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 