Frugal Friday: E.L.F.

Candy... Candy Canes... Candy Corn... Syrup.

Oh, wait. Not that Elf.

I was recently called a makeup snob. I'm not. Really. If its a dollar and does the job, I'm good with that. Do I have favorite brands that aren't cheap? Maybe. But that's more about preference than ability to get the job done.

On Fridays I'll try to show you only drugstore or cheaper products. Starting with Eyes. Lip. Face. brand. I think this brand gets a ton of attention from Pinterest. I have mixed feelings. Some things are great, some things are pretty much you get what you pay for.

Here are some products that I've given a try:

• Studio Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder in St. Lucia
• Essential Natural Lash Kit
• Studio Cream Eyeliner in Coffee
• Essential Liquid Eyeliner in Copper and Black
• Eyelid Primer

Studio Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder

 

This is supposedly a dupe for a Nars product (Laguna/Orgasm). This Nars combo is supposedly the best blush color for everyone. That being said I felt I just had to spend the 3 whole dollars to see for myself.  I don't own said Nars product but I would highly doubt it is a legitimate dupe. It is completely flaky and hard as hell to get blended. Crazy fall out. Crazy. The blush isn't so bad but the bronzer is just sooooo difficult to work with. On the upside it is very pigmented and the colors are flattering. The bronzer is a nice color without being orange. The blush is a nice peach with a tiny bit of shimmer. Would I recommend it? Well, its 3 bucks, you can check it out yourself. It doesn't really live up to the expectation that pinterest created for it. I probably won't buy it again. 

 

 Essential Natural Lash Kit

 

 



 These lashes cost a dollar. 1 dollar. As you can see they do not look over the top but add a little something extra. These were easy to work with. I wrapped them around my eyeliners to make them more pliable. I'm pretty sucky at lashes. I really tried to get these into place correctly and they were probably the most successful lashes I've ever applied. The glue is pretty thin is my biggest complaint. If you are considering taking the plunge this is a low cost starting point in the world of lashes.

Studio Cream Eyeliner

 

 

This eyeliner is not half bad. I don't wear a ton of eyeliner but I like cream eyeliner. It came with an itty bitty brush that had this weird curve in it. I used it once. Now I just use my full size liner brush. If you don't own a full size liner brush, don't bother with this. I love this brown eyeliner for more natural makeup days. They also sell a vibrant teal I would love to get my hands on but Target did not carry that color. I bought this for 3 bucks. I would buy it again.

 

Essential Liquid Eyeliner

 

 

Here are swatches of all the eyeliners. Copper, Black, and Cream Coffee

 

These eyeliners were my first E.L.F. purchases. You can read my original blog post on them here and how I used them to create a leopard print look. I love them. They are worth more than the dollar you spend to get them. The copper glitter is so much fun. Once they dry they have really good staying power.

Eyelid Primer



 

 

 

You can read up here on the importance of eyeshadow primer. Here you can see it buy itself, eyeshadow by itself, and then eyeshadow over the primer. You can see that the primer works well. When I went to wipe off the swatches with a makeup remover cloth the E.L.F. primer really stuck. I had to scrub it really hard to get it to come off. It stuck as well as Urban Decay primer potion. This is definitely something to try out. I have heard it works well for some people, and not for others. For a dollar it would be worth trying out. 

 

 

 Overall the e.l.f. brand is a lot of fun. I will definitely continue to try products from this brand.

Are there any brands you would like to see me feature in a Frugal Friday post? Leave me a comment below and let me know.

My whole look today was with affordable drugstore makeup. My foundation is Dream Smooth Mousse by Maybelline, lipstick is Happy Booster by Physician's Formula, concealer is HD concealer by Nyx, Brow powder by nyx.

