Trouble Maker makeup review

There’s a new UK cosmetics brand on the block - Trouble Maker. If this is the first time you’ve heard about it, trust me, it won’t be the last. Exclusive to Superdrug, Trouble Maker makeup is a vibrant, fun and budget-friendly brand that delivers all the basics, plus a little bit more, at unbelievably low prices. Nothing costs more than £10 and prices start from just £2.

With a 3 for 2 offer heralding its launch at Superdrug, it didn’t take much to reel me in. The already quite extensive range includes a massive foundation collection and a whole lot more. Think of 163 products to choose from. Cue debit card…

While this brand has a youthful, fresh aesthetic, it’s for everyone. That includes old codgers like me, of course. I’m not put off by a hybrid of Gen Z and Gen Alpha shade names or brightly-coloured packaging. Not if I can get a full coverage foundation for a mere fiver!

My Trouble Maker makeup purchases

So, what did I snap up from Superdrug?

I purchased the following Trouble Maker makeup products:

• Juno Full Cover Matte Foundation in the shade Little Chef, 30ml - £5.

• Energy Level Plumping Setting Spray, 45ml - £5.

• Mist Snug in JoJo orange - £2.50 (free due to the ‘Buy 2, Get 1 Free’ offer).

These products took approximately four days to arrive - they were hanging around in Evri’s ‘hub’ for two of them. 

First impressions?

Packaging: Apart from the mist snug, which came in a plastic wrapper designed to be hung from a shop display, everything arrived 'as is', meaning minimal waste. I like that - less to put in the bin. The colours are quite striking but mood lifting at the same time. Bright, with a muted twist. All the necessary product information is either printed on the bottle or on peel off labels. The foundation and mist hug boast super-soft packaging that is a delight to handle.

Products: I’ve not previously tried a plumping setting spray but, God, I need one, so this product excited me. It also gives a nod to Trouble Maker’s broad target range. This single product made me feel ‘included’. To be able to buy a case for it was awesome. I may be a 50-something, but I’m into bag charms and accessories to the same degree as my 12-year-old granddaughter. Yeah, I’m invested in the trivial, funsome fluffy stuff that makes beauty and fashion way more interesting. 

The foundation is in a shade very similar to my skin tone. We’re getting closer to winter so a matte finish appeals more than a satin one. I think, at £5, most people heavily into makeup would take a chance on this foundation. I mean, why not? Also, the shade name 'Little Chef', if you ask me, is a tad retro - not purely aimed at teens.

This is how close a match the foundation shade was to my skin. Once blended on my actual face, it was flawless.

Performance:

Juno Matte Foundation - I would rate this as a good medium to full coverage foundation. It's buildable and does the job. It covered my (numerous) imperfections and left my complexion looking flawless. I have to say, the shade I chose is a really good match. Listen, for £5, this is incredible. No patchiness or hevyweight feel - just spot on. I also like the squeeze bottle. I can't count how many times I've bought a foundation with a faulty pump.

Energy Level Plumping Setting Spray - This came out as a very fine mist, which is perfect because it means less waste and no blotching. It has a light floral scent and feels refreshing on the skin. I primarily use setting spray to diminish a powdery finish and this does the job and more. It's incredibly hydrating without leaving a greasy sheen on the skin. Plumping? Yes, because that hydration is really something. Having used it on two consecutive work days, I must add that this product has a tightening and lifting effect (enough to notice) that lasted all day. Another thing to mention is the fab branding - it's even around the spray hole! I often double spray, so to find a good product at such a low price is fantastic.

I've previously purchased body mists in this type of packaging but never a setting spray, so it's a true 'first' in more than one respect.

Mist Hug - O.M.G. This is just so up my street! It's beyond cute. Better still, it was easy to use and comes with plenty of all-important branding, including a charm. I would describe this 'hug' as a jelly case. It's awesome. Perfect for on-the-go use!

One of the things that Trouble Maker has going for it, aside from a good, travel-friendly range and great prices, is that, regardless of aesthetics, it will appeal to people of all ages. When I was a kid, women my age were walking around with granny perms wearing pale blue or beige Macs and patterned headscarves. The highlight of the week was Wednesday night bingo at the British Legion. Now they boast less wrinkles, sport long hair, set fashion trends, and live in a ‘forever 21’ mindset. Yoga and outdoor pursuits top the list of pastimes. Better still for brands like this is that beauty is often a priority. There’s always cash for it - even if the electricity pre-payment meter has gone into Emergency. Appearances are, literally, everything.

