Fab or flub: H&M gets into the beauty business

As if conquering the world of fast-fashion wasn’t enough, Swedish retail chain H&M has expanded its stylish empire to include a 700-piece beauty line. (No, that number is not a typo.)

With items priced around $13 and less, the expansive and budget-friendly line includes everything from body lotion and liquid liner to makeup brushes and hair products. I inspected a few items from the line and compared how their price points, packaging and quality stack up to other beauty brands.

First impression

The H&M beauty line (available online at www.hm.com/us and in-store) is so large, sorting through all of its 700 offerings would be an overwhelming proposition. So I kept my list short and only sampled a few, assuming they would “speak” for the group.

My list included one non-makeup item, the Rose Reverie Body Cream, priced at $7.99. Lightweight and non-greasy, the lotion has a subtle rose smell and is made with shea butter and vitamin E. I applied it to my hands and instantly loved the way it made my skin feel.

Next up, the High Impact Eye Colour ($6.99) and the Solar Flair Bronzing Powder ($9.99). At first I was apprehensive about the eye shadow. The shade I chose was highly pigmented and looked glittery, causing some concern that my eyelids might look like a disco ball. Fortunately, it was far more subtle when applied and gave off just the right amount of shimmer.

When it came to the bronzer, I could instantly tell it was high-quality with just one swipe of my finger. The fine-pressed powder is very silky and blends nicely into the skin. I could also see this product being used for contouring.

Last but not least, there was the Eyebrow Specialist ($4.99) and the Lip Colour-To-Go ($6.99). As someone who normally uses a powder and brush to define my eyebrows, the idea of an eyebrow pencil was very new to me, but it worked out well. The pencil did a nice job of enhancing my brows, and I found it more convenient to carry on days when I came up short on time for finishing my makeup at home.

Also great for bringing along was the Lip-Colour-To-Go lipstick pencil. Similar to the lipstick pencils by NARS, H&M’s version is effortless to use. Combining a lipstick with a lip liner, the product made it extremely easy to define my lips with just a few swipes. The formula is moisturizing, too, and the color payoff is great.

Overall, the products were easy to use and they integrated nicely with the makeup products I use daily.

Fab or flub?

Fab! Fans of H&M’s clothing line will be happy to hear they have another good reason to stop by their favorite retail chain. Offering high-quality products at bargain prices, the new H&M beauty line is a dream come true for beauty junkies who want more options. The line boasts 200 nail polish shades and 83 colors of eye shadow. All the products I tried exceeded my expectations.

The body cream was extremely moisturizing. The eyeshadow, eyebrow pencil and lipstick pencil had good colors and were long-lasting. The bronzing powder was my favorite of all.

After these positive experiences, I am already making a list of other H&M products to try.

And lucky for me (and for you), the new H&M store at Fort Worth’s Ridgmar Mall has its grand opening Thursday, and the location in Sundance Square (in the old Barnes and Noble building) is set to open soon. They join the other Tarrant County location, in Grapevine Mills mall.

This story was originally published October 20, 2015 at 2:21 PM with the headline "Fab or flub: H&M gets into the beauty business."