Liana had a few issues when it came to ordering Kylie Cosmetics and getting it to NZ. Photos / Instagram
Liana had a few issues when it came to ordering Kylie Cosmetics and getting it to NZ. Photos / Instagram
Let me begin with two confessions: I've got a soft spot for beauty products and I totally follow the lives of the Kardashian-Jenners.
But I'd never gone as far as buying into the hype of the Kylie Cosmetics phenomenon. Besides, I already had a handful of Jeffree Star lipsticks in similar, if not more exotic shades, that I love and wear to death.
Then, she got me. When Kylie Jenner gave a sneak peek of her 20th birthday collection there was just something about it that spoke to me.
The bundle I wanted had six mini matte liquid lipsticks, two glosses, one matte lip kit, one ultra glow highlighter, an eye shadow/blush palette and a pink glitzy makeup bag.
Notoriously hard to snap up before they sell out, I was determined to get involved. I set an alarm on my phone for 10 minutes before the launch and opened lots of tabs on my computer, ready to click for my life.
I refreshed at 12 on the dot and there was the bundle I wanted: For $175 USD, around $240. I know, I know, that's expensive. I justified it by promising myself it would be a one off, that it was worth it and that I deserved it!
I quickly clicked Add to Cart, the page went blank but a pop up assured me I was in line. I waited an extremely long 20 to 30 seconds before I decided to open another tab and try again.
I really didn't want to miss out. I was moved through to the check out to find I had two bundles in my cart.
I don't know if what happened next was a genuine website issue, some sneaky ploy or my general blindness, but I couldn't figure out how to remove one of the bundles. I clicked everywhere without refreshing my page and losing everything. In a foolish, hurried decision, I hit purchase.
Here's where my heart started to hurt. For two bundles, a commission fee and conversion rates, $480.85 had been charged to my card. Immediate regret.
I consoled myself by musing that I could sell my extra pieces on TradeMe and get some money back. And I was still beyond excited to receive my new makeup.
Then, I waited.
Eight days later I was notified that my parcel was on its way.
Then I waited "21-28 business days" for international shipping. Two weeks later I had an email notifying me that my parcel had been through New Zealand Customs clearance. I figured my makeup was on its way.
One afternoon I checked my mailbox, which I'd sort of forgotten I had, to find a letter from Customs telling me I had to pay duties and tax on my parcel. Of course I did. To the tune of $151.46.
The regret kicked back in.
All up, I was looking at a total of just under $640 for my makeup. I was over it. I just wanted my parcel. I paid the fee and within a day it arrived.
The moment I opened it up, my regret disappeared. I lifted out the boxes to find everything perfectly wrapped in soft white tissue. Beneath that I found pink glittering boxes with my makeup. I was in love and forgot all about the fact that I'd shelled out $640.
After all that, is it any good?
Though it was a bit of an online shopping fail, Liana is obsessed with the colours. Liana wears One Wish by Kylie Cosmetics.
I wear my Kylie lipsticks often. I always get compliments and I'm constantly asked what brand of lipstick I'm wearing. They're creamy, long-wearing, non-drying and I don't notice a lot, if any, staining on my coffee mug.
I also, as one would hope, have a range of different colours to last me over the next year or so. The palette's colours are everything you could want in eye shadows including the right amount of pigment versus shimmer. Plus, I actually get a lot of use out of the makeup bag.
So, while I don't regret my purchase any more and really love the products, would I go out of my way to buy another Kylie Jenner beauty bundle again? Probably not.
