Wet n Wild + First Impressions
By: The Savvy Suavinista
Wet n Wild has been a mainstay on drugstore shelves for decades. They’ve recently updated their brand with new lines of products that are making them more popular than ever. Makeup lovers have been giving Wet n Wild rave reviews that show they’re winning in the budget beauty game. All of their products are cruelty free (you can verify any cruelty free product by looking for the little bunny logo) so you can shop free of guilt. I’ll be giving my thoughts on the goods I grabbed including the 17 Brush Bundle, MegaGlo Highlighting Powder, MegaLast Liquid Catsuit Matte Lipstick, and MegaSlim Skinny Tip Eyeliner.
17 Brush Bundle- $28.99 at Wetnwildbeauty.com for a limited time while supplies last.
This set includes all of the brushes from Wet n Wild’s collection. You can buy each brush individually for $3 and under at Target, Walgreens, CVS, Walmart or Wetnwildbeauty.com. I decided to get the entire set and try each of them individually. This caught my eye because of its value, quality, and color scheme. These brushes feel ready for spring with their adorable pastel pink and white tones. All together they remind me of a bouquet of fresh tulips blooming and make for a stunning display. There’s a brush for just about anything you would need and maybe more. It’s a diverse range of tools with multiple face and eye brushes, plus accessory brushes like the fan brush or brow lash comb that are nice to have included. I’ve seen some other colorful brush collections inspired by unicorns and mermaids that boast bold pink, blues, green or purple features. Those sets are unfortunately double the price and don’t seem to be much better in quality. There are a few other good brushes from brands in the drugstore range including Elf and Real Techniques, but Wet n Wild’s met all of my criteria including being cute and colorful.
Brush claims from Wet n Wild’s website:
All of their brushes are cruelty free, gluten free, and vegan. Brushes have innovative bristles and an ergonomic design making any look quick and easy to perfect. Two-toned synthetic Polymax fibers mimic the consistency of natural hairs. Exclusive thermoplastic polymer complex picks up formula effortlessly. Holds any cream liquid or powder formula without absorption.
Each brush handle is white, featuring the Wet n Wild logo and an indentation that fits fingers for a better grip. All of the brushes showcase bright pink and white ombre bristles. They are soft and fluffy even though they’re synthetic. The bristles feel sturdy, can hold their shape and don’t shed. That’s important for me because I have no patience for picking stray hairs off of my face when applying makeup. They don’t feel coarse or scratchy on the skin. These also do well when wet, which can achieve a dewier application with face products or a more foiled metallic look with eye products.
Although many brands have improved over the last few years, sometimes a downside in drugstore products is subpar packaging. Wet n Wild is making an effort with some of their other products, and while the brushes themselves are gorgeous, the way they were packaged wasn’t ideal. Since these are all sold individually, they are each separately enclosed in tight little plastic bags. The brushes may have cost more if they also included a large case to hold them all, but that would have been much more convenient. A card listing the type of brush and its description is included in each packet, but once you take them out it can be easy to forget which one is which. I preferred to get rid of the packaging and display them all together in a glass.
Since they are white and pastel pink, product shows easily when they’re used. After washing them with Dawn they returned to original condition.
Some brushes perform better than others, which can also depend on what brushes fit your needs better. I would recommend buying some individually for those who don’t want to spend as much or don’t need the entire collection. I am glad I was able to get them all because I love feeling like I have a tool for any project. Some can be used in multiple ways and you don’t have to always use each brush for its intended purpose. Sometimes using our fingers is the easiest fix, but when you have a good tool you can get a more even or precise application. Using a brush instead of fingers on the face can also be more hygienic. It’s handy to have a few different brushes so you don’t have to dip the same one into several colors. The only thing that I might have added for a complete collection would be a lip brush, but you could repurpose one of the liner brushes for the lip if needed.
Beginning from top left: 1. Powder brush 2. Large stipple brush 3. Small stipple brush 4. Flat top brush 5. Foundation brush 6. Blush brush 7. Contour brush 8. Fan brush 9. Crease brush 10. Large eyeshadow brush 11. Small eyeshadow brush 12. Large concealer brush 13. Smoky liner brush 14. Small concealer brush 15. Angled liner brush 16. Bent liner brush 17. Brow lash comb.
1. Fan brush- $2.99
Lightly dip brush into highlighting powder. Dust across top of cheekbone for a healthy glow and swirl a bit to blend. You can also use on high points of face: center of forehead, above brows, bridge or tip of nose, or cupid’s bow. It comes with a little guard to protect and preserve its shape which is nice. This brush is a little wispy and could maybe be a bit denser to pick up product better. It applies more on the subtle side unless you swirl the pan a few times but it goes on smoothly. The highlighter was pigmented enough that I didn’t need to pick up too much of it but can be built up to be more intense. I’m pretty happy with this brush, especially since it’s at the drugstore and is priced so well.
