First up, Emi of Project Swatch posted this pic of the free-standing makeup brush display that she spotted at her CVS. The prices of their brushes are a bit higher than other drugstore brands (EcoTools, Real Techniques, etc.) with some of the brushes retailing for as much as $18.50.
Next up, many thanks to reader Jen for sharing some pics of the permanent wall display, which contains cosmetics and other things (more on that in a moment):
image credit: Jen for Nouveau Cheap
Permanent MUA Makeup Academy display at CVS
As you can see, this display hasn't been filled with product yet, but Jen shared more pics so that we can see exactly what's to come...
Upper left side of display:
image credit: Jen for Nouveau Cheap
From top to bottom:
Anti-Feathering Lip Liner
High Shine Lipstick
Anti-Feathering Lip Liner
Color Intense Lipstick
I believe that all of the products above retail for $8.50 each.
Lower left side of display:
image credit: Jen for Nouveau Cheap
Lip Stains ($8.50)
Upper right side of display:
image credit: Jen for Nouveau Cheap
From top to bottom:
Sugar Lip Scrub ($5.50)
Anti-Feathering Lip Liner ($8.50)
Lip Primer ($5.50)
Extreme Shimmer Lipstick ($4.50)
Color Infused Balm ($4.50)
Liquid Lipstick ($9.50)
Lower right side of display:
From top to bottom:
Intense Color Moisture Balm ($7.50)
Moisture Balm ($5.50)
Lip Color Crayon ($7.50)
Intense Color Moisture Balm ($7.50)
Moisture Balm ($5.50)
Lip Color Crayon ($7.50)
Very bottom of display:
From left to right:
Luminizing Lip Gloss (wand)
Super Shine Lip Gloss (tube)
Super Sparkle Lip Gloss (tube)
(prices of the glosses: unknown)
Far left side of display:
Judging by the one lash kit in the display above, it looks like all of the shelves on this side of the display will contain lashes. The words on each shelf (from top to bottom):
Natural
Starter Kits
Natural Kits & Adhesive
Glamour
Glamour Kits
(It looks like the single pairs of lashes are $5, the lash kits are $10 and the adhesive is $5)
Far right side of display:
I believe that this side of the display will contain brushes and brush sets. The only words that I can make out in this photo are:
Pro BB/CC Cream Brush ($18.50)
Pro Stippling Brush $15.50)
Pro Starter Set ($15.50)
Initial thoughts: I'm a little surprised that this display is so lip-color heavy. There are 14 different lip products here, which seems a bit overwhelming if you are new to the brand, right? And, from what I can tell, none of these products appear to be products that are available on the MUA UK website, so I don't know if googling for UK beauty blog reviews is going to help much. I'm also disappointed that there are no other color cosmetics in this display (eyeshadows, blushes, etc.). In particular, I was hoping that we would get at least ONE of the fabulous and much-talked about MUA eyeshadow palettes.
UPDATE: Click here for more info about this new line vs. the MUA UK brand. They are two separate entities.
All of that said, I'm still extremely curious about some of these lip colors and I've heard from some of you that CVS will be running a 25% off sale on MUA starting this Sunday. So if I find the display and something catches my eye, I"ll definitely make a purchase and post a review!
In the meantime, have you already spotted/purchased anything from the MUA displays at CVS? I would absolutely love to hear from you!
Thanks again, Jen, for the great pics of the display. I really appreciate it!
I saw this exact display at CVS near me and I was also surprised that it was so lip product heavy. Maybe they're just introducing lashes, lip products, and brushes for now just to see the initial response? I was going to buy a few things on impulse, but I stopped myself since the prices seemed pretty high and I didn't want to spend so much money on products I didn't know anything about.
ReplyDeleteugh i was initially so excited about this but G you are so right. the price points are WAY too high compared to what they sell for in the UK and i really wish they had some of those lovely eyeshadow palettes :(
ReplyDeleteI saw the freestanding brush display at my CVS. There were little sample brushes attached to it so you could feel the bristles. I felt them and quickly moved on when I saw the prices!! I the bigger brushes were $15-$18.50 and the smaller (eye) brushes were $10. I don't know what's happening at the drugstore. $18.50 for a brush and $15.00 for foundation?!
ReplyDeleteI was hoping to see the eyeshadow palettes... :( The prices are a little high for my budget I think...
ReplyDeletei hope it get here to New York and New Jersey!!
ReplyDeleteMy friend in north-central NJ has seen these already :)
DeleteMy cvs (northern va) has that display, full of product for about a month now, but no one has touched it. It's probably 98% full, still! I guess like me, people are waiting for your reviews!!
