Ya know…I totally don’t. With how pricey products are, and how misleading marketing often is (hello, every mascara commercial in the world), and how brands routinely make objective claims about subjective benefits and ingredients, I don’t. As much as I love makeup and the beauty industry in general, most beauty brands have no qualms about making bold claims about what products will and won’t do, so if something doesn’t do that for me (and I can usually tell right away), and I know that it isn’t going to work, I’ve got no issues returning it.
Granted, I try to do it right away, because I know myself waaaay too well. If I don’t return something I don’t like right away and let it sit around too long, I will miss the return window.
Oh, and I don’t know if it makes a difference, but I do try to keep the amount of the product that I use down to a respectable minimum, because I’m not about to roll up to a counter with an empty bottle of shampoo or conditioner and ask for my money back, LOL!
A company’s return policy is also very important to me, so I try to only buy beauty products from places that allow me to bring things back after they’re used. I like Sephora, Nordstrom and Ulta for this.
I realize that beauty retailers and brands that sell directly through their website probably have a different perspective on returns, because some people WILL take advantage, but until beauty brands are able to 100% guarantee that a product will/won’t do what it claims, and until they stop using misleading qualifiers and phrases like “promises to improve the appearance of fine lines…” I’m gonna make some returns.
How about you? Do you ever feel bad or embarrassed about returning beauty products?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. How was your Fourth? Were there fireworks involved?
That’s easy – it is not possible to return beauty products in Denmark. If it were, I would have no problems with it.
I do feel guilty so I rarely do it. I think it’s just my nature, but I don’t like the waste either. I get samples whenever I can, or the sampler sets Sephora has usually so I can try a variety.
It depends on the issue. If the product does what it is supposed to (eyeshadows are pigmented, lipstick isn’t patchy, colors are as described) and for some reason it doesn’t work for me personally, I gift the product to my bestie. But if the product isn’t as described or performs poorly, nope I will take it right back. There are wayyy too many products (a lot are pricey!) that don’t perform for what they are made to do, and I won’t keep them. (It isn’t just mid-end brands either, Tom Ford, Guerlain, Victoria Beckham’s second collection, etc. have all had culprits .)
Not at all! I just forget to return it!
I don’t feel bad returning for the very reasons you state. Also, if a product doesn’t work for me, why should I have to keep it? I don’t keep clothing that I don’t like, so I’m not going to keep makeup I don’t like either. The cost of the product already builds in returns, so no guilt here. That being said, I do try to get samples whenever I can and to swatch in store whenever possible before buying.
I have no problem returning anything within reason if I am unhappy with the product’s performance, especially if I have a bad reaction to it. Most places are pretty good at exchanging or replacing the item. I have even gotten my money back in a few cases. These days, if a retailer wants you to continue to do business with them, they will accommodate you when they can. Like you, I would never return something or ask for a refund if i held on to the product and used most of it. In a case like that, i just toss it and not buy it again and accept the loss.
P.S. Just got the last Chanel Stylo Waterproof eyeliner in Mat Taupe at my local Lord & Taylor. The Salesperson said they are low on many of the liners.
Enjoy your day!
Oh, yay, I’m wearing Mat Taupe today! I hope you like it. 🙂 Did you see anything else interesting at the Chanel counter?
I have no qualms about returning beauty products. This is one of many reasons why I primarily shop at Sephora-for their hassle-free returns.
Having said that, it’s pretty rare that I return stuff. I’m a true beauty junkie and usually ask for samples of things before I buy a full size so I know it’s going to work for me.
I return makeup, as others have said, timely and barely used. Sephora and Ulta employees never hassle me about the return.
On the other hand, Nordstroms’ cosmetic department employees, in my area, will snub me. When I finally get one to help me with the return, they seem angry about it.
I don’t think the return affects their salary, so I don’t know what gives.
Nope, no qualms whatsoever about returning beauty products. I rarely purchase from websites or stores that don’t allow returns.
I tried a new lipstick this past weekend. Loved how it looked in the store and bought it. Four hours later my lips were a shriveled, dried mess. I haven’t touched the bullet I bought and you can bet it’s going back. If there isn’t a store near me that carries a line or there aren’t testers or samples aren’t available (I once asked for a sample at B’dales and the SA told me samples were not available for the product and I was like you can’t put some in a sample pot?), you can be sure if I don’t like something it’s going back.
I cannot believe Bloomingdales was that lame. That’s one thing I love about Nordstrom — they’re not chintzy with the samples. Sometimes I’ll run into an extra cool SA and they’ll hook me up with enough to last a while, which I loooove. 🙂
Hopefully when you go back you’ll find another lipstick to love!
