17 Makeup Products That Are Totally Worth The Hype Vs. Those That Are Totally Not Worth The Hype
If you're obsessed with watching beauty product reviews and makeup tutorials like myself, it's easy to get caught up in all the hype that flies around social media. The next thing you know, you've bought every single product NikkieTutorials used in one makeup tutorial and you're broke.
So we're here to buckle down on some of Youtube and Instagram's most hyped beauty products and give your the lowdown on whether they're worth it or not.
Now a little disclaimer before we begin, if you love using the makeup products that we claim to be "not worth the hype", YOU JUST DO YOU GIRL! It's okay! You like what you like and we can't take that away from you.
Also, we're not trying to say that these products are awful, just that they're perhaps not exactly as what they're hyped up to be. We're just trying to help you save a couple bucks on makeup and offer some cheaper alternatives that are totally underrated and just as awesome.
So anyway, with that aside, here is the lowdown on makeup products that are totally worth the hype, and those that aren't.
What are you looking for?
Face
Eyes
Lips
Click "Next" for face products.
Face
Shape Tape Contour Concealer // Tarte
Price: $31
You've seen beauty gurus all over Insta and Youtube use this concealer in their makeup tutorials. This concealer is super high coverage - a little goes a long way with this one. The formula is super creamy and doesn't crease like crazy underneath the eyes.
Verdict: Worth the hype
Shade + Light Contour Palette // Kat Von D
Price: $55
Kat Von D and Anastasia Beverly Hills are the OGs of making contouring totally doable for normal-tons like us. Kat Von D's Shade + Light Contour Palette has six versatile shades of contour and highlight. The formula is so finely milled that it's almost creamy on application and is super blendable.
Verdict: Worth the hype
Soleil de Tan // Chanel
Price: $63.92
Chanel's Soleil de Tan is beautiful and incredibly creamy. It gives the perfect dewy sun-kissed glow...but $64 is a little excessive and not really worth the splurge.
Verdict: Not worth the hype
Instead try: Physician's Formula's Butter Bronzer ($20)
Re(marc)able Full Cover Foundation Concentrate // Marc Jacobs Beauty
Price: $64
Everyone raves about this foundation because you only need a teeny tiny bit to achieve a full coverage look. However, this foundation tends to crease a bit on some skin types and $64 is so much when most people can hardly tell the minute differences between foundations.
Verdict: Not worth the hype
Instead try: L'Oreal's Infallible Pro-Glow Foundation ($16)
Prep + Prime Fix + // MAC
Price: $28
Makeup geeks and gurus swear by MAC's Fix + not particularly because it helps the longevity of your foundation, but because it adds moisture to the skin when applied before foundation and helps your foundation look like skin again when applied after. There's a reason why it's been around 5eva.
Verdict: Worth the hype
Blur Stick // MILK Makeup
Price: $43
The MILK Blur Stick has taken Instagram and Youtube by storm. But does it deserve all the publicity? Unfortunately, it pills on drier skin types and doesn't really blur out pores on more textured skin types. However, if you have pretty clear skin that's neither too oily nor too dry, it might work really well for you. It's just that we're not too sure if the money and hype are worth it.
Verdict: Not worth the hype
Instead try: Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser ($9) or Benefit POREfessional ($40)
Orgasm Blush // NARS
Price: $38
There is a reason why there's an entire collection dedicated to the "Orgasm" shade - the Orgasm blush is truly beautiful. This peachy pink blush with gold shimmer looks gorgeous on all skin tones and the new formula is absolutely bomb. The blush is super creamy and gives the most beautiful glowing finish to the cheeks. We definitely believe in a good Orgasm.
Verdict: Worth the hyp
Cloud Paints // Glossier
Price: $22
Cream blushes often get a bad rap for being blotchy and patchy, but Glossier's Cloud Paints are a whole other story. You've seen them on your Insta, FB, and Youtube, and these paints really live up to its publicity. The formula is just in between a cream and a liquid and blends beautifully on the skin leaving your cheeks fresh and glowing from within. They also double as lip tints!
Verdict: Worth the hype
Click "Next" for eyes.