ReplyDeleteThe mua brushes look really similar to the E.L.F. brushes to me, so the pricing on the brushes is mind boggling. And yes I was really hoping the eyeshadow palettes would be apart of the line coming to cvs. Alas, Poptastic palette you will be mine someday! ;^)
ReplyDeleteI think this is a completely different line of products than here in the UK. I cannot believe they will sell a £1 lipstick for $8. The packaging looks different, and the displays look A LOT nicer. The displays here are very basic, messy and half-stocked almost all the time. You really have to hunt for the product you want. I think MUA have thrown a load of money into this US launch, with new (probably even better) products and nice displays, knowing that competing with elf and w'n'w would be very difficult so instead they are aiming for a slightly higher price range.
ReplyDeleteis it their MUA LUXE line? Are they made in China?
DeleteYou're right that it's not the same, but someone bought the rights to the name in the states. MUA themselves are not involved with the making of these products and have no plans to expand into the States as far as I am aware.
DeleteHmmm.... is it just me or are drugstore prices all seeming to creep higher and higher? (Or perhaps I'm really becoming cheaper and cheaper!) And I must live in a cave since I don't recall hearing about this line before but I see/hear 'MUA' and think something totally different :) I dunno, nothing jumps out at me from this, which is probably just as well. Nice to see some new blood in the mu aisle though regardless.
ReplyDeleteis this a product line to compete with NYX? price seems high
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to pick up that BB/CC cream brush! I love the japonesque version and this one looks really similar! I don't use bb/cc creams but think of it like a buffing brush and stippling brush combined. So easy and leaves a beautiful finish every time
ReplyDeleteI was tempted by the BB/CC cream brush but it sheds like crazy! I tried washing and drying it couple of times but it still sheds badly. I exchanged it for another brush thinking maybe I got a faulty product but the new one I got also sheds like crazy. Gave up and returned it. Save your money on the brush-its worthless
DeleteHaven't seen this yet will be heading to CVS tomorrow to see if its in my local area.
ReplyDeleteI bought a lipstick (think it was around 10$) and a tinted lip balm (maybe around 8$) and I liked them a lot. I really loved the tinted lip balm! I bought it in the red color and it is highly pigmented but not thick like a lipstick can be. It looks exactly like cherry popsicle lips and I love it! The lipstick is pretty good, but not so special to me to buy another one.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I love that new brands are popping up and I think this one is worth trying.
Hi Peach, could you please share the actual name of the cherry popsicle one? Is it the one named Cherry by any chance? I stood in cvs over the wknd and wondered which one it was you described...there were also intense balms above the reg ones and two are red. TIA
DeleteI can't believe how expensive these products are! And it's such a shame there's no sign of the palettes - they're MUA's crowning glory. They're one of my favourite brands because they're cruelty free and pretty good quality for the price - crossing my fingers that you lot across the pond will get their good stuff too!
ReplyDeleteI went into my store last Sunday and saw my display. It was fully stocked and I just stood there for ten minutes like how can I get it sent to my house!
ReplyDeleteThe Liquid Lipsticks are apparently the US equivalent to the Luxe Velvet lip lacquers in the UK. The ingredients are identical, just different packaging. I wish they made it more clear on the CVS site that these are MATTE! Like, super super matte.
ReplyDeleteThe display has a little description of each of the products and I was certain it said they were shiny. I'm gona have to go back and look again because I really wanted to try the Luxe Velvet lipsticks. Thanks!
DeleteBased on iheartcvs' ad scan, MUA will be 25% off next week.
ReplyDeleteI saw the fully stocked display at my CVS and wondered why it was all lip products as well. The prices are very high, although I think CVS charges ridiculous prices for just about everything anymore. They are far higher than my local Target. Anyway, the MUA display didn't entice me in the least. If it was Sleek cosmetics on the other hand...fuggetaboutit.
ReplyDeleteThis just came in at my CVS and is full of products- is MUA a good brand? Seems a bit expensive... but might be worth a try! =)
ReplyDeleteYeah, MUA at CVS is more expensive than the other drugstore brands, although I don't think it would be fair to compare to ELF or WnW prices. However, if my currency conversion is correct, it all adds up to being the same in the UK.
ReplyDeleteThe Luxe Velvet Lip Liner on MUA site is priced at $5.05 USD. The MUA liquid lipstick (which is the US version being sold at CVS) is $9 USD. It seems like there's a $4 markup right? But if you factor in the $12.62 USD for shipping from the MUA site (they're currently unable to ship to the US (lame)), that $5.05 lipstick now becomes nearly $18!
It may be a better deal if you purchased more items from their site to sort of even out the cost of the high shipping, but what's the point if they don't even offer shipping to the US at the moment.
You might want to see on the CVS website exactly what is available. I checked to see and in the CVS in my area there are only the brushes available. I would have to drive over 30 miles to another town to just even look at the lip products. The price seems a little high and if I'm going to pay that amount for a brush...it better be on par quality wise with my Sigma brushes.
