We all know that every aspect of life was hit hard by the pandemic. I can conjure up a gratitude list of reasons to be grateful for the three year bummer. Such as: spending so much more quality time with my new baby (who is now a tiny toddler), clean air and animals wandering into neighborhoods during the major shutdowns, quality time with family and friends, finding what truly lit up my life, and cutting the unnecessary.
Now that we are easing back into life as we knew it before the big bummer of 2020, we are noticing rising prices of almost everything. Okay, that’s clear, but how is it affecting quality? I went to reorder my absolute favorite bb cream (Image I conceal). First I’ll tell you why it’s so magical! I conceal comes in a small squeeze tube which can fit into the smallest of bags. Wedding clutch of the tiniest of tinies, check, small hiking backpack, check, check. You get the idea. It’s small and reapplying spf is imperative. Next, it has so many beneficial ingredients. Your skin is healthier wearing this bb cream than being bare faced. Lastly, texture and performance. I conceal glides on effortlessly and is buildable from light to medium coverage. It works with many types of setting powders and concealers if you’re seeking a little extra. This product smooths over skin, stretches and doesn’t crease or crack. It is highly pigmented and the spreadability is what makes it last. You don’t barrel through the tube. Less than a pea size amount would be more than necessary. A little extra dab over imperfections, and you’re set.
Upon reordering, I received my new I conceal. The product was much looser, watery and just not the consistency I had remembered and looked forward to replacing. As I blended the product, it went on like any translucent sunscreen. Not a bb or cc or even a tinted sunscreen. It had been so watered down and void of pigment.
I called Image immediately, since I trust the integrity of this company and I surely thought, this had to be a mistake. I communicated my concerns. The difference in color, consistency and performance. Here was the response I received. Due to the pandemic and higher prices formulations have changed. They also explained how they reformulated to become more “serum like”. This product was one of a kind and in it’s own league, and to strike out due to rising costs? It’s very disappointing. I feel a public statement or effort to communicate the changes to this prodcut would have been effective in keeping the trust and adoration of your he brand. Professionals and consumers alike, should be notified if a product is going to be so drastically altered. I felt it was a sneaky way of having half or less the product at the same or more price. I always appreciate quality, and continuity. Either increase the price or keep it the same, but please don’t give us a mediocre product under the same name and expectation.
Image I conceal was a bust post bummer.
Next, Alleyoop. My absolute favorite Alleyoop product is their iconic Pen Pal. This is a retractable pen, multi color 80’s and 90’s nostalgia, but makeup! It’s clean and cruelty free, just like all my products and it fits in a tiny bag! A must for me. The four colors were originally an icey white highlight for eye corners, brow bone and any high point on the face really. A black liner for eyes or brows (I mean, I used the black for my brows). A Taupey brown for eyes and brows, I would blend it with the lip color, but I love a brown neutral lip, so- Yes, the final shade is a mauvey pink which is said to be a more universal tone. Mauve isn’t my favorite, but this was pretty and blended perfect with the taupey brown. Pretty much an “erase up” look in one product. I was won over instantly.
Now, Alleyoop in lieu of marking up products, and pumping out lesser versions; they instead rolled out two other Pen Pal color combinations. Make a Mauve (the original), Berry Busy which has a coffee brown instead of the original taupe, and a berry for the lip. Lastly, In a Rouge, also with a coffee brown swapped in for the taupe and a nude pink for the lip.
The very best news of all! They’re still the same quality and same price! Wow, a company who can keep continuity and integrity during tough times, I a company I will stay loyal too. Thank you Alleyoop for really bringing together, quality, imagination, and integrity. You blossomed from the two year bummer! Even if Alleyoop had increased pricing, in proportion to their product ingredient costing more, I would still be on board. I can’t stress enough how far quality and integrity goes with me.
To Image: I will continue to use your products distributed with quality, but please notify us if changing products so drastically that the formula is unrecognizable. Image does have some wonderful offerings, though the I conceal I do hope, they will change back to the original formula.
As always, comment if you too have noticed blossoms or bummers.
Xx,
Coco
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