Gwen Stefani, the iconic vocalist known for her signature bold red lip and dramatic winged eyeliner, has entered the beauty industry with her brand, GXVE Beauty. The concept, according to Stefani, came about seven years ago, with the products in development for four years. While celebrity beauty brands often face skepticism, GXVE Beauty aims to deliver quality and performance. This review delves into the specifics of the collection, with a particular focus on the eyebrow pencils, to determine its place in the competitive beauty market.
Overall, GXVE Beauty is above average, but with room to improve. The products have been tested to determine their quality and performance.
Given Stefani's iconic red lip, expectations were high for GXVE's Original Me lipstick. The shade, a slightly darker red with blue undertones, is visually appealing. However, the matte formula was extremely drying and didn't glide across the lips as smoothly as expected. The first application felt like using a crayon but the second time around was much easier. Despite this, the lipstick's staying power is impressive, resisting transfer onto cups.
In contrast, the Anaheim Shine satin lip color stands out. The formula is creamy, applies effortlessly, and boasts the same impressive staying power as the matte lipstick.
The liquid lip sits in third place among GXVE's lip products. While the shade resembles the Anaheim stick and is aesthetically pleasing, the formula is highly transferable and feels slightly tacky on the lips.
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The GXVE Beauty All Time Prime Clean Hydrating Prep & Smooth Face Oil emerges as a standout product. This skincare-meets-makeup-primer cocktail contains skin-loving ingredients like meadowfoam sea oil, safflower oil, and aloe extract. Just a few drops provide significant hydration and smoothness to the skin.
The eyeshadow palettes, named after Stefani's greatest hits, come in four color themes: matte neutral, golden bronze, rose gold, and matte smoky. The palettes offer versatile colors suitable for creating a multitude of looks.
Stefani's dramatic winged eyeliner is a signature look, so the expectation for GXVE Beauty's eyeliner was high. However, instead of a super-luxe liquid liner, the collection includes a gel pencil. The Line It Up waterproof eyeliner doesn't apply cleanly over powder eyeshadow but has a color payoff that's a 10/10. Once dry, it stays put all day long, though removal at night can be challenging.
GXVE Beauty offers two eyebrow pencils: the Hella On Point Ultra Fine Brow Pencil and the Most Def Instant Definition Sculpting Eyebrow Pencil.
The Hella On Point Ultra Fine Brow Pencil is a two-in-one product featuring a micro-fine-tipped pencil on one end and a thin spoolie brush on the other. On its own, the pencil was underwhelming and not "highly" pigmented as its product description suggests, but the combination of the pencil and spoolie is effective. The brow pencil offers a soft, natural, no-makeup-makeup brow look.
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The Most Def Instant Definition Sculpting Eyebrow Pencil is the more impressive brow product in the collection. Available in the same shade range as GXVE's ultra-fine pencil, the sculpting counterpart is very pigmented and delivers a more statement-making brow on its own.
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