Before this haul, it had been over 15 years since I’d purchased a Wet’n’Wild product. They’ve crept back into the relevant makeup scene over the last 3-5 years by staying up to date on popular beauty trends while continuing to create affordable makeup that doesn’t… suck. Truth be told, I hadn’t ever used anything other than eyeliner pencils and nail polish from them, and that was back when each polish was $0.99. 15 years later, each Wet’n’Wild nail polish is… $0.99. Bless you, Wet’n’Wild.
Some of their newer products make it clear that Wet’n’Wild is trying to be a serious contender in the beauty game. I mean, I can’t not mention the Limited Edition Unicorn Glow Collection ($29.99*), that just got released yesterday. I don’t have it, but a huge part of me wishes that I did. It includes two duochrome lipsticks, three dimensional highlighters, three loose pigments, and a limited edition fluffy unicorn brush.
*If you buy the Unicorn Glow collection at Ulta, take 20% off with the code 503251! You can also pick up the Unicorn Glow collection on Wet’n’Wild’s website starting today.
That’s not really what this post is about, though, it’s just good timing. My haul is made up of new arrivals and products that I’ve been curious about for the last several weeks.
My Wet’n’Wild Makeup Haul + Reviews
I kind of went ham on this order since free shipping started at $35, and $35 in Wet’n’Wild is a lot of Wet’n’Wild. I spent a total of $36.41 after tax for all ten products. Even if there were one or two that I didn’t particularly like, this is an undeniably good value.
Wet’n’Wild MegaLast Liquid Catsuit Lipstick in Rebel Rose, $4.99
We’re starting this haul/review off with a bang because the Liquid Catsuit by Wet’n’Wild is my new favorite liquid lipstick formula. This shade, Rebel Rose, is the first one I tried from this line and I was completely taken by how comfortable the lipstick was once it dried down. The color, by the way, is gorgeous. It looks purple-y in the packaging, but once it’s on the lips it definitely gives off a pinkier mauve tone which validates the rose reference in the name. It immediately inspired me to pick up the shade Nude Peach which is a light (but not too light) warm pink with just a little dustiness to it. They both rule.
The Liquid Catsuit applicator is one of those curved doe foot shapes. I could take it or leave it, but the tip of the applicator is definitely nice for lining and smoothing out rough edges. I rarely need to layer up with this formula because it goes on very opaque and creamy. It sets down to a 98.5% transfer-proof finish, though if you have product build-up around the edges of your lips, it will probably end up transferring so watch out for that.
The wear is long, but not so long that it compromises the integrity of the lipstick. I’d rather my liquid lipsticks wear down nicely than stay on so long they turn my lips into salt flats with paint chips clinging to the top. This formula stays flexible and wears down from the inside out. Touch-ups aren’t clumpy and it removes with a balm or oil really easily! I definitely recommend this for fans of liquid lipstick.
Wet’n’Wild Photo Focus Foundation in Rose Ivory (364C), $5.99
Now here is a product that was hyped up so much that I just had to try it. This is a medium coverage foundation that can be built up. I have pretty neutral skin as far as oily vs. dry goes, and this sets to a very light tack on me. Occasionally, I would need to set it with some powder but it’s not messy or anything if it goes un-set. As always, I think foundation bottles should have pumps, but the bottle is glass and it doesn’t leak. The cap has this bizarre, oversized paddle as an optional applicator, so at least you don’t have to tip the bottle over in order to get the product out.
The finish on this is satiny, but not overly matte. You can matte it with powder, but alone, it’s smooth and blendable. There’s no SPF, as the focus of the Photo Focus line is for it to look good in photos, and SPF creates a white cast under flash photography. I have come to terms with being a cool, pink-toned white person (oh how I wish I were warm) and I can never seem to find a good match to my Irish-y undertones. It’s not the lightest shade in the Photo Focus foundation line, but it’s definitely the most pink.
I’m 90% sure I am going to be buying this again, especially if they can expand their shade range and keep that $6 price tag.
Wet’n’Wild Photo Focus Concealer in Light Ivory (840B), $3.99
You might as well get the “matching” concealer if it’s only $4, right? It can always be used as an eye primer if it doesn’t work as a concealer. This concealer is not as cool-toned as the Rose Ivory foundation, but it pairs nicely with it. Here are the two next to each other for reference:
Despite the concealer appearing both darker and more warm, these layer really nicely. I use this under my eyes and to spot-conceal overtop foundation. Occasionally, I use it as an eyeshadow base, and I experienced a bit of creasing there, but not under the eyes. I set this concealer with pressed powder when it’s under my eyes and it performs like a champ.
Again, the color choices are lacking and I wish there were a light, cool-toned version of this concealer like the Rose Ivory of the foundation. My heart aches for the person who has a skin tone darker than a medium because these concealers are going to be strictly highlighters for you. It’s a shame because they blend well and the price is right, but the shades are totally lacking.
I’m not sure I would buy this again unless it came in a lighter shade. There are other concealers that are lighter, cooler, and more versatile for me.
Wet’n’Wild MegaGlo Duel-Ended Contour Stick, $4.99
Can you believe how bold I was to get such a terrifying contouring device without reading a single review?! A dual-ended contour stick! One end has a pointed highlighting stick which is slightly off-white and barely warm, but mostly neutral. The other end has a blunt, rounded contouring stick that is, again, pretty neutral but barely warm. The highlighting end was lighter than my skin tone, so I knew I could work with it, but I was nervous with how brown this was. I require a pretty grey, ashy contour for it to be natural-looking.
