Left: e.l.f. Cosmetics from KMart, and right, Carla GS wearing the products. (Source: Supplied.)
High-impact colours on a barely-existent budget? Yes please. The cult US beauty brand, e.l.f. Cosmetics, has gained a reputation in its home country as an ultra-affordable beauty favourite.
It’s been available exclusively at Kmart for little over a year in Australia, yet it’s still remained the best-kept secret of beauty devotees.
I used only a handful of products to create a day and night makeup look. Each of the products offered maximum coverage with minimal application and all together came in under $50. That’s the cost of one luxury brand lipstick, my friends.
Look one: Fresh daytime.
For this makeup look, I had two goals: get it done fast, and to re-create the glowy, bronze-lidded look that’s been all over the catwalks lately.
e.l.f. products used:
Mineral Eyeshadow Primer in Sheer, $8.
Baked Eyeshadow in Toasted, $8.
All Over Color Stick in Golden Peach, $3
Lip Balm Tint in “Berry”
Eyeshadow Brush,$3
Defining Eye Brush, $3
Blending Eye Brush, $3 (Post continues after video.)
Now, some of these products definitely deserve honorable mentions. The Mineral Eyeshadow Primer, $8, has been named as a convincing dupe (or copy) for the Urban Decay Primer Potion, $30. I don’t think the products are exactly the same – the e.l.f. primer is distinctly thinner – but they both achieve the same task, which is to create an even, non-creasing base for the eyeshadow.
It’s the best budget brand eyeshadow primer I’ve tried, and it is ultra affordable at $8.
I’m obsessed with the e.l.f. Color Sticks, $3, particularly as they remind me of the NARS Multiple, $56. The peachy, bronzey tones, like our friend Golden Peach, are particularly versatile, as you truly can wear them all over your eyes, lips and face.
The Color Sticks provide a huge surge of colour in just one swipe. I also reviewed the Pink Lemonade shade here - I love them that much. The sticks are so small that you can pop them in your handbag (or suitcase, if you’re travelling) for on-the-go touch-ups.
Now, I’ve spent much more than $3 on makeup brushes, only to have them shed hairs all over my face and makeup bag. The e.l.f. Eye Brushes, $3 each, have a great shape and are firm yet soft. And duh, they apply makeup like a dream. I’m sold!
Look two: Sophisticated nighttime.
Seeing as I only go out on dates once every two years (#mumlife), I’d better look good. For this tutorial, I layered some more products on top of the existing daytime makeup. Because who has time to completely re-apply a face of makeup?
Again, I wanted a very highlighted, luminous makeup look, which is tres chic right now.
e.l.f. products used:
Baked Eyeshadow in Burnt Plum, $8.
Brightening Eyeliner Pencil in Black, $3
Shimmering Facial Whip in Lilac Petal, $3
Matte Lip Color in Rich Red, $8
Eyeshadow Brush,$3
Defining Eye Brush, $3
Blending Eye Brush, $3 (Post continues after video.)
OK, we must talk about the Shimmering Facial Whip, $3. If you love to highlight your face, and if you are as obsessed with strobing as I am, then you absolutely must buy this product. It’s cheaper than a cup of coffee for me (I have soy and honey, don’t judge).
What’s even more exciting is that the Lilac Petal shade is a believable and lovable dupe for Benefit High Beam, $45. And when it comes to choosing between forking over $3 versus $45, the answer is obvious.
Now, the Baked Eyeshadows, $8 are gorgeous. The colour is immediate and strong unlike other cheap eyeshadows which take about a million layers of application until you can actually see them. The two eyeshadow colours I used, Toasted and Burnt Plum also layered nicely on top of each other.
Finally: The lipstick. I love the easy twist-up applicator of the Matte Lip Color, $8, and just one swipe yielded tons of juicy colour. The blue-red colour made my teeth look white, which is always a win.
So, whether you want to stock up on basics or are keen to try new trends, like the bronze eyelid or strobing, e.l.f. will be your new, year-round buddy.
Have you tried e.l.f Cosmetics? What did you think?
Top Comments
I've been shopping online for years now and I've had my worst online shopping experience with E.L.F.
I suggest you to not buy from them, If you are not in the UK or the US .
Let me give you the whole story.
First of all, the minute I get to their webpage, I choose "ship to Greece" and I get a note that yes , they do ship to Greece, right?
I placed a bunch of orders a few weeks ago.
For some of them , the payment did not work, so they weren't completed, and for some others, 2 actually, I did pay.
I have the receipts and everything .
After that, they notified me that some orders were rejected, cause they don't ship internationaly or cause I didn't make my order international.
First of all, what's the point in telling me from the very first moment that you do ship to Greece, only to cancel my order after that, telling me that you don't ?
Second, I contacted my bank and they told me that E.L.F. needs to release my payments , which they STILL haven't.
And there's more...
I got notifications from Borderfree for some orders, telling me that they were shipped and that they are coming in a few days.
DHL contacted me, telling me that they do have my order and that they need a bunch of documentations to go through with the delivery.
After I gave them what they asked, they told me that I can't receive my order, if it's more than 5 items.
So I ask you again:
Why wasn't there a warning in the site that for shippings to Greece, there should be maximum 5 items?
Why did I get into all this trouble, just to realize that I can't receive my order anyway?
And most importantly, why am I 150 euros short, and still haven't received neither my orders not a refund?
I went into all that trouble, just because they don't have the warnings that they should, on the website.
They are obligated to give me all the information I need to make a purchase, otherwise they're a fraud.
I don't know if the products are good and I am not judging that, but the online buying thing, has some serious issues.
I am willing to let this go if they reinmburce me for all that trouble and for the fact that their website does not have adequate information, but they won't even answer my messages .