Hey everyone!
Indie brand ColourPop has been all the rage in the social media scene lately because of its dirt cheap cosmetics (I’m talking about US$5 on average for every item) and honestly, even as a MAC loyalist I found it hard to resist the temptation to lay hands on their products.
For those not in the know, ColourPop is a rather new online-only American beauty brand that offers mainly single eye shadows, lipsticks (like, literally retractable long lip sticks), liquid lipsticks, blush, bronzer and highlighter. I am particularly interested in their matte liquid lipsticks because public reception of it has been mainly positive and I was enticed by the promising swatches on Instagram.
Using a freight forwarder (because it’s cheaper that way), I placed my first order with ColourPop early last month when new shades were launched for its matte liquid lipstick range. However, due to high volume of orders being received during that period, my order took a whole 6 business days (as opposed to the usual 3-5 days) to be processed and shipped and another 10 days for it to arrive at my doorstep. That’s 16 days of agonizing wait and also the longest I’ve experienced so far. But as anxious as I was, my excitement soon took over when the delivery man came knocking on my door!
Product packaging and a handwritten note from the folks at ColourPop which read: “Hey Fiona. A wise man once said only fools rush in. He clearly was not referring to makeup. xoxo ColourPop”
Packed in a white sturdy paper envelope, the white slim boxes containing the liquid lipsticks had “ULTRA MATTE LIP” printed in holographic silver. The flaps on both ends of every box were left open, suggesting that the tubes were manually inserted into the boxes in a haste. What stood out for me was the handwritten note that came in the parcel. Although the main body text were obviously mass-written, it was still a nice gesture which added a personal touch to the order.
ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip at US$6 each
ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip
ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip
Among the list of items in my order were 3 new shades: Beeper, Clueless and Kapow. The rest have been around since June this year. From the above picture, you can somewhat tell the rate at which the different shades turn matte.
#1 Trap
Trap is a dusty greyed out beige with matte finish (US$6)
Trap
Trap
Trap
Trap
Trap
Trap
One of the major concerns I get about matte liquid lipsticks is that they are extremely drying. Trap being matte would definitely be drying to a certain extent but it didn’t leave my lips feeling parched or stiff. In fact, it actually felt lightweight and sat pretty well on my lips. Unfortunately, Trap seemed to crack quite a bit for me. Although not very obvious from afar, it still annoyed me a great deal and I had to keep reapplying to mend the gaps. It also flaked quite badly when I wiped my mouth with a napkin. Apart from the nice colour, I honestly can’t think of other reasons to have it.
#2 Kapow
Kapow is a muted grey taupe with matte finish (US$6)
Kapow
Kapow
Kapow
Kapow (true to this colour)
Kapow
Kapow
I understand that all lip products would tend to appear slightly different on the lips than the colour perceived on the packaging, depending on the natural lip colour. But I didn’t expect the disparity in Kapow to be that dramatic 😐 That aside, Kapow is the contrary of Trap. It didn’t ball up on my lips nor flake. It’s extremely velvety, and it doesn’t emphasise the lip texture and lines that much. It dries down very quickly so you have to be really quick to even it out.
Kapow swatch comparison with lipsticks
I don’t have any other matte liquid lipsticks to do a fair comparison for my haul but here’s one for Kapow, just to show you how consistent and pigmented it is as compared to some greyish-taupe lipsticks.
#3 Bumble
Bumble is a dusty warm terracotta with matte finish (US$6)
Bumble
Bumble
Bumble
Bumble
Bumble
Bumble
Never thought I would say this but Bumble, a muted reddish-brown, is actually my favourite shade from this purchase. It’s a lovely everyday colour (perfect for fall) that doesn’t come across as too loud. It applies very evenly, has a better consistency than Kapow and is definitely a lot stronger in the longevity department.
#4 Limbo
Limbo is a deep chocolate brown with matte finish (US$6)
Limbo
Limbo
Limbo
Limbo
Limbo
Limbo
Like the darker shades I’ve reviewed, this retro brown shade gives a luscious and intense colour payoff while providing full coverage. It glides on smoothly with a single swipe with no need for a second coat. It’s a colour that will complement dark skin tones really well. However, it does leave hairline cracks (not sure why but they are silver) on my lips upon application and flake over time.
