"At one point or another, we’ve all been met with those two little words that no one likes to hear: sold out. While there are certain things I’m willing to join a waitlist and (im)patiently wait for the back-in-stock notification for, a makeup product isn’t one of them. When one of my beloved products go viral on TikTok and subsequently become impossible to restock, rather than skipping that step in my routine until it comes back, I tend to search for a suitable alternative instead. And throughout this process, I’ve learned a cold, hard truth: a lot of viral makeup products are actually pretty overrated.
I have one rule when it comes to shopping for new beauty products: If it doesn’t fit in my makeup bag, I’m not buying it. It’s a bit dramatic, but over the years I’ve come to realize that less is more: wearing less makeup, spending less money. Maybe it was the transition to becoming a more conscious consumer or moving to a small NYC apartment, but somewhere along the way I realized that hanging on to an excess of beauty products was no longer feasible. But with so many #BeautyTok creators and the viral products that follow, it can be hard to decipher what to purchase—if anything at all.
Considering it’s quite literally my job to stay abreast of the latest internet trends, beauty must-haves included, take it from me: These are the viral makeup products I consider to be overrated, plus their better, slightly cheaper alternatives.
Lip Gloss
Skip: Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Balm
Love: Kosas Wet Lip Oil Plumping Peptide Lip Treatment Gloss
I’ll never forget the day my best friend of 14 years pulled out her makeup bag, revealing to me that it contained 10 sticks of Tarte’s Maracuja Juicy Lip Balm. Mouth agape, I asked, “but why so many?” That’s when she swore to me that just one swipe of a “juicy lip” would revolutionize the way I saw lip gloss forever. I’ll admit that for a while, the lip plumping treatment had me in a firm chokehold, but that was before the current world of hydrating lipsticks and juicy lip oils (back when I was exclusively wearing matte lipsticks… yikes). Now, I find the Tarte formula to be too gooey and too heavy; instead, I’ve been enjoying the non-sticky, hydrating formula of the Wet Lip Oil Plumping Peptide Lip Treatment Gloss by Kosas.
Blush
Skip: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush
Love: Glossier Cloud Paint Gel Cream Blush
No, this isn’t a mix-up: my Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush has indeed been regifted to a friend. It’s not that the beloved, high-pigmented blush was inherently bad—it’s just that it wasn’t for me. Though I found the applicator to be user-friendly, the pigmentation was a little much for me, and I found the product to be a difficult to use on a daily basis. That’s when I went back to my tried-and-true blush of choice: Glossier’s Cloud Paint Gel Cream Blush. The gel-cream combo allows for an easily, buildable application and a streak-free, natural finish.
Bronzer
Skip: Tarte Sculpt Tape Contour
Love: Dibs Desert Island Duo Blush and Bronzer Stick
Speaking of a little goes a long way, no matter how many times I tried to nail the correct ratio of bronzer with the Tarte Sculpt Tape Contour wand, I couldn’t help but feel like I’d just be better off without it. Even worse: the cushioned applicator tip split in half after just a few short weeks of use. I took these as signals to switch to Dibs’ award-winning Duo Blush and Bronzer Stick. It’ll cost you the same amount as Tarte’s, but you’ll get a whole lot more bang for your buck with the 2-in-1 blush and bronzer pairing. In comparison, Dibs’ cream-based formula felt more hydrating, with buildable, fool-proof application.
Brow Gel
Skip: Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow + Tinted Volumizing Eyebrow Gel
Love: Kosas Air Brow Volumizing Eyebrow Gel
Finding a great brow product is like finding a great pair of jeans: it’s a difficult but rewarding feat. And with that, of course, comes the trepidation of trying something new. As someone with thinner brows, my eyes are always peeled for the next best brow product (bonus points if its extra-volumizing). For years I stuck to Benefit’s Gimme Brow, and although I was pretty happy with it, I recently made the switch to Kosas’ Air Brow Volumizing Eyebrow Gel after receiving a sample of it with my Sephora purchase. Thanks to the switch, my brows have never looked fuller.
Setting Spray
Skip: One/Size On ‘Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray
Love: NYX Long-Lasting Matte Finish Setting Spray
I must admit, when I saw the waitlist for Patrick Starrr’s TikTok-approved setting spray, I figured it must be worth the wait. The pretty pink packaging? Doubly worth it. But once I received the product, I realized how impulsive it had been to hit the check-out button on a product I didn’t know much about. Though I wanted to keep the product for the incredible smell alone, the feeling of pulling the trigger on the aerosol can was far too reminiscent of my early makeup-wearing days, relying on Tresemmé Hair Spray to keep my Covergirl BB Cream intact. Once my One/Size setting spray ran out (very quickly, might I add), I returned to my trusty, under-$10 matte finish setting spray by NYX.
Tinsley Crisp, Fashion & Beauty Staff Writer
Tinsley Crisp is a Fashion & Beauty Staff Writer at The Everygirl and specializes in reporting on the season’s latest trends and hottest products. As a New York City-based stylist, she’s committed to injecting joy into the art of getting dressed and delivering attainable yet aspirational content to our readers.