Makeup
- Nikatron » See my profile
- Points: 102115
- Reviews: 150
Here are all my reviews:
-
I got this Mineral foundation in “fair” and “light”… Before I continue, I think that it’s important to mention that if you are a big fan of “e.l.f. Cosmetics” and you are using mainly their products, in order to match this foundation with their HD Concealer (in the Studio line), you need to “reverse the colors” when it comes to “fair” and “light”. That means that if you are “fair” in foundation, you need a “light” concealer and vice versa. This is something that “e.l.f.” will hopefully coordinate better in the future. With that being said, I really like the texture of these foundations – it’s basically a very finely milled powder with no shimmer in it whatsoever. The finish is matte but it’s not a flat matte, there is a bit of dimension or maybe a touch of satin in the finish, so you won’t look too matte if you’re not using a highlighter. These remind me a lot of “e.l.f.”’s Mineral Boosters, which I love a lot. And Boosters is what I will actually stick to from now on, because I found that both of these shades really don’t give you any more coverage than a regular setting powder. I will use these up exactly for that – to set my makeup, but when I run out of them – Sheer Mineral Booster all the way. If you are like me and you are looking for a bit of coverage, but want it to look natural – go with the Boosters. Even the “shimmer” one is amazing, because the shimmer is almost unnoticeable and it’s a bit lighter than the “sheer”. Anyway, the wear time of these powders, on my combination skin is about 4-5 hours. That means that they will keep me almost shine-free fro about that time, and after that I’ll have to retouch if I want to get rid of the shine. To summarize, this is a good product, but I wouldn’t call it “foundation” – I’d just call it “setting powder”. You can definitely build it to get a bit more coverage but it will look cakey. It isn’t silkly and buildable like an HD powder would be – just finely milled mineral powder with good setting properties.
July 16, 2014
-
Color "Spotlight" doesn't highlight - just a pale veil over my pretty fair skin...
I got this in "Spotlight", hoping that it could work as a highlighter on the cupid's bow... I'm always looking for a good highlight above my lip because nothing seems to stay up there... ;) So unfortunately for me (I usually fall in love with most "e.l.f." products), I have to give this four stars. I just don't find that it has any noticeable shimmer or glow... It kind of looks like a pale veil over my skin, with no reflective properties or shimmer of any kind. It might possibly look a little more noticeable on someone with a darker skin tone (I'm around NW 20), but even then, I think it would be more preferable for this to be a bit more reflective or at least have a satin finish. I will probably still use this as an eye shadow base or maybe a very matte cheek highlight for when I’m going for a completely matte look (which is not very often), but I will not repurchase this product – at least not this particular shade. For those who are considering trying this product out, I will say that some reviews suggest that the color “Perssimon” is very similar to “Benefit”’s “High Beam” highlighter. I presently have a full container of “High Beam” but might possibly consider trying the “e.l.f.” version out at some point in the future. I very much liked the scent though - light and lemony; it's identical to the Shimmering Facial Whips, which I much prefer to this stick. If you are looking for a good affordable highlight above your lip go for one of those Whips in "Spotlight" or "Rose Petal". "Rose Petal" is almost identical to "High Beam". Texture wise, this stick is kind of like a solidified cream but a bit stickier. If you happen to like the color or find a great use for it, you will probably enjoy the way this product blends out. It doesn't set though and will remain a bit tacky as long as it stays on your skin.
July 16, 2014
-
The color "Spotlight" doesn't highlight, just a pale veil over my pretty fair skin...
I got this in "Spotlight", hoping that it could work as a highlighter on the cupid's bow... I'm always looking for a good highlight above my lip because nothing seems to stay up there... ;) So unfortunately for me (I usually fall in love with most "e.l.f." products), I have to give this four stars. I just don't find that it has any noticeable shimmer or glow... It kind of looks like a pale veil over my skin, with no reflective properties or shimmer of any kind. It might possibly look a little more noticeable on someone with a darker skin tone (I'm around NW 20), but even then, I think it would be more preferable for this to be a bit more reflective or at least have a satin finish. I will probably still use this as an eye shadow base or maybe a very matte cheek highlight for when I’m going for a completely matte look (which is not very often), but I will not repurchase this product – at least not this particular shade. For those who are considering trying this product out, I will say that some reviews suggest that the color “Perssimon” is very similar to “Benefit”’s “High Beam” highlighter. I presently have a full container of “High Beam” but might possibly consider trying the “e.l.f.” version out at some point in the future. I very much liked the scent though - light and lemony; it's identical to the Shimmering Facial Whips, which I much prefer to this stick. If you are looking for a good affordable highlight above your lip go for one of those Whips in "Spotlight" or "Rose Petal". "Rose Petal" is almost identical to "High Beam". Texture wise, this stick is kind of like a solidified cream but a bit stickier. If you happen to like the color or find a great use for it, you will probably enjoy the way this product blends out. It doesn't set though and will remain a bit tacky as long as it stays on your skin.
