Bretman Rock Wet n Wild Collection: A First Look at Jungle Rock

As a bonafide drugstore beauty junkie and dupe hunter, I can honestly say wet n wild is one of my favorite makeup brands—drugstore or high-end. So, naturally, I’m absolutely thrilled about the brand’s first-ever influencer collaboration with one of my favorite Instagram personalities. Bretman Rock has joined forces with the cruelty-free and PETA-approved brand to launch Jungle Rock, a collection comprised of loose highlights, “bomb” mascara, a range of synthetic brushes, an eyeshadow palette, a hydrating coconut spray that smells like actual heaven and a seriously cute makeup case to tie it all together. I got the chance to chat with Rock during his photoshoot for Jungle Rock to talk desert island picks, how he deals with Internet hate, and his inspiration for the collection.

(On a side note, he also complimented my bright orange lipstick and agreed that we would have been friends in elementary school. I’ve never felt so cool.)

With an Instagram following of 14 million, including Lizzo and Ariana Grande, and a subscriber count of nearly seven million on YouTube, Bretman’s career within the drama-laden beauty vlogger sphere is pretty remarkable—especially considering that the Filipino internet sensation is just 21 years old. He may have fallen in love with the transformational and confidence-boosting powers of makeup first, but fashion was his second love and the reason he started making YouTube content in 2015. “I started on YouTube when I was in 8^th grade, and I wanted to go into fashion at that time. I was doing lookbooks and making floral crown tutorials, [but] wasn’t into makeup yet.”

Unlike his beauty guru counterparts, Rock wasn’t interested in making money off the platform. He didn’t even know that was an option, and while he continued to churn out content as a hobby, he quickly garnered a ton of attention. After a fan of Rock’s re-posted one of his early “How to Contour” tutorials on Instagram, he saw his follower count skyrocket from 800k to 2.1 million in just one week. “That’s when I was kind of really introduced into the whole beauty industry. That was the point where I was like, Bitch! I’m beautiful and I need to teach the world.”

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I try not to read the comments, but even if I do, it’s like basic hate shit.

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Brock’s multifaceted content, whether it’s pole dancing videos or his “Mascara of the Da-a-a-a-y” series, stand out in an arguable oversaturated influencer market. Along with his commitment (and uncanny talent) at adapting and keeping his aesthetic fresh and fun, five years of social media stardom has also taught him how to deal with hateful comments that sadly come with the territory. “I try not to read the comments, but even if I do, it’s like basic hate shit, and stuff I already know. Like, ‘you’re so gay, I don’t like you,’ and it’s like, Duh….or like, ‘you’re going to hell’ but I’m just like okay then, I’ll see you there, you know what I mean? Like, we can be roommates.” This unapologetic display of self-love and dash of an irreverent sense of humor are clearly reflected in the Jungle Rock collection.

wet n wild.

Rock isn’t new to brand collabs—he’s partnered with Morphe and ColourPop in the past—but the Jungle Rock collection is probably his most expansive one yet, and he’s damn proud it. “I feel like they also made a new formula for my palette, to be honest with you. And I’m not bashing on their old eyeshadow pigment, but I just legit feel like my palette is the best formula that wet n wild has ever done. It’s bomb.” One of his other favorites from the collab is the Loose Highlighting Duo, a duo-chrome loose highlighter infused with micro-fine pearl pigments for a filter-like, soft-focus highlight. When I asked Rock to share his five desert island beauty must-haves, this made the list.

“I would bring my highlighter, girl. Because if I’m lost and there are airplanes…that’s my smoke signal, you know what I mean? My highlight is so good—when I tell you I could use it as a smoke signal, I really could.” Another essential from his collection? The Bat Bitch Lift Mascara. “I would bring my mascara too because if I’m going to die, I want my lashes to be like, the focal point of my skull. If I’m going to be decaying, at least my lashes are poppin’.”

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My highlight is so good—when I tell you I could use it as a smoke signal, I really could.

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“We really focused on how colorful I am, everything is very colorful, And I feel like my entire vibe and aesthetic right now is just very 80s and 90s. Like, retro colors but with more modern and hip strategies. I feel like I’m trying to marry editorial looks and colors with the aesthetic of modern, Instagram makeup, really. I feel like that [aesthetic] is really in right now, like Euphoria’s makeup, and just like, f**king color.” Speaking of Euphoria, bold and editorial makeup inspired by the series is the one trend he predicts will take off in 2020.

“I legit DM-ed the makeup artist for Euphoria, and thanked her because she kind of made editorial and color a thing. Now, everyone feels like they’re able to wear editorial makeup out in school and in public.” His eyeshadow palette is another standout item in the collection, with plenty of Brock-inspired and Jungle-themed shade names, including Flaminghoe, Pounce on ’em, Ape$h!t, Deeper, and Big Peacock Energy. “Most of the time I like blues and greens. I like masculine colors but kind of [adding] a feminine touch to them, too.”

wet n wild.

As a longtime fan of wet n wild (the first product he owned was their Kohl eyeliner), partnering with the brand was a no-brainer. “I live for wet n wild and everything the brand stands for. I feel like our brands are very similar. Like, I’m outspoken, I don’t follow the f**king rules. I’m talking about wet n wild like it’s a friend of mine, but that’s really it.” The collection will officially launch on Ulta.com on 2/15 and on wetnwildbeauty.com on 2/18, and price points range from $6-$15.

wet n wild.

This medium-sized makeup bag is designed with the collection’s signature, limited print and features a zipper pull with Bretman’s initials.