Overrated Makeup Brands?

27

Sort By

Since Victoria started a discussion on under rated brands I figured let's talk about the opposite spectrum with over rated brands.

What brands do you think gets too much hype? Is the hype worth the cost?

Personally I think MAC cosmetics are over rated. Yes, the products are good but is it worth the price? Not in my book. Too many so-called YouTube Makeup Artists (and very few are true MUAs) depend on MAC. Here are my reasons it's over rated.

1. The cost. If you have a MAC Pro card you get a 40% discount. To mean this translates into the product is overpriced for non "MUAs".

2. Availability. Many "MUAs" typically will use colors only available in the "Pro" line which means not only are they paying 40% less than "you" but also buying products normally unavailable to "you".

3. Too many of the same colors? How many variations of a burgundy red lipstick does MAC have? I counted five or six (excluding glosses). It's the same with the other colors.

4. "Limited edition" colors/sets. Am I the only one getting tired of MAC's "limited edition" collections? The prices are outrageous to non-Pro card holders to begin with and when you factor in the cost of each "collection" that's "limited" I think MAC is practically committing highway robbery!

Other over rated brands in my book:

Lancomé - WAY over priced. $50 for an eyeshadow quad? $80 for an eye treatment? Lancomé's products are not even the best on the market. Some of the eye shadows have way too much fall out, creases or fades too quickly. I've seen some YT personalities use it in their videos but the texture looks far from being smooth and polished. L'Oreal owns Lancomé so here's a secret... Want to use Lancomé without paying the prices? Buy L'Oreal instead.

SK-II. Okay, granted it's not makeup but rather skin products but still.... If I think MAC and Lancomé are overpriced to begin with what do you think I think of SK-II? I'm sorry but there is NO justification for a $200 bottle of anti-age cream. Their least expensive item costs $60 (a cleansing cream) while their most expensive item is $350 ("revival" cream)! Read the list of ingredients in it and you'll find that 99% of it is in the SAME "drugstore" brands. Is it "better" quality? Hardly.

So, what do you think are some over rated brands and why?

Dec 21, 2010

Saadeh M.

I only comment on brands I've tried. I also add that there are no brands that are totally overhyped IMO. All brands have "hits" and "misses" so I selected the ones with most misses:

Lancome - I find them overpriced for quality as well. The only product of theirs I love is their mascaras, especially Hypnose.

Most Drugstores - I find the products overpriced for quality, especially L'Oreal and Revlon. I do like NYX and Annabelle though

Alot of limited edition set from mac pro card holders havent been able to get there discount on unless they arnt doing very well sale wise, and most pro card holders only get 30% without a state licence.. Now i said most not all.
NOW i am not saying MAC is my one and only or the holly grale but look at this.

I only think mac is over priced when it comes to foundation and mineral skin finishes. Mac is actually alot cheaper or the same price as other top brands. compared to Urban Decays single lipsticks/glosses, eyeshadows and liners MAC is cheaper.
UD lipstick $20 - MAC Lipstick $14 MAKE UP FOREVER $19 - Lime Crime $16 benefit $18 i can go on.. lol

MACs holiday sets are also an amazing buy for some people who cant afford 6 or 8 eyeshadows at once. or even just 2 lipglass you get 5 in the set for the price! i love buying them for the price it is a steal and would make any woman happy! they do come out with to many "collections" but the Holiday collection is by far the best one they ever do bring out... savings wise!

I find that Lancome, estee lauder, bobbie brown, chanel, dior & clinique are over priced! hands down! um almost $100 for a palette in some cases.. they make MAC look like drugstore prices. its beyond bonkers!

MAKE UP FOREVER is so overpriced it makes me wanna cry, but the quality of most of the items are amazing! but i always go back to mac because i would be saving money. I do love there new lipsticks (improved ones) and the eyeshadows but i only one one each because of the prices, even the mini travel size or bundles they have are way to obver priced!

And NARS... oh nars.. way overpriced just like MUFE i find nars dupes all the time but for the quality it is great stuff but for the price ugh my wallet burns! So no matter how good your products are i will stick to what i have and only get the box sets at a discount. again mac is cheaper.

