Showing posts with label elf. Show all posts
Showing posts with label elf. Show all posts

Sunday, 2 June 2019

May Favourites



e.l.f. 16hr Camo Concealer
Does anyone else remember the early days of blogging when you couldn't look at a single beauty blog without seeing e.l.f. hauls everywhere? They were a bit of a novelty for a while because you could only get their products online in the UK & the prices were absurdly low. I, for one, am so grateful that they now have stands in Superdrug because they have so many new products & it's really helpful to be able to swatch everything in person. One product that immediately caught my eye was their 16hr Camo Concealer. I love anything full coverage & the shade range really impressed me because there's something for everyone whether you have cool, neutral or warm undertones. I picked up Fair Warm which is an extremely pale shade with light yellow undertones. I swatched it next to few other concealers in Superdrug & it's so much lighter than Revolution's Conceal & Define Concealer in C1. This really sold it to me because I've always wanted that highlighted undereye look without having to use a true white concealer. The 16hr Camo Concealer provides full coverage with a matte finish. The formula is quite thick but it applies smoothly & feels lightweight on the skin. It dries down really quickly so you have to work fast, preferably applying it to one area & blending it out before moving on to the next. It covers everything exceptionally well, lasts all day & definitely gives me that brightening effect. In fact it might be a little too light for my skin so I sometimes mix it with something else. I'd say that the only downside is that it can be quite drying & if you have a lot of fine lines under your eyes, this might not be the best option. But if you want something that will cover every single imperfection, this is a great concealer.

Revolution Conceal & Define Foundation
As a huge fan of Revolution's Conceal & Define Concealer, I was really looking forward to trying its foundation counterpart. I bought the shade F1 because I use the concealer in C1 & it's a great match for my skintone. My first impression was that it's basically the same as the concealer, just in a bigger bottle with a even larger doe foot applicator. After using it for the past few weeks, I'd say that's a pretty accurate assessment & I'm okay with that! This foundation provides lightweight but buildable coverage with a satin finish. I absolutely love how it looks on the skin. It hides blemishes & pigmentation whilst giving a smooth flawless finish. You can really layer it up for a truly full coverage base without it looking cakey. The formula feels creamy & comfortable to wear. I've had no issues with creasing & it doesn't emphasise any dry patches. It does last a long time on my skin but my t-zone gets noticeably oilier by the end of the day. Nothing a little powder won't fix but you might want to bear that in mind if you have very oily skin. Overall I'd have to say it's one of the best foundations I've tried in a long time. If you like the concealer, you will love this foundation.

Schwarzkopf got2b Glued Spiking Glue
This little yellow tube of hair gel is a multipurpose marvel. I originally picked this up because I saw some makeup artists using it instead of brow gel. You just get a little mascara wand, add a tiny bit of gel & brush the hairs upwards for natural looking bushy brows. I've tried it a few times now & really love the effect. If you have unruly brow hairs, this stuff will soon whip them into shape! Then I noticed some people on YouTube using it to secure lace front wigs. Now that I've sworn off the bleach I can't dye my hair fun colours anymore so I thought that wigs could be a great alternative & lace fronts give you the most realistic looking hairline. I never thought that hair gel could be used to glue wigs down but this gel is so powerful, it kinda makes sense! I also use it as a traditional hair gel in conjunction with a medium-bristled toothbrush. I mainly use it when I go to the gym because I have loads of annoying short bits near my hairline that always fall down when I put my hair in a ponytail. By brushing those bits of hair with the gel & the toothbrush, you can get really close to the scalp & they'll stay in place through even the most extreme workouts.

Pixi Vitamin-C Tonic
I've really started getting into Pixi skincare lately. I loved their Retinol Tonic so much that I had to go out & get the Vitamin-C Tonic right away. Just like with retinol, it can be difficult to find vitamin C products that are effective without irritating the skin. Pixi's toners aren't the most concentrated products but they still work wonderfully. The mild formulas are suitable for all skin types & are gentle enough to use on a daily basis. Vitamin C is such an important ingredient in skincare because it helps to promote healthy collagen production whilst boosting the skin's luminosity. This toner is a fab way to supercharge your skincare routine with vitamin C. It's made from a blend of citrus extracts & ferulic acid to brighten the complexion and gently exfoliate the skin as well as protecting against free radicals. The probiotics in this brightening toner help to protect & balance the skin's barrier. The toner feels very fresh & hydrating on the skin so it's really lovely to use. It has a gorgeous sweet citrus scent that reminds me of orange sherbet. Over time this toner promises to gradually diminish signs of sun damage, fine lines, scarring & other imperfections. I've been using it every day for a whole month & I've definitely noticed a difference in my complexion. My skin tone looks much more even, my pores are less visible & my face is glowing. This toner hasn't irritated my skin at all, which is something I was slightly worried about when I first bought it. I'd highly recommend this product as a gentle brightening solution & will be repurchasing it when I run out as I love the results!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Gel
ABH brow products are my absolute fave & their Dipbrow Pomade is probably the best thing I've ever put on my eyebrows. So when they announced the arrival of their Dipbrow Gel, I knew I had to get my hands on it. The timing was perfect because every Anastasia brow product I own is in the shade Medium Brown which was looking a little ashy on me with my new hair colour. I went to the ABH counter in The Trafford Centre so that I could try out the other shades in person & ended up coming away with Dark Brown. It's a little bit deeper & warmer than Medium Brown which is exactly what I was looking for. Dipbrow Gel is basically a liquid version of Dipbrow Pomade. It's a highly pigmented brow gel with a long-lasting, waterproof formula so you can rub as much as you like, your brows won't be going anywhere. The unique formula adheres to brow hairs, creating the appearance of fullness & dries down to a seamless matte finish. It has made the process of doing my brows quicker & easier than ever before. One of the things I love most about this product is that you can dip a brow brush into the gel to add more definition or create individual brow hairs for a more realistic, natural look. It's an incredibly versatile gel & I rarely feel the need to use anything else. It might well replace every other brow product in your collection!


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Monday, 24 February 2014

ELF Mineral Lipstick In Rich Raspberry

ELF Rich Raspberry Lipstick
ELF Rich Raspberry Lipstick
ELF Rich Raspberry Lipstick
ELF Rich Raspberry Lipstick
ELF Rich Raspberry Lipstick
ELF Mineral Lipstick in Rich Raspberry* - £5

On the whole ELF are a bit hit & miss with their products. What else would you expect considering their price point? Something they always seem to get right are lip products. They have such a great range of textures, colours & finishes with nothing costing more than a fiver. I've spoken before about my love for their Studio Matte Lip Pencils but right now I'm rather fond of their Mineral Lipsticks. Here I have the shade Rich Raspberry which is a deep berry pink colour. It looks quite reddish in tone when swatched but combined with the natural colour in my lips it becomes a much brighter punchier pink. I love the sheen this gives to my lips & the colour is just so beautiful.

For £5 this lipstick is amazing quality. It applies very smoothly & contains a whole host of moisturising ingredients including jojoba oil, coconut oil, castor oil, shea butter, olive oil & vitamin E. The formula feels very much like a lip conditioner. It hydrates your lips & keeps them feeling soft long after the lipstick has worn off. Despite the buttery soft feel of the lipstick it's actually very pigmented & not sheer like other balmy formulas. It wears well without leaving a ring around your lips. It disappears completely after eating but otherwise I can get about four hours of wear from it. All of the ELF mineral products are free from parabens, preservatives & chemical dyes so you can feel safe about putting this on your lips. Due to the lack of preservatives ELF claim that this lipstick only has a three month shelf life. It's a good job they're cheap then!


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Monday, 27 May 2013

ELF Studio Matte Lip Colours




ELF Studio Matte Lip Colour - £2.50

Recently I've been getting into matte lip products as I love the more natural finish they provide. I know everyone loves the NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils but they cost £17.50 each! Another option for a matte lip pencil are the Topshop Lip Crayons which come in at £7. The Topshop ones are available in some gorgeous colours but they leave my lips looking dry & flaky no matter how much lip balm I chuck at them beforehand. Enter the ELF Studio Matte Lip Colours. These twist-up crayons offer incredibly pigmented matte lip colour that doesn't dry out your lips at all. And the best part? They cost just £2.50 each. Incredible! I can't say that ELF are a brand I buy from very often but I do really like everything that I have bought from them. I really need to try some more of their stuff because their prices are just too good! Anyway the shades I have are Coral, Natural & Tea Rose.



Coral

When I normally go for orange lips I like to choose reddy oranges such as MAC Morange. Peachy tones tend to make me look a bit dead but I think Coral actually looks quite nice on me. It's so rare to find a peachy option that actually works for us pale girls. I think this is a great colour for Spring and would look especially lovely if you've got a bit of a tan.



Natural

This is definitely my favourite of the three. It kinda reminds me of a matte version of Estee Lauder's Crystal Baby lipstick in that it's one of those 'my lips but better' shades. I wear this lip colour a lot as it's a good option for daytime. I would generally say that glossy lip products are the ones to go for if you want your lips to look fuller but because this matches my natural lip colour so well my lips look bigger than they really are. So this is perfect if you're looking for a naturally plumper pout.



Tea Rose

Swatched on my hand Tea Rose looks quite similar to Natural but it comes out a lot darker on my lips. It's actually a very dark plummy pink. I think this colour looks slightly gothic on me so Tea Rose is definitely more of an Autumnal shade. I only bought this one because it appears as a bright candy pink on the ELF website which is why it's always a good idea to look for lip swatches before you order stuff (doh!). I'd say that this is my least favourite out of the three because I do generally prefer brighter colours but I can imagine this shade looking amazing on some people.

I would really recommend these crayons if you're a fan of matte lip products. The colours on offer might not be as exciting as the Topshop or NARS matte lip pencils but for the price you really can't go wrong with these ones from ELF. I think I'm gonna have to order the Rich Red shade next time!


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