elf cosmetics – Adventures in Polishland

Tag: elf cosmetics

e.l.f. Cosmetics Giveaway | Day 4 of #5YearsinPolishland

Posted on April 13, 2017April 8, 2017 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! My 5 Year Blogiversary celebration continues today with another giveaway! Today I will be giving away a three products from one of my favorite brands, e.l.f. Cosmetics. One winner will receive the Illuminating Mist & Set, the Contour Palette, and the Cream Eyeliner in Coffee. These products were a free gift with purchase with my last order from e.l.f.’s website, and I thought they would make a nice giveaway prize pack since I wasn’t too interested in any of these products myself. I hope the winner will enjoy these e.l.f. goodies!

You can find more information on #5YearsinPolishland and enter the Day 1 giveaway HERE.

Day 2 Giveaway: CLICK

Day 3 Giveaway: CLICK

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION

This giveaway is open only to those with a United States shipping address. The giveaway will run for two weeks, and the winner will be announced via the Rafflecopter widget and contacted through email. Please read the full Terms & Conditions on the Rafflecopter widget before entering. If you have any questions, please email them to adventuresinpolishland@gmail.com. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

e.l.f. Beautifully Bare Lightweight Concealer Stick Review

Posted on March 13, 2017March 8, 2017 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! I recently made a purchase from e.l.f.’s website to stock up on a bunch of makeup products, and I decided to purchase the new Beautifully Bare Lightweight Concealer Stick in the shade Fair/Light. I really like using stick concealers for days when I’m not doing a full face of makeup, so I thought I would give this product a try since it retails for just $4.00. Let me share more information about this product with you, as well as my review.

The Beautifully Bare Lightweight Concealer Stick is a cream concealer with a formula designed to be buildable and blendable. It is enriched with Vitamin E to help nourish and hydrate the skin, which I find it typical of many e.l.f. products. The directions on the product say to apply the concealer on top of foundation. I did try this method, but I much prefer to use the concealer on its own or under foundation.

I really like the packaging of the Beautifully Bare Lightweight Concealer Stick. It is in jumbo pencil form, so it easily applies to the skin, and can definitely be used in contouring if you are looking for a precise application. The pencil is retractable as well, which I really like.

I purchased the concealer in the shade Fair/Light, and I find it matches my skin tone really well. When I first began using this concealer, I was really disappointed. I found that it highlighted my pores and it was very difficult to blend. However, once I used it a bit more, I found that the formula improved. Sometimes products, especially from the drugstore, have an outside coating that is a bit different from the true formula, so perhaps that is the case with this concealer. Nonetheless, I find that now the concealer blends out well and doesn’t look cakey.

I prefer to use this stick concealer on days when I am not doing a full face of makeup. I will apply the concealer to any blemishes or red patches, and blend it out with a damp BeautyBlender. Then I finish the look with a translucent setting powder. I really like how the concealer works in this way. It provides a natural coverage, and it is buildable as the brand claims. I do not typically use this concealer with foundation, but it works well under my foundation, and not on top as the directions recommend.

All in all, I am very happy with the e.l.f. Beautifully Bare Lightweight Concealer Stick! While this is not the best cream concealer I’ve ever tried, I think it is good quality for the money, and I will probably repurchase it again in the future. If you are looking for an affordable cream concealer, I recommend giving this product a try! You can shop for e.l.f. products at your local drugstore or department store, or directly on the brand’s website. If you would like $5.00 off your first e.l.f. online purchase, please use my referral link HERE. You can also earn cash back through Ebates – sign up HERE with my referral link.

What is your favorite cream concealer? Let me know in the comments!

Top 10 Beauty Products of 2016!

Posted on January 6, 2017 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I am excited to share my top ten favorite beauty products of 2016. The products I’m featuring were not necessarily new for 2016, but they are things I discovered and really loved this past year. I decided to group together nail polish, makeup, and skincare for this year’s post, as I focused more on using the products I already own than trying new things. I also transitioned to a vegan lifestyle in June, so I wanted to only feature the vegan products I’ve loved this year. Without further ado, let me share my 2016 favorites with all of you!

10. Tarte LipSurgence in Energy [BUY]

My favorite lip product of the year is this lip gloss from Tarte. The LipSurgence in Energy is really cool because it goes on clear and adjusts to your perfect lip shade. I love how I get a beautiful pink with this lip gloss, and it feels really comfortable on the lips, too. This is a bit expensive, but I highly recommend it because I wear it all the time.

