I finally caved into the hype and ordered a Kylie Jenner “Lip Kit” (i.e. matte liquid lipstick + matching liner) when I realised it was going to be my last time visiting the States for a while, as my boyfriend is spending the summer here. I’d tried so hard to resist, for a number of reason, not least the pretty hefty price tag: $29 + U.S. sales tax + $8 shipping = $37.95 (or around £27). And additionally, it’s Kylie Jenner. Does she really need the money/publicity/business? The kits have been on sale - sporadically - since the beginning of the year, and I think the general consensus is probably not. I’ve heard a multitude of horror stories about all parts of the process, from people being completely unable to get one to others buying multiple units without their knowledge or consent. I for one find it pretty unbelievable that a company with Kylie Jenner behind it (and therefore the ability to employ a multitude of people who know exactly what they’re doing) can continually mess things up as much as they do. When do you ever hear, for example, of NARS selling out of a product? Or MAC sending you an empty box instead of the lipstick you’ve ordered and paid for? Added to which, I knew even getting one would be stressful, as the restocks come randomly and normally at strange/different times. Hilariously, info about restocks are posted on Kylie’s app, which will cost you an additional £2.29 per month… Thank god for the kindness of strangers/bloggers, who repost the info for free and even write whole guides on how to get your hands on one. 
Despite all of this, I decided to take the plunge and take advantage of having a U.S. shipping address, because one of the main complaints is the difficulty of receiving a Kylie Cosmetics product outside of America. I umm-ed and aah-ed for ages, but settled on “Candy K”. I’d bought a dupe (read the post about that here) for that shade and “Mary Jo K” a few months previously and unexpectedly loved the former and disliked the latter. The first time I tried, I was unsuccessful. I was doing it on my phone whilst getting my hair done and hadn’t prepared at all, so had to look up my boyfriend’s address etc. I got all the way to “confirm your order” but then got stuck on a loading page, and by the time it had processed, they were all sold out. Go figure. Next time, I was much more prepared, with my boyfriend’s address written out and my debit card right next to me. I also used my MacBook, which was much easier than doing it on a phone. Success!
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| This is the best quality photo I managed to take; I'm aware my photography skills leave much to be desired, sorry! |
I received my order confirmation immediately, which told me that the “processing time” would be 3-5 business days, and then “delivery time” would be 3-6 days after that. So I’ve deduced that they charge $8 to spend up to five days putting the kit in a box, labelling, and sending it, via a shipping method that would cost the average person (not even a huge company bulk-buying) about $3.50. Thanks Ky. Unexpectedly, I received my shipping confirmation just three business days later, and the box arrived just two days after that.
I will admit, the girl has got a few things right with these products - specifically, the marketing. Although the box it came in was unnecessarily large, the whole thing is extremely appealing and attractive - all monochrome and drip effects, with a postcard featuring a (reproduced) handwritten note from Kylie herself. This is what you will have seen a lot of on social media - they’re pretty Instagram-able, if you want to use that expression. However, my box was a little bashed up, and the actual lipstick and liner come in a box that they don’t fit in too well. On the inside, I can see where the rumours that these liquid lipsticks are just Colour Pop Ultra Matte Lips re-packaged, as they’re in identical containers. The liners are of that non-pencil, more plastic-y variety (if you know what I mean!), which I personally dislike, but each to their own.
Now came the real test: wearing it. The first thing I noticed is the smell. My god is it strong. If you’re not a fan of strong smells - particularly sugary ones - I’d warn you not to purchase a Kylie Lip Kit. The scent is like sticking your head in a bag of marshmallows, and it fills the room you’re in up. Better than it smelling bad, but not ideal. The pencil did glide on, but it also blunted quite quickly, which makes me think it won’t last long as I’ll have to sharpen it quite frequently. The lip colour went on smoothly too, and it is nicely pigmented so you don’t have to use a lot. Candy K is described as a “soft, warm nude”, but looks slightly pink-y on my rather fair face. It takes a while to dry to matte, but once it had it didn’t smudge or bleed. I didn’t have to reapply and the smell didn’t linger too badly; I could also kiss my boyfriend without him coming away with some! So, maybe the formula is something you should buy into.
However, I’ve worn it a few times since that first time, and I’m becoming less and less keen. Most recently, it has felt as drying on my lips as my $6 Colourpop liquid lipstick (still couldn’t really be described as “drying”, but to feel similar to a product a fifth of the price isn’t great), and I’ve noticed that the “matching” liner is actually darker than the lipstick. So I end up looking slightly like a drag queen sometimes - especially if I go for the over-lining-to-get-fuller-lips effect. In all honesty, for the circumstances surrounding the product, the irritating ordering process, and the over-priced shipping, it would have needed to be something really special to make my overall experience positive. As it stands, I don’t think they’re worth the hype and probably won’t be ordering again.
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| Close up! I'm not keen on how you can see the liner, as it's slightly darker than the liquid lipstick. |
I’d love to hear your guys’ opinions on Kylie Cosmetics, especially those who have purchased products. I know that this might review might come across to some as unfair or overly critical, so other views are completely welcome!
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