affordable beauty – Leave it to Lea

What Products from Elf Cosmetics Are Worth The Hype – Elf Cosmetics Review

October 15, 2021October 15, 2021by LeaLeave a Comment

Hey guys! A couple of weeks ago I posted a haul and first impression video of a bunch of Elf Cosmetics products I ordered. It’s been a couple of weeks so I wanted to give you a follow-up review of the products. There are some hits and there are some misses, so let’s get into it.

First, let’s start with the brushes. I got the Mint Melt Eyeshadow Brush Set and the Putty & Cream Blush Brush. The brushes are good but you kinda get what you pay for. The handles are plastic and are very lightweight. The brush quality is nice but I find all the brushes to be a bit small. I would say if you’re to makeup and need to get some brushes then Elf is a great brand to buy from. If you love makeup and want to invest in some good quality brushes then I would pass on these.

By far the most disappointing product is the Liquid Glitter Eyeshadow. I thought this was going to be a dupe for the Stila Magnificent Metals but they just don’t compare. The Stila shadows are full of glitter but still have a base shimmer to the shadow. Whereas the Elf eyeshadow is just straight glitter. So I could apply the Stila eyeshadow to my bare eye but I need to put the Elf eyeshadow overtop another eyeshadow. The glitter is pretty, don’t get me wrong. It’s just glitter in a clear gel. I would recommend the Stila eyeshadows over the Elf ones.

The second eye product I got is the Bite-Size Eyeshadow. There are eight different palettes but I got the Cream & Sugar palette. I think the eyeshadows in the palette are amazing. The mattes blend well and the shimmers are easy to use and look great on the eye. I’m just not sure if I like the colour selection. I find when there are only a few shades in a palette it’s important which ones are included. This palette has only four shades so I would want to be able to do a full eyeshadow look. I personally find that I’m missing a good crease shade. The beige is too light and the brown is too dark to use in the crease. I need to use another eyeshadow to be able to do a full look. I almost always use a crease shade for my eyeshadow looks, so since this palette is missing one I don’t see myself using it very often. That being said, I’d be interested in getting other palettes if the colour story piques my interest.

One of Elf’s most popular products right now is the Poreless Putty Primer. This is a dupe of some more expensive primers such as the Tatcha Silk Canvas Primer. I haven’t tried that one so I can’t compare. I got the regular Putty Primer but almost wish I got the Matte Primer. I feel like the primer does a great some of making my skin feel smooth but doesn’t do much for helping my makeup longer. I think the Matte one would just work better with my skin type. It’s a fine primer but I’m not blown away.

The next product I tried is the Flawless Finish Foundation. I LOVE the way my face looks when I first apply this foundation. It’s medium coverage and has a semi-matte finish. It just makes my face look flawless – just like the name suggests! It comes with a pump which is handy. I was able to shade match myself quite easily. I would say that it looks great for around five hours, but after that I look super oily. The excess oil means it’s also easy to rub off the foundation. So if you need a foundation to last all day and can’t powder then maybe pass on this one. But if you’re fine powdering or don’t have oily skin then this is a great foundation.

While I did a great match with my foundation, I didn’t do a good job picking the correct shade in the Hydrating Camo Concealer. So I haven’t worn it much under the eyes since it’s the wrong shade. I’ve worn it on my face and it’s great for spot concealing. It doesn’t look cakey and stays in place. Sorry, this isn’t the best review. It’s such a great price that I might get another shade for under my eyes.

I decided to pick up their new Putty Bronzer and Putty Blush. In the bronzer I got the shade Tan Lines and in the blush I got the shade Tahiti. If you are new to creams these are the products for you. These are very lightweight and very easy to blend. I find I have to build it up to get the blush and bronzer to the intensity that I like. But what I also like is that they dry down to a semi-matte finish so my face doesn’t feel sticky. The fact that it dries down means that it lasts quite a long time on the skin. If you are looking for drugstore cream products then you HAVE to check these out.

The final product is the Sheer Slick Lipstick. I got the shade Golden Pear. I expected the lipstick to be sheerer but despite that I like this lipstick. It’s very nourishing and feels very nice on the lips. While it’s not the most long-lasting it fades nicely from the lips. I’ve been using this a couple of times a week and I can see myself continuing to use it in the future.

And that is my round-up of all the products that I purchased from Elf Cosmetics. Let me know in the comments if you tried any of these products. And also let me know what your favourite product is from Elf!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Drugstore, Makeup, Review

5 Best Beauty Under $20

July 16, 2021July 15, 2021by LeaLeave a Comment

Hey guys! Today I am going to be sharing the final part of my best affordable makeup series. If you haven’t read my best under $10 and best under $15, go check those posts out because there are so many great products in those posts. We don’t have as many products in this post, because it seems like most drugstore makeup is in the $10-$15 range. All prices are listed in Canadian dollars unless there is an asterisk* beside it, in which case the price is in American dollars. Let’s get into it!

