Joe Fresh is a brand created for Superstore/Loblaws in Canada (although their Wikipedia page indicates they’re also available in JC Penny in the U.S., but I’m unsure if that includes the makeup line, or just the clothing). They came out with their makeup line in 2009 with a price point of $8 or less. I’ve skipped over Joe Fresh makeup a few times without really thinking about it, but when I received a $20 off voucher for Superstore/Loblaws I decided to take a closer look at this brand.
One of the first things that drew me into this line is their packaging. It’s very simple and clean. I love the fact that the bronzer in completely encased in clear plastic. The cream blush is similar, although frosted.
Joe Fresh’s bronzer in Sand is a matte, pale tan shade. This will be an excellent bronzer for those with very pale skin and I’m going to love using this one during the dead of winter. For the late summer/start of fall this was not strong enough to show up on my skin, despite it being very pigmented and smooth. The texture is incredibly soft (touch the product with your fingertips, you’ll be amazed) but it does mean you’ll kick up a lot of product with your brush if you stab at it aggressively. Pat the bronzer lightly to pick up a bit of product and you’ll end up with less mess and just enough on your brush. I noticed zero hint of orange to this shade which makes it not at all intimidating for anyone concerned that they’ll end up looking like an Oompa Loompa.
Their cream blush in Apricot turned out to be a massive hit for me! On me, Apricot is peach shade that leans slightly more pink. This is such an easy colour to wear – it goes on smoothly and last through an entire workday without any fading (which, for me, means I applied it at 7:30 am and took it off somewhere around 5 pm). The pigmentation and creaminess is the best I’ve experienced so far in cream blushes. I’ve been using a brush to apply it, but you could easily blend this onto your cheeks with your fingertips. I’d highly recommend this formula to anyone looking for a long lasting cream blush.
The Lip Tint in Mango is an incredibly vibrant coral shade that leans heavily on the orange side of coral in the tube. It has liquid, gel-like texture that goes on semi-sheer and comes with a doe-foot applicator which makes application simple. The colour, on me, goes on slightly pinker than what I can see in the tube and it’s a beautiful shade. It goes on somewhat shiny, but it does dry down and becomes a rather matte colour.
Unfortunately, that’s where the good stuff ends: This stuff tastes like toxic waste – there’s a very distinct acrid taste to the product that is impossible to ignore. If you happen to lick your lips to get used to the taste of it (and it does taste nasty, which is bizarre because it doesn’t smell offensive straight out of the tube) you end up removing all of the product from your lips. The lip tint will eventually stain, but you need to hold your lips immobile for quite some time before this happens (we’re talking upwards of 10 or more minutes here). If you move your lips, you end up with that horrible taste in your mouth which will inevitably lead to either wiping the product off with a tissue, or just licking it off as quickly as possible to get rid of the taste. This is one of few products I have bought over the years that I’m considering throwing straight into the bin. The only reason I’ve held onto it for so long was to test it long enough for this review. I would not recommend picking this product up even if the colours do appeal to you.
Overall, I really like the bronzer for the winter months, I absolutely love that cream blush… and the lip tint? Well, I dislike throwing products out, but realistically I’m never going to use it. It’s a shame, because I really do like that shade on my lips, but it’s just not worth the hassle.
Have you tried any Joe Fresh beauty products? Anything in particular you thought was especially good?