Also take into consideration ALOT of drugstore prices are going up! i have noticed this in the last couple years and for the price of some loreal hip items i could buy a MAC one for the same or a couple more dollars. plus mac would last longer, but there are exceptions like i couldnt like without revlons Matte collection lipsticks $5-7 everywhere!


MUFE has some nice items but some of it - like the 100% silica powder - is just overpriced! $30 for a 0.5 ounces? Sorry but you can find 100% silica powder for far less at many other places.

And you're right. "Drugstore" makeup prices are going up. Covergirl use to be under $4 for foundation and now that same foundation is around $6 to $7! The newer stuff is over $10!

Yes MUFE is crazy just like nars! lol

i compared MAC prices to Urban Decay, Too faced, Lorac, Laura M. (i think is pricey too) Benefit, Sephora collection, stila, MUFE, NARS, TheBalm, Bare Essentials, Pure Minerals... omgosh theres so many! lol
Compared to drugstore costs there all over priced but each company has a "staple" and you just need to find which one you like and how much they are asking!

Now there is an exception! discount sites or OCC i have found all of these brand at steal prices so ill purchase them.

I agree MAC is over rated!

Courtney A.

Nov 30, 2011

Courtney A.

I don't think that MAC is alllll that overpriced (compared to other high end brands) but I do think it's over rated. There is so much hype around MAC just because it is MAC.

MUFE is overpriced for sure, but I do have to say that I think the vast majority of their products are amazing. There are the select few that I could definitely do without but I generally love their quality.

Nov 30, 2011

Soma S.

Ok, I have to add a cheapo to this list: ELF... *ducks from shoe being thrown at me*

Honestly, it IS cheap... but for a GOOD REASON. I can't see anyone using that as a PRO [aside from their version of HD powder which I don't like much because it lacks the slip the MUFE version has, but that's because I am really picky when it comes to finish] and most of it is a waste of space in my collection. I equate it with play makeup, and I hate how it's so hyped because it is affordable. In ELF's case, it would be: quantity > quality... sadly.

Many of their products are gimmicky - like their Hollywood lashes that come with a lash applicator [useless] and lash stand [collects dust, lashes don't even stay on them unless glue is applied]

Their non-mu products aren't too shabby though - like their Studio brushes, brush belt, and brush holders... which is nice and affordable for anyone starting out. Their multi-shadow palettes have great variety, but you can only find 5-10 shadows that are usable out of the 50-100 colors.  =(

MAC, MAC, MAC.

Unfortunately, I got into MAC late (only a little over a year ago) so I didn't get to experience what MAC was like before that. I don't buy from MAC very often. I've only really gone to look when I've had Christmas and birthday money. Most of my MAC products come from swaps, so it's worth it then when only two dollars on average is paid to ship my end of the swap. :P

NARS, as well. I had a lip gloss from them and I couldn't stand the texture. I've seen eyeshadow swatches and swatched them myself as well and... meh. Not amazing like other people have said. I do want to try their concealer though.

Nov 30, 2011

Leslie H.

I don't necessarily agree that SK-II is overpriced. It's aimed at an older crowd rather than MAC or a lot of drugstore brands, and most of the people that I know use it have amazing skin.

I also think that while MUFE does have a lot of very expensive products, the quality of the product is what creates all the hardcore fans. Granted people probably shouldn't buy HD powder (at least not from MUFE) if they're on a budget but by and large I love their range.

Dec 1, 2011

Shelly T.

<<2. Availability. Many "MUAs" typically will use colors only available in the "Pro" line which means not only are they paying 40% less than "you" but also buying products normally unavailable to "you".>>

Except anyone can call MAC Pro and order Pro products. The only thing is most people don't know they can do this unless someone tells them it's possible.

Personally, I don't think any brand is "overrated". Or "overhyped". Every brand has their strengths and weaknesses.

Products, on the other hand...

