Sephora is expanding into the kitty herding business, but I know at least one cat lady who isn’t furtastically impressed.
Their new Hello Kitty 
makeup line, called Hello Kitty Sephora Beauty, is available now in stores and online. Products range from $5-55, and the line covers makeup, fragrance, makeup brushes and accessories, too (there’s even a shower cap).
I caught a brief glimpse of two of the palettes and some of the fragrance items at my nearby Novato store the other day when the cute display caught my eye. Most of the makeup is packaged in white with silver accents.
Say “Mrow!” (Hello) to Super Fun and Happy Fun ($35 each), two of the humungous palettes. Seriously, they’re bigger than my palm! Each one contains four fairly pigmented, soft eyeshadows — not as soft as Shu Uemura shadows or Dolce and Gabbana’s — and four lip glosses, which you can’t really see from here (I couldn’t snag the lip swatches in the store).
The Super Fun palette includes:
- Raindrop (gray) eyeshadow
- Sugar Plum (pale lilac) eyeshadow
- Sweet Plum (purple) eyeshadow
- Goodnight Dreams (black) eyeshadow
- Sweet Plum (purple) lip gloss
- Pink Confetti (pink) lip gloss
- Strawberry Cookies (brownish pink) lip gloss
- Snowflake (white) lip gloss
The Happy Fun palette includes:
- Ice Cream (pearl white) eyeshadow
- Airplane (taupe) eyeshadow
- Chocolate Milk (brown) eyeshadow
- Peppermint (sage green) eyeshadow
- Baby Pink (pink) lip gloss
- Peach Pudding (peach) lip gloss
- Strawberry Jam (dark pink) lip gloss
- Springtime (apricot) lip gloss
Sorry about the Blair Witch sequel (poor pics), but I had to take these on the ‘low with my phone; that’s the Super Fun palette at the upper left and the Happy Fun palette at the upper right.
Eyeshadows from the Happy Fun Palette on the top; Super Fun on the bottom
I gotta say, first impressions matter, and this collection isn’t really making a great one on me. The black packaging from 2009’s MAC Hello Kitty collection just seems to have given that release a cool edginess that the Sephora collection lacks. This release strikes me as something made for very young girls, like products I might have come across at Claire’s (doesn’t it seem like that’s the direction Sephora’s been heading?).
Ultimately, everything hinges on the quality of the makeup, though, so time will tell (I’m hopeful!). Of course, if you’re into Hello Kitty, it’s probably worth checking out. 🙂
What do you think about the Hello Kitty Sephora Beauty Collection? Meow or hiss?
Loading ...Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Jackers says
January 18th, 2011 at 9:23 amI think Hello Kitty is adorable, but at my age (almost 30) I feel like my time to rock her is past. I just feel kind of silly buying stuff with cutesy cartoon kittens, however I definitely don’t begrudge others who enjoy it. 😉 Still, I think all of it looks kind of rushed and I feel like they’re just trying to cash in on people who will squeal “OMG, HOW CUTE! I MUST HAVE IT!” despite the fact that the colors honestly don’t look all that great to me. I mean they colors are just kind of blah to me and nothing new; you can find them in so many other brands and probably better quality. Like I said, it feels like they just threw this together because they know that teenagers and tons of other womenfolk will impulsively plop down a ton of dough for stuff that “just looks so cute”.
Again, I know very well I could be wrong and I haven’t personally seen the collection yet. I’ll withhold my final (and oh so important! lol) opinion ’til I have. Just my two cents. Either way, thanks so much for the pics!
Karen says
January 18th, 2011 at 9:48 amYou’re welcome!
Oh yeah — the colors (at least in the eyeshadow portions of the palettes) look a LOT like the Tokidoki line.
Jackers says
January 18th, 2011 at 5:05 pmThat is exactly what I was thinking! I’m not too nuts about that line either, again with the adorable packaging and not very innovative makeup. But, yeah, that’s just moi.
