6 Makeup Products to Skip in 2024 and Beyond

Toner, serums, eyeshadow primer, pore-reducing creams, fix spray, strobe cream, lip primer. Are you sure your skin needs a complicated 10-step beauty routine? “Getting ready” should be an effortless ritual you actually look forward to. Advertising campaigns and makeup companies are doing everything in their power to make us spend all our money to mattify our skin, get longer lashes, poutier lips, brighter cheeks, and make our brows more defined. While nothing feels as good as finding a game-changing makeup product you love, the reality is there are tons of makeup products you don’t actually need. Stop wasting your money on beauty products that you can easily replace with products you’re already using. Here are six makeup products not to buy.

MAKEUP PRODUCTS NOT TO BUY – EYESHADOW PRIMER

Eyeshadow primer is the perfect example of a “feel good” product that’s completely unnecessary. These products promise to make colors pop and prevent pigments from creasing while giving you a flawless look that lasts all day.

But you’re paying anything between $15 and $30 for a result you can achieve using some concealer or foundation as a base. You can also dab a bit of aloe vera gel on your lids to make eyeshadows last longer. And if you already have face primer at home? Apply a tiny bit on your eyelids and voila: Your eyeshadow will stay in place all day.

MAKEUP PRODUCTS NOT TO BUY – FACE TONER

Toners aren’t necessarily bad products. They’re useless for some people, though. Toners are designed to minimize pores, balance the skin’s pH levels, and get rid of whatevers left of makeup, oils and debris after cleansing. But if you follow a decent skincare routine, or at the very least wash and moisturize your face, you don’t actually need toner.

If you want something extra to get rid of grease, mix your go-to face cleanser with a baby washcloth. This will get rid of any leftover gunk and gently exfoliate your skin, giving you an incredible post-wash glow.

MAKEUP PRODUCTS NOT TO BUY – LIP PRIMER

Brutal honesty moment. No, you don’t really need lip primer to “lock in” your lipstick color to prevent it from wearing off. The makeup industry comes up with a new “indispensable product” every other week. It’s a little exhausting. All of a sudden, it’s like we need to prime everything from our brows, eyelids, cheeks, face and lips.

That’s not to say lip primers are a scam. They do smooth out your lips and keeps lipstick pigments from fading away. But you can get the same effect using a technique that makeup artist Lisa Eldridge popularized. Instead of applying directly from the bullet, start by moisturizing your lips with some lip balm. Then apply the lipstick with a lip brush. Really press the product onto the lip. Then blot away any excess product and top off with one layer of lipstick (or two if you want more coverage).

MAKEUP PRODUCTS NOT TO BUY – HIGH-END MASCARA

We understand the temptation to treat yourself to a luxury mascara that promises to give you Kylie Jenner-level lashes. But you’re in for a major disappointment if you believe all the hype around designer makeup products. Not only is their shelf life as short as regular drugstore mascara (three months), but it’s almost impossible to tell the difference between them.

There are virtually hundreds of amazing drugstore mascaras that give those overhyped designer mascaras a run for their money. Get long and luscious lashes while sticking to your budget with L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Original Mascara ($9), Physicians Formula Rosé All Day Mascara, ($11.49) or Maybelline Volum’ Express The Falsies Push Up Drama Mascara, ($10.49).

MAKEUP PRODUCTS NOT TO BUY – A GLOWY STROBE CREAM UNDER YOUR FOUNDATION

If you love glowy skin, then you’ve probably considered dipping into your savings account to splurge on one of those luxurious $40 highlighter strobe creams to use under your foundation.

But here’s the thing. You don’t need to lather your entire face with strobe cream if you’re just going to top it off with a full coverage foundation. It’s a completely unnecessary step. If you’re looking for a radiant glow, invest in a foundation that offers a luminous finish. We like Kevyn Aucoin The Etherealist Skin Illuminating Foundation. Or better yet, just use highlighter on top.

MAKEUP PRODUCTS NOT TO BUY – SHEET MASKS

As a fan of glowing skin, you probably picked up a couple of fancy sheet masks at Sephora in the last couple of years. Under the promise they’ll take your skin from “blah” to amazing, these fancy but affordable sheet masks are the embodiment of self-care. Not only are they pretty inexpensive, but they have the power to make you feel pampered in a snap.

But here’s the truth. Not only do most skincare professionals believe that sheet masks a scam, but they’re also horrible for the planet too. These giant slobbering towels full of “moisturizing agents” are not actually doing anything special. If your skin looks dull and dry, then your skincare routine may be lacking. Make sure to have an effective skincare routine that treats your skin issues and keeps them in check so you don’t have to rely on gimmicks that burn a hole in your wallet.