Kulfi Brand Review: What’s Worth It and What I’d Skip

I’ve been testing a handful of products from Kulfi, and I finally feel like I’ve had enough time with them to do a brand review. Overall, I’ve been really impressed, especially with how easy these formulas are to use while still being very effective. In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own.

Kulfi Main Match Concealer in Paan Party – This has stayed one of my favorite concealers since I got it. It blends out quickly, the coverage is very buildable from light to medium, and the finish is a natural satin that makes skin look like skin. It’s described as a radiant-finish but my dry skin definitely cancels that out. I’ve been using it as foundation a lot lately because it’s so easy to throw on all over. It looks like I just have great skin and not like I’m wearing a ton of makeup. It’s flexible enough that I can use it as a traditional concealer or use it as a foundation and add another concealer on top without anything pilling or layering weird. That all said, I was looking back at pictures of the days I wore this all over as foundation, and it’s definitely too light of a shade to match my face and neck (although a great match for the inside of my arm). I can definitely see myself repurchasing this one but in a darker shade, especially because the shade Paan Party is an unusually good match for me as far as undertones go. It’s one of the rare base products where I don’t feel like I have to use green color corrector to make it work.

Kulfi Zari Eyes Eyeshadow in Bronze Brocade – This formula is so fun and it’s been one of my favorite one and done shadows because it basically applies itself. A little bit goes a long way, and you can dip your finger in and swipe it all over your lids, and it immediately looks dimensional and sparkly in a way that still feels totally wearable for everyday. You have enough time to blend it out and get the edges how you want, and then it sets down and wears really well on me without much creasing. Bronze Brocade is also a great shade choice because it’s warm but not aggressively orange, and it’s exactly the kind of throw it on and look put together eyeshadow I reach for when I don’t want to think too hard (which is pretty often with my current level of sleeplessness). I’m definitely interested in trying more colors because I really love this formula.

Kulfi Glossy Lip Staining Lip Oil in Rose, Caramel, and First Sari – This was the first Kulfi product I bought and the only one I’ve gotten multiple shades in right away. I wear these constantly because they’re so easy to use, and I really love a good lip stain. They go on like a comfortable gloss and then leave behind a really pretty stain that stays true to the shade you put on instead of turning into the same generic pink on everyone. Caramel is the one I reach for the most for everyday, but First Sari is probably my favorite olive friendly shade, especially if I’m doing more of a berry look. The stain wears really well and they make my lips look smoother instead of drying them out. I’ve been trying a lot of K beauty lip stains over the years and these absolutely hold their own against those.

Kulfi Lip Snack Glossing Lip Balm in Coconut Chum Chum – This lip balm formula is really comfortable, it’s not sticky, and it feels moisturizing and nourishing on the lips. I have zero complaints about how it wears. Coconut Chum Chum is a really pretty sheer pink that I’m honestly more excited to wear in the spring but it does work well with my undertones. I also really like the packaging. The applicator makes it really easy to apply neatly without needing a mirror (it also helps the shade isn’t too pigmented). For me, it’s just one of those products where if I’m looking at my huge pile of lip balms in a tube, nothing about this one is screaming “you need to run out and get it”. My number one is still the Eadem lip balms, followed closely by the Ole Henriksen and Unleashia balms. That said, if you’re already placing a Kulfi order and you want an easy, glossy balm to toss in your bag, this is a really nice one.

Kulfi Free the Brow Brow Gel – I really like the packaging with the dual sided brush and comb. It makes it really easy to shape brow hairs and get them into place. The brow gel itself gives hold without flaking and without that crunchy feeling. I love that it looks really natural once it dries down. For most people, I think this would be a holy grail brow gel, and I totally get why it’s a favorite for my friends with easier to control brows. For me personally, it’s just not quite enough hold because my brows are unruly and refuse to behave. They always fall out of place within an hour with this one. I still prefer the Rare Beauty Brow Harmony Flexible Lifting Gel as my benchmark hold in place all day bro gel, but I would absolutely recommend this one if you want a comfortable flexible hold and don’t have brows that refuse to do what you want.

What other products would you like me to review? Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here, and thanks for reading! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog and some products may have been gifted, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.

My Favorite One and Done Single Shadows

My favorite eye look to do right now is one shadow all over the lid. It’s super quick and easy, but with the right shades, can still be complex and impactful. These are my favorite six products to use for a one and done look! To easily compare, swatches of all 6 are in the middle of this post if you’d like to jump straight there.

I’ve written about how much I love the Vesca Moonlit Dream Cream Eyeshadows, especially the shade Lyra. This formula is still the easiest cream shadow I’ve ever worked with. They stay blendable for long enough to get your look just right, and then they dry down and don’t crease all day. I’m also still in love with the packaging – it’s super easy to only get what you need, and I don’t have to worry about them drying out. The color Lyra is described as a champagne rose with an iridescent reflect, and it’s the perfect coppery, rose, shiny, glittery, works for day and night color for me.

I just mentioned this Bodyography Glitter Pigments in my April favorites, but it’s quickly risen to the near top of my favorite shadows list. Off the Hook has been my favorite. It’s a beautiful taupe/bronze color that makes it perfect as a one and done shadow, especially when I’m looking for something more neutral than Vesca’s Lyra and with way more glitter impact. Their site says that these are a unique formula that incorporates “the saturation of a loose pigment, the cushion of a cream, and the silkiness of a powder”, and that describes it better than I could. I can throw them on with a brush or finger create a lot of impact and dimension quickly with one shade. They stay all day even with a regular eyeshadow primer, but they work great with a glitter primer too.

I’m a big fan of glittery/shimmery eyeshadows, but sometimes I just want something that’s a super easy matte look. I always rely on the Mac Pro Longwear Paint Pot Eyeshadow in Groundwork for that. It’s a neutral taupe that goes with any blush and lip color I’ve chosen. The formula is incredibly easy to work with and doesn’t require a primer because these are a hybrid primer shadow. It doesn’t crease and stays all day without fading. I know this formula and shade has a lot of hype around it, but it’s my only matte cream shadow for a reason – it’s really the best.

When I want something warmer and brighter, I always reach for the Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Rose Gold. I’m not a huge fan of eyeshadow sticks because they tend to dry out on me and become hard to apply and blend. I’ve never had that issue with any of the caviar sticks I have, and the rose gold one in particular has continued to be reliable for much longer than I expected. Like the rest of the shadows on this list, it’s super easy to blend and stays all day. I particularly like this one for travel since it’s compact and I can swipe it on, quickly blend with my finger, and then I’m good to go.

From left to right: Vesca, Bodyography, Mac, Laura Mercier, Hourglass, Chantecaille

When I want a one and done with even more glitter than the Bodyography, the Hourglass Scattered Light shadows are my go-to choice. The shade reflect is a beautiful pink leaning champagne. I love using this when I want a fun look with one shadow, something impactful for a night out (remember those?), or used sheerly as a topper. The only issue I have with these that I don’t find with any of the others is that I sometimes experience fall out, so I recommend using a glitter primer if you have one.

I put this one last because even though I love it, I can’t seriously recommend it because it’s so expensive. Especially with all the other amazing options on the market, you don’t have to ever spend $52 on a single eyeshadow. That said, the Chantecaille Luminescent Eye Shadow is truly special, and I am so happy I have it in my collection. I have the shade Cheetah, which is a beautiful warm champagne. It has just the right amount of gold for me, and I find that it manages to bring complexity even though it’s quite light. I love how much impact this creates so quickly, and I continue to have to convince myself not to get another one.

What round up would you like to see next? I’d love to know, so leave it in the comments!