9. LVX in Azzurrum [BUY]

I’ve really loved wearing dark nail polishes this year, especially in the fall months. I reached for an old favorite of LVX in Azzurrum on several occasions, as it is a stunning navy blue. It goes surprisingly well with my fair skin tone, and it matches nearly every outfit. I feel like it even looks nice when I wear a lot of black in the fall.

8. Zoya in Taylor [BUY]

At the other end of the nail polish color spectrum, I fell in love with Zoya in Taylor. This is a warm beige polish, and it is a go to neutral for me. I wore a lot of nail polish this fall, and Taylor was a staple in between all the dark shades.

7. ELF Clear Brow and Lash Mascara [BUY]

One of my daily staples is brow gel, and I’m so glad I found a super affordable option from ELF. For just $2.00, I can get six months worth of brow gel since this product is dual-ended. Plus, it works really well and keeps my brows in place without making them look really stiff. You need to try this if you haven’t yet!

6. ELF Baked Highlighter in Moonlight Pearls [BUY]

Another ELF favorite is the Baked Highlighter in the shade Moonlight Pearls. I was so surprised with how beautiful this highlight is since it only costs $3.00! I wear it regularly, especially on days where I want a natural look. This adds the perfect amount of light to an otherwise one-dimensional makeup look.

5. Hurraw! Lip Balm in Coffee Bean [BUY]

This lip balm has really been a savior these past few months for me. When the winter weather comes along, my lips and skin really dry out quickly. I put this lip balm on at night before I go to bed, and when I wake up my lips feel brand new. Plus, the coffee bean flavor smells absolutely amazing!

4. Zoya in Mallory [BUY]

My last nail polish favorite for 2016 is Zoya in Mallory. I am always obsessed with bright blue polishes, and Mallory is no exception. Of course, this polish has an amazing formula as well, and that encourages me to reach for it from my collection.

3. Yes to Cucumber Soothing Hypoallergenic Face Wipes [BUY]

I also rediscovered the Yes to Cucumber Face Wipes, and I’ve been using them exclusively for the past few months. If you are looking for really gentle wipes that remove all of your makeup, I highly recommend trying out this brand. While it is a bit more on the pricer side at the drugstore, Target often has the Yes to brand on sale on the Cartwheel app.

2. Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Taupe [BUY]

I was on the hunt for a new brow powder, and I splurged on the Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Taupe. I’m so glad I picked up this product! It fills in my brows beautifully, and it looks very natural as well. You also get a lot more for your money with brow powders because they last much longer than pencils.

1. Kat Von D Lock-it Foundation in Light 44 [BUY]

Last but not least, my absolute favorite beauty product of 2016 is the Kat Von D Lock-it Foundation! I purchased this foundation a few months ago, and I’ve quickly become obsessed with it. At first I was a bit underwhelmed, but the more I use it the more I love it. This is a liquid foundation with great coverage, and I personally love its mate finish. I’ve been reaching for it nearly every day I wear makeup!

That wraps up my top ten beauty products of 2016! I’m happy to see a mix of high end and drugstore products, as I feel like that really represents my beauty collection. Please share your 2016 beauty favorites with me in the comments! I would love to know what you are loving so I can try out even more new-to-me products. Happy New Year, everyone!

Some of the products in this post were originally provided for my unbiased review. This post includes affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

ELF Shadowlock Eyelid Primer in Sheer | Review + Swatches

Posted on November 7, 2016November 5, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today I have a review of the ELF Shadowlock Eyelid Primer in the shade Sheer. I received this primer as a free gift in my last ELF haul (see that unboxing HERE). I’ve now used this product periodically for a few months, and I’ve really grown to like it. I wanted to share my review and application tips on this product with all of you. If you can get a quality eye primer for just $2.00, who wouldn’t jump on it?!

The Shadowlock Eyelid Primer is designed to provide crease-proof and longer-lasting eyeshadow. The formula is a lightweight liquid that dries quickly. It comes with a doe-foot applicator, similar to a standard lip gloss. I have the shade Sheer, but it also comes in Pearl, which is more of a white shade.

My application tip with the Shadowlock Eyelid Primer is to use a very small amount and lightly blend it out with your fingertip. Less is definitely more with this primer, and I typically use two coats to help cover up my veiny eyelids. The Sheer shade is a cool-toned beige with salmon pink undertones. When I blend it in, the primer tends to match my fair skin tone perfectly. I do think this will work well under eyeshadow for any skin color, but if you are looking to wear this on its own, I’m not sure I would recommend it for those of you with darker skin. That being said, I do enjoy wearing this on its own to add a bit of brightness and evenness to my otherwise veiny eyelids.

