I wasn’t sure where to purchase ELF products here, as I’m new to the LA area. After a bit of searching using their shop locator, I finally found a place that had them in stock! I suppose I could have ordered them online, but I don’t recommend it unless you don’t’ have any suppliers in your area — shipping is almost $7! For such dirt cheap products, I feel they charge a bit much for their fixed shipping price.

In this case I only needed three items. I was pretty impressed with this mini haul of ELF products. ELF usually tends to be a hit and miss with me, as I described in my ELF haul from this past May.

ELF Tinted Moisturizer

[rating=3] 

Pros: I like the packaging because it’s sleek and you can see how much you have left, as well as the actual color of the product. Glides on smoothly.
Cons: I only saw three shades available. It seems a bit watery, so I’d say coverage is light. The biggest fault — not much is in the bottle!
Overall: I needed a cheap alternative to my favorite tinted moisturizer by Tarte. At $3 compared to the usual $36 I pay for Tarte…This was a steal. Don’t get me wrong, because it doesn’t even compare to Tarte’s formula! However, I do like the light coverage because my skin is in good shape and Tarte’s was a bit too heavy for me. It’s an average product at a great price, but that’s good enough for me because I don’t need much. I’ll likely continue to use this one!

ELF Brow Shader and Highlighter

[rating=4] 

Pros: Very soft product, unlike many other pencil brow shaders you have to be careful with your pressure. Blends beautifully!
Cons: I like the style of the packaging but this is another one of ELF’s “looks good but works badly” designs. Each end has a cap, and both of my caps are loose and fall off easily.
Overall: Natural color, blends well. Aside from the caps constantly falling off, I like it. I would purchase this again.

ELF Tinted Lip Balm

[rating=5] 

Pros: Lovely color, smooth application, classy design.
Cons: Fades.
Overall: My only apprehension with this product is that it doesn’t stay as long as I’