ELF Haul

It has been almost four years since I had an ELF Haul. Can you believe that?!! I know!! ELF is like one of the cheapest sites where you can buy affordable and good quality makeup products.  I remember clearly in 2011, it was all everyone was talking about on YouTube and I decided to make my first order. I ordered a couple of things including my first proper makeup brush set and I eagerly awaited my order.When they arrived, I absolutely loved them and I still have a couple of brushes left as they are good quality (not the bets but good enough).  I think I made a few subsequent orders that year and that was all. I am not sure why I never purchased anything from the site but it was always at the back of my mind. Fast forward to 2015, I can't remember where I read that ELF were closing down. I was like Oh No!! I clicked into the site to make a last order and of course, all the lovely items were gone/sold out. However, I still managed to snag a few things. They were all massively discounted since they were closing down. I picked up five items and the total cost was £4.90. Can you beat that? Sadly, most of the items I picked are sold out but I guess you may still get some of them if you live in the States, etc.





ELF Flawless Finish Foundaton (Oil Free)//Almond//£1.50
I have no idea why I have been taking gambles these days buying foundation online which is always a huge no-no for me especially if I have not swatched it. The funny thing is the shade Almond was the only shade available at the time so I took that as a sign (just kidding!). The good thing is the colour that comes up on the site is not too far off from what it looks like in person. I did check images/swatches via Google and I knew it would be a close match. It is the tiniest shade darker than my skin in fact, I guess it would be unnoticeable as soon as Spring/Summer set in, in full swing. I particularly love the packaging of this foundation and that was actually what drew me to it. It has a lovely pump which can be screwed on and off and this means that I can always use this bottle for other pumpless foundations. It has a smell (not particularly bad) but I am not a fan at all but thankfully it disappears within a few seconds. The coverage is surprisingly good especially when paired with the Stick Concealer/Tone Correcting Concealer. I really like it and I was not expecting to feel this way at all. The oil free formula makes it an amazing choice for people with combination oily skin. The finish is also surprisingly amazing as it's neither matte nor dewy but sits nicely on the skin as a demi-matte/velvet finish. I always set my foundations with powders anyway and this was not an exception. It takes well to powder and it does not get shiny as quickly although I noticed a slight shine towards the close of play. I was not too bothered with that as I just mattified with my touch up powder. It applies really well on the skin and it's also easy to blend using a variety of tools. It is so lovely that I greedily went back to order a back up but alas! it was sold out *weeps*.



ELF Eyeshadow Stick//Like a Boss// £0.90
I don't know what it is about blue eyeshadows but I love them. I don't even think they suit me to a T but I have been drawn to them lately and I have no idea why. Ever since I tried the Bourjois Color Bands Eyeshadow Sticks, I have been a little obsessed. When I saw this Jumbo Pencil for £0.90 online, I knew it had to be mine. I was very pleased to see that it was true to colour/shade as it was online. The pencil itself is really chunky and can be rolled up and down which is something I sincerely wish Bourjois and NARS could do with their eyeshadow sticks. The colour is a deep navy blue which looks very gorgeous and it is a nice colour for Spring once you learn how to incorporate it with the right lip colour. The pigmentation is seriously incredibly and it glides on well. It could feel like it drags a little bit in the eyelids so it is always best to moisturise and use a good eye primer. On application, it goes on smooth but you have to try and blend it out quickly before it sets. I am so pleased with the lasting power and it literally does not budge all day. I love it!!




ELF Tone Correcting Concealer//Toffee//£0.50
I knew I took a gamble with this shade as anything Toffee usually looks very dark on me. It was only 50p so I figured I could use it to lightly contour my face if it was ridiculously dark. My guess was correct as it was dark. I used it recently to colour correct and the results were really amazing. It comes in a little tube with a doe foot applicator which makes it super easy to apply. I really wish I ordered more than one because it is really lovely. I am wearing it today under my foundation and my face looks super smooth all thanks to this tone correcting concealer. I feel really sad that it is no longer in stock so I may search the US ELF site or maybe Ebay or Amazon. If you have dark blemishes that you wish to colour correct/conceal, this is a lovely little concealer to try if you can find it. I am not sure how it would work as a contour but it looks good for contouring the nose. It does look a little too dark a shade to contour my nose but if you are slightly darker than me, it would work well and it's very easy to blend.