Here’s the thing… When you get older, you also get wiser. And convincing yourself that just because you are ‘mature’ means you need to gravitate towards Charlotte Tilbury or Laura Geller is out of the window. I think we’re much more open to budget brands now. Not just for those periods when we’re a bit financially stretched, but because we want to look good while spending our money on other things. Ladies Who Lunch, for example, is a thing again. Who wants to spend £46 on a quad palette when you can get a six-pan palette of equally wearable shades for £4? That’s a £42 saving that will pay for a real-life experience - like a lunch and half-decent glass of Pinot that will not only create a fab Facebook photo opportunity (“Cheers!”) but further convince your peers you’ve aged far less than they have!

What I’m trying to say is that the middle-age product snobbery 'thing' is sliding into oblivion. We embrace what takes our fancy. And Trouble Maker makeup certainly takes mine! I write this as someone whose home is a shrine to a certain indie brand, but whose products are (when you really think about it) just tat sold at premium prices. I want to live before I die, and getting my beauty fix for less could help me do so much more - while looking good, of course.

Mist Hug - front. Look at that branding!

Mist Hug - back. More branding!

About Trouble Maker makeup

Trouble Maker makeup is the brainchild of Adam Minto, a co-founder of beauty giant Revolution. In fact, after a brief absence, he’s back at the business - to steer it through a challenging period. In my mind, Revolution is currently the Woolworths of the cosmetics world. Its range is too broad, confused by brands within a brand, and has lost its focus. I love Revolution for its makeup; it’s not my port of call for beauty appliances, candles or skincare. Although, I wouldn’t say no to products in the Pro Miracle and Sali Hughes stables. 

I preferred it when it was in its Chocolate era and when it put out head-turning collabs with the likes of Lan Nguyen-Grealis. All those Disney-themed collections, face fans and homeware products that followed were a real turn-off. They probably ‘lost’ me at the Power Puff Girls mark. Think of the cost-savings and how much more creative Revolution could be if it wasn’t spending all that money on licences. It needs to curate its own, totally unique collections to stand up to the burgeoning power of the ever-rising, now multi-million pound turnover indies.

With Trouble Maker, Minto has the opportunity to give makeup fanatics like myself what we truly want - all the basics and a bit more, at the right price. There’s innovation, along with some on-the-money quirkyness, already there. The mist huggers are a good example of that. An inexpensive accessory that elevates the product and makes it just that little bit more special. And, of course, who wants an empty product holder? Not me! I’ll be repurchasing as soon as my mist runs out.

I want to see where he can take his new ‘baby’. The range, the packaging and the price point are great. In fact, at a time when indy brands are thriving, this could be one of Minto’s finest hours. His online Superdrug launch was given store front coverage alongside the likes of Mylee, Prada and BaByliss. What a start! Now we need to see these products in more stores.

After ordering my Trouble Maker makeup online, I got a bus to my nearest Superdrug in Bridport, Dorset. For months, it has had a vacant makeup stand (currently filled with travel packs of tissues). Could that have been waiting for Trouble Maker? Apparently not. At the moment, Trouble Maker is only being physically stocked in larger stores. That’s none near me, then. However, staff were hopeful a small stand-alone display could make it to us out in the sticks at some point soon. Yay!

If you are looking for a more extensive review of the product range, I recommend this one by makeupwithalixkate on YouTube. 

UPDATE: I've just been in Superdrug, Bridport, and... Not only has the makeup aisle undergone a compete transformation, it now boasts a FULL Trouble Maker display. This is fantastic! The revamp has changed the entire aesthetic of that part of the store, giving it a much more modern, interesting feel. Real effort has gone into creating an experience-worthy space that boasts better displays and more brands.

This is really something for a small market town like Bridport. Now, us 'Country Dumplings' don't feel like we're being left behind in the trend stakes or missing out. I'm so pleased we got more than a rotating stand in the shop window. I did a little jump for joy in the shop today and, obviously, I congratulated the staff on a job very well done.

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