Just in time for HALLOWEEN this month I have a new vs. post for you!
This time it’s Deborah Lippmann Superstar vs. Wet n Wild Cougar Attack.
A lot of people made the comment wondering how close these two were going to be as soon as they saw my Wet n Wild swatches. Very fair question because in fact they are really similar.
Superstar, Cougar Attack
Wet n Wild Cougar Attack on pointer & ring, Deborah Lippmann Superstar on middle & pinky
Both of these polishes are basically copper glitter floating in a brown base.
Now in this post I mentioned that Superstar looked kind of like a rose gold glitter. Now that I look again I am thinking no way, it’s definitely copper. I think to my eye it registered as rose gold because I was comparing it to a very orange, orange.
Anyway as similar as they look, there are some really small differences, but they can be pretty hard to find.
Superstar has a slightly darker brown base and actually covers really nicely in just two coats. Cougar Attack’s base is more watery and sheer and a lighter brown. I also feel I need three coats to get it completely opaque.
Superstar has a bit more glitter per brush swipe than Cougar Attack does also. It’s really not THAT noticeable, but it’s there. Especially when comparing just two DL coats to WnW three coats.
The glitter in them appears to be pretty much the same size and shape, so no difference there. Both feel slightly gritty to the touch until you add a top coat.
Superstar seems to dry a tiny bit faster also, but again that could be because I only need two coats.
Of course the most glaring difference between the two will be the pricing. Superstar is $18.00 for .50 oz and Cougar Attack is $1.99 for .46 oz. Wet n Wild is available in the US in drug stores, but as you know sometimes they can be REALLY hard to find, so it might actually be easier to get a-hold of Superstar!
Wet n Wild Cougar Attack on pointer & ring, Deborah Lippmann Superstar on middle & pinky
Wet n Wild Cougar Attack on pointer & ring, Deborah Lippmann Superstar on middle & pinky
Deborah Lippmann Superstar on middle, Wet n Wild Cougar Attack on pointer
The Verdict:
I think these are so close that for most people they would be considered dupes. You can only see the differences if you look really, really hard or you are a hardcore nail fanatic.
The Winner:
I love Deborah Lippmann polish and bottle shape but for the money savings alone, I have to say that Cougar Attack wins this one for me.
What do you think? Can you see the differences? Which would you choose?
-Kelly
27 comments
Nice! (the nearest thing I have to this is China Glaze Fortune Teller, but that’s much more glittery and in a black base.)
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They look great and I think I will save $16 and get Wet n Wild… that is, if I can ever find it! 🙂
I just found the On The Prowl collection at a local store and snatched up this and Behind Closed Doors after seeing your first comparison post. Glad I did! I don’t own any Deborah Lippman polishes yet (though there are a few I want) but my wallet is a lot happier spending $4 on close dupes. And actually, at least from the Behind Closed Doors comparison post– I think I might like the WnW versions better anyway!
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I honestly prefer the look of WnW’s Cougar Attack over Deborah Lippmann and the price tag makes it all the more attractive. 🙂
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I agree with you, with the money saved look at all the other colors you could buy. More bang for your buck
Thanks,
Teri
I am almost always dead set against buying cheap dupes (e.g. I will never buy a Revlon polish if they continue ripping off Chanel), but I think Deborah Lippmann makes the most overrated, overpriced polishes on the market. If all you do every season is dump a different color/shape glitter into a sheer base, you deserve every dupe that pops up in the drug store. Maybe it’s just how it looks in the pics, but it seems like the WnW glitter lays a lot smoother on the nail than the Lippmann does, anyway.
Yes, yes, and yes. I’ve never been really blown away by Lippmann polishes, certainly not for that price. And you’re right, the Wet ‘n’ Wild really does look smoother, but no less sparkly. Win/win. Thanks for comparing these!
I can’t believe how similar they are.
I actually like that there is less glitter on the WnW nails. I never thought I would want to buy a WnW polish over Deborah Lippman!
Thanks for this fabulous post!
Nice comparison! I would choose Cougar Attack. Well, I would if I could find it. I’ve been “on the prowl” for that collection forever – WnW chose a fitting name for it.
I think the DL one looks slightly chunkier while WnW is smoother looking. I’d go with WnW though since the price is right.
I can scarcely tell the difference! Hopefully I’ll be able to find this at my local drug store, too! 🙂
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Thanks for the comparison. WnW for the win! My wallet thanks you.
I’m with team WnW. Mostly because of the cost but also, if there’s not that much of a difference, I’ll stick with WnW; they have funkier colors.
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I already own Superstar, which I love, so I won’t buy the WnW. It is a great price though. I just love the name – do cougars wear this when they attack young men? 😛
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I agree. Cougar Attacks seems to be the winner here! The price is much less than the DL and the overall effect of the WNW is pretty close. Great comparison!
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I’m all for saving money when I can! What a fun polish!
If I didn’t already own Superstar, I would be on the prowl looking for that WnW collection that no one can find!
the wet n wild one looks alot smoother than the D L one now i wanna go buy it lol
This is the only one of the On the Prowl polishes I’ve been able to find. Hopefully I’ll come across the others but at least I got one awesome polish if I can’t find the others. 🙂
To be honest, I knew on which nails you’d applied ‘Superstar’ immediately–its glitter coverage is beyond compare. However, I’m now lemming the entire ‘On the Prowl’ collection because of it’s amazing DL dupes!
I have been going CRAZY looking for Cougar Attack and finally had to give up the search. 🙁 I am not going to spend $14 for Deborah Lipmann, so I will try to find something else that says Halloween that is not out and out orange or green, This post has me wishing all over again for Cougar Attack!!! UGH!!!
I prefer the W&W version. It looks much smoother than the Lipmann which looks cheap and for $14, yikes(!), we all know it isn’t.
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Looking at bottles, would have said Lippman way much better. Suprised to see that they are so close. Have been looking for prowl, normally have no problem finding wet and wild.
Honestly as much as I LOOOVE DL (just got “Party Started” set today so now I own 2 bottles of Happy Birthday lol) I would buy Cougar Attack.
But I can’t find it. Or any of the On the Prowl polishes. Hehe maybe I’ll have my husband hit up a bunch of Walgreens on his way back into town on Saturday *plot plot* There is just no way I want to pay THAT MUCH on a certain auction site for polishes that cost $2 apiece.
Thanks for the comparison!! I’m holding out hope! 🙂
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Dupes to me. I already have Superstar, darn! I could’ve saved a lot of money. Good for everyone else.
I actually like Cougar Attack more than Superstar. It seems like it’s not as bumpy & the huge price difference is pretty great too. I just wish I could find it.
I have been searching for the On the Prowl collection for over a month now and still no luck. I just really want the black glitter. 🙁