Anyone else sick of there being too much choice when choosing beauty products?!

The main ones that infuriate me are the mascaras and foundations, they all are basically claiming the same thing but differently worded and there are dozens under each brand. You don't know if they are any good for you until you have tried them out, I spend ages dithering at the shelves trying to choose a new one only to find it is no good and another tenner wasted!

Can't each brand just have one mascara - to thicken and lengthen lashes right? Boots website has 278 types with 20+ under some brands!

I always go to the staffed beauty counters in Boots or Debenhams. Yes, the products are more expensive, but you can try them on your face before you buy. I have even tried mascaras in this way, they use a disposable brush to apply, and one dip in only with the brush. They will even give you little sample bottles of foundation to try at home if you prefer. More expensive make up yes, but you are not wasting money, so better for your purse in the long run.

Definitely agree. Especially with neutral eyeshadow pallettes. How many shades of brown does one need?

I don't mind a huge choice of colours, but I do get fed up with brands constantly re-packaging the same product and trying to make out like it's some new, magical formula. I know it's for marketing purposes, but I've yet to be convinced how leather black mascara is better than (or any different from) intense black, coal black, jet black etc? There can only be so many different formulas for mascara, blusher etc, and I'm inclined to think that each brand is virtually identical. (Aside from the very cheap and very high end, which use different grade ingredients. I shudder when I think of some of the 99p crap I used to wear!)
The only mascara I've used that has been head and shoulders above the rest is tubing mascara - and that's because it really is a different formula.

I'm not a big fan of palettes either. I like a wide range of colours, but only in store, so that I can buy what suits me. Palettes are big and bulky and I only use half the colours anyway. The only one I really loved was Front Cover's Jewels collection. I was soooo sad when I had to throw that away.

I always go on makeupalley.com for reviews before I buy anything these days. I don't do as much impulse buying and what I do buy is researched on their huge database of reviews. I have saved myself a lot of money from not buying costly mistakes. Try and get samples of foundation before you buy too, or anything for that matter

Good idea about samples but you've still got a big choice which to try, I often look at reviews for products as well but again there are so many I lose the will to live sometimes. My last couple of mascaras had good reviews but I wasn't impressed, I've ended up getting a cheap one and I am finding it really good!

Eluf - it's 50 shades of black! I am happy to be given colour options for eyeshadow, blusher, nail varnish etc that are visibly different.