Testing Online Makeup Brands – Haul and First Impressions

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During all of the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales I decided to finally test out some of the online makeup brands I’d been eyeing: Colourpop and Glossier. Today I’m sharing the products I purchased and my first impressions of them. 

This post contains affiliate links. So if you make a purchase using my link, I’ll receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. 

Colourpop

I’ve experimented with Colourpop a little before. Although the brand is mostly online only, I have found a very small collection in my local Ulta. I tried the Super Shock Shadows previously, but for most of the line you have to go online. 

Colourpop does have quite an extensive line. From tons of shades of lip colors and eyeshadows, to a full range of foundation shades, and even brushes and tools, Colourpop has pretty much anything you would need. 

Colourpop’s price point is fairly similar to most drugstore brands. The Super Shock Shadows are the least expensive at 5 dollars and it appears the most expensive product is their 12 dollar foundation (some of their sets are more expensive than this, but this seems to be the most expensive individual product). 

One of the things I was most excited about with Colourpop was the Disney Designer collection. I love anything Disney related, and I thought the products looked really pretty. I believe the collection is limited edition, but I know it’s been restocked a few times already, so it’s hard to say how long it will be around. 

From the Disney collection I purchased the Belle Collection Set. This contains the lipstick in Belle, Super Shock Shadow in Be Our Guest, and a lipgloss called Last Petal which is exclusive to the set. I also grabbed the Super Shock Highlighter in A Smile and a Song.

Both of the lip products from the Belle set are rose toned (fitting, right?). The gloss also has a metallic sheen to it, and the products coordinate well together. 

The Be Our Guest shadow is a berry shade with some purple shimmer mixed in. When I wore it I applied it sheerly with my fingers and it looked like a hot pink wash of color which I really liked. It can definitely be built up to the color in the pan. 

The Belle Collection Set (and all of the Princess Sets) retails for $18

The A Smile and a Song highlighter is also part of the Disney Designer collection and retails for $8. The highlighter is a golden tone, which I really don’t have in my collection. I think it’s really pretty and gives a nice glow. The only problem I have with this, and the other Super Shock products, is I sort of don’t know how to apply them. So far I’ve just used my fingers because I’m not sure what kind of brush to use, or if I should use one at all. If you’ve tried the shadows or the highlighter let me know how you’ve applied it. 

Check out more Disney Princess makeup.

The other two products I bought were two Creme Lux Lipsticks from Colourpop’s regular line. These sell for 7 dollars usually, but were 30% off when I purchased them. I got the colors What If and Angel City. What If is a hot pink shade and while these aren’t long wear products, it will stain your lips. Angel City is another rose toned color, and while not an exact dupe for Belle (Angel City seems to have a little more red in it), it is similar. 

Side Note: The packaging of the Colourpop lipsticks seem super high quality. They have some weight to them!

Get $5 off your first Colourpop order!

Glossier

Glossier seems like the makeup brand that the cool girl who always has that no-makeup makeup look going on would be all about. What I mean by that is they have sleek modern packaging and are focused on enhancing natural beauty. You won’t find a huge range of makeup, though they have several interesting products. They also have a line of skincare. 

Glossier’s prices run a bit higher. I’d say they are comparable to a brand like MAC. 

I picked up two products from Glossier: the Generation G lip color in Crush and the Cloud Paint in Puff. Both products retail for $18. 

Cloud Paint is a cream blush. It was one of the products from Glossier that I had heard the most good stuff about so I wanted to give it a try. I don’t think I’ve ever used a cream blush other than when I was little and would play with makeup. I’m not even sure I should be calling this a cream as it’s more of a liquid. I think it gives a nice natural flush to the skin and it’s easy to build up to the color you like.

I really love the look the Generation G lip color gives. It’s subtle, but still brightens your face. It is, however, a bit on the pricey side.

Colourpop has a product called the Ultra Blotted Liquid Lipstick. Other than this being a liquid and the glossier product being a stick, it seems to be the same concept. I would have to try the Colourpop version to say for sure, but for a third of the price, it’s seems worth a chance.

Comparing and Contrasting

First the similarities:

• Both brands are made in the USA and are cruelty free.
• Both offer free shipping on orders over $30.

Now for the differences:

• Price. Colourpop has affordable pricing similar to the drugstore. Glossier’s products are priced more like high end brands.
• Range. Colourpop has pretty much any product to do a full makeup look. Glossier’s products are more selective.
• Shades: Colourpop has a wide shade range when it comes to foundations and concealer. Glossier has 5 shades, though they state they are adaptable.

Final Thoughts

I’m glad I tried out both of these brands. I’m really happy with the products I got and I could see them becoming part of my everyday routine. I will probably shop with Colourpop more because of their prices and variety, but I’m definitely willing to try more from Glossier too.

Have you tried either of these brands before? Let me know what you’ve tried!

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