Katy Perry’s Katy Kat Collection For Covergirl — How Purr-fect Is It?

She’s been a Covergirl spokesperson for years, but Katy Perry was apparently ready to have the beauty world hear her roar — or, at the very least, least meow coyly —and so she joined forces with the mass market brand to design and launch her first-ever range of cosmetics: the Katy Kat Collection.  Though the collection includes a long-wearing mascara, the COVERGIRL Katy Kat Eye Mascara, lipsticks constitute the primary focus, with 13 demi-matte shades ranging from classic crimson to on-trend black.

Since Katy Perry is known to love a bold, statement-making pout, so I was singing a “Wide Awake,” “California Gurls,” and “Firework,” medley and breaking out some cheeky moves with my own Left Shark (just kidding — my hubby is the only shark in these here parts!) while envisioning the colors in the collection. But, of course, I got one thing wrong: though each lipstick’s white tube is stamped with the words “Katy Kat Matte” in bold, black, capital letters, the shades inside each container actually feature a demi-matte — not a classic matte — finish. What’s the difference, you ask? Well, the key distinction is that a lipstick with a truly matte finish has no sheen — it’s literally lusterless.  But, modern-day matte lipsticks are also much more richly pigmented so that they deliver a stronger punch. Generally, they’re also longer-lasting, which is a huge consideration when you’re vying for a statement lip (you don’t want a show-stopping pout that wimps out!).

Just a decade ago, women complained that matte lipsticks were too drying on lips and that the color options were sometimes unappealing because they looked too flat and lacked any depth or dimension, and so all of these complaints and concerns have been taken into consideration, leading to a new wave of non-drying, long-lasting, exquisitely comfortable but pigment-rich matte lipsticks. Women have, in turn, gone mad for matte — which brings us back to the reasoning behind Katy Perry and Covergirl creating a range of matte (or demi-matte, rather!) lipsticks.

Apparently, the parties involved felt that a demi-matte finish would be more appealing to customers since it ensured that the lipsticks wouldn’t cake or flake on lips (as this has been a major frustration with matte lip products in the past), that they’d feel weightless and comfortable (another common gripe), and that they’d still enjoy a hint of sheen (more on this in a sec). According to Covergirl’s research, most women don’t actually want a full-fledged matte lipstick but, rather, they desire a creamy and hydrating lipstick with a robust color and a velvety smooth finish. The findings suggest that it’s the intensity of matte lipsticks that women love over the actual finish. I, however, disagree with these findings – at least on a personal level. Yes, I want a moisturizing lip color, but I do want it to be have that true matte finish. See,  in my experience, when a lipstick goes from matte to demi-matte, the color pay-off drops significantly. I found that to be really evident in the Katy Kat collection.

All 13 shades in the collection are made using finely milled mica, so that the lipsticks glide across lips rather than dragging painfully (much appreciated!), and feature moisturizing ingredients like aloe, shea, and avocado butter (also lovely). This, however, isn’t all that novel: Urban Decay’s matte lipsticks feature aloe, jojoba, avocado, and babassu oils as well as Illipe butter; Lipstick Queen’s Sinner lipsticks are formulated with shea butter, sunflower seed wax, and castor seed oil; and NARS’ Matte Velvet Lip Pencils are enriched with vitamin E and other emollients. The difference, however, is that these other ranges’ formulas strike a better balance between pigments and emollients, cushioning lips while also depositing bold and intrepid color in just one pass.  Even NYX, which is a mass market brand, has various matte lip color options (lipstick, liquid lipstick, etc.) that include edgy shades and which don’t dry lips out. The Katy Kat Matte lipsticks, however, feel cushion-y on lips, but they don’t quite knock you out in terms of color pay-off.

Which is not to say these lipsticks aren’t worth scooping up! I’m simply pointing this out since any makeup experience can be affected by your expectations. If you want to be pleased with a purchase, you have to know what to expect. If you go in thinking you’re going to get a lipstick that packs a punch and offers full coverage, well, you might be disappointed. If, instead, you consider getting a fun shade with a medium intensity and a creamy feel, then you’ll likely be pleased.

The other consideration: these lipsticks are not long-wearing by any means, so do plan to keep your go-to color in your makeup bag and to use a lip liner so as to prevent any gaps in coverage. Also, they won’t stay in place like liquid matte lipsticks, so there is a possibility of some light smearing — nothing dramatic, just your run-of-the-mill, lipstick-related snafu.

The shades, meanwhile, are definitely on trend. I checked out five shades, and I can picture a girl wearing each (if not all!) of these with a huge smile on her face. The five colors I tried are: Cosmo Kitty, a moody lavender; Coral Cat, a melon shade; Tricot-Griffes, a reddish brown hue; Maroon Meow, a deep plum purple with reddish undertones; and Magenta Minx, a punchy honeysuckle pink.

Below, you’ll find swatches of Cosmo Kitty, Coral Kat, and Tricot-Griffes:

As you can likely see from the photos above, these are definitely more lustrous than your typical matte lipstick. In fact, I think they’re not too far off from Covergirl’s standard creamy formulations — and, again, that’s perfectly fine, as long as you don’t walk in expecting a full-on matte finish.

As for the shades, Tricot-Griffes is probably the most on-trend at the moment given that brown lips are making a comeback (as are chokers and a ton of ’90s trends!). I thought Cosmo Kitty would look great on me, but it’s a tough color to pull off if you’re on the fair side and don’t have a particularly eccentric or editorial look.

Moving on, below you’ll find swatches of Maroon Meow and Magenta Minx:

These colors are pretty, if albeit standard fare, but I do think their names are slightly misleading. Magenta Minx isn’t really a magenta at all — it’s much more of a honeysuckle pink. Similarly, Maroon Meow has more of a plum/aubergine tonality than it does an earthy brown coloration. Still, their monikers notwithstanding, both shades are cute, and I can definitely see Maroon Meow being the perfect finishing touch to a sexy, vampy look.

Below, check out two photos in which I’m wearing the Coral Cat shade:

Next, here’s me working the Tricot-Griffes shade, which I actually loved much more once I tried it on my lips:

And last, here’s a quick show of me wearing the Magenta Minx shade:

I can’t say I was blown away by any of these, but I would probably go out and buy Tricot-Griffes since it’s a brown lippy that actually works for my coloring. That said, if you don’t have any similar shades in your lipstick drawer, this might be a great chance to do so — and for just $8.99 a pop!

The Covergirl Katy Kat collection is available at drugstores and mass market retailers while supplies last.