Many makeup lovers are dying to know what the best ColourPop products are. That’s why I’ve written an honest and comprehensive ColourPop review. Let’s get started!
As a writer who’s all about “beauty on a budget”, the brand ColourPop has been on my radar for awhile. Their products are usually $5 or $6, and they’ve got a pretty excellent reputation. Naturally, this made me curious to try out ColourPop and see what all the hype is about. Read on to learn about my experience with the brand in this full-fledged ColourPop review.
A Quick Overview Of ColourPop
Founded in Los Angeles in 2014, ColourPop is a fairly new company. However, the brand has really taken the makeup world by storm. This is likely due to A) their economical prices and B) their crowd-pleasing eyeshadow formula. ColourPop describes their eyeshadows as “long-wearing crème powder formula” with “an elastic-like texture.”
ColourPop has grown considerably over the past few years. They’ve collaborated with Amanda Steele, a well-known beauty vlogger and model. In addition to the products I’ll be reviewing, there are metallic ColourPop lippies, brow pots, highlighters, blush, and much more. If the company’s growth and popularity is a testament to their products, it seems like I won’t be disappointed.
Choosing From The ColourPop Products
Since I’ve simply read about ColourPop’s best products, I didn’t want to make a purchase based on my color preferences. I also didn’t want to just choose the products I’ve heard great things about. I decided to purchase a preselected set of ColourPop products so I could try a wide range of their cosmetics. This allowed me to get a semi-random assortment of products so my ColourPop review can be 100% unbiased. I choose the ‘Meet Cute’ set. It includes the following products:
- ‘Truth’ – a light beige Supershock eyeshadow
- ‘Sequin’ – a metallic copper Supershock eyeshadow with glitter
- ‘Brady’ – a light matte rosy-mauve Supershock eyeshadow
- ‘Static’ – a burgundy Supershock eyeshadow with shimmer
- ‘Hutch’ – a dark violet Ultra Satin Lip
- ‘Notion’ – a reddish violet Ultra Matte Lip
- ‘Sookie’ – a plum purple Ultra Glossy Lip
ColourPop Review: Packaging and First Impressions
Next up we have some sample swatches for the eye and lip products:
ColourPop Supershock Eyeshadow with camera flash on
ColourPop Supershock Eyeshadows in natural light
From left to right – Brady, Truth, Static and Sequin
ColourPop lip products with camera flash on
ColourPop lip products in natural light
From left to right – Notion (Ultra Matte Lip), Sookie (Ultra Glossy Lip), and Hutch (Ultra Satin Lip)
So, here were my initial thoughts once I opened and swatched the products:
- For a budget-friendly line, Colourpop’s packaging is very impressive. Many other low-cost cosmetic companies stick to bare bones packaging. I certainly don’t have an issue with that, but it’s nice to see a change. Colourpop has a sleek and attractive look that’s reminiscent of mid-range brands like Urban Decay.
- The Super Shock eyeshadows have a smooth, buttery feel that’s unlike any other eyeshadow I’ve never used. They don’t feel quite as dense as most cream shadows, but they’re far from being a powder. I can see what all the hype is about!
- All of the Colourpop eyeshadows are impressively pigmented. As you can see in the swatch photos, these richly colored cosmetics pack a punch. Even the lightest shade of eyeshadow is totally opaque.
- The formula for the Ultra Glossy Lip seems very streaky when swatched. Lip gloss is a big hit or miss product for me, so we’ll see if this ColourPop lippie is up to par.
- The formula for the Ultra Matte Lip is thinner than I expected. This isn’t necessarily a good or a bad thing, but other liquid matte lipsticks I’ve used have thicker formulas. We’ll see if this impacts how it looks on my lips!
My initial impressions left me eager to really give these products a try. Below you’ll find my reviews of each one. I also noted what I consider to be the best ColourPop eyeshadow formula and best Colourpop lippie formula.
Best ColourPop Products: My Review
Let’s get into the full review! I’ll be going over both lip and eye products and giving my honest assessment :)!