Eyes
Brow Wiz // Anastasia Beverly Hills
Price: $27
This brow pencil literally has a cult following. The fine pencil can create beautifully soft and natural brows, as well as strong, bold brows. But I don't think I'd be the first to say that it seems suspiciously similar to NYX's Micro Brow Pencil in design and formula. Though NYX may not have as many shades, it's less than half the price and just as good as Brow Wiz.
Verdict: Not worth the hype
Instead try: NYX Micro Brow Pencil ($12)
Tattoo Liner in Trooper // Kat Von D
Price: $25
In my opinion, there are very few eyeliners in the North American beauty market that are actually good. So many eyeliners aren't black enough, run out super quickly, don't have a good applicator, and trust me, I've tried my fair share of eyeliners. But Kat Von D's Tattoo Liner is a true winner. It's super black and the applicating brush is so easy to use. No wonder it's an Allure Reader's Choice Award Winner and one of Sephora's best seller.
Verdict: Worth the hype
Sunset Eyeshadow Palette // Natasha Denona
Price: $166
The Natasha Denona eyeshadow palettes have received a ton of attention simply due to the fact that they are so. damn. expensive. If you're going to spend nearly $200 on eyeshadow, it better apply and blend itself! Okay, jk, but in all seriousness, you don't want any poor performers in the palette. However, some shades don't measure up in pigmentation. The shadows do blend beautifully and the metallics truly are mesmerizing, but most people have a hard time justifying making the purchase, so I think we're going to have to give it a no.
Verdict: Not worth the hype
Instead try: Colour Pop Yes, Please! Eyeshadow Palette ($20)
Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette // Urban Decay
Price: $66
As much as I want to say that this eyeshadow palette isn't worth the hype because literally everyone and their moms are talking about it, Urban Decay really knocked it out of the park. There is just the perfect amount of shimmery and matte shades that you can create the perfect warm eyeshadow look. Not that there aren't already plenty of warm-tone shadow palettes out there, but I strongly doubt you'll regret purchasing this bad boy.
Verdict: Worth the hype
Better Than Sex Mascara // Too Faced
Price: $30
The packaging of this mascara is so on point that it's hard not to impulse buy. The formula and the hourglass brush design is supposed to deliver long, voluminous lashes. As much as I love this mascara, as with all mascaras, the shelf life just isn't that long and it's hard to fork out $30 every time your mascara dries out. If you want to splurge then go for it, but a really comparable product in packaging and formula is L'Oreal's Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara.
Verdict: Not worth the hype
Instead try: L'Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise ($10)
Click "Next" for lips.
Lips
MatteTrance Lipsticks // Pat McGrath Labs
Price: $52
Named The World's Best Lipsticks, Pat McGrath's lip products have literally slayed the entire lipstick same in one single release. Not only is the packaging effing luxurious, the product is AH👏MA👏ZING. The formula is very thin but incredibly pigmented, so you don't have to build a million layers to get the beautiful colours to show. As a matte lipstick, it's also totally not drying at all, which is again, amazing. It is defs on the pricey side, but if you're willing to spend the money, it's worth it.
Verdict: Worth the hype
Matte Liquid Lipsticks // Kylie Cosmetics
Price: $21
Like many liquid lipsticks, Kylie's Lip Kits and Liquid Lipsticks are rather drying and can easily flake on the lips. There are some beautiful shades, especially in her Fall 2017/18 collection. But we can't deny that it's not really worth purchasing when there are so many other matte liquid lipsticks on the market for cheaper and are about the same quality.
Verdict: Not worth the hype
Instead try: NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams ($8)
Ultra Matte Lip Liquid Lipsticks // COLOURPOP
Price: $7.50
After Colour Pop launched their many collabs with some of the online beauty community's biggest social influencers, their liquid lipsticks have gotten a lot of hype. Their lipsticks are inexpensive but also super pigmented and creamy. Do we love them? Yes.
Verdict: Worth the hype
Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer // FENTY BEAUTY
Price: $23
Don't get us wrong, we LOVE Rihanna. And we definitely love her Fenty Beauty line. However, I can't help but think that the collection fell a little short in the lip products department. Not that this lip gloss isn't beautiful, but there are plenty of drugstore lip glosses that are similar and cost less.
Verdict: Not worth the hype
Instead try: Colour Pop's Ultra Glossy Lip in My Jam ($7.50)
