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The beauty industry is booming.
By 2017, the sale of beauty products totaled an astounding$445 billion.
About $17.7 billion of those sales came from high-end makeup alone, according toThe NPD Group.
Some just don’t live up to their hype nor their price tags.
But, in some cases, you may be better off purchasing makeup from your local pharmacy.
However, even some drugstore varieties aren’t worth their price tagsdespitebeing much more affordable.
Louboutin is a luxury brand and those luxury pricescertainlyextend to the company’s beauty products.
A 0.23-ounce pot of eyeshadow, for example, retails for $50.
If lipstick is more your jam, prepare to spend $90 per tube.
That’s a hard pill to swallow, for sure.
And, apparently, it’s not even worth it.
Spoiler: it wasn’t great.
“Mmm, no,” she said of the brand’s eyebrow pencil.
Save those dollars for another makeup brand.
Kylie Cosmetics
In 2018, Kylie Jenner’s eponymous beauty brand was valued atnearly $800 million.
And that’s not even taking into account the scandals the brand has already faced.
As such, Aina was excited at the possibility of finding a cushion foundation in a darker shade.
Unfortunately, by late 2016, the brand’s darkest shade of this $38 foundation was Medium/Dark.
That wouldn’t stop Rihanna, though.
In 2017, herFenty Beautybrand upped the ante by creating an impressive40shades of makeup.
With its incredible success,other brands took noticeandfinallybegan to develop formulas for a wider variety of skin tones.
Z Palette
When it comes to promoting products, Instagram can be amajorresource for beauty brands.
Just ask Kylie Jenner.
Misuse social media, though, and suffer the consequences.
Enter: Z Palette.
Before long, fans and later brands began dropping Z Palette.
Boxycharm took toInstagramto denounce the brand, writing, “‘Work hard and be nice to people.’
Boxycharm will always treat our Charmers with love and respect.
We do not agree nor support Z Palette’s recent statements in regards to their customers.”
“My issue with It Cosmetics is not the products,” she said in a vlog.
“It’s whoever is formulating those shades.
you oughta have a long talk with them.”
Just three shades three!
were available for darker skin.
“Expanding our shade range is a top priority and we are working on it!”
Lime Crime
To put it gently, Lime Crime has a cringe-worthy past.
Deere took on a more behind-the-scenes role, and then eventuallysold the companyin June 2018.
“As founders,” she revealed on Instagram, “we are the guardians of the brand.”
I will also still happily contribute to product development and even pitch in social media sometimes."
NARS
You may have thought that NARS would always be a beloved makeup brand.
The global elimination of animal testing needs to happen."
As evidenced by the response from fans, though, this wasn’t enough.
Many expressed their desire for the company to stop selling in China and haveboycotted the brand.
Those against animal-testing would argue that NARS is no longer worth the money nor the cost.
But, that’s not the only reason why some have deemed the drugstore classic not worth the money.
According toForbes, the FDA tested hundreds of lipsticks and discovered that every single one contained lead.
Not only that, but of the ten most contaminated ones, five were made by L’Oreal.
Nneka Leiba, director of Healthy Living Science at Environmental Working Group, agrees.
Mary Kay
Mary Kay has been a mainstay in the beauty industry since the ’60s.
However, the brand’s reviews onConsumer Affairsare worrying to say the least.
There are complaints about inconsistent formulas in products and even claims of skin irritation and burning.
Nevertheless, some customers were really disappointed with BECCA Cosmetics’Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation.
“It was just weird,” she recapped in avlog.
BECCA has also faced criticism for one of their 2018 ad campaigns.
“So did BECCA Cosmetics really refuse to hire black women for these swatches?
They just edited a white hand darker?
“one person tweetedalong with a picture of four hands holding the brand’s Skin Love Weightless Blur foundation.
Clinique
The customer is always right right?
Unfortunately, Clinique gets a solid 2-star rating from customers onConsumer Affairs.
That’s a big yikes.
“I have an appointment with my [doctor] this afternoon.
Severe itching, redness all around my eyes and my eyes are bloodshot and tearing.”
“It just gets everywhere.
She continued, saying, “It is a hard pass.”
Use your platform to support smaller brands like them and give credit to who it’s due.”
She’s just keepin' movin' making her money.
I don’t like that.”
Can’t relate.”
This is especially true when it comes to Kat Von D Beauty.
At the time, she was criticized for helping to promote the sexualization of young girls.
Von D, however, said the name was not about sexualization, but “feminine rebellion.”
In 2016, more drama ensued when the beauty guru Jeffree Star got intoa very public feud.
A spokesperson for Juvia’s Place spoke toPage Sixabout Thorne’s imitative product.
“This isn’t the first time we have heard and seen mainstream media personalities steal from smaller brands.
It’s unacceptable and disgraceful.”
