e.l.f. Haul

e.l.f. High Definition Powder, mineral eyeshadows in Trendy and Sweet, Studio Eyeshadow "C" Brush and the Studio Small Smudge Brush

I finally broke down and ordered a few things from e.l.f..  I was hoping that Target would expand their e.l.f. selection but no such luck.  At least, I was able to save 50% on my order with a coupon code to offset the shipping costs; e.l.f. seems to have some sort of coupon deal going on all of the time.  Anyway, on to my reviews!

First, I have the e.l.f. High Definition Powder.  This is a great setting powder, comparable to CoverFX and Make Up Forever setting powders.  At $6 this is a steal; I totally recommend grabbing this over the high-end brands!

I also decided to try a couple of the mineral eyeshadows.  While I am not a huge fan of messy mineral eyeshadows, the color swatches I saw online made me want to try them out.  I adore the shade Sweet; it is a super shimmery pink, which is great for the summer.  The other shade I purchased is Trendy; I was not as thrilled with this shade.  This shadow looks paler when applied and had a lot of glittery fallout.  For $3 apiece, I think these shadows are worth a shot, especially if you like mineral eyeshadows.

e.l.f. Mineral Eyeshadow in Trendy (right) and Sweet

I purchased a couple more brushes from e.l.f.'s Studio line, the Studio Eyeshadow "C" Brush and the Studio Small Smudge Brush.  I tried using the "C" Brush to apply the mineral eyeshadows and was not very impressed; I will have to experiment a bit more with this one.  And, I have not tried the smudge brush.  Overall, I think e.l.f. makes pretty good brushes for a very low price.  My all-time favorite eyeshadow brush is their $1 Essential Eyeshadow Brush!

e.l.f. is a great brand for all you bargain lovers out there and for makeup newbies, too!

Another Must Have Brush!

Sigma Flat Top Synthetic Kabuki F80 brush

The Sigma Flat Top Synthetic Kabuki brush is a revelation in liquid foundation application.  The flat top design and dense fibers of this brush make it great for applying liquid foundation.  I found that by dipping the brush in a small amount of foundation and then applying it to my face with a light stippling motion, I was able to get a really well blended and flawless look without much effort.  The brush does not absorb a lot of foundation; so, you aren't wasting as much product as you would with a sponge or regular foundation brush.  Another very important feature of this brush is that it is super soft and feels great on your face.  In my opinion this brush is tied with the Beauty Blender sponge in terms of best liquid foundation application. 

If you are a fan of the Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse Foundation, this brush works really great with it, and you use just the tiniest amount of foundation to cover your entire face.  I found that the sponge that came with the foundation didn't last long and was impossible to clean.  But, my Sigma Flat Top Kabuki was the perfect solution!

Sigma brushes are professional quality brushes that are affordable; I ordered this brush from the Sigma website for $16.  I believe that Sigma brushes are only available online.

I have to give thanks to Pammy from Pammy Blogs Beauty and Agnes from Pinkbox Makeup for their great reviews of this brush!  I am loving this brush, too!!!