#5 Beeper
Beeper is a warm mid-tone taupe with matte finish (US$6)
Beeper
Beeper
Beeper
Beeper
Beeper
Beeper
If you’re looking for a nice mid-toned brown liquid lipstick, here it is! It has a creamy and highly pigmented texture but sadly, there would be visible signs of cracks on your lips if you don’t smile which would rub off a bit when you blot them.
#6 Clueless
Clueless is a dusty mauve pink with matte finish (US$6)
Clueless
Clueless
Clueless
Clueless
Clueless
Clueless
A muted rosy pink that dries and sets into a soft baby pink (the shade of pink which I dislike), Clueless appears to be less pigmented than the other shades here, so it’s kinda disappointing. Also, the formula for this is so crumbly, it started to flake after an hour!
About 9 hours of wear
There was still quite a fair bit of product left on my lips after spending close to 9 hours outdoor under the sweltering heat, eating and drinking. I had to constantly rub my lips (which explains the powdery texture along the corners because I didn’t want to retouch it) so that some colours would transfer to the areas where the lipstick had worn off.
The very first time I use these matte liquid lipsticks, I didn’t know how to remove them! Some of them have such great staying power, even my regular makeup wipes couldn’t work. If you’re facing the same problem, here’s a tip:
To remove matte liquid lipsticks, dab your lips with some petroleum jelly (e.g. Vaseline) and let it sit for a few minutes (in the meantime you can remove the makeup on other parts of your face). Then, using a damp towel (or cotton puff), remove the product off your lips.
To sum things up, the lighter shades definitely look more streaky than darker ones. The colours are mostly opaque but they all tend to be a lot lighter and duller on the lips than hand swatches, so it’s best to look at lip swatches before you making your purchasing decisions. Application is a breeze as you can easily line and fill your lips with the doe foot applicator which provided a consistent flow of colour. Most of the shades lasted me at least 5 hours with minimal eating and drinking. All in all, the ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip series gives you more bang for your buck!
What do you think of these new offerings by ColourPop and the brand in general, ladies? Any products in particular that you like? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Also, more ColourPop reviews are under way so keep your eyes peeled to this page!
Thanks for reading 🙂
fionaseah.com 
All of these shades look great on you, but I think my favorite is beeper. It suits you so much!
LikeLike
I love these colors!! I have some of their lippie stix but am still debating on trying their liquid lipsticks because I’ve heard they are super drying! You should try the ofra ones if you love these!!
Xx Dani Elle
http://www.youtube.com/beautybydaniieb
LikeLike
I love them all!
LikeLike
I bought a bunch but thanks for reminding me about styled in sepia
LikeLike
Thanks heyehren! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
They are actually not as drying as I thought! Yeah I heard of Ofra. The shade made in collab with Kathleen Lights looks gorgeous!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you like them! 🙂
LikeLike
My pleasure! Styled in Sepia isn’t very similar to Kapow though 😦
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah I got a few and they are soo good!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Everything is so pretty! I don’t own any colour pop yet. I love all the swatches. So hard to choose which to get.
LikeLike
Hi, may I know which freight forwarder you use? Thank you!
LikeLike
Get Bumble! Even my boyfriend who isn’t fond of lipsticks at all thinks it’s nice! I don’t think you will ever regret it 😉
LikeLike
Hi Belinda, I use ComGateway. You get shipping discounts (code: DBS2015 upon checkout) if you’re a DBS/POSB cardholder. You can refer to this MAC blog post for a quick tutorial on using CGW: https://fionaseah.com/2014/12/14/tutorial-how-to-buy-from-maccosmetics-com/
LikeLike
Beeper suit for you so well, please making swatch for colourpop super shock eyeshadow
LikeLike
Thanks Dwi! Unfortunately I’m not really into their eyeshadow!
LikeLike
you look really amazing in every color of those matt lipsticks!!
LikeLike
Awww thanks Jaz! It’s my favourite lipstick finish! ^_^
LikeLike
Very detailed review, thanks!
