e.l.f. Contouring Blush & Bronzer Powder in St. Lucia

I think I like this. It's hard not to like a product that costs $3, especially when it's not a terrible disappointment. 

I was definitely more enamored by the e.l.f. contouring blush & bronzer duo the first few times that I used it. Both sides of the palette deposits a soft, subtle color onto my skin, which most brands label as "natural beige." 

The trouble comes when I try to build up the color; too much of the product results in a visibly powdery, cakey texture. 

The softness of the colors are great for every day, natural,"I wake up looking this great" look (you know, the "i'm not wearing any makeup" look that takes you 30 minutes to execute).

The photo above was taken before any usage. After a few weeks, I started to see little clumpy bits of product that lay beneath the deceptively smooth surface. Did not affect the performance of either the blush or the bronzer, though.

The bronzer looks incredibly orange on the swatch, but used in moderation with a big fluffy brush, it doesn't look so much like a fake tan. 

Do you own it? Thoughts?

e.l.f. Disney Villains Palettes

I love lots of things in life (which I won't get into now, as it would be a very long list), but one that sits high on that list is Disney.

I totally flipped out about these e.l.f. palettes when I saw them in Walgreens...I should have bought the third one (Maleficent) but I could tell I wouldn't use the colors much, and so I was good. Do I regret being good? Always. 

At $10.00, it's a huge offering -- 

- 1 pair of false lashes + glue
- 8 eye shadow colors

- 2 lip & cheek color pencils

- eye primer

- liquid eyeliner

My favorite part is the fold-out panel that guides you through two looks - Day Evil & Night Villain. You can flip the clear acetate page to see the "day evil" look ... SO. COOL. 

The Evil Queen palette, called the Devious Dramatic Eyes, opens up like this.....

It's mostly shades of plum and mauve, a mix of matte and shimmer.  I'm falling in love with the names of these shadows, too - fairest of the land, one bite, majesty, poison apple...

The Cruella Palette, Evil Everyday Eyes, is just as exciting and probably my favorite of the two. Before I get into that, though, how CRAZY are her cheekbones?! And her boomerang eyebrows? Love.

The colors are very neutral and earth-toned; all are shades of brown with the exception of one very pretty mossy green called Cruelty (other names to love - puppy love, coat of dreams, little beasts).

I didn't expect too much on the quality front because you get so much product for $10, but it actually isn't bad at all. I can tell that the trouble lies in staying power, but I suppose that's where the primer comes in. 

Disney is rallying behind this Villains program in a big way. I saw a huge display at the Disney Store with collectible fashion dolls, stationery, and apparel..everything was so pretty! 

Sigh. I love Disney.