Being a makeup addict in college is hard: it’s expensive, pricey and… expensive. That’s why, when it comes to the ever-popular makeup brand, Kylie Cosmetics, you may be a little hesitant to drop  so much cash when more affordable, quality brands like ColourPop exist. Both companies feature liquid lipstick, which is just one of the many reasons why they have been widely discussed and compared. In just a short time, both of these beauty brands have become the makeup industry version of Pepsi and Coke. Both companies have used social media to gain most of their customers and have devoted themselves to good quality liquid lipsticks. On behalf of college students and makeup lovers everywhere, I’m going to break down these two brands and answer the question: Are the Kylie Lip Kits worth the price tag when brands like ColourPop exist?
To begin, let’s address the most obvious difference between these two brands: price. ColourPop liquid lipsticks go for $6 and the lip liners are $5. The Kylie Lip Kits, on the other hand, go for $29, not including the mandatory $8 shipping fee. I think we can all admit that the Kylie prices are pretty steep, ceding major points to ColourPop. However, Kylie has been instating no-shipping dates to make the purchase more cost effective. The packaging of both ColourPop and Kylie liquid lipsticks are very similar, but Kylie’s is better (in my opinion). The label on the ColourPop products tends to fade rather quickly, but, being so inexpensive, I don’t mind.
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Regarding selection, ColourPop has a wider variety of products including “lippie stix”, liquid lipsticks, glosses, metallic finishes, and face and eye products. I love the fact that there are so many different finishes aside from just matte, made famous by Kylie Jenner. Kylie Cosmetics is starting to expand their collection, but there is no comparison regarding the sheer bulk of products that these companies sell.  As for the colors, ColourPop again has more variety. However, the Kylie shades are more unique. Out of the three colors I own, I can honestly say I haven’t seen anything like them before. On sites like Pinterest, you can find “dupes” for Kylie Lip Kits, but every one I’ve tried has been slightly different from the original.Â
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When it comes down to it, the most important part of any product is its formula. In comparing both Kylie Cosmetics and ColourPop’s matte finish liquid lipsticks, I’ve found that Kylie’s product is just a little bit creamier, whereas ColourPop lipsticks have a thinner consistency. Aside from the latter, I don’t really find them to be all that different. Both products are decently dry on the lips, but that seems to be an unfortunate side effect of most matte lip products. As for wear, I think that the deeper shades in the Kylie collection have stronger staying power, but the lighter ones tends to fade more quickly. ColourPop matte finishes stain your lips for a decent amount of time. I find that when I wear them I can be out all night without a single retouch.
The truth is, I don’t have an answer to whether or not Kylie Lip Kits are really worth it. Although it pains me to say it, I’ll admit from what I’ve tried so far that Kylie Cosmetics is overhyped. ColourPop is a lot more affordable and has a wide range of colors, despite the fact that Kylie offers unique colors in her collection, which will only continue to grow. There is something glamorous about the lip kits, and honestly, the quality isn’t bad at all. I say; if you find yourself falling in love with a color, then go for it! If not, maybe just stick to ColourPop, as you can try as many colors as you want for only $6 each.Â