E.L.F. (Eyes, Lips, face), Top 5 Studio Must have Products

LUXURY....ON A BUDGET
The E.L.F. Studio Line offers a wider choice of products when compared to the basic range, and this is reflected in the price.  Having said that, the Studio Range is still far cheaper than make up counter store brands such as Rimmell, Maybelline, Revlon, etc.  For a quick comparison:

SPLURGE
Maybelline long lasting gel liner - £7.99

SAVE
Elf Studio Cream eyeliner - £3.50

The Studio line offers genuinely innovative products that I certainly have never seen before, nor anywhere else.  In this raneg you'll find eye transformer palettes that change the shade of your eyeshadow, corrective concealer palette with a shade for every skin, not to mention everything you need to store and treat your make up brushes. The range is massive, and I love it all but I have managed to narrow it down to just my 5 top products.

1. Studio High Definition Powder - £6.00

I like to call this one the 'miracle powder'. It's white so you aren't going to wind up looking orange after having selected the wrong shade...! You also won't end up looking like a ghost as the powder is sheer, invisible but all the while giving a soft focus effect....and hiding/smoothing fine lines and imperfections. This product is just like amazingingly  flattering lighting in a jar! 

2. Studio Blush - £3.50

Available in 9 gorgeous flattering shades, these blushes are versatile, highly pigmented, and amazing value. However, be warned - a little goes a long, long way! The first time I used my 'pink passion' (shown left), I looked like I'd had an accident with a makeup counter. So, use this sparingly for lovely colour that highlights and flatters the cheeks. The 'Gotta Glow' shade works a lot like Benefit High Beam - use anywhere on the face to highlight...but save around £18 by using this product instead!







3. Studio Lip Conditioning Balm - £3.50

These balms are one of the newer additions to the Elf Studio range. They're already popular! Available in lovely, summery shades, these balms are suitable for every day wear, complete with SPF15 to protect your lips. This product isn't sticky and goes on smoothly and softens your lips. 'Nicely Natural' is a great neutral shade, while 'Mellow Mellon' is a gorgeous  Summer pink. Expect vibrant colour pay off!




4. Studio Mineral infused Face Primer - £6.00

I do agree with some other comments I have read about the packaging for this product and have to say - it stinks. Harsh but true! I almost always have trouble with the pump and have to resort to unscrewing it and scraping the product out, hardly ideal. However, once you get this product on your skin, be prepared for smooth, fresh, soft skin that is silky to the touch and enables make up to slide on flawlessly.  Expect a matte finish that lasts and skin that feels great all day.  The primer makes it into my top 5 - the packaging doesn't.  Also, since you can't rely on the pump to get it all out, it'd be nice to see how much is left.  Change the packaging Elf! Comparable to what I used to use which is Philosophy 'The Present' and Benefit 'Dr Feelgood' - this works just as well, it just doesn't look as good.  But once again, budget triumphs over high-end cosmetics.








5. Studio Matte Eyeshadow - £3.50

 At last! An eyeshadow that has great pigmentation, fantastic, fresh colours and no sparkly glitter that gets into your eyes! These shadows are so nice, they stay all day and don't smudge or crease so are kinder for mature skin, although I they'd suit anyone.  My current favourite shade is mint (as shown), but I'm eager to try more and only hope Elf bring out a blue shade. Comes complete with a very decent brush and wears well even without a primer.




Coming in just outside of my top 5 were these other great products : Eye Transformer, the amazing Corrective concealer palette, the multi functional Shimmer palette and the ingenious lip lock pencil. I also feel that I have to mention the fantastic range of brushes and the fact that Elf not only realises we want great brushes but somewhere to store them and great ways to clean them.

I would LOVE to hear from you! What are your top 5 products? Or the one Elf product you just can't live without?

My current top 5 E.L.F. must-haves

E.L.F. (Eyes, Lips, Face) UK

Beauty on a budget has never been so much fun - or so accessible - since the arrival of ELF.  Prices range from £1.50 and the range of products available is outstanding, both in terms of value for money and the options of products and shades available.  The Studio line and Minerals lines are a bit more pricey (starting at around £3), but this is reflected in the packaging, larger sizes and extras that come with some products.

So I have put together my top 5 items from each range.  These are products that I re-order as soon as I open a new one, products that I am never without and products that I would hesitate to recommend. Part one begins with....

THE BASIC £1.50 RANGE

1. All Over Cover Stick - £1.50

These are completely indispensable, both as a foundation and an eyelid primer.  These shade sticks don't tug the skin, they blend well, have great skin colour match tones and even small great - Sugar Orange fragrance, although the latest added colours are fragrance free (even better for sensitive skins).  The best part? They last ages. I have about 5 or 6 of these lying around....I never intend to run out!

2. Clarifying Pressed Powder - £1.50

 

Available in a shade to suit just about every tone, these powders come with a powder puff and a surprisingly durable case.  Sugar orange scent again, this oil absorbing powder does actually keep the shine at bay and don't irritate my sensitive skin.  It does contain parabens so if this sets your skin off, try the Mineral Booster powder which is Paraben free. This little powder though, is a make up bag staple for me, especially when on the go. At £1.50 each you can afford more than one!

3. Brightening eye colour - £1.50

These eyeshadow quads come in a fantastic, funky, classic, sophisticated, glamorous, sultry and varied range of colours and are decently pigmented for the price.  Complete with an applicator (although at £1.50 for an eyeshadow brush, why not get professional tools of the trade, as the little applicator is fiddly?), it's simple to create a look for any occasion, in any colour.

4. Super Glossy Lip Shine - £1.50

I have one of each of these in the shades Angel (clear), Goddess (every day pink), Malt Shake (gorgeous mid-pink), Juice Berry (a lovely sheer berry/pink shade), and it still doesn't stop me wanting to order all the other shades too!

All but the 2 new shades (Honey Do & Juiced Berry) are Grape Vanilla scented, and without exception, all the glosses look so pretty on.  They don't dry my lips out....they are a little bit sticky but not too bad - I have used a Clinique lip gloss that's stickier! They're still very wearable and last quite a while.

The bottom line is that these glosses are gorgeous on and I want them all.  Once you try them, you will too.  ELF often have promotions on where one of these glosses come as a free gift on purchases over £10.00.

5. Shimmer Eye Liner Pencil - Guess what? Yes, £1.50!

I have this pencil in 4 shades - Gunmetal, Black Bandit, TwinkleTeal and Blissful Blush, and they are all gorgeous.  Creamy, non-smudging and long lasting, these pencils are fantastic for staying put on long nights out, without you getting home to discover that in fact, you've had panda eyes all night. These pencils (like most ELF pencils), come with a sharpener in the lid and unlike some pencils, they don't fall to bits when you actually do sharpen them. Avon pencils are dreadful for falling apart when you try to sharpen them up; I've had pencils where the product keeps falling out and breaking. I've never had an ELF pencil that does that - these are great value for money.





So that's it - my big top 5. The rest of the range is just as wearable, has just as much selection and as well as the Eyes, Lips, Face and Nails section, be sure to check out the brushes and tools.....did I mention that these products are all £1.50 each?

Elf run lots of promotions.  Free shipping, 20% off the entire site, free products, and occasionally, they offer products at £1 each.  Be sure to change the ELF Facebook group and read the upcoming promotions in the Notes section.  You can get so much for your money, so put together your first order today....you won't be sorry!

Top 5 Studio & Mineral blogs to follow!

www.eyeslipsface.co.uk

Leave a comment - tell my your top 5 ELF products!