12 Benefits: Your New Pink Addiction

12 Benefits

I am in love with these products! I first discovered them from Birchbox. You can read my original review here. At the time I really liked the trial size I received and always meant to purchase more. Then one day during a Salon visit my hairdresser and I had a discussion about the brand. She had discovered 12 Benefits and liked them as well. I decided to buy the Instant Healthy Hair Treatment and also a bottle of the Pink Addiction. It is less expensive than the It's a 10 products that are all the rage right now, and honestly I've grown to like 12 benefits much more!  



instant healthy hair treatment



Here are the 12 Benefits of the Instant Healthy Hair Treatment according to the bottle:

1. Seals Color
2. Smoothes Frizz
3. Repairs Damage
4. Prevents Split Ends
5. Moisturizes Dry Hair
6. Strengthens Fragile Hair
7. Prevents flat iron damage
8. Protects from Chlorine, Wind, and Sun damage
9. Adds shine, softness, and a silky finish
10. Protects from blow-drying
11. Improves texture and manageability
12. Anti-age formula keeps hair youthful



But if those aren't enough reasons I have one to add: decreases blow dry time. I hate blow drying my hair. Hate it. Avoid it. Would rather have ugly hair. Okay, maybe not. Normally it takes 10+ minutes to blow-dry my hair. I timed it after using the Instant Healthy Hair Treatment and boom- 5 minutes. 5. Who doesn't have 5 minutes? Plus it provides protection from the heat and leaves my hair straighter and less frizzy. Straight out of the shower I have wavy frizzy disaster hair. If I let my hair air dry its a hot mess.

 

Here is some photo evidence. These are after blow-drying for 5 minutes. Shiny, straight, and frizz free. This is a quick blow-dry without using a brush. Sometimes I will use a paddle brush to get super straight sleek hair when blow-drying but this product does wonders without even using a brush!

 



 

 

 

 

Easy peasy lemon squeezy. I just spray a little on my damp hair and I'm set. You can also spray it pre-beach or pool for protection. Sometimes I get a bit carried away and I'll spray spray spray and then step into it on my floor and its quite slippery.... just a word of warning. You can buy it online through Birchbox, Amazon, or even Walgreens. It varies in price from 15-20 bucks. It's absolutely worth that. You can also talk to your stylist and see if they can get it for you from a salon supply store.

 

This go-round after going blonde I decided to add another 12 benefit product to my arsenal at the recommendation of my stylist: Pink Addiction.

 

 



The 12 Benefits of Pink Addiction

1. Replenishes Keratin
2. Rejuvenates
3. Polishes
4. Strengthens
5. Moroccan argan oil protects and nourishes
6. Intensifies Shine
7. Velvety Soft Feel
8. Eliminates Unruliness
9. Reverses Hair Deficiencies
10. Restores Hair Health
11. Damp or Dry Hair
12. Anti-age formula

I feel like this a very intensive treatment that not everyone would need. I've fallen in love with argan oil for hair. It really makes it so soft and supple. This comes in a little pump and is a cream like substance. I rub it on my palms and then smooth it through the ends of my hair. I used it after blow-drying with the healthy hair treatment before I used my curling iron for some extra heat protection.  

 



Loving the healthy look to hair after the Pink Addiction

I love love love the pink addiction. If you have never used any kind of frizz cream it is a lot heavier of a product if you have fine hair. My hair can handle a lot or product because it is damaged by styling and coloring. I would recommend starting with the instant healthy hair treatment spray. If you need something more intensive, Pink Addiction is an awesome addition. It is a little pricier around $25 but it will last you some time. You can also find it on Amazon and Birchbox or see if your stylist can get it for at a beauty supply store.

12 Benefits also has a Rapid Blowout Argan Oil Blow Dry Spray that I haven't tried yet but would love to! The instant healthy hair treatment cut my dry time down but I'd be excited to see how the Rapid Blowout performs. When I try it I'll be sure to let you know.



Primed To Perfection: Why Primer Matters

What's the point of primer? 

If you plan on wearing eyeshadow, primer is a priority. It makes a difference in ALL eyeshadow from no pigment to highly pigmented. It helps the cheap stuff along and gets the most out of your expensive eyshadows.

I want to show you how much it matters. I have higher quality shadows but I want to show you the difference it can make for your less pigmented or cheap shadows. It can transform your shadow. I picked a Ulta brand shadow that tends to have a lot of fall out and only sheer coverage to really set an example. I chose a bright blue for visibility. I even slept in it to show the longevity. You are welcome. Let's get right to some photo evidence.

Left: No Primer

Right: Urban Decay Primer Potion

As you can see it went on so much brighter and pigmented with the primer. It might not show as well in the photos but without primer it is very sheer. The color in the container is really what you are seeing on the primed eyelid. The eyelid without primer doesn't have as much vibrancy.

