I do not normally write posts like this, but I thought it might be better to compile this information in a blog post rather than on my social media channels (Facebook , Instagram and Twitter ).Target Australia are now going to stock The Balm Cosmetics and Sleek Makeup which are both cruelty free brands. I have an email from The Balm in regards to their cruelty free status from March this year. They are a cruelty free company as none of the raw materials, products or ingredients are tested on animals at any point during or after the production process. They do not have a parent company and do not have a distributer in China. Chinese customers can order off the website but those products do not have to go through animal testing like on-shelf products in China do. Some of the products contain animals byproducts like beeswax and carmine but I do have a vegan list (quoted directly from an email from TheBalm):
Mary-Lou Manizer (Highlight, Shadow and Primer)
Sexy Mama (Anti Shine Translucent Powder)
Bahama Mama (Bronzer)
Read My Lips (Lip Glosses)
What’s Your Type (mascaras)
Schwing (eyeliner)
INSTAIN (blushes)
balmShelter (Tinted moisturizer)
Put A Lid On It (Eyeshadow Primer)
Stainiac (Lip & Cheek Stain)
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| Some of my products from The Balm Cosmetics |
I sent an email asking for the Sleek same information. Their response was:
“Thank you for contacting us. With regards to animal testing, please note that here at Walgreens Boots Alliance that our brand Sleek make it their responsibility to ensure that none of the products are tested on animals during any stage of the product development process. This also applies to the raw materials used.Due to this, they are therefore able to declare that all of their products comply with the Directive 2010/63/EU and are not in any way tested on animals.Sleek MakeUP has a legal obligation to ensure that its products are safe, they there for endeavour to carry out a safety assessment on every single products prior to placing them on the market.The safety of a cosmetic product can be assessed on the basis of the safety profile of the ingredients used within a formulation. All of the ingredients used within our products possess well established safety records, due to this they do not require animal testing on a routine basis.For further information on the suitability of our products for vegans we do recommend that you look under the ‘Product Information’ tab on each item which will inform you with these details.”
I have asked for more information, clarification on some points and an actual list of vegan products but they never replied.
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| Sleek Makeup Contouring and Blush Kit in Fair |
The bad news is that only some stores will be getting the products, but I have a list of the ones that will have stock and you can keep checking back to see if I update the list. These details are subject to change so please email Target Australia if you have any questions. (Scroll down for updated list of stores)
UPDATE LIST AS OF 12/02/2016
“Sleek and The Balm will be ranged at the following stores
NSW
Warrawong
Roselands
Merrylands
Parramatta
St Marys
Rouse Hill
Mt Druitt
Hornsby
Leichhardt
Broadway
Eastgarden
Bathurst
Port Macquarie
Charlestown
Tuggerah
Erina
Bankstown
Glendale
Penrith
Dubbo
Campbelltown
Warringah Mall
Liverpool
Goulburn
Hurstville
Bondi
Burwood
Tamworth
Castle Hill
Kotara
Carlingford
Rhodes
Macarthur Square
VIC
Highpoint City
Watergardens
Sunbury
Templestowe
Northlands
Plenty Valley
Knox City
Bendigo
Albury
Warrnambool
Mildura
Ballarat
Waurn Ponds
Geelong
Epping
Camberwell
Waverley Gardens
Southland
Melbourne City
Mornington
Airport West
Greensborough
Doncaster
Point Cook
QLD
Northlakes
Strathpine
Chermside
Tweed Heads
Southport
Helensvale
Mt Ommaney
Toowoomba
Ipswich
Hervey Bay
Browns Plains
Buranda
Brisbane CBD
Mackay
Castletown
The Willows
Coffs Harbour
Earlville
Maroochydore
Bundaberg
Springwood
Robina
Capalaba
Toombul
Forest Lake
Carindale
Indooroopilly
WA
Morley
Stirling
Whitford City
Victoria Park
Carousel
Bull Creek
Armadale
Fremantle
Rockingham
Bunbury
Geraldton
Innaloo
SA
Newton
Edwardstown
Reynella
Sefton Park
Elizabeth
Fulham Gardens
West Lakes
Centrepoint
Tea Tree Plaza
Marion
TAS
Launceston
Hobart
Mowbray
ACT
Canberra Civic
Belconnen
NT
Palmerston”
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| Doncaster Target The Balm and Sleek display |
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| Sleek and The Balm Target display Camberwell |
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| Target Camberwell (Zoom in to see The Balm pricing) |