ColourPop Lip Products Review
Before I dive in, I’ll give you a quick look into my lip care routine. I apply Vaseline Jelly Cocoa butter to my lips each night, and I use the e.l.f. Lip Exfoliator every other night or so. I put Vaseline on my lips while I do my makeup then remove it after about 20 minutes; this helps prep my lips for lipstick. For these photos, I wore Maybelline Baby Lips in ‘Quenched’ and lined my lips with the NYX Wonder Pencil in ‘Light’. At the end I’ll go over products I think are the best ColourPop lip products!
Hutch flash on
Hutch natural light
Here’s ‘Hutch’, the Ultra Satin Lip product, shot with the camera flash on and in natural lighting.
Pros
- The color is very even and didn’t require several layers to get a nice look.
- The pigment is rich and the color is very striking.
- The product dries down to a slightly matte finish, which I personally favor.
- The formula has an overall smooth feel to it; it didn’t leave my lips feeling tacky.
- The product held up well while I was drinking my morning coffee.
Cons
- I’m happy to note that I didn’t experience any problems or inconveniences with this Colourpop lippie.
Notion (flash on)
Notion natural light
Here’s ‘Notion’, the Ultra Matte lip product, shot with the camera flash on and in natural lighting.
Pros
- This Colourpop lippie is very richly pigmented.
- The color is flattering and works well for both day and night looks.
- This product held up well through drinking a cup of coffee.
Cons
- The lip product looks somewhat patchy.
- The product made my lips feel sticky/tacky almost immediately upon drying.
- The product is pretty difficult to remove, which is a pro and a con. While it was long-lasting, I went through a lot of Vaseline and tissue to remove it.
- The color/dye stained my lips; this stubborn residue did not come off until I exfoliated my lips. This really surprised and disappointed me.
Sookie flash on
Sookie natural light
Here’s ‘Sookie’, the Ultra Glossy Lip product, shot with the camera flash on and in natural lighting.
Pros
- The gloss is not sticky or tacky, which is a common issue with many lip glosses.
- The gloss has a high-shine look that’s not over the top, but it’s certainly eye-catching.
- The color is a very beautiful and unique shade of purple.
Cons
- The color is uneven and patchy, as you can easily see in the photos with the flash on.
- It takes several layers and some corrections/trial and error to create an even look.
- Like many lip glosses, this one isn’t long-wearing, especially when eating drinking.
The Verdict: In my experience, the best ColourPop lippie is the Ultra Satin Lip. The pros heavily outweigh the cons, and it’s a true steal for $6.00 per tube. I’d read that this is one of the best ColourPop products, and I can certainly see why. I’ve already been browsing the ColourPop website to check out more Ultra Satin Lip shades!
ColourPop Eyeshadow Review
For these photos, I didn’t use an eyeshadow primer. I wanted to get an honest look at the color and longevity of each eyeshadow. I’m wearing Maybelline Lash Sensational in ‘Blackest Black’ and my bottom lash line is lined with ‘Undone’ from the Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 eyeshadow palette.
Per ColourPop directions, I applied the eyeshadow using my finger and a flat Real Techniques eyeshadow brush with firm bristles. To clean up the edges, I used cotton swabs and a bit of Rimmel Eye Makeup Remover.
Truth (Flash)
Truth (Natural)
Pros
- This shadow offers the perfect amount of shimmer. It’s not excessively glittery, but it’s not an ultra matte formula. It makes my eyes look bright in a subtle way that I really love.
- The color blends seamlessly onto my eyelid. One quick sweep of my finger created a perfect look. Though I did use a brush to touch it up per ColourPop directions, this shade is good to go with just a finger swipe!
Cons
- This is a minor issue to me, but I feel that it’s worth noting. In order to get more noticeable color, I would have to apply two layers of color. I did this after taking photos and found that it’s very easy to build color. The extra step doesn’t bother me much, though I do find that it’s worth mentioning.
Here’s ‘Sequin’ shot with the camera flash
Here’s ‘Sequin’ shot in natural lighting.
