Hello!
E.l.f is one of those brands that people love, even if they have enough money to pay for Dior. The prices are so affordable but the quality is there in most of the products. When I think of e.l.f, drugstore doesn't even cross my mind. I simply just see them as e.l.f. But like most brands e.l.f does have hits or misses. So today I'm going to share my my opinion on e.l.f's makeup line.
To keep this from being such a long post, I will be dividing this into four seperate posts.
1. Studio line(this post)
2. Essential line
3. Mineral line
4. Thoughts on the brand itself and their tools.
Once I am done with every post, I will be sure to update this page with the links to each line.
Hits/Misses
Studio line
Primer: There are many different primers in the studio line. However, I have found that they all work the same. The formula goes on smoothly and makes my skin feel soft but I haven't noticed a difference in the wear time of my foundation. I recommend saving your money and buying a different primer.
(Miss)
Concealer: The maximum coverage concealer has a medium coverage. I think it blends out smoothly and lasts a decent amount of time if you set it with a powder. I would recommend it to people with minor imperfections. The correcting concealers are actually really good. The brightening shade really brightens under my eyes and helps hide dark circles. The green shade is ok. I sometimes like to mix it with my primer to help cancel out redness.
(Hit)
Foundation: The foundation formula is lovely. It looks beautiful on my dry skin and lasts for 6 hours with medium coverage. Unfortunately, the color selection isn't very big. The lightest shade is too dark for me and I believe there's not very many dark shades either. But it's a total hit if you can find the right shade!
(Hit)
Powder: The only powders that I have tried from the studio line are the loose HD powders and the compact translucent powder. I really like both of them. They both help set my foundation and keep oil from breaking through in my t-zone. I also love the yellow HD powder under my eyes. It really brightens things up! I totally recommend the powders!
(Hit)
Highlighters- The baked highlighters are ok. I think the shades are beautiful but I also find them to be a little chunky. These would be best to purchase during a 50% off sale. The Twistable highlights are good and bad. I really enjoy the Twistable feature and the concept but sometimes when I apply the highlighter, I notice a line from the initial spot where I put it before blending it out. I suggest using a sponge to apply this highlighter. Other than that I recommend it.
(Hit and miss)
Bronzers- I haven't personally tried many of their bronzers. The cream blush and bronzer duo is very nice. The shades blend out smoothly and I can create a very natural look using the creme bronzer. I definitely recommend it.
(Hit)
Blush- Ah, the blush. Are they a dupe for Nars? I personally don't think so. The single blushes that I have tried are very dry and unpigmented. They might be good for people who like to build up color but I think you can find better blushes. However, the blush palettes are amazing! The pigmentation is very opaque and they're insanely smooth. I definitely recommend trying the blush palettes.
(Hit and miss)
Setting spray- A lot of people say the setting sprays are holy grail products. I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong but everytime I use them my makeup looks even more cake-y and doesn't last any longer than usual. And don't get me started on the nozzle of the bottle. It's just that bad.
(Miss)
Eyeshadow primer- If you're just going to the store for a couple hours than I think the primer is good enough. One the other hand, if you need something to last ALL DAY, then skip on their primer. After a few hours my eyeshadows always crease when I wear this primer. But for a buck, I can't really say it's not worth the money. Maybe if you have dry eyes you can wear it all day Long but oily eyes will look like a hot mess.
(Miss)
Eyeshadow- Overall, I really like e.l.f's eyeshadows. The palettes, pigments, singles and baked shadows are hit and miss but most of them are pretty good. I'm actually picky when it comes to eyeshadow. I prefer using high end palettes but I have found cases where I actually prefer some e.l.f shadows over high end. Don't get me wrong though, e.l.f does have a lot of misses with their eyeshadows. Typically, their matts are chalky and dry but they have mastered their shimmer formula.
(Hit)
Eyeliner- Pass on the gel and pencil eyeliners. The gels smear around on the eyes and the pencils eventually fade away, apply difficulty and are not pigmented enough. The liquid liners are my favorite liners though. 7 out of 7 days, I will be using the liquid liner from their studio line to get ready. I'm not sure what the name is but it's the kind that you dip into the container and it's shaped like unique triangle?.
(Hit and miss)
Mascara- Lets make this short. Just skip on the mascara. It's not even worth $3.
(Miss)
Eye lashes- I love e.l.f but I can't stand their eyelashes. They never keep their shape and they're so hard to apply. Don't waist your dollar on them.
(Miss)
Brow products- The only brow product that I have fried from them is the brow kit. I think it's great! The gel and powder are perfect for filling in and defining your eyebrows. I use them for a more natural look , though. If you expecting a very defined look, then stick with the Anastasia Dip Brow.
(Hit)
Lipstick- I love the matte lipsticks. They're creamy, pigmented and long-lasting. Their regular lipsticks are ok. I think they could be more pigmented but they are soft and creamy. I also love there lip glosses. They're not sticky but rather pigmented, buttery and moisturizing.
(Hit)
Please, keep in mind that I'm not shaming any of their products. I really love e.l.f but I haven't found a brand that doesn't have one bad product. Also, just because some of their products don't work for me, doesn't mean they won't work for you!
Thank you for reading, TaylorPie.
