Tag: elf

ELF Brand Review: The Best ELF Products That Feel High-End (Glow Reviver Lip Oil, Prime & Stay Finishing Powder, Lip Exfoliator, Halo Glow Liquid Filter, Sheer Slick Lipstick, Cream Glide Lip Liner, Liquid Blush)

Featuredby liftbakeloveLeave a Comment on ELF Brand Review: The Best ELF Products That Feel High-End (Glow Reviver Lip Oil, Prime & Stay Finishing Powder, Lip Exfoliator, Halo Glow Liquid Filter, Sheer Slick Lipstick, Cream Glide Lip Liner, Liquid Blush)

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I usually reach for high-end products, especially when it comes to makeup. But every now and then, a budget-friendly gem comes along that completely surprises me—and ELF has been delivering some serious winners. These products generally perform just as well (if not better) than some of my pricier favorites or are so inexpensive that they make a great option if you need one. In this post, all links are affiliate links, but all opinions are my own!

ELF Halo Glow Liquid Filter – I’m a huge fan of “shimmer goos,” and this is one of my absolute favorites. I mix it into my primer or foundation for an all-over glow, use it under my eyes before corrector/concealer for extra brightness, or tap it on as a liquid highlighter. It works beautifully in every way I’ve tried, and I always get compliments when I wear it. I actually prefer it over Hollywood Flawless Filter—it’s smoother on my skin and, most importantly, it doesn’t break me out (which the Flawless Filter eventually did).

ELF Liquid Blush in Sauve Mauve, Dusty Rose, Bronze Bombshell – This formula is lightweight, ultra-pigmented, and blends out effortlessly to a soft, dewy finish. A little goes a long way, but it’s super buildable, so you can control the intensity—from a subtle flush to a bold pop of color. The texture melts into the skin without emphasizing texture or disrupting any other products under it. I’ve been really impressed with how well this wears throughout the day—it stays put without fading or getting patchy. If you’re looking for a beautiful liquid blush under $10, I can definitely recommend these. As far as shades go, Dusty Rose is very peachy learning orange on me so I wouldn’t recommend that particular shade if you happen to have an olive undertone, but I love Bronze Bombshell and Sauve Mauve on me.

Bronze Bombshell, Dusty Rose, Sauve Mauve

ELF Prime & Stay Finishing Powder (Fair/Light) – This powder completely surprised me. It’s under $5 but outperforms some of my high-end powders. It has the slightest hint of luminosity, so it sets everything beautifully without making your skin look flat or overly matte. It’s the perfect mix between a finishing and setting powder. I love using it all over to set my cream products while keeping that dewy look. I even used this on my friend for her wedding day (I was doing her makeup and needed something that would last), and her makeup held up flawlessly through the ceremony and all the dancing—well past midnight. I’m continually impressed by how well this works!

ELF Cream Glide Lip Liner In Baddest Beige and Mauve Aside– I can’t say I like these better than my favorite lip liners from Thrive or Victoria Beckham, but if you’re looking for an affordable, high-quality lip liner that competes with higher-end options, this is it. The formula is creamy enough to glide on effortlessly without tugging or patchiness. I was super impressed given these are $2, and really like the semi-matte finish that works beautifully on its own or as a base under lipstick. They wear surprisingly well without drying out my lips. Both shades I got work really well for the types of lip colors I like to wear and for $2, this would be a great option for bolder colors you don’t wear really often.

ELF Sheer Slick Lipstick in Black Cherry – This is clearly meant to dupe Clinique Black Honey, and not only does it nail it—it’s better. The Clinique version always dried out my lips, but this one is slightly moisturizing. The color is nearly identical (at least to my eye), giving that perfect deep cherry tint. It’s sheer without being too sheer, making it easy to throw on without a mirror. For $5, this is a must-have, especially if you love berry lips as much as I do.

ELF Glow Reviver Lip Oil in Jam Session and Honey Talks – If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I usually lean toward high-end lip products (still obsessed with my Hermès and Givenchy lipsticks). So, I was genuinely surprised by how much I love these. Honestly, I’d take them in every shade. They’re the perfect balance of pigment and sheerness, making them super versatile—wear them alone, over a lip liner, or layered with another lip product. The formula is shockingly hydrating for a lip oil, and it’s become my go-to when my lips need extra moisture. It’s not sticky, has a gorgeous glassy shine, and while it doesn’t last long, for $8 and how nourishing it is, I don’t mind reapplying. Heads up: there’s a slight minty tingle, so if that’s not your thing, you might want to skip these.

Jam Session and Honey Talks

ELF Lip Exfoliator – I’ve been using this for years, and I still swear by it. It’s also one of my husband’s favorite skincare products. The stick format makes it so easy to use—no mess, no digging into jars. It exfoliates really well without being too harsh and actually leaves my lips feeling moisturized. We keep them all over the house, and I’ve yet to try a scent/flavor I didn’t like. These are also super easy to travel with because they’re small and won’t spill.

What other products would you like me to review? Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here on LiftBakeLove, and thanks for reading! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.

Lilac and Berry Toned Makeup Must-Haves: Blushes and Lipsticks

by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment on Lilac and Berry Toned Makeup Must-Haves: Blushes and Lipsticks

As someone with an olive undertone, purple makeup is one of my favorite things to use. But it can be hard to find purple makeup that actually looks at home on my skin, and these products all are so easy to throw on. If you have any other lilac/berry/purple products I should try, definitely let me know in the comments! Thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here for new posts. All links in this post are affiliate links, and if you choose to shop through them, thanks for supporting the blog!

Dior Rosy Glow in Pink Lilac – I’m so happy I purchased this. It’s definitely on the top of my lilac blush list now. I also have the original pink one (shown in the swatches), and I don’t regret having both. That said, for my skintone, I think I’ll get way more use out of the lilac one. This formula is fairly sheer so you can really pile it on without having to worry about it (and I would play around with what brush you use to see which works best to pick it up). It’s a little shimmery but in a really subtle way that I actually appreciate. It means I don’t need to use a highlighter and still don’t have to worry about emphasizing texture. This is just now one of my favorite things to finish a look off with no matter what else I’ve done because it brightens up my face and just looks so pretty. This swatches terribly but it does look really pretty on .

MAC Glow Play Blush in Totally Synced – This formula has been my go-to for finishing off my cheek looks for years because it has a really incredible blurring quality that really pulls together any look I’ve done. Because the texture feels like a cross between a powder and a cream, it adds a slight sheen like a cream and has great lasting power like a powder. I own 6 of these, but Totally Synced is a perfect light lilac that really brightens up any look and makes me look awake and hydrated. I imagine it’s what a bright pop of pink looks like on other people, but this lilac shade is perfect for me.

Dior Rosy Glow in Pink Lilac, MAC Glow Play Blush in Totally Synced, Ravie Beauty Endless Diffusion Baked Blush in  Oasis, Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Faith

Ravie Beauty Endless Diffusion Baked Blush in  Oasis – This formula quickly became one of my favorite powder blush formulas of all time – it blends so seamlessly and easily into the skin, is so blurring, and stays all day. It reminds me of an Hourglass blush but somehow better. It doesn’t need to be built up because this color is quite punchy but absolutely can be layered if you need to. The finish is just glowy enough without being overly glowy like a highlighter. I don’t know how they did it, but it’s basically perfect. Oasis is a Fervor is a rich raspberry pink that works so well for olive skin, especially for that “cold girl” makeup look. And of course it fits so well with the rest of the products on this list.

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Faith – This is one of the only liquid blushes I’m willing to use, and it’s because the formula is honestly just so great. This shade is in the matte formula, which I actually prefer to the dewy one because it really dries down and almost stains my cheeks. It has incredibly lasting power, and if I still want a dewy look, I have plenty of highlighters I can layer on top of it. It really is as good as everyone says it is, and I’m not surprised this blush keeps going viral. The shade Faith is a deep purple toned berry that really packs a punch, and you definitely want to use just a tiny bit at a time. Like Fervor, this is one of my go tos for the “cold girl” winter look or to pair with deeper brown or mauve eyeshadow looks. I also love using this as a base to top with Fervor if I want a blush look that’s really going to stay all day.

Thrive Causemetics Lip-Plumping Peptide Gloss in Lilliana – My lips always look so much better when I put one of these on because of the slight plumping and the high shine. The formula is super minty and cooling, and I’m so excited to use these when it’s hotter outside. That said, if you’re not a fan of minty glosses that you can really feel, I would steer clear of this one. Lilliana is a sheer deep purple berry that looks so good with my skin tone. It’s also sheer enough that I can use it regardless of how much other makeup I have on my face but I can also build it up if I want something more.

Elf Lip Oil in Jam Session – This is one of my favorite lip oils/glosses and definitely my favorite under $10. It’s described as an ultra-glossy tinted lip oil that nourishes, hydrates and enhances your lips’ natural color which is 100% accurate. I love that it’s just pigmented enough that you can tell you’ve used something on your lips, but it’s not too overwhelming or punchy. And I don’t need to worry about using a mirror or anything when I apply it. The formula is super nourishing so I actually will throw this on even when I just feel like my lips are dry. It’s honestly just a bonus that the purple berry color is so perfect. When I’m looking for something plumping and extra minty, I’ll go with the Thrive, and I’d go with this when I want something more nourishing and hydrating since these two are almost the exact same color on the lips.

Thrive Cosmetics Lip-Plumping Peptide Gloss in Lilliana, Elf Lip Oil in Jam Session, Finding Ferdinand Balm in Lucky Cat, Hermes Shiny Lipstick in Prunoir 

Finding Ferdinand Balm in Lucky Cat (*PR) – I think this might be limited edition, so if you’re looking for your perfect mauvey berry balm that doesn’t cost $80 like Hermes Prunior, I’d grab this one before it’s gone. I got this in PR (thank you!) but if I hadn’t, I’d absolutely spend $26 on this because the color just looks so great on me no matter what else I have on my face. It’s really the purple without looking too purple balm of my dreams. The other thing I appreciate is that it’s super buildable so I can start with a light layer that just makes it look like my lips have color on them or I can build it up to be more true to its color in the tube if I’m doing a berry/purple look. The Asian pear scent is also so nice, and it isn’t too strong. You can also use affiliate code LIFTBAKELOVE10 on Finding Ferdinand’s site to save 10%.

Hermes Shiny Lipstick in Prunoir – This is truly the perfect lipstick when I’m doing a berry toned or mauvey toned or purple leaning look . It’s also incredible as a way to balance out lipsticks that just need a bit of purple added to them when it feels like something is off. The formula is perfect – it’s shiny and hydrating without sliding all over the place, and it’s sheer without being patchy or not really showing up. The only thing is that it really has that luxury lip scent that’s quite strong, but I’ll put up with it for how perfect it is otherwise. Of course, the packaging is also stunning and feels like something you paid $80 for. This shade is probably out of stock now, but the formula is great if one of the other colors would work for you!

Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here on LiftBakeLove, and thanks for reading! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.

Must-Have Drugstore Products For About $5

by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment on Must-Have Drugstore Products For About $5

I got a bunch of great products for my birthday months ago, and there are some drugstore products in the bunch that really stood out to me that I wanted to write about. I then realized they were all around $5 which is amazing – I never would have expected that. I would love to read about your favorites and recommendations for under more affordable beauty products in the comments! Thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here for new posts. All links in this post are affiliate links, and if you choose to shop through them, thanks for supporting the blog!

L.A. Girl Pro Conceal HD Concealer in Green – This is the green color corrector I’ve reached for the most. I’m planning on doing a full green color corrector comparison post because I actually have a bunch in rotation right now that I like and use for different reasons. This one is the most green of the bunch and doesn’t lean too matte or dewy so it works really well with whatever primer, foundation, concealer, and powder combo I’ve used that day. This is definitely meant to be more of a pure green concealer so I can’t use it as a primer by itself like some of my other green correctors, but a lot of those require I top them up with something like this anyway because they’re not nearly as green.

Wet n Wild Prime Focus Glass Correct Primer – I love this as a dewy primer even though it doesn’t have as much green as I would like (it basically looks colorless compared to something like the L.A. Girl color corrector). That said, it somehow manages to feel incredibly moisturizing with a glass-like finish (as the name would suggest) while still being able to act as a primer for makeup that doesn’t make anything slip around or feel greasy. I tend to mix this with one of my greener color correctors to really cancel out redness, but if I’m in a rush, I’ll just use this, and my skin still looks beautiful.

L.A. Girl Pro Conceal HD Concealer in Green , Wet n Wild Prime Focus Glass Correct Primer, Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in Ritz , NYX Slim Lip Pencil Creamy Long-Lasting Lip Liner

ELF Prime & Stay Finishing Powder (Fair/Light)– This powder really surprised me. It’s less than $5 and performs honestly even better than some of my high-end powders. It has a tiny bit of luminosity to it, so it sets without mattifying too much, and it’s the perfect hybrid between a finishing and setting powder. I love using this for all over my face and to set all my cream products without getting rid of any of their dewiness. I even recommended this to my friend to use on her wedding day (I was doing her makeup and wanted something that would stay all day), and her makeup held up through the ceremony and all the dancing at the reception well past midnight. I am continually incredibly impressed by how well this powder works!

Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in Ritz – If I didn’t have Urban Decay Space Cowboy and needed something that gives the same effect on top of eyeshadow looks, this would be my pick. It’s a sheer shimmery eyeshadow that adds a wet look to any shadow without really adding any color or changing the color of the look underneath. It’s also incredibly reflective and glossy, doesn’t have any fallout, and is so easy to apply with a brush or fingers (and doesn’t require any glitter glue). If I want to do that “cold girl” look with berry cheeks and lips and sheer sparkly eyes, this is my go to eyeshadow.

NYX Slim Lip Pencil Creamy Long-Lasting Lip Liner – This lip liner is creamy enough that’s it’s comfortable to use but stiff enough that it stays exactly where I want it. It also has really great staying power and is a great prep step for even more pigmented lip products because of those qualities. I honestly can’t tell too much of a difference between this and my much more expensive pencil lip liners, so if you’re looking for a place to save, this would be my pick. The shade Peakaboo Neutral (a brown toned pink) works great with the types of lip colors I tend to wear. For only $5 (or less on sale), these are so worth it.

Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here on LiftBakeLove, and thanks for reading! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.

5 Best Makeup Products of the Year So Far: Favorites & Reviews

Featuredby liftbakelove2 Comments on 5 Best Makeup Products of the Year So Far: Favorites & Reviews
5 Best Makeup Products of the Year So Far: Favorites & Reviews

Now that we’re half way through the year, I wanted to share the five products I tried this year and fell in love with (although I have a bunch more to talk about so I might do another round of this!). If there’s anything you were looking for a review on or a topic that you want me to cover, please let me know if the comments below! And, of course, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here for new posts. If you choose to shop through my links, some may be affiliate links that support the blog – thank you!

Exa Jump Start Smoothing Primer – I’ve been really struggling with my makeup completely breaking apart by the end of the day no matter what I use or how I prep my skin. I have super dry skin so haven’t typically thought to use a mattifying or pore-filling primer, but I figured it was worth a shot because the one is described as a semi-matte full of skincare ingredients. I am so happy to report back that not only does this not dry out the skin, it blurs, smooths, and locks down makeup exactly how I wanted. I’ve also tried this mixed with Glossier Future Dew on especially dry skin days, and that works better than I expected. I can see this becoming a staple I repurchase again and again.

Prada Reveal Skin-Optimizing Refillable Soft Matte Foundation

Prada Reveal Skin-Optimizing Refillable Soft Matte Foundation in LW5 – I somehow ended up with 11 foundations in my collection at the moment, and I honestly love all of them (let me know if you want a review of all 11!). But if I had to choose just one to keep and use every day, it would absolutely be this one. I know it’s super expensive, but if you’re not going to travel with it or care about it having a lid, you could totally get away with buying just the refill. During the upcoming Sephora sale, depending on your discount, it’ll end up being around the same price as other foundations from brands like Nars, Estee Lauder, Haus Labs, Ilia, Makeup by Mario, etc., and it’s so much better than anything else I’ve tried. It doesn’t matter what I do with the rest of my face, this looks great all day. It’s somehow blurring and skin-perfecting without being too high coverage or drying. It’s described as a skincare foundation that refines the skin in three dimensions including tone, luminosity, and texture to reveal soft-filtered skin in real life, and that’s honestly exactly what it is. It’s basically magic in a bottle, and I don’t understand the wizardry of this foundation. I’m just so glad I picked it up and tried it!

Merit Beauty Solo Shadow in Studio and Mid-Century and Sephora Collection Colorful Blush in Self Made

Merit Beauty Solo Shadow in Studio and Mid-Century –  I needed a new one and done matte shadow after my Mac Paint Pots finally expired, and these seemed like the ones to try. I’m so glad I picked these up. The formula is incredibly easy to work with and doesn’t require a primer because of the way these set down. It doesn’t crease and stays all day without fading. It also works great as a base for shimmer toppers or powder shadows. I’ve applied it with fingers and brushes, and it works great either way. I know this formula has a lot of hype around it, but it’s absolutely as good as people are saying it is. Studio is a cool taupe and Mid-Century is a warm brown, so between the two I have options for cool and warm toned looks. It’s also now one of my favorite shadows to bring when I’m travelling because the shades I have go with everything, and it’s just so quick and easy to throw on.

Sephora Collection Colorful Blush in Self Made – This is a beautiful matte powder blush formula in such a good shade for me. I’m shocked it’s as inexpensive as it is (especially if you grab it when Sephora Collection is 30% off). This is the blush I’ve been going to when I just need something to throw on without thinking or having to worry about how it’ll look. This is on par with the Pat McGrath blush formula for me, which is really high praise given how much I love that blush. Self-Made is described as a muted light pink, and it’s a perfect pinky beigey goes with everything kind of shade. I also love this for travel because it’s so thin and easy to sneak into my makeup bag. I actually might buy more shades during the upcoming Sephora sale.

ELF Glow Reviver Lip Oil in Jam Session and Honey Talks

ELF Glow Reviver Lip Oil – If you’ve been following me for awhile, you know I tend to lean towards high end products, especially for lip products (I still am loving my Hermes and Givenchy lipsticks). That’s why I was so surprised to love these as much as I do – I honestly would love to have them in every shade. They’re just pigmented enough and sheer enough to use in a variety of ways, whether that’s alone, on top of a lip liner, or on top of another lip product. The formula is surprisingly hydrating for a lip oil and is now one of my go-tos when my lips are feeling particularly dry. It’s not sticky and has a glassy shine. These don’t last very long, but for how nourishing they are and for $8, I’m willing to reapply.

What were your favorites this month? Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here on LiftBakeLove, and thanks for reading! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.