ELF Studio C Eyeshadow Brush

I got this in my most recent ELF haul, curious to see if it would replace my current favorite eyeshadow favorite, the Crown Luna (deluxe oval shadow?). It has only been a few days, and it just might. I like the Crown for being dense and picking up a lot of color. The ELF is also dense and picks up a lot of shadow. However, the ELF has a thinner profile than the Crown. This makes for more precise shadow application. I find that I can use this brush to line and shade the eye, which saves me time. I like that alot. (Be forewarned, I use a pretty thick line at the base.) Having this precision is allowing for me to play with different shadow placement, which is not something I had considered with the Crown. I'm really excited I chose to take a chance on this brush. I'm very satisfied with it.

To compare this with the regular eyeshadow brush, which I have plenty of... The regular one has longer bristles, which means it can cover a larger area of the eye at once. It also makes for less control. The color will not go exactly where you put the brush. Also, the color may spray off of the brush a bit. I find sometimes I have a problem with shadow ending up on the side of my nose. Maybe that's just me? I prefer the Studio C over the regular for it's precision, but if you don't do complicated looks, I think that regular shadow brush would do just fine.

ELF Studio Complexion Brush

Super soft, not too dense. I use this as a blush brush with my super pigmented Laura Geller blush and it works great for that. It is very airy and does not pick up very much powder. It also does have a flat shape, similar to the C eyeshadow brush. I don't mind, as this allows for me to have more control over my color. The price is great, as well. It definitely picks up less blush than my MAC blush brush, but I actually prefer it that way. I get more control and can layer on more for color if I wish, and it makes blending much easier as well. I imagine I can even use my super dark ruby Revlon blush that I put into storage because I considered it too dark for spring. That's a happy thought!

With this brush, I can use all of my blushes year round, and use only as much as I need to.

When I use it with my Guerlain pearl highlighter, it seems to work fine for that as well. I previously used the Ecotools kabuki with a handle brush - that was fine as well. It is more subtle, definitely. I find Guerlain's highlighter to be difficult to overdo.

ELF Eye Transformer Review

Same as Complexion Perfection... good: no parabens. Bad: first ingredient is talc.

But it is so fun to play with! It goes on great as a highlighter shade, or under the eye to brighten with just a touch of color. I also sometimes use it on the inside corner to highlight.

ELF Complexion Perfection Review

Yay: No parabens.

Nay: #1 ingredient: Talc. Darn.

I just use this as a finishing powder to set everything before I go. This does the job fine. It's a very fine powder, but it does add a lighter cast to my skin (as in, it's not exactly translucent). The price is great, but I think that when I am done I may try a different brand because of that lighter cast. It's not something that's noticeable when I buff in, but I see it when applying. I have a medium beige skin tone, so maybe those with super light skin may not notice this? It's still a good product, and it really performs for the price. It does fall apart a bit - as in, the compact stays in once piece, but I think this will hit pan comparatively fast as I can already see a little indentation forming and I've only been using it for a few months. I don't think I've ever hit pan on any powder or blush - so that would really be something.

ELF All Over Color Stick: Pink Lemonade

This is a nice color, slightly pink. I chose it to possibly use for travel, as a cheek/lip/eyeshadow in a pinch. However, I don't like it. I have sensitive skin and it sometimes makes me react. It just causes skin irritation, but who wants that? So it's in my beauty graveyard. I would recommend it if you do not have sensitive skin.

ELF Mineral Booster

I decided to try this for the small price tag. Over my L'Oreal Bare Minerale, I don't see much of a difference. I do use it over my nose as an extra layer of powder to soak up extra oil. I think I prefer a compact as it's easier to store in my make up box, but the actual product performs just fine. Mineral make up is just a little more fussy to work with sometimes. It's nice that it doesn't contain talc.

ELF Shine Eraser

All blotting papers are the same to me - with the exception that some are powdered and some are not. This is a fabulous deal for those that use blotting papers at $1 for 50 sheets. Sometimes I feel wasteful using blotters, but these are so thin that I don't feel bad.

ELF Healthy Glow Bronzing Powder: Luminance -

I am light skinned, so I got the lightest bronzer shade. The ELF website is notorious for bad color quality. This shade is not a bronzer. It's a super pale slightly shimmery powder. I didn't even swatch it and saved it for a highlighter for a pale friend.

ELF Eye Shadow Brush (regular line)

I had to try some of these with the raves they get.

I am quite impressed with this brush. I have several that I use in my arsenal of brushes - I use them on the weekends when I go for bright colors, and so can use them without mixing different vivid hues. I will pick up a bunch of these for gifts since they multitask pretty well. Their shape miakes them great for highlighter, allover, lid application, and blending. The only thing I can't do with this brush is line. Not the best brush for shadow in the world, but I'd give it a solid 8.5/10.

ELF Studio Duo Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder

I decided to try this out after the online raves.

I don't like it. The powders are milled too soft, so I pick up way too much with a swipe of my brush. It's very shimmery, too much for everyday professional use. Since so much powder is dispersed with each swipe, the pigmentation is too heavy for me on both the blush and the bronzer. Also, the bronzer isn't the right shade for me - it's too dark and looks dirty. The blush is too dark as well, even with the faintest of swipes. Maybe this would work for someone with dark skin? I'm fairly light in coloration. $3 wasted. But the mirror is nice to have inside, and the packaging is nice.

ELF Liquid Eyeliner Coffee -

The tip on this is really hard - I tried it on my hand and decided I was not going to try it on my eye. Waste of money, sigh!

ELF Brightening Eye Color: Drama & Luxe 0/-

Drama got great reviews. For a good reason. Great pigmentation. But - it caused my eyes slight burning sometimes. It also has a different texture for each color. It migrated quite a bunch as well, and the white was too chalky for use. A lot of powder comes off when you swipe a brush over these quads. I put Drama in my travel kit for now - but I think I'll replace it with something higher quality.

Luxe has the ame issue of different texture per color. Pigmentation is decent. However, there is a strange metallic red shade that I didn't know what to do with here, and the highlight color, again, was too chalky. Not worth the $1. I cleaned out this palette for pigment pressing.

ELF Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara -

I wanted brow gel and figured price didn't matter. I was wrong.

The texture of both ends was... too gel-like. It didn't spread or pick up easily with the wand. Brow gel should have a mascara like consistency, and the one that I got was harder than typical jello. I hated it. A Waste of $1.

ELF Super Glossy Lip Shine SPF 15: Angel & Pink Kiss -

Pink Kiss didn't give a lot of color, which was fine with me. I wanted to try this out because of the SPF factor. Not a lot of moisture. I wear gloss as a protective coat for my lips that tend to dry out, and this did not last long or moisturize. The smell is very candy-like and childish, and I got really tired of it after not too long. The slanted applicator was nice. I gave away Angel without even swatching because of the scent.