The Duds of 2012, or What Didn't Work for Me

For the last day of 2012, I wanted to look back at the under performers that I've reviewed.  It's always a disappointment when I buy something that turns out to be a dud, but it does happen occasionally.  Considering how many items I reviewed this year, it's actually a rather short list!  I classify something as a dud when it does not work well or has so many issues that it's more of a problem to work with than it is worth.  Consequently, these are items that I ended up not using as a result.  In fact, after I get through writing this post, I'm going to be throwing them out and get a head start on my decluttering for 2013:-)

• Buxom Armed & Gorgeous Waterproof Smoky Eye Sticks:  these double ended sticks are marketed as both a liner and a shadow, as they are supposed to be smudgeable to help create a smoky eye. While they work as a liner, I found most to be a bit too patchy to use as a shadow and they do not smudge out well.  The few times I tried to use these after reviewing them back in January, I found them to be too difficult to use.  When you've got superior eye liners such as Urban Decay, stila, or Tarina Tarnatino on hand, I had little incentive to return to these.

Pilling when applied over Korres Pomegranate face primer

• Next up is Korre's Pomegranate Mattifying Treatment, which was a complete failure for me.  No matter how I tried to use this facial treatment lotion that is supposed to mattify skin and refine the look of pores, it pilled on me.  I so wanted this to work and it just did not.

• The next two items by Laura Geller were from the Real Deal Travel Collection and are the Real Deal foundation and blush.  They come in stick form, which I thought was pretty nifty.  I've got plenty of stick blushes but not a foundation.  Unfortunately, I found both of these difficult to work with, as they settled into my pores.  I tried applying with my fingers, a makeup sponge, and a brush, but still had problems.  Consequently, these never got use as I just don't have the patience for the blending required to get these to look decent.  Love the concept, but these were a no go for me.

• NYX's Cream Eyeshadow in Olive Branch is a beautiful color but a poor performer.  It applied patchy, plus it is billed as being water resistant but is not.  I've tried other NYX Cream shadows that performed much better, but this one was a dud.

• Palladio Rice Powder and Powdered Blotting Tissue.   The rice powder actually works fine, but I did not care for the smell.  The blotting tissues did not work for my oily skin, as they powder coating them would blotch up when I blotted my skin.  I've got other setting powders that are non-scented that work well, so Palladio has gotten no love from me since I reviewed these.

• I hate including an organic line in this list, but the alima Pure lip balm in Rhubarb was just not moisturizing enough for me.  There are some lip balms that make my lips feel uncomfortable, and this was one of them.  I'm not really sure why, as the ingredient list is impressive and contains plenty of oils that should keep my lips hydrated.  But, it didn't.

• Same story, different product, and another organic lip product under performer.  Unlike the reasonably priced alima Pure, however, the Revolution Organics Freedom Gloss in Vibe costs $26, so I judge this one a bit more harshly.  Fortunately, it was part of an Eco Emi box so I didn't pay that much for it.  While it's a gorgeous color in the tube, it doesn't translate onto the lips as it's not very pigmented, plus my lips did not feel moisturized after using it, nor did it last very long once applied.  

• Anyone who has followed my blog knows that I have a tolerate but hate relationship with SPF lotions.  I've been on a quest to find one that is not greasy and does not leave a grayish cast on my skin that I can wear under makeup.  Lavanila's The Health Sunscreen SPF40 was not it.  I could only tolerate it for the period of time I was walking my dogs, which was about 45 minutes.  I know this is a holy grail item for some people, so maybe my oily skin and it just don't mix well. 

• Wet n' Wild Idol Eyes Cream Shadow Pencil in Techno was a hot mess, for all the wrong reasons.  It creased within 10 minutes after applying and nothing I did could salvage it.  Too bad, as it's another gorgeous color. 

Overall, 9 products out of the over 300 I reviewed isn't bad!  Any duds for you this year?

Disclosure:  I purchased these.