All of my social media feeds lit up on Wednesday with word that hit US budget brand Wet n Wild was now available in our very own Dunnes Stores.
Up until now, it was a brand you’d slip your aunty/cousin/friend of a friend’s friend a few bob to bring you back on their trip abroad but now it is here on our very shores!
I hotfooted it into Dunnes in St Stephen’s Green on my lunch break that very day and was greeted by a gloriously full stand with barely touched testers and products galore. There may have been a few angels singing in the background but I was so transfixed by the products that I didn’t notice.
It is worth noting that Wet n Wild have those lovely plastic seals on all of their products so it is very easy to tell what has been messed with by giggling, concealer-lipped teenage girls. It was as if they were giving the products away (and they almost are, such are the low prices), the way I swiped at the stand, grabbing anything that caught my attention. So here is what I got and my first impressions.
First up are two Megalast Nail Colors*, as I have heard so much about them from US bloggers and vloggers. The colours I chose were ‘Disturbia’, a purple, and ‘Under Your Spell’.
- ‘Disturbia’ is stunning on the nails, a really deep, dark, rich purple and on closer inspection, you will notice miniscule pink glitter particles that only appear when the light hits just right.
- ‘Under Your Spell’ is quite strange, appearing almost like a brown shade but in the correct lighting, miniscule red glitter is apparent. Both of them took three coats to become fully opaque but they are quick driers and the sheen off them is absolutely gorgeous. They look to be far more expensive than their €2.99 price tag would suggest.
- The Megalast polishes have a ‘Manicurve Pro Brush’ which is one of those very fat ones. I found it led to a quick application and despite my tiny nails, I found it really easy to use.
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Megaslicks Lip Balm
Next up, I spotted the Megaslicks Lip Balm Stains. Lip crayons have been released by every brand under the sun, but I have only really started experimenting with them (apologies that my kitten has already taken the clear, plastic lid as his plaything and I cannot find it for love nor money).
- I chose the shade ‘Lady and the Vamp’, as obviously I haven’t yet begun my transition into spring colours (although then again, the weather hasn’t began to turn yet either).
- It is a gorgeous, wearable berry shade that I could see suiting a lot of different skin tones and tastes. It feels just like a balm when applied and glides on easily.
- The colour is quite sheer but can be built up for more intensity - the photo below shows it at its most opaque. It feels really comfortable on the lips and most surprising of all, it lasted through eating and drinking with no signs of wear whatsoever.
- My only issue with it is that it will show up any imperfections or flaking on your lips so ensure they are in good condition beforehand. At €3.99, I will definitely be picking up more shades.
- I also decided to pick up one of the brand’s Megalast Lip Colors*, their original lipstick line. These are in round tubes much like Urban Decay’s Revolution Lipsticks and I find the shape is quite easy to use.
- However, the formula is very matte and it does tug and pull on your lips if you are applying it straight from the bullet. Once it is on though, it feels comfortable and non-drying – it even has a slight sheen to it, making it look like more of a satin than a matte. Because of its hard formula and the way it seems to adhere to the lips, I would imagine it will be quite a longwearing lipstick although I haven’t had the opportunity to really put it through its paces just yet.
- The colour I chose is ‘Sugar Plum Fairy’, a gorgeous purple shade and one that I don’t have a dupe for. If the shade is a little too much for you, there are plenty of others in the range and at €2.99 a piece, you can afford to pick up a few. Go on, I’m enabling you.
Megalast Liquid Lip Color
- Finally I picked up a Megalast Liquid Lip Color* - I imagined these would be in much the same vain as the Rimmel Apocalips, of which I am a huge fan. I decided to steer away from the berry tones and opted instead for ‘Back To The Fuschia’ – a hot pink. It comes with a doe-foot applicator that is flat and thin.
- When I first applied it, I was instantly impressed with the incredible pigmentation and glossy finish but seconds later, my lips began to feel tacky. It almost felt like glue binding them together and it took a lot of effort to open and close my mouth.
- The lacquer dried to the most awful, Sahara Desert-esque matte finish I have ever experienced in my entire life. My lips felt like they were about to fall off, it was that uncomfortable.
- For the first time, possibly in my whole makeup life, I had to remove the product after about an hour because I couldn’t bear the feeling of it any longer. I couldn’t imagine anybody in the world having lips in good enough condition to wear one of these. These cost €4.69 but are worth avoiding like the plague.
Apart from that dreaded Liquid Lip Color* , I was really impressed with the products I tried and am also satisfied that they didn’t completely blow the prices up in their trip across the water. I will definitely be picking up some more items from Wet n Wild. However, this post has to end on a bittersweet note as rumour has it that Wet n Wild has been brought over here to replace our beloved Essence.
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Have you tried anything from Wet n Wild? Are you already in your car on the way to Dunnes as you read this? Will you miss Essence?
*Do you have any idea how much it offends me to leave the ‘u’ out of ‘colour’? Apologies if it irked you to read it.
