Hey, Mr. Postman!: Top Five ELF Products Worth the Shipping

You've gotta love E.L.F.

If you're on a budget (and aren't we all?), those little one- and two- and three-dollar price tags can be pretty darn hard to resist. I mean, come on! How am I supposed to say no to a lipgloss that looks just like Stila's Lip Glaze, but only costs a buck? I could get twenty-two of the E.L.F. for the price of a single Stila! Not that I need twenty-two lipglosses, but it's the principle.

Unfortunately, the downside to having ridiculously low prices is that, by comparison, your online shipping rates can look a tad on the high side. I don't know about you, but I have a hard time paying more for shipping than for the item to be shipped. Sure, you could try to find your item locally, since Target and select Walgreen's carry an assortment of E.L.F. products. They just don't have anywhere close to the entire line, meaning that there are times when you can't circumvent the shipping costs. With that, I have compiled a list of the top five ('cause that seemed like a good number) E.L.F. products worth the cost of shipping.

Now, please bear in mind, this is not a list of the five best E.L.F. products. These are items that are A) high-quality, B) classically useful (not just super trendy and fun--these are warhorses), C) either difficult to dupe with a readily available item, or are dupes of much more expensive items. Basically, these are items that, were you to add the almost seven dollar shipping charge to the original amount, you would still come out ahead. Now, on to the list!

5. Studio Lip Exfoliator ($3)
I'm a fan of making my own lip scrubs, but they're not always the most travel-friendly option. This little gem is unique in the fact that the scrub comes in a solid form and is housed in a cute little lipstick tube. You can toss this in your purse or travel bag and not worry about sugary liquid spilling out of a tub and onto your other products. The scrub smells and tastes like yummy maple and brown sugar, and is chock full of skin-loving ingredients like shea butter, vitamin E, and jojoba oil. Even at what amounts to a $10 price point ($3 + $7 shipping), it's a good buy.

4. Studio Lip Lock Pencil ($3)
If  you wear brightly colored lipstick, this is a must-have in your kit. This pencil outlines the outside of your lipline to keep color from feathering or creeping into any fine lines. There are a couple of drugstore varieties of this product, but I have yet to actually see one in a brick-and-mortar store. If you go the Sephora route, a clear lip liner--which is all this is, really--will run anywhere from $14-$20. The E.L.F. version works like a dream and, even with shipping, is still easier on your wallet.

3. Studio Eye Shadow "C" Brush ($3)
This is a very basic eyeshadow brush, but it's one of the best I've ever worked with. I use mostly Real Techniques now, but every now and then I grab this one, and am reminded how awesome it is, and wonder why I don't use it more often (why don't I use it more often?). The brush has a sleek handle design and very densely packed synthetic bristles. It picks up product really well, lays it down really well, and blends really well. Basically, it performs really well (in case you hadn't picked up on that). If you're going to spend ten bucks on an eyeshadow brush, this is the one to buy.

2. Studio HD Blush ($3)
Considered to be a dupe for Make Up For Ever's HD Blush, E.L.F.'s version packs a very pigmented punch. It's creamy, applies smoothly, and wears well. It's a top notch formula, and a steal at a ten-dollar price point.

1. Studio High Definition Powder ($6)
HD powder is a silica-based finishing powder that can be used to set makeup, but is mainly utilized for its airbrushing effect. It leaves skin looking flawless, silky smooth, and camera-ready. There are several on the market (most notably by Make Up For Ever), and tend to carry low-volumes and high-prices. E.L.F.'s version is only six bucks--expensive by E.L.F.'s standards--and you get a figurative ton of product. Yellow and Shimmer versions are also available, but the standout is the original transluscent powder. With shipping, it'll set you back about $13, but you'll still be getting more bang for your buck.

Of course, this is assuming you only need to purchase one item. But I know none of us would ever go makeup crazy on the E.L.F. website...right?...Guys?...Hey! Wait up!! I need some brow gel...and lip gloss...and a blush...and.........

Viciously Vixenish: E.L.F. Disney Villains Palette Review

Saturday, I drove to five Walgreen's while Thomas called four more. Sunday, we took a mini-road trip to the next town, and then the NEXT town over, and finally found a store that stocked these limited-edition palettes. Folks, that was with the help of the E.L.F. store locator. I'm not sure if it's off, or if the stores just didn't get their shipments in time for the launch, or what the deal is. All I know is that these suckers are hard to find. 

Honestly, by the time I actually got my hands on one, it was less a matter of wanting the darn thing, and more just the principle. (And no, I didn't just drive that far for a cheap makeup palette. We made a day of it.)

Anyhoo, I picked up two: Maleficent's Sinister Smoky Eyes for me, and The Evil Queen's Daringly Dramatic Eyes for my best friend, Genna. Obviously, I can't swatch hers, so we're just going to focus on the Maleficent palette for the purposes of this review. Just so you know, there's also a Cruella DeVille palette, but it's all neutral colors, and I need more of those about as badly as I need a third eye. 

This is long and picture heavy, so be ye warned. Let's take a look!

The outer packaging is much nicer than I expected. It feels like a hard-bound book, and has a matte finish with a glossy picture of the inside and foil accents. It does scratch easily (as you can see in the photo), but the artwork is beautiful, and the overall look is every bit what you should expect from Disney.