ELF Concealer Stick//Tan//£1.00
I knew deep down this shade would suit me when I saw it online and I was right. First off, the packaging remind me so much of the NARS Concealer Stick although this is slightly smaller in size. It can be rolled up and down and I can see this lasting for a good while. I have tried a few concealer sticks and some of them feel super heavy on my skin which is why I avoid them. However, this feels very light and I am pleased with it. I can't say the lasting power is as fantastic as some high end brands I have tried but it is very impressive.It gives really good coverage and hides my pesky blemishes easily. It can be used to highlight and conceal depending on what you want it for. I mainly use it on blemishes and it works really well. I tried using it as an under eye concealer and I was surprised at how lovely it was. I guess this was due to its light creamy texture. It also blends like a dream and it is definitely one I would repurchase if I had a chance. I heard some concealer sticks break people out because they are thought to block the pores but I have not had any bad experiences with this concealer stick. It is already my favourite and possibly my favourite product from this haul.



ELF Lipgloss Wands//12 pieces//£1.00
I don't think these need any elaborate explanation as they are easy to use. I decided to purchase them because I recently started doing makeup on friends. I am definitely no pro but I enjoy doing it. Although I wash my brushes before I use them on other people, I find that applying lip glosses on other people can be difficult without using separate wands. I decided to get these wands because it makes things much more hygienic. They are like regular lipgloss wands but they are good quality and I like them.



Overall Thoughts
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this haul. I love everything I purchased and the total cost was very cheap; I mean £5 for all items is a little insane. I paid just under £3 for shipping which brought everything to a total cost of  under £8 which is still very good. However, I feel really sad that I am unable to repurchase any of these products easily as ELF is closing down. I am not sure if they have other things in stock in terms of a new company but I guess we have to wait and see. There are still a few items left on the ELF site but you have to hurry!! Have you tried any products from ELF? TGIF...xx

Eyeshadow Primers- My Top Picks

Hi My Lovelies,
I hope your week has been panning out well and cheers to the Midweek! So, I have recently started applying eye shadows which was something i have selectively dabbled into every now and then. Since the past few months, I have acquired a few eye shadows that suit me and i have started building up my MAC eye shadow palette (post here). Funny thing is about two years back or so, i was a total eye shadow addict and i had quite a few eye shadow palettes ranging from Sleek to Urban Decay and even Rimmel palettes. One thing that has definitely improved my application of eye shadows is applying eye shadow primers before the eye shadows and i have tried a couple of them so this is like a mini review of my top eye shadow primers..

What is an Eye shadow Primer?
It is basically a primer or base which is applied prior to the application of an eye shadow to make it "pop" as all the Youtube gurus say every now and then. It essentially makes your eye shadow have a more vibrant look. Apart from that, it also makes the eye shadow last longer than it should. i find that applying a good quality eye shadow primer makes even a cheap eye shadow last longer and appear more vibrant than it normally should. Eye shadow primers usually come in small tubes for easy application while some of them come with duffer application brushes for a less messy precise application. Some people apply their primers with brushes but i always apply mine with my fingers as it warms it up and it is better blended that any brush i can ever use. Most of the eye shadow primers featured below are all sample sizes except the ELF one which is a full size...

ELF Eye shadow Primer
This was my very first eye shadow primer and i really like it. It comes in a small cylindrical tube with a duffer brush for a more precise and less wasteful application. As a rule of the thumb, you only need a very small amount of eye shadow primer because a little goes a long way and besides the eye area is usually a small one. The ELF Eye shadow primer has in a creamy white consistency which is easily spread around the eye area especially with its applicator brush. I love the quality and how inexpensive it is. For me, it makes my eye shadow last longer and it makes them a bit more vibrant which is good although i would say the quality is not comparable to other high end brands. I use this on a daily basis and when i am applying nude eye shadows

Benefit Stay Don't Stray Eye shadow and Concealer Primer
This is a dual primer as it can be used for both the eyelids and under eye concealer. i usually use it for just my eye lid. The Benefit Stay Don't Stray primer is one that i really like because it does two things which i look out for a primer; it improves the application  and appearance of my eye shadow and it helps it last longer. On many occasions, it has lasted all day and i really like that. I totally can't stand when my eye shadows look beat in the morning and around mid-day, I can't find it on my face :-(. This also comes in a tube with a duffer application brush which i prefer as it prevents excess waste. Its consistency is a lit it pasty but it feels light on application. It's excellent quality and its dual purpose endears it to the hearts of many including mine. I use this when I apply colored eye shadows and i really want it to last all day and stand out against my skin tone really well.