The pricing seems to be very similar to what David Jones has (within a few dollars of each other – Mary-Lou Manizer $29.95, Manizers Palette $39.95, Liquid Lipsticks $19.95), but I have not seen a fully stocked The Balm stand in David Jones in over two years – it’s often just smashed testers and nothing else , so hopefully Target does a better job. I visited the Doncaster store today and found the set ups to be really well done. There were testers for all of The Balm and Sleek products (some seem to have missed that the Sleek testers are in pull out drawers under each product), the only two products sold out were the Mary-Lou Manizer (not surprising given its cult status) and Balm Desert (bronzer / blush). The Nude Dude palette, along with the limited edition Manizer Sisters Palette were in stock, but unfortunately they might not last long seeing as they’re not available at David Jones. All of The Balm’s liquid lipsticks, known as Meet Matt(e) Hughes, were in stock. I did a quick in store swatch of Charming and Committed and took a photo when I got home (I couldn’t cut out Bonsai as he’s too cute hehe). Committed is raved about by so many but I think I prefer Charming as it has pink undertones. They will be going on my Christmas wish list along with many other items.
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| The Balm Meet Matt (e) Charming and Committed swatch Hughes |
If you have not tried any of theBalm’s products, I recommend the Mary-Lou Manizer (Obviously), Meet Matt (e) Nude Palette – matte eyeshadow palette great for anyone and everyone, and their blushes – I love the Boy Down best but it depends on what skin coloring you have as to which one will suit you best. I do not own many products from Sleek but I really love the Face Contouring and Blush Palette Form in Fair – it is a great size for travel and the colors are nice. Hopefully I can try a lot more from Sleek now that more products are easily available.
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| The Balm The Manizers Sisters “The Luminzers” Palette |
I know this looks like a long post but I hope it helps answer a lot of questions. I will update this post if I get any more information. If you have a second, then why not head over to any of the Target Aus social media sites and thank them for stocking more cruelty free products – We need to let them know that there is a market out there for cruelty free cosmetics.
What will you be picking up?
Note: I have spoken to Target about the low stock levels. They are looking into it. The stands should be restocked every 2 weeks, if your local store has not been restocked then please contact your local store manager. I have already spoken to my local store and they are working on getting more stock in.
19 Comments
Hey Alinta, I really want the manizers palette! Do you have any idea on how much it costs at target or how much they are singly? Xox
Hey 🙂
It was $39.95, but has already sold out at the more popular stores. The single manizers are $29.95 but I don't think they put any mary-lou in any store – there's a spot for it so it may just be delayed but I'm not sure. I think the palette is good because you can use all three as eye shadows as well but they are quite a bit smaller then the single versions.
Hey Alintana, is Target Innaloo the only branch in Perth that would be stocking The Balm Cosmetics? much love and power for you blog xx
I asked Target again about WA and they said they had given me all the information they could, so I think it will be the only one for now. Hopefully they put them in more stores at a later date 🙂
I work at innaloo in the beauty section and at the moment we dont have alot of stock due to being so popular, it only came out on friday! So its definitely in high demand but anyone in perth who is after the manizers pallet we received them today. Get in quick!
Thanks for the info 🙂 there are so many WA customers who want the products, so hopefully they will make them more widely available
Did you hear back about the vegan products? I've emailed them and not had a response yet, and their website seems to be down. I'm really wanting to know if the Matt(e) Hughes is vegan. The ingredients look to be, but I'd like to be sure before I buy them. Fingers crossed! 🙂
I've updated the post to include their response. I was hoping they would reply with more details but they never did. They wouldn't give me a list of vegan items but said to refer to the ingredients. So I assume they are vegan if the ingredients look to be but I would prefer it if they just responded to me and gave me the list. Maybe they are just overwhelmed with it being christmas and all, so I will try again in the new year 🙂
This blog post seems to have been corrupted but I am going through it now to fix it.
