Disappointing Products: May 2014

Disappointing Products May 2014 | All Dolled Up

I try SO many products that it’s actually amazing that I don’t find more of them disappointing. I suppose it’s because I usually buy things on recommendations from others but it also goes to show that products work differently for different people. These aren’t necessarily duds, they just didn’t work for me in the way that I expected. If you’ve used any of them and have a different opinion then I’d love to hear from you – leave a comment below!

Disappointing Products: Dr Bronner's Magic Soap

Dr Bronner’s Magic Soap

This is one of those cult favourites that can be used for 100 different things, including body wash, shampoo, shaving cream and dishwashing soap. It comes in a few different varieties (eucalyptus, citrus, peppermint – see them all here) but I chose the Unscented Baby-Mild Castile Liquid version, mainly for washing my make-up brushes. While I think it’s very effective at breaking down and dissolving make-up, I simply can’t seem to rinse it out of the bristles afterwards. I always have to re-wash the brushes in regular baby shampoo to get all the residue out, which completely defeats the object of using Dr Bronner’s in the first place. So I use my good old Elizabeth Anne’s Special Baby Shampoo instead and save DB’s for soaking my make-up sponges which it does work well for.

Disappointing Products: Clarins Instant Eye Make Up Remover

Clarins Instant Eye Make Up Remover

Speaking of hyped-up products, this “miracle” bi-phase eye make-up remover is supposed to be brilliant for getting rid of tough mascara and waterproof make-up. I am sad to report that it is the most average make-up remover I’ve ever used, and as a result, frighteningly over-priced. It doesn’t liquify eye or lip make-up any better than Bioderma (or even Elizabeth Anne’s Baby Shampoo, for that matter!) AND it leaves an oily residue on my skin. It’s certainly less effective and more wasteful than using a cleansing oil, so I really don’t get it. Because I am my mother’s child, I’ll use it up to the very last drop, but I won’t be spending R250 on it again.

Disappointing Products: Physicians Formula Organic Wear Jumbo Lash Mascara

Disappointing Products: Physicians Formula Organic Wear Jumbo Lash Mascara

Physicians Formula Organic Wear Jumbo Lash Mascara

There’s a theme developing here – this is also a much-hyped beauty blogger favourite. I was excited to try it because it has many of the qualities I look for in a good mascara: a plastic or silicone brush; short, stubby bristles; jet black pigment and a reasonable price tag. From first use, it definitely does what it promises – gives good volume and separation without clumping after multiple coats. What I don’t understand and makes me think maybe I got a bad one, is that the formula never dries. Not only does it stay damp for a long time after application but even hours later, if I brush my lashes against a finger, it leaves significant traces of product behind on my skin. Luckily this doesn’t seem to translate into smudging but even now, months and months after I first opened the tube, it stays wet on my lashes. I can’t find a single other review that mentions the same problem, so maybe I just got a lemon. Have any of you tried it?

7 comments on Disappointing Products: May 2014

  • Shane

    Hi,

    I have used the Jumbo Lash mascara and I absolutely love it – definitely one of my favourites! So strange that yours was so wet in formula – if anything I found mine to dry out a bit too quickly as it only lasted about 2 months before it was too dry. I recently ran out of mine but the method I used was to do one light coat and then wait a minute and follow by 2 more coats as is only needed a few seconds to dry and then it was happy to be layered again an again to create real blown out individual lashes.

    Hope you give it another try in the future as it really seems like a dud tube.

    PS. I bought the Nuxe reve de miel lip balm this weekend thanks to your videos and I LOVE it!!!

    • Jules (author)

      It’s the weirdest thing! I’ll have to give it another try I think. Glad you enjoy the Nuxe lip balm, it’s the BEST!

  • Hildegarde_k

    Oh no, now I’m seriously bummed about the Dr. Bronner magic soap! It was on my “to buy” list for when I go overseas. Now I can use that money on something else, haha! 😉

    • Jules (author)

      I don’t think it’s worth going to the effort to buy overseas – use baby shampoo to wash your brushes and buy yourself a little treat instead!

  • Bella

    I agree about that Clarins eye makeup remover. Lancome Bifacil is 2 euros more expensive and actually does the job. I decided to try Clarins because Vivannadoesmakeup swears by it, but it’s average at best and she must not know ’bout Lancome ;)!

  • Frances

    Are you making a comment on those books too? I think Outliers is hyped but still awesome. wouldn’t even read the back of the Jobs one though.

    • Jules (author)

      Haha, hadn’t thought about that! Enjoyed Outliers and Ugly but haven’t read the Jobs one. Watched the recent Ashton Kutcher movie though and it was very interesting! 🙂

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