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ThisThatBeauty Reviews: E.L.F. EyesLipsFace Fall and Holiday Collection

Felicia — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 05:00:06 +0000

I remember when I first saw E.L.F. Cosmetics on the shelf in Target. The price point of $1 (also known as one hundred brown pennies) led me to walk away from said product. One dollar makeup cannot be, as Martha would say, “a good thing”.

ThisThatBeauty Editor In Chief, Felicia, assigned me to cover ELF’s Fall 2010 and holiday collection launch. Recalling my earlier exposure to the one dollar brand at my local Tarjay, I eagerly (read sarcasm in “eagerly”) accepted the assignment. Thanks Felicia! However, my sarcasm regarding ELF pretty much ends here! At a recent press event I had the opportunity to go beyond the price tag (and beyond my personal snooty thoughts about one dollar makeup)….and boy was I surprised!

The holiday themed event was decked out with a white Christmas tree and the frozen hot chocolate flowed freely.

Andrea Dunaway, creative director at E.L.F., started off by giving a little background information on the company and the brand. E.L.F. was started by Joseph Shamah, who had the “belief that innovative technology, quality ingredients and superb delivery systems should not be limited to prestige retailers and every woman should have the opportunity to experience luxury cosmetics without sacrificing her budget.” This mantra, if you will, led to the one dollar price point. E.L.F. has a full line of cosmetics for eyes, lips face and more recently — a line of products for bath, body and nails.

Declaring that products are one dollar but then delivering a lackluster product would not be a very good business plan, so, I set out to test some of E.L.F’s signature one dollar products, as well as some of the other moderately priced cosmetics included in their 2010 Holiday and Fall collections.

Shimmer Pencil

My favorite thing about this pencil, apart from the $1 price tag, is that the sharpener is in the cap – a genius move. The pencil glided on effortlessly and added just the right amount of shimmer to make my eyes pop. After about two hours I had a bit of eyeliner migration, which led me to use a primer on my upper lid the next time I used the pencil. On my second application with the primer, the liner held up well and I even got a few compliments. Woot woot!

Natural Matte Shadow

The shadow comes as loose powder and has richer pigments than I expected for $3. I generally add primer to my lid before I apply loose eye shadow, I think that’s because when I first started using loose pigment shadows I got it everywhere. I used E.L.F’s eyeshadow brush for application and it worked really well. More details on the brushes below.

Holiday Collection Eyeshadow Palette

If you are a newbie to make-up and want to experiment without going broke, you can go bananas with E.L.F’s shadow palettes from their holiday collection. I tried several shades and I loved them, a few of my favorites are shown here.

Not all the colors are highly pigmented. Some will definitely require the use of primer and you may have to do some layering to get the desired result. The palettes come in three sizes:

100 piece ($10)
32 piece ($5)
6 piece ($3)

The best value is the 100 piece because you get each color for ten cents. How can you beat that?

Brushes

E.L.F’s brushes are made from synthetic fiber but they are extremely soft. They were designed and tested by professional makeup artists. While I have been into makeup for a long time, I never really got into using brushes (Editor butting in: Christene, how is this possible? You’re into makeup, but not brushes? Girl, we have to talk). I had one brush that I wiped and used for everything, except eyeshadow (Felicia again: I’m breaking out in hives editing this!). With E.L.F’s $30 holiday brush set, I get 11 brushes, one for every stage of my makeup application. The brushes come in a nifty waterproof case. My favorite so far is the powder brush. The set also includes a fan brush, angled foundation brush, and small smudge brush.

Nail Polish

The holiday nail polish collection is all about shimmer. The six shades, Metal Madness, Party Purple, Golden Goddess, Twinkle and Glitter Glam, all have glitter in them. I tried Twinkle on my bare nail as well as over another color. I liked it better when applied over another color. All nail polishes are $1.

Mini Palette

So, I saved the best from the holiday collection for last. If you have never tried E.L.F and you are curious about how far you can stretch your beauty buck and the quality of the products you can get for that dollar, the holiday Mini Palette is perfect for you. It includes eye shadows, blush, bronzer, lip gloss, brow powder, eyeshadow applicator, face brush and lip brush. This is also a great gift idea for someone who wants their “pretty” in sleek ultra-portable packaging. The palette retails for $15….a mere bag of shells (RIP Jackie Gleason)

Other Product Favorites

In the past I have tried a several drugstore mineral powders but that always seem to leave me looking a bit ashen or gray. I used E.L.F’s mineral booster and was in awe of the results. Coverage is minimal so it is perfect for application over my tinted moisturizer. It retails for $5 and is available at E.L.F. The lip glosses are great and they provide high gloss without being too heavy on the lips. I have oily skin and the shine eraser blotting sheets work well. According to the manufacturer they are also supposed to minimize pores, I did not notice any change in the size of my pores. Blotting sheets retail for $1.

Overall, I give E.L.F a passing grade. They offer a wide range of products and tools that are of good quality. If you try something and you don’t like it, chances are you will be out no more than a buck, plus tax.

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This post is written by ThisThatBeauty Contributor, Christene Carr. For more from Christene visit her blog www.christenecarr.com or her business website www.hairandskinjunc.com

Savvy Frugalista: CVS Beauty Days

Felicia — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 05:22:21 +0000

Savvy Frugalistas know that looking good doesn’t mean choosing between rent and your favorite serum. We get “high/ low” and understand the value of the smart drugstore spend.

CVS/pharmacy, one of America’s favorite drugstores, and a ThisThatBeauty fav, is making it even easier for you to look hella gorg and save a few bucks!

See below for upcoming CVS deals that save you money and keep you pretty!

In-Store Spring Beauty Days:

Week of April 18

L’Oreal Excellence Hair Color: $5.49
Crest Premium Toothpaste 6.2oz: $1.88 – lowest price of the year!
VO5 Shampoo/Conditioner: $0.66
Sally Hansen Complete Line: Buy 2 Get 1 Free

Week of April 25

Revlon Complete Line: Buy 1 Get 1 50% Off
Pantene 12.6oz Shampoo/Conditioner: 2 for $5.00
Designer Fragrances ($14.99 and over): Buy 1 Get 1 50% off – Mothers day is May 9
Value Robe: $5.99
Essence of Beauty Complete Line: Buy 2 Get 1 Free

CVS Online Spring Beauty Days:

25% off all Beauty and Skincare (April 12 – April 13)
20% off all Beauty and Skincare (April 13 – May 9)

Every Day Beauty Guarantee:

CVS/pharmacy’s 100% money back Beauty Guarantee makes shopping the beauty aisles risk free! If you don’t absolutely adore your purchase, for whatever reason, bring it back (opened or unopened) along with a receipt for a full refund. It’s that simple. Nothing to lose!

Savvy Frugalista: NEW All-Natural Toothpaste from Burt’s Bees

Felicia — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:38:03 +0000

Hey everyone, Erika here from Shoes, Shirts & Other Sh!t! Felicia graciously invited me to cover a fabulous Burt’s Bees event. I am so excited to tell you all about the great new line of All-Natural Toothpaste that Burt’s Bees has launched!

Burt’s Bees may have you wondering why you’ve waited so long to give natural toothpaste a try! (Burt’s Bees explanation: because it didn’t taste very good- until now!). With six different varieties, including whitening and multi-care (available with fluoride or fluoride-free) and two different kids’ flavors, Berry Bee (fluoride-free) and Orange Wow (with fluoride)—there is something for everyone in your family!

All six toothpastes in the line are clinically proven effective for oral health care and Burt’s Bees is the first-ever toothpaste to be certified by the Natural Products Association (NPA). The fluoride-free varieties are certified 100% natural and the toothpastes with fluoride are certified 99.2% natural by the NPA. Burt’s Bees All-Natural Toothpastes are Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) free, and contain no artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or preservatives. The toothpastes contain natural products with oral care benefits:

Cranberry Extract which helps to block bacteria from adhering to teeth and gums to help prevent plaque formation
Calcium Sodium Phosphosilicate to promote strong, healthy teeth and polish away surface stains
Xylitol found in many types of chewing gum, which is used to naturally sweeten the toothpaste

Silica to help polish and remove stains from the teeth.

Additionally, Berry Bee, the fluoride-free kids flavor is effective at promoting oral health and is safe for the kiddies to swallow. The adult whitening and multi-care toothpastes are mint-flavored and taste great! With regular brushing all varieties are clinically proven to prevent cavities, reduce plaque and freshen breath.

In addition to releasing this great new line of all-natural toothpastes, Burt’s Bees founders, Burt and Roxanne, (read their story here) want to stress the importance of this April 22nd being the 40^th anniversary of Earth Day! Burt attended the first ever Earth Day event 40 years ago, and wants to remind us all that we need to protect the environment!

To celebrate Earth Day, you can “Burtify” yourself at Find Your Burt by either using your webcam to take a picture of yourself or by uploading one and answering questions about how eco-friendly your lifestyle is! (It’s a lot of fun…see my “Burtification” below)

If you live in or around New York City, join Burt’s Bees on Earth Day, April 22, 2010 to celebrate! Although the location has yet to be announced, the event promises to be a blast—from tips to make your lifestyle more eco-friendly, to blending your own smoothie by pedaling a bicycle! Stay tuned for more information on event details as they become available.

The line of All-Natural Burt’s Bees Toothpaste is available in the toothpaste aisle at select grocery stores, drugstores and mass-retailers nationwide and on Burt’s Bees website for approximately $4.99 for a 4-oz tube.

Spring Trendspotting: Shock Value from N.Y.C. New York Color

Felicia — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 05:56:54 +0000

We continue our spring trendspotting with N.Y.C. New York Color. The Frugalista Friendly drugstore brand has recently launched Shock Value, a limited edition collection of punchy colors for lips, eyes, cheeks, and nails. “Shock Value” encourages you to give up your old makeup routine and shake things up with flamingo pink lips, bold purple liner, and citrus nails. With a collection that’s affordably priced from $1.99 to $3.99, my advice is to throw caution to the wind and live a little. Go on…liven up those lips, add some spark to your eyes, pop those cheeks, and light up your nails. Spring has sprung!

In A New York Color Minute Quick Dry Nail Polish ($1.99)

Get added shock value with these intense, cutting-edge hues of quick-dry nail enamel. Infused with a hint of shimmer to add depth and shine, the colors are formulated with a high level of pigment for remarkable, brilliant color that won’t fade. Minerals like magnesium, iron, calcium and copper provide strengthening benefits, as the formula boosts shine and speeds drying time. The unique flat brush included produces the ultimate lacquer effect. Limited-Edition Shades: Magenta Flash, Orange Creamsicle

City Duet Blendable Brights Eyeshadow ($2.99)

Create eye-popping looks with this crease-resistant, pigment-rich shadow duo. Color coordinated for maximum impact, the shocking shade combination dramatically highlights and contours eyes. The shades can be worn alone or blended to create a multitude of looks with the included double-ended applicator. Limited-Edition Shades: Electric, Flash

Liquid Eyeliner ($2.99) Electrify eyes with shocking shades of this long-lasting, fast-drying color. The fragrance-free, hypoallergenic liner glides on easily and resists smudging. The narrow brush allows for precise application. Limited-Edition Shades: Electric Blue, Ultra Violet

Blushable Crème Stick ($3.99) This oil-free, sheer crème dries down to a silky powder finish for longwearing, radiant color that makes cheeks pop. The crème-to-powder formula glides on smoothly for an all-day glow, nourishing skin with Vitamins A, C, and E. The soft and creamy blush blends easily with fingertips to deliver quick, customized intensity and coverage. In an ultra-portable, convenient twist-up stick, the effortless formula allows for quick application on the go.Limited-Edition Shades: Wild Berry, Pink Flash

Extreme Lip Glider Lip Gloss ($3.99)This high-gloss formula shocks lips with vivid, wet-shine color and a glassy finish. Vitamins A, C, and E nourish lips while a complex of extracts and oils provide conditioning benefits. The non-sticky, lightweight, moisturizing gloss provides radiant, vibrant color and lush melon flavor as it smoothes and softens, leaving lips looking ultra-saturated and super-shiny.Limited-Edition Shades: Fuchsia Shock, Wild Orchid, Red Hot

N.Y.C. New York Color is available at chain drugstores and mass merchandisers nationwide. To find a retailer near you visit www.newyorkcolor.com

Part Two: My STYLE ICON Interview with Goodwill of New York & New Jersey

Felicia — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:23:22 +0000

Hey pretty ladies!

As most of you know, I was recently interviewed by “A Good Look“, the blog for Goodwill of New York and New Jersey (also know as GoodwillNyNj). The kind folks at GoodwillNyNj dubbed lil ol me a STYLE ICON and asked a few questions regarding fashion, beauty, maintaining fabulosity (Hey Kimora) on a dime, and overall style.

For Part One of my interview click HERE.

Now that you’re up to speed — kick back, relax, and enjoy PART TWO…Yup yup, I’m dropping gems! Click HERE

And remember, for more GoodwillNyNj goody two shoes goodness — follow them on twitter @GoodwillNyNj and check out their facebook page.

I’m a Goodwill SYLE ICON!

Felicia — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 19:17:01 +0000

According to the good folks over at GoodwillNyNj, yours truly is a STYLE ICON! Can you even? I guess they don’t call ‘em “Goodwill” for nothing. Well I am absolutely honored! I am a faithful Goodwill supporter and truly believe in the work they do.

As part of my reign as Goodwill NyNj STYLE ICON I was interviewed for Goodwill.com. In my two part interview I share sage advice on developing personal style, talk to how I got my start in fashion/beauty, define what “style” means to me, and share my thoughts on the best way to stretch 20 bucks. CLICK HERE for part one of my two part interview with Goodwill NyNj…then leave a comment for me and/or Goodwill. I would love to hear your thoughts!

And for more Goodwill goodness, check out their facebook page.

Cheers,

Felicia

Special Offer from LORAC

Felicia — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 05:00:18 +0000

Check out this incredible frugalista friendly deal from LORAC!

LORAC is offering their coveted FRONT OF THE LINE Water Resistant Liquid Eyeliner for the recessionista friendly price of $10 – that’s half off the usual retail price. This offer is available exclusively at www.LORACCosmetics.com. FRONT OF THE LINE Water Resistant Liquid Eyeliner comes in 3 basic shades – black, brown, and green.

I am seriously considering trying FRONT OF THE LINE. A girl/ beauty writer can never have too many liners. And at $10..I’m pretty much sold! Now where’s my credit card?….

Why Spend All That Money: Free People versus Xhilaration

Felicia — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 05:00:26 +0000

“Why Spend All That Money” is a new series that I am toying around with. Its a splurge vs. steal concept. Hey, I’m as fa-fa-chi-chi as they come but let’s get real. The economy is what it is and I like saving a few smakeroos when I can. So to kick off my new series…

“Why Spend All That Money” on Free People Rosey Lace Slip – $68

When you can head on over to Tarjay and get a like facsimile for only 9.99.

I know. I know. You’re whining…“But Felicia, the Free People item is a “slip” while the Target item is a “cami”.

Ohhh brother! If you’re gonna save damn near $50 on this particular item of clothing you need to exercise a little creativity. I have been eye balling the Free People Rosey Lace Slip for quite some time. Its a great layering piece and this season I am all about my layers. However, the $68 price tag made me a little gun shy and kept me admiring this cutesy little piece from a far. When I spied the Target cami for $9.99, my creative juices began to flow. Ms ThisThatBeauty is generally a size XS or S when it comes to tanks and camis. But because I wanted this particular item to have a slip-like look and serve as a layering piece, I sized up to XXL and voila…Le bad boy fits like a slip and is awesome for layering. I’m so pleased with my discovery that I copped the Target cami in both purple and white lace! So for those ThisThatBeauty readers keeping score – that’s two camis for the price of less than one Free People Rosey Lace Slip.

Yep…”Why Spend All That Money”.

Ports 1961 Sample Sale

Felicia — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 05:29:33 +0000

Do you love designer threads but hate designer price tags? I feel your pain…that’s why I’m spilling the deets on the upcoming Ports 1961 Sample Sale. This Friday, December 11, save up to 85% on Ports 1961 apparel including:

Coats – $75
Jackets – $40
Tops – $20
Shoes – $75

If you really want to show your gratitude, I wear size 4/6 dress and a aize 10 (dont judge me) shoe

Happy Shopping!

Felicia

VEET Spray On Hair Removal Cream

Felicia — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 05:12:21 +0000

Are you slacking on your personal landscaping just because the temperature has dropped?

Oh poor bella…nooo? Say it aint so?

A girl’s gotta be on her hairless A Game 24-7/365.

This winter take a break from pricey salons and get your DIY on. Thanks right, do it yourself! VEET Spray On Hair Removal Cream is a great way to maintain your personal grooming without breaking the bank. Winter is the perfect time to make the switch from regular salon visits to DIY.

The new hands-free formula of VEET Spray On Hair Removal Cream gives you time to put the finishing touches on your holiday hair while it quickly removes unwanted fuzz. Just spray on, glam up, and use the VEET Easy Touch Tool to remove hair without the nicks, cuts or scratches of a razor.

Need another reason to try VEET Spray On Hair Removal Cream? It works in as little as 6 minutes and lasts twice as long as shaving. OK, I’m sold!