NOT LONG AGO, E.L.F COSMETICS LAUNCHED THEIR BITE-SIZED EYESHADOW MINI PALETTES AND THE INTERNET WENT WILD FOR THEM.
Now, I’ll admit, ELF has had some pretty impressive products over the years, especially considering their price range is generally under $10. When I saw YouTubers and Instagrammers alike raving about these, I definitely started to feel some FOMO about needing to try them.
Of course, everything seems a bit slower to launch in Canada with this US-based brand. So when I saw there were some available on Amazon, I snatched them right up for a whopping $4/each!
But do you really get quality when it comes to four eyeshadows for $4?
The answer to that question is… maybe.
As in, maybe it depends on what you like in an eyeshadow. Over the years, I’ve had the benefit of try out hundreds of brands of eyeshadows, and I definitely have expectations in terms of usability, longevity and application.
One of the things I noticed when I saw reviews of these were that all the reviewers really heavily swatched them any time they showed swatches. This always makes me a bit suspicious if I am honest, because all those kind of swatches show us is what the colour is in the pan.
Any makeup artist will tell you that a swatch does little in the way of telling you how a powder will actually perform. And any makeup enthusiast could tell you that sometimes products swatch horribly but apply beautifully with a brush, and oppositely some products finger swatch intensely and then end up being a nightmare to work with.
I guess what I am saying is, this is why I still read blogs that do detailed reviews, because a swatch online, only tells the tip of the iceberg. Know what I’m sayin’?
E.L.F COSMETICS BITE SIZE EYESHADOW MINI PALETTE REVIEW
AVAILABLE AT Ulta | ELF Cosmetics | Amazon Canada | Target
WHAT THE BRAND CLAIMS: “These palettes deliver mini eye magic in a perfect size. The luxe formula is creamy, blendable, & ultra-pigmented.” – E.L.F Cosmetics
THE SHADE OPTIONS: There are 8 palette varieties available, I choose Cream & Sugar and Truffles.
THE TEXTURES: Matte and Metallic finishes (thought the black in the Truffles palette is a matte base with micro sparkle)
THE FORMULA: The matte formulas are very dusty and on the drier side. The metallic formula is creamy to the touch.
THE LONGEVITY: The metallic shadows last all day with a base. The matte shadows faded significantly by the 8 hour mark, even with a base.
THE PRICE: $4 CND/3.5 grams of product.
MY THOUGHTS: So why did I say that it depends on what you like in an eyeshadow when referencing if these were good quality? Because I would personally never choose to use matte eyeshadows like this.
Are they pigmented? Yes. But I found them a pain to blend because that pigment just kept blending away. It took a lot of layering, even with the darkest brown and black shades to get the depth of colour, even using a sticky base underneath. This is definitely a case of swatches looking great but brush application falling to pieces.
So are they crap? NO! Here’s the thing, the metallic shades in these palettes totally hold up their end of the bargain! They have a creamy feel to them that rivals some of my expensive shadows. The metallic payoff is excellent and then blend and sit on top of other shadows really well. Basically, had I not known the palettes were under $5 and only tried the metallic shimmer shadows, I would assume they were easily 4x the price.
The matte shades just don’t hold up for me, in the two palettes I tried. Regardless of price, they are disappointing. They aren’t the worst I’ve tried, but they aren’t revolutionary. I do think these are a case of probably being really impressive for drugstore online makeup wearers or those who don’t wear makeup often.
For me it’s a case of asking myself: Are they good for the price? Definitely. Are they good compared to what you already own? Not really.
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