Welcome to Glam Room, our beauty destination where we put celeb-founded beauty brands to the test. As A-listers continue to launch new ranges on the regular, we’re using our beauty editor expertise to sniff out which products from the line are worth the hype—no lies, no publicists, no ads. Our latest contestant: about-face, created by the singer and songwriter, Halsey.
Back in high school, people often compared me to Halsey when I had a fresh buzzcut and maybe a tiny attitude. Never one to shy away from a compliment, I spent a decent amount of time zooming in on photos of her to mimic their makeup looks. So when about-face launched, I was professionally skeptical and yet unprofessionally excited.
Since its first launch in January 2021, about-face has launched numerous products. From eye pencils to shimmering body highlighters, the brand has cemented itself as a no-rules, color-passionate destination to create bold, rave-appropriate looks. For me, a girl whose beauty routine is more sheer lip gloss than glittery eyebrow gel, I didn’t think we were a match made in heaven. And yet, after every drop, I am pleasantly surprised at how these makeup products have worked their way into my everyday rituals. And today, they’re launching at Ulta.com.
With products across lip, eye, face, and body, the brand’s ethos is to deliver high-quality products you can wear whichever way you choose. Feel like using a green eyeshadow on your cheeks? Go for it. For me, this sets about-face apart from other makeup brands: Halsey is the creator, evident in the boldness and what I can only assume is the long-lasting quality a performer needs from their products. But if you were to take Halsey’s name away from the brand, I believe you’d still be left with an impressive collection of products that stand on their own, with or without a celebrity at the helm.
Line Artist Longwear Gel Eyeliner
For me, a bold makeup look usually involves eyeliner. There are so many on the market these days, so judging their worth is a hard game to play. First and foremost, the pencil needs to be pigmented. Secondly, a “longwear” eyeliner, in my opinion, isn’t longwear if it can’t survive an entire day in my waterline. And lastly, because I want it all, a truly great eyeliner need to be soft enough to be smudged when initially applied, and then sit tight the rest of the day. about-face’s eyeliner lands almost perfect 10s across the board.
While I noticed that the pigment in the waterline wasn’t quite as intense as on the lids, I didn’t see any bleeding or smudging, even through an entire, sweaty night out. And best of all, they come in all the neutral or bold colors you could ever want.
Light Lock Lip Gloss
Lip gloss is a staple in my routine. On days when I forgo all makeup, a glossy lip is something I’ll throw on to convince myself I made an effort. Are the about-face lip glosses superior to every other gloss on the market? Probably not, but they also won’t disappoint. I believe I own every shade they’ve made, from ’90s nudes to shimmery blue hues, and every color is flattering. There’s no sticky feeling, the shine is intense, and even for the glitteriest shades, there’s no gritty texture–just smooth, hydrated lips.
Matte Fluid Eye Paint
I’m not an eyeshadow girl. Eyeliner and mascara are generally the extents I’ll go to on my wildest days. But the Matte Fluid Eye Paints are what I reach for on days when I need a bit more. Not only are they great primers for powder shadows, but they’re surprisingly easy to apply and blend, which was a relief since they struck me as somewhat intimidating at first glance. Personally, my favorite shade is Vertigo Flowers, a new color that lets me achieve Pinterest-y matcha latte eye looks with just a few swipes. Will they eventually crease throughout the day? Yes. However, in true about-face fashion, the thing I love most about the product is that you don’t need only to put them on your eyes. I’ve used different shades as blush and contour before, and I highly recommend that you do the same.
Matte Fix Lip Pencil
I am committed to trying to mimic the beauties of the ’90s, which is why I have an intense, unhealthy stash of brown lip liners. You would think a simple and classic product would be good across the board, but I’ve tried some shockingly soft lip liners over the years. The about-face lip liners are my tried-and-true. They’re creamy, ridiculously easy to apply, and still somehow matte, making them ideal for over-lining lips, if that’s your thing. You can pair them with about-face’s liquid lipsticks, but I prefer to wear them solo or with a hint of lip gloss.
I was optimistic that the product destined to win was the Matte Fix Lip Pencil. After all, I use this product from the about-face the most. And it’s still a product that I recommend everyone invest in. However, the Matte Fluid Eye Paint is unbeatable in ingenuity and truly encompasses what I believe about-face’s brand is all about. The shade range makes it accessible to everyone, it’s easy to apply, it works incredibly well, and you can use it in any and every way you wish.
It’s a strange experience for me to have next to nothing wrong to say about a brand, celeb-founded or otherwise. (Here’s a critique, for equality’s sake: the packaging for the Fractal Glitter Eye Paint and Lip Colors is highly inconvenient for storing. Did that make this review seem fairer? Ah, well.) But, if you love Halsey and want to support them, go forth. And if you’re not a fan of hers, you’ll probably still be a fan of about-face. Sometimes a great brand is just a great brand.
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