Battle: ELF Poreless Face Primer VS Maybelline Instant Pore Eraser!

Primer Smackdown!

A few months ago I thought that in order to have a great primer it needed to be high end. I was pleasantly surprised by one of these primers specially because it proved me wrong! Lately the drugstore is coming out with amazing products. I'm excited to share my thoughts on both of these. For the longest you were only able to get the ELF products on their website but nowadays you can find the brand at Target and Walmart. For new items you still need to order online but for the most part they are slowing appearing in store. Their prices are amazing and they always have a 50% off coupon floating around for online shopping! So needless to say... I had high hopes for ELF.

I purchased the ELF Poreless Face Primer first, from their website for only $3 (retails for $6) because it looked promising. I loved the packaging, I mean its the complete opposite from the Maybelline one but I prefer it. I just like sleek, simple looking products. In this case... the packaging was the only thing I enjoyed about it because everything else was a fail. This ELF Primer claims to reduce the appearance of pores, fine lines and shine. It also claims that it will leave your face matte for a very long time. I don't agree with these claims at all!

I tested both of the primers with the same foundation on different days. The ELF one made my face feel a bit slippery as if it wouldn't settle.... just stay on the surface of my face. After applying my foundation I noticed that I would get super shiny within 2 hours. My pores were still pretty visible but the fact that I would get shiny emphasized them even more so it didn't work for me at all. On top of that... IT STINKS! I have no idea what it smells like but it is horrendous! It's a super strong smell that lingers for the first hour. After that I it either disappears or I get used to it haha. On their site it says that it's infused with Tea Tree so it must be that. I personally just cant stand it.

The Maybelline Instant Pore Eraser is amazing though! I keep calling it a primer but it doesn't claim to be... just a pore eraser. It does its job pretty well! As soon as I use it I immediately noticed a huge difference. Plus it stays on all day and erases my pores for the duration of my makeup! I still get shiny a tiny bit so I touch up but like I said... this product doesn't claim to control shine so I don't mind. The packaging is also adorable and convenient. Its a clear formula, a bit thicker than the ELF one but it settles so you don't feel it on your skin after a minute or so.

Bottom line: Maybelline won hands down! It's on $6 at your local drugstore (Walmart and Target too!) and it gets the job done. It doesn't have a scent and it last all day! I was excited to try the ELF one because it could've been a diamond in the rough but I just can't stand that smell. Besides it really didn't work for me overall. So if you want a primer that works and is inexpensive pass on the ELF one and go purchase the Maybelline! It's currently part of my makeup routine and it's made it better ever since! :-)

Review: NYC City Proof Twistable Intense Lip Color!

Intense Color At A Great Price!

New York Color or NYC came out with a new lip product that I had to try! You know me... I'm a lipstick/ lip gloss hoarder so as soon as I saw the display at Kmart I wanted to take some home. These are called the NYC City Proof Twistable Intense Lip Colors (Wow... what a mouth full! haha) but like the name claims they are full of pigment! I only purchased two colors but I'm going back for more. These are only $3.99 and for that price you definitely need to try them!
The packaging is simple but still cute. The color of the tube is the color you get for the lip color which is typical with these chubby sticks. Now, I wanted to check on the site for the product claims and what it comes down to is: intense color, long lasting and stay-put finish. I do agree with the first and last claim but not so much the second. I find that it holds its shine for about 2 hours max and then then it starts to fade a bit. Personally I don't mind reapplying this once that happens but I wanted to point it out in case someone finds that a bit tedious. Don't get me wrong, the shine fades but the color stays put! They don't claim to be a stain but I do feel like after a few hours it does leave a stain behind which is just as pretty. They go on super smooth and are very moisturizing the first few hours. They get a bit drying once the shine starts to fade but that's normal. They have a sweet/fruity smell to them... kinda like cherries!
Here are the colors I chose swatched on my lips.

From left to right:

*Metropolitan Mauve- A bright medium pink. Very wearable and pretty!

*Gramercy Park Plum- A deep burgundy/berry shade. My favorite! I got many compliments when I wore this to work!

 





Bottom line: I would recommend these! For the price it's a great lip color to just throw in your purse and go. You get intense color and the color range is awesome. They have everything from nudes to reds. I wouldn't say these are anything like the Revlon Balm Stains since those are balms. These just promise great color pay off and they keep that promise. The application is super easy with the pen format and they feel silky smooth on the lips! I never had great expectations for NYC products since they are so inexpensive but these are amazing and I can't wait to try out more spring appropriate shades! :-)

 

Review: Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquers!

New Liquid Lipstick!

Judging by the picture you might think I went a bit crazy this time around... and I did! I was so excited to find out that the Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquers were being released in the United States! All the hype they got in the UK made me want them so bad. So... I decided to purchase all of these beautiful shades! Keep in mind... I don't enjoy shimmer nor glitter in my lip products so I only purchased the ones with a cream finish. I always gravitate towards bright colors but this time I wanted to add some more muted colors to the mix just to see how good they were. Alright so lets talk prices! I purchased these on Walgreens.com for $4.99 + BOGO! I couldn't pass up that deal! They came in the mail very quickly, no more than 5 days.

The packaging on these is very original! The caps look like a meteor or crater haha and all the names are galaxy themed. I love the gradient effect it has and how the color of the tube is also the color you'll be getting. Speaking of the colors... they are amazing! I do have to say, the brighter colors have a better application than the nudes. I find that the more muted colors come off a bit patchy and streaky. But the brighter colors are opaque in one swipe and the color is as vibrant as the tube. I really enjoy the formula! It doesn't feel thick on the lips and once it dries the color stays on all day without settling or flaking off. My only con is the smell. I honestly can't describe it and that's probably why I'm not a fan of it haha. It smells a bit sweet yet floral. Once its on the lips for a bit you can't detect it but for me it's still kinda unpleasant.

Here are the lip swatches:

From left to right:

*Apocaliptic- A fuchsia red, so pretty on!!

*Stellar- A bright coral with red tones

*Aurora- A light coral, will be great for spring! :-)

 



From left to right:

*Celestial- A pinky mauve, one of my favorites for everyday!

*Luna- A peachy nude. Leans towards the orange side on my lips... not a fan.

*Nude Eclipse- A nude beige. My least favorite... looks like concealer on my lips haha.

 

Bottom line: I would really recommend the brighter colors in the line. Celestial is one of the nude colors that I would also recommend because it leans pink and is perfect for everyday. As far as the nudes... I really don't like them. They don't apply as well as the others and the colors are not flattering at all... at least not on me. Overall the formula is great! It leaves a pretty shine on yours lips. Once it fades the color is still as vibrant but you can always reapply to get the shine back. It does require some precision to put on so it doesn't bleed. So if you want something you can put on in the car without a mirror this is not the product for you. Other than that I do think they are worth a try and the price isn't bad. Keep an eye out next time you go to the drugstore! :-)