I was planning on doing a video on this brand, but I recently got a newsletter from them that triggered this post instead (more about it on the end of this article).
Colour Pop is a US makeup brand specialised in colour products (no base stuff, at least for now), known by its incredible array of colours and special formulas, as well as their incredibly affordable prices. they don’t have any physical stores, only the online website, and they got a huge amount of buzz through social media. the products are cruelty-free and manufactured locally, and they have recently opened international shipping.
of course ordering from the U.S. means shipping costs (25$), and customs fees (depends on each country, here it is a percentage calculated over the total you’ve spent, including shipping). so, despite being super affordable, it adds up. I would say (depending on how much you buy), it comes down to about 8€ per product — still more affordable than some drugstore brands, especially here, in Portugal…
still… is it worth it?
from what I’ve tried, absolutely. there are some amazing star products, and then there are some pretty nice ones, especially for those who like to play with colour and find it hard to get strong pigmented products for an affordable price, but not necessarily being everyone’s cup of tea.
my recommendations
Super Shock Eyeshadows (5$) have to be my major recommendation. they look like a cream but feel like a powder, they blend like a powder but feel like a cream, they set on your eyes like a long-wearing cream but come out as a powder… you just have to try them to get to know what I’m talking about…
they can be beautifully applied with your fingers or synthetic brushes, from a sheer wash of colour to a dense and intense almost leather-like effect on the eye, they blend beautifully with other colours, never get muddy.
the only thing is that you shouldn’t “attack” the eyeshadow too full on. be gentle when picking up the product, or it will start to crumble and you get lumps on your brush. the containers should be sealed tightly, so that the formula doesn’t dry out.
I’m a huge fan of the matte formula, finish and array of colours.
I’ve never tried out any metallic or shimmery ones because, from the swatches I’ve seen,
the all look a bit to chunky on the glitter department for my personal taste.
you’ve seen me wearing Mittens a whole lot, right?
the Lippie Stix (5$) are my second biggest recommendation. I know there’s a huge buzz about the liquid lipsticks, and we’ll get there, but the formula on these is just amazing.
there are plenty of finishes, but my favourite are the Crème, Satin and Matte. super creamy and comfortable on the lips, long lasting, highly pigmented, the smell isn’t too overpowering… just amazing.
I really like the Matte X, but these are more drying on the lips, so be aware of that.
there are matching lip pencils, too, which I haven’t tried.
favourite colours: Grunge and Lumiére.
the liquid lipsticks come in different formulas, from which I’ve tried the Ultra Satin Lip and the Ultra Matte Lip (6$). I must say these are very very similar formulas, both in finish and in feeling on the lips. super pigmented, easy to apply, long wearing (although not totally transfer-proof), they don’t bleed on to the fine lines around the lips, and they are a bit drying, becoming less than comfortable after several hours. the Ultra Satin formula is a bit more comfortable and creamy-looking and feeling, and a bit less transfer-resistant than the Ultra Matte.
if you have a lot of dryness issues on your lips, I think neither of these formulas are for you, honestly. yet, I can wear them after carefully exfoliating and moisturising my lips.
my favourite Satin is Dohee (sadly discontinued), and my favourite Matte is Beeper.
oh, the colours of the Gel Pot Eyeliners (6$)! amazing, huh?
these are pretty creamy to apply, quite pigmented, you can build up the intensity without the starting to patch or crumble on you, and they have a matte finish. they last quite well on the waterline and even better on the lids. I’d say a fair 5 hours without primer — quite more with primer and if not sweating. and they fade, don’t smear. like.
Mr. Bing is my shade. #KathleenLightsmademebuyit
the Pencil Eyeliners (5$) come in just the same array of colours and are more fuss-free to apply than their gel counterparts because they require no tools. the only difference, for me, is that I think the staying power is not as good.
obviously this is a drop of water in the ocean of blushers, bronzers, illuminators, contour, other lip and eye stuff…
tips for buying Colour Pop
they have great swatches on more than one skin tone (bonus points!), but it never hurts to take a look at their instagram or other swatches online.
when you subscribe to their newsletter, you get 5$ off your first order (a free eyeshadow, basically).
the collections section is always good to browse through, because they have bundles which come to a lower price per product than buying them individually (which you can always do, thankfully).
they frequently release new products, and have limited edition season releases and collabs with YouTubers and bloggers which stay in stock for a fair amount of time before they remove them, so you can easily get them.
the treat
Colour Pop will have a free international shipping promotion from September 22 to 26 (starting at 6 p.m. London time) for orders over 50$, and a flat rate shipping of 4,99$ for purchases under 50$, so it’s a great opportunity to splurge on this brand!
the freevolous 