What did you guys do with for the Fourth?
I have no idea why I bought that lipstick since I have a ton. I guess it was just to try the brand, since I don’t have any Charlotte Tilbury products. Need to go through my lipstick drawers and toss some.
Dear Daughter hung out with friends, so she didn’t come by. (It was so hard not asking, what friends?, where did you meet them?, what did you do?) So I went to the gym. Stopped at Nordstrom and bought a Chanel Stylo Et Contour in Rouge Noir. Made a wedge blue cheese salad, steak w/bordelaise sauce and corn for dinner. Luckily, Dear Husband still wants to hang out with me.
OK well that sounds a lot yummier than the grilled TJ’s sausages we had, LOL! I mean they were good but I wouldn’t have minded your meal instead.
What lipstick shade did you try, btw? I’ve only tried one matte from the line (Sunset Lover) and while it’s beautiful in pics it can be tricky because it’s such a flat matte.
I don’t think I’ve ever returned a beauty product. That said, I don’t try a lot of new things unless I get a sample first. I would totally have returned the Heroine mascara since it was pretty much empty, but returns weren’t allowed. For product performance, I just assume things work differently for different people and a lot of people’s holy grail products just don’t do the same for me. There are absolute liberties taken with marketing (you know I love Tarte for that!) and I 100% support anyone who returns products that don’t live up to the claims. Companies should stand behind their products and tone down the hype. 🙂 We had 5 days off and there was much work done around the house, as well as much relaxing and time with friends and, yes, fireworks. It’s been so hot here (90s, which is rare) that it was a great time to be off. I hope you enjoyed the holiday, too!!
Hi! I did. Ours was super chill though and not much was done other than relaxing and eating. Oh, I did run 3 miles, which was the most productive thing I did. My brother and his girlfriend stopped by to have dinner with us, which was nice! We grilled sausages, and had corn on the cob, potato salad, and mac and cheese as sides.
Oh, you and I are on the same page with corn on the cob. I could honestly eat it every night. And I can’t wait for garden tomato season here (August). I’m glad you had fun – relaxing and eating is the best. HAHA! And hanging with friends and family, of course!!! 🙂
PS Congrats on the run. I need to do a bit more running and less eating these days.
Mostly I just hate the hassle. I recently bought a LORAC pro palette I had my eyes on for months at ULTA but when I got home and opened the package I saw that someone already stuck their fingers in the pots. I was bummed but went back to the store the next day and was able to swap it out for a brand spanking new one without much of a problem (although they did have to call the manager over which always makes me feel a little naughty). Buying makeup is kind of stressful for me because I so badly want the color to work. I hate the disappointment of a lipstick color not being what I wanted. I’ve never thought to return them for simply being not the right color. I do think I would feel guilty about that!
Oh, I remember you being so excited to get it. Bummer that you had to return it but I’m glad you were able to grab a new one. What do you think of it? Did you have a chance to play?
I’ve had similar experiences happen to me at Sephora, which is why I always check the product either right before I leave or when I get in my car (I do the same thing with take out food, go figure). Once I bought a Michael Kors leg shine stick that — eww! — someone replaced with the tester. I also bought a NARS lipstick once that clearly had been swiped.
At Sephora I always check the product to make sure it hasn’t been swiped before I head to the register. Especially if it’s the last one on the shelf.
I mean really?!! If there’s no tester there, ask and a sales associate will find one or make a tester.
I mean, I love Sephora, but that’s one of the gross things about the place. I kinda wish they had some kind of seal to let you know the makeup hasn’t been messed with.
Girl, I’ve been playing with it errr-day! It’s been so much fun. Good idea about checking products in the parking lot! I’ll have to start doing that.
Gotta do it with makeup and take-out, LOL! You just never know… Plus it saves a you a trip back!
No shame, lol! I return anything that doesn’t work for me – it’s the primary reason I shop at Sephora. (No Ultas in nyc, and no Nordstrom’s either – just Nordstrom Rack.) I legit return about 25-35% of what I get at Sephora, especially when I’m trying new products (especially skin care and foundation/concealers).
Ps I’m totally in line at Nordstrom Rack getting another tube of UD lip love, lolol. I picked up the UD troublemaker palette on my last trip too, but discovered when I got home that it didn’t have the mascara! I was like “OH HELL NAW” and just returned it (painlessly, hooray!) for a complete set. Then lingered over the UD section for a moment too long… couldn’t resist snatching another lip love up! $7.97 for this ish is hard to resist, especially if it’s discontinued (which I feel like it prolly is).