Once it hit my face, it felt like 1,000 mistakes because it was so pigmented. Once I figured out the best way to blend it out, it became very natural and flattering. I draw this right on my face and use a dense face brush (the Angled Contour brush from Real Techniques) to blend it up and out. This is too warm for me to use as a nose contour, but it blends well. I prefer to take a concealer brush and tap it onto the stick, then onto my face. Otherwise, the pigmentation can get kind of out of hand and make a blurry mess of everything.
It’s tough to say whether or not I’d buy this again because I’m torn. I like the formula of this, but the colors offered really don’t suit my skin tone as well as they could. If you are a light, warm-toned person, however, I absolutely think you should try this. For $5, this is the perfect multi-tasker for your purse or on-the-go kit when you aren’t going all out on your makeup.
Wet’n’Wild MegaCushion Matte Lip Cream in Melon Like It Is, $4.99
This is my Wet’n’Wild Card. I ordered this having absolutely no idea what to expect when I added this to my cart. Captivated by the familiar phrase “soft matte lip cream” (which it has right on the tube), I couldn’t help but give it a try. After all, the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream (fondly referred to as SMLC) is one of my favorite lipstick formulas to date.
But then there’s the cushion.
I don’t get the whole cushion craze. What’s the big deal? It’s soft? It’s blurrier than a stick? The novelty totally escapes me, probably at least in part because I’m not an actual makeup artist. The MegaCushion Lipstick would be good for creating a blurred lipstick look, but outside of that, I’m not sure I see the value. Especially considering this lipstick is more expensive than the concealer in this post, and I use that every single day. In short, I wouldn’t buy this again.
Wet’n’Wild Photo Focus Setting Spray, $4.99
Okay, there’s something I need to say and it’s kind of embarrassing. This is my first setting spray. I mean, I’ve had some other glycerin & water sprays (like Classic Waters from Farmaesthetics which I love) and they’ve been pretty good at setting my makeup. This stuff, though, promises to really lock it down. As it’s part of the Photo Focus line, it’s meant to make you look flawless and photo-ready. I’m not sure if it contributes to how good I look, but it definitely doesn’t make me look worse. I also use it to foil shadows once they’re on the brush. It definitely works really well for that, and I have no complaints to speak of!
Setting sprays are tough to judge, but one thing we can all agree on is that the spray is the most important part. This has a very fine mist that isn’t too aggressive or direct. There’s no “camel spit” effect, all of the product is nicely diffused and lands on my face without messing stuff up. It dries pretty quickly, too.
I would absolutely buy this again! Most setting sprays are at least $10, and while this doesn’t reverse aging or waterproof my face, I like what it does.
Wet’n’Wild Makeup Brushes
Wet’n’Wild Flat Top Brush, $2.99
Wet’n’Wild Bent Liner Brush, $0.99
Wet’n’Wild Crease Brush, $0.99
These brushes are… really great? I’ve had no issues with any of them, and honestly, they’re decent performers. I’ve had really nice brushes that have had more bristle fallout than these brushes. They’re very, very soft and they seem to hold their shape pretty well after several washings. Maybe if I wanted to find one thing to gripe about, it’s that product can collect in the bend of the bent eyeliner brush and you need a mascara spoolie or something to properly clean it.
I use the flat top with the Photo Focus foundation (or whatever liquid foundation I’m using) and it buffs it really nicely into the skin. The crease brush is awesome at diffusing the crap out of whatever you’ve got on, and the bent liner brush does a good job at it’s one job. I will say, though, that having a bent eyeliner brush makes doing your non-dominant side a lot easier.
The ends are pink, and some people really don’t like that. There are makeup brush purists that feel a colored brush tip messes with the blah blah whatever, but I really don’t care. It’s pink, I can see with my eyes the color of shadow I’m going to use. It’s going to be okay. Also, they are $1 – $3 at most – so pick your battles. These brushes are an excellent value, especially considering they’re cruelty-free! Rumor has it that you can find these at dollar stores for even less than $1 each.
Wet’n’Wild Makeup Remover – Micellar Cleansing Water, $4.99
I’m not gonna lie – I bought this for the container. There’s a micellar water that I’m already in love with (shoutout to Simple Micellar Water because this post is hella unsponsored), and to have it conveniently available in of one of these ingenious dispensers would be a dream come true. Truth be told, the stuff inside of this bottle is not worth writing home about.
Does it get the makeup off of my face? Yes, but I have to shake the bottle every time. Not only is that an extra step, but the bottle has a tendency to leak 1/10 times I do this. The pump on the top is amazing, though, and has a locking mechanism for travel. I need to investigate that leak more because I want to believe it’s just product on the outside of the bottle flying off when I shake it, but I can’t be sure.
After I bought this for $5, I realized I probably could have just purchased one of these bottles from a medical or nail supply website. Or got a cute, amber glass, apothecary-style bottle from Amazon. Yeah, hindsight is 20/20. But at least this one is pink! Right? The pump is called a “menda pump” and would be awesome for nail polish remover, micellar water, isopropyl alcohol for sanitizing… The list goes on.
I dipped my toe back into the Wet’n’Wild pool and I’m pretty sure I’m ready to dive in. Not everything worked out perfectly from this batch, but I got an immense sampling of what Wet’n’Wild has to offer for less than the price of one Tarte foundation.
Where to find Wet’n’Wild
Have any of you tried out the “new” Wet’n’Wild?
What are some of the products you remember from your childhood?
What are your current favorite Wet’n’Wild products?