I don’t think it’s exactly a hot take to say that we probably all spend too much money on unnecessary sh*t we don’t need (like when your mom gives you $40 and you immediately go and spend it… plus $60 more… on online shopping). Beauty in particular is one area in life where it’s super easy to overspend. It seems like nowadays, there’s a hyperspecific beauty product for every single minute part of your body and face. Like, we have eye primer and lip primer and face primer, which are (supposedly) all different things that are not interchangeable. Let’s cut to the chase—the makeup industry is full of unnecessary products… products that I’ve purchased and own. But, save yourself! SAVE YOUR MONEY. Here are some useless beauty products you can cut out of your life.
1. Foundation Brush
I own a few. Not sure why, though. To be completely honest, I stopped using foundation brushes when I discovered beauty sponges. Now, those are a MIRACLE. I hate streaky foundation because, well, who likes streaky foundation? A beauty sponge evens out my makeup and leaves it seamless. Everyone talks about foundation brushes and how they are amazing, but beauty sponges are cheaper and do the job just as well. Throw away your “foundation” brushes, and move on, ladies. They are toxic. End your relationship and start dating a beauty sponge.
BEAUTYBLENDER beautyblender® nude
2. Waterproof Mascara
I’m confused on what the point of a waterproof mascara truly is, unless (god forbid) you’re attending a funeral. Why would you want it to last? How long do you want it to last? Did you know leaving mascara on for an extended period of time damages your lashes? If you leave it on for more than your normal day job, you’re destroying your lashes. It’s a fact! You also have to use a makeup remover that will get that type of product off. It’s WATERPROOF. Do you think washing your face with water like normal people do will take it off? No, sweetie. Get yourself a regular-degular mascara and call it a day.
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara
3. Brow Gel
As some of you may know, I am a beauty guru, and one of the perks of being a beauty guru includes receiving PR PACKAGES! It’s like Christmas every day! Brands love to send products to us, and duh, of course I’m going to try them out! One day, I used a brow gel I received in a PR package and I used it every time I got done doing my brows because well, I GOT IT FOR FREE, WHY WOULDN’T I? Then I came to the realization that if I didn’t get it sent to me for free, would I purchase it in stores? No. Girl, the answer is no. It’s pointless. It genuinely does nothing to my eyebrows but add a little more color. But uh, so does my eye brow pencil and some Vaseline/eyelash serum/clear lipgloss. Use that.
4. Bronzer
BRONZEEEEER! OH MAN! I’m gonna keep this one short, sweet, and simple. Invest in a contour palette. The colors in the contour palette are almost identical to your bronzer shades. Just use your contour palette and bronze with those colors. Remember, bronzer is for giving color to the face and contour is for giving definition to the face. Switch from your contour brush to your bronzer brush and go off, sis.
ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Contour Powder Kit
5. Mini Mascara
Even more so than waterproof mascara, this is the most pointless mascara to invest in. People use mini mascara for the wand because it is specifically made to get into your bottom lashes. Can I be real here? DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS PRODUCT! Just use your regular mascara wand. Trust me, it works just as well. It worked before it was a thing and it works now.
MAYBELLINE Volum’ Express The Falsies Mascara
6. Lipstick Primer
We need a primer to paint a house, even a car. But not for your lips. Lipstick primer is another waste of your money. It’s all about the formula. If you find a good lipstick with a solid formula, then you’re good to go. Do you want a matte lip? Test out formulas that work best for you. A lot of people automatically jump to conclusions when their lipstick starts coming off when they eat. “It said it was matte! Why is it coming off?!” Most foods have an oil of some sort, and oil will break up any type of lip product you have. I think any lip primer is pointless. Your lipstick is going to come off eventually and that is okay. It’s a lipstick, not a lip stain!
Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick
7. Moisturizer
The only time I use moisturizer is when I wake up and before I rest my pretty head to sleep. But before my makeup? Na. POINTLESS. I know so many beauty gurus who have publicly put online that they use a moisturizer before they prime for their makeup. But why? Why not use a primer that is hydrating and will do the same job? Remember, primer is the first base you set on your face. It’s supposed to stick to your face so your makeup lasts longer. So if you moisturize before then, it’s not being applied directly on your skin, which is defeating the whole purpose of PRIMER. If you find a hydrating primer, that will do the job perfectly and save you from wasting a moisturizer. Its a 2-in-1. Take my advice!
One word: USELESS. All 7 of these beauty products are USELESS. We don’t need them. Don’t feel bad that you wasted your money on them, though. Sometimes we get so caught up in thinking we need certain items to make us look poppin’, but the truth is, we already are poppin’. So let’s save, and spend on beauty products that actually work.
Images: Jake Peterson / Unsplash; Glossier; Amazon; Sephora (3); Ulta (2)
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