Urban Decay Primer Potion 
This is the ultimate eye shadow primer for me because it ticks all the boxes for me: long lasting; vibrant eye shadows and perfect eye shadow base. Urban Decay is a brand which seem to specialize on their eye makeup products. I love their eye shadows which are beautifully pigmented and last all day with our without a primer. They understand that the next best thing to a beautiful eye shadow is an excellent eyelid primer to follow. The Urban Decay Primer Potion comes in a tube which has no applicator or duffer brush which is a bit meh! but i still love it anyways. Just like other primers, a little goes a really long way. In addition, it prevents any creasing of my eye shadow which is an added bonus for me.  It has an almost pasty texture that may appear a little thick but it blends in really easily on application. I really like this and it is definitely my favourite eye shadow primer. I reserve it for special occasions because the full size is a little pricey but it is worth it. 



I hope you have all enjoyed this post and i had a lot of fun writing it up. By the way, this is my 100th Post and I am so excited to know that I have enjoyed writing every single post on here and a BIG Thank You to all my lovely readers for making this possible through your constant support...MWAH!! See you in my next post...toodles..x

Beauty and Cosmetic Finds for £1 and Under

Hi Lovelies,

Following on from my previous post on Drug Store Foundations (Maybelline Fit Me Foundation Review) and How to get Free Beauty Samples, I decided to write up another blog post on beauty finds I have purchased for £1 and under. I hope everyone is well and fine and also looking forward to the weekend which is fast approaching! Now, many of these beauty finds are one-offs meaning I found them all by chance while others actually retail for £1 pound or under and are widely available. Most of them were purchased in the UK while a good number of them were purchased in Nigeria which is my beautiful home country. Let's get started!

Anyone who knows me personally would know I love bargains. Be it clothing, makeup and even food( blush), i love to get a good bargain or discount. I am pretty sure i am not alone here. When i was a student, most of my clothing items were bought on Sales and with my student discount from many generous shops like Dorothy Perkins, Missselfridge, Topshop and New Look. I love H and M but they never (and still) don't offer student discounts although they have sales occasionally online and in store. I always take full advantage. For beauty items, I usually wait for email alerts from DrugStores such as Boots or Departmental stores like Debenhams, John Lewis and House of Fraser for any sales or discount on beauty items which is usually 10% and may not sound fantastic but if you are buying a high end pricey product, it comes in pretty handy.

These were sold in a set for £1 in PoundLand :-)

In my wandering ways, searching for the perfect bargain and discount, I stumbled upon Pound Land. For those of you who don't know about Pound Land, from its name,  you can deduce it is simply a shop (or a chain of shops) which sell different items for only £1 pound. It is usually my shop of choice for snacks, household items and the odd nick-nacks. However, I noticed the Pound Land in Arndale Manchester had started stocking beauty items which I never bothered checking. One day,  I glanced past the aisle and I saw some known brands like Sally Hansel, Wet 'n' Wild, Rimmel, Revlon and Miss Sporty.

Sally Hansen Powder Blush(Dusk) and Cream Blush (Sunset)

 I always imagined they will only stock unknown brand, I was in for a pleasant surprise. This experience prompted me to explore other options of 99p Stores,  £1 Pounds Stores and even Quality Save. I am going to share with you some beauty finds I have purchased from these stores and some random stores in Nigeria when I was on holiday.

                                                    Sally Hansen Nail Polish range

I got these lovely nail polishes from Pound Land in Manchester. It actually came in a set of three beauty items which included a lipstick, a blush/lip gloss and a nail polish - all for one pound. Guurl, I bought about 20 of them because I called my sister ,also a bargain queen like me,who wanted some of these beauty goodies . I  sent her a picture and she instantly loved it so I had to get a stash of these goodies for her as well. Good a thing i did at the time because when my greedy self returned to buy more they were gone.  

Sally Hansen Hard as Nails "Hard as Wraps" Collection purchased in Pound land

I happened to go to Leeds for an exam and I was browsing through their Pound Land only to find these sets again. I promptly got some for my friends. I think the news about them spread quickly because they soon got out of stock from Pound Land and the few available were no longer sold in sets but separately which was still not bad at all. These nail polishes are super. Sally Hansen Nail polishes need no introduction because I believe they are well known in the beauty world. The particular range available in Pound Land at the time was the "Hard as Nails Hard as Wraps" collection which are excellent quality with slender nail brushes. The nail polish dries easily with minimal streaking which is what I love most about it.

                                           Sally Hansen Color Comfort Lip Color
I never knew Sally Hansen produced lipsticks or lip color. Of course they are not as pigmented as Mac lipsticks but they are very good quality. They are also quite moisturizing and they are soft on the lips.