Did you get one or two Lip Loves? LOL (You know you wanted two.)
Lol you know it! I just got one. Held myself back ?
I cannot believe you guys don’t have Nordstrom, SERIOUSLY! I would not be able to function.
I know, it’s crazy! By far my favorite department store… I think there’s supposed to be one opening in the next little while. (Can’t remember if it’s months or years… I think it’s the latter.) Boutique shopping is just SO much more of a thing!
I only feel bad because I don’t know where the returned product goes. I’ve heard the old rumors of dumpster diving behind Ulta stores. I certainly don’t want it back on the shelf, but does it go in the garbage and sit in a landfill? Or does it go back to the manufacture to get cleaned up and recycled? Donated to a worthy cause? I’d love to believe my barely used item is sent back, completely cleaned out and sterilized and filled with all new product. Or completely recycled into a new product.
4th fireworks consisted of me, my boyfriend and 4 cats sitting in chairs watching a distant neighbor blow fireworks from our living room window. It was great! I hope yours was great as well!
Hi Mary Ann,
Ahh, sounds like you guys had a relaxing and fun Fourth. Where I live fireworks are banned in the neighborhoods, unfortunately (there’s high fire danger with all the dry hills), so you have to drive somewhere else in the Bay to see a display. Were the cats chill with the noise and all?
Oh, I didn’t think about the dryness in your area. Does anyone blow off any type of firework or is it pretty quiet? I would totally appreciate the quiet. I heard stuff going off until 1am. All 4 babies were not phased at all! Does Connor and Tabs know fireworks?
There’s a fireworks display in a city just south of us; they hold the county fair there every year and at night they do a pretty big show! I’ve seen it a couple times but it’s been years. We’ll probably go when Connor’s older because she goes to bed pretty early these days!
That’s cool that the kitty babies were so mellow because Tabs most certainly isn’t! During New Year’s there’s always a few pops off in the distance and the poor old guy goes and hides.
I can remember back when you couldn’t return makeup at all, or attempting to do so at any local store was met with great strife. Then, as the popularity of Sephora launched the dawn of a new era in beauty stock and trade, I remember being totally dumfounded when a sales clerk told me that I could bring it back if I didn’t like the product. When I consider that the amount of useless-to-me product I’ve tossed in the garbage is enough to stock a kiosk at the mall, I’ll skip my way back to Sephora, knowing that the return on investment is the return to my bank account. Or, now I have the option to trade in on something I wish I had gotten sooner. I do feel bad about returning to Nordstrom, as I have heard from ex-employees that returns diminish their commissions, which may help explain why Nordstrom has the greatest return policy in the world. Funny thing about Ulta, word on the street is they sell you used product – way too many people coincidentally complaining about this problem for it to be untrue. So with Ulta, I’m careful about what I’m buying from Ulta as opposed to another retailer, and checking the package before I leave the store, to avoid the angry march back.
Never. If I spend money on a product, especially high end cosmetics, I expect it to perform and be good quality. I only return products if they fail on those scores.
I don’t buy a ton of cosmetics with the mindset of “I’ll just return whatever I don’t end up wanting,” or if say, I pick a lipstick shade that just doesn’t end up being flattering on me (I figure that’s my own fault).
I’m actually quite jealous that you even have the option to return beauty products in the US! If you buy something in NZ and don’t end up liking it, you’re outta luck. I really had to insist to return a still-sealed eyeliner that the SA told me was waterproof, but lo and behold when I went to wash my hands the tester just rinsed away.
I always return whatever I don’t like. I assume stores must get some type of credit towards make up returns or they wouldn’t take them back so easily especially when they can’t resale it. Would you happen to know if this is the case? I’m curious!
i am not embarrassed returning low end or high end products. i dont do it all the time , i try to make the product work.
We can only return products still in the same new condition in Kuwait. Meaning they can’t have been opened and used and any seals need to be intact. I guess I’m used to this now and actually find the fact that you can refund used products in the US a little strange. Ha!
Yeah definitely feel embarrassed to take makeup back so I’ve never actually done it!
Amen sister. These stores have insurance to cover the loss they take on used product returns. Don’t waste your money and feel all sheepish about using something and having to return it because it plainly sucks. I’m glad you have this attitude, Karen. Money is too much at a premium for me to just toss a horrible $45 pallette. I will return my unhappiness without a second thought. Great read as always! ♥️♥️♥️♥️