Collective ELF haul product reviews

Last haul:

SWATCHES

Studio 2 in 1 Conditioning Gloss in "Supermodel"

Price: $3.00

What they say: This 2 in 1 gloss has shimmering lip color in the inner tube and clear conditioning gloss in the outer tube for ultimate lip satisfaction. Hydrate your lips with key moisturizers and achieve sheer color perfection. Infused with Vitamins A and E, Aloe and Shea Butter for rich hydration.

What to do: Apply liberally to lips as often as needed.

What's in it: Outer Ingredient: Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Polybutene Triisodecyl Trimellitate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Methylparaben, Propylparaben. Inner Ingredient: Polybutene, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Triisodecyl Trimellitate, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Titanium Doxide, Silica, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Iron Oxides (CI 77491 , CI 77492 , CI 77499). Manganese Violet (CI 77742) Mica (CI 77019) Yellow No.5 Lake (CI 19140) Red No.40 Lake (CI 16035) Blue No.1 Lake (CI 42090)

The good stuff:

• Cool packaging/concept
• Inexpensive
• Does seem a BIT effective
• High shine, fine shimmer
• Very long lasting

The low-down:

• Super STICKY and thick
• Color does not show up at all

My take: Since I've had pretty bad experience with ELF lippies, I was hesitant to get this, but it just looked so pretty! So I caved and got it. The good points are that it does seem somewhat "conditioning." I've had probs with dry, flakey lips lately, so I applied this at night for a few days and in the morning, it was still on my lips and once rubbed off (hard to take off), my lips did seem a BIT smoother and softer. Not greatly, but noticeably.

The cons are that it is SO STICKY and thick. I don't like that texture, so I don't like this kind of gloss. However, I think people who don't mind stickyness might like this. It has high gloss shine and very fine shimmer but the color does NOT show up AT ALL. I was greatly disappointed in this. I got in Supermodel which is a pretty coral pink shade in the tube but is basically a clear gloss on my lips.

Studio Concealer pencil & brush (Fair)

Price: $3.00

What they say: Conceal and heal your acne with on the spot treatment. The medicated formula has active Salicylic Acid & Tea Tree Oil to clear blemishes and reduce scarring. The soft taklon bristle brush aids in creating a natural looking coverage under or over makeup so blemishes disappear and your true beauty shines through.

What to do: Use the “conceal” side of the pencil to cover up any unwanted blemishes or imperfections. Use the “blend” brush to work the formula into the skin to create a beautiful and even coverage.

What's in it: Active Ingredient: Salicylic Acid 2% Inactive Ingredients: Synthetic Beeswax, Microcrystalline Wax, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Paraffinium Liquidum (Mineral Oil), Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Isopropyl Myristate,, Petrolatum, Mica, Melaleuca Altenifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil BHT, Benzyl Alcohol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Iron Oxides (CI 77491 CI 77492 CI 77499), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891).

The good stuff:

• Creamy, blendable texture
• Easy to apply
• Brush is soft and blends well
• Color matches my skin tone
• Very buildable coverage
• Effectively conceals blemishes

The low-down:

• Doesn't last very long
• Did not heal my blemishes

My take: Overall, this is one of the best products I've ever tried from ELF. The concealer pencil is soft and creamy (but doesn't fall apart or anything) and blends easily. You can build coverage without it looking cakey. I got it in Fair and it really matches my skintone well, no weird color cast. The brush is super soft and great for blending the concealer in. For me, it really conceals redness well.

The only downsides are that it doesn't last for long and you'd have to keep reapplying it and it also contains Mineral Oil, which might attribute to the fact that although this conceals my blemishes, it doesn't heal them. I've used this for a week on the same pimples and while it covers them well, they have not disappeared nor gotten better - maybe even a bit redder :/ (mineral oil can clog pores). I also thought it important to note that when I got this, the tip of the concealer was broken off :( But there's a built in cap sharpener :D

Studio Eyeliner & Shadow Stick in "Black/Smoke"

Price: $3.00

What they say: Achieve color intensity for your eyes with twist-up ease (no sharpening required)! Glide on the dark soft gel “liner” to create dramatic definition to the eyes. The light-reflecting pigments help line the eye subtly but intensely for a fuller more enhanced effect. Use the smooth glide “shadow” stick for soft highlighting color on the eyes to complement the liner for a polished and finished look.

