Beauty fads come and go, and all most of those products do is clutter up your cosmetics drawer. But when we hear of a so-called miracle product, it’s tempting to find any excuse to head to the mall, drugstore or online to snap it up. Whether it treats acne, minimizes pores, reduces the signs of aging or makes another claim, the truth is, most of these products just don’t measure up to the hype. Here are a few “must-haves” that you can skip. With all its celebrity endorsements, you might think Proactiv products are the be-all, end-all for treating acne. But for many users, it may have cleared up some zits while drying out their faces in the process. TotalBeauty.com reviews were largely negative for the darling of the infomercial. Reviewers claimed that the product dried out their faces, some to the point of almost burning it. Basically, it boils down to skin type – it seems those with super-oily skin had the best results, while people who only suffered from the occasional breakout really got burnt by the product’s claims.

Mineral makeup, particularly the Bare Escentuals line, gets a good deal of infomercial attention, and we all have friends who swear by it. But the pricey $24 foundation seems to fall flat for many users, who complain that it sinks right into large pores or loses its matte finish as the day wears on. Reviewers on TotalBeauty described it as “cakey” and “shiny.” Another polarizing product is one that celebrity makeup artists swear by – Maybelline’s Great Lash mascara. That pink and green tube has been around forever it seems, but it does have its detractors. For those who fork out the mere 5 bucks for a tube, it’s not too much of a disappointment to see that the product is clumpy and doesn’t do a lot to lengthen lashes. And the waterproof mascara is like an uninvited guest who lingers too long – it’s difficult to get off, and reviewers report raccoon eyes even after showering and using eye makeup remover. We’re not sure what trick those makeup artists are using to make their clients look like a million bucks, but Great Lash doesn’t live up to its name.