You may need to reapply this during the day as it is not very pigmented but I really like these lipsticks. I have not been able to find them elsewhere except Ebay and Amazon. I feel they are more readily available in USA. They do not retail for a £1 normally on the Sally Hansen site or Ebay/Amazon.

                                                       Sally Hansen Blushes

Again, I had no idea Sally Hansen made blushes as well. I love these blushes because I feel they are fairly pigmented and really flatter my complexion. I got the powder blush and cream blush. I am not a huge fan of cream blushes in general maybe because i have not yet mastered the art of applying them flawlessly. The powder blush is really lovely and easy to apply. You just need a little and it goes a long way.

                                                      Sally Hansen Lip gloss

I think , after the Sally Hansen lipsticks, these are my favorite beauty finds. They are the only lip glosses i reach for often. I love the selection of shades that came with these sets. The Citrine shade which is a light cream color with the slightest shade of pink is my go-to lipgloss. I use this with almost all my lipsticks because I love nude or light pink lipsticks and this lip gloss accentuates their colors perfectly. 

I also got the purple shade which I apply alongside my lilac or purple lipsticks including Mac's Girl About Town. I have to say these lip glosses are very pigmented and last far longer than the lipsticks. They also have a slight tingling sensation when applied but i don't mind at all because I think it's the lip nourishing action taking place (hahaha) but don't quote me on that.

                                                Revlon Nails No Smudge Dry Oil

I found this little treasure in Pound Land as well. It is the perfect company for your top coat. It is more like an oil in a small bottle and it has a nice thin applicator which helps a great deal. It basically helps nail polish top coats dry faster and protects it from smudges. 

This is one of my prized nail polish accessory because it prevents smudges from getting on my nails. I get a little impatient when I paint my nails and I usually end up with either smudges or a complete mess of my nails. This prevents that from happening and aids in quick drying of my nails. For just £1 at Pound Land, I think it is super. I am not sure how much it retails normally.

                                          MUA (Make Up Academy) Lipsticks

If you live in the UK, I am pretty sure you are quite familiar with the MUA brand. They are a unique brand of make up that sell almost all their products for just a pound. I did not buy these from Poundland; i got them from normal shops like Super Drugs and Boots.

 They are surprisingly good quality and I love their lipsticks best. They are very very pigmented and come in really nice shades. For £1, I think the quality and packaging is really good. The number 11 shade lipstick is my favorite and it reminds me of my MAC Hug Me lipstick which is almost finished now.  Although they are very pigmented, you may need to reapply this during the day.

                                                 MUA (Make Up Academy) Nail Polish

I also love their nail polish range because the colors are very attractive and the formula is quite good for a £1 pound nail polish. The only down side is the brush which feels really plasticky for lack of  a better word.  It is not the easiest nail polish brush to work with but it's only a £1 pound so I can't complain. :-)

                                              L'Oreal Glam Shine Lip Color

I think I bought these from a Quality Save stores and they were all £1 pound each. They are a cross between a lipstick and a lip color. To be honest, they are really very sheer and may be classed as a a tinted lip gloss. They are really shiny (they are not called Glam Shine for fancy) and have a relatively ok lasting power on the lips. I love them so much especially for days when you just want to be casual and effortless. Sadly, I think this particular range with metallic packaging has been discontinued which is such a shame because I love this collection. I think L'Oreal still have the Glam Shine range but it comes in different packaging and I believe it is a different formula as well.

               

                             

                                      Wet and Wild Beauty Benefits Oil Free Foundation

I got this from Pound Land yet again (I told you they are very good). It is definitely not my shade and it is not the sort of foundation I use but it is perfect for highlighting under my eye brow. I normally don't use this for any other purposes and I don't really like how it feels against my skin so I just stick to it as an under eyebrow highlighter. Some days when I feel adventurous, I use it as an under eye concealer but it is used sparingly. You can't always buy nice things you know and it's only a pound so no sweat. 

                

                                                    Primark Spot Swat Treatment Gel
I got this from Primark's Beauty and Bath section. It was only 50p which I think is an absolute bargain. It does not clear spots or blemishes per but it reduces redness which is noticeable the next day. It contains some menthol and witch hazel which i think is the active ingredient. I can't seem to find this in the Primark which is close to where I stay. 
                     

                 

                                              Buffing/ Bronzing Synthetic Brush
I can't remember the actual brand name of this brush because it was bought for me by my lovely sister who always spoils me with many, many gifts. She got this from a £1 pound shop in Coventry. This brush is made of synthetic hair(or are they called bristles??) and is one of my reached for brushes to apply my powder and generally smooth out my makeup. It has stood the test of time. The only down side is it sheds quite a lot especially when it is washed. But, it still has quite a lot of hair left so no worries at all. 

