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