What to do: Glide on the dark soft gel “liner” to create dramatic definition to the eyes. Use the smooth glide “shadow” stick for soft highlighting color on the eyes to complement the liner for a polished and finished look.

What's in it: Eyeliner Ingredient - Synthetic Beeswax, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Ceresin Wax, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Phenyl Trimethicone, Cyclomethicone, Mica, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, BHT, Benzyl Alcohol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone May Contain:Iron Oxides (CI 77491 CI 77492 CI 77499), Titanium Dioxide (CI77891) Shadow Ingredient - Paraffin Wax, Microcrystalline Wax, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Castor Oil, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Petrolatum, Isopropyl Palmitate, BHT, Benzyl Alcohol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone May Contain:Iron Oxides (CI 77491 CI 77492 CI 77499), Titanium Dioxide (CI77891)

The good stuff:

• Deep, rich pigmentation
• Easy to use
• Liner glides on effortlessly
• Shadow color is buildable
• Nice design, convenient
• Shadow is fairly long-lasting

The low-down:

• Packaging is flimsy; mine "broke"
• Liner smudges easily
• Shadow creases/fades slightly throughout the day

My take: I reaaally like this! I want to go buy more now :D The first not so good thing though is that the packaging is easy to break and flimsy. My shadow stick side fell out and the whole shadow side pulled off when I pulled off the cap. However, this was easily fixable but I think they should improve on their packaging. Both liner and shadow are superbly pigmented and rich. The liner is "gel" like and does glide on smoothly. However, the it does smudge VERY easily... only after a few hours. Not like that's too much of a problem for me though. The shadow goes on smoothly and does last all day, however there is very minimal creasing/fading.

Studio Mini Makeup Collection
[swatches coming soon!]

Price: $15 (I got it free with promo code BLOGHER)

What they say: The convenient makeup collection for eyes, lips and face that allows you to be your own makeup artist whenever, wherever. An all-in-one compact including the must have makeup essentials. Create any look that reflects your personal style. The small sleek design is great for on the go beauty touchups.

Mini Includes: 9 eyeshadow shades, 1 cream eyeshadow shade, 1 blush, 1 bronzer, 10 lip gloss shades, 1 brow powder, 1 eye liner pencil, 1 dual ended eyeshadow appliacator and brush, 1 face brush, 1 lip brush

Dimensions: Mini Closed - 4"L x 4"W x 1"H, Mini Open - 8"L x 5"W x 1"H

The good stuff:

• Sleek design, big mirror included
• Great value when it's FREE
• Everything has excellent pigmentation
• Convenient, nice size

The low-down:

• Brushes are basically useless
• Can get a bit messy
• Packaging feels kind of easy to break

My take: I'm so glad I got this free as I wouldn't want to pay $15 for it. Overall, I like this kit A LOT. The best part is the e/s... the pigmentation of the eyeshadows is GREAT. The shadows are supposed to be the same as the new studio singles, so I'd expect it to be pretty good. They are also relatively long lasting and there's a wide variety of shades. There's also lots of lippies but I don't care too much for them... other people might like them though. The brush/bronzer is the same as the singles... the color is just gorgeous. I don't use blush/bronzer too often but I like these a lot better than the ones from my Sephora Color Play Palette. Lots of bloggers have mentioned it as a NARS Orgasm/Laguna dupe.

Foundation brush

Price: $1.00

What they say: Achieve an ultra smooth, poreless finish when applying foundation or tinted moisturizer. For best results use upward brush strokes.

The good stuff:

• Nice design, functional
• Soft bristles
• Cheap

The low-down:

• Flimsy, bends WAY too easily

My take: I find this brush pretty much useless. I don't like it at all. It barely picked up any powder and didn't apply it well. The bristles are very soft but the brush head is so flimsy and bends with the lightest touch. Maybe it would work better with liquid foundation though. Maybe it would work better as a paintbrush, for that matter.

