Maybe I've gotten pickier now that I'm a beauty editor, but it's for a good reason. I used to be way less conscious about the skincare and makeup I was using on my face. Little did I know I was using pore-clogging products and questionable ingredients galore! Now that I'm a bit more educated, I'm a lot choosier about what I try, and it's rare that I go berserk for a new brand or its launches. Polite Society, however, is the exception.
From the creative minds of Jerrod Blandino and Jeremy Johnson (formerly of Too Faced), Polite Society is a new-to-the-block color brand with some seriously A+ formulas. The brand launched on Ulta on August 27 with four clean (and impressive!) products—a foundation, blush-and-highlight palette, mascara, and lip-plumping gloss. I recently attended a launch event for the brand and went home with a goody bag. Well, let's just say everything was so good that it warranted a full review. For all my thoughts on the brand, keep scrolling.
Full transparency, you start to get a bit jaded as a beauty editor. With so many new brands and products launching on a daily basis, you tend to no longer get overly excited about a new gloss, mascara, or foundation coming out. The minute I opened up my Polite Society gift bag, though, and started trying out the new launches, I was actually stunned. I definitely think the brand launched strong with four really great products. I'm wearing all four in the photo above, and I think they're great for creating both a natural, everyday look and something that's a little more glamorous for a nighttime event.
I have a full-on checklist of things that I like my mascara to do and have. First, it needs to add some serious length and curl. Second, it should be able to withstand a full eight-hour-plus day without smudging, flaking, or giving me raccoon eyes. This formula instantly adds a lot of length and curl, so check in that department. The formula also doesn't dry out too quickly, which is a huge plus. It did transfer a tiny bit, even with primer, but it's still an impressive formula that's easy to build without making your lashes sticky or clumpy.
This gloss really delivers in the plumping department. I wasn't prepared for it, but here's a PSA for all you unsuspecting gloss enthusiasts: It is spicy. That being said, it really gives you a plump, juicy, glossy lip, and it pairs really nicely with the Go Flush Yourself Blush Glow Palette. I now have exactly two favorite lip plumpers: this one and the Lawless Forget the Filler Plumping Gloss ($26).
This foundation was the star of the show for me. I was initially nervous getting color-matched for it because I'm extremely picky about my foundations now, but it turns out I had nothing to worry about! My skin is pretty sensitive and acne-prone, so I tend to avoid formulas that contain a lot of oils, extracts, comedogenic ingredients, and silicones. Unfortunately, pretty much every foundation contains some kind of silicone as the fourth or fifth ingredient, so it can be frustrating trying to find ones that I really like.
Polite Society's, however, is impressive because it's noncomedogenic, dries down to a soft matte finish without leaving me dry, and is totally silicone-free. When I tell you I almost screamed because of how excited I was, believe me, I'm not lying. That's a home run to me in the foundation department, and I was so happy the coverage didn't disappoint. It's absolutely my new favorite foundation, nabbing a spot right next to Saie Hydrobounce Foundation ($40). It even passed the long-wear test. Normally, my skin gets dehydrated easily and my foundation starts to feel dry and flakey after a couple hours, but miraculously, this one did not! It truly keeps you looking airbrushed day and night. I can't say enough good things.
This palette includes three blush shades and a highlight. I definitely loved the colors of these hues. They're universally flattering, and I used them on my lids as well for a little extra shimmer. My only note is that I wish the shades were a bit more pigmented. In some ways, it's nice they go on a bit subtler so you can start light and build them up, but it did take quite a bit of building to achieve the wash of color I was looking for.
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