Yay for the Bay! In this series, for the month of February 2019, I’ll be featuring products from and around my stomping grounds, the San Francisco Bay Area.
A trifle of trivia for my friends who marvel at makeup minutia: Drugstore brand E.L.F. was founded in Oakland, California, in 2004. Contrary to popular myth, their name stands for “Eyes Lips Face,” and not for the classic Christmas film starring Will Farrell (which I’ve seen about a million times!).
WOW! That’s a lot of fun facts, I know! ? You’re soooooo welcome.
E.L.F. is low-key famous for doing a full range of super affordable drugstore makeup — color, tools, skincare, the whole nine yards — with plenty of products to choose from under $10. Whenever I have a beauty itch that needs scratching but don’t want to start a raging bonfire in my wallet, I’ll go to Ulta or Target and grab a few $2 doohickeys in the E.L.F. section for some instant gratification.
Granted, it doesn’t always work out for me, because I’m pickier about textures and finishes now that I’m in my 40s than I was in my 20s and 30s (a.k.a. the age when I could throw any shimmery shadow with the consistency of almond meal on my lids and be just fine), but sometimes I’ll find something great! Sure, it might not be the most perfect product in the history of the world, but it also won’t require me to take out a loan.
Like their $12 matte powder eye palette with cool-toned mattes (YES!), which you can use to fill in your brows, shade your lids AND line your eyes.
Let me say that again: COOL-TONED MATTES. As in *no* orange or red shades. What a gem! I can do pretty much an entire eye look from start to finish with this palette (just add a tightline and mascara), and it works with practically every blush/lip combo around.
The caveat? Nil wear time…so I absolutely have to use it with an eye primer. If I don’t, the shadow vanishes in less than two hours.
Even with primer, it fades more and faster than higher-end shadows. But still…it’s $12! For that price, I’ll take it. I’m happy enough with the colors, the blending and the texture of the powders (similar to Urban Decay).
I made an E.L.F. run last week because I needed a pick-me-up after going to the dentist, so I got…
- A $3 No Budge Retractable Eyeliner in Black: Long-wearing and decently pigmented (although not as pigmented as the Maybelline twist-up, so I have to use two or three layers). It’s stiff, but it’s good enough for tightlining.
- A $2 pack of Line & Define Tape: This stuff is juuuust sticky enough. You can even cut them in half to make a pack last longer.
- A $4 Solid Brush & Sponge Cleanser: Pretty great.
An entire haul for less than $10!? How is that even possible!?
What are your E.L.F. faves?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. TGIF!!!
I swear by the E.L.F. brow palettes. I’m now on my third one in “dark.” It is my staple. If I was stuck on an island it would be one of the items I’d want with me. I’d rather skip breakfast than skip filling in my brows with it!
The $2.00 brow pencil. It’s replaced my $10 NYX micro-pencil and is my quick go-to when not using Brow Box or the IT Build a Brow fiber gel—or in conjunction with either. It’s not perfect … it won’t draw individual hairs … but it’s the right shade (as in, not red), and just right in texture (neither waxy or soft). And, it’s $2.00!
I’m going to have to try that brown palette, that eye look is really gorgeous! I like their oil blotting wipes. Their brushes aren’t actually so bad and I like that I don’t feel guilty throwing them away if I’m too lazy to clean them! One time for a bridal shower I bought a bunch of their lipsticks and let each attendee pick one and kiss a white frame which we gave to the bride, and she put a group picture in it!
I love their brushes. I know I should invest in better brushes and I do have some really high quality brushes but I buy all new ELF every year in January and throw the old ones out. I spend about $50. Also, they used to have a liquid highlighter in a color called Golden Peach that is my favorite of all time. It’s been discontinued and what little I have left I am rationing it like it’s platinum. ?
How cool! I didn’t know E.L.F. was founded in California. I have a few brushes from them I like. Thanks for the reccomendations. The eyeliner and brush cleaner are definitely things I could use. Happy Friday!
I’ve been liking their foundation brush. The ferule was a little loose on one of them, so I had to tighten it a bit. For $6 I can’t complain though.
e.l.f. has stepped up their game, as have many drugstore brands. I haven’t seen that brush cleaner yet. I’m not a huge fan of their eyeshadows, for the same reasons you state. I’ve been looking for a pencil to use for tightlining so I’m going to have to find the one in your post! Thanks for the trivia bits!
I love E.L.F.!! I especially adore their Matte Lip colors – in the right shades, they look so good and are quite durable, and perform better than some high-end lippies at only $3 (wut). I always have a tube of their shadow lock eyelid primer around (not as good as higher end stuff, but for $2 it works like a charm, and importantly, gets cheaper eyeshadow to last through the workday). I’ve used their eyebrow products on and off (I’m currently crushing on the natural look of Beautifully Bare Sheer Tint Brow Gel), and fall in and out of love with their Waterproof Gel Eyeliner Pencil (SO pigmented <3 but it can get a little messy). Their makeup setting spray is decent – but I *really* like using it to apply shadows with a "wet" look. Haven't had to re-up on that yet, but definitely will when I run out.
I haven't found any mascara of theirs that I like yet, or foundation (sigh) – but I'm interested in trying some of their concealers soon. I LOVE that there are two easy-for-me-to-access E.L.F. boutiques in NYC where I can try things out!
What a beautiful close up of you Karen!!
Whoa! Thanks for the find. Can’t afford not to check out that palette at that price. 😀
Unrelated/kinda: – Karen, I have been a fan of yours for years and wanted to say thanks for all the cheer you bring! I look forward to your standing features (especially your link/article roundup) every week. When life gets tough, your blog is always there with something sparkly and fun!
Do you think you’ll ever go back to Youtube? Miss the video content. Your long chatty video reviews and tutorials were so much fun!
I LOVE their loose setting powders in yellow and translucent. I keep trying high end formulas but come back to E.LF.’s version in the end, every time. Their green toned primer is SO good too! I also buy their spoolies in bulk and keep one everywhere (read: with every tube of lip balm I own, there’s probably an E.L.F spoolie nearby for any impending lash extension/melting brow colour disasters).
I never got around to try anything from the brand, but for a cool toned palette I am willing to forgive even shorter weartime.
I’m was born and raised in the Bay Area, and I have no idea how I never knew ELF was founded in Oakland until now! I love that! I was looking up reviews for some of their products and came across your blog for the first time. I am living in Vegas now, but you got an instant new follower for just sharing that fun little fact. Definitely made stand out for sure.