Brightening Eye Color in "Nymph Dreams"

Price: $1.00

What they say: Luxuriously smooth, corn silk formula provides eyes with a neutral base and an awakened brightness. The formula blends into skin for a long lasting, beautiful effect. The 4 color quad allows for both natural and dramatic looks. Mirror in compact included.

What to do: Apply to upper lid; gently glide on powder. Blend as desired.

What's in it: Talc, Mica, Zinc Stearate, Kaolin, Paraffinium Liquidu(Mineral Oil), Petrolatum, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, MethylParaben, Propylparaben, Iron Oxides (CI 77491 , CI 77492 , CI 77499), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Yellow No.5 Lake (CI 19140), Red No.40 Lake (CI 16035), Ultramarine Violet (CI 77077), Blue No.1 Lake (CI 42090)

The good stuff:

• So many shades to choose from
• Nice pigmentation
• Lasts relatively long
• Cheap

The low-down:

• A bit powdery
• Fades throughout the day

My take: This is something I def. want to get more of. I really like the pigmentation of these shadows... it's very good for $1 and it lasts pretty long although at the end of the day it does get quite faded. I think with a primer it would be a lot better. I love that there are so many to choose from! The only downside is that it tends to get a bit powdery and messy. There was also these weird little white specks in mine... don't know what that was :/

Liquid Eyeshadow in "Sultry Satin"

Price: $1.00

What they say: The pigment rich Liquid Eyeshadow dries to a water tight finish to give endless staying power so you can take your look from day to night without looking faded. The colors won't crease or smear, and they won't budge until you take them off. An alternative to traditional eye shadows, these lightweight colors are exceptionally gentle for a silky smooth finish. The quick dry formula allows for fast and easy application.

What to do: Apply color to eyelid and blend in while still wet, allow to dry for a smudge proof seal.

What's in it: Deioned Water, Cyclomethicone, PVP?VA Copolymer, Metylparaben, Propylparaben, Fragrance. May Contain (+/-): Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, Blue 1 CI 42090).

The good stuff:

• Nice packaging
• Easy to use, goes on smoothly
• Very pigmented
• Long lasting
• Cheap

The low-down:

• Doesn't dry too quickly IMO
• Creases
• When layered, rubs off
• Small!

My take: Overall, I like this product a lot. I think I'll buy more since the tubes are so tiny!! It has a doe-foot applicator and is easy to apply with a creamy light texture. However, I don't feel like it dries that fast. If you put a layer over another layer, the first layer seems to "rub off." So you'd have to let this dry awhile before applying more. It does last all day; I had no smearing at all but it did crease quite a bit. I also find Sultry Satin color great to use as a highlight.

Tone Correcting Concealer in "Honey"

Price: $1.00

What they say: Cover-up those unwanted blemishes, circles, and spots! Multi-tonal silicon treatment masks skin tone imperfections and redness, leaving skin with a healthy glow

What to do: Use sponge applicator to custom blend and apply makeup. Wear daily.

What's in it: Aqua(Water), Paraffinium Liquidum (Mineral Oil), Octyl Palmitate, Petrolatum, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Ceresin Wax, PEG-30, Dipolyhydroxystearate, Mica, Microcrystalline Wax, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Silica, Ascorbyl Palmitate , Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Iron Oxides(CI 77891 , CI 77892 , CI 77899)

The good stuff:

• Cheap
• Easy to apply, goes on smoothly

The low-down:

• I got the wrong color (orangey)
• Doesn't last long
• Coverage isn't the greatest
• Smudges/smears
• Slightly sticky/tacky
• Citrus scent

My take: First off, I got the wrong color :( I think I should have tried Light Beige or something since I got Honey, which is supposed to be Light, but it's kind of dark and orange-y. It doesn't match my skintone too well. Overall, it's easy to apply with a doe-foot applicator, goes on smooth (although slighty tacky feeling) and is blendable. The downside is that the coverage is very minimal and I had to keep adding more which ends up looking cakey. It doesn't last long and after a few hours, the area under my eyes was really smudged up and messy looking. There is also the cirtusy scent that accompanies lots of ELF face products. I may try this again in a lighter color, just to see... I am still not too impressed; Although I've heard a few good reviews of this product.

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