ELF Studio blushes: Review and swatches

I thought I’d post my thoughts on eight of the ELF Studio blushes, because I have gotten the impression that good reviews of ELF products are hard to find. And I do think that these blushes are good value for money, so I would like for more people to know about them. 

I own eight of these blushes. These are: Fuchia Fushion, Pink Passion, Mellow Mauve, Blushing Rose, Peachy Keen, Candid Coral, Tickled Pink and Berry Merry. Below are pictures of the packaging and swatches.

The packaging of the ELF Studio line blushes.

Swatches of eight of the ELF Studio line blushes that I own. Click to expand the image size.

Fuchia Fushion is a pink shade with golden shimmer. It is very smooth and easy to apply.

Pink Passion is one of my favorites. It has a matte finish, and although it might be a bit chalky when swatched, I don’t think that it looks chalky when applied with a blush. You do have to be very light-handed with this blush, as it is soo pigmented. I find that this blush is perfect for a more dramatic look, especially with a pink lip. I love to use this with MAC’s Pink Nouveau Lipstick.

Mellow Mauve is one of my favorite everyday blushes from ELF. It has an almost matte finish. Although it is a bit less pigmented than for instance Pink Passion, which is insanely pigmented, it does not lack in pigmentation and also applies more easily than the most pigmented ones.

Blushing Rose is a deep red with a satin finish. This blush is one of the less pigmented of the bunch, but I think that is kind of necessary with a deep colour like this, to make it easier to apply. This blush is, however, not one of my favorites, as I think it’s too dark to look natural on my skin tone.

Peachy Keen is another one of my favorites. This is a glowy peach with golden shimmer. Some say that this is a dupe for NARS’s Orgasm blush. Although I think it’s similar to that one, I think that Orgasm is a bit more pink toned than this is. This is a good blush to slap on for everyday use, and I think it would look good on most skin tones.

Candid Coral is the last one of my favorites. This light coral colour is smooth and easy to apply, and has a satin finish. When it comes to pigmentation, this one is between the insanely pigmented Pink Passion and the less pigmented blushing rose: pigmented enough to make it show up well on your skin, while still being easy to apply and blend when you’re in a rush.

Tickled Pink has a matte finish and is not too pigmented. Considering how light this colour is, and the poor amount of payoff that this blush has, this is one that I would not recommend.

Berry Merry is the blush that I haven't gotten around to using yet, so there isn’t a lot I can say about this one, besides the fact that it has a satin finish with golden shimmer to it.

As for the packaging, I think that it’s really good considering the low cost of these blushes: They are compact enough for easy travel, relatively sturdy and have a small mirror for on-the-go application. The ELF Studio blushes even have a small window on the top, which makes it so much easier to see which blush is which. But on the other hand, I do find that the packaging tends to attract fingerprints and powder if you’re hands aren’t completely clean. 

Pros:

+ Low price

+ Most of the blushes are pigmented or even very pigmented (except for Tickled Pink)
+ Most of them apply well (except for Pink Passion, since this one is insanely pigmented)

+ Good packaging

Cons:

- Pigmentation can vary somewhat

- Packaging tends to attract dirt 

Conclusion:

Considering the low price of these blushes, they are really good value for money: Most of these blushes are well pigmented, and some are even very pigmented, and most of them apply well. Although some of the deeper colours are less pigmented, I don’t mind this at all, since it makes these colours easier to apply for those with lighter skin tones, like myself. The packaging is also study and practical, considering the price range, although powders and fingerprints tends to stick to the cover if you’re not careful. I think these blushes are a must-have if you’re on a budget. And who isn't, these days? :)

Price: £3.50 / 32 NOK

The Makeup Geek Eyeshadows: Review and swatches

Groundbreaking news:
THE MAKEUP GEEK EYE SHADOWS ARE TRULY JUST AS GOOD AS MAC
  – AND AT HALF THE PRICE!

OMG, you guys..  I’ve been trying out the Makeup Geek Eye shadows I bought for a couple of weeks now, and I’m completely blown away. Because everything I heard about them is true. I was so skeptical because I never really thought that cheap eye shadows were more than decent when it comes to quality. But this proves me wrong, because the Makeup Geek eye shadows are only 6 US Dollars a pop, and I actually think they’re just as good as those I have from MAC…

Let me start with this: They are very pigmented. Although this does vary a bit, depending on colour and finish, I found that every single one I tried was just as pigmented as eye shadows I have from MAC, Urban Decay and other similar high-end brands. But I won’t even try to describe just how pigmented they are – that is something you are going to have to see for yourself. So check out the swatches below at the end of this post.

But most importantly for me, they were sooo blendable! Since I tend to like eye shadows with a matte finish, I sometimes find blending to be somewhat of a hassle. Especially when I’m pressed for time in the morning. But these shadows blend so nicely after just a few movements with the brush. So with these eye shadows, I feel that I might actually be able to save some time in the morning. Hallelujah, right?

Right about now, I guess you’re wondering about fallout. Because I have, in the past, found that eye shadows that are easy to blend tend to have a lot of fallout, or fade quicker throughout the day. Although the most shimmery ones had a tiny bit of fallout, it was hardly noticeable most of the time. And certainly no more than one has to expect from eye shadows with a lot of shimmer. I also didn’t find that these shadows faded more than high-end eye shadows normally do. Moreover, these shadows also come in pans, which I really like, because it means that each one costs less, and that I can store them as I want to. I keep mine in two Z Palettes :)

I did test these shadows thoroughly because I wanted to give more detailed recommendations about which colours to buy and which to stay clear of, but in truth, I found them all to be very good. I didn’t find any duds, so which ones you should buy then only becomes a question of personal preference. And I don’t care if the shimmery ones have a tiny bit of fallout, because aside from that, these eyeshadows are damn near perfect!

So let me get down to the gist...

Pros:

+ The price: For 6 USD a pop these eyeshadow pans are a bargain

+ Highly pigmented

+ Very blendable

+ Fallout is not an issue with 97% of the eye shadows I tried

+ Fading is not an issue

(+ The site that sells these shadows has very affordable international shipping, too. I was amazed!)

Cons:

-          A tiny amount of fallout with the most shimmery ones

Sum: 

These eye shadows are highly pigmented and soo blendable and affordable that I’m flabbergasted. And when fading and fallout is not an issue, either, there isn’t anything else I could want from an eyeshadow. I will definitely buy more of these!

I hope you liked this review!

HG Alert: The Best Mascara Ever!

After years and years of wasting my money on average mascaras, I’ve finally found my HG mascara, you guys! And here it is:  

It is the Lancôme Hypnose Mascara.

(Picture is from here.)

I had wanted to try out this mascara for quite some time, but I’d been putting it off, since I had some unfortunate experiences with high-end mascaras a few years back. It wasn’t that they were THAT horrible, really. It was just that I didn’t like the feeling of having paid twice as much for something that was basically no better than any ordinary drugstore mascara. But then I finally got myself to buy this one, and I’m so glad I did, because this mascara is absolutely worth every penny.

So let me tell you this, guys: It is everything I’ve ever wanted in a mascara. It lengthens and defines my lashes and holds a curl all day (I happened to forget my lash curler at home last weekend, but this mascara did the job so well that I honestly couldn’t tell the difference). This mascara is also so buildable that you can take it all the way from a natural look with the first coat, to an everyday sexy eye with the next, and a dramatic look with the third. Although I would say that this mascara gives a medium amount of volume to your lashes, I’ve never done more than three layers with this mascara, so I honestly wouldn’t know if it is possible to achieve more dramatic volume. But I find that the amount of volume that it gives is just perfect for me, since the lengthening effect is much more important for me than the volumizing effect. I also find the brush very easy to work with.

And what’s more: I’ve never had any fallout or flaking or anything like that. As for removal, it removes just as easily as most other mascaras I’ve owned. This mascara is, however, quite pricey, and I haven’t gotten around to finding out how long it might actually last you.

And for those who would like to know: This mascara does not have any noticeable scent. 

Pros:

+ Lengthens and defines lashes with a good volumizing effect

+ Holds a curl all day

+ Very buildable

+ Wand is easy to work with

+ No fallout or flaking

+ Doesn’t have a noticeable scent

Cons:
- Expensive
- The volumzing effect is decent, but not amazing

Conclusion: 

Since this mascara is so buildable and easy to work with, you can easily create everything from natural to dramatic looks with this mascara. Be aware that this mascara won’t give your lashes an insane amount of volume, but it will, however, give them everything else: it will lengthen and define your lashes, and give them a good amount of volume.

(Note that I have sparse, medium length lashes with a slight natural curl to them.)


Rating:

Review: The L’Oréal Volume Million Lashes Mascara

Hey beauties!

And so I'm back with another review. I was cleaning one of my makeup drawers the other day when I was about to toss out a mascara. While I was doing that, I found myself thinking about how much I really disliked this product. And that's when it occurred to me that I should do a review on this mascara! Because I think that it's so much easier to rave about a product that you like, than to point out potential flaws in products that you didn't like. So here are my two pennies on the L’Oréal Volume Million Lashes Mascara.

The picture is from this page.

So this is a mascara that is supposed to both define and volumize your lashes. And I do find that the shape of the wand is suited for this purpose, because it is both able to grab the individual lashes AND coat them at the same time. But sadly, this does not mean that I found this mascara easy to apply. Because I found that the first coat simply didn't go it for my lashes, I always felt like applying a second coat. But after using this mascara for two weeks, I realized that I just had to stop after the first applying the first coat, because this mascara is impossible to layer. I tried all sorts of different things when I applied the second coat, but every time my lashes came out looking like a spidery and pathetic mess. But on the other hand, I think that this mascara might be better for girls with naturally long lashes, who might be content with the result they get from just one coat.

While the things I have mentioned above are certainly not unheard of in the world of mascaras, I do find the following completely unacceptable in a mascara: This thing transfers and flakes like crazy! And it doesn't take more than a humid climate, a drizzle or slight perspiration to make this thing transfer to your lids and under your eyes. If you add the fact that this mascara is flakey, you can only imagine what I looked like at the end of the day... And by that time the curl in my lashes would be gone as well.

Pros:
+ Good wand suited to its purpose
+ Relatively inexpensive
+ Does define and volumize your lashes

Cons:
- Transfers like crazy
- Flakes
- Difficult to layer
- Doesn't hold a curl for more than five hours
- Has a scent that can be distracting for some

Summary:
Although this mascara kind of does what it's supposed to, in that it does define and volumize, I think that's about all it does. Although I would be able to live with the fact that this mascara is impossible to layer, I find the transfer and the flaking totally unacceptable, even for a drug store mascara.

As you might know, the L’Oréal's slogan is "Because You're Worth It". And I assume that "it" is supposed to refer to money, as in the price of their products. But if that's the case, then I might be worth it, but this mascara certainly isn't! 

Rating: 

Review: Dior Forever Foundation

I've been using the Dior Forever Foundation for about two months now. I kind of bought this foundation by chance. When I went into the shop that day I originally wanted to get the Chanel Perfection Lumiere, because I'd heard so many good things about it. But when none of those shades matched my skintone, the girl at the Dior counter recommended this foundation, which luckily matched me perfectly. Here are my thoughts on this product..

My general impression:

This high-end liquid foundation has a very nice texture. It’s not too thin or too thick to work with. It therefore applies very easily. This foundation provides light to medium coverage, and you can easily build up the coverage without it looking cakey.

In my experience, this foundation has a slightly matte finish that looks very natural. It also lasts all day, without fading or oxidizing, which some lower-end foundations tend to do on combination or oily skin. It also didn’t break me out, although I have sensitive skin. Even though it is kind of expensive, I only need one pump to do my entire face, and so it should last you a while.

Pros:
+ Nice texture
+ Buildable coverage
+ Lasts all day
+ Has SPF 25

Cons:
- Quite expensive compared to low-end brands

Summary:
This is a nice foundation that is easy to work with and that you will stay on your face all day. Although it is a bit expensive, I have yet to find a drugstore foundation that is as good as this one. But aside from that, there’s nothing extraordinary about this foundation.

Rating: