Hauled (and swatched!): Elf Studio Concealer & Lip Balms

I'm a self-confessed new product tart so as soon as one pops up on my radar I just have to purchase. Hence this Elf haul containing a couple of the newest additions to their Studio line - the Complete Coverage Concealer compact and two of the Conditioning Lip Balms.

First up the concealer set which priced at £3.50 contains 4 shades of concealer designed to match your skin tone through all seasons of the year. The compact features the sleek black studio packaging and comes with a small brush which is actually quite good quality.

Slight downside on the packaging....when I opened it up there were some rather nasty spots of condensation on the middle two shades....

Sweaty concealer!

I'd say the concealer in this compact offers light to medium coverage but worth noting that the consistency is quite moisturising and possibly even a tad on the oily side so better suited to drier skins. I tried it on my face and it tended to slip off my t-zone but worked better under my eyes where the skin is less oily. On to the swatches....



Without flash

The compact is available in 3 colourways (light,medium and dark) I opted for medium and could easily use the 1st and 3rd shades through most of the year. The darker two shades could be useful on holiday when I'm quite tanned but my skin never gets that dark naturally in the British sunshine :) Probably worth mentioning that I swatched this on my uber-pale inner forearm hence why all shades actually look far too dark for me!

With flash

Next up is the Conditioning Lip Balms which are available in 6 shades and priced at £3.50 a pop. The chunky perspex packaging is really pretty although these pots are quite large (4.5 cms wide x 4.5 cms long x 3cms tall) so much bigger than your typical lip balm container. Elf refers to it as 'the ideal lip balm to carry with you, or take when you travel' but I'd argue that its quite space-consuming!

The texture of these balms are lovely - quite thick but not sticky on the lips - they definitely have more of a lipstick feel to them when applied and a creme finish (no shimmer or glitter here!) They have a gorgeous coconut scent too and the added bonus of factor 15 SPF. The two shades I opted for were Mellow Mellon and Nice and Natural.

Mellow Melon is a pinky coral and Nice & Natural is a true neutral nude. The color payoff is pretty good and gives a noticeable but sheer wash of colour.

So there you have it - a semi-successful Elf haul. I like the concealer shades but the formula sadly won't work for me (if there is any drier skinned gals out there who fancy trying this give me a shout as I'm happy to sell it on at a discount).The lip balms however are a win for me. I've been wearing Nice & Natural every day since I got it and am looking forward to giving Mellow Melon a whirl this weekend!

Until next time,

Hauled: Elf

Just a small Elf haul to share with you - most of these products have been swatched/ reviewed on many a blog but it doesn't hurt to show them again does it!?

First up the Studio Complexion brush which I bought to replace my Body Shop Face & Body brush that I've somehow managed to lose (lord knows how - its blinking enormous!)

Its early days but so far I actually prefer this brush to the awol Body Shop one it has replaced - its lovely and fluffy but slightly tapered so great for getting into those cheek hollows with the bronzer!

Next up is the Complexion Perfection compact again from the Studio range which I bought because I umm and aaah over it every time I'm on the Elf site and need to just try it to stop me wondering!

Next up was a new Eyebrow Kit in Dark as I've hit pan (on the cream/gel side) on my current one. I love this product - would even go as far to say its my holy grail product for taming wayward brows.

Last but not least was a gift with purchase in the form of a Super Glossy Lip Shine in Mauve Luxe. Now I don't know about you but when I think of the colour mauve my mind (and google images) conjures up something like this...



but what you get when you swatch it is this....

a rusty mid brown?? :-/ Not my cup of tea at all colour-wise and the formula of this gloss is also really really sticky....bleuuuuurgh!

Until next time,

11 days off and an Elf offer..

Like a lot of people I've now got 11 days off work thanks to the two bank holiday weekends and just 3 days of annual leave :) So excited at the thought of not setting my alarm for almost two weeks!

I'm just about to head out to get some food for a picnic tomorrow but before I do wanted to share the latest Elf offer that's just popped up in my inbox - £5 off when you spend £20 plus entry into a prize draw to win 10 studio matte eyeshadows - see the pic below for the codes and Happy Easter!

Until next time,

This week I've been...

That spring is finally arriving - I actually left work and arrived home in the daylight this week which is such a nice feeling after what seems like almost 6 months of gloom! My second love this week is Andy's sister, Emily. Before having children she was a trained make up artist and when I mentioned my beauty obsession, she suggested I could have a look through her kit to see if there was anything I fancied. It was like a second Christmas when she turned up yesterday with a huge toolbox and a bag crammed full of stuff. Most of the liquid items (lip glosses/foundations etc) sadly had to be chucked as they gone 'bad' but I'm now the seriously happy owner of all this loveliness.....

Still not being able to find a Boots that is stocking the 17 Vintage Eye Palettes I mentioned in last Sunday's weekly review. I hate the thought of spending money on delivery from Boots (it just doesn't seem right somehow!) but think that's where I'm heading. Am also :-( that the fan brush I ordered from E.l.f arrived looking like this....

There's a email on its way to them as we speak...hoping their customer service is as good as their prices!

To an audio book on my iphone. I've got a work trip coming up and thought this would be a fun way to pass the time on the plane without having to lug a book around so I ordered Gok Wan's autobiography from Amazon. I've already listened to about a third of it (oops!) and am really enjoying taking in a good book in a slightly different way.  

The good: Vegetable Gyoza soup from EAT - my new found food obsession and only 3% fat. The Bad: Pizza and chips for tea on Saturday and the downright ugly (at least in the calorie stakes): Ben's cookies - triple choc variety.

These fabulous newly found blogs....

 draw the stars

Ellerosee

Sophie Leigh Designs 

(Sophie is a textile graduate..her work is beautiful!)

One of my friends has just got back from two month's travelling around Asia and hearing about her trip and seeing the photos is making me crave a holiday BIG TIME. Our ongoing 'saving-for-a-house-deposit' means its unlikely we can go abroad this year (camping it is!) but I can still jet off somewhere lovely in my head or through hearing about your holiday plans if you have any?

Until next weekend!

Hauled: Elf & Blog Sale Bits

There's nothing like a little Elf order to cheer a gal up so after a bad day at work last week I popped online and ordered up a few bits.  

Into my basket went their Daily Brush Cleaner, Studio single eyeshadow in Wild Wheat, Studio blush in Mellow Mauve and Brightening Eye Colour in Brownstone.

First up the brush cleaner. I try to clean my brushes frequently but thought this might help to keep them hygienic in-between washes. As my brush collection isn't huge its also useful to be able to get the remnants of darker shades off my eye brushes so I can blend without the risk of panda eyes.

The spray is anti-bacterial and a quick spritz onto the brush and a wipe with a tissue removes a fair bit of left-behind product. A possible downside is the scent - the alcohol in it whiffs quite badly - and also the packaging. It looks great but the plastic that body of the bottle is made of is pretty flimsy and when I opened up the parcel my bottle had leaked :(  The cleaner costs £3.50 for 250ml.

Wild Wheat appears to be a mid-beige/gold in the pan but in reality it lacks a bit in pigmentation and on my skin tone (Mac NC25 for reference) comes out as a true nude with a fair amount of shimmer. Texture is fairly smooth and blendable but there's a LOT of fallout.

I'm still pleased with it though as think it will  be great - used with a light hand - for blending out darker shades from the crease. Nars-eqsue packaging is teamed with a clear plastic window so you can easily see what shade you're reaching for. Each of the 10 shadow shades will set you back £3.50.

Mellow Mauve is a deep dusky pink with very subtle shimmer. Colour payoff is again lacking but its not a bad thing and the blush leaves you with a nice, natural flush. Same packaging as Wild Wheat (but bigger obviously!) & like the eyeshadow we do also have some fallout folks. Price-wise, the blush comes in at £3.50.

Last of the Elf goodies is the Brightening Eye Colour in Brownstone which is a quad consisting of a pale cream, light taupe brown, mid cool-toned brown and a charcoal grey. All the colours have a small amount of very fine glitter running through them, are actually quite pigmented and blend well. You will hit pan on this pretty quickly but at £1.50 its perhaps not an issue.

My last haul item is a something I picked up in the lovely Pyxie's blog sale - Mac's MSF Natural in Medium Plus. This is the first time I've used a Natural MSF but I have By Candlelight which I love and this is already proving itself to be a fab setting powder.

Last but not least...some swatches for your perusal. Sorry for having to use the flash...its such a grey and miserable day that there was no way I could snap without it.
 



Clockwise from top left: Mellow Mauve, Brownstone, MSF, Wild Wheat

Until next time,

 

A (belated) round up of my Christmas pressies...

I've loved reading other beauty blogger's Xmas posts so thought I'd do my own. Santa well and truly spoiled me this year with the following gorgeous goodies....reviews to follow as soon as I've given them all a good road test!

From left to right...

Top Row: Mac High Tea Lipstick, No 7 Nail Polish Set, Jean Paul Gaultier Classique Perfume

Middle Row: Origins Brighter By Nature Moisturiser, Mario Badescu Glycolic Cleanser & Toner, Mac 116 Blusher Brush & Elf Bamboo Contour Brush (the Elf brush was actually a 'present' to myself - that still counts right?)

Bottom Row: Toni & Guy Straighteners, Benefit Her Name Was Glowla Kit, YSL Singulier Mascara

So all that remains to be said is Happy New Year - I hope your 2011 is filled with fun, laughter and all things beautiful :)

 Until next time,

P.s if you liked this check out these other pressy posts from Abbie, Girl in the City and Liparazzi.