Best affordable drugstore makeup featuring Revlon, Makeup Revolution, Colourpop, Burt's Bees and Physicians Formula.

The first product we have is so underrated. I don’t hear enough people talk about the Revlon PhotoReady Prime Plus Makeup + Skincare Primer. This adds a natural glow-from-within highlight to the face but isn’t glittery in any way. It reminds me a lot of the Dr. Brandt Pores No More Luminizer Primer. But it’s way cheaper at only $18.99.

The next product is the Colourpop Hyaluronic Tinted Moisturizer. If you’re looking for an affordable, light coverage foundation, this is it. It has a lightweight feeling and natural finish. It’s a your-skin-but-better foundation. It’s only $14* and there are 24 shades. The only thing is that you can’t return products, so take your time researching which shade would be the right one for you.

If you’re looking for a good drugstore eyeshadow palette, check out Makeup Revolution. I have their 24K Gold Eyeshadow Palette but they have so many eyeshadow palettes ranging in price from $12 to $20* dollars. I found their mattes to be pigmented and easy to blend and their shimmers easy to work with. It can be hard to find good-quality drugstore eyeshadow, but Makeup Revolution is one of the best.

One of my favourite blushes is the Burt’s Bee Natural Origin Blush. I like the formula because it’s pigmented but not difficult to apply. It looks so nice on the skin. I also like the shades that Burt’s Bees has. They’re not like some of the other shades you’ll find at the drugstore. And the best part is that it’s only $16.99 for a blush.

And the final product I have is the Physicians Formula Sculpting Bronzer. There aren’t a lot of options for cream bronzer at the drugstore and many of them come with a highlight product that I don’t use. This cream bronzer is very similar in tone to the Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer but is only $16.99. I will say it takes a little bit more effort to blend out this bronzer compared to the Milk one, but it gives a very similar effect on the skin for a fraction of the cost.

And those are my beauty recommendations under $20. I hope you guys enjoyed this series! Let me know in the comments what you’re favourite drugstore products are. I’m always looking to give you guys the best, affordable recommendations!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Drugstore, Makeup, Review

13 Best Beauty Under $15

June 25, 2021June 24, 2021by Lea1 Comment

Hey guys! I’m back with the second part of my best affordable beauty posts. If you haven’t read my best beauty under $10 post, I highly recommend checking it out because it’s full of good products. Today everything will be under $15, which seems to be the most popular price category in the Canadian drugstore. In today’s post, everything is listed in Canadian dollars.

Best drugstore, affordable beauty under $15

Starting with the base, I have two concealers. The first is the NYX Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Concealer. If you’re looking for a full coverage concealer this is the one to get. It has a matte formula so this is great if you want something for full glam looks. There are 24 different shades and it’s $12.49. My other concealer recommendation is the Makeup Revolution Conceal & Define Concealer. This concealer is also full coverage and matte but it’s so lightweight. And they are 50 different shades so you’ll be able to find one that matches. The best part is that the concealer is only $12.99.

You don’t need to spend a lot of money to get a good setting spray! The NYX Dewy Finish Setting Spray is one of my favourites. It helps set my makeup and makes everything look more natural and seamless. Unlike some other dewy sprays I’ve tried, this doesn’t make me look oily or just spray a bunch of glitters all over my face. And at only $11.49, it’s half the price of Mac Prep + Prime Fix+.

One of my favourite drugstore mascara is the Covergirl Exhibitionist Mascara. I’m surprised that more people aren’t talking about this mascara because I think it’s a dupe for the TooFaced Better Than Sex mascara. The wands are identical and the formulas are quite similar. This mascara gives me volume and defined length. And no flaking or smudging. For $12.99 this is a great mascara (and it’s currently on sale).

If you want to get into false lases, then you have to go with Ardell lashes. They have so many different styles and they have multiple packs as well if there is a certain style you like. My favourites are the Ardell Faux Mink Demi Wispies. The lash band is invisible so it blends in seamlessly with my makeup. I find this style is on the more natural side where it adds volume but it’s not over the top nor too long. And they’re only $10.47, the perfect price if you don’t wear falsies very often or only once per pair.

My favourite drugstore brow pencil is the NYX Precision Brow Pencil. At first, I wasn’t a fan of the shape because it’s more oblong than a fine tip. But the shape is great for filling in brows quickly (perfect for when I’m running late in the morning 😝). The formula is stiff enough that I have good control but creamy enough that I can wipe away any mistakes. It has a spoolie attached which is always helpful to have when doing brows. The best part is that it’s only $12.99.

