Minori reviews and discussion

After more than 20 years in beauty leadership and product formulation evaluation, I have to be frank: this gloss feels like a luxury-priced version of what you could get at a drugstore, without the benefits that should justify the price. Here’s the real problem: Ingredient Sophistication: At its core, this formula leans on jojoba oil, shea butter, and vitamin E—ingredients I’ve seen countless times in 99% of basic drugstore lip balms (think classic petroleum-free balms or tinted balms from mass-market brands). There is no advanced hydration science, no truly effective barrier repair complex, no novel emollients that actually outperform budget formulas. Performance vs. Price: A $6 drugstore lip balm often delivers the same moisture and protective feel because it uses the same basic emollients and sometimes even better hydration enhancers, like squalane or hyaluronic acid. In many cases, the drugstore version lasts longer on the lips and feels more reliably moisturizing. False Premium Positioning: Glosses and balms at this price point $22 should offer either an elevated sensory experience (e.g., ultra-refined polymers, innovative texture tech) or real lip care benefits (e.g., peptides, ceramides, truly transformative hydration). This one offers neither, making its formula feel like a rebranded, repackaged drugstore list with a luxury tag. Expectation vs. Reality: A consumer paying nearly four times more for this product would expect something distinctly better than what they could grab at Walmart or CVS. Instead, this gloss delivers a basic balm formula that wouldn’t stand out in the bargain aisle, aside from softer packaging. In summary: if your priority is performance and actual lip care benefits, you’ll find similar or even more effective ingredients in inexpensive drugstore options. Minori's lip gloss doesn’t bring anything new to the table and fails to justify its price, making it hard to recommend to anyone who knows what they’re actually paying for in the beauty market.

I tried the new sunscreen SPF 30. The sunscreen “Banana tint” looked chalky on my skin. I have a very fair complexion, and the color appeared too stark or, at times, unnatural. The sunscreen has a cakey appearance. I added too much product, especially under my eyes, and the results looked thick, highlighting my fine lines and skin texture.

I picked up this clean makeup brand at Aura Beauty during a work trip to Massachusetts. The store was charming, and I was excited to try something new that promised clean, skin friendly ingredients. At my age, I try to be mindful of what I put on my skin, so I really interested in this brand. But truth be told, I was disappointed. The cream highlighter didn’t blend well. It sat on top of my skin instead of sinking in. And the wear time was just not there. By mid morning, it had faded that I looked like I hadn’t put anything on at all. It was frustrating, especially for the $32 price, I had high hopes. I’m all for supporting clean beauty, especially as I try to be kinder to my skin these days. But clean shouldn’t come at the cost of quality or performance. I know these things can be hard to formulate just right, and maybe it’ll improve with time. But as it stands, I wouldn’t buy this one again.

Very impressed with the cream highligher I've bought. It gives a nice shine, it's creamy and not drying, lasts all day AND it's clean ingredients. I will be buying more of their products

I bought an SPF and a highlighter, and I had high expectation for both. However, the SPF has some color, and I believe I'll need to use makeup remover to clean it. This makes the product less useful to me, because I was planning to use it when I don't wear foundation etc, which already has SPF. On the other hand, the highlighter is unnoticeable on my face when I don't wear makeup. $32 is a bit expensive and has too much volume. Maybe I should have tried the $10 sample.

I recently bought a red mauve and cream highlighter, but I find it to be very light and subtle. Even though I have a light/medium skin tone, I can hardly see any color on my cheeks. I have to use my brush multiple times just to get a small amount of color on my skin. The fact that I have to keep applying the product instead of using it in one swipe doesn't make it worth the price of $32. It's disappointing to purchase makeup that doesn't show up on my skin, and I can't justify the cost.

I’m a no makeup makeup gal and tend to reach super simple products that perform. The cream blush in orchid, highlighter in Champagne, and gloss in Dream are my favorite, they all feel super comfortable on skin, are easy to use, and look natural!

Absolutely love how beautiful the cream blush’s blends. Also Minori’s lip glosses are my absolute favorite! Non sticky so beautiful !