beauty

12 cult beauty products the Mamamia team really wanted to love but... couldn't.

You know the feeling. You've been hovering by your living room window for the past week, refreshing AusPost tracking and waiting for your beauty order to arrive. Then suddenly, it's here. 

You tear open the packaging, and... ooft. The pretty packaging! The smell! Just what it looks like on TikTok!

You crack it open, slap it on your face/body/hair, only to realise... it's not... it's just... not what you thought it would be like?

Friends, it happens to the best of us. 

While there's a bunch of viral products with strong cult followings, sometimes you'll find one or two of them just don't work for you. No matter how many times you try to get on board the hype.

Could be your skin type. Your hair type. Your personality. (Jks).

That's the big ol' beauty game!

Watch: Dirt build up wreaked havoc on your makeup draw? Here's the quick fix. Post continues below.


Video via Mamamia.

So, you know what we thought would be fun/super controversial/unpopular? Asking the Mamamia team to tell us some of the very popular cult beauty products that they WANTED to love, but just... couldn't. 

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Before we get into it, though, we just you to keep one thing in mind: Beauty isn't a one-size-fits-all kind of deal. 

Everyone's experiences with products are different - and just because it doesn't work for one person, doesn't mean it's not going to work for you, yeah?

So, strap in and prepare yourself for some seriously controversial opinions of some world-famous products we struggled to get on board with.

Tarte Shape Tape Concealer, $47.

Image: Sephora/Mamamia.

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"I remember tracking this concealer down in the States before you could even get it here because every beauty influencer raved about it... but it's just so thick! It looks cakey on my skin and I find it creases. Sadly, it's a no from me." - Charlie Begg, Senior Content Producer (Lifestyle) and Weekend Editor.

"Tarte's Shape Tape Concealer is like the makeup version of a celebrity. It has SUCH a strong cult following. But it just... doesn't look good on my face? While it's a great concealer in terms of coverage, my dry skin needs something more hydrating. The Tarte's Maracuja Creaseless Concealer works better for me." - Erin Docherty, Senior Health and Beauty Writer.

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation, $70.

Image: Mecca/Mamamia.

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"Sadly, the much-loved Nars foundation didn't work for my skin. I wanted to love it but I found it to be too oily/slippery for my skin type, and it ended up causing breakouts." - Avril Tait, Assistant Video Producer.

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara, $42.

Image: Mecca/Mamamia.

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"While so many people love it, it didn't work for me. From the disappointing lengthening to the big panda eyes - it just didn’t do anything I thought it was supposed to. The hour glass-shaped wand is raved about - but the shape of it meant my eyelids were covered in flecks because I couldn’t apply cleanly, and then I spent half the day with black rings under my eyes." - Susannah Makin Producer and Community Manager.

EyeEnvy, (POA).

Image: YWAX/Mamamia.

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"Everyone rates EyeEnvy lash serum, but I honestly didn't have a great experience. It did nothing for my lashes, and for some reason my formula dried out in a couple of months." - Polly Taylor, Commissioning Editor.

Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder For Under Eyes, $45.

Image: Mecca/Mamamia.

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"I really wanted to love this pressed powder, as well as the translucent one. While they're both very popular products, for me it looks like talc sitting on top of my skin. No matter how much or little I put on, it looks cakey and drying." - Rebecca Davis, Senior Features Writer.

NARS Climax Mascara, $19.

Image: Mecca/Mamamia.

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"There's so much hype around this cult mascara - but for me, it's really clumpy and smudges easily. It's such a shame because I usually love Nars products but this mascara isn't it." - Charlie Begg, Senior Content Producer (Lifestyle) and Weekend Editor.

MCoBeauty Instant Camoflauge and Contour Concealer, $22.

Image: MCoBeauty/Mamamia.

"I heard that the MCoBeauty Concealer was supposedly a dupe for Tarte Cosmetics Shape Tape Concealer - and so many people love it - but for me, it was disappointing. The formula kept separating, even after vigorously shaking it." - Tamara Holland, Head of Lifestyle.

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Milk Makeup Hydro Primer, $59.

Image: Milk Makeup/Mamamia.

"For some reason, this viral TikTok primer just didn't like my skin. Sad! The piling was REAL, and I tried so many different combinations of moisturisers/foundations to try and make it work. I ended up passing it on to my best friend, and it's now her go-to primer. She loves it and says it makes her makeup last for ages. Great news for her, bad news for me. It just goes to show how it really depends on your skin!" - Erin Docherty, Senior Health and Beauty Writer.

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Morphe Continuous Setting Mist, $26.

Image: Mecca/Mamamia.

"It just doesn't work for me! My makeup never lasts and comes off in weird areas. Such a bugger because it's the finest mist I've tried and it feels lovely going on." - Charlie Begg, Senior Content Producer (Lifestyle) and Weekend Editor. 

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Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand in Pinkgasm, $60.

Image: Charlotte Tilbury/Mamamia.

"While it's such a cult product, I struggled with the twist-top packaging, and the pigmentation just doesn't do it for me." - Carla Woodhouse, Content Executive, SQUAD.

Foundation brushes.

"This is a really broad one but - foundation brushes. I've never found one I like. Beauty blenders only." - Emma Gillespie.

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NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, $46.

Image: Mecca/Mamamia.

"I'd heard such good things but no matter what prep I do underneath it always looks cakey and never blends well." - Talissa Bazaz, Executive Producer.

What popular beauty products don't work on your face? Share with us in the comment section below.

Feature Image: Supplied/Mamamia.

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