Alleyoop Beauty Review: The Makeup Brand That Wants You To Do Less

Growing up, I thought having drawers filled to the brim with makeup would somehow make me good at doing my makeup. It was a time when Sephora and MAC hauls were all the rage, and I religiously watched beauty YouTubers, trying to learn something about how to apply eyeshadow or achieve winged eyeliner. The result? Drawers filled to the brim with makeup and skincare products I barely used.

Over the years I’ve learned that, for me, when it comes to makeup less is more. When it comes to skincare, I love to slow down and indulge in a routine. But, when it comes to doing my makeup, it’s all about speed. There’s a high probability I'm in a rush, too. I want to leave my bathroom looking as good as I can – as fast as I can. When I find a product that can help me do just that, I stick with it. So, if a product finds its way into my everyday rotation, it’s a good one.

That’s why I approached Alleyoop with cautious optimism. I had heard rave reviews of the brand’s products, multiple of which have garnered thousand-person waitlists. But could these multi-functional makeup products deliver on their promises? Below, I’ll tell you all of my thoughts. If you’d rather skip the good stuff, I’ll give you the spoiler: yes!

Alley-who?

In a world where beauty standards are impossibly high and it feels like brands are constantly selling us products we definitely don’t need, Alleyoop is a breath of fresh air. The brand is all about maximizing efficiency with versatile, multi-purpose skincare, makeup, and bodycare products. The brand’s goal is to help people feel their best while saving time and space, so they can get back to doing the things they love. Alleyoop is ideal for the person who doesn’t want to spend more than ten minutes on their morning beauty routine.

In my experience, many multifunctional skincare and beauty products are simply lackluster. Yes, I’m talking about 3-in-1 shampoo. While multifunctional, Alleyoop products actually deliver on quality.

To get a full sense of the brand, I tried a few different products: Pen Pal (a 4-in-1 brow pencil, lip liner, eyeliner, and highlighter, $25), the All-In-One Razor (a 3-in-1 razor, moisturizer bar, and spray water bottle, $16), and Stack The Odds (a 3-in-1 highlighter, blush, and bronzer, $38).

Pen Pal

This 4-in-1 touchup pen is the first product I heard of from Alleyoop and thus the one that got me curious about the brand. The nostalgic design brought me back to my elementary school days when retractable pens were all the rage.

Pen Pal ($25) is a touch up pen that can be used for eyes, lips, brows, and highpoints. It comes in 3 shades: fair to light (In a Rogue), light to medium (Make a Mauve), and medium to deep (Berry Busy). The product is very intuitive to use; all you have to do is click down on the pen and you’re good to go. If you want to get more product, give the pen a twist.

Whether you love keeping a super pared down makeup collection or want to have just one great makeup product to throw in your purse for touchups when you’re out, Pen Pal is a compact, convenient choice many people will love.

I purchased the Make a Mauve shade, and was impressed at how smooth each of the products glided. The pens are quite thin, which allows you to get pretty precise with your application. This is particularly nice if you’re using the products on the go or in a hurry. The brow liner and eyeliner are simple, easy to apply and work well, but the lip liner and highlighter are what really wowed me. I don’t wear lip liner often, but this gorgeous mauve shade makes me want to. The highlighter is a basic champagne shade, but the thin pen makes it easy to highlight the brow bone without going overboard.

The only thing I don’t love about this product is that the design doesn’t allow you to know how much you have left, though that certainly isn’t a dealbreaker for me. Additionally, I feel like three versions is quite limited and not enough to include all hair and skin colors.

The All-in-One Razor

I hate traveling with razors. Somehow the plastic blade covers always slide off in my makeup bag. The blades get ruined and my hands sometimes get nicked, which is far from ideal. That far too common occurrence is what had me immediately drawn to this tool.

I knew the design of the All-In-One Razor ($16) was smart, but in person it is truly so much better than I expected. Every product is housed in this travel-friendly case with a rotating knob in the middle. This knob lets you switch between each product with ease – just give it a turn. Inside you’ll find two triple-blade razors, a Shea Butter moisturizing bar that helps get a nice pre-shave lather, and a refillable water spray bottle so you can wet skin for an easy shave wherever you are. The case is also very easy to hold, making for an easy shave.

With the All-In-One Razor, everything you need for a clean shave is quite literally in the palm of your hand. It’s compact and perfectly portable, making it a no-brainer for traveling and on-the-go touchups. For me, this product is a 10/10 and sure to become a carry-on essential.

Stack The Odds

If there’s one product I love to have on, it’s blush. A swipe of blush wakes up the face and gives an overall brightness. While I’m quite loyal to my Nars orgasm powder blush, I’m always excited to try new shades, especially cream formulas.

Stack The Odds ($38), a 3-in-1 stackable compound, is exactly what a compound should be: compact, easy to open, and easy to apply. It comes in three versions: fair to light (Sassy Pants), light to medium (Sunkissed), tan to deep (Cocktail Hour).

I went with Sassy Pants, which features a soft brown bronzer, rosy pink highlighter, and a mauvey, pink blush. I used my fingers to apply each of the products and was sold. The formula is so soft and creamy, thanks to the addition of jojoba and sunflower seed oils. It glides onto skin and blends well for a natural flush or glow. None of the shades are too pigmented, so you don’t have to worry about them being too stark on your skin. If you want a more pigmented look, though, they’re all buildable. I personally love the bronzer and blush, though I prefer the highlighter shade in the Pen Pal compact to the one in this compact. You don’t have to be too precious with this product, making it a perfect choice for novices in the makeup department.

The Verdict

I expected Alleyoop’s products to be convenient, but I honestly did not expect the makeup to be as great as it is. If you’re looking for products that will wow whether at home or far away, this is an easy addition to your collection – and soon, your carry-on.

Five more reasons to love Alleyoop:

1. In partnership with Cleanhub, Alleyoop has created a plastic neutral promise. For every Alleyoop order placed the brand removes an equal amount of waste that’s bound to end up in the ocean.
2. The brand cares about sustainability. Biodegradable packing peanuts, sustainable sourcing, and  recyclable materials are just some of the ways they show they care about the planet.
3. Share the Alleyoop love and get rewarded for it. For every friend you refer, you’ll get $20 after they make their first purchase.
4. If you love a product and never want to run out, sign up for a subscription. You’ll get free shipping and 15% off each order.
5. Bundle up! Alleyoop has ready-made bundles of products that go well together to help make your makeup routines even swifter.

Try Alleyoop for yourself here.