E.L.F Haul

For Christmas last year I got a KitchenAid Stand Mixer <3, they were doing a $50 rebate at Kohls so I was able to knock $50 plus some off of the price. I think we paid $375 for a $450 mixer or something like that after the rebate and the discount. Essentially to get to the point I completely forgot about my $50 rebate card until a couple of weeks ago so I went on a little internet shopping spree. I wanted to get the best bang for my buck even though I have a long list of Indies I want to try but I decided to get some Elf products and a couple of Faux Septum rings. This is my E.L.F Haul!

I picked up thirteen items. In no set order: Makeup Mist & Set, Glitter Primer, Lash Collections Flirty and Everyday, Matte Lip Color Praline, Cranberry, and Scarlet night, Selfie Ready Powder Brush, Instant Lift Brow Pencil Neutral Brown x2, Lip Exfoliator Mint Maniac, Clear Brow & Lash Mascara, Retractable Lip Brush, and the Natural Lash Kit. I've really been wanting to start perfecting my brows and trying fake lashes so I figured why not spend $1.00 and ruin those instead of spending $5. I grabbed the Makeup Mist & Set because Phyrra recommends it for wetting eye-shadows to make them pop. I grabbed some of their Glitter Primer as I've heard it is a cheap dupe for most of the other glitter primers out their. I sort of needed a powder brush and this one got really good reviews so let's hope it works! I also need a lip brush because the brush I'm using with my Limnit pots right now just isn't cutting it. I couldn't say no to some lippies and from what I've seen on some reviews they are pretty awesome. I would have gotten Bold Red instead of Praline but it wasn't in stock =/.

I took some shots of the lipsticks and the brow pencil to give you guys an idea of the quality. I also compared the Glitter Primer and the Mist & Set to the other primers I have. The brownish pink lipstick is Praline, the red is Cranberry, and the dark red is Scarlet Night. I'm sorry for the state of my lips I guess I didn't exfoliate as good as I thought I did. I gave you a comparison of my naked wild eyebrow and the same brow filled in with the Brow Pencil and tamed with the Brow Mascara. The last three pictures are of UD Fishnet over Bare Skin, UDPP, Brija Eye Wax, Elf Glitter Primer, and applied wet using Elf Mist & Set. The Eye wax and the glitter primer are almost exactly the same the only difference is the eye wax can smudge and the glitter primer holds onto the shadow really well. I think the best course of action is to use UDPP or another eye primer, glitter glue, and then apply the shadow wet with the Mist & Set. By doing that you'll get richly colored shadows that pop.

Eyes

Glitter Primer
$2 e.l.f.

This stuff is pretty amazing, I don't know how it holds up to Pixie Epoxy or DG Glitter Glue but I can definitely see the appeal in using a product like this. From what I've seen using this product through a couple of applications especially with my indie shadows was that I get a deeper and more true color using this than I would just using a primer. I've also been pairing it with the Mist & Set and I am in love, I don't think I'll be able to go back to doing my eye-shadow without using them. For $2 you get 10.5ml I'd say that's a pretty good bargain for those of us who are on a tight budget.

Instant Lift Brow Pencil - Neutral Brown
$2 e.l.f.

This fills in my brows nicely, it is a little waxy and tends to rub off a little when I brush it through but for the most part it does what it needs to do. The color is pretty good. Overall I think it is a great product for those who are just getting into filling their brows or for someone who needs a brow pencil on the cheap. I think I'll still be on the lookout for my HG brow product but for the time being this will do just fine.

Clear Brow & Lash Mascara
$2 e.l.f.

It holds my brows together really well, it's probably not the best clear brow gel on the market but for $2 not really much to complain about. If you need a product like this and can find it where e.l.f. products are sold I'd say grab it just to have it in your makeup arsenal.

Natural Lash Kit, Lash Collections: Everyday & Flirty

I mostly bought these to train myself how to put on fake lashes, I didn't expect much from them and they've lived up to their expectations. First for some reason they come attached to their platic molds with a weird glue that makes it almost impossible to remove them without ripping out a few lashes. Attempting to remove said glue on one of my full flirty lashes ended in disaster and me having to throw it away without ever trying it on. I've since decided to leave the weird glue on the lashes after that fiasco. The lash lines on the collection lashes are ok, a tad small but enough to work with but the lash line on the Natural lashes is almost non-existent. It's incredibly hard to put the glue on it and most of the glue ends up halfway down the lashes themselves. I've kind of given up wearing that pair due to not being able to put enough glue on for them to stick. The glue is also complete trash, it's a liquid inside the tube and it's clear so I can't see if I have enough on the little wand, trying to put it on the lashes is horrible as it slides down onto the lashes and makes them stick together. It says wait 30-60 seconds for it to get tacky but I find myself waiting closer to 2-3 minutes for it to solidify enough to not get into my eyeball. Overall I wouldn't recommend the lashes to anyone other than those who wish to learn how to use them, although I'd say try getting an actual lash glue instead of using the ones that they give you. I'm a little disappointed with this purchase but at least I'm learning how to put on fake lashes and not having to worry about wasting $5 on a single pair.

