TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 5.7* Why: "It does plump your lips a bit, and the colors are pretty, but it tastes SO BAD, and smells like MOTH BALLS. Not something I want my husband to associate with my lips. Even for a dollar it's like a punishment to have to endure this being on your mouth," a reader says. Another adds, "it's rare that I throw away products even if I don't love them, but after using this twice it went straight into the trash!" And one reader says, "I bought this just because it was only $1 and I thought if it plumps my lips, great, if not, that's OK too. Not only does it not plump your lips, but it smells so disgusting. I can't even describe the scent; the only thing that comes to mind is pee and chemicals. It totally turned my stomach to use it, so I threw it away."
TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 5.7* Why: One reader says, "Extreme? Hardly." She continues, "I did NOT think this product lived up to the hype! It does make your lips 'tingle,' and they are pinker after use, but as far as increasing the SIZE of my lips — not in the least!" Another says, "Sally H. has so many lip-'inflating or plumping' products and the two I've tried suck. They don't even make a good lip gloss let alone [one that's supposed to] plump your lips." One reviewer went down her checklist: "Smell: hideous. Taste: awful. Price: outrageous. Fullness: no change," concluding, "hype — that's all it is."
TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 5.7* Why: "I expect a great deal from this makeup line and this lip gloss just doesn't deliver. It wears off quickly. 'Vinyl' is not how I would describe the look — it gives your lips more [of] a subtle sheen. If you want stimulation and plumping, this is not the way to go. And, this product is EXTREMELY overpriced as far as living up to its promise and its name," readers say. One reader says its "grand offense: inflated claims."
TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 5.4* Why: One reader says, "I think this gloss lacks just that: the gloss." Another says, "this product really isn't as great as the ads make it out to be. The length of the wear won't even last one minute, and the color is just clear and looks like drool. [Plus], the scent is weird! It's like soap and synthetic watermelon flavoring! If you bought this, I'm sorry you wasted your money." One woman says, "it doesn't matter what color you buy, it still looks clear. Plus, I could actually feel the glitter scratching my lips; it was like somebody got lip gloss and put crafting glitter in the tube. Horrible!"
TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 5.3* Why: Readers say, "This is good if you're in a pinch for some gloss, but if you're looking for a little moisture and something to stick around for a bit, this isn't it!" And one reviewer adds, "Not a good product. The gloss comes off easily and you run out of it fast because you have to keep putting it on."
While some women battle shoe addictions, we here at Total Beauty have a bit of a lip makeup obsession.
Whether it's about getting our hands on a new "it" shade or snapping up a lip gloss that claims to make us look like a movie star (Angelina Jolie to be specific) and help us eat less — we just can't put an end to the madness.
And while some of these said lip products really do all they claim — like the ones on our editors' favorite lipsticks list, many don't live up to the hype. Like the ones on this list that readers say are simply a waste of money — even if they cost less than a dollar.
So why do we think lip gloss is so important anyway? Besides the fact that it's responsible for giving our lips lust-worthy shine and pop of color with little effort, apparently men — like babies (sorry we couldn't resist making the comparison) are attracted to shiny things. Want proof? Well, when we recently asked Ky Henderson, Editor-in-Chief of ModernMan.com and dating columnist, which kind of lip makeup guys prefer on women, he responded, "a lot of guys find lipstick off-putting, so stick to lip gloss when possible."
This doesn't mean you should forego lipstick altogether, but it proves that a go-to lip gloss is essential. So when searching for your next makeup bag staple, definitely avoid these 13, which our readers say are the worst.
From glosses that "smell like moth balls" and "feel like little bits of broken glass," it's safe to say that these are best left in the 99 cent bin.
Now, see the 13 worst lip glosses that readers say are "worse than the Chapstick I loved in 5th grade."