July 16, 2014
-
I honestly think that this is an amazing product for $1! You can actually get it for 50 cents when “e.l.f.” does their 50% off the entire website sale. I was really surprised to find out that apart from the salicylic acid, it also contains tea tree oil and Witch Hazel. So I don’t really have very severe acne or anything like that, but every once in a while, like most people I’ll get a pimple here and there. In the past I have used a lot of cream solutions from different brands – the ones that come in those small tubes. My recent favorite has been the “Clearskin Immediate Response” gel from “Avon” but sadly, they’ve discontinued it. This is definitely a very worthy competitor. It comes in a small glass tube with a roller ball type applicator (which is actually not that great but it is so quick and easy to apply). The solution itself is a clear liquid and we are told to apply a thin layer two to three times a day, directly on the problem area. It takes literally seconds to apply and I found that two applications were enough for me to see a considerable difference. I’ve been using it for the last couple of weeks because my skin doesn’t really do well with this crazy heat and humidity we presently have out here. So I apply this once around 7 pm and once just before going to bed, which can be anywhere between 11 pm and 2 am ;))… Almost all the redness is gone when I wake up and it takes about another 2 days for the pimple to completely disappear without it going through all kinds of ugly stages of transformation. When I smell it, it makes me think of tea tree oil and pine, but the scent is really very mild, so I don’t think it would be a problem for anyone. Plus it completely soaks into your skin almost immediately after the application, so the scent doesn’t last at all. Will definitely repurchase and highly recommend to anyone who needs this type of product for their skin.
July 16, 2014
-
I have very mixed feelings about this product. I ordered two colors: “Sorority Girl” and “Au Naturale”. While I really like the “Sorority Girl” I was extremely put off by the scent of “Au Naturale”, which I found strange because the “Sorority Girl” doesn’t have any scent at all. I do have to say that, as always, I was very impressed with “e.l.f.”’s customer service because they immediately shipped out a replacement, but unfortunately it smelled just the same as the first one. With that being sad, these are more on a sticky side which I don’t mind because it actually makes them stay on your lips longer. Both of the colors I chose have shimmer in them but the shimmer is very fine and isn’t offensive or vulgar. Both of these colors are very natural looking on the lips as well. “Sorority Girl” is kind of a mixture of “dusty rose” and “coral” and “Au Naturale” is just an extremely flattering natural light soft pink. Contrary to my negative feelings about the scent of “Au Naturale”, I actually fell in love with the color so it really upsets me that I’m not able to use it. I honestly don’t know if they both came from a bad batch or if it’s something consistent with this particular shade. They are both more on the opaque side; I really wouldn't call them sheer… They feel creamy on the lips and, as I said earlier, just a little sticky which gives them a pretty good staying power. When they do wear off, they leave your lips very natural looking and there is no color outline left anywhere on your lips or any kind of residue at all. I would recommend both of these if I were to forego the very unpleasant chemical scent of “Au Natural”, but because of this I have to give these only 6 stars… It unfortunately made me very sceptical to try other colors…
June 13, 2014
-
E.L.F. Mineral Pressed Mineral Blush
Really good quality and definitely the most affordable mineral blush out there!
I got these in all four colors and I have to say that I was extremely surprised with the quality of all of them. Firstly, they are very pigmented so applying them with a stippling brush works best for me, but you can definitely get a lot of color out of them. The colors are very true to what is pictured on “e.l.f”’s website, so I won’t go into details about that. The only thing I would say for those who are worrying about the shimmer in the “Cabo Cabana” – don’t worry about it; it’s practically non-existent once you apply it. These blushes are very soft and just a little bit powdery, really nothing to cry about and if you are careful with your brush you won’t get any powder at all so it’s really not a deal breaker. They blend well and aren't patchy at all, so you can put as much or as little as you want and still achieve a pretty natural look with these. They are definitely a step up from “e.l.f.”’s “Studio” blushes (aside from the fact that they are mineral, of course). In comparison to the “Studio” blushes, they have about 50% more pigmentation, are a lot less powdery, and they feel a bit softer or creamier to the touch. I have to say that I really liked the packaging as well. They look very sleek and the shape of the blush allows you to use larger brushes as well. Lastly, I would just like to mention that these blushes are very comparable to “e.l.f.”’s “Studio” blush palettes (the quads), so for those who fall in love with these mineral blushes and want more colors, definitely go for the quads from their “Studio” line. Definitely would and do recommend them to all my friends. The quality versus price ration is unbeatable for this product – you just can’t find better…
June 13, 2014
-
This is actually an edited version of my initial review of these. I decided to edit my review because I have since found more uses for these, which makes them even more amazing, in my opinion. ;) So I got these in five different shades and they are all extremely blendable, very very pigmented and last all day. When I first started using them without a primer, they would sometimes go on a bit patchy (especially the lighter colors), but with a primer - the application is perfect, they never crease on me and they look just as good at the end of the day as they did in the morning. Since I first reviewed these shadows I was only using them as shadows, but since then I have experimented a bit more with them and found out that there are more way you can use them... They are amazing as bases for glitter or just sparkly shadow. They can as well work as bases for matte eye shadows, because you can use them to bring out the color of your shadow even more. Just like some people use the "NYX" Milk Jumbo Eye Shadow pencil to boost the colors of their shadows. Except that with these you have a lot more option and I honestly find that "NYX" Jumbo pencils crease a lot and are very overrated. So definitely try these as a base for your shadow as well. And the other way I have been using these lately is for lining my eyes. I literally use them as I would use a cream eye shadow, and I find that it works out great. They don't smudge and they last all day. I'm really surprised that they don't market them as liners as well... So yes, definitely still recommending them to all... ;)