Maybelline makes great powder face products. If you read my top five products from my top five brands then these products might be familiar. For face powder, the Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless is the best at $11.99. This powder helps set my makeup without making me look cakey. For bronzer check out the Maybelline FaceStudio City Bronzer, costing you $10.99. The colour is gorgeous, just make sure to use a light hand because this stuff is pigmented. And finally, for highlight check out the Maybelline Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter. This is the best highlight you can get at the drugstore and it’s only $13.99.

If you want to complete the face and get a good blush, then check out the Milani Rose Powder Blushes. These blushes are quite finely milled so they look so soft and ethereal on the face. And they are buildable so you don’t have to worry about accidentally applying too much. These Milani blushes are only $11.49.

I have two different lipstick options. The first is a classic, the Maybelline Colour Sensational lipsticks. These are some of the best lipsticks at the drugstore and their formula reminds me a lot of MAC lipsticks. There are over 30 different shades and they’re only $10.99. If you want something a little creamier then check out the Burt’s Bee Natural Lipsticks. Not as many shade choices but they feel so comfortable on the lips and are only $10.99.

Finally, if you want something shiny, then check out the Burt’s Bee Natural Lip Shine. The squeezy tube makes it easy to apply to the lips. The formula is on the sheerer side colour-wise but delivers great shine to the lips. The lip shines are $10.99.

And those are my best makeup products under $15. I hope you guys enjoyed this post and found it helpful! Let me know what some of your affordable makeup products are. I have one more installment in this series, under $20, so stay tuned for that!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Drugstore, Makeup, Review

10 Best Beauty Products Under $10

June 15, 2021June 15, 2021by Lea2 Comments

Hey guys! I love a good drugstore haul or product review, but I usually focus on the product over the price. Today I thought I would share some of my favourite products under $10. I also plan to do a post for products under $15 and $20. Just want to note that the majority of prices are in Canadian dollars since I live in Canada. But a few things are only listed in US dollars (such as Colourpop products) – which I will mark with an asterisk*. Since currency exchange varies I’m just going to include the US price in this post. I also have one product that is $9 US which is over $10 CAD, but I just decided to include it since it’ll be under $10 for all my American followers. Okay this intro is getting rambling. Let’s get into it.

Up first we have the Wet n Wild Photofocus foundations. Both the matte and the dewy finish are $8.79. These foundations provide great coverage, perfect for those days where I have some acne on my face. The foundations also mix well with other foundations. So I can use these foundations to mix with a foundation that is too light or dark for me. Both the matte and the dewy finish last long. A great foundation at an affordable price.

I’ve mentioned these eyeshadow palettes before, but the Wet n Wild Colour Icon palettes are some of the best at the drugstore. The shimmers are mediocre, but the mattes are great. They are quite pigmented and easy to blend. If you’re looking to getting into eyeshadow, these are a great palette to pick up since they are $7.27.

If you’re looking to build your eyeshadow collection but don’t want a palette OR are looking for a specific shade, single shadows are a great option. Colourpop has a great variety of single shadows. Their shadows are $4.50* and their pressed glitters are $5.00*. Some of my favourite shades include Bel Air, Made to Last and Get Lost.

Another great option from Colourpop is the Super Shock Shadows. Most are $6.00* and their limited edition Super Shock Shadows are $7.00*. You could pair one of these with a single shade and have a great eyeshadow look. I’ve owned many over the years, but the ones I currently own are Balloon Pop and Set to Stun.

If you’re looking to get into false lashes, then it’s great to get affordable pair. No sense in spending lots of money on something you might not wear often. Colourpop has great lashes, with a pair starting at $8.00*. My two favourite styles are Queenie and Dame.

Pressed powder is not exactly the most exciting product to purchase, but it’s important especially if you have oily skin like me. The Wet n Wild PhotoFocus Pressed Powder is a great affordable powder. It helps set the face and control oil. It also leaves my face smooth and soft. And it’s formulated to not flashback in photos. The best part is that this powder is $5.97.

It can be hard to find an affordable cream blush. They’re either expensive or don’t work well. The Colourpop Blush Stix is the best affordable blush and easily competes with my high-end blushes. They are quite pigmented and last a surprisingly long time for being a cream. The Blush Stixs are $9.00*.

I have two different highlight options for you. If you are looking for something bright and bold, then check out the Wet n Wild Megaglo highlights. At $7.47, these bad boys pack quite a punch but are still very creamy. No harsh lines with this highlight. If you want something softer, check out the Essence Pure NUDE Highlighter. This is a baked highlight so it’s quite soft and will give a glow from within look. And this highlight is only $5.49.

Colourpop has so many affordable lips, but if I had to pick my favourite it would be their Just a Tint lip tint. The formula is very comfortable on the lips but still gives off nice pigmentation. I have the shade Rise n Shine and I wear it all the time. And at $8.00* you won’t break the bank buying it.

And those are my best makeup products under $10. I hope you guys enjoyed this post and found it helpful! Let me know what some of your affordable makeup products are!

xoxo

Lea