For anyone who may want to know The Willows Target (and I would assume Castletown as a result but don't hold me to it if I'm wrong) in Townsville now have theBalm and Sleek instore there was a lady who was restocking what little they probably had left of from theBalm range as I promptly put my grubby little hands all over them for a swatch-sesh and I asked if they had just gotten them (it was like about two-thirds complete or so and I wasn't sure if I was the luckiest human on earth lol) but she said they got them about 3 weeks ago. I ended up picking up Instain Houndstooth and a Mary Lou Manizer for now I thought Mary felt a little roughish to touch but I played with my makeup when I got home and popped some on my cheeks to highlight and it was SOOOOO stunning in appearance lol! I also grabbed Sleeks Rose Gold blush because I've eyed it online forever but was dubious if it was too pink or bright… on my finger it seemed peachy but I swatched it on my arm and it was the most epic pink goldness magic I'd ever seen lol. I think it may be too pink/bright for my complexion but I bought it anyway because it's SOOO PRETTY and I'll never know until I actually put it on my cheeks lol. The Meet Matt(e) palette felt smooth (the colours I actually touched) but I think I'll wait for Meet Matt(trimony) palette to come out one day because There's some blues in that original which just aren't my thing.
Thanks for the info 🙂 They should be restocking the stands more regularly now. Most stores haven't been restocked since the launch so you're very lucky to get a hold of Mary Lou 🙂 I love the Meet Matt(e) Palette but I can't wait for the new one. I also want to try the eyeshadow pencils when they launch here – hopefully soon but aus never gets anything quickly
Hi,
I was wondering how much money are the nude-tude palettes?????
Is the balm going on the target website cause sleek is
Thanks
From memory I think they are $49.95. The stock of theBalm still hasn't arrived in Aus, so it's not on shelves. I don't know if it will go on the website, but if it does it will have to be after they stock the shelves well, and that seems to still be a little while off.
I just discovered The Balm at Target today which I was super excited about! However I bought their new matte liquid lipstick for $19.95 and realised that Sephora is selling the same products for double the price! Not, that I am complaining, but how do we explain this price difference?
Target and David Jones are the official Australian distributors of thebalm, so they have very similar pricing. The Australian Sephora website is actually Singapore based so they can choose what to charge. They are taking advantage of people who don’t know the real price of the products. Beauty forums are full of complaints about the Australian Sephora website, it’s very rare not to get your item completely smashed. I assume they are doing it because they can and they think that they will get enough customers who don’t know the actual pricing of the products. Australian’s can buy off the American theBalm website and pay a lot in shipping, but there are so many ways to get the products, so don’t ever buy it from Sephora. I’m putting together another post about theBalm that will hopefully be up in a week or so with reviews of the new products launching in Australia 🙂
I’ve just been to Target at Doncaster Westfield (VIC) tonight and I was so shocked…….. shocked by the way some ppl are acting nowadays. I was at the theBalm section and found out a lot of testers including brand new products have been opened or touched with disgusting ways!! like wth there were lip gloss all over the place and dusts from eyeshadow palettes everywhere! Majority of the products have been sold out, and the whole section of theBalm was looking very disgusting in my opinion. Sleek Makeup section was a bit better, yet, still doesn’t look too pleasant. If you have the chance to walk pass Target in Doncaster Westfield, go and have a look, you will be surprised. To any one who is reading this comment, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DON’T be one of those people, it is unbelievable how uneducated some people are. If you think opening up a new product (apparently it is not a taster) is okay to do or mucking the products in an inappropriate is totally fine becoz you are not the one purchasing anyway, you don’t need makeups you need to go back to school.
I’ve spoken to Target and theBalm who have both said Beauty Next (the aus theBalm stockist) are in charge of the stands, but every time I contact beauty next about it, they say it’s going to get better but never does.
Hi! I’m not sure if you’ll ever see this, but I was wondering when you went, what was the pricing of the Meet Matt(e) Nude palette?
I’ve been eyeing it, but every time I search it up on Target Australia online, it says it’s out of stock and doesn’t have a price on display and it never seems to be in stock in store either (I’m in Sydney)!
Thanks!
(This review is super informative by the way!)
I think the nude was $40 and the other versions $45 but I doubt you will find an in-tact palette at Target as they have been really bad at keeping the products undamaged and in stock. You’re much better off going to David Jones or just buying online from Beauty Next (theBalm’s aus official redistributor). They have free shipping on right now so might be worth having a look 🙂