I absolutely love how my eyelids look and feel after applying this primer. It dries very quickly to a soft satin finish. When I wear eyeshadow on top, it does not crease as all throughout the day. I am very impressed, as my eyeshadow typically creases rather easily, even when I’ve tried other primers in the past. The Shadowlock Eyelid Primer even helps my eyeshadow to glide on and blend easier. I am extremely impressed with how amazing the quality is!

All in all, I highly recommend the Shadowlock Eyelid Primer from ELF Cosmetics. It is the perfect primer for me, as I can wear it both alone and with eyeshadow to get the look I want. I have not tried any high end eyeshadow primers, but this ELF primer is much better than the drugstore primers I’ve tried in the past. You really cannot go wrong for the $2.00 price tag! You can buy this primer at your local drugstore, or online HERE.

What is your favorite eyeshadow primer? Let me know in the comments!

This post contains an affiliate link. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

ELF Cosmetics Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Pink Lemonade | Review & Swatches

Posted on August 15, 2016August 10, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today I have a review of a lip product I received as a free bonus item in my last ELF Cosmetics order (see everything I got HERE). I’ve never tried a lip product from ELF before, so I was really curious to see what the formula and quality of the Lucious Liquid Lipstick line is like. These lip products retail for the fabulous and affordable price of $1.00 each, so if the formula is good, I will definitely be purchasing some in the future. Let me share my thoughts and some swatches with all of you!

The Luscious Liquid Lipstick line is formulated to provide a rich pigmentation along with lip hydration. Each shade comes in twist up packaging with a sponge-like applicator. I’m not the biggest fan of the applicator on this lip product. While it makes applying the lip color quite easy, it also traps a lot of product. I need to twist up the bottom several times to get a good amount of product out of the tube. It’s not too much of a hassle, but something I thought is worth mentioning.

I received the shade Pink Lemonade, which is a berry mauve shade with red and gold shimmer. While this is called a liquid lipstick, it is definitely more of a lip gloss. The product provides a nice pigmentation, but is definitely on the sheer side, and not opaque like a liquid lipstick. It also has a shiny formula that feels like a gloss. I really enjoy the feel of this product on the lips, but it is very helpful to know it is more of a gloss than a liquid lipstick. I also want to point out that the swatch of Pink Lemonade on ELF’s website is very different from the product in person. I recommend going to check out the products in-store before ordering online if you are looking for a particular shade.

Pink Lemonade definitely has a metallic sheen in person that was difficult to capture on camera. While I personally don’t like to wear shimmery lip colors, this is a really nice product. The texture is a bit sticky, but not in an uncomfortable way. Instead, it stays put on the lips and doesn’t slide around. The color is also quite long-lasting. I’m very impressed with the nice quality of this $1.00 lip product!

All in all, I’m so glad I got the opportunity to try Pink Lemonade from the ELF Cosmetics Lucious Liquid Lipstick line. I definitely think this is a great lip gloss to have in your stash if you are looking for something uber affordable. I will be checking out the other shades in the collection to see if there are any I enjoy. Please let me know in the comments if you’ve tried any of ELF’s Luscious Liquid Lipsticks and your thoughts on them in the comments!

ELF Cosmetics Moisturizing Foundation Stick Review

Posted on August 10, 2016August 6, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I have a review of the ELF Cosmetics Moisturizing Foundation Stick. I really enjoy using foundation sticks for an everyday makeup look. Not only are stick foundations easy to apply, but they provide a nice amount of coverage. I wanted to test out ELF’s stick since it is really affordable, so I picked it up in my most recent ELF haul (see all the goodies I purchased HERE). Let me share my full thoughts on this foundation with all of you now that I’ve been wearing it for a few weeks!

I purchased the Moisturizing Foundation Stick in the shade Ivory, which is the lightest shade available. There are six shades available, which is a decent color palette for a variety of skin tones. This foundation is designed to provide adjustable and natural looking coverage. The formula is enriched with a variety of natural ingredients, such as Shea and Vitamin E, to help nourish the skin during wear. ELF claims that the skin will look smoother and softer because of this foundation’s moisturizing properties.