                    

               

                                                            NYC Lipsticks
This was also bought in a random £1 pound shop. I have never tried anything from the NYC brand so i was quite curious to try this. While the shades are beautiful and apply smoothly, I am not a fan of this lipstick because its packaging is really bizarre.  You are unable to roll or slide this lipstick down which means it is always rolled up and smudges easily against any and everything. It is definitely not a lipstick to take on any travels because your clothing and luggage will be in a huge mess. You don't even want to put this in your handbag or make up bag either unless you want multiple smudges everywhere. This is just to spruce up your dressing table..lol

                                                 Air Woman Eye Brow Pencil 
I got this lovely eye pencil when I was back home in Nigeria for Holidays. I purchased this from Kuddy Cosmetics which is Beauty and Cosmetic Store with a few branches in different parts of Nigeria. What makes them stand out is the quality and wide range of beauty products sold in their shops for very affordable prices. Many Nigerians( including me) love to buy imported items especially cosmetics although there are many high quality indigenous brands like BM Pro, Tara Cosmetics and Zaron to mention a few.

I got this for an equivalent of 75p which is really amazing. I always have trouble finding my exact brow shade in pencils which is why I stock up on these whenever I am in Nigeria. This eyebrow pencil is wonderful with its own sharpener. I have never heard or used this brand but I definitely would purchase it again. 

                 

                                                             

                                               Jordana USA Lip Liners

Again, I got these from Nigeria and I absolutely love it. Jordana USA is a well known brand in Nigeria and I love many of their products. I got these from the Trade Fair Shopping Complex which has a wide variety of complexes in a vast land. The complexes are named after all the 36 states in Nigeria which I think is a lovely genius idea. I definitely can't remember what complex I got these from but they are really pigmented and go well with many of my lipsticks.

They are jumbo pencils which come with their own functioning sharpeners and are two sided. Some pencils come with dodgy sharpeners which always break when you try to sharpen the pencils which makes me really annoyed :-(

                                                      Vital Lip Liner Pencils

I got these lovely lip liners from PAK here in London. PAK is a UK Based Hair and Beauty shop which is quite well known in London especially among women of color because they stock a variety of beauty and hair products/extensions for them. I love PAK and I usually purchase almost all my hair (both natural and synthetic) products from them such as Shea Butter, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, etc and a wide variety of hair extensions. I found these lip liners which were on offer for 3 for £1. I bought them just for the sake of it but I was really surprised to find they were good quality and really went well with many of my lipsticks especially the brown lip liner. 

                                       

  I love PAK and I usually purchase almost all my hair (both natural and synthetic) products from them such as Shea Butter, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, etc and a wide variety of hair extensions. I found these lip liners which were on offer for 3 for £1. I bought them just for the sake of it but I was really surprised to find they were good quality and really went well with many of my lipsticks especially the brown lip liner. 

                                      

                                                         Avon Nail Experts in Aquamarine

Avon is another well known affordable beauty and cosmetic brand. I got this in Nigeria and it cost about 80p equivalent which is brilliant. I was really attracted by the color because it is catchy and excellent for Spring. I love the way it applies on my nails and I think its formula is good quality.

                       

                                ELF(Eyes Lips and Face) Nail Polish
The ELF brand is well known in Europe and USA and I believe in many other countries. They are a Beauty and Cosmetic brand which sells good quality products for very affordable prices which I think makes them stand out among other brands. They always improve on their brand and are forever offering discount codes and offers. However, they are only available online. I doubt if many or even any stores sell them in store. But they ship orders very promptly. These nail polishes were only £1 each and I decided to just try these out. The quality is excellent and I love how they look on my nails. They do not chip easily as well which is a plus for them and the nail polish brush is quite large and long so the chances of streaking or mistakes is minimal.

                    

Wowzas, this was a rather long post and if you made it to this point...Thank you for sticking with me. I enjoyed taking these pictures at Dusk which is not my usual time to take pictures. I love taking pictures during the day or when the sun is out but I decided to try out dusk time photos this time and I think they look good. What do you think?... I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I did. I am in the process of putting together another Iphoneography  post up..So watch out for it.. Have a lovely weekend ahead..xx

*DISCLOSURE: I have no material relationship to any brand or person mentioned in this post. All Opinions are mine and the products were bought and paid for by me.