Showing posts with label swatches. Show all posts
Showing posts with label swatches. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Swatches and Review of My Massive E.L.F. Cosmetics Haul


I'm so excited to finally share these swatches, pics, and initial review of my E.L.F. products I received yesterday!
These are my first E.L.F. makeup products and I'm very impressed so far!
The quality of the products that I bought are far superior to the price. :) Before I purchased these products, I read a bunch of reviews and chose the products that received good ratings and reviews. Most of the products I chose were lip products because E.L.F. lip products seemed to be the popular ones.
I hope I don't overwhelm you with all this information because this blog post is going to be LONG! Just warning you. ^o^

First of all, I'll review the company, store, and customer service.
The E.L.F. website was extremely accessible and easy to navigate.  I think this is really important because I get easily turned off by websites that are hard to work with and navigate. I also had a quick question so I called the customer service number and they were really helpful.  They also have an option of paying with PayPal which is a definite plus for me because I like paying with PayPal.  It's much safer and saves so much time!
There are so many coupon codes to be used for E.L.F. website purchases.  I recommend that you sign up on their list so they send you offer codes for free shipping, discounts, etc.
Shipping cost felt reasonable for me since I ordered so many products and only had to pay the flat U.S. shipping rate of $6.95.  I guess it could be a con for someone who wants to buy only a few products from E.L.F.
The shipping time was decent since they are located in New Jersey and I'm in Los Angeles.  It took a little less than a week and they were fast with giving me my tracking information.
I paid only $24 + $6.95 shipping for all the 28 products I received.  I'm super pleased with the great deal since that's like about $1 for each product. yayy!

All the items were nicely packaged in a big white box:
I was so excited to see everything I ordered inside the box. =D

I will go through each of the products that I ordered.
$3 each
The loose eyeshadows came in these little jars.  The bottom of the jar tells the name and you can see the color of the eyeshadow from the bottom.
Once I opened the little jar, there was a  protector over the holes where the powder comes out.
What's nice is that there are four little holes so that the shadows don't come out all at once and aren't too messy. :)
The shades I got were mostly shimmery/frosty and I got one shadow that was matte.
The colors I got were: Angelic, Caffeinated, Celebrity, Elegant, Glamorous, Golden, Natural, Sassy, Temptress (matte), Trendy, and Wild

Here comes the swatches! :) I am wearing Urban Decay Primer Potion underneath these shadows.
With Flash
Without Flash

Initial Review:
These shadows are super pigmented! I was really surprised by how little I needed to get the vibrant color.  Like any loose shadow, I recommend that you pack it on with a brush like a MAC 139 brush or a dense eye shadow brush, rather than blending the colors onto the eyelid. I love the frosty shadows the most. I love how they shimmer perfectly!
I also tried foiling the shadows (using a slightly damp brush) and the color payoff is very vibrant. I honestly can't tell the different between using a dry brush and damp brush with these eyeshadows.
One thing I noticed though was how little I got of the shadow called "wild."  The jar was only filled about halfway compared to the other full jars. I don't know how that happened but it is sort of a pity since I really like the color "wild" a lot.  Oh well.
The only matte color I bought, "temptress" isn't as pigmented as the other shades, but it may be the color itself. It's a pretty light pink color.
So, for my first impression, these shadows are excellent! I'm not really a loose pigment or eye shadow fan because they're a little too messy for me, but these E.L.F. mineral shadows have somewhat made me change my mind. :)

Now on with all the lip products!



5 Pc. Hypershine Gloss Set in Pink
$5 a set / $1 each
I was super excited to try these glosses out! These glosses are sold separately or in a pack of 5.
Colors in order from left to right: Pink 2, Pink 1, Berry Bliss, Va Va Voom, Pink 4


The lip gloss comes out when you twist the end several times. The brush is nice and soft.  If you twist too much, the gloss will get a little messy. I learned it the hard way at first. LOL.
Here are the swatches:
With Flash
Without Flash
As you can see, Pink 1, Berry Bliss, and Pink 4 are pretty much the same colors.  All the gloss colors have glitter in it.
Initial Review:
These glosses are really sticky. I personally am not too crazy about sticky glosses.  It goes away after a while though.  Also, the smell of these glosses is interesting.  They smell like syrup or brown sugar.  Something really sugary smelling like that. ^o^  
I think they will look great over lipstick. I haven't tried it yet, but I would definitely wear with lipstick.  I don't think I would wear alone.  Also, they are really glittery.  Let me emphasize glitter. LOL.  I really like how the applicator is a brush and the twisty way off getting the gloss out is fun! :) I wish there were more differences in colors between Pink 1, Berry Bliss, and Pink 4.  Oh well. I guess there are slight differences in the amount of glitter!

Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Baby Lips, Perfect Pink, Pink Lemonade '06, and Strawberry
$1 each
Colors in order from top to bottom: Pink Lemonade '06, Perfect Pink, Baby Lips, Strawberry

The reason why I got these liquid lipsticks was because of the high ratings and rave reviews.  I really get swayed by excellent reviews and raves of products. :D

These are also the twisty kinds.  Instead of a brush tip applicator, they have sponge tip applicators.  Also, what's interesting is how the sponge tip applicators have tiny holes which the product comes out of.

