A few weeks ago ELF had a 50% off sale on their entire Studio line. I had been looking around for their flat top powder brush for quite some time (didn't want to pay the $7 shipping), so I figured I would order some stuff (& make sure that I saved at least the shipping price with the sale). Some of it was stuff I had seen some reviews on & was interested in trying. Some of it was just stuff that seemed like a good deal or I thought would be good to try. I always try to do fairly large orders with them due to the outrageous shipping prices. (can you tell that I really hate their shipping fees?)
Unfortunately they were sold out of quite a few of the things that I wanted to try, so I guess I will have to wait for the next good sale for those :(
I really don't like this at all & feel like it was a complete waste of money (even at $1.50). The primer is like a thin concealer mixed with cheap lip balm. It really makes it difficult to put lipliner on (as it just smears) & completely dulls out the color. It actually seemed to make my lipstick wipe off even easier then normal too. You may have to blot it off quite a bit to get it to work but, I just think that is a waste (especially when you don't with other primers). The plumper is just a cinnamon lip balm & didn't really do anything that I noticed (except make my lips burn like I've never felt before!). My boyfriend did like the smell more then my other lip products though, so I guess that's at least one positive.
I don't think that I liked anything about this. It was really dark (even though I bought the lightest shade) & seemed an unnatural color (I don't really know how to describe it). It was so creamy that it smeared every where. The pencil was so thick that there would be no way to get any definition to your brows. The highlighter is just your basic pink toned cream eyeshadow stick. Too creamy & you can't really blend it.
This was already on sale for $10, plus the 50% off, so it ended up being only $5. That is really the only reason I got it. I don't normally buy palettes that have a lot of browns or light shades in them, because I never wear them & it just ends up being a waste of money. I figured that for $5 I could give it a shot & I wouldn't really be out anything. I am so glad I did. I love most of the colors in this. I only found one color that doesn't really apply well (one of the more matte pinks). It has a great gray gradation & some beautiful highlight colors & quite a few vivid brights too! The only thing it's missing is a really vibrant purple :( The texture is really smooth & isn't too soft or too hard like some of the beauty books I have tried.
I really like this little palette. It has 4 light highlighters that add just a hint of color. I have been using it in my inner corners, just to add a bit of shimmer & slight hint of color. If you lightly blend it over a darker shadow, it adds a slight duel chrome effect to it. So when the light hits it, you have a faint shimmer of color. I would not suggest it for under your brow though, it might be a little too much. The little brush that comes with it is the perfect size for doing my inner corners too, so I don't have to dirty an extra brush.
These are pretty good pigments. Good color payoff & lasting. I did find them to be a bit finer then other pigments so, make sure to use a good base to help them adhere. I wouldn't suggest using the brush they come with though, it's just too small.
This is a good dome brush. It's less dense & stiff then my other domed brushes so, it's good for slight blending or putting color in my crease.
This is the perfect angle brush. It is thin, soft & dense. Not too stiff or flexible, just perfect. I have used it for my brows, smoking out my bottom lash line, & winging out gel & powder liner. I think that I need to order 5 more just because I have found so many great uses for it & am contently washing it out.
I will be ordering a few more of this brush too, just because it is so versatile. It works wonderfully for applying & buffing in powder (even full coverage powder), by it's self or over foundation. It gives a beautiful finish when used to put on foundation (I have tried it with mouse, liquid, cream, & powder) & buffs out the edges better then any of my other brushes. You can use it to stipple on foundation for a fuller coverage or you can lightly buff for a medium to light coverage. I really have fallen in love with this brush. Plus, the larger size cut my foundation routine time in half!
I didn't like this brush. It doesn't really seem to blend out foundation & gives it a strange, uneven finish. I tried it for contouring & it worked ok but, I think there are better brushes out there for it. All in all, I just wasn't impressed.
I was hoping that maybe this could replace my old one that I can't find anymore. It's not as dense but, is just as soft. I think that it's a good general kabuki for buffing powder out but, maybe not dense enough for putting on loose powder & buffing it into the skin. Not bad though.
I'm still getting the hang of this brush. I've never used a brush that is shaped like this. It works ok for getting a good rounded point on my brow bone. I have also tried it for contouring my nose & found it easier to use then a blending brush. I wish it was a bit smaller but, so far I like it & am excited to see what I will be able to use this for.
This brush doesn't really work for foundation either. It is not dense or stiff enough to blend out the heavy cream or liquid formulas that I use. However, it is great for brighter blush. It is small enough that you can really concentrate the color on the apples of your cheeks but, blends out the edges beautifully.
I did get some non-studio eyeliners because I had heard such amazing reviews on them.
These really are as good as all the reviews say they are (for a change). They go on completely smooth, last all day, & don't smudge at all. These have replaced my LA Girls Fine Line as my new favorite pen liner. The only thing that I think I should mention is the colors. The plum is just your basic dark purple, midnight is kind of a dark black with a very slight dark blue undertone (you can see that it's blue if it's layered with blue eyeshadow), & the black is more of a dark grey. The plum & midnight are FAR darker then the black. So if you were looking for a great black pen liner, I would suggest getting the midnight.
I hope this helped you girls.
If you would like to see anything reviewed, leave me a comment & let me know!
Dove Intensive Repair Shampoo & Conditioner- Target $5 each
