Product Fail: ELF Brightening Eye Color

After hearing so many beauty gurus and beauty bloggers rave about ELF and all their products, I was ecstatic when I finally found my first ELF product at Dollar Tree. I picked up the 'Matte Mauve' quad, because this color combination was the only one left on the rack and because I didn't have many matte shadows. For a dollar, I wasn't expecting much, but this matte quad was a complete let down.

For starters, three out of the four colors in this quad have a pink undertone (should have figured that from the name...), so unless you like looking like a sleep deprived vampire or someone who has a black eye, stay away from this product. The pigmentation is so-so, not bad for a product of this price, but also extremely powdery and chalky. The only pro this product has is that the packaging is decent. You get four small tins of shadows, a double ended sponge applicator and a tiny mirror that's under the applicator. I appreciate that ELF thought to include a tiny mirror in the quad, even though it's not very practical, it's good for when there are no other mirrors around and you need to touch up your makeup.

Color #1: a light pink shade, slightly darker than Color #4, matte
                   - with a soft hand, could be used as a highlighter or lid color
Color #2: a dark brown shade, with a pink/red undertone, matte
                   - could be used as a crease color, but has too much red
Color #3: a flat, muddy brown, matte
                   - could be used as a ...?
Color #4: light pink, almost white, matte
                   - could be used as a highlighter

This isn't a product for experienced makeup users or shimmer junkies, and although I wasn't super satisfied with this product, I'm going to give ELF another try.

What do you think about ELF eyeshadows?

Review: Essence Kajal Eye Pencil

I picked up Essence's kajal eye pencil in Hola, Chica! at Ulta recently. It's a very creamy purple eye pencil, with a light metallic sheen that reflects in the light. It's super pigmented, and is perfect for adding color to a boring natural smokey eye.

As you can see, the packaging is sleek and not too bulky, quite typical of an eyeliner.

 Single swatch of 'Hola, Chica!'

The only downside to this product would be that it fades really quickly, and smudges easily due to it's creaminess. As long as you keep it in your purse for reapplication, it's the perfect eyeliner for on-the-go. I definitely like this eyeliner because it glides on easily and is easy to remove and touch up, even if you only have a cotton swab. At only $0.99, it's perfect for beginners who are looking to add a little color to their collection or experienced makeup users who want to try something new.

Do you like Essence's eyeliners?