This cult makeup brand with a 17k waiting list just launched in the UK

When a brand lands in the UK and is immediately snapped up by Cult Beauty as an exclusive, I pay attention.

When the above happens and then said brand notches up 17,000 names on its waiting list, more than any other in Cult Beauty history, I slam down my black americano, sideline the 50-shade eyeshadow palette I was painting onto the side of my arm and make it my mission to find out more.

So what is Milk Makeup? This New York based brand ticks a lot of 2019 beauty buzz boxes – it’s vegan, cruelty free, and doesn’t contain parabens.

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But unlike many trend-driven insta-brands, these products come from thecreative team behind Milk photo studios, so those kind ingredients also last the distance under pressure, give serious pigment payoff and come in multitasking life-friendly designs.

Case in point, the Milk Makeup Lip + Cheek, £20.50

This pleasingly chunky twist-up stick comes in five shades and can be used on, you guessed it, lips and cheeks. It works nicely on eyes too as, unlike many sheer lip-cheek duos this can be built up for an opaque stain-like finish.

Another firm favourite is the Blur Spray, £23.75

This can be used either under makeup to prime or over it to fix. So far so classic setting mist, right? Wrong. This has a unique soft-focus finish that looks similar to one of those pricy micro-fine loose glow powders.

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It blurs pores, sets makeup and mattifies just enough without knocking out natural glow.

If you only try one other product make it the Watermelon Brightening Face Mask, £20.50

A genius antioxidant-rich mask in stick form, just twist it up, swipe it over skin and leave for five minutes to feel the soothing, brightening and radiance-boosting benefits. That solid format works so well I’m sure other brands are kicking themselves they didn’t get there first - it’ll never spill all over your dressing table/bathroom/handbag and is perfect for travel.

As you’d expect there are plenty of other products worth exploring (Kush Mascara has a cult following all of its own among Beauty Editors) and at the time of writing several products have already sold out online, so you'd best get in there fast – if I don’t beat you to it.

Fiona McKim
Beauty Editor, womanandhome.com

 As woman&home's Beauty Channel Editor, Fiona Mckim has tried more products than she’s had hot dinners and nothing makes her happier than raving about brilliant finds on womanandhome.com or her instagram grid (@fionamckim if you like hair experiments and cute shih-tzus). Fiona joined woman&home as Assistant Beauty Editor in 2013 under industry legend Jo GB, who taught her everything she needed to know (learn about ingredients and employ extreme cynicism). She has since covered every corner of the industry, from interviewing dermatologists and celebrities to reporting backstage at Fashion Week and judging the w&h Beauty Awards.