-Dasha
http://windycitywardrobe.com
LikeLike
I love your photos and swatches! How much did shipping cost for you? I’m so tempted to get these but I just want to try one or two shades, and the shipping scares me. D=
LikeLike
Hi! Can I check which freight forwarder company did you ship with? I usually use comgateway but the shipping is a killer!
Thank you!
LikeLike
My pleasure!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahahaha thanks! Shipping normally costs me around US$22 for about 5 parcels, which I think is pretty reasonable for me!
LikeLike
Hey Nadya, I use Comgateway actually! I’ve used Vpost, MyUS and Taobao (not for US purchases though) and I honestly think Comgateway offers the cheapest rates around 🙂
LikeLike
Your skin looks amazing! What foundation are you wearing?
LikeLike
Hey Robyn! I wore Anna Sui Liquid Foundation in 02 🙂
LikeLike
Hi Fiona!
Can i just ask how much did you pay for shipping using comgateway for the colourpop parcel! Do you usually order from multiple sites at a time and repackage? or just from a single site! Cos im planning to order from colourpop and use comgateway but i kinda want to get a gauge of the shipping prices first! especially since we wont have any ideas of how big a parcel colourpop will send! Any feedback is greatly appreciated:) Thank you!!
LikeLike
Hello Abigail! I can’t give you a definitive figure because I usually ship with my other purchases which size and weight may vary. ColourPop parcels are the lightest because they come in hard paper envelopes (only for purchases of purely lip products) repackaged in DHL padded envelope instead of big bulky boxes. So the shipping cost should be a lot cheaper (no more than S$15, maybe around US$12). It’s always good to ship with more purchases because there’s a one-time fuel charge I think for each transaction.
LikeLike
i love trap and beeper! There super adorable, i have “nevermind” and its soooooo drying, it also crumbles in the corners, what advice do you have to keep it from crumbling?? its really annoying lol
LikeLike
Hey Tiffany! Generally ColourPop’s Ultra Mattes are drying and they crumble like crazy over time and leave very awful patches. Most of the time I apply a thin layer of Vaselin (you can try lip balm too) over the lipstick to relieve a little bit of the dryness. Hope that helps!
LikeLike
Fiona,
Have you noticed that the lipsticks end up turning a bright pink after they start wearing off?
LikeLike
Hey Anna, which lipstick shade are you referring to? 🙂
LikeLike
Hi do colourpop in SG has a taste?
LikeLike
Hey Jen, they are tasteless but they have a vanilla scent 🙂
LikeLike
IS THIS US authentic ? or SG?
because mine is different code on the bottom of the tube. I bought it for 7$. im afraid its fake.
LikeLike
Definitely authentic as I personally bought them off Colourpop.com 🙂
LikeLike
love beeper, kinda sad it cracks…any sugg on alternative that is similar in color?
LikeLike
Hi All ! I find These customer Service people are as loosers . because they do not know how to satify the Customer . When even it is their Fault .
What Happened Was I ordered $50 worth products from them and they haven’t written the Address Clearly . And the post office australia couldnt figured the address so they have forwarded to the colour pop back . and currently it on it is way to Colour pop . And I asked very nicely I need these goods Back . But they Refusing .her name is Samantha . They cheating behind the wall . And they want me to place another Order ! This is Pathetic .when even it is not my Fault .And I paid of this Goods! They Refusing to resend my good to me !
POOR Customer SERVICE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you have no Future!
LikeLike
SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!!!!!!Hi All ! I find These customer Service people are as loosers . because they do not know how to satify the Customer . When even it is their Fault .
What Happened Was I ordered $50 worth products from them and they haven’t written the Address Clearly . And the post office australia couldnt figured the address so they have forwarded to the colour pop back . and currently it on it is way to Colour pop . And I asked very nicely I need these goods Back . But they Refusing .her name is Samantha . They cheating behind the wall . And they want me to place another Order ! This is Pathetic .when even it is not my Fault .And I paid of this Goods! They Refusing to resend my good to me !
POOR Customer SERVICE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you have no Future!
LikeLike