And lets talk about overnight evidence. There is hardly any left on the eye without primer. The primed eye has a lot more left and has not creased. What is there is really still truer to color and has vibrancy while the eyelid without primer is much more pale. Primer really helps keep the COLOR. Part of my reasoning in my overnight testing is that while sleeping I am not being careful and feel like it won't skew my results. Also, lets be honest, I don't want to walk around lopsided all day with my eyeshadow.

Have I convinced you? I hope so.
Do I wear primer every single time I use eyeshadow? No.
Do I regret when I don't? Yes.

In Summary: Yay, Primer! But just like any other type of makeup its not just that easy... there is an endless variety of options with different colors and finishes. Even the UD primer has 4 other options.

Now my frugal friends, you are wondering what this will do to your pocketbook. The Urban Decay primer I used in this example is 20 bucks. Yeah, thats a lot. But it will also last you a long while. I have been living off a small sample amount for months. Here are some other options that I own in action:

The no primer? I had to really pack it on to try to get it to show up in this picture. Eden is the matte version of primer potion, and Sin is a champagne shimmer of the primer potion.

After wiping one time with a makeup remover cloth you can see that the Urban Decay really has staying power. 

Urban Decay Primer Potion:

Urban Decay really is quite the primer. I love the Sin version which is a shimmery champagne. Eden is a nude matte version of the original. They also have an anti-aging and a shimmery golden yellow called Greed. It is worth the money if you like to wear eye shadow. If you hate wearing eye shadow because it comes off, this is your answer. 

Nyx Eyeshadow Base

I bought the pearl Nyx base because I love a little shimmer in my life. It has sort of a funny texture from the shimmer but it is also available in white and skin tone as well. They also have a primer in a tube called Proof It Eyeshadow Primer. All of the Nyx primers run about 7 bucks. I do notice some creasing after a 13 hour work day but so I often use this for short term engagements like an evening out. I love the way the eyeshadow in my comparison photo looks over the Nyx Base.

BareMinerals 5-in-1 BB Eyeshadow

I love the 5-in-1 BB eyeshadow by bare minerals. I love that it can be worn alone and it gives my eyes a nice brightened appearance. The shade I own is soft linen and has a slight yellow undertone that brightens my eyes right up without being obnoxious or sickly and hides any veiny or redness to my eyelids. I've been hitting this one up for my 5 minute face and then just a smidge of eyeliner. It runs 18. I got in a kit on sale but I would buy it again. If you are lucky enough to have an Ulta store go in to check out the different shade options ON your skin. When I use this as a primer I like to apply eye shadow while it is still a bit tacky and not completely dry for a extra staying power. Again, the longevity and "staying" power might not be quite that of the UD Primer Potion but I still love how the eye shadow looks with it as a base.

Other Options to Try: 

Thats just the tip of the iceberg.... I like to give you options! You might have a favorite brand and chances are that the brand has a primer. Prices are subject to change but as you can see there are options for any budget:

• 1.00 - E.L.F. Essentials Eyelid Primer
• 3.49 - Essence - I Love Stage Eye Shadow Base
• 5.00 - Hard Candy - Eyes the Limit Eyeshadow Primer
• 6.99 - Milani - Eyeshadow Primer
• 6.99 - Nyx - Eyeshadow Base (Pearl, Skintone, White)
• 6.99 - Nyx - Proof It Eyeshadow Primer
• 7.00 - Avon Eyeshadow Primer
• 7.97 - L'Oreal - Magic De-Crease Eyelid Primer
• 7.99 - Palladio - Herbal Eyeshadow Primer
• 9.49 - Prestige - Primed and Ready Eye Primer
• 10.00 - Ulta - Extreme Wear Eyeshadow Primer
• 10.97 - Revlon - PhotoReady Eye Primer Plus Brightener
• 12.00 - Mary Kay Eye Primer
• 18:00 - CK One Color - Eyeshadow Base
• 18.00 - BareMinerals - 5-in-1 BB Eyeshadow
• 19.00 - Tarte - Clean Slate 360 12-hour Smoothing Primer
• 19.50 - Clinique - All about Shadow Primer for Eye (Very Fair, Moderately Fair, Medium, Deep)
• 20.00 - Urban Decay - Primer Potion (Original, Sin, Greed, Anti-aging)
• 20.00 - Too Faced - Shadow Insurance (Lemon Drop, Champagne, Candlelight, Original)
• 22.00 - Make Up Forever - Eye Prime
• 24.00 - Sephora - Glitter Guard Eyeshadow Primer
• 24.00 - IT Cosmetics - Bye Bye Lid Lines
• 26.00 - Benefit - Stay Don't Stray Primer

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick: It's Legit!!

I'm sort of meh on long wear lipsticks and stains. What happens is that I have this ring of color around the outside and the color in the middle has faded when I eat. Super annoying. It's always sort of drying so I don't want to reapply even though I have an ombre look that is unintentional and unpretty. 

I got this sample from?!? I can't remember and I guess this is how we know I have a problem. I kinda think Ulta? I digress... I got the color Beso which is an awesomely vibrant red. It is not too blue and not too orange but does lean on the warm side. I'm in love with the color. I'm also beyond in love with the wear. I thought I'd test it out for you by going to lunch and then taking a nap. No, really, I do these things for my blog readers.

Here I am in my sisters sunnies that I borrowed and want to steal. I'm too cool for school. Bad case of bitchy resting face here! My attitude aside, I love the velvet finish of this lipstick.

Beachy Hair Look Courtesy of Marc Anthony Dream Waves Beach Spray

Are you ready to see the scary after? Here I am AFTER going out for lunch, hanging out, then going home and taking a nap. Okay okay. I'm kind of a mess, and you can see that my eye makeup is a hot mess, and the lipstick isn't perfect. What in the world is going on with my eyebrows?! Someone get me a spoolie! The point is that my family even asked me if I had reapplied after lunch because it still looked awesome. Perhaps one might choose to reapply after waking from a nap. 

But seriously- that lipstick is pretty stay put for all of that! I did find that the buttery corn on the cob I had for 4th of July picnic dinner made it rub off more easily. Avoid the butter ladies, and that's probably good advice anyway. 

It retails for 22 bucks. Would I spend that much on it? Yes. Absolutely. I'm telling you, this lipstick is the real deal. It isn't overly drying for a long wear, it stays put like it says (including the center!!) 8 shades to choose from including a bluer red if that's what you need. Based on how much I love this I can't wait to try Stila Stay All Day Vinyl Lip Gloss! If you don't want the matte look you might just go straight to the Vinyl Lip Gloss (but I can't vouch for it!). 

Revealed 2 Palette: A Review

Revealed 2 * Coastal Scents

I've been coveting the Naked 3 palette for some time! I really love the look of the rosy pink and golden tones. I have a hard time shelling out so much money for one palette. While the Urban Decay palettes seem to hold the hearts of so many the fact is they are costly. I had purchased the original Revealed palette when I heard it was a good dupe for MANY of both Naked 1 and Naked 2 colors.You can my post on the Revealed palette here. When I saw this Revealed  2 palette I immediately thought it would be a great dupe for Naked 3! I pulled the trigger as soon as I heard this existed! 

The quality of coastal scents is amazing. Very highly pigmented at a fraction of the price. Revealed 2 is no exception. I did notice that the colors have a more purpley brown undertone than the more vibrant pink I was seeing in some of the Naked 3 palette tutorials. However, you can see in the swatches that there are some good pink colors. The two on the top right of my swatches are very rose gold in person. It may not be perfect dupe but it definitely is something to add to your arsenal. It retails for $20 and you get 20 colors! If you are interested in seeing swatches of how they stack up to UD you can check out this Harlot Beauty blog post.

It has a lot of shimmery shades but does include some matte shades. That super shimmery pink (Top row, 4th from left) has a ton of a fallout because it is very shimmery/glittery. The fallout is no more than any other glittery UD shade so I don't feel like it is a quality issue, just an issue with glitter in general. The shades on the skin are very different than how they look in the container so I'm definitely in the getting to know you phase of this palette. 

So where can you get your very own?! I am very excited to share that Amazon has both the original Revealed and Revealed 2 available and are both Prime eligible! Free Shipping!! I purchased mine through Birchbox, and you can also watch for sales through Coastal Scents. 

Here is a look using my Revealed 2 Palette:

Here are some more pics in a couple different lighting situations: