MAKEUP REVIEW; QUO Beauty (PLUS a Giveaway!)

I’ve been hanging on to these QUO Beauty goodies for months and couldn’t wait to share my thoughts with y’all but then the world turned to shit and this launch was postponed due to there being many more pressing matters at hand. While it still feels apocalyptic out there (these fucking moths…) I noticed during my last Shopper’s Drug Mart run that QUO Beauty displays got a bit of a makeover so I wanted to share my thoughts on some of their new goodies as well as host a little giveaway for y’all.

QUO Beauty is a Shopper’s Drug Mart brand and is only available at Shopper’s. They recently went through a major revamp and the packaging and logo feels more fresh and up-to-date. All of the beauty products are also vegan and cruelty free.

Note that the collection contains a lot more items than I am reviewing and I did receive some items I didn’t try but will be included in the giveaway.

Golden Glow Primer

Holy guacamole, is this thing dewy. This is, without a doubt, the most illuminating primer I’ve ever used. Ultra shimmery, the QUO Beauty Golden Glow Primer is not the type of primer I would normally pick out. I did find that with my oily-combo skin that I was a bit more shiny than I would have liked, but those with duller complexions may find they like the glow boost. It’s definitely designed with fairer complexions in mind, it was a bit on the light side for me. Application itself was great and it didn’t pill or tug with foundation application. Overall I like the formula, I am just not in love with the finish on it’s own. I will continue to use it by mixing in the tiniest amount to my foundation instead.

Cost: $20

Skin Perfector

I wish that makeup testers and samples were a thing still because I would go and swatch the other two shades of the Skin Perfector to see if they felt as cool as the Golden Hour shade that I receive, It honestly feels like suede and I have never felt a pressed powder like it before. I’ll admit that the name of the product confused me at first because I wasn’t sure if it was an all over face power or complexion product, but once finding it on the site and swatching it was obvious that this is meant to be a highlighter. She is PIGMENTED and blends like a dream. Something about the texture just makes it sink into the skin so effortlessly and I would compare it to the Tarte highlighters in terms of payoff; more shimmery than glittery.

Cost: $16

Bronzer Powder

Available in one contour and three tanning shades, the Bronzer Powder I received was the medium tan shade called Natural Tan. It has nice pigmentation and I do like that the bronzer has a bit of a red undertone so it does look more natural on my skintone. The packaging on this is really minimal, surprising since the rest of the line-up got such a glow-up. It kind of reminds me of palette refill trays and I wish there was a bit more TLC put into the packaging. Overall, it’s a good bronzer, definitely one of the better ones from the drugstore.

Cost: $14

Featherweight Cream Blush

*HEAVY BREATHING* This cream blush was the product I was most eager to try because I love a cream blush. I love how easy cream blushes are to use and mix with other cream blushes and I can’t believe it took me this long to realize that cream blushes are god-tier. Available in 7 shades this blush was my favourite thing from the entire line-up. It’s so beautiful– I even scooped up a few extra in store. Trust me, if you are going to go buy one thing from this list make it the Featherweight Cream Blush (shades Heavenly and Pure are my favourites) and the mascara (you’ll see why…)

Cost: $14

Cosmic Cream Shadow

While I seem to have an unhealthy obsession with cream blushes the same cannot be said for cream eyeshadows. No matter what I do my eyelids get oily and my shadow (cream or otherwise) always ends up creasing by the end of the day so I never exclusively use cream shadows, however these Cosmic Cream Shadows were great to add a little bit of sparkle to an eyelook. The shades are fun because they have a colour shift to them when they hit the light a certain way, like this shade Light Waves with a baby blue base and a lavender-silver shift to them.

Cost: $16

Liquid Precision Marker

Anyone who has ever seen a picture of me can tell you that I am a cat-eye liner kind of gal. I love me a liquid eyeliner with a sharp tip and hella pigmentation. While I would never pick out this Electric Blue shade I decided to try it out because it was sent to me (and that way I could include the black one in the giveaway) and I was so impressed. The colour payoff for the Liquid Precision Marker is *chef’s kiss* and it glides on like a goddamn dream without tugging at your eyelids. I’ve tried other coloured liners in the past and have found them patchy in the past this one is honestly one of the best I’ve tried ever. And that price point, wow, how could you resist?!

Cost: $12

Pump Up The Volume Mascara

I love a mascara that is JUICY. I want a mascara that is wet and comes with a thick brush with tons of bristles to coat my lashes. At this point I find myself flabbergasted at how amazing the quality of QUO Beauty makeup is because I have been sleeping on it. Truly. This Pump Up The Volume Mascara is better than some of the mascaras I’ve bought 4x the cost at department stores. It added so much length and held the curl in my poker straight Asian lashes. The black shade is already sold out online and I am so scared that this is a limited edition release because I currently have no brand loyalty to any mascara but this is one I would repurchase again.

Cost: $10 (can you believe that?!)

Lipstick

At this point, I think fucking up a lipstick is hard. We all know what a good lipstick should feel and look like. Moisturizing, pigmented and comfortable to wear, and the QUO Beauty Lipstick hits all of those. The shade that I tried (Buttered Up) is a classic coral-pink that I would normally pick out but if I am being honest if I was in the store I probably wouldn’t consider these for one reason; they are tiny. It’s literally less than half the amount (1.6 grams) of a Maybelline lipstick (4.2 grams) for the same price.

Cost: $10

Sheer Lip Paint

A lightweight lip seems to be the look of choice lately, now that we’re all wearing mask indoors and I think the new QUO Beauty Sheer Lip Paint is ideal for those looking for a wash of colour but if you also hate the feeling of gloss or lipstick on your lips. Almost like a lip stain, when this product dries down you won’t be able to feel it at all and it leaves a demi-matte sheer colour on your lips. I will say that I do regret swatching this colour (Irresistable) because this is definitely not my shade. This is a white folk shade for sure, meaning one of my fair skin friends is about to get a new lippie.

Cost: $12

Win a QUO Beauty Prize Pack

One lucky Canadian winner will win a bunch of QUO Beuaty items valued at over $200 CAD! To enter head to my Instagram page (@vickiduong) and find my QUO Beauty post for all the deets. Contest runs from September 17 until October 1. Good luck!

Prize includes:

• Gel Eye Mask
• Blending Sponge
• Blush (Rose Water)
• Featherweight Cream Blush (Angelic)
• Pump Up The Volume Mascara (Teal)
• Brow Defining Gel (Clear)
• Liquid Precision Marker (Black)
• 2 Cosmic Cream Shadows (Dark Matter and Solstice)
• 2 HD Diamond Glosses (Pink Pearl and Amber)
• 2 Lipsticks (All In and Cherry Soda)
• Sheer Lip Paint (Poised)
• Flash Dry Matte Top Coat
• Flash Dry Nail Colour (Mellow)