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ELF Makeup is one of the best known secrets about makeup. This ELF makeup review will be helpful if you wish to purchase ELF makeup.
If you’re wondering, ELF stands for: Eyes, Lips, Face.
This brand does make a lot of drugstore dupes from luxury brands such as NARS, Tatcha and Smashbox.
ELF products are inexpensive compared to the real deal. I will show you the best ELF makeup products in this review so you can see how you can save money.
This ELF Cosmetics review will look at the best selling ELF products and give you an idea if you should purchase these or their luxury equivalent.
Why are E.L.F. Cosmetics So Cheap?
ELF Cosmetics so cheap because the company was able to produce these products for a fraction of luxury makeup. You will have to understand that the quality is not as good as other makeup brands.
Some ELF products work just as well as their luxury dupes! Also, the packaging isn’t as fancy so you’re not paying for that.
Sometimes, you also won’t use a product for a long period of time so it is better to save your money and use ELF products instead!
Keep reading to find out what my favourite ELF Cosmetics products are in this ELF Cosmetics review.
Is ELF Makeup Cruelty Free?
Yes! ELF Makeup is 100% cruelty free and it is also vegan. They also do not sell their products in China and have never done so. This mean that ELF Makeup has always been cruelty free.
Here’s a list of my cruelty free makeup brands.
Now, let’s get into the ELF Makeup Review with some of the most popular ELF Cosmetics products!
ELF Concealers: Flawless and Camo
The ELF Flawless Concealer is probably one of the most well known products. The formula is very hydrating and the doe foot applicator makes it easy to apply.
The ELF Cosmetics Camo Concealer and found it is the perfect dupe for Tarte’s Shape Tape. You can read the article here about the best luxury drugstore dupes.
The Camo Concealer is a full coverage concealer and has a thicker doe foot applicator and formula. Again, if you want the look of Shape Tape but don’t want to spend the money then you’ll love the Camo Concealer.
There’s also a 16 hour Camo Concealer and a hydrating Camo Concealer. If you just want full coverage but don’t care about long wear then you should pick the hydrating Camo Concealer.
ELF Flawless Concealer vs. ELF Camo Concealer
The difference between the Flawless and Camo Concealer is really the formula. The Flawless Concealer has a satin finish and natural looking coverage. The Camo Concealer is a full coverage 16 hour wear and comes in a hydrating version as well.
If you’re looking for something light and creamy you’ll want to choose the Flawless Concealer but if you need more coverage or want to contour then you’ll love the Camo Concealer.
The ELF Flawless Concealer dupe would have to be the NARS Creamy Concealer as they both promote a satin finish.
Both ELF concealers are very good formulas and won’t break the bank at under $10 per concealer!
ELF Clear Brow and Lash Mascara Review
Many people are using a clear brow gel to set the shape of their eyebrows. The ELF Clear Brow and Lash Mascara has two sides to this wand. The way this product is supposed to be used is one side for your eye lashes and one side for your eye brows.
Many people like to use this as a mascara primer to apply to the lashes before mascara to prep them. The reviews suggest that this product doesn’t always work because it dries down too fast and makes it difficult to apply mascara.
The other reviews of the Clear Brow and Lash Mascara are pretty good! This product works well for people who want the no makeup makeup look. Also, it is a good product for people who do not want to look like they are wearing too much makeup.
ELF Makeup Brushes Review
Out of all the ELF Makeup reviews in this article, I will have to say that ELF makeup brushes are probably the best value and quality for the money. Makeup brushes don’t have to be expensive to be good. They make the BEST inexpensive makeup brushes on the market.
If you’re on a budget, these ELF Makeup brushes are going to be such a lifesaver for you! The brushes range from $4 (you read that right) to $10 for some of their precision brushes.
The best ELF Makeup brushes are:
Angled Blush Brush
Whenever I apply any form of blush I always use an angled brush. The Angled Blush Brush is pretty simple to us. It is perfect for applying blush in one swoop and the angle makes it easy to get the blush just right.
Precision Airbrush Stipple
I love using a stipple brush for blending in foundation or applying creamier blushes. A light stipple will help make your makeup look flawless. Stippling brushes are usually really expensive so this is a cheaper option.
Highlighting Brush
This brush actually won Allure’s Best of Beauty Seal of approval! This is proof that makeup brushes don’t need to be expensive to be effective.
The ELF highlighting brush looks exactly like my favourite Sigma brush! It is fluffy but tapered at the end so you can get the highlight on the high points of the face.
Flufy Eye Blender Brush
If you use eyeshadow palettes a lot you’ll know that having a fluffy eyeshadow brush is key for transition shades. This one is perfect and at $4 you can’t go wrong!
There are so many ELF brushes and brush sets that you really should look to ELF before you buy any expensive makeup brushes.
Here’s a link to the entire ELF Makeup Brush Collection you can see the variety of makeup brushes.
