Anytime I heard someone talk about e.l.f. products in the past couple of years, I’d generally write them off as affordable, cruelty free drugstore alternatives that I could pick up at my local Target when my wallet was looking a little skinnier than usual. This ALL changed, however, after the opening of the new LA store a couple months ago— which brought rows and rows of affordable beauty and skincare products.
The packaging alone screams high end with its sleek and sturdy matte black finish and the products inside have yet to disappoint!
Of the brushes and tools I picked up, the Sculpting Face Brush is my ultimate fave. The bristles are so densely packed especially considering how amazingly soft it is. The width is PERFECT for applying powder contour or blending out cream so it has obviously become a staple in my glam routine. The Flat Eyeliner Brush was the only eye brush I picked up and while I did not like it for liner, I found it to be very proficient in smudging out a smokey undereye look! The Mascara and Shadow Shield is an amazing tool for preventing fall out, however, I noticed it’s a lot more user friendly when doing someone else’s makeup– I found it slightly tedious to have to hold it under my eye and blend with my other hand.
On to the stars of the show– the makeup products. The Eyeliner & Shadow Stick in Brown/Basic is slowly but surely creeping into my everyday routine. The “Basic” side is anything but– it’s actually a beautiful champagne gold shade that can be used alone or as a primer with shadow on top. The brown liner shade is comparable to the Kyliner in bronze but I prefer the e.l.f. one because of the pencil applicator. This duo-ended stick is super convenient and perfect for a two-in-one travel essential. The blushes, both cream and pressed powder, are faintly pigmented making it easy to add the most subtle pop of color to any look without going overboard. Sticking to face makeup, the Total Face Palette, though too light for me, has wonderful payoff and a beautiful, buttery formula. The contour/bronzer shade is too light for sculpting (for me), but provides a flawless transition shade for eyeshadow. The highlighter is reflective enough to be noticeable but subtle enough to look extremely natural for a daytime look.
Moving back to the eyes– The Clay Eyeshadow Palette in Saturday Sunsets is a great blend of pinky gold neutrals with dark browns to deepen up any look. The pinks and golds are decently pigmented but the dark brown shimmer takes the cake for this one. With a light swipe, it swatches as a beautiful deep brown with purple and pink undertones. I love the Intense Ink Eyeliner for a bold liner look; but the long applicator makes winging difficult for an already sub-par winger (cough cough, me!).
If you haven’t checked out e.l.f. recently, I highly recommend giving the brand a second look. I’m obsessed with some of these new products and love what they’ve done thus far!
Kelly Martin is an aspiring writer studying Public Relations at North Carolina State University. Prior to falling in love with makeup and the beauty industry, Kelly was a competitive gymnast and former D1 NCAA diver. You can find her on Instagram – @kellymartin70