2. Small concealer brush- $0.99
Use to dab concealer on blemishes. It worked very well for placing enough product for coverage. It wasn’t the most necessary piece since this is the only thing I used it for.
3. Large concealer brush- $0.99
Use for under eye concealer or cream contour. This was convenient for placement but I needed another brush for blending.
4. Contour brush- $1.99
Use this to add dimension and depth to your cheekbones. You can also do some shading in places where shadows naturally fall on the face or where you want some more slimming. The angle of the brush helps line up where you want to place it with precision while hugging and fitting into the hollows of the cheek bones. It blends well but you can use another brush for additional blending if desired. If it were a little stiffer it might be able to pick up a bit more product to really carve out a more intense contour. It worked better for picking up powder contour than cream.
5. Flat Top brush- $2.99
This works well as an all-purpose face blending brush. Whenever I need extra blending at any step, the good old flat top delivers. I prefer this as the primary foundation brush, but it’s good in combination with the stippling brush beforehand as well. You can swirl this in circular motions for a completely blended finish in no time.
6. Powder brush- $2.99
Use this brush for all over face powders. This is big enough that it could work for any product if you want something that will blend all over the face quickly and easily. It’s light and fluffy so it works well and feels soft against the skin.
Close up of Powder brush
7. Foundation brush- $2.99
I don’t think this brush is best for foundation so i use it for my primer. This is the best way I’ve found to use the brush, as well as skincare before applying face products. It applies smooth and evenly and is more hygienic. This might be fine for applying foundation without fingers but doesn’t seem fit for blending the way a good foundation brush should.
8. Large stipple brush- $2.99
Stippling is dotting a cream or liquid face product on lightly in a bouncing, dabbing motion before blending for a smooth finish. These stipple brushes have both long and short hairs that taper to pick up product and disperse it evenly. This works well when wet to boost its sheering effects. I liked it as a first step before blending out with the flat top brush. The stipple brushes seem to absorb product more than the others.
9. Small stipple brush- $2.99
This is used to blend out concealer and cream products. This blended my concealer better than anything else I’ve tried. I was pleasantly surprised because I don’t normally stipple my makeup. In combination with the small concealer brush my blemishes stayed covered. This is also really nice with cream blush or contour. Dab and bounce this on your skin the same way you do with the large one.
10. Blush brush- $2.99
You can use this for blush and bronzer. Smile and apply to the apples of your cheeks and blend slightly upward. Blush brushes are pretty basic but I’ve had some bad ones in the past that shed and felt coarse. This one was simple and got the job done. It picked up the right amount of product and worked easily.
11. Smoky liner brush- $0.99
I found a lot of ways to put this little guy to use. The smoky liner brush is really good for precise or miscellaneous eye tasks. I used this to apply my eyeshadow primer and it made it more precise and even. My eyeshadow surface looked smooth and it made an improvement. It needed to be blended with the small eyeshadow brush so this brush needs a little help in that department. You can also use this to add color to your waterline (the inner lower lash line). When you use a bright color like nude or white you can brighten the eyes and clean up mascara on the edge of the waterline. I find this works effectively with concealer to clean up any uneven edges of brows, winged liner, or lipstick as well.
12. Bent liner brush- $0.99
This kind of brush is used with gel, cream, or shadow liner. It’s bent at an angle meant to help create a precise eyeliner wing. I find these brushes confusing and difficult to keep at the right angle as you’re going. Its bristles are fine and sharp, but I still had trouble applying winged liner with this brush. These types of brushes are kind of useless for me.
13. Angled liner brush- $0.99
To use the angled liner brush, sweep eyeshadow or liner along lower lash line, focusing on the outer rim. This brush is thin enough to glide perfectly along the lower lash line and not droop down too far. You can also use it for the upper lash line. If you want to blend it more you can use the crease brush afterwards.
14. Brow lash comb- $0.99
The brow lash comb includes both the brow brush and lash comb. This tool is more practical than you might think. To use the brow brush, brush eyebrows upward for a lifting effect and to make them stay in place. This is also used to blend product throughout the brow to appear more even and natural, working from the outer brow inward where it should be lighter. It works with any kind of brow product. The brow brush is dense but not scratchy in comparison to my more expensive brush from Anastasia Beverly Hills. It’s also big, so if you have product on you might want to be careful that it doesn’t go outside of your natural brow. The lash comb is good for defining and separating lashes to keep from clumping. Comb gently before or after mascara, just make sure to be careful and finish before the mascara dries. These little details can make a big upgrade in a makeup application. This can be used on the lower lash line too and luckily it didn’t poke me in the eye when I tried it.
15. Large eyeshadow brush- $0.99
This is good for placement of an overall color on the eyelid or whenever you’re covering a larger space of the eye. It picks up pigment easily and can blend decently enough on its own.
