I tried the new affordable makeup range at Woolies, but is it any good?

Well, well, well, it seems MCoBeauty has a new competitor on the Woolies shelves. Poni Cosmetics, an affordable Australian-owned make-up brand, has just landed at the supermarket.

Launching exclusively in Woolworths, Poni is a new generation of beauty bringing a bold, playful and modern take on makeup. And the best part is that everything is under $25.

The range spans face, eyes, and lips: creamy blush sticks, lip butters, tubing mascaras, lip liners, and more to create an everyday or evening look.

We love affordable beauty here, but we also prioritise quality that can create a face that looks and feels nice. So, is Poni all cutesy packaging, or does it deliver on "feeling premium, relevant and highly Instagrammable" as it promises?

I put it to the test from my beauty studio (my desk) to find out.

NOTE: Prices are accurate at time of publishing.

Poni Base Game Primer

Shop here for $12

This primer promises an "ultra-hydrating gel primer that preps, plumps, smooths and evens." As someone who hates a sticky primer that ends up leaving a tacky residue, I enjoyed the texture of this one. I imagine it's better for an everyday look – it gives a light look of freshness for the day.

Poni Barely There BB Cream

Shop here for $10.80

I can't lie, when I applied this, I immediately panicked. Mostly because, despite being a medium tone, it looked too light. I usually blend in lighter creams like a BB cream with my fingertips, but I struggled to do so. However, once I got my hands on a brush, it evened out nicely. It feels nice on my skin, and lasts a day in the office and out in the sticky humidity.

Poni Sculpt Me Liquid Contour Stick

Shop here for $13.20

This contour is a little heavy for me; I'm used to slightly lighter touches. Having said this, once I blended it out (for quite some time), colleagues did say I looked "snatched", so maybe all the effort was worth it?

Poni Blush Hour Cream Blush

Shop here for $10.80

This cream blush gave a nice pop of colour to my cheeks – nothing too aggressive, but not plain, either. It's easy to apply and easy to blend.

Poni Cheeky AF Powder Blush

Shop here for $8.40

I love a cream blush and powder blush layering situation. It just gave my cheeks the extra flair they needed without looking heavy. A very easy part of the look.

Poni Volume Please Mascara

Shop here for $12

This tubing mascara was actually perfect for me. It lengthened my eyelashes nicely, without being too heavy or sticky. I'm quite fussy about my mascara because I think too much can look ridiculous on me. So, I'll certainly be using this again!

Poni No Budge Brow Gel Clear

Shop here for $9.60

For far too long have I been battling with sticky eyebrow gel congealing with my base layer, and destroying my whole look. It's been a real issue for me recently. This clear brow gel held my (slightly unruly) eyebrows together, giving them a sleek, defined shape. I love.

Poni Plump & Pout Lip Serum

Shop here for $9.60

This was so reminiscent of being in my pre-teens and lapping up flavoured lip glosses. But I wasn't mad about it. A nice sheen and a keyring? Perfect.

Poni Hold Up Setting Spray

Shop here for $12.60

A light spritz locked my makeup in well, and it hasn't budged for hours of being on the move at work.

My final verdict

At first, I was deeply put off by the too-pale BB cream anxiety. I thought the whole look was going to be a mess, to be honest. But, once I'd prevailed and evened it out enough to not like my skin was three shades lighter, it came together nicely.

If you don't mind a bit of hands-on blending, this affordable makeup really is great. Despite not having to go to town on the products, I created a look that is suitable for office-wear, and for evening plans.

It survived a particularly sticky day in Sydney, and since there's no powder element to hold it all down, we were impressed with the result.

Another colleague also told me I looked pretty, so that's a win. And for as little as $7.20!? Even better.

READ MORE: Tried and tested: The Rhode products worth trying (and the ones to skip)