Makeup
- pixie_dust » See my profile
- Points: 73600
- Reviews: 491
Here are all my reviews:
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This product is nice, don't get me wrong; I received this in Broadest Berry and it was a very "vampy" deep red- perfect for fall! I was pleased with the moisture the product provided and it had nice pigmentation, although I didn't notice any differences in pigmentation versus the non-Intense version. I wouldn't pay this much for a product that is basically a really nice lip balm. It works as the usual pencil or crayon balms do; you twist at the bottom to make the product pop up. The packaging is very nice, but so is the L'oreal version. I thought it was nice but not anything that wowed me by any means. However, I have tried many of these balms as of late and the Clinique version is one of the better ones as far as moisture and pigmentation, so if you are looking for a product like this, I would recommend it.
November 4, 2014
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I remember using this blush all the way back in high school (and no, I am not saying how long ago that was! LOL)! At the time I thought it was great, and it is, as a starter blush. However, for those of us that have been using makeup for years, I think you will be disappointed. I am a NC 25 and have difficulty with the pigmentation showing up on my skintone, and I am not dark by any means. I MIGHT be able to pull a NC 30 in the summer and that is probably with the use of a self-tanner. LOL Anyway, I have tried several of the colors: (Natural Rose - pretty, peachy pink but difficult to get swatch to show or for it to be pigmented enough on my cheeks; Plumberry Glow - same issue; Golden Pink - does show on me but not crazy about the color, more gold than pink, nice texture; Soft Sable - pretty sable color with some shimmer, does show up) The price is nice; usually around $3-$4 per blush. I don't care for the packaging; I wish it was either round or square so the brush could really get in there - maybe that would make a difference? I didn't find an issue with it lasting as some have said; the biggest challenge for me was just getting the pigmentation to come through and having to add much more than necessary to see any color on my cheeks. Unless there is a color that is unlike any other, I will be passing on these.
November 4, 2014
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HD powders seem to be all the rage and I wasn't about to spend $30 or $40 on a Makeup Forever version! So when ELF came out with their version, I definitely had to pick it up, and for $6 it is a steal! Some say the packaging is bulky but for some reason, IMO, when a package is bulky it can look more expensive - it just looks sturdy and sleek on my vanity! :) Another packaging win for me! Once you take the top off, there is a pouf and underneath is the powder with the sifter. I would recommend keeping the pouf in there otherwise it gets quite messy. I didn't heed that warning myself, and as a result, I get powder all over almost daily. I purchased the powder in Sheer, which is the traditional "white" powder (not translucent). It is also available in Shimmer and Yellow (think banana powder!) I like the product because it does give a soft appearance to the skin and blurs imperfections, but after using this product for several months I decided that although it is exceptional at what it does, I am just not a big fan of the HD powders. They really have to be buffed into the skin, otherwise a white cast can be left on the face which really looks awful in photography. I prefer a powder that is going to be a little more forgiving! Additionally, if you have oily skin like me, you aren't going to really see oil control with this powder. If you are looking for a powder that is similar, but a little less forgiving, I would try the ELF Mineral Boost in Yellow or Sheer; both are high quality products but not 100% silica so they are not apt to leave such a harsh cast on the skin. But if you love HD powders, this one is a winner!
October 21, 2014
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I purchased this in August when doing a mini-haul; I was super excited to see that ELF expanded their primer line! I am a big fan of a lot of the ELF products and routinely do hauls about every 3 months. My skin is oily in the summer and combo in the winter. Previously, I was using the NYX version which was very good, but I wanted to give this a chance, too, especially since it was a few dollars less plus on sale! Let's start with the positives: Like with most ELF Studio products, I LOVE the packaging. Especially the pump! They have a way of making a product look and feel much more expensive than it actually is! The primer did an excellent job of "smoothing" pores by filling them in with the typical dimethicone (silicone) ingredient. My skin was noticeably softer and smoother to the touch and I was impressed. My initial reaction, however, (now for the negatives!), was that the product had a horrendous fragrance. I love fragrance even though it doesn't have much place in a skincare routine (fragrance can cause subtle irritation under the skin which contributes to the breakdown of collagen = premature aging). It reminded me of a cleanser that I would use in my kitchen or bathroom; I couldn't put my finger on it but it was so bad that it made me hesitant to apply it to my face; I thought I may have received a bad batch. I contacted the company via email; I wanted to be able to provide a company response to this. The email confirmation I received said I would receive a response within 72 hours. Unfortunately, I still hadn't heard back after 4 days so I decided to call the customer service line. ELF's customer service is iffy (yet I have also had mediocre service from NARS! Funny, huh?) and the representative wasn't all that attentive and didn't really respond to my inquiries; she however, did tell me that it was the smell of tea tree oil which really surprised me because 1. I LOVE tea tree oil (I no longer use it on my face after realizing that in most situations it is just TOO strong, but I do love it to clean my brushes and tools) and 2. I am VERY familiar with how it smells. I smelled it several times after the fact, and I can sort of smell tea tree oil now, but maybe a putrid version of it? It just smells off. Again, I love ELF, but this is one of the worst smelling beauty products I have ever used; bad enough that I had to deduct 4 stars on a product that could have been a 10. The addition of tea tree oil to this product is not necessary at all; it isn't going to do anything to make someone's skin "poreless" whereas the silicone will provide a temporary "poreless" and smooth surface for makeup. After learning of this, I applied it to my hand and checked back a few times to see about how long the fragrance lasted - it clocked in at just under an hour. As a result, I will not be repurchasing.
October 21, 2014
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I have tried several of the "glossy" balms in the last month or so by various different brands, and this one is my favorite, but still has a small way to go IMO. The packaging is very pretty; very reminiscent of a higher end product. Some of the crayon-style lip balms I have tried have been surprisingly dry, waxy and even "crayon" smelling - ick. This one, to my pleasant surprise, had a nice texture, a slight smell (but not too overpowering or Crayola-like), and decent pigmentation. However, where this product lacks, like so many similar products before it, is shine and moisture. This is not the first product with "glossy balm" in the title, yet isn't all that glossy. It has more moisture than any of the others, but still has a natural finish with the slightest amount of shine, but certainly not "glossy" as claimed. In addition, like so many other products before also, the moisture tends to almost evaporate quickly, leaving behind the pigmentation but no moisture. Again, defeating the purpose of "glossy" in the title. Personally, I will not repurchase again because I prefer a true "balm" that is going to provide shine, moisture, and maybe even color, too. Or a gloss that is smooth and shiny, versus this product that isn't able to provide these benefits.
October 19, 2014
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I have always been partial to drugstore mascaras, Maybelline in particular, but I received this mascara with a purchase I made on the Clinique website. All I can say is that I am glad I did not purchase this myself and that I was disappointed in this product. I searched the reviews after my experience, and so many people either love it or just don't. I WANTED to love it; the brush is just amazing and was such a pleasant surprise. The tube is a little thinner than a normal mascara tube so I wasn't expecting such a full brush to pop out of the cap. I was thrilled! All I could think about was feathery volume with a brush like that! I did get feathery lashes with volume and definition, but some days they would look prettier than others. I thought maybe it was my curler so I tested it for a few weeks this way and that way - some days very pretty, other days a little clumpy and almost spikey. The biggest challenge by far I experienced with this mascara was the flaking. I learned after the first day that this was definitely NOT a mascara that can handle the bottom lashes - for me that is a no no; I don't like to use two products if I can help it! I also discovered that this product would smear on me after about 6 hours of wear, along with flakes (and this was when I tested it on top lashes only). To test it, I tried taking a nap with it on and even sleeping a full 8 hours just to see how the product performed. Unfortunately, I had more flakes than any other mascara that I have ever used. They were actually down onto the tops of my cheeks. This really surprised me because I have been reading about the longevity of this mascara, the staying power and the lack of smudginess or flakes, yet I really didn't experience that at all so this mascara seems to just be hit or miss. I can't emphasize how much I really liked the brush but I am hoping they will come out with a better formula. It's currently available in two colors; I purchased this in Black Onyx.
October 18, 2014
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I am a lip balm freak; I have to have something on my lips all the time. Some reviewers adore this product, but it just doesn't last. I like the cute packaging, colors and spf, but I have to reapply multiple times in an hour. It leaves my lips soft but not much moisture or shine. Next time i'll pass.
October 15, 2014
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I prefer concealers with a sponge tip applicator like this one, and was eager to try it. I am not exactly sure what it is "lifting" per se, but I do really like ELF and wanted to see what the hype was about. I purchased this in LIGHT for my fair skin, and also in a green hue for the redness around my nose. Well, the LIGHT was one of the most off putting colors I have seen in a concealer before; it was too dark, more of a medium, and had almost an "ashy" or grey appearance to it. (Think a color fit for a zombie! LOL) It was awful. However, I did find the packaging to be cute and the product easy to apply and creamy. I used the green around my nose area and pretty much threw in the towel on that one! This is the first time I have used green to counteract any redness, and I wasn't impressed. By the time I blended the green "away" and into my skin, it no longer covered the red. I found the green to be totally unnecessary - next time I will just add a bit more foundation or normal concealer to the area which works just fine. I can't attest to the longevity of the concealer since the colors didn't work, but overall I would pass on this option.
October 14, 2014
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I purchased this blush off of the ELF website in Flushed (a frosted pink) and Glow (a natural peach). These blushes will work in a pinch, but I wasn't impressed - not even for a dollar! :) The texture was a bit chalky but still oily/satiny at the same time; I can't explain it. There is a lot of fallout with this product and I found it to easily streak and not blend well. I do believe this is as a result of the odd texture. Blush is so important to an over all makeup look that I wouldn't repurchase this product again. For $2 more you can get a WNW blush or an ELF Studio Blush; both far exceed the quality of the ELF Essential Blush. This is a "pass."
October 14, 2014
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I take every product I review uber seriously - like, seriously. LOL I test it for a good while, at least several weeks of daily use, and try various methods of application to see how versatile the product is and if it doesn't work the way it is marketed, maybe there is another use for it. Call me crazy (it's ok, really) but I earn every dollar I make, and I want to stretch it as far as I can. I HATE throwing out products. But I digress.... IMO, if you have a good moisturizer (or even serum) and a good foundation, primer is not required. However, my skin is really, really, really (yes, realllllly) oily in the summer. When I saw the Stay Matte foundation and primer, I had to try it! (See foundation review) Unfortunately, I was disappointed with the foundation AND the primer. I found the primer to be thick like glue and a bit oily feeling in itself. I also didn't get any more longevity for the foundation than I did without it. (About 3 hours before blotting with the foundation by itself, and combined with primer/foundation and even setting powder.) The texture was just really off putting for me. The FIX primer gets really good reviews, so I am going to try that one also so I can compare and review. Interestingly enough, I think I would recommend this primer for someone who is normal and even dry as I found it to be much more moisturizing than what is needed for oily skin. Other than the texture and no visible mattifying properties, it isn't a BAD primer, as long as consumers have realistic expectations going in.
October 14, 2014
