A No-Bullshit Review of Colourpop Cosmetics' Lippie Stix

ColourPop, suddenly everywhere.  Your favourite bloggers and vloggers are talking about how Ohb-sessed they are with the new brand.  So what's the deal with them anyway and how can they charge so little for something that appears to be such good quality?
I decided to put in an order, specifically for their Lippiestix, to try and understand the hype.  At a first glance, here are some of the appealing factor:

• Cheap - $5USD for each LippieStix or Eyeshadow Single
• Large colour range
• Claim to be cruelty-free
• Fast turnaround time
• Raved about by popular YouTubers such as Shaaanxo
• Professional and interest packaging design

However, due to their sudden spring into existence, people have started to really question the background behind ColourPop.  How are they able to churn out so many products and orders in such a small time frame.  People questioned whether they were actually an Indie brand or if they had a mystery backer.  It's also discussed whether or not they truly are cruelty-free as many cases of start-ups jumping into huge production lines do-so with the assistance from Chinese manufacturers (and the recent changes to animal-testing in China still may not exemplify a manufacturer of this).

After trying to find out more information and subsequently being linked back to the same post on Reddit about ColourPop, most information that's been found is baseless rumours and speculation.  At this stage, we can't yet label the company as having a nefarious backer with an ulterior motive however we can agree that the lack of transparency regarding this new business is curious.
From what I've been able to gather, ColourPop don't refer to themselves as an "indie" brand on their website or social media platforms.  Their marketing, whilst a little unorthodox, is effective. 

Is it ethical?  Well I guess that depends on your definition however can we agree that there are some pretty unethical companies that are prevalent in the cosmetics industry and if you are to discredit ColourPop based on possible immoral behaviour, you should probably avoid L'Oreal products (parent company of Urban Decay, Lancome, Maybelline, NYX and many more), Procter & Gamble (Olay, Covergirl, MaxFactor) & the Estée Lauder Company (MAC, Bobbi Brown, Smashbox and many more).  All of these companies have their finger in the Animal testing pie and a variety of other controversial topics such as false-advertising, supporting data retention, workers rights and price fixing.

Phew, all that aside, let's focus on the product itself now shall we?


Out of their box and with their caps off.  This is one of the major appeals, personally, regarding their product. I like the different approach to the product design and I really like the coloured tips that match the lipstick shade.  Upon opening them up, I was a little surprised that the product itself was in a small tube however it actually made them easier to apply, without the aid of a lip-brush.  The small shape allows you to get a better outline of your lip shape.


Brills - Lilac with a satin finish

Colourpop describes this as a Lavender shade but I believe it to be more of a lilac.  It's creamy, glides on without too much fuss, mostly opaque (shown above is one layer).  The satin finish means its longevity isn't quite as long as other products (roughly 3-4 hours without touch ups, instantly rubs off onto your burrito though)

Pros: Good colour payoff, interesting shade, no distinct flavour, reasonably lasting, somewhat hydrating, easy application

Cons: Smells a little funky

Recommended: Yes


Wet - Metallic taupe with a pearlised finish

Pretty terrible, very difficult to get a nice even finish, expect to be touching this up meticulously. This product was not particularly hydrating nor drying but did feel uncomfortable to wear due to the finish being a little tacky.  Longevity is bogus.

Pros: Unique colour

Cons: Difficult to apply, poor colour payoff, unpleasant smell and flavour, very short staying power

Recommended: hard no


Fetch - Bright pink with a satin finish

This product was a lot brighter than expected, it's borderline fluro in person and varies a fair bit to the swatches on their site (which appears to be more muted).  Similar to Brills in texture and application due to the formula finish.

Pros: Good colour payoff, no distinct flavour, reasonably lasting, somewhat hydrating, easy application

Cons: Somewhat strong and unpleasant odor, colour differs quite greatly from the swatches on the website

Recommended:Yes, for those who particularly like bright, poppy lip colours


Lumiere - muted rose with a matte finish

My favourite up with Brills.  Easy application as this matte shade starts off quick slick, requires one coat for an opaque coverage.  Dries more matte than shown above (gentle blotting can obviously help it along).  Due to the matte finish, will last longer and holds up better vs sandwiches.

Pros: Excellent colour payoff, not particularly drying for a matte product, long lasting, easy application

Cons: Unpleasant Odor

Recommended: Very yes


LBB - Rich crimson with a matte finish

Advertised as a plum wine, appears to be more of a crimson in person (somewhat plum in cooler lighting).  Dries more matte than shown above but is more drying than Lumiere.  Has an extremely unpleasant flavour to the point of making this unwearable personally (reminds me of the flavour of coriander/cilantro).  Product tends to streak when applying and leaves a strong stain when removed (could be a good or bad thing, depends on your opinion).

Pros: Rich colour, reasonable lasting power, not particularly drying for a matte product

Cons: applies unevenly, powerful odor and flavour

Recommended: only to those who like coriander 


Pitch: true brown with a matte finish

Mental note: make sure to blot this colour it will look like you've smeared excrement on your lips (ew!).  Yes it wasn't until I opened the photo on my computer did I realise how terrible this looked after applcation.  This product does dry to become a more chocolate brown and more flattering however this may look better on warmer or darker skin tones.

Pros: good colour payoff, not particularly drying for a matte product

Cons: unpleasant smell, looks pretty unappealing pre-blotted, slippery application

Recommended: not really, personally the smell and colour are quite off-putting Consensus?

• Not all Lippiestix are created equally so be wary of their finish and shade to help in making a choice
• All the of Lippiestix tested had an unpleasant odor, many of them having an unpleasant taste and a couple having an almost intolerable smell and taste
• Avoid both the pro and anti band-wagoning
• Cheap but only has 1gm of product - good for those who like a variety but take ages to get through an entire lipstick
• Due to the size and shape, they are more prone to temperature changes than other lip products, keep your Lippiestix in a cool place

Would I recommend them in general?  Probably not, they're a US based company which means that $5USD isn't an amazing pricepoint.  There are brands that exist that have a large range, less controversy and more variety in reviews and information (NYX comes to mind).

Their smell alone is enough for me to warn people because seriously, all 6 of them smelled unpleasant at the least and I can't seem to find any review that mentions this, most make mention to a vanilla scent. I'd say the smell is closer to an elderly persons coat closet.


Here are my bare lips for comparison, just in case!