Hyped Beauty Products- Worth The Hype Or Not?

So many times I come across beauty products and brands that have been so hyped about, and after spending a fortune I end up wondering – “WTF are these people on about?” I, like no one else, know what the power of good marketing can do a product- get a group of bloggers, magazines, influencers etc. to rave about a product for long enough, and you have a hyped-up product. But how many of those products are actually worth the hype? How many of them are quality, price and “need-it-in-my-life” sort of good? Today I gathered 6 of the worlds most hyped about products, and I am telling you the truth from my perspective- is the product really worth the hype or should you give it a skip?

 

PS- These are just my thoughts about the products. What didn’t (or did) work for me, wont necessarily not work for you, so I am just expressing my personal opinion about these products. This post is a bit long, so grab a cup of coffee and read on!

NARS blush

Why its hyped about– The very famous NARS blush in a shade called “Orgasm” has won numerous beauty awards and this item is pretty much on every beauty loving gals list. But it isn’t just that shade that’s hyped about, every magazine will tell you that you need a NARS blush in your life because of its great pigment and quality.

What I think– I couldn’t at the time get my hands on the Orgasm shade, so I went for the second best shade I could find, a slightly more pink shade called “Deep Throat”(I know, try asking for that at the sales counter and not blush). I bought it in Russia and paid round about R500 (50$) for it at the time with the exchange rate. So what did I think? Well it left me incredibly underwhelmed. Yes the pigment is pretty, and the slight shimmer gives your face a glow, but why must I pay so much when there are tones of other blushes that could do the same?

Worth the hype? – In my opinion, no. While it is a good product, you can get something similar to it for cheaper, or maybe try and rather get the Orgasm shade. But make sure to swatch it a few times first, to make sure that its really worth buying.

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara

Why its hyped about –This mascara has been around for ages, and the only update it gets is of its packaging and different versions(like this Lots Of Lashes one)-the formula has stayed the same since the 1970s and is closely guarded. It is affordable, available at most drugstores in the world and is known for its good quality.

What I think- I first remember my mom using this mascara back when I was a kid, and this was one of the first mascaras I ever tried. Since then I have probably tried close to 100(not joking) different mascaras, and while I have some luxe brand favorites, I always have a tube of this one at home. It gives you full lashes without sticking them together, doesn’t flake and is easy to remove.

Worth the hype?– Definitely. It costs just over 100 bucks (10$) and the quality is good. This is a legendary product that lives up to its reputation.

YSL Touché Éclat

Why its hyped about– Every minute one tube of the Touché Éclat gets sold in the world- isn’t that crazy? I first read about this fact in a magazine, and became obsessed with getting my hands on the Touché Éclat. Beauty gurus all over the world recommend it for highlighting and hiding dark circles. It promises to illuminate your skin and give you a healthy glow.

What I think – I got this as a gift from a fellow beauty blogger Leigh, because she knew how much I wanted it and sent it to me. I was so excited, I couldn’t wait! With a price tag of R450 (45$), I couldn’t afford to just go out and buy it, so I had all the hopes for this product. I use concealer daily for my dark circles, and maybe its because I had such high hopes for this product that I ended up being so disappointed. Yes it’s a nice highlighter and is very easy to use, but it did nothing to brighten my skin or hide my dark circles. I thought a few times its maybe because I didn’t have the right shade or I am not using it correctly, but boy did I try. I gave this a go over and over again, but mostly now I only use it while traveling. I still prefer my Bobbi Brown concealer and my MAC “Soft and Gentle” highlighter.

Worth The Hype? – This breaks my heart because I adore all the other YSL products, but this product did nothing for me. At such a high price tag you expect it to work magic, but sadly for me it did pretty much nothing.

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick

Why its hyped about– This is considered to be one of the cult products from the brand, mostly because it doubles as a blush and a highlighter, and some make-up artists even use it as eye shadow. Its high pigmented formula and pretty packaging has this product selling out worldwide, and it is considered to be one of the best highlighters out there.

What I think– The shade I have here is called “Copper Diamond” and if you are wondering about the packaging, it’s from last years Christmas Collection. I really wanted this product after swatchng it many times at their counters, but at the price tag of R650 (close to 70$) I never ended up buying it. I got this as a gift from the Bobbi Brown team because they knew how much I wanted one, and I loved it. I knew I would because this wasn’t a “blind” purchase (or gift) based on what I read about online, but because I played around with this product so much before. Its very soft, applies like a dream and is well pigmented, but doesn’t leave your face shiny.

Worth the hype? – Yes. This is a real spoil, but if you can, get your self a Shimmer Brick. They come in all different shades for different skin tones, and this will be a multi-tasking product in your make-up bag.

Maybelline Baby Skin

Why its hyped about– Along with its little sister called Baby Lips, Baby Skin has gotten more coverage online than Kim Kardashain (not really but you know what I am saying). There was a point when you couldn’t watch a YouTube video or read a blog post without this guy popping up. It promises to be one of the best skin primers out there, hiding your pores and making your makeup stick to your face for the whole day.

What I think– With so much hype around this product, I couldn’t wait for it to hit South African shores. Well it didn’t until recently, so over my holidays I bought myself a tube of Baby Skin in Russia. Again, I expected this product to work miracles. It has a soft, silicone like texture, which applies very easily onto the skin, and it fells and smells quite pleasant. But is it a miracle-worker? No. Look I don’t have a huge problem with pores, so that part of the product doesn’t really work for me anyway, but in terms of prepping the skin for makeup, yeah its pretty good. In terms of actually making the make-up stick? Not so much.

Worth the hype?– I am a little torn on this product, because while it isn’t the best primer I have tried, with its great price tag of just under R90(9$), it is worth a try. What didn’t work for me didn’t wont necessarily also not work for you, and spending that on a primer is not a lot. So I say give it a try if you are dipping your toes in the primer market, it’s a great start.

MAC Matte Lipsticks

Why its hyped about– I feel like all of MAC products are generally hyped about, and I am a huge MAC fan myself. But every brand has a hit and miss, for me the only product I don’t enjoy are their foundations. Make-up artists love the MAC Matte and Retro Matte lipsticks and beauty editors worldwide do too, because they have the most gorgeous colors, a stunning formula and last you a long time.

What I think– I love matte lipsticks, and I have a lot of them, but the MAC colors are still my favorites to date. Although I sometimes find the formula a bit drying on my lips with certain colors (like Diva), most of the colors are easily to apply, and they stick to you like nothing else. A MAC Matte Lipstick doesn’t just come off with you eating food or having a drink, it will stick with you until the next morning. Some of the cult shades are Candy Yum Yum and Heroine, the one I have here. They are quite hard to get hold of, but you can check out the shades online, or ask to have them ordered at the MAC counters for you.

Worth the hype?– Yes. I love the high quality of MAC lipsticks, and while they are quite pricey (last time I check it was R195/20$ for one here) they will last you forever. I would suggest starting your collection with Ruby Woo, Candy Yum Yum and Flat Out Fabulous.

Have you tired any of these products? Let me know what you think and did you maybe have a better experience with some of these products then I did?