When you open the palette, you'll find a decent-sized mirror on the left, and all of your products on the right. Please pardon the glare coming from the protective film. While I do appreciate the plastic covering, I am more than a little annoyed that it doesn't come off. It's built into the palette and flips off of the products and onto the mirror side, but it doesn't lay flat. You have to weigh it down with something to keep from having it snap back while you're working with the shadows, and it's a royal pain in the you-know-what. Now, the mirror is a really cute touch, but I'm probably not going to use it very much, if at all, expecially because of the plastic sheeting factor. What is cool, and one of my favorite features, actually, is behind the magic mirror...

...Get the Look instructions! There are how-to's for two looks--one day, one night--with a neat little transluscent Maleficent sporting each style.

See! It flips! It also makes me hate that little bit of plastic sheeting even more, because you have to weigh it down ON TOP of this, which makes following the instructions a bit of adventure in juggling. I think I'm going to take some scissors to that bad boy when I get a second. It's just really bugging the heck out of me (can you tell?).

And now: (drumroll, please) THE PRODUCTS!! Here's an overview of what you get for your ten bucks:

False lashes and glue

"Day Evil" shadow colors, eye primer, and lip & cheek color pencil

"Night Villain" shadow colors, liquid eyeliner, and lip & cheek color pencil

Swatches: Left to Right--Primer , Day Evil Lip & Cheek, Liquid Liner, Night Villain Lip & Cheek

I'm not reviewing the lashes because I haven't tried them. If they're like the other E.L.F. strip lashes, they're perfectly fine lashes. I am a little bummed that they're not as pointy in person as they are in the publicity photo, but they're still very interesting-looking, and I'm anxious to see how they look on. The glue has never been my favorite, though. I prefer Duo or Ardell, and neither is terribly expensive.



Day Evil Shadows: Left to Right--Spindle, Scepter, Fog of Doom, Fauna

 I am pleasantly surprised by the quality of these shadows. No, I'm not going to sit here and tell you that they're the end-all-be-all of shadows, and Urban Decay and MAC need to watch their backs, 'cause here comes E.L.F.! That would be lying, and lying is wrong. What I am going to say is that E.L.F. has stepped up their game a bit. I'd rate the pigmentation on all of these at Fair to Good with a couple of standout shades. There is some fallout, particularly on the glittery shadows, so make sure you take precautions.


Night Villain Shadows: Left to Right--Misfortune, Forest of Thorns, Deep Sleep, Diablo

 Misfortune and Diablo appear to be the most pigmented of the bunch; Fog of Doom, Fauna, and Deep Sleep, the least, but still workable and still pretty. Here's the color breakdown:

Spindle: Pale satin wheat. Comes off as slightly darker than flesh-toned on me, and I'm an NW15.
Scepter: Shimmery bronzed gold.
Fog of Doom: Bluish-purple satin.
Fauna: Emeral satin with multi-colored micro-glitter.

Misfortune: Silvery-gray shimmer.
Forest of Thorns: Dark charcoal gray with fine holographic glitter. Gorgeous smoky color.
Deep Sleep: Wine satin.
Diablo: Reddish-black shimmer with micro glitter. Reminds me of MAC Beauty Marked.

This is the Day Evil look, as instructed. Spindle on the browbone, Scepter at the inner corner, Fog of Doom on lid, Fauna in crease. I added Fog of Doom as a lower liner, and used black pencil and mascara to finish the look. It was quick and dirty. Please don't judge.

This is the Night Villain look, as instructed. Misfortune on the brow and inner corner, Forest of Thorns on the lid, Deep Sleep in the crease, and Diablo to deepen the crease. Finish with liquid liner on top lash line. I added Deep Sleep and Diablo on the lower lash line, and black mascara to complete. You can see the glitter fallout, so be careful. Again, quick and dirty. I just wanted to see how these performed. i actually did both eyes simultaneously. It was a look, let me tell you.

I feel like the shadows perform well enough, and the colors are lovely and work well together. Obviously, the clear liner is more of a glitter accent than a means of defining, but I like it a lot. None of this is professional quality, but it's more than adequate for personal use. And it's a heck of a lot of fun.

Top Lip: Day Evil Lip & Cheek Color. Bottom Lip: Night Villain Lip & Cheek Color.

Speaking of a look, top and bottom--two different colors! Woohoo! I really wanted to see how these looked and felt. Honestly...they're lip liners, and pretty hard ones, at that. They do a decent job at lining, and an okay job filling in, but I'm not about to try to put these on my cheeks. I had a hard enough time smudging the swatch. I can't even imagine trying to blend either of these out as a blush. The colors are a pinky-red and a brighter magenta.

As I said, those looks above were thrown together to test performance and shades. To really test these products, I put them to the all-day, heat and humidity challenge. On my eyes, the Day Evil look, with Fog of Doom and Fauna smudged on the lower lash line, and added black liner and mascara. I lined my lips with the Day Evil lip pencil, then went over with peachy nude shimmery lipstick. Peachy pink cream blush and filled in brows complete the look. I've been wearing this for a few hours now, and everything's holding up. The lipstick could stand a top off, and I need a blotting paper, but the colors haven't faded or smudged.

Final Verdict: 7 out of 10. If you can get your hands on one, pick it up. It's not a life-changer, but it's darn good, and fun for the Halloween season.