Reviewed: Elf Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Bark & Maple Sugar

What they say....
"True color therapy is here. Intensive hydrating agents along with natural pigments leave lips with Long-lasting color and moisture. This luscious liquid lipstick creates wearable color that flatters a multitude of skin tones and looks"


Top - Bark
Bottom - Maple Sugar

What I say....



Packaging The see through packaging that houses these lipsticks is very Ruby and Millie-esque and is topped off with a dinky sponge applicator. However whilst twisting one of the tubes the top third of the pen popped of entirely spilling the contents everywhere  - I tried to reattach it but to no avail so Bark is sadly in the bin! I'm sure this was probably a one-off but it still sucks! :(

I also have to say that you don't get much product for your moolah - just 1.5g. Now I know I've only paid £1.50 for the blinking thing but I still feel slightly short changed, not helped by the fact that the see-through tube kindly reveals that the pen looks half empty before you even start!

Product Bark and Maple Sugar are both nudey pink/browns and are actually quite similar - the main difference is that Maple Sugar is ever so slightly shimmery whereas Bark is a flat finish. Consistency is pretty good, not too sticky although it also wears off pretty quickly so not as long-lasting as Elf claim. I can't say it felt particularly hydrating either although to be honest that's what I use lip balm for!


Bark

Maple Sugar

Price £1.50

Would I repurchase? The jury's slightly out on this one. My fave of the two shades is Maple Sugar which with its subtle shimmer, is a lovely shade for daytime wear. Neither shades are anything super spectacular though and that coupled with the packaging failure means I probably won't rush back online specifically to buy this again.

Would I recommend? Why not...for £1.50 its worth try but go easy on the twisting!

Until next time,

Reviewed: Elf Lipstick in Fantasy

What they say....

"Indulge your lips with long lasting color and shine. The moisture rich formula hydrates, conditions and softens on contact for silky smooth lips"

What I say....

Packaging The lippy is packaged in a glossy silver tube whilst the inner tube is see-through which looks quite funky. My only qualm with the packaging is that the twist mechanism is really flimsy and loose and so the lipstick can easily move up inside the tube even when the lid is on. As you'll see from the pics the top of the lipstick bullet is flattened off which is the result of it getting squished against the lid whilst in my bag :( A quick scan of other reviews suggests this is a design flaw with all of these lippies, rather than just a one off.

Product Fantasy appears to be a mid- brown shade in the website piccies and in the tube but as you will see, it comes out as more of a nude pink/brown on me. According to the elf site it is unscented but a quick sniff suggests otherwise - it smells really sweet and sugary but not in an unpleasant way.



Results This lippy applies really well - it has a smooth, creamy consistency and feels moisturising on the lips - no dryness here. Its also easily buildable - a quick swipe gives a lovely wash of colour but it can also be layered up for a stronger look. The only downside is that its not a particularly long-lasting formula and I found myself having to reapply quite a few times throughout the day...although it applies so nicely that I actually didn't mind!

Price £1.50

Would I repurchase? Yes definitely - I can't wait to try the other shades but at they moment they are all out of stock...guess its a good sign if they're being snapped up!

Would I recommend? Yes just take care with the packaging or you will have one mashed-up lippy in no time.

Until next time,

Reviewed: Elf Brightening Eyecolour Quad in Butternut

What they say....

"Luxuriously smooth, corn silk formula provides eyes with a neutral base and an awakened brightness".

What I say....

Packaging Seriously no frills - lots of cheap plastic and the sponge applicator is as rubbish as you would expect. The case does feature a mirror underneath where the applicator is stored but its so tiny I can just about see one eyebrow in it!

Product Given the price I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the shadows in this quad. The pigmentation is pretty good (as the swatch pic below shows the peach shade doesn't really show up particularly well on my NC30 skin but that's fine as it makes a great, all over base colour) 


Swatched on bare skin

The texture of the shadows is also fairly smooth if a little on the chalky side and although it doesn't show in the picture, the cream and peach shades are also quite glittery. I personally don't mind a bit of shimmer in my eye make up but it may be a little too much if you're after a totally natural look.

Results The pic below shows these shadows in action and whilst I'm not sure my eye looks particularly 'brightened' as the claim suggests, I love how the colours look on. I've been wearing the quad using the peach shade all over the lid, the darkest brown shade in the outer crease and the creamy beige as a highlight. Worn over some UDPP the shadows blend well and last pretty much all day :)

Price £1.50

Would I repurchase? Absolutely - this is a great value, neutral daytime quad.

Would I recommend? Yes at £1.50 a pop you can afford not to like it!

Until next time,