February 6, 2014
-
I got one of these as a gift, from a friend who recently went on a short trip to NYC. So the one I have is the limited edition one in “soft vanilla flavor” with an SPF 15. Definitely fell in love with the packaging right away… The tube is the same shape and size as the one pictured on “totalbeauty.com” but the color is different. It’s got these sort of waves of different colors painted on randomly, which makes it look very unique and definitely easy to find for someone who has a tendency to accumulate tons of miscellaneous items on the bottom of their purse (such as myself ). So the claim on the package is that this balm has a Sunscreen (SPF 15) and that it is water-resistant for 80 minutes. I would think that it should be really useful for a swimmer or for someone who exercises a lot. For myself, I am very sad to say that I found myself wiping it off after about a half an hour of wearing it on my lips. I really did try loving it. When you first apply it, the texture is very similar to Vaseline, it smells like vanilla flavored Vaseline and it does, kind of feel moisturizing, but I feel that it doesn't really get absorbed by my lips, so even though my lips were visibly softer, I didn't feel like it was benefiting them on the inside in any kind of way. Also, for some weird reason, I constantly had to wipe my teeth off with my tongue because somehow, this balm was incessantly sticking to them. As well, the very bitter taste of this balm was overpowering to me. So all those things together with the fact that after about 20 minutes, I started feeling this stuff collecting in the corners of my lips inevitably led to me just taking everything off after about a half an hour… So as pretty as it looked, unfortunately I cannot recommend this to anyone. And I am not saying that this balm doesn't do what it claims to do or isn't efficient. It might possibly work really well at repelling water and protecting your lips from sun damage – I just can’t recommend this based on the fact that wearing it on your lips is not enjoyable at all.
January 21, 2014
-
I don't even know where to start with this one... Love it!!! I've been using it for the last two years and haven't looked back - I really am in love with this foundation. My skin tone is somewhere between NC 20-25 and NW 20-25, and I use this in Opal (15). It's a perfect match! Either way, the color options are pretty good, so it's not difficult to find your match. And another great thing about this foundation (color wise) is that it really works with you; it just kind of blends into your skin and adapts to it... Feels like second skin and is completely unnoticeable. Coverage is so buildable that it's pretty much up to you. I use a pea size amount and it's enough for my entire face. I've used it with my fingers and with a brush as well, and both work very well. If you prefer to use a brush, you can dab it all over your face first and then buff it in with a brush. It doesn't dry too fast like some other foundations can, so you don't have to rush like crazy ;) to buff it all in. The texture of this foundation is very thin and almost liquidy, and yet I find that it lasts all day and it doesn't oxidize at all (at least on my skin). If you use this for heavy coverage, then you will need to retouch during the day, since this is not a matting foundation and it's not drying at all. The scent is very light, non-irritating, non-intrusive. I really like this a lot and will continue using it. I had actually been using "Clarins"'s Everlasting Foundation prior to starting this, because everyone raved so much about it. And it was okay, but since I started using Vichy, I realized that I've been missing out on making my skin look and feel more natural... And the price is so much better than some of the higher end foundations as well. Would definitely recommend this product, especially if you don't need very heavy coverage and are just looking for something to even out your skin tone before applying your makeup.
January 7, 2014
-
Not the same brush as it was 2 years ago... Good for cream eye shadow...
Okay! The first thing I have to say is that this concealer brush is not at all the same brush as it was 2 years ago. I don’t know why they decided to change it, because all the positive reviews for this brush (on ELF’s website) stop at about a year and a half ago… And this is when people started having mixed feelings about it. A lot of us have bought this brush after having seen so many good reviews, about how soft the bristles are and how perfect this brush is for your delicate under-eye area. I got this brush about a month ago, and only now have I found a use for it. I use it to apply cream eye shadow, and for that purpose it works very well, but I will most definitely never apply my concealer with this brush. This brush is very stiff and in my opinion not thick enough to be a good concealer brush. It is very pointy as well, to the point where you can almost use it to line your eyes. I think that ELF’s “Studio Perfect Concealer Brush” is really the perfect concealer brush, and I honestly use it every single day. So it really does confuse me as to why they would make such a small, skinny stiff brush and still call it a concealer brush. On the other hand I would definitely recommend this brush for someone who is looking for a good cream shadow brush. I know that for someone with long nails, it can very often be difficult to reach the inner corners of the eye and apply the shadow evenly in those areas. So this brush definitely gets rid of that problem. And for its quality, I would give this brush 10 stars, because it’s well made and doesn't shed at all. But unfortunately since I will never use it for its intended purpose, I’m only giving it 6 stars.
January 7, 2014
