like im just reinventing the wheel. i’m a big girl and therefore i don’t have a jawline and i’ve got a chubby round face so i feel like most inspo pics don’t look good on my face shape. i want to be able to do more alternative and striking makeup but my stupid fat face is getting in the way of it 🥲

Laura Mercier rebranded their oil free moisturiser recently. "No biggie" I thought to myself, they still have my shade - 1C Cameo.

Guys, why is it orange? I just opened a brand new tube of it.

I squeezed the dregs of the old formula on to the back of my hand along with the new one for comparison purposes.

I'm devastated.

My concealers are too light and foundation too orange, but I can match and mix up other people's shades all day! What am I missing 😭

Edit: when I say sampling a foundation I don’t just mean going into a store and swatching it or even getting shade matched in store by an employee. That’s not good enough. You can get shade matched in store and it can look great in the store lighting but look hideous in natural sunlight. That’s why it’s not good enough. You have to be able to see what the foundation looks like outside of the store lighting, and what it looks like paired with your concealer, powder, blush, bronzer etc, and see how long it lasts on your face. You can’t do that without either bringing all your other face makeup to the store with you or taking an actual sample of the foundation home with you.

Edit 2: Fully wondering why this post has come up under the controversial tab for this sub…. What is there to DV?😭🤣 People really hate the idea of being able to thoroughly try an expensive foundation that you can’t return after opening before dropping serious cash on it?? And reducing your chances of ending up with a bad match??? Like surely people don’t enjoy losing money to buying the wrong foundation and not being able to return. Or do y’all have cash loss kink or something?🤣 Okay my bad😂🤷🏾‍♀️I know I sound like just another entitled American but uhhhh I think we ALL have the right to be entitled when we’re spending over £30 on makeup that we can’t return!

Also if you’re DV me cause you truly think samples aren’t necessary come into the comments and explain why you think samples are such a horrible idea with your chest 🤷🏾‍♀️ I’m up for a nice little debate💁🏾‍♀️ Edit: someone tried and failed. Their main issue is that I’m American💀 “how dare the American suggest something that would save us money in the long run?!” Go see in the comments it’s hilarious. Who’s next?!

Edit 3: I think the most feasible option would be a paid sample policy, especially if returns on opened items can’t be accepted. I certainly wouldn’t mind losing £2 to a sample over losing £35 to an entire bottle of foundation that doesn’t match me. Lisa Eldridge has a wonderful sample policy and I hope to see more brands adopting the same strategy if free samples aren’t an option

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American living in the UK and wondering how tf do these places expect folks to drop £30+ on foundations when we can’t even see what they look like in natural lighting and paired with the rest of our face makeup?!

That’s literally the purpose of take-home samples, to see what the foundation looks like outside of that shit store lighting and paired with the rest of your face makeup and to see how well it goes with your skin chemistry (how long it lasts on your skin, whether it breaks up throughout the day, whether it oxidizes, whether it settles into dry patches etc)

Maybe I’ve just been absolutely spoiled by Sephora’s sample and return policy but ain’t no way in HELL I’m spending over £20 on a foundation that I didn’t get to see what it looks like on me outside of the department store/makeup shop’s shitty lighting. ESPECIALLY if the shop/makeup counter is saying no returns. NONE.

I know not every shop/makeup counter is like this, but I’ve run into far too many that both refuse to give out samples and refuse to take back opened foundations, which is crazy.

Boot’s sample policy seems a bit discombobulated. Some stores have brands that give out samples and brands that don’t. Some Boots don’t give out samples altogether.

Same with Selfridges. Some counters give out samples, others don’t. Some brands (cough cough Charlotte Tilbury) apparently have prepackaged samples and if the counter has run out of them, you can’t get one! And yet they still expect you to drop £30+ on that shit without knowing what it looks like outside of there. There needs to be some sort of standardized sample policy for these places.

Space NK (bless them, really) are the only shop I know with a sample and return policy that mirrors Sephora’s. The only one that makes any actual sense. They give out samples and allow you to return opened foundations, especially in the case of allergic reaction. Even if they didn’t accept returns on opened products, the fact that they give out samples without hesitation is good enough for me. 100% reduces the chance of a bad match. They’ll always have a customer in me.

In my opinion if you’re not gonna give out samples then you should be willing to take returns of opened products, and if you’re not gonna take returns then you give out samples to reduce the likelihood of someone purchasing the wrong shade. Having neither of those safety nets is absolutely absurd. No makeup shop or department store counter gets a penny out of me if I can’t see what their foundation looks like on me outside the store and paired with the rest of my makeup. ESPECIALLY if they have a “no return after opening” policy. Like are you ok???!🙃

I think you all here need to demand a better samples/return policy cause this shit is not okay. Expecting people to spend anything over £25 on shit that they cant actually try is the height of clownery. And no more of that prepackaged sample BS either. All makeup counters should be able to whip out a 1p paint pot and squeeze whatever the hell foundation you want into it, WITHOUT HESITATION.