We’ve all heard of em’ and some of us may or may not have bought into the trend. Sometimes, products that get a lot of hype live up to our high expectations. The Huda Beauty New Nude Palette, Tatcha Silk Canvas Primer, and Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb in Fenty Glow are just some of the makeup items that broke the internet for good reason. However, we all know that perfection is unachievable. Here is my list of over-hyped beauty products you shouldn’t waste your money on. 

Bliss In the Honey and Mighty Marshmallow Face Masks: $15 each

I see these trendy face masks all over Instagram, especially on #texturetuesday. Don’t get me wrong, they do photograph well, but that’s about it. I’ve tried both of these wash-off face masks multiple times and I just can’t get them to work. In the Honey claims to add hydration to the face while Mighty Marshmallow fights off stubborn texture. If you don’t know me by now, hi, my name is Elyse and I have dry, textured skin. You can see why I wanted to love these. The problem is that as soon as I wash these face masks off, they feel like I never put anything on. I’ve tried marinating my face in these for twenty, thirty, and even forty minutes. (The instructions say 10-15!)  Still no results. And for a drugstore brand, these masks aren’t the cheapest either. Bliss, you’re hurting my heart. Guess I’ll stick to endlessly scrolling past these babies on social media. 

Beauty Blender: $20

Ah, the good ol’ Beauty Blender. This product was all the rage when I was first getting into makeup. For some, it’s still the only sponge they swear by. However, my love affair (weird analogy) with the Beauty Blender has seen better days. Sure this product blends out foundation and concealer fine, but it’s nothing extraordinary. I find this sacred sponge to be too dense to the point where it actually feels kinda odd when you pounce product onto the face. Then again, those who don’t understand makeup just see people bouncing an Easter egg against their head, which I would argue is just as odd. Whatever the case is, I’ll opt for a softer and just better Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge any day.

Colourpop BFF Mascara in Black on Black: $8

Question: what Colourpop products aren’t hyped? I’m convinced their employees just never sleep. Needless to say, most of the products I do own by them are phenomenal. However, this mascara is a dud. I bought it after the initial hype had died down, but I know a lot of gurus still swear by it. While I think at first application the mascara looks nice, it needs a second coat of a different mascara to really look dramatic. Another coat of this doesn’t give me the pizazz I need in my lash game. Also, when I saw it in videos, the formula looked more wet than dry, but that’s actually not the case. It’s actually too dry, to the point that it flakes off significantly throughout the day. Not a cute look. 

 Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask: $20

I was all about this product in the beginning. It even snuck its way into my February 2019 Favorites. However, after using it for an extended period of time, I don’t think it actually does that much. Sure, you’re lips feel good upon application and while the product is still on. When I wake up and wipe it off though, I don’t feel much of a difference. If they were cracked and chapped before, they’re basically just the same with maybe a little extra hydration. For as much as people hype this up, I don’t think it does as good of a job as it claims to. I’ve also heard some rumors that the ingredients in this aren’t the best. Cannot confirm or deny how true that is though. 

MAC Glitters: $22 each

I’ll give it to MAC that their glitters are jaw droppingly beautiful. However, for the steep price of $22 they are absolutely not worth it. There are so many affordable options on the market like J.Cat Sparkling Powders ($3.49) and NYX Glitters ($6.50), which are significantly cheaper for the same quality. In this instance, I really think you’re just paying for the brand name. And who wants to do that if it means coughing up extra money? I for sure do not. 

NYX Angel Veil Primer: $16

I’ve tried this primer once and that was enough for me to know it was not my cup of tea. A few months ago, I did some intense researching on the best hydrating drugstore primers for dry skin and this was one of the top choices. Spoiler alert: nothing I’ve tried compares to the Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer. I’ve also heard numerous beauty gurus talk highly about Angel Veil, so I figured it had to be a hit. In the words of the Grinch, “wrong-o.” First of all, there’s nothing hydrating or moisturizing about this primer. If anything, it’s more of a pore filler. But even putting that to the side, this primer feels extremely heavy on the skin. I don’t wear foundation anymore, but when I used this primer it felt like I just applied fifty layers of foundation to my face. Not a pleasant feeling in case you were wondering. Like the Bliss face masks, this drugstore primer is also pretty pricey. 

Marc Jacobs Dew Drops Coconut Gel Highlighter in Dew You 50: $45 (full size)

This is one of those products that baffles me. I can’t believe it works for so many people. First of all, the color seems to be an acquired taste. It’s pretty yellow to the point where I could really only see myself using this product in the summer. And even then, it’s not my first choice. Or my second. The formula on this is also finicky as hell. It’s thick and hard to blend. Forget using a sponge because that will just lift the product. I have to use my fingers (which I’m fine with), but even then it’s a struggle. It also sets really quickly, so if you don’t blend fast, say hello to your new best friend, yellow stripe! I cannot even fathom spending almost $50 on this product. 

Did I “throw some shade”  as the youngins’ are calling it nowadays? Indeed I did. At the end of the day though, I always like to refer back to one of my favorite tweets of all time. The lovely Christine Sydelko said, “why is there always drama with beauty gurus I don’t understand you literally smear colors on your face it’s not that serious.” I think we all need to keep this in the back of our beauty loving brains. I respect all the brands that made their way onto this list and own other products that I absolutely love from most of them. Just like life, ya gotta take the good with the bad. And sometimes, as Twenty One Pilots says, “just don’t believe the hype.” 

What beauty products do you think are over-hyped? Let me know in the comments!

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