Affordable cosmetics aren’t anything new, but affordable, quality-made, cosmetics isn’t always easy to find. Especially when it comes to finding beauty products at popular beauty supply stores like Sephora and Ulta.

In the past, you might have considered your drug store Maybelline and CoverGirl your go-to affordable makeup, but I’m here to inform you that there’s a brand out there that’s both affordable, high-quality and made right here in the USA.

ColourPop Cosmetics is a highly popular beauty brand that’s been created with the frugal minded lady and gent in mind. In this review I’ll tell you more about ColourPop the company, what they offer, what makes them affordable and so much more!

If you’ve been in the market to upgrade your beauty routine but haven’t wanted to shell out major bucks to do so, continue reading below.

About ColourPop Cosmetics

Siblings Laura and John Nelson created ColourPop Cosmetics in 2014 in Los Angeles, California, as a byproduct of their parent company Seed Beauty. ColourPop was created with the intention to be a high quality makeup brand that was both affordable to every consumer and cruelty free.

Since its creation, ColourPop has expanded from an e-commerce store to selling to larger retail stores. They partnered up with Sephora in 2017 for a limited holiday collection and have permanently partnered with Ulta in 2018.

And they also do several collaborations with popular Youtubers and social media influencers. As a result, they’ve gained popularity really quickly in a short amount of years and will likely only continue to expand and produce more products in the years to come.

What Does ColourPop Cosmetics Offer?

You can pretty much have all of your makeup needs covered under one brand and one website. ColourPop offers everything from lipstick to eyeshadows to highlighters and as of June 2018, foundation.

Not only will you find every product imaginable, but you’ll discover a plethora of colors too. Their eyeshadows and lipsticks are particularly popular due to the multiple color pallets and color options available.

What Makes ColourPop Cosmetics Affordable?

ColourPop’s website motto is “Beauty That Doesn’t Break The Bank”. They pride themselves on offering high-end formulas for $5-$8. When you see their items at retailers like Ulta, you can expect to spend anywhere from $5-$20 on their various products.

ColourPop manages to keep their prices low by making everything in one place. They create, manufacture, test, package and sell their items all from their location in Los Angeles.

Their typical product price range looks like this:

• Single eyeshadows – $5
• Lip stains and Matte Lipsticks – $6-$7
• Lipstick and Eyeshadow Palettes – $12-$25
• Mascara – $8
• Foundation – $10
• Highlighters – $8
• Larger Kits (include eyeshadows, lipsticks, etc) – $50+

How To Save More Money On ColourPop Cosmetics?

While ColourPop is already pretty affordable right up front, there are a few ways you can actually save more money when purchasing this product.

Use Their AfterPay Option

ColourPop now offers AfterPay at checkout, which allows you to shop for items now and pay for them later.

AfterPay is available for purchases totalling $35 – $1000 and is broken down into four interest-free, equal installments. You’ll be required to pay your balance every two weeks until paid in full and if paid on time, there are no fees.

AfterPay approval is online and pretty much instantaneous, so you don’t have to wait around to see if you qualify. As soon as you complete a short form, you can complete your purchase.

Currently AfterPay is only available to domestic shoppers.

Look For BOGOs, Grab Bags and Free Items

Occasionally ColourPop will offer BOGOs (Buy One, Get One), grab bags and even free items on their site. These are usually limited in quantity, so are only available while supplies last.

Thankfully, because ColourPop is growing so quickly and producing new products regularly, old merchandise will often be up for grabs to anyone interested in trying ColourPop.

Subscribe to the ColourPop Newsletter and Receive 20% Off!

You have to admit that when a website already offers affordable products but then throws a discount code your way too, they must really really love you…or want your business.

When you sign-up for ColourPop’s newsletter for the first time, you will receive a code that gives you 20% off your first purchase of $15 or more. This code is a one time thing and expires seven days after you receive it, so make sure to complete your first purchase before that time is up.

Students Get A Discount

College students can enjoy 15% off when they register with UniDays. To join is free and verification is simple. You just need to prove you are going to a college or university.

After signing up you’ll have instant access to exclusive ColourPop deals.

Also, UniDays doesn’t just offer discounts to ColourPop, you can also enjoy 10% off at M.A.C., 10% off at BH Cosmetics, 15% off at Kate Spade, 10% off at PINK and there are several discounts to other retailers as well.

Search for Deals on RetailMeNot

I like to check RetailMeNot often for current deals that may be available to some of my favorite brands or websites. If you do a search for ColourPop, quite a few deals will pop up. One that is currently working is the code colourpoppin which will give you $5 off your first order of $10.

Use Beauty Influencer Discount Codes

ColourPop is currently collaborating with beauty guru Nicol Concilio and offering 20% off of her favorite ColourPop picks. Use code Nicol20 when you go to check out. You can snag some foundations, powders, eyeshadows and lipsticks when you use her code.

Take Advantage of Flash Sales

On the ColourPop website, you will see a link for their current flash sales. This will show you all of their items currently on sale, usually around 30% off or more. It’s a great way to try out some of their more expensive make-up kits at a discount.