Definitely agree regarding MUFE HD powder. All it is, is pure silica; it is not worth spending $30 for such a tiny amount (IMO, for the amount that's in there, I'd be willing to pay only as much as the e.l.f. HD powder costs ($6 USD) or less). For that $30 (and an additional $10+shipping), you can buy a *pound* of it from Coastal Scents.

I totally agree that Mac is highly over rated, but their products are cheaper then other high ends brands.

Dec 1, 2011

Drea L.

I love NARS, but all the hype around them is ridiculous. 

I don't think that any brand is "overrated". I find that with MAC (which seems to be the brand of choice in this topic) there's such a large colour range with subtle differences which is perfect. A friend of mine uses the exact same foundation shade to me, but can't pull of certain colours of eyeshadow/lipstick when I still can. It's because hair colour, eye colour, lip pigmentation and subtle skin undertones can all effect how a specific product pulls on you.

While many brands are considered "overpriced", there IS a market for them. Why would prices stay up if people didn't purchase? I can't use many drugstore brands because they just don't work with my skin. And I can't use certain high-end brands for the same reason. I tend to stick to MAC, Benefit, Bourjois, Chanel, YSL and Nars, simply because they haven't let me down, but I know that a lot of people HATE Benefit and think that the products are just "gimmicky". It all depends on what works on you specifically. Everyone is different.

I agree with MAC but they do have some nice items but its over priced. I get a lot of palettes from Coastal Scents and use NYX Cosmetics and i love them and they're cheap! ELF has THE WORST waterproof liquid liner ive ever seen. I guess you cant go wrong with it being only a buck though lol. 

Dec 3, 2011

Joyce W.

I agree that certain products are overrated... Like Chanel foundations! I find them awful! I used to love Chanel eyeshadow and liner but there are other brands that are better or comparable. Chanel nail polishes - so many of them suck & chip like crazy...

Nars- I used to get caught in the hype but why is everything sparkly?!? I loved it 4 years ago but not so much now.

I always thought Mac was overrated but I suppose they do have affordable products and lots of options for artistry...

Dec 5, 2011

Samantha G.

mac is ridiculous. i watch a lot of girls on youtube and they hype mac up far too much.. i'm sure to their younger viewers, it looks like it's the best. i tried mac out for the first time maybe 2 or 3 years ago and i was SO disappointed in the eyeshadows, foundation, mascara. i like using their blushes, lipsticks and glosses but they're so overpriced. i only pick one up if i want to treat myself

Dec 5, 2011

Rai C.

I don't really find any brand to be overrated, but I do however think some individual products can be overrated. 

Dec 6, 2011

Andrea S.

MAC, NARS and Illmasqua - great products, but not worth all the hype OR the price.

I agree with a lot of the stuff that's been said here about "youtube muas". I've been studying makeup artistry for two years now so I know what's good and what isn't and I'd definitely say there's better than MAC out there.

Dec 7, 2011

Nikki B.

E.L.F. is defiantly hit or miss. Just because it's inexpensive doesn't mean its a good deal. If the product sucks and your not going to use it it's a waste of money. I do like the studio brushes and the mascara primer though. 

Feb 3, 2013

Shahira R.

makeup s expensive...bt I love makeup..:( it'll make me n my hubby poor :(

Feb 3, 2013

Loren B.

ELF. I really wanted to like it bc of the vegan thing and the price could be a playing field leveler but I can't get the damn powder to stick to my lids without glue which I think is the first requisite in a cosmetic. Most of my enormous collection is drugstore and I'm very happy with almost everything. I don't like Milani nail polish because despite the color selection it goes on translucent - there is just no pigment I could use it as a topcoat. I've been on a bit of a binge lately since joining and have noticed a huge jump in quality over only a few years ago and guess it may be the influences of MAC ,MUFE, etc but I think their best ideas are now already applied industry wide.

I REALLY wanted to like ELF. 

Mar 13, 2013

Brielle O.

All of you sound really cheap. Yhose brands are no where near expensive.

Jun 4, 2013

Aj B.

Chanel is way too overrated.find little variation and HATE their eyeshadows.