Affordable, vegan and cruelty-free, Jason Wu Beauty has arrived! Do you need it in your life? Let’s discuss the pros and the cons!
(Contains Target affiliate links.)
Last fall I squealed out loud when news dropped on Women’s Wear Daily that Jason Wu was venturing into the world of beauty!! The idea of one of my most beloved designers dipping his hat into the ring of makeup had me elated. I frickin’ love makeup. And I frickin’ love Jason Wu. Add to that news that it was designed to be an AFFORDABLE line that would be available at Target and I was itching to get my hands on it. Talk about a trifecta of potential awesomeness!!
So it goes without saying that as soon as JasonWuBeauty.com launched I was ready and my expectations were immediately exceeded! I felt Wu would start off slowly, dabbling with a product or two before fully getting his feet wet. But that was most definitely not the case as there was an entire LINE of cosmetics calling my name. From concealers and eyeshadow palettes to lipsticks and brow products, this cruelty-free and fully vegan line was going big straight out the gate. There even is a setting powder! A SETTING POWDER.
I took myself on a nice little deep dive down the rabbit hole of Jason Wu Beauty and pulled together a cart-load of bits to splash on my face as a way of celebrating the New Year. Now after several weeks of product testing (and with the line now available at Target), I’m ready to give you the full rundown on everything I purchased and how well we did (or didn’t) get along.
So fellow beauty lovers, buckle up and join me for a discussion on this newcomer to the world of affordable makeup! What would I recommend buying — what would I skip? Keep reading below to find out.
Testing Jason Wu Beauty
For my first Jason Wu Beauty order I wanted to try products from different categories to get an overall sense of how things performed throughout the day! Obviously the eyeshadow palettes caught my eye, but in addition to that I’m always on the hunt for a new brow product and I was very intrigued by the eyeliner.
In the end, here’s everything I picked up for my initial review:
- Flora 9-Pan Eyeshadow Palette in Prickly Pear
- Classic Liquid Eyeliner
- Groomed by Mr. Wu Brow Pencil
- Fluffy Matte Lip Cream in Adored
- Hot Fluff Lipstick in Gingerbread
- Opal Highlight Stick
THE LIP PRODUCTS
For the lips I picked up two Jason Wu Beauty options: a standard lipstick and then a matte liquid lipstick.
FLUFFY MATTE LIQUID LIPSTICK
Right away I thought these Fluffy liquid lipsticks sounded an awful like the Selena Gomez Rare Beauty lippies that came out last fall. In the end, I was not wrong as the two are VERY similar! They are soft and cushiony on the lips but set into a nice matte finish that is (yes) face-mask approved.
- Soft on the lips
- Medium coverage pigment
- Face-mask approved
- Somewhat poor wear time of 3-4 hours.
- $11.99 a pop
- Available in 4 neutral shades
Hot Fluff Lipstick
For comparison I also picked up one of the Jason Wu Hot Fluff lipsticks. These are said to be a multi-use product that can also be worn on the cheeks as a blush or on the eyes as an eyeshadow. But to be honest, the idea of applying lipstick to my eyelids didn’t sell me so I stuck to wearing this strictly on the lips.
Ultimately it likely depends on personal preference but I preferred these to the liquid lippies. They provided more pigment and a much better wear time throughout the day.
- Matte formula
- Full coverage pigment
- Great wear time of 6-7 hours
- Comfortable on the lips
- Minimal transfer when worn with a face mask
- Currently 7 shades available, from neutrals to deep berry tones
- $11.99 a pop
THE HIGHLIGHT STICK
To add some glow to my cheekbones I also picked up the Jason Wu Beauty Opal Highlighter Stick. I love a cream highlighter and this has a holographic effect that is BEAMING! My first outing with this one was to a dental checkup and both the dentist and her assistant couldn’t stop remarking about how beautiful it was. And honestly you haven’t lived until your highlighter is complimented with metal tools in your mouth.
- Holographic effect
- Smooth and even application that blends nicely
- Doesn’t exaggerate pores or settle into lines
- Long-lasting
- Has a coconut-scent that kind of bugs me
- Formulated with Vitamin E and B5
- Priced at $11.99
THE BROW PENCIL
Oh the art of filling in eyebrows. It’s one I’ve come to quite enjoy over the last few years and I’m always interested in discovering new gems to get the job done quickly. The Jason Wu Beauty line includes a brow gel as well but it’s actually the brow pencil I picked up. It’s currently available in three shades and comes with spooly at the end for combing out your brows as needed.
- Long-lasting
- Smooth and quick application
- Versatile, comes with a spooly and can also double as an eyeliner
- Available in 3 shades. I got the light.
- Priced at $11.99
THE EYELINER
The Jason Wu Beauty eyeliner is one that I love so much I included it in my January 2021 favorites. I really enjoy that it is NOT just another a felt tip liquid eyeliner pen.
The old school wand applicator really takes me back to when I was first learning about eyeliner and it’s fantastic for quick application. You simply sweep across your lash line and voila! The product also lasts throughout the day without any smudging or smearing. Even during workouts it manages to stay in place which is fantastic! (Because we all know how annoying it is to look in the mirror and find raccoon eyes when you wrap up your daily cardio.)
- Classic design
- Easy application that’s great for beginners
- No smudging or smearing, even during a workout
- Long-lasting
- Priced at $11.99
THE EYESHADOW
Last, but definitely not least, we have to talk about this eyeshadow palette. Jason Wu Beauty dropped three separate 9-pan palettes. All of them feature a very neutral color story and one is comprised of all mattes. I opted for the Prickly Pear palette that balances soft shades with deeper tones. While I’d venture to say none of the shadows are fully matte, they do vary in how much sparkle is added in. There’s a mauve shade that’s threaded ever so slightly with shimmer that I took to using as a blending shade in the crease.
In terms of how the palette wears, I was moderately impressed. The shades do carry quite a bit of pigment for the most part, but I did find they weren’t consistent. Some applied very patchy to the eyes. Others were more dry and trickier to blend. In the end, no matter what look I was going for the palette was able to get the job done but compared to some of my favorite eyeshadow palettes there’s no way I would consider this palette in the upper percentile.
- Three 9-pan neutral palettes available, 1 all matte
- Moderately pigmented
- Inconsistency between shades, requiring more effort when applying
- Medium-strength longevity. Not bad, but not bullet-proof ala a Pat McGrath eyeshadow for example
- Priced at $14.99 each
FINAL THOUGHTS
WHAT I’D BUY:
- Classic Eyeliner
- Brow Products
- Lip Products
WHAT I’D SKIP:
- Eyeshadow palettes
- The highlighting stick. While nice didn’t manage to out perform the alternative from ColourPop that’s $3 cheaper
Overall, while I wasn’t totally in love with the eyeshadow palette and I do think the ColourPop highlighter stick is better – I’m excited about Jason Wu Beauty and already planning to try out more products. I’m particularly interested in the setting powder and I’m HOPEFUL a concealer and/or foundation will be on the way soon.
It’s really great to see a designer like Jason Wu step into the arena of makeup – but at a more affordable price point. I think it gives him an edge compared to the pricier Dior, YSL, Gucci, etc. lines we are so accustomed to seeing. The range is accessible to a wider audience and one I think has potential to perform strongly over time! Getting into Target stores especially is fantastic news as is the fact that the line is vegan and cruelty-free.
So…. a big kudos to Jason Wu Beauty for creating a line that stands out in a oversaturated market. That is definitely no small feat. Here’s to more great product launches from him ahead!
Thank you for reading!!! Hope you and all your loved ones are staying well. x
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Kelly
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