ELF Dewy Setting Mist Review
When I purchased the ELF Dewy Setting Mist, I was looking for a setting spray that wouldn’t break the bank.
The affordable of the dewy setting mist is amazing and it smells like coconut!
The dewy setting mist is most similar to the NYX dewy setting spray. The quality is very apparent that it is drugstore. In the photo below you can see how the bottle and mister appear when you spray it.
It is not a complete dupe of the Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist. I find the ELF Dewy Setting Mist to be a bit sticky and the dew doesn’t last for that long.
If you’re interested in the Tatcha Luminous Spray, you can read my review of the Tatcha Dewy Skin Mist here.
ELF Poreless Putty Primer Review
The ELF Poreless Putty Primer is a replica of the Tatcha Silk Canvas Protective Primer. People have been going crazy for the ELF product even moer than the Tatcha Silk Canvas Primer.
After purchasing the Tatcha Silk Canvas Primer, I really hated it. It would pill under my makeup and it did not do much for under my makeup.
The ELF Poreless Putty Primer is a fraction of the cost at $8.00 versus Tatcha Silk Canvas Primer mini which is $28.
The ELF Poreless Putty Primer will help to blur imperfections in the skin. There is also now an acne fighting version of the Poreless Putty Primer which will help fight your acne underneath ear your makeup.
The idea behind the Tatcha Silk Canvas Protective Primer was to be used as a barrier to environmental factors in the world. Therefore, you do not need to put either of these products under your makeup.
You may even find you like how your skin looks by using either the ELF Putty Primer or the Tatcha Silk Canvas Primer as your main base for the day and skip the foundation altogether.
ELF Hydrating Face Primer Review
Hydrating primers are very popular cosmetic items for 2020. In fact, many primers have hyaluronic acid in them to help lock in moisture.
The ELF Hydrating Face Primer is supposed to smooth out pores for a flawless makeup application.
The ingredients in the ELF Hydrating Face Primer include: Vitamins A, C & E to help boost complexion and hydration.
According to reviews on Amazon, the ELF Hydrating Face Primer is more of an oily formula so if you have oily skin this will not be for you.
The ELF Hydrating Face Primer is only $6 CAD! If you just wanted to try this primer to see how it would work then you won’t have to worry about breaking the bank!
The only thing you need to watch out for is that the bottle looks bigger than it is. There isn’t as much product to fill up the entire bottle and the Amazon reviewers have caught this minor detail.
Nonetheless, if you are looking for a cheap hydrating drugstore primer then you will want to try the Hydrating Primer from ELF.
There are also a lot of other hydrating products from ELF Cosmetics. Another popular hydrating product is the Prep and Hydrate Balm.
This is a dupe of Milk Makeup’s Cooling Water.
Essentially, it is a solid balm that you apply all over the face to set your hydration for the day. Ingredients include: Shea Butter, cocoa and aloe for a soothing finish before makeup application.
ELF Liquid Eyeliner Pen Review
I purchased the ELF Liquid Eyeliner Pen with the double ended tip in black. One of the tips is for fine lines and the other is a thicker tip for easy application.
If you are learning how to apply eyeliner or a makeup beginner, this is the perfect product for you.
However, consider yourself WARNED that even though ELF products are inexpensive, they can be a waste of money.
The ELF Liquid Eyeliner Pen seemed good when I first opened it but as I applied the first few times but the pen dried out very quickly!
I also didn’t get a strong line and had to go back and forth many times. Liquid liner should go on smoothly and evenly.
The pen is also really light which isn’t a good thing in my opinion. If a liquid eyeliner has no weight to it, it makes it harder to apply a solid line.
In my opinion, even though the ELF Liquid Eyeliner Pen is only going to disappoint you.
Even if you buy any of the ELF liquid eyeliner pens, you are better off getting a slightly more expensive drugstore brand.
ELF Mascara Review
I will talk about the two most popular ELF mascaras: Mineral Infused Mascara and Volumizing and Defining Mascara. Both are similar but they have distinct benefits to each of them.
I will also warn you that when it comes to mascara, it is a personal perference and not everyone will have the same review.
However, I feel that mascara is one of those products where you may want to spend a few extra dollars especially because mascara can dry out and clump. Keep reading the ELF Mascara reviews to see what I mean.
ELF Mineral Infused Mascara
The ELF Mineral Infused Mascara is great for achieving full and fluffy lashes. They improved the formula to include Kaolin and Zinc Oxide which is supposed to promote healthier lashes. The applicator is also perfect for achieving a fully volumized lash look.
The reviews for the Mineral Infused Mascara on ELF’s website are pretty good! Many seem to really like this mascara and the price is pretty worth trying it out.
ELF Volumizing and Defining Mascara
I hope you enjoyed this ELF Makeup Review! I’ll be adding to this review with more ELF Cosmetic best selling products. Comment down below and let me know if there are any products that I missed!
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