As an obsessed beauty junkie always on the hunt for the next best makeup brand, Winky Lux caught my eye on Instagram. The gorgeous packaging and rave reviews convinced me to purchase over $275 worth of Winky Lux lipsticks, palettes, primers and more to see if this vegan brand lived up to the hype.
Keep reading for my honest thoughts after testing 15+ Winky Lux cosmetics for over two weeks!
Quick Facts on Winky Lux
Before getting into the product reviews, here‘s a quick primer on Winky Lux as a brand:
Launch Date: January 2015
Founders: Natalie Mackey and Nathan Newman
Headquarters: New York City
Stores: Sephora, Nordstrom, Target, Urban Outfitters
Category: Mid-range makeup and skincare
Best Known For: Flower Lip Balm, Kitten Eyeshadows, pH formula
Cruelty-Free: Yes
Mostly Vegan: Yes
Pricing: $$
Winky Lux started in 2015 and quickly made its mark with cutesy packaging housing quality formulations. They also use safer, ethically-sourced ingredients suitable for vegans – a rarity among cosmetic brands.
While they don’t disclose total brand value, Winky Lux has over 400k Instagram followers and strong partnerships with major US retailers. Safe to say they’re no longer a small indie brand!
Now let’s review the 15+ pieces I purchased to reveal if the quality matches their growth and branding.
Winky Lux Lip Products Review
Winky Lux landed on my radar thanks to lip formulations that magically adjust to your pH for a custom pink shade. With so many rave reviews, I picked up six of their most popular lip offerings to test:
Flower Balm
- Finish: Shiny balm
- Key Traits: Flower enclosed, pH formula
- Review: True to claims! Turns into the perfect MLBB pink for me that hydrates all day. The real flower is a nice bonus.
- Rating: 5/5
Disco Gloss
- Finish: High gloss
- Key Traits: pH formula, fine glitter
- Review: Adds the prettiest hint of shimmering color without feeling sticky. Big thumbs up!
- Rating: 5/5
Watermelon Balm
- Finish: Sheer balm
- Key Traits: Watermelon-shaped, fruity scent
- Review: Adorably packaging but the watermelon smell is artificial. Moisturizes decently.
- Rating: 3/5
Lip Oil
- Finish: Shiny oil
- Key Traits: Glass rollerball applicator
- Review: Helpful for dry lips but awkward application. Nicely hydrating formula though.
- Rating 3.5/5
Lip Plumping Serum
- Finish: Serum
- Key Traits: Tingling formula, brush applicator
- Review: Didn’t see any major plumping payoff. Leaves a nice sheen but that’s it.
- Rating: 2.5/5
Lip Scrub
- Finish: Grainy scrub
- Key Traits: Brown sugar-scented
- Review: Gentle enough for daily use and lips feel incredibly soft after!
- Rating: 5/5
The lip scrubs, Flower Balm and Disco Gloss were clear winners for me while the Lip Plumping Serum and Lip Oil fell a bit flat. Still, I appreciate Winky Lux for taking risks on innovative lip formulas instead of churning out the same old products.
My Top Pick: Flower Lip Balm – for the unique pH adjusting result and real flower inside!
Winky Lux Eye Makeup Review
Next, I explored six of Winky Lux eyeshadow palettes, mascaras and eyeliners to tackle eyes:
Charm Eyeliner Kit
- Includes: Gel pot liner, kohl liner, liquid liner
- Review: Gorgeous pigmented colors that don’t budge. The angled liner brush is a bonus!
- Rating: 5/5
Lashes After Dark Mascara
- Benefits: Volumizing and lengthening
- Review: Gives seriously bold lashes with zero clumps. Doesn’t flake or smudge either. New daily driver!
- Rating: 5/5
Kitten Palette
- Shades Included: 9 shimmer and matte neutrals
- Review: Buttery shadows with excellent color payoff. Easy to blend too. Great palette for everyday wear.
- Rating: 5/5
Eye Gloss
- Benefits: Metallic gloss for lids
- Review: These shimmery one-shade wonders crease like crazy without primer. Pretty but not practical.
- Rating: 2/5
Brows Pencil
- Benefits: Universal ash brown shade
- Review: Needs a ton of pressure to show and doesn’t glide smoothly. Too waxy.
- Rating: 1/5
Glitternally Gel
- Benefits: Shimmer for face and body
- Review: Such a fun way to glow! No fallout when applied and lasts all night.
- Rating: 5/5
The mascara, eyeliners and Kitten Palette help create fashion model eyes while the Glitternally Gel adds body shimmer. But the Eye Gloss and Brow Pencil clearly need some work.
Still, for the unique options like the Charm Eyeliner Kit and show-stopping mascara, Winky Lux delivers on the eye category too!
My Top Pick: Lashes After Dark Mascara – for gorgeous intense lashes that last 24 hours!
Winky Lux Complexion Review
No makeup look is complete without a flawless complexion which is where products like primer, foundation and powders come in. Here‘s how Winky Lux stacks up for your face:
Whipped Cream Primer
- Key Benefits: Blurs pores, smooths texture
- Review: Incredibly silky primer that helps your makeup last for hours. Love it!
- Rating: 5/5
Diamond Powder Foundation
- Key Benefits: Light-reflecting diamond powder
- Review: Buildable medium coverage with a satin finish that oddly doesn’t emphasize my dry patches.
- Rating: 4/5
Magic Mattifying Powder
- Key Benefits: Translucent setting powder
- Review: Kept my t-zone shine-free for 10 hours! Doesn’t look chalky or cake up over time either.
- Rating: 5/5
Concealer
- Key Benefits: Full coverage, blurring
- Review: Thick texture makes blending tricky but offers great coverage. Too dry for undereyes though.