Foundation sticks are really easy to apply, because all you do is swipe it on the skin and then blend out with your choice of tool. I typically use my dampened BeautyBlender, but your fingers or our favorite foundation brush will work as well. Foundation sticks are perfect for travel, since you don’t need to fit this into your liquids bag. I really love how convenient this foundation is!

ELF Cosmetics Moisturizing Foundation Stick Review

I’ve been using the ELF Moisturizing Foundation Stick for a few weeks now, and am really enjoying it. I do wear this over primer, and I set it with a powder as I do tend to get shiny throughout the day. This foundation provides a light to medium coverage, and is extremely blendable and buildable. I usually do one layer on my entire face, and then cover up any imperfections with a second coat. I am very impressed with how well the foundation blends into the skin for a natural finish.

My one critique of this foundation is that it does stick to any dry patches on your skin. I recently had some dryness around my nose, and the foundation stuck to those dry spots and made them quite visible. Thus, I recommend this foundation for those of you with normal skin. I do find that this foundation helps to add moisture to my skin throughout the day. In fact, upon removal at nighttime I noticed my skin felt really soft. While I do switch up my foundation depending on my mood each day, I imagine that if I used this regularly I would notice a difference in my skin’s hydration.

All in all, I am really enjoying the ELF Cosmetics Moisturizing Foundation Stick. It is a great option for an everyday foundation, and is super fabulous and affordable. You can also use this product as a cream concealer in conjunction with your liquid foundation. It’s just a great product to have in your beauty stash! You can purchase this product at your local drugstore or department store for just $6.00, or online HERE. Please let me know in the comments if you use foundation sticks, and what your favorite brand is!

This post includes an affiliate link. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Huge ELF Cosmetics Haul! | Makeup + Brushes

Posted on August 5, 2016August 3, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I am excited to share with you all of the goodies I recently purchased from ELF Cosmetics. I am currently in the process of transitioning my beauty collection to include all vegan products, and ELF has a ton of options that are extremely affordable, but still great quality. I made a purchase during a sale event, and I scored big time. Let me show you all of the makeup and brushes I got at an affordable price!

As always, I shopped using Ebates to earn cash back on my order. ELF is usually 3.5% cash back, but I shopped during a double cash back event and earned 8% cash back on my order. If you are not an Ebates member yet, make sure to join HERE using my referral link. It is a free service and a legitimate way to earn cash back on many of your online purchases. I spent exactly $30 on ELF’s website, so I got $2.40 cash back for this purchase.

WHAT I PURCHASED

Let’s start off the haul with the products I purchased for myself. ELF had a promotion going on at the time where if you spent $30.00, you got a free mystery gift. I made sure my cart was $30.00 so I could use that coupon! Plus, you get free shipping at $25.00, so that worked out really well! I’ll quickly mention the products I purchased from left to right, starting with the two products in the top row.

Translucent Mattifying Powder – $3.00 – I use a translucent powder every day even if I’m not wearing makeup otherwise. It helps to keep my skin from getting really greasy, but not adding any additional coverage. I’m excited to see if this one keeps my skin matte all day!
Baked Highlighter in Moonlight Pearls – $4.00 – I’ve been wanting a new highlighter that isn’t overly sparkly, so I thought this one would be nice to try. Spoiler alert – I love it! The shade is really nice on my fair skin, and while this is a shimmery highlighter, it is not too glittery. I’m very impressed at this product, and I might get more in the future.
Makeup Remover Cloths – $3.00 – I had to try out the makeup remover wipes! I did try one already, and I’m loving how gentle they feel on my skin. I’m currently using up another pack, but I have a feeling I will be repurchasing these in the future.
Volumizing & Defining Mascara – $2.00 – I’m also on the hunt for a new mascara, so I figured I would pick one up while I was shopping. I went with this particular mascara because it has the silicone applicator I like instead of the standard brush.
Moisturizing Foundation Stick in Ivory – $6.00 – I wanted a replacement for the Maybelline Foundation Stick I’ve been enjoying, so I decided to try this one from ELF. Stick foundations are great for those days where you don’t want the high maintenance of a liquid foundation. I’m hoping this will provide nice coverage!
HD Powder in Sheer – $6.00 – I’ve been wanting to try a loose setting powder as well, and got this HD Powder after hearing good things about it. It is designed to blur lines, so I will be experimenting with this product. If you have brush recommendations for this powder, please let me know!
Clear Brow & Lash Mascara – $2.00 – Another staple item for me is a brow gel. You can’t go wrong with one that is only $2.00!
Beautifully Bare Stipple Brush – $4.00 – Finally, I picked up a stipple brush because I needed one for cream products like blush and highlighter. I’m excited to see how this one works!

WHAT I GOT FOR FREE

As I mentioned above, ELF had a promotion where if you spent $30.00 you could get a free mystery gift. Imagine my surprise when all of these products showed up in my package! ELF always has at least one promotion going on, so you’ll be sure to get added savings or freebies with your order, too.

Contouring Kabuki Brush – $6.00 – I’m not sure how I feel about this brush. It’s huge in size! I think I might use it for face powder and not just contouring, but I will try it out for sure.
Concealer Brush – $3.00 – The other free brush I got is a concealer brush. I’m really happy about this one! I can always use more brushes like this.
Pressed Mineral Bronzer in Tan Toffee – $5.00 – I’m so glad I got a bronzer because I almost purchased one! Bronzer is new to me, but it’s nice to experiment with them once in a while. I’ll get more confident with it in time.
Smudge Pot Cream Eyeshadow in Ain’t That Sweet – $3.00 – I don’t wear a lot of pink eyeshadow, but I’m glad to try out the ELF Smudge Pot formula. I know these are often available at Dollar Tree, so keep an eye out there!
Shadow Lock Eyelid Primer – $2.00 – I’m also really excited to try this eye primer! I wasn’t that happy with the one I was using, so hopefully this will work better for me.
Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Pink Lemonade – $1.00 – Last but not least, I received a lip gloss! I’m not a big fan of this particular shade, but I am happy to try out this formula. If I enjoy the wear of this gloss I will be sure to pick out some more wearable shades for me in the future.

That brings us to the end of this huge ELF Cosmetics haul! I can’t believe I only spent $30.00 and got so many amazing products. I’m in the process of testing all of these right now, and will be sharing reviews on some of the goodies in the future. If there is something in particular you would like more detail on, please let me know in a comment below! Please also share your favorite (and least favorite!) ELF products in the comments! I know I will be making more purchases from this fabulous and affordable brand in the future.

Dare to Compare Week! Day One – Dark Purple

Posted on April 1, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! I’m very excited because this week is Dare to Compare Week here at Adventures in Polishland! One of my highest requested blogs is the comparison post, so I figured I would dedicate this week to that. From today until Friday I will share three nail polishes from a color family each day and see how they match up. I tried to pick a variety of colors from a mix of brands so that everyone can find something within budget. First up is dark purple, a color I have a lot of in my collection. Let’s see how the first three compare!

Today’s Dare to Compare polishes are (from left to right) OPI in Lourve Me Lourve Me Not, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Pronto Purple, and elf in Royal Purple. As you can see, they look quite similar in the bottle. Each is a dark purple with shimmer. The true test comes when they are on the nails! First I’ll show you each polish individually, and then how they look side by side.

Polish Name: elf in Royal Purple

Price: $2.00 [Buy HERE]

Coats Needed for Opacity: 2

Formula: Good — brush strokes visible

Color Description: Dark purple that leans towards magenta, with magenta and silver shimmer

Bonus: Very strong shimmer effect!

Polish Name: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Pronto Purple

Price: $4-6 in drugstores and department stores [Buy HERE]

Coats Needed for Opacity: 2

Formula: Amazing! Lives up to fast dry name.

Color Description: Very deep purple with magenta shimmer

Bonus: I love the wide brush!

Polish Name: OPI in Lourve Me Lourve Me Not

Price: $8 at Nordstrom Rack or on Amazon [Buy HERE]

Coats Needed for Opacity: 2

Formula: Flawless! High gloss shine when dry.

Color Description: Dark purple with magenta shimmer

Bonus: This is the first OPI I ever owned and is from a discontinued collection!

Above you can see each polish side by side. From left to right is the elf, the Sally Hansen, and the OPI. These polishes are not dupes [“dupe” = duplicate in nail polish lingo!], but they are very close. Elf’s Royal Purple is definitely the lightest shade of the bunch, and has the most shimmer. Pronto Purple from Sally Hansen is clearly the darkest of the three. Although these do vary from one another in terms of color, you may find you prefer one shade over the rest. However, if you are looking for a great dark purple in general, I don’t think you can go too wrong with any of these! The elf formula wasn’t the best, but with a $2 price tag it is not much of a compromise. If I had to choose just one, I would personally go with Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Pronto Purple, for the great formula and mid-range price tag!

Which dark purple nail polish is your favorite?! What is more important to you, price or formula?!

Some of the links above are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information.