Rachel says
January 18th, 2011 at 9:28 amI’m just not a fan of hello kitty anymore 🙁 I know it’s supposed to be cute and adorable, but the brand feels very played out to me. I would have liked to see Sephora do something else to refresh it – give kitty an edge! The pastels and cutesy packaging are just too predictable.
Karen says
January 18th, 2011 at 9:47 amYeah! I wanna see her in some black rockstar liner!
Arianne says
January 18th, 2011 at 9:29 amMRRRROW!
I’m on a strict ban though, so I won’t be able to snag anything from the collection. I do think the items are super cute though.
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Karen says
January 18th, 2011 at 9:46 amI figured your cat lady self might be feeling this. Does Scherbie like it? 😉
Maddy says
January 18th, 2011 at 9:33 amI’ve never liked Hello Kitty. When I was a little girl, I detested her. She’s too sweet for my taste… not feline enough. 😀
Karen says
January 18th, 2011 at 9:46 amI bet if push came to shove she’d show her claws if she had to!
Kerry says
January 18th, 2011 at 9:57 amSame here, Maddy. I never liked Hello Kitty as a kid and still don’t as an adult.
Barbara says
January 18th, 2011 at 9:36 amFirst let me state that I’m a HUGE HK fanatic, BUT almost nothing from the Sephora HK collection jumped out at me. Notice I said almost, I did walk out of my Sephora this weekend with the mirror for my purse! 🙂 A girl can never have too many mirrors handy.
Karen says
January 18th, 2011 at 9:45 amI’m a HK fan too. Did you go crazy over the MAC collection?
Barbara says
January 18th, 2011 at 10:24 amYes I did! This collection is just lacking the excitment the MAC collection had.
Liz! says
January 18th, 2011 at 9:38 amI’m not really feeling this collection either. The colors aren’t wowing me, and at the ripe old age of 26 I too feel like my days of rocking something like this have come and gone. Though I still like cutesy in small doses, I definitely gravitate towards things that are either edgy or elegant now.
Karen says
January 18th, 2011 at 9:45 amI’m with you on in liking cutesy in small doses. It’s like a spice — you don’t want too much of it in your dish, LOL!
Anna says
January 18th, 2011 at 9:39 amI agree with you, why are the new makeup collections getting more and more kid-style packaging? Hello Kitty is huge in Target right now, I feel like we should keep it there… and not put it next to Dior and Chanel. haha.
Karen says
January 18th, 2011 at 9:42 amHave you heard about the Glee/Sephora/OPI collabo that’s coming out? I love that they have great stuff for tweens/teens, but I want some stuff for the old folks (read: me, haha) too.
meimei says
January 18th, 2011 at 5:25 pmWuh-wait… there’s a Sephora/OPI collection based on Glee? GLEE?*
Seriously. I’m tired of major stores like Sephora and Victoria’s Secret trying to appeal to tweens. I understand the whole marketing/purchasing power they’ve got going on here, but there’s got to be a balance here.
(*I’m on Gleek overload here in the P.I. I don’t mind the show, but it’s showing on three different channels over here, and the current Goldilocks ad campaign has been flogging their collection of Glee cakes.)
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Kim says
January 18th, 2011 at 9:59 amI was just thinking the same thing. I saw a sizable end cap of Hello Kitty in Target yesterday. I’m way to old for the giant-headed cartoon characters (Kitty, Betty Boop). They always seemed like they were targeted to very young girls, or girls in the early 20s who wanted to be ironic. 🙂 I am surprised by the promo poster too. Holy enormous pink bow!
That said, the colors seem very wearable and there are definitely a lot of HK fans out there. Looks like Sephora’s strategy is to get them while they’re young and hope they’ll trade up to some more “adult” brands as they get older. Can’t blame them for that! 🙂
Alex says
January 18th, 2011 at 9:43 amEverything looks so dupable 😐
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Karen says
January 18th, 2011 at 9:49 amIt doesn’t feel very original, right?