Pros
- Despite being a pretty bold color, the formula makes the eyeshadow super easy to blend. This allows me to wear a color that I may not otherwise wear; a simple blending brush makes it very wearable.
- Like the other Supershock ColourPop eyeshadows, this one does not crease.
Cons
- Sequin contains a lot of glitter, and it’s a bit chunky versus being subtle. This makes it hard to spread around evenly. You may notice this in the flash photos.
- I found that the color doesn’t fit the description well. The color is more of a rusty hue than a ‘copper one’. Aside from the glitter, I don’t notice the ‘metallic’ aspect that’s noted in the description.
Here’s ‘Brady’ shot with the camera flash.
Here’s ‘Brady’ shot in natural lighting.
Pros
- It’s hard to find a ‘one size fits all’ eyeshadow color, but it seems that ‘Brady’ fits the bill. With light application as seen in the photos above, it’s excellent for neutral looks. However, it can be built up easily to create a bold, darker look.
- ‘Brady’ has an absolutely flawless matte finish. While shooting the photos, I noticed – and loved! – how perfectly even the color looks.
Cons
- This is yet another ColourPop product that I had absolutely no issues with!
Here’s ‘Static’ shot with the camera flash on.
Here’s ‘Static’ shot in natural lighting.
Pros
- The color of this is very true to the description. It’s a beautiful burgundy hue with just the lightest hint of shimmer.
- Speaking of shimmer, ColourPop really nailed it with their shimmery eyeshadow formulas. They’re not overbearing at all, and that includes ‘Static’.
Cons
- This color is slightly difficult to blend and achieve an even look with. In the naturally lit photo with my eyes closed, you can see uneven blending on my lids. I didn’t have this issue with the other Colourpop eyeshadows.
- This color was a bit difficult to remove. It was by no means as difficult as the Colourpop lippies I had issue with. I ended up using an oil-based makeup remover and it got the job done.
Results: After sporting each of these colors, I think that ‘Brady’ is the Best ColourPop eyeshadow out of the bunch. Though the excellent formula for all of these is the same, each color had unique differences. Brady was easiest to work with due to the lack of glitter, the perfect amount of pigmentation the seamless color, and the overall formula. ColourPop eyeshadow is definitely one of the best eyeshadow formulas I’ve worked with.
Out of all of these shadows, I also consider ‘Truth’ to be the one of the best ColourPop eyeshadows. I chose this one for the same reasons I choose ‘Brady’, but ‘Brady’ has more of a unique color. I absolutely plan to order more of the matte Colourpop eyeshadows and ones with subtle shimmer, especially since they’re only $5 each!
Wrapping It Up: My Take On ColourPop Products
What I’ve read about the best ColourPop products seems to align pretty accurately with my personal experiences. I’d heard Ultra Satin Lip was the best ColourPop lip product, but I’m so partial to matte products. I was surprised to find that I preferred the Satin over the Matte, but that seems to be a popular opinion!
As far as the eyeshadows go, none of them necessarily disappointed me. The formula is incredibly unique and I can see why it’s always dubbed one of the best ColourPop products. The lighter hues – particularly the matte one – seem easier to apply and blend. Overall, I’m certainly going to be placing a ColourPop order in the future!
I’d truly love to hear about your experiences with this brand, too. What do you think the best ColourPop lipsticks and best ColourPop eyeshadows are? Are there any products that you definitely don’t consider the best of ColourPop? Your feedback is always welcomed and appreciated by us and other readers. Don’t forget to sign up for our mailing list and join us on BaumBeauty’s Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
Amy Baum
Check out our other sections and my social profiles :)!
Latest posts by Amy Baum (see all)
- e.l.f. Cosmetics Mad For Matte Holy Smokes Palette Review - August 23, 2017
- Best Sunglasses Under $50: 10 Cheap Glasses For Women - August 4, 2017
- 7 Ways To Do Your Nails: DIY & Professional Manicures - July 25, 2017
Leave a Reply