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Lips

e.l.f. Lip Exfoliator - Mint Maniac
$3 e.l.f.

This is probably the best thing from my haul. I am so glad I pulled the trigger and plopped this bad boy into my cart when I did because it works wonders. It has a sweet taste and a minty flavor and scent and it is so good! I love swiping this on before putting my lipsticks on as it exfoliates and moisturizes at the same time. They also include a little lip balm in the bottom, it takes a little twisting to get it off sometimes but it works. I used to use my muslin cloth in the shower and this stuff works just as good or better. This is now my #1 HG exfoliating tool for my lips and I will definitely be buying it again when I run out.

Retractable Lip Brush
$3 e.l.f.

I got this because the other brush I was using to apply my Limnit lip pots was a small eyebrow brush that came in one of those Ulta sets they sell around Christmas. It worked for the most part but I would have to be extra careful and not get the lipstick everywhere when applying. This makes it a lot easier to apply lipstick where it needs to go. I like how small it is and that it comes with a cap so it's not getting dirty when not in use. The only qualm i have about it is that if you apply too much pressure it tends to release and try to slide back in. other than that I am extremely happy with this purchase.

Matte Lip Color
$3 e.l.f.
Praline: A Medium Pink Brown

Not my first choice and if I could have had it my way I would have gotten Bold Red instead but this is what they had in stock so I went with it. It really isn't a bad color and it actually is starting to grow on me, not to mention I needed a neutral nude shade in my collection for those days when I don't want to look overdone. I would say these are semi-matte lipsticks as they are kind of dry but they are definitely not transfer proof. It isn't like your entire lipstick comes off if you kiss or touch something but it does leave a slight oily residue and with the red or darker shades they might stain. You could easily apply some powder or a sealer and you'd be fine but it's just something to note as it does say Matte in the title. The color is pretty opaque on application. You will need to reapply after eating or probably slightly throughout the day but it's nothing too bad, overall you might get 6+ wear time out of it depending on how you spend that time and if you use powder or not. I would recommend getting a couple of these lipsticks if you want them, they have lovely color payoff and they are fairly cheap.

Cranberry: A Deep Red

A lovely medium red, it is a great everyday color. It isn't the boldest red I own but it can definitely hold it's own. I really enjoy this shade and can't wait to rock it all year long. The color is pretty opaque and it doesn't really need a liner to keep it in place. I'm really enjoying these lipsticks and can't wait to get my hands on more.

Scarlet Night: A Deep Red

This is my fall shade for this year. A gorgeous dark blue based berry red. I can see this rocked with a neutral eye and a simple flush on the cheeks. I get so many awesome ideas on how to wear this and what to wear it with. I think this is my favorite shade and I can't wait for the leaves to fall so i can try out some of my ideas.

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Face

Selfie Ready Powder Brush
$6 e.l.f.

I needed a good dense powder brush and I think I found it! It applies powder foundation and translucent powder like a dream, I can barely see my pores after buffing with this and my pores are like craters on the moon. It blends everything out evenly. I can use it with Indie blushes and normal blushes and it looks like the perfect shape to apply bronzer and contour powder. I'm sure that it would work with cream products as well because it is an extremely dense brush. This is a multi-tasking wonder and for anyone who's been looking for a good cheap powder brush get this immediately you will not be disappointed!

Makeup Mist & Set
$3 e.l.f.

This was the #1 product I wanted when I decided on an e.l.f. haul. After watching a video on Phyrra's instagram I became intrigued by this product simply because it made duo-chromes and shimmery colors Pop! I can now attest to that as I love the way it makes Hayden and 7 Hills so much deeper and truer to color. I don't think I'll ever apply eye-shadow the same way again after using this. It has changed the way I think about doing a look that's for sure. If you have the money I'd say grab a bottle of this and check it out for yourself your makeup life will be changed. I'm sure other misting sprays will probably work just as well so give it a try if you have one.

Overall this was a pretty decent haul, the only thing I'm not 100% happy with are the lashes and that isn't a big deal because I knew they would be throwaways to begin with. I'm most surprised by the exfoliator and the powder brush because they were blind orders. For those of you on a budget I highly recommend checking out e.l.f. if you already haven't. some of the thing's are misses but you might actually find some really great products for a steal. I have a more reviews coming up so stay tuned for that lovelies <3.