Sunday 16 December 2012

Review: e.l.f. Haul

A couple of weeks ago e.l.f (www.eyeslipsface.co.uk) had a 50% off everything offer. I took full advantage of that and picked up over £75 worth of stock in the form of Christmas presents and a few little treats for me. Luckily, I only paid £30 for the largest box of make up I have ever seen.

If you have never used or heard of e.l.f. before, I would definitely tell you to look at their website. They have a wide range of products from as little as £1.50 ranging up to around £15 for gift sets. Sure, they can be a little hit and miss, but when you are on a tight budget and are in need of a new lipgloss - it's totally worth it!

A word of caution, follow e.l.f. UK on Facebook. There are regular offers on postage, or 20% off for one reason or another. There is no reason to pay full price for anything on e.l.f. (sorry!).

These two nail varnish trio sets are relatively new in. At £4 they aren't a ridiculous price. I like the fact they are relatively small bottles. I always pay for larger bottles of polish and never finish them (unless they are black or white). I personally love smaller bottles of polish as I actually manage to finish them before they dry out and are a pain to apply. My view of e.l.f. nail varnishes is that the colours are quite nice and they apply relatively well. I have my fair few e.l.f. nail varnishes and whilst they apply well for the money they cost - I'd much rather splash out on a Revlon/Rimmel nail varnish which will give a much easier application. However, for nail art - the cheap prices are perfect!

I picked up these two beauty books as presents. They come with 6 eye shadows, an eyeliner, an eyelid primer and eyeshadow applicator. With full instructions for both day and night application they look like a really nifty kit. The colours are gorgeous and for £3 each they were definitely a bargain! I'm not sure how happy I'd be with them if they had cost £6 each - but if they are on offer again I'd pick one up.

I have wanted an eyeshadow palette of browns for a while now. I was intending to get the MUA palette, or perhaps splashing out on a Bourjois trio but when I saw this for £2.50 (50% off) I couldn't help but pick it up. The packaging is super cute and there are so many different shades of brown. Honestly, I didn't think that many shades of brown existed (slight exaggeration). Sure, they may not have the pigment or the staying power of a more expensive palette, but if I don't wear them it has saved me the £8 I would have spent. I have a cooler skin tone so I am worried that this 'warm palette' will not suit my skin tone at all. I guess I'll just have to experiment. Swatches will come!

The first of the new lipsticks I bought is this Studio Matte Lip Colour in 'Tea Rose'. Online it looks like quite a bright, pale pink. However, it is actually a very dusky pink with cooler undertones. Even though I have a cool complexion I do not feel like this lipstick suits me at all. As it is only £3.75, I paid less than £2 so I'm not too bothered but I am sad this isn't as bright as I pictured it. It has a really thick, creamy formula and is incredibly matte. If this is the type of colour you are looking for I'd recommend it. It has good coverage and relatively good staying power. I will continue to wear it - layered under the Luscious Liquid Lipstick in 'Baby Lips'.

The reason I have bought so many pink lip products (I prefer a bolder lip) is because I'm really into smokey eyes at the moment. I can't pair a dark eye and dark lip all the time without scaring people off. Unfortunately, my constant use of dark lipstick has turned my lips quite a strange colour so I need a pale pink lipstick that looks natural for those mornings in the lab when I don't want to sport hot pink lipstick/stain or want a smokey eye.

The Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Baby Lips is a lovely product. I expected it to be more like a pale pink than a nude pink but it is seriously wearable. It is more like a clear gloss, but has a slight tint. It is perfect for pairing with smokey eyes or for a barely there look. Although it isn't what I expected, I am incredibly happy with this product. It doesn't wear for that long, but as it costs £1.50 (I paid 75p!) I really can't complain.

I also picked up the Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Nude Pink. I expected this lipstick to look more like Baby Lips and vice versa. It is a pale, bubblegum pink. Again, it is completely wearable and at £1.50 it is a fantastic product. It is sheer enough to not be overpowering but tinted enough to give a fresh, barely there look. Again, the staying power isn't fantastic but you can't even buy a coffee for the price of this lipstick. I'd definitely recommend this lipstick too.

Top to bottom: Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Nude Pink, Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Baby Lips, Studio Matte Lip Stick in Tea Rose.

As earlier reviewed, the Revlon Colour Stay eye shadow quad does not have the advertised 16H wearing time. I have read that length of wear dramatically increases with the use of an eyelid primer and this one was just £1.50 (full price). I don't know how well it will perform in comparison to it's more expensive counterparts. However, it did soften my skin and seem to even it out. I'll put it to the test next time I go out for sure...

This All Over Colour Stick in Spotlight is a product I do keep re-ordering. I have never finished a whole stick but the colour is really pretty. It's just a sheer, shimmery white/pink. It's a perfect highlighter for your cheeks or eyes and is just an overall good product to have in your make up bag. My mum used to have an Avon highlighter that was super similar to this. Unfortunately Avon discontinued it so this is the best replacement I've found. At least it's only £1.50!

I've just popped these photos on the end as gift ideas. The lip glosses are part of the more expensive Studio range. They have good reviews so picked them up for my sister. I still can't get over the brush set in the faux Leather wrap. It's perfect to put in your back and includes five 'professional' brushes. I'm not too sure about the sponge applicator but the lip brushes are absolutely lovely! At £2.50 I picked up two!

So that's the majority of the products from my e.l.f. haul. I didn't include a few products as I have never used them and they are gifts for others. However, I hope this gives you a little insight into e.l.f. cosmetics and perhaps pushes you towards trying them sometime. Remember, like them on Facebook and wait until there is an offer unless you are going to be buy anything and you can wait!

Rachael xxxx

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