16. Small eyeshadow brush- $0.99
You can use this by packing pigment onto the lower lid in a patting motion. This one is a little more precise so you can carve out the lid underneath the crease. It’s also good wet to make shimmer shadows more metallic or foiled. It works for making a browbone or inner corner highlight for a brightening and lifting effect on the eye.
17. Crease brush- $0.99
A crease brush is one of the best eyeshadow brushes you can have in a collection. Good ones are a bit larger and tapered while being fluffy and perfect for blending. This brush stands up to the test. It’s meant to be used to apply a shadow in the crease of your eyelid to create dimension and depth. It also works for any of your eyeshadow blending needs. Use it in small, circular motions back and forth with a light hand. This brush picks up pigment wonderfully.
MegaSlim Skinny Tip Eyeliner in Black- $4.99 at Wetnwildbeauty.com
This product is limited edition. The MegaSlim eyeliner pen has a very small, fine point. Its sharpness is intended to perfect precise liner looks including a cat eye wing. It draws onto the upper lash line thinly, but the formula doesn’t always come out completely even. I sometimes had to go back over to clean up a jagged edge so the final liner look came out slightly thicker than I’d hoped for. After a while it seemed to apply a bit smoother, so maybe the pen could benefit from warming in your hand or being shaken a few times. Wait a minute or two after applying to let dry so it doesn’t transfer onto the lids. The color is opaque and has a matte finish. This wasn’t such an amazing product that it magically enables you to create a flawless sharp winged look, but it’s a good eyeliner pen. I’ve certainly tried many that didn’t work for me as well.
MegaGlo Highlighting Powder in Precious Petals- $4.99 at Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Riteaid or Wetnwildbeauty.com
This is another limited edition product so you might want to grab this one while you still can! I’ve heard good things about Wet n Wild’s highlighters, and this one jumped out to me in particular. I like the simple bar packaging and the powder has a pretty flower design pressed into the surface. This highlight is brilliantly pigmented in a soft taupey-champagne shade. It can give a somewhat bronzey effect which works well on medium to deep skin. It could also be flattering for fair to light skin if applied more lightly. The formula is smooth and shimmery, if perhaps a little powdery. It appears kind of sparkly in the package but gives a pretty sheer wet effect when applied. It can be built up from a more natural glow to an intensely pigmented highlight. The heavier it’s applied, it can slightly show imperfect skin texture. The powder is pretty fine and not chunky or glittery which helps from highlighting any texture too much. I’m happy with this highlighter and prefer it to some other higher end versions I’ve tried.
MegaLast Liquid Catsuit Matte Lipstick in Pink Really Hard- $4.99 at Target, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, or Wetnwildbeauty.com
Whenever I hear about a good liquid matte lipstick in the drugstore range, I’m intrigued to give it a spin and see how it stacks up. The Liquid Catsuit lipsticks are a big hit and I’ve had them both personally recommended to me as well as seen them praised online. They’re said to be a good dupe for Jeffree Star liquid lipsticks and I can see some similarities. The bottle is short with a small cap in the same shape as those, and the finishes look similar in photos. The innovative doe foot applicator has a divot for hugging and contouring the lips. The shade I picked is a pastel pink. I got this color in the spirit of spring and because of the current pastel trends in makeup. It’s not the most natural every day shade, but I didn’t want to get another nude lipstick and also didn’t want dark colors better suited for fall. Its undertones are pretty neutral so I think anyone who’s willing to rock a Barbie lip color should be able to pull it off.
This lipstick is known for being comfortable to wear without dehydrating the lips the way some liquid lipsticks can (especially drugstore). I found this to be true for the most part, although I wouldn’t say they were exactly moisturizing. It stays put well and doesn’t slide off easily. When first applied it feels a bit sticky, but it dries down pretty quickly. I thought the formula had a tendency to apply unevenly on me due to my currently patchy lips. The inner ring of my mouth didn’t seem to hold the lipstick and it tends to show off the natural texture of the lips. I had a better experience when prepping my lips, applying lip balm and lip liner directly beforehand. It looks nice when applied in a thinner layer, but I didn’t find it the most buildable without becoming cakey. This is a very matte finish lipstick that dries down without drying the lips and comes in some gorgeous shades. That’s a rare combination to find at this price point. I’m picky about liquid lipsticks, and many that I’ve tried seem to have a couple things off about them despite good reviews. My favorite drugstore lipstick I’ve tried is still NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream even though it doesn’t seem to dry all the way down. This one is a pretty solid pick, and I’d put it one or two places behind it.
Thanks for reading! Is everyone else as ready for spring as I am? Let me know what you’d like to see in the comments!
xo The Savvy Suavinista
Excellent! This is news I can use!
I’ve read all of your articles. They’re getting better and better! Do you recommend any particular colors of eye shadow for this Spring?