ReplyDeleteMy CVS already has the full display. I agree, it's ridiculously lip-heavy and I was really looking forward to some more eye products. Hopefully if the brand does well in the US they will release the eye palettes!
ReplyDeleteThey are 25% off this week:) in CVs
ReplyDeleteToday I went to a CVS store that had the MUA brushes only in an endcap. It was a small display and if I hadn't asked an employee about them I would have never seen it. I really wanted to try out the lipsticks, but that store didn't have any. The brushes looked really nice, but they were expensive. I didn't know much about the brand and for just 2 brushes alone they were almost $40. For $40 I could go buy the It Cosmetics brushes I had been eyeing instead. After reading your blog and seeing your surprise at how expensive they were here in the states had me thinking maybe I should hold off buying the makeup brushes for now. I think by using the 25% off current sale, plus the $4 off any cosmetic CVS coupon, my 30% off CVS coupon(if I'm allowed to use that CVS coupon as well) and few dollars in ECBs might be worth using on those lipsticks...if I every find any.
ReplyDeleteI was so curious to try this brand out that I went on the CVS website to find a store near me that carried everything (most just have the brushes). Luckily there was one about 15 min away from my job. Even more lucky was that I got a $3 coupon from CVS that same day and on top of that the cashier made a mistake and ended up giving an additional $4 off from another coupon that was sent to my card(for a completely different product that I didn't even buy) . Basically I was able to try a lipstick for about $1.50
ReplyDeleteNow for the lipstick, I was not very impressed. The product was too creamy for my liking and smeared everywhere. I had to go back and buy the Milani anti-feathering lip liner. I got the High Shine lipstick in the color Berry. I was also sad that they don't have the Luxe Velvet Lip Laquer, which is the product that I was most interested in. But for the great deal that I got, I guess I shouldn't complain. It's a really nice color and it's super rich and pigmented. Not sure I will buy any at regular price unless they bring out the Luxe Velvet.
Ohhh how exciting! I've been frequenting their site for awhile now hoping I'd see a free shipping to the states promo. I hope it shows up in San Diego soon!
ReplyDeleteA month Ago I have spotted the MUA fully loaded displays at CVS. Since I have been reading about MUA was really surprised that the there were no eye palettes at all. Well, the Color Intense lipsticks are $9 50 and the firs I have bought was #255. Could not find any reviews to read about it but no need now as I adore this lipstick formula and the colors. This is the square packaging, the formula is rich and creamy, opaque, hydrating and long lasting on my lips. Today I own 6 other Color Intense lipsticks and love them all. The ones in round packaging, called Extreme Shimmer Lipsticks are more sheer and indeed shimmery. As I got it today, can't say anything about staying power. Compared to the Milani lipsticks, in my opinion, they are better. I like Milani lipsticks but the scent they have drives me nuts! MUA has better staying power than Milani. I bought only one brush, the slanted crease brush. Umm I am not very excited about it, as for the price, I expected better quality. Let me know, Ladies if you like to see swatches!
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you said- definitely was looking forward to the infamous eyeshadow palettes. And SUPER surprised at the price point. Pretty bummed because I thought it would be lower. I hope to hear good things in the coming weeks though!
ReplyDeleteThese are NOT the same as MUA in the UK. Another company bought the rights to use the name and logo in the US, and the products are not the same as the products in the UK - not the same type, shades, ingredients, anything. The proper UK MUA has no plans to expand into the US as far as I know.
ReplyDeleteooh wow. Good to know. That's kinda lame. So it's a brand new brand but people are going to THINK it's the UK brand so they will buy it.
DeleteI took advantage of the 25% sale on MUA products this week and ordered 10 lip products of various types and finishes. Shipping was free, and I used some CVS ExtraBucks, so it ended up being a fairly decent price. It should be here on Thursday or Friday, and I am looking forward to trying them out. I will do some swatches, if any one is interested in seeing them.
ReplyDeleteI definitely want to see swatches, Seana!
DeleteI was just in to CVS today and purchased one of the High Shine Lipsticks for $8.50 in color #233 Plum, and I absolutely love it already! The texture is so creamy, it really does feel like a balm going on. And the color is perfect! Fairly opaque, but also very rich. It's perfect for me and I will definitely be going back to get another color! :-)
ReplyDeleteI just bought the color Nude in the Intense Color line (square tube) not the round tube lippie. I love it! Very opaque and creamy. Also got the matching matte liner and it's awesome as well. I paid $8 each which is high but this was the first time I saw anything other than the brushes. I picked these up in Long's Drugstore (CVS owes them) in a tiny town called Pahoa on the island of Hawaii. Go figure!!
ReplyDelete