Best and worst elf products

It’s rare to find products that are not only great quality but also on trend, affordable, cruelty-free, paraben-free, made in the US, widely available, the list goes on. For the most part, e.l.f. Cosmetics is able to hit all of those marks, launching new products all the time. As you know though, you can’t win ’em all. Over the years, I’ve definitely found e.l.f. products that perform as well as their more expensive counterparts, but along with those, some total duds too. I’ll be sharing what e.l.f. gems are worth far more than their low price tag and which you’d be better off putting your money towards a latte on.

I receive new e.l.f. items about twice a month so I feel fortunate to always be discovering new faves. Here are a few:

•  Applies and blends beautifully, colors are flattering and customizable.
• These come in a range of pretty shades, have good pigment, blend nicely and add a healthy flush on the cheap. I love Berry Merry.
•  This is my favorite shape for eyeshadow blending and it does a really nice job with it’s synthetic fibers.
•  If you want the Sephora version but don’t want to part with $24, here you go. Soft fibers buff out concealer perfectly.
•  Because of it’s silicone content, I actually consider this more of a makeup primer. It’s gentle and absorbs quickly.
•  These are non-sticky, don’t crease and these 2 shades are universally flattering. They make a great stand alone shadow or base for powder shadows. See Brownie Points here and Wine Not here.
•  I love the feel of these. They are matte but not drying and they come in tons of super flattering shades. My mom stole this one from me after seeing it in my tutorial.
•  I think this is elf’s best eyeshadow palette. I love matte shadows and these are soft, blendable and come in a range of flattering shades. There is a perfect transition shade, a true black, deep espresso, it’s got it all.
•  These apply easily, wear well and the pigmentation is rich. I have a navy blue one that makes a nice alternative to the usual black cat eye.
•  I love the formula, scent and the color so much. It’s one of the easiest shades to wear when your face needs some pick-me-up polish.
• Day to Night Lipstick Duo • $5 You’re getting 2 shades for 5 bucks and I love the day to night duality. My absolute favorite is I Love Pinks. Both sides are amazing shades that really perk my whole look up!
• Liquid Highlighter • $4 This is one of the most beautiful liquid highlighter I’ve used and it’s only $4! That’s almost criminal! It has a more oil-like consistency so just know that if you’re not a fan of that texture.

Now, I don’t love it all. Sadly, here are some e.l.f. misses amongst the hits.

• Shadow Lock Eyelid Primer • $2 Weak. This is thin and sad compared to others.
• Dramatic Lash Kit • $2 When you want lashes that rival your finest porcelain doll from childhood, here you go.
• Baked Bronzer • $3 With a texture that could only be described as cardboard, this is super low pigment.
• Illuminating Palette • $6 Low pigment and chalky.
• Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder-St. Lucia • $4 A Dupe for the NARS Orgasm Laguna Duo this ain’t.
• Illuminating Face Primer • $6 If you want to accentuate how large your pores are and look like someone punched you in the face with a shimmer eyeshadow, this primer will be great for you.
• HD Powder • $6 This is the stuff that flash photography has nightmares about. This tends to gives white cast, even when used sparingly, likely due to it’s high silica content. I wouldn’t trust this for HD photography.
• Cover Everything Concealer • $2 I attempted to use the yellow version for dark circle correction and though the color was good, the texture was not. Sticky, creasy nightmare that only got worse and more textured when set with powder. Just do not.

Most products provided by e.l.f. Cosmetics. No financial compensation was received and all opinions expressed are my own.

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