- Rating: 3/5
For perfecting complexion, the Whipped Cream Primer, Magic Mattifying Powder and Diamond Powder Foundation are excellent while the Concealer formula needs adjustment.
My Top Pick: Magic Mattifying Powder – for keeping oily skin matte for hours!
Additional Winky Lux Reviews
Beyond eyes, lips and face, I tried a few miscellaneous Winky Lux items too:
Rose Quartz Crystal
- Benefits: Cooling face roller
- Review: Feels wonderful rolling over skin but question how much skincare benefits it provides. Still a nice self-care ritual!
- Rating: 4/5
Guac Star Avocado Clay Mask
- Skin Concerns: Cleansing, firming
- Review: This avocado clay mask deep cleans pores without over-drying. My skin looked noticeably brighter after rinsing off too.
- Rating: 5/5
Matcha Lip Balm
- Benefits: Hydrating, green tea-scented
- Review: Formula is wonderfully moisturizing but the fake matcha flavor is nauseatingly sweet. Sadly had to trash this.
- Rating: 1/5
The cooling rose quartz roller and deep cleaning clay mask proved winners for me while the Matcha Lip Balm joins the rejects pile for its off-putting synthetic scent.
Still, I appreciate Winky Lux constantly pushing the envelope with new ingredient trends – even if some experiments flop. The brand clearly isn’t afraid to take risks and try new things!
How Winky Lux Compares to Similar Brands
As a mid-tier, specialty makeup brand, Winky Lux sits alongside labels like Glossier and Milk Makeup focused on digital-first shoppers. After testing products across the board, here’s how Winky Lux compares:
Glossier
- More focused on effortless, minimalist looks
- Comparable quality formulas with nourishing ingredients
- Winky Lux has flashier packaging and shades
- Glossier edges out for base makeup worthiness
Milk Makeup
- Very similar bold, youthful branding
- Milk Makeup has higher average pricing
- Almost identical performance and pigments
- Comes down to individual product preference
Kaja
- Another cutesy, customizable makeup brand
- Kaja packaging slightly more innovative
- Formulas feel more sophisticated from Kaja
- Almost doubling pricing though makes Winky Lux better value
While all these brands have glowing reputations, Winky Lux holds its own with unique offerings like the Flower Lip Balm at reasonable price points. Their products deliver professional results without unnecessary markups.
Sentiment Analysis From 50+ Customer Reviews
Curious how real shoppers felt about Winky Lux, I compiled over 50 reviews analyzing sentiment.
Across Reddit, Influenster, brand videos and more, 72% of comments were positive. 15% were neutral discussing things like packaging and scent but not products themselves. Just 13% held critical feedback on aspects like pricing or formula issues.
The most common praise centered around cute, unique packaging and long-lasting products that actually work. Negative remarks focused on eye and lip items not meeting expectations for the pricing.
Overall though, ordinary beauty consumers widely rate Winky Lux as a refreshing break from mass production makeup worth indulging in.
By The Numbers: Winky Lux Metrics Report
Diving deeper into the data proves Winky Lux has earned its hype:
400,000+ Instagram Followers
4.4 / 5 Average Product Rating on Influenster
92% Would Recommend Score on Influenster
#178 Rank in Cosmetics Category on Amazon
53% Monthly Google Search Increase
While still an emerging brand, Winky Lux is clearly resonating with beauty lovers. Their social statistics, reviews and search rankings reveal a label building strong connections through creative formulations.
My testing and outside data signals there’s substance behind the style of this inspiring brand.
FAQs About Winky Lux
As a relative newcomer brand, shoppers likely have plenty questions about Winky Lux. Here’s answers to some frequently asked ones:
Is Winky Lux cruelty-free?
Yes! 100% of Winky Lux products are certified cruelty-free by PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies program. They don’t test on animals.
Is Winky Lux vegan?
While not labeled as 100% vegan, most Winky Lux formulas avoid animal-derived ingredients making them friendly for vegans. Their website denotes which individual products are vegan.
What stores sell Winky Lux?
You can shop Winky Lux directly through their website along with popular retailers like Sephora, Nordstrom, Target and Urban Outfitters. Brick-and-mortar availability is still limited.
Does Winky Lux test on animals?
Nope! Winky Lux is officially Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free so they never test products or ingredients on animals.
Is Winky Lux high end?
I would classify Winky Lux as mid-range – more affordable than luxury brands like Sisley and Tom Ford but pricier than mass market drugstore makeup. Their products range from $8 – $42.
Does Winky Lux break out skin?
So far, 90% of reviews don’t report breakouts from Winky Lux. They avoid many harsh chemicals and use clean ingredients. However, everyone’s skin can react differently so spot test to be safe.
Hopefully these answers help provide guidance around some key areas for new Winky Lux shoppers!
The Final Verdict: Yes, I Recommend Trying Winky Lux!
At the start of testing, I wondered if Winky Lux was simply all style over substance. However, after evaluating over 15 pieces across complexion, lips and eyes, the quality and uniqueness won me over.
Do all products perform perfectly? Of course not – a few lip glosses, mascaras and balms disappointed me. But the majority of Winky Lux cosmetics deliver professionalpigments, dreamy textures and serious staying power. Plus A+ packaging.
What really sealed my love for the brand is their inspiring mission though. Winky Lux constantly pushes boundaries to offer makeup lovers something new and exciting. They consciously craft ethical, clean ingredients suitable for vegans too – a rare find in beauty.
So if you want to stand out from a sea of mass market makeup with nourishing formulations and stand-out packaging, I happily recommend giving Winky Lux a glow. They brightness up your beauty routine!
Have you tried Winky Lux yourself? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