Here are the pics of the different colors:

Then here are the swatches on my arm.
Initial Review:
These liquid lipsticks are so minty like my Burt's Bees lip balm! They are so cool and refreshing. The pigmentation is okay.  I wouldn't go as far as calling them "lipsticks" but they have more pigmentation than the hyper-shine glosses.  They are not too sticky and I like how they feel moisturizing, even if I haven't worn them for a long time.  I could wear this alone and not have to put anything over it.  These can also be used as glosses over lipsticks.  I would say Pink Lemonade and Strawberry are the most pigmented out of the four. Strawberry is a pretty dark pink/light red color! Love it! Oh and they smell minty as well! =)

Super Glossy Lip Shine Box Set of 5 in Creamy Goodness
$5 a set / $1 each
Just like the hyper-shine glosses, these can be bought separately.
Colors in order from top to bottom: Candlelight, Goddess, Watermelon, Pink Kiss, Malt Shake
Here are the swatches on my arm:
Without Flash
With Flash
Initial Review:
I must say, these are my favorite lip products I purchased from E.L.F.  The colors are super pretty and I love the sheen that they have! They aren't too sticky either so it feels perfect on the lips. I'm surely in love with these. The colors are super pretty and I honestly don't have any complaints with these. They are packed into a tube and I guess the only thing I don't like is how it's a little hard to control how much comes out of the tube when applying on the lips, but that doesn't bother me too much.  They are also not glittery at all.  The perfect gloss! They have a sweet, fruity scent.

Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder
$3 each
The packaging is excellent.  It comes with a mirror and feels really sturdy.  Great for on-the-go!
Here are the swatches of the blush and bronzer:
Initial Review:
At first glance, I thought this was similar to the Nars Orgasm Blush and Laguna Bronzer duo.  I don't own the Nars duo (which I'm hoping to get my hands on soon) but I actually don't think the blush is similar to Nars Orgasm in my opinion.  You may be wondering how I know this, but I've pretty much memorized the Nars Orgasm color and Orgasm is much lighter.  I would say the E.L.F. blush is close to Nars Deep Throat blush.  I'm actually going to be getting the Nars duo soon and I will do an exact comparison for you. :)

When I applied it this morning, I was overwhelmed by how pigmented the blush and bronzer was.  Without thinking, I took my blush brush and swiped it over the blush about two times and tapped off the access and then I put it on my cheeks.  The outcome was super bright cheeks. I think one swipe of the brush and you'll be fine!  As you may be able to tell in the pictures, the blush and bronzer are pretty shimmery and have gold flex.  However, the shimmer is not overwhelming at all. I love the blush a little more than the bronzer, but both are great! Just remember, you only need a little bit and you're good to go. :)
I don't know why it took me so long to buy this blush and bronzer duo.  For $3, I say..... "Get it!" ^o^


Eye Shadow Brush
 Initial Review:
The eye shadow brush was a lot smaller than I expected. Also, it's super light. I guess at first glance and feel, it felt kind of cheap compared to my other brushes, but I guess we can't expect much from $1 brushes? Wait, but I was proved wrong.  The eye shadow brush is really soft and dense! That's what matters, right? I used this brush to apply my mineral shadows this morning and worked great! Definitely a steal for $1! Now I know why everyone has several of these brushes.
The small smudge brush head is really small.  It's tiny.  I included a comparison picture of the brush head with the eye shadow brush and the eye shadow brush is small as well.  I wouldn't use this to smudge my eye liner, but I figured out today that it's perfect for lining the lower lash line with an eye shadow and it's great for working as a brush used for anything needed for precision (eye liner, shadow, etc.).  Although the brush head is small, the brush itself is really skinny and long

So this post was sooo long.  It took me forever to make, but I feel happy that I was able to finish it for all of you. :)
Oh I forgot, E.L.F. included a free gift for me: Candy Shop Lip Gloss Tin in Coconut Crazed
I personally am not too crazy about any coconut scents, but hey... who doesn't like free stuff, right? :)

Okay. This is the end of my super long post! For real, I'm going to finish this up. xD
Overall, I'm genuinely impressed by the quality of E.L.F. products! I really recommend that you all check out their website: http://www.eyeslipsface.com.  They ship worldwide as well!

Please let me know if you have any detailed questions! I hope you found this helpful and it means so much that you read this! =D

Disclaimer: I purchased all the products mentioned in this review.  I am not affiliated with the company mentioned and I am not being paid to make this review in any way. This is my honest opinion.

