So I made a visit to my local Kmart to pick up some necessities, and of course made a routine visit to the beauty section for any specials. Much to my surprise and happiness I wandered across an unbranded shelving section filled with solely e.l.f. goodies. In celebration of the new addition to the Kmart beauty stock, I thought I'd share with you some of my e.l.f. beauty favourites.
While e.l.f. is available online on their own store, this comes with $8 shipping and always that one product you want to include in your basket, out of stock. I have always previously bought products off of iHerb, which are slightly cheaper, however, again the $4 minimum shipping seems to make the benefit of a $3 mascara almost redundant.
I also want to note that, e.l.f. products aren't green. However, if you look at the ingredients list of their products, you can find that some of them are paraben, mineral and fragrance free. I don't like to solely rely on the judgement of Skindeep, however it is a good place to start. All of their products are cruelty free too. So anyway, here's my favourite e.l.f. goodies:
The Mineral INFUSED mascara:
I did buy this just last week at Kmart, after I have been meaning to buy it for a while, and I'm really happy to say I like it. With a rating of 2 on Skindeep, this product is a cheaper alternative to my favourite Physicians Formula organic wear. I do really like the intensity of black and the fact that if I rub my eyes I wont end up with black smudges everywhere (unlike PF). I think it's a bit more prone to clumping and not quite as good at lengthening, but it's still good in those areas and I think adds even more volume.
Mineral Lipstick in Nicely Nude:
With no parabens, preservatives or chemical dyes, this lipstick is a favourite for me on nights out. I say nights out because it does contain retinyl palmitate, which increases sensitivity to the sun. However, I think this lipstick is just a stunning colour for those with light - medium warm toned skin. Again, I say warm toned, because the swatch has not quite picked up the peachy/coral elements enough, which would flatter those with a warmer tone. This is a rating of 3 on Skindeep, however that's solely due to the retinyl as all the other ingredients are 0-2. It's very moisturising and easy to apply. I'm looking to get some more colours, particularly cheerful cherry. Unfortunately, these weren't in the Kmart stand from what I saw, but for online purchases or if they're stocked in the future, these are definitely a winner.
Pigment Eye shadow in Naturally Nude:
Think Maybelline Colour Tattoo, bad to the bronze, in loose shadow form. I made mine into a pressed pigment through using rubbing alcohol, which gave it a similar consistency and pigment to one of my favourite eye shadow lines, Loreal infallible. Though it's slightly more bronze than Loreal's, bronzed taupe. Again the ingredients come to a rating of 2 on Skindeep.
Eyebrow kit in Medium:
The gel in the kit actually contains mineral oil, so I don't use that anymore. However, I do think it lasts a long time and is great for stronger makeup for your reference. However, I do still use the brow powder sometimes. I actually prefer the kit in Ash, however, it wasn't available when I went to reorder, and the Light looked far to warm toned for brows. When sufficiently 'spoolied out' it creates soft focus, natural looking brows.
Mineral Eye Shadow Primer:
Like the lipstick, the primer contains no parabens, preservatives or chemical dyes, but does contain retitnyl palmitate, so it's also solely reserved for night time. I find that when applied as a sheer coat, its prevents creasing and helps shadows stay put. However, don't apply it too thick, as it will cake up and crumble off. While I can't say I get excited about primers, this one works well and is free from any overly nasties.
(L-R: Mineral Lipstick in Nicely Nude; Pigment ES in Naturally Nude; Eyebrow Kit in Medium Powder; and Gel; Mineral ES Primer in Sheer)
Studio Eyelash Curler:
While this isn't my favourite curler *cue Shu Uemura*, it is still a really great curler, and it's at a really great price. For those who don't see the point in curling or want to test if it's worth your while, give the e.l.f. curlers (also the mechanical) a go, as they have a great reputation and are inexpensive.
Studio Brushes:
The e.l.f studio brush line has a great reputation, and with the two brushes that I own, I can see why. The blush brush is soft and versatile. Due to the tapered tip, it could be used for setting foundation or under eye concealer, contour, highlighter and of course blush. I also love using the angled eyeliner brush with my gel eyeliner to get right to the lash line. I also use it after applying false lashes to hide the band, as the angle makes it easy to manoeuvre.
So there you have it, let me know what your favourites are, or what you think of any of the products I mentioned.
xx GBV
Nice colours! xx
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