Liz! says
January 18th, 2011 at 9:58 amI’m not excited about this collection either, the colors just aren’t wowing me, and at the ripe old age of 26 I too feel as though my days of rocking something like this have come and gone. I like cutesy in small doses but definitely tend to gravitate towards edgy or elegant now.
Liz! says
January 18th, 2011 at 10:00 amI guess I hit submit one too many times! My internet is being so wonky today 😛
Ruth says
January 18th, 2011 at 10:08 amI swatched the Hello Kitty eyeshadows yesterday at Sephora. I’m just not impressed with the quality overall. I’m also in my 30s and I think I’m passing on this collection. My wallet is so happy!
Vonvon says
January 18th, 2011 at 10:12 amI like the cute packaging, but yes, the black packaging from MAC Hello Kitty is definitely more of my cup of tea.
That said, I wouldn’t mind getting the eyeshadow palettes but I am saving up for MAC Peacocky which has yet to be launched here, and may be one or 2 palettes from Maquillage Spring 2011.
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Katrina says
January 18th, 2011 at 10:34 amI will agree that this collection is lacking the punch of the MAC collection, but that is unsurprising to me. I use to be big into Hello Kitty, especially in Jr. High, lol. But indeed, I feel like that time for me is past. The MAC collection had an edge, and so I wan on board, but this just looks sort of boring.
I also feel like HK is just sort of a cash cow now, and I don’t know…I’m just not into it.
Perhaps Sephora is trying to reach for younger buyers with this collection though, which could be good for them.
Michelle says
January 18th, 2011 at 10:35 amI always loved Hello Kitty growing up . . . and yes, I still think she is adorable (my husband still buys me little Hello Kitty notebooks and pens LOL) 🙂 I am much more into quality these days, so this would be a pass for me. Although my 12 daughter would adore it!
Chris25 says
January 18th, 2011 at 10:40 amI agree with you, Karen. The MAC packaging was better. I think I am attracted to this because I missed out on the MAC HK collection. So for me, this is like a second chance.
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Denise F says
January 18th, 2011 at 10:40 amThe real question I have is: is that the Kate Spade black and white polka dot iphone case? I am trying to pick a new case for my iphone 4, and that one is at the top of my list. Do you love it??? Thanks! Love the blog! ~ Denise
Karen says
January 18th, 2011 at 11:05 amIt is! I got it for Christmas. It’s much more slippery than the soft Kate Spade cases. I’m really paranoid about it falling out of my hands now. Oh, and I found out this morning that when the vibrate function goes off it sounds very obnoxious (the case amplifies the sound) — not good first thing in the morning, LOL! I do love the design, but I don’t feel like the phone is any more safer with the hard shell.
Liz G. says
January 18th, 2011 at 10:41 amIt’s cute if your twelve or thirteen. Not my style.
Inday says
January 18th, 2011 at 10:52 amI got my sister-in-law a couple of the polishes and a lip gloss for Christmas when they had the pre-release. I’ll have to ask her how the lip gloss is working for her but I did her nails immediately after she opened the gift and these polishes are HORRIBLE! Thick, gloppy, difficult to apply, and even with Seche Vite on top chipped within a day. That being said, the glass kitty bottles are too cute!
Val♥Beauty says
January 18th, 2011 at 11:27 amLove the packaging, not moved by the product. I had such high hopes for this one!!!
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Tekoa says
January 18th, 2011 at 11:32 amCute! I hope I find something with high quality when I check it out in person. Maybe the fragrance? The swatches seem average.
Nina says
January 18th, 2011 at 11:48 ampaid the collection a visit last friday … not impressed. i like the packaging, its very classy and grown up, but the products itself are a bit lackluster…
Trisha says
January 18th, 2011 at 11:51 amSomething bothers me about those eye shadow colors. They seem…not in season. Or, really, any good. They don’t inspire me, at least.
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Marci says
January 18th, 2011 at 11:56 amI love it! I didn’t pick up the palettes but I did get the eyeliner set. It is actually a really nice set and works very well. The black liner actually stays better on me than my MAC Feline does!
Instant Karma (formerly L) says
January 18th, 2011 at 11:58 am“Mrow” definitely means hello. It’s what Tigger says to me every time I call his name. Considering that, though, it could also translate to “pet me.” Maybe the eyeshadows just want to be petted by a brush!
I have to say, though, the eyeshadow quads aren’t really grabbing me. :/
gio says
January 18th, 2011 at 12:08 pmI’m a fan of Hello Kitty but this collection didn’t wow me. I think some of the items are really cute but the shades are kinda boring and dupable. 🙁
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Erin says
January 18th, 2011 at 12:28 pmI am a fan of Hello Kitty and loved the MAC collection(like $400 loved). I like this packaging too though, it’s more true HK. Those palettes are super cute! The last thing I need is another palette, but they might be too cut to pass.
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dani@callitbeauty says
January 18th, 2011 at 12:33 pmi have to say, the packaging is adorable! and i’m not even into hello kitty. :p
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Fabienne says
January 18th, 2011 at 12:33 pmLike how it’s cutesy but more grown up. I have always loved the kitty, but I’d sooner have gone for less bulky packaging with some kitty print than the full on face. Plus I hear the quality of the colors, from nail polish to eye shadow, is kind of mediocre. Tolidoki is cute, edgy, higher quality.
kana says
January 18th, 2011 at 12:42 pmI was pretty excited when I heard this line is coming out. I’ve been a huge h.k fan since diaper days, but i think i’m just grabbing a few things from this. i heard their palettes aren’t very good, so some nail decal for summer toes and probably roller ball perfume and a lipgloss is as how far as i am going with this.
Principessa Grassa says
January 18th, 2011 at 1:09 pmI will chime in with the rest of the elderly types (I’m 31) and say … meh. Too young-looking, too cutesy, colors and products are nothing to write home about. I’ll pass!
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Ashley says
January 18th, 2011 at 1:14 pmI have a few nail polishes which I really liked from the collection, but the lip and eye products were disappointing. mostly, if you like hello kitty, get it. cause it’s worth the adorable packaging. also, i do like the scent, but won’t pay $55 for a bottle of it cause, to me, i’d rather invest in a non- kitchy scent.
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Paintthetownscarlet.wordpress.com says
January 18th, 2011 at 1:28 pmI will always love Hello Kitty and the colours entirely encompass the brand – cute, fun and pretty!
Stephanie says
January 18th, 2011 at 1:47 pmI don’t get why people like Hello Kitty.. to me it’s something for little girls!
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DonnaN says
January 18th, 2011 at 2:19 pmI just got my HK order from Sephora last night. I dove into it this morning, and honestly, I was pleasantly surprised. I got two of the Charmmy Eye Shadow sticks in Cream Puff (a shimmery pastel lilac) and Fishbowl (a shimmery turquoise), Apple Cheeks in Peachy (shimmery light peach), Sweet Gloss lip in Pink Grapefruit and Big Smile Gloss in Watermelon. I actually like the stuff, especially the Eye Shadow Sticks, which remind me of MAC Shadesticks. I may pick up a few more colors of the ESS.
I will say, that the colors are more sheer than pigmented, but I have so much already that is heavily pigmented, so this is a nice change!
Shannon says
January 18th, 2011 at 2:46 pmI love Hello Kitty, but it’s gotten a little too cute for me to actually use now that I’m in my 40’s. However, my teenage daughter is obsessed, so maybe we’ll be heading to Sephora for her! The palettes look nice and large and the color combos are good, so it’s just a matter of getting more info on the quality at this point.
Thanks for the review!
Shannon
Lipstick Musings
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myfunnyvalentine says
January 18th, 2011 at 2:48 pmCute, but the colours are just too sheer!
I think I’d give this a miss
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Rebecca says
January 18th, 2011 at 2:51 pmI’m also possibly too old for this (almost 35), but I won’t be buying it mostly because the colors just don’t impress me.
Deb says
January 18th, 2011 at 2:53 pmToo cutesy for me though nice for those that enjoy this kind of schtick in products. I’ve reached an age where I prefer a little more sophistication in my makeup….without snootiness or overpriced pretension. You’re right Karen, on my last few trips to Sephora the place looks like it’s going to the much younger demographic. Unfortunate for those of us that are older, especially since we still enjoy our beauty products too. Reminds me of VS. I used to wear only their bras and panties but then the Pink thing went a little overboard and I couldn’t take it anymore. Sephora is fast becoming an artifact for me.
Rose says
January 18th, 2011 at 5:14 pmI was very irritated with the way Sephora handled the marketing with this line. It was not available at all stores at the same time and the quality was horrible! The brushes are cheap and are hard to clean and the eyeshadows look very dull. Although the packaging was better than MAC’s at least you did not have to drive all over the universe to find the line. (just my 2 cents)
Nellie says
January 18th, 2011 at 5:59 pmI love, love, love Hello Kitty and have for almost 30 years since I discovered as a little kid living in Seattle. My mother and I both love Hello Kitty — she has the waffle iron and bought me the vacuum cleaner.
I really like the packaging — it’s not quite so little-kiddish as the stuff at Target — but the products themselves aren’t grabbing me. This could be because I just don’t care for the Sephora house brand; the products just don’t work well for me.
Having said that, I will probably pick up the mirror and definitely the shower cap for my mom.
mint says
January 18th, 2011 at 6:29 pmI think they’re all adorable, although I’ve heard the quality of the brush set isn’t that great. I think the main concern i have, whether the quality will lose out with the cute packaging.
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teresa says
January 18th, 2011 at 7:16 pmi love love LOVE hello kitty, but I wasn’t really impressed with the palettes either… i was absolutely smitten by the cute perfume bottle with the vintage-style diffuser/spray, its SO CUTE I just had to buy it. It smells quite lovely! I ordered the brush set as well just cos it was too precious to pass up and also the blush stick… we’ll see how that goes. I’m waiting for the lip products to come out in stores so I can see what they look like before i splurge!
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Chanel says
January 18th, 2011 at 8:04 pmI picked up a few of the items when Sephora had their sneak peek back in December. The items are really cute but like you mentioned they seem to be more of a teen’s makeup then grown up.
http://mommymakeup.blogspot.com/search/label/Hello%20Kitty
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Jana says
January 19th, 2011 at 2:54 am*SIGH* I wish Sephora could ship to Australia 🙁 I loveee Hello Kitty!
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Dea says
January 19th, 2011 at 4:30 amI probably would like to try one or two products – but there’s not even one Sephora in my country! *grrrrr* I could order online from France, but it would cost me about EUR 15,– for shipping – so totally not worth it…
Lucy says
January 19th, 2011 at 7:56 amI’m a huge HK fan but I found the prices to be pretty steep compared to the quality. I only got a compat mirror even though originally I was going to get the brush set but after seeing reviews on YouTube, I just couldn’t justify the price with the quality.
Karen says
January 19th, 2011 at 9:19 amI wish they had some of the brushes available to test at the store!
Caty says
January 19th, 2011 at 5:22 pmI LOVE HELLO KITTY. Like half my notebooks for school have been HK. I love it. Haha xD
That said, I’m probably only getting a few eyeshadow stick things and maybe some of the lip things. (:
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Lisa says
January 23rd, 2011 at 2:22 pmI really like the gray that is in the HK palette, but for $35 and only 4 colors, I would MUCH MUCH rather spend my money on something NARS, Dior, or Laura Mercier product.
I am currently 21 and I already strongly gravitate towards elegant looks with the ocassional edgy. Cutesy is no longer my style.
I do like their packaging though.
Kristy says
February 20th, 2011 at 9:17 amI never know that Hello Kitty has a beauty products like Hello Kitty Sephora Beauty. I wanted to have that Hello Kitty mirror and lipgloss. 😀 Its a good timing that I found this adorable hello kitty make up kit so I could buy this instead of other brand 😀
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