Friday, April 30, 2010

리오엘리 Lioele Review from Prettyandcute.com (Beyond the Solution BB Cream, Blooming Cushion Touch Blusher, and Mirror)

I really wanted to make a video review of these amazing products I bought recently, but I honestly have no time to film and edit because of I've been busy getting ready to move and studying/practicing the cello. T.T
I promise that after I move, I will be filming a more in-depth video review of these products. I guess that gives me even more time to try these products out and give an even better review! ^o^
I've tested these products for about 2 weeks now and I have to say I love them.
I actually was introduced to Lioele and the store, Pretty & Cute from Jen, who is known as frmheadtotoe on youtube and has an amazing blog! She made a review video explaining her experience with Lioele products and I knew that I had to try them out. :)

First, I'll start off by reviewing the store: Pretty & Cute
I was shocked by how fast they responded to my order. I literally just had clicked the checkout button, paid using paypal, and then I was sent an email right after saying that my order was processed.  Then, a few minutes later, they sent me a tracking number and my package was already shipped out. I was amazed by this service.  I would have to say it's the fastest service I've ever experienced in my life! LOL. I ordered on a Friday and the package came to me on Monday! Faster than I expected. They are somewhere located in Oregon and I am in Los Angeles.  Pretty & Cute has so many different selections of Asian cosmetics and the website is so cute and easy to navigate! I totally recommend that you check their website out. They don't only sell Lioele products.
The products were shipped in this nice box with lots of these puffy white stuff.  I always think these look like the puffy Cheetos. haha

They included their business card and a raffle ticket for their giveaway contests that they hold for their customers. I love giveaways! ^o^

Okay, now with the products! :D
Jen mentioned many products in her first review of Lioele (she now has 2 reviews!) but I decided to purchase only 2 of the products because I wasn't so sure about Lioele at first.  I just wanted to test out the two products that I was first interested in.  Lioele is a Korean brand.
Here are the products I bought:
First of all, I am loving all this pink packaging! I think the packaging and the boxes are soooo adorable!

Lioele Blooming Cushion Touch Blusher in Cutey Peach
This blush is super adorable! I wouldn't say it's very big, but there is quite a lot of product in it.  Again, the packaging is so cute!
To open the blush, you have to pop the cap off instead of unscrewing the cap off.
Once you take the cap off, there is a cushion where the powder travels up.
To apply the blush, you lightly dab the product into the face.  I will explain more in detail in my video.
The color, Cutey Peach is extremely light so it's perfect for getting a natural peach glow on the cheeks.
I tried to take swatch pics to the best of my ability. It was a kind of hard capturing the true color. The first picture is without flash and the next picture is with flash.

Lioele Beyond the Solution BB Cream
The Lioele Beyond the Solution BB Cream is getting really popular lately. I've been seeing this more in action in recent beauty videos, tutorials, reviews, etc.
Lately, I have been obsessed with BB creams. I don't know what sparked it, but I think it has to mainly do with how I'm trying to sport the no-makeup look these days.  My skin has been really acting up due to lack of sleep, stress, etc.  I noticed that I had lots of little bumps forming on my skin and I've been breaking out around my nose. :( That's why I've been trying to avoid foundations and instead I've been substituting BB cream into my everyday face routine.  I don't exactly cover my entire face with BB cream, but I apply only to parts that I feel need some coverage.

What I like about the packaging is that it has a pump to get the product out. I like this because it's more hygienic and easier to control the amount of product that you want to use.

The product itself comes out dark compared to my skin color. I'm pretty fair skinned (MAC NC 20-25) and I was a little scared at first.
Then I blended it into my skin and magically it fit the color of my skin tone. This is what I like about most BB creams. They magically seem to blend in perfectly.
I wouldn't recommend this BB cream to darker skinned people because it will be too light. I think it could work with some darker skin toned people than me if they mix it with foundation.

The coverage is very nice and I feel like it really does give that flawless affect to the skin. I don't really need to use concealer with this BB cream, but sometimes I do to cover up my bad acne scar right by my nose.
I usually have dry skin, but lately I noticed that my skin is becoming combination skin. I get pretty oily around my t-zone area around my forehead and nose.  This BB cream doesn't seem to make my face more oily than before, but I wouldn't say it controls it either. I do have to blot my face once in a while, but it's not too big of a deal. Also, there is no color transfer.
The one thing that I would say is a con is the fact that there is no SPF. I actually, don't mind it too much though because SPF will make the BB cream more whiter and also, I'm afraid about the oiliness to it.
Overall, excellent product and I will have plenty more to say in my video review of this BB cream! ^o^

Pretty & Cute is having a special promo where if you purchase more than $30 worth of stuff, then they will include a free Lioele Princess Mirror using Jen's promo code: frmheadtotoe.
Of course, I took advantage of this code and I received the princess mirror in Baby Pink!
Can I say "pretty and cute?" LOL!
This mirror is so adorable.

Oh and of course, I can't forget that they included free samples for me. Who doesn't love samples? :D
They included samples of the other BB creams that Lioele makes. The blue bottle one is the Lioele Water Drop BB Cream and the other is the Lioele Triple the Solution BB cream that has SPF.

I am now officially a big fan of Lioele and Pretty & Cute!
I think I'm going to do some major shopping and get some more Lioele products!
Oh, and I forgot to mention. Pretty & Cute ships worldwide!

리오엘리 짱!!

Disclaimer: I purchased all the products mentioned in this review.  I am not affiliated with the company mentioned and I am not being paid to make this review in any way. This is my honest opinion.