'The best mascara you'll ever try' – testing Kulfi Beauty, the latest cult beauty brand to hit the UK

Cosmopolitan

2 days ago

Nowadays, the world of beauty is so globalised, we don't ever really have to wait long to try a brand that launches outside of the UK first. But, when it comes to US-based brand, Kulfi, it's been 4 years of watching our US-counterparts swatching and swiping the most delectable-looking formulas, longing for the brand to launch here across the pond. Well, today is finally the day. Aptly launching in South Asian Heritage Month, the South-Asian founded brand has hit Space NK so we naturally had to try everything. Ahead, the entire range tested on three different skin tones...
We tested all 9 Kulfi products across multiple days, with a full face of all the products and mixing and matching with our current faves to compare and contrast. Below the Keeks, Lia and Humeara share their thoughts on the range.
Humeara says: Packed with fruit extracts, niacinamide and hydrating glycerin, this primer acts more like skincare than makeup, in my opinion. It boasts a creamy, runny texture that feels slightly cooling, and it floods skin with moisture. Unlike other popular primers on the market (cough, Milk Hydrogrip and Benefit Porefessional, cough), it doesn't feel tacky or create a layer on top of your skin. Instead, it sinks in just like a moisturiser would, and you can even use it instead of one. I have simultaneously dehydrated and very oily skin, and my face usually looks like you can fry an egg on it by the end of the day, but this primer balances my skin and genuinely keeps it looking fresh for hours. Plus, there's no tint or cast, which makes it ideal for all skin tones.
Humeara says: Of all the Kulfi products I got to try, this is what I was most excited for. I have a love-hate relationship with concealers; I need them, but they're usually too yellow or the undertones aren't quite right. I tried to match myself online and ended up with shades Cinnamon Bby, Khoya Kisses and Glossy Guava – all of which were too dark for me. In hindsight, I should've gone for Mango Drop. Despite this shade-matching mistake, I was able to blend the concealer out to cover my spots and dark circles without looking cakey or unnatural, which was very impressive considering the shade difference. My skin looked perfectly dewy and even, and the formula didn't oxidise or separate throughout the day. I'll definitely use this again in the right shade, but I do wish there were more shades with cool undertones – brown girls can have cool skin, too!
Humeara says: My brows are my biggest flex. They're thick, bushy as hell, and really quite stubborn. Ergo, any brow gel of mine has to have glue-like grip and hold to really make an impact. Free The Brow is more of a soft and waxy texture, which is super nourishing and comfortable (thanks, vitamin E and sunflower oil), but misses the mark when it comes to hold. My brow hairs flopped within minutes, and I couldn't use this to create a laminated effect. For a brand that's inspired by South Asians, I'm disappointed that it couldn't cope with my typical South Asian hair.
Humeara says: Before this, I hadn't worn black eyeliner in years, and I love that Kulfi pushed me to appreciate kohl again. I smudged it all around my eyes just like I would've as a kid, and I loved it. The pencil nib is perfectly jammy, which is ideal for drawing and smudging, but it quickly dries down and doesn't budge. It doesn't deposit much pigment in your actual waterline, but it works so well on skin and it doesn't flake or goop off into your eyes. Unless you're after the tightline look that requires pigment on your waterline, this is the perfect all-rounder: it's long-lasting, easy to use, comfortable, and it comes in loads of fun shades. I'm obsessed with it and I've worn it every day since testing!
Kulfi Badi Lash Mascara
Lia says: As a self-titled mascara aficionado, I know a good formula when I try one. And Kulfi's? It's one of the best I've tried. Like, ever. For starters, the shape of the wand – specifically the ball tip applicator – makes it super easy to reach the inner and outer corner lashes. Not to mention the silicone bristles that separate lashes with ease. And then there's the formula.
With every lick, lashes grow longer and thicker, without looking or feeling heavy or spidery, while the peptide complex BTS works to nourish and promote lash health. Removal-wise, this is a tubing formula, meaning that at the end of the day, when cleansing your face, it slides right off in more or less one swipe. Basically, it's an all-around winner and hits every checkpoint you could ever want in a mascara.
Lia says: On first glance, I was concerned that this shadow would crease on the eyes because of its creamy formula. However, after blending, it dries down into a self-setting, crease-proof shimmer that does not budge all day. That all said, its the seven experimental shades that are the real selling points, IMO. I mean, the blue duo chrome?! Nothing short of stunning.
Kulfi Lassi Lips Lip Staining Oil
Lia says: If you're investing in a pigmented lip oil, you're going to want colour pigment (duh), hydration and comfort. And Lassi Lips does all three – and more. This lip oil is actually a hybrid, acting as a glossy, nourishing formula on first application, but after it's worn off, leaving a stain on the lips. Plus, it doesn't go on streaky, meaning you can apply without a mirror and be good to go.
Kulfi Heirloom Satin Lipstick
Keeks says: So, I am a certified nude lipstick hoarder. I have dozens and I rotate them in and out of my handbags like nobody's business, but, since trying this lipstick in the shade Ma's Misra I have been hooked. I love the way the pink shade skews more cool brown. This teamed with a brown liner makes my lips look so much more full and juicy. The formula is not drying or stiff – it glides on but does stay put.
Kulfi Mendi Moment Blush
Keeks says: I imagine if Glossier Cloud Paint and Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Flushed Blurring Balm Powder had a baby, you'd be met with this creamy blush. The texture melts into the skin easily but I love that it sets quite matte, as a lot of non-powder blushes are too dewy for my oily skin to last all day. The shade Pinky Promise it s the lightest of the bunch, which means I would automatically veto, but it gives me a beautiful lit from within glow that genuinely would suit all skin tones whether you choose to amp it up or sheer it out.
Keeks Reid is the Beauty Director at Cosmopolitan UK. While she loves all things beauty, Keeks is a hair fanatic through and through. She started her career in beauty journalism in 2013 as editorial assistant at Blackhair and Hair magazines working her way to Acting Editor of Blackhair magazine at 23 years old. She spent much of her career working in trade hairdressing media at Hairdressers Journal, Salon International and the British Hairdressing Awards. Which is why she is a regular contributor to Cosmo's Curl Up franchise. Now, alongside her Cosmo work, she presents, creates content on social media and works with a range of beauty companies; from magazines and websites to beauty brands and salons.
Lia Mappoura (she/her) is the Beauty Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. Covering everything from viral celebrity hair and makeup news to the latest trend predictions, she's an expert in recognising the season's next big beauty look (before it ends up all over your social media feeds). You'll usually find her putting TikTok's recent beauty hacks to the Hype Test, challenging the gender-makeup binary and social stereotypes, or fangirling over the time Kourtney Kardashian viewed her Instagram Story (yes, it's true). Find her also on LinkedIn.