Items are regularly added to this page, so check frequently to see if something you’ve been eyeing for a while has moved into flash sale status.

Purchase From An Online or In-Store  Retailer for Cashback Bonuses and Coupons

You can definitely purchase your ColourPop products directly through their website, but I would recommend shopping via Sephora (when available) or Ulta so that you can take advantage of a few cashback apps and websites that are also affiliated with these retailers.

Some of my favorite cashback apps/sites include:

• Ibotta – We’ve partnered with Ibotta so that you get a $10 bonus when you sign-up and claim your first offer using our link
• ShopAtHome – Sometimes offers a $10 sign-up bonus
• TopCashBack – No bonus, but some of the best cashback deals
• Ebates – $10 sign-up bonus
• BeFrugal – $10 sign-up bonus

If you don’t shop online and prefer in-store purchases, you should definitely register with Ulta for their rewards program. Their program lets you accumulate points whenever you make a purchase which leads to greater discounts and coupons later on.

You’ll also occasionally see ColourPop on mega sale through this retailer where you can get some items at buy one get one half off or even buy one get one free!

Qualify for Free Shipping

For domestic shoppers, when you spend a minimum of $30 via the ColourPop website, you automatically qualify for free shipping, which will save you the $5 shipping cost.

International shoppers need to spend $50 or more to qualify for free shipping, which will save you $10 in shipping costs..

What the Reviews Say

If you do a search on ColourPop on YouTube, you will be bombarded with a ton of reviews and all of them seem to be pretty stellar. This ColourPop new mascaras review posted recently and already has nearly 200K views!

There are even reviews comparing this affordable brand with pricier brands like M.A.C. in terms of quality and color options, and often ColourPop is coming out on top, this has been especially true for their matte lipsticks and eyeshadows.

The ongoing positive reviews and influencer representation on social media is helping ColourPop thrive in the beauty industry. So you really have nothing to lose in trying a few of their products to see what all the hype is about.

Pros and Cons of ColourPop Cosmetics

Pros

• Affordability
• Free domestic shipping on orders totalling $30 and international orders totalling $50
• Tons of product variety
• Very popular in the beauty community
• High quality makeup at a steal (some claim they are better than more high end brands)
• Cruelty free and not tested on animals, and several items are vegan
• Sign up offer of 20% off your first order of $15 ore more
• Additional discounts available for students using UniDays
• Made in the USA
• They offer AfterPay as an option, so you can pay for your order in 4 equal installments
• They accept all major credit cards, PayPal, and Apple Pay

Cons

• No returns: because their items are already so low cost, they do not offer returns, refunds or exchanges (even if your item is unopened)
• Orders are supposed to ship within 3-5 business days, but can take up to two weeks during big promotions or the launch of new products
• Some complaints about the customer service
• They don’t offer any gift cards at this time
• No discounts offered to industry professionals, like makeup artists (since the prices are already so low)
• They don’t offer samples (but you could luck out and receive a free item with your order)
• Once your order is placed, they will not let you cancel or modify your order

Where to Find ColourPop Cosmetics?

Currently there are only two places you can find ColourPop cosmetics. ColourPop.com and Ulta.com. For a while, in the fall of 2017, their items were available for a special release at Sephora, but currently Sephora does not offer any ColourPop products.

If you happen to purchase these products outside of these two sources, you should be forewarned that you may be getting knock-off products and not the real deal.

Things To Keep In Mind Before You Buy

• For international shoppers, remember that customs and duty fees are not included with your order so you may be subject to these later on.
• Remember there are no returns or exchanges, so review your cart and check out a few product reviews before finalizing your order
• Take advantage of the new customer discount and make a larger purchase up front when you have the extra 20% off
• Promo codes can’t be combined, so choose the one that’ll save you the most money
• Create a ColourPop account when you go to place an order so you can keep track of your purchase and delivery estimation

Curious About ColourPop? Try Some of These Best Sellers

Trying a new makeup brand can be a bit scary. It’s one of the reasons I always, one, read and watch a ton of reviews first and two, only make a purchase when I know I can get a great discount, that way if I don’t like something I won’t have wasted a ton of money.

Since ColourPop is so affordable, I completely support giving the brand a try. They even have a list of their best sellers to help get you started. Some of those items include:

Other Affordable Beauty Brands

You can check out this FFL article on affordable makeup websites. Some of the top contenders include Coastal Scents and e.l.f. cosmetics…though I think ColourPop outshines a lot of the others because they come off as both high quality and affordable.

Also, don’t underestimate the power of Amazon. You can score a lot of great makeup deals on there and it’s broken down for you in this article.

And hey, if wearing makeup isn’t really your thing, you can always try to sell it.

Final Thoughts

If you are in the market to upgrade your beauty products or just branching out into trying makeup for the first time, ColourPop Cosmetics could be a great brand worth checking out.

You can rest assured you are getting quality products in cute packaging at affordable prices and items that are cruelty free. And, because they offer such a wide range of items, you are pretty much guaranteed to find something you’ll love.

Hopefully this review has helped if this has been a beauty brand you’ve had your eye on and needed some incentive to make your first purchase. If you are already a ColourPop fan, let me know your thoughts in the comments below.