Product Review: Alleyoop 4 in 1 Touch Up Pen Pal

If you have social media of any kind, you've probably seen ads for the Alleyoop 4 in 1 Touch Up Makeup Pen.  It's reminiscent of 80's kids multi-ink click pens so obviously I'm going to get suckered into buying it.  Ultimately, I wanted to have a mini makeup kit in the nightstand so that I don't emerge from my slumber every day looking like a sasquatch and could have on the most basic of make up so the Mr didn't recoil.  I was actually trying.  

The pictures won't show that because I have not plucked my eyebrows in probably over a year and the zoomed in phone pics are less than flattering.  But that's why you're here - truth.  Lighting is for people who get paid to review things and I do not.  No one sent me anything.  It was my $25 to love or lose.

I got the pen "In a Rouge" that had eyeliner in black, brow liner in taupe, lip liner in nude pink and champagne highlighter.

They also had 'Make a Mauve' which has black eyeliner, medium brown brow liner, mauve lip liner, and champagne highlighter as well as 'Berry Busy' with black eyeliner, medium brown brow liner, berry lip liner, and champagne highlighter.

You can see the 80's girl in me was going to be giddy with delight!

I'm a noob at using highlighters so that was going to be interesting.

This is what it looks like ejected from it's little plastic nest.  You twist the top to make the product longer but it twists out flat.

I'm gonna warn you, these next pics are NOT pretty, in focus and I hadn't even moisturized or given a care to trim and pluck the brows so you wouldn't think I'm a yeti.  I don't care and I know if you've been here a while, you don't care either.  If you're one of those people who do care, go to another blog.  😝

Brace yo'self.  It'll be obvious I don't believe in filters.

This is my before eyeball freshly awakened from my slumber with a hint of bed face and the aura of a mug shot.

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This is my only slightly improved face with the brow pencil, highlighter and eye liner on.

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Because the nude liner was SO nude, I had to put on some lip balm and I just filled in with that stuff so you could actually see the color.  It reads more salmon on phone pics but it definitely reads nude in normal lighting.

My thoughts.  

Welp, there's $25 I'm not getting back.  😖

First off, I don't like that they come out flat because there's just a huge learning curve trying to use it that way for me.  The brow liner did not fill in very well and I didn't want it to look like a toddler drew on my face.  I suppose I could do wispy strokes next time and see if that helps but I wasn't in love.  The eyeliner was okay but again, awkward to apply with a tiny flat product.  What's worse?  Within 30 minutes more than half of it had disappeared on both sides!  I literally had just talked to the hubby and went downstairs to make breakfast.  I hadn't touched my eyes (I'm an eye rubber too so that definitely would be a no go!) or did anything strenuous that would've whipped up a sweat.  I looked in my Caboodle mirror (yes, I still have one!) and saw most of the product was gone.  Not pleased.  

I did like the highlighter for a bit more of a bright eye toward the corner just under the water line but then there was so much damn glitter/shimmer bits/confetti/whatever you want to call it that it all just got all over my face and I looked like I was about to pop a glow stick and head to a rave.  The lip liner was a big disappointment.  I know I chose nude (should've chosen the mauve one) but there are nudes that still look good with a hint of pink or color enough to differentiate between your actual skin and lips and then there's this color that makes you look like the color has drained from your face.  Like the image of the lips above isn't even really correct because it looks like color but when I went in the bathroom, it just looked like the rest of my face.

Look, I get the concept and it's friggin' brilliant which is why I fell for it in the first place but until there is a smudge or waterproof version, it's not for me.  Product that doesn't even last an hour is a waste of money for me.  Maybe if you prime and use setting spray, etc it'll stay in place.  I'm not interested in doing all of that just to hang out at the house.  I'm interested in a few swipes and being at home feeling like a human and not scaring the Mr with the continued "natural" look.  I do also like that it's a clean make up product so no super icky stuff in the ingredients.  Thumbs up for that.  It might be fine if you're going on a weekend trip and just want something basic to grab or keep in your purse but I can't see this replacing anyone's usual make up routine.  (I know that's why it's called 'touch up' but it didn't last long enough for me to even call it that!)

*kicks pebble*

The search continues...for me, at least.

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