It feels like a bit of a bloggers' right of passage to do a Colourpop haul. For so many years I've seen reviews of their products but never bothered buying anything. I think the fact that it's a US-based company put me off. I just didn't want the faff of shipping and customs. Until the weekend before my birthday when they had free international shipping. So I decided to treat myself.
For my first ever purchase I got a pack of 4 eyeshadows and 3 of their liquid lipsticks. I also received two mini liquid lips as a gift with purchase, so I got to try a selection of shades...
I got one satin lip, Baracuda, and two matte lips, Viper and Bumble. I could select from 5 shades for the mini satin lips, so went for Frick n' Frack and Prim.
I'm definitely more of a nudes girl when it comes to lip shades, I don't really go 'out out' any more so my bright lipsticks have kind of been collecting dust. However, I feel like I've got a good selection of lip colours here. It's always difficult buying makeup online and relying on swatches from other bloggers to pick colours! I've tried to keep the photo below as close as possible to how they appear in person.
What I will say is that they're a lot darker than I expected. I have quite dark lips naturally, so don't tend to go for 'light' nudes. However, I don't know if it's the formula or how they work with my lips' colour, but on me most of these are quite dark (perhaps with the exception of Bumble and Frick n' Frack). When I wear them I feel like I'm making a bit of a statement, but I still think they're very wearable colours.
As expected, they have seriously good lasting power. I've worn these at mealtimes and kept most of the colour intact. They don't transfer onto glasses at all and by the end of the day they only wear off on the inside of your lips.
L-R: Frick n' Frack, Prim, Bumble, Viper, Baracuda
Prim is obviously very different to the others, and is so dark that it left a pink stain on my arm for almost 24 hours after removing! It's very similar to MAC Diva, in my opinion (although I'm not sure it's close enough to call it a dupe).
As for the finishes, I think I like Satin over Matte. Which is quite surprising considering my usual tastes. I think it's just because the Matte feels so dry on the lips you become very aware that you have lipstick on. I kept wanting to lick my lips to wet them! However, Bumble is 100% my favourite shade out of them all. It's a little bit more orange than I anticipated, but very subtle once it's dried.
If I'm honest, I'm not really much of a liquid lipstick girl - they can be tricky to apply! However, I'm happy with these purchases. Maybe if I order again I'll try the Lippie Stix.
I went for the Zingara eyeshadows due to their similarity to the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance palette. I own a few high end eyeshadow palettes, so couldn't really justify the purchase of a £41 palette. This quad was my alternative option, so I could try out looks using similar shades.
It contains the following Super Shock Shadows:
Jinxie - a soft pearlised gold
Elixir - a matte terracotta
Paradox - a warm satin burgundy red
Seeker - a matte warm reddish brown
I know it sounds weird, but these eyeshadows are so soft that I kept wanting to put my fingers in them! They're the perfect cross between an eyeshadow and a pressed pigment. They are very finely milled, so you get shine from Jinxie and Paradox without huge chunks of glitter.
Whilst the brightness of Elixir can make it a little tricky to use, I've been surprised with how wearable these colours are. I like being able to create a cranberry red eye look without looking strange. It's a difficult colour to make work, but this quad has succeeded in creating complimenting colours.
I paid £15 customs on this order, which was a little frustrating considering that the order itself only cost between the £20-£25 mark. I understand why it happens, but why are the prices so steep? Damn you, Royal Mail! I believe the way to avoid customs charges is to keep your spend under £10-£15, which is definitely not worth it if you're paying for shipping!
Would I purchase from Colourpop again? It's not out of the question, but definitely not high on my list of priorities. Perhaps if there was a solution to avoiding customs fees (other than doing lots of separate little orders), I'd be more eager. I can't deny their liquid lipsticks are great quality and seriously long lasting, but there are definitely some good alternatives in the UK, especially now that we can get Kat Von D's makeup here. However, Colourpop's eyeshadows have been a dream. They're just so soft and creamy, with strong pigmentation. I'd love to add more to my collection!
Have you tried Colourpop? Which products do you love?
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