Colourpop cosmetics is based out of California, and all of their products are cruelty-free and made in the U.S.A. Most of them are even vegan (they have a list of the specific shades that are not vegan on their website). On top of all of this, the brand is extremely affordable, with product prices ranging from $5 to $8. I have ordered from Colourpop in the past, but they have since come out with some new products I wanted to try, so I ordered a few to try. Swatches of all of the products I purchased are below:
First, we'll cover the basics: eyeshadow. I have ordered shadows from them in the past, and I was satisfied with the formula, but for some reason I chose colors that I never wear so I rarely use them. Colourpop's shadows are only sold individually; no palettes allowed, due to their unique, spongy texture. If left open, the shadows will dry out, leaving them less pigmented and basically no good. I ordered two shadows from them this time around: "Stereo" and "I Spy." "Stereo" seems like it might be a bit harder to incorporate into my typical makeup routine, due to its mainly purple nature (in contrast to my typical array of warm browns and reds); however the tone of it was so unique that I couldn't pass it up, and, well, I'll find a use for it. "I Spy" seems more doable; it's kind of the color of mac and cheese, and will be a nice lid color. Each eyeshadow retails for $5.
Next I ordered their newest product, one of their Creme Gel Colour liners. They have a wide variety of colors available, including unusual pastels and neon rainbow colors. I went with "Best O," which is a deep burgundy. The formula is super smooth and glides on like a dream, and it dries down very matte and pigmented. These seem like a total win. Also I should note that the packaging for the gel liners is glass, so it feels very luxurious as opposed to plastic. The gel liners retail for $6 each and the pencil liners retail for $5 each.
And now we get to the lip products. I have a love-hate relationship with these. I'm not sure how I feel about them yet. I own a handful of Colourpop's Lippie Stix (their "normal" lipstick) and I love them to death. They are my favorite lipstick formula; they're so easy to apply, they stay on really well for a cream lipstick, they're heavily pigmented, the size is great...the list goes on forever, really. Being a fan of liquid to matte lipsticks, I was thrilled when Colourpop announced that they would be making their own range of them. However, upon receiving the three that I ordered, I truly do not know how I feel about them. Pigmentation-wise, they're incredible. They dry down completely matte and they don't budge (with the exception of "More Better" which I'll mention in a moment), but they are so drying. These completely suck the moisture out of my lips, I wouldn't even be surprised if they sucked the moisture out of the air. My lips seriously feel like a desert with these on, and I can't decide if I'm willing to suffer through it yet.
The three colors I purchased were "More Better," "Tulle," and "Beeper." "Tulle" and "Beeper" seem pretty similar, "Tulle" being more red-toned than "Beeper," and I have no issues with them besides the drying factor. "More Better," on the other hand, is very troublesome. I actually waited for this shade to be restocked before ordering everything because I wanted it that badly, and it completely did not live up to my expectations. The pigmentation is not as opaque as the other two; I found myself applying two layers of product to my lips to get it to look uniform. Once on, I found that it never really dried down, and it feathered. The other two shades did not do this. Finally, the most frustrating thing about this shade was that it did not come off ever. I scrubbed at my lips until they stung and they were still stained bright pink, the swatch on my hand stained as well. Perhaps it was because More Better is a bright color while the other two are more neutral, but either way it frustrated me greatly. The Ultra Matte Lips retail for $6 each.
The last product I purchased was their Lippie Primer. I went into this product thinking it was a gimmick and that it was actually just lip balm, essentially, but I was pleasantly surprised by it. It goes on smooth like a lip balm, but doesn't appear shiny or glossy like a balm would. In fact, it pretty much dries matte. The only thing I could compare this to is a foundation primer, which doesn't necessarily moisturize your face, but it creates a smooth surface for the foundation to rest over. This does the same exact thing, except for your lips, and it supposedly locks in moisture. Personally, I don't use face primer every day, and I feel like this lip primer will be the same sort of deal: I'll use it if I'm feeling fancy. The Lippie Primer retails for $5.
Overall I must say that I'm pretty indifferent about this particular Colourpop haul. I can't say I'll be ordering the Ultra Matte Lips again unless a super awesome color comes out, and my feelings on their eyeshadow formulation haven't changed. I am impressed with the eyeliner, and pretty satisfied with the lip primer. Colourpop still reigns as one of my favorite makeup brands ever, and their super low prices make up for anything from them that I don't like because it's not like I spent $20 on it, which I truly appreciate. Even though the liquid lipsticks were kind of disappointing, I still highly recommend this brand to anyone and everyone due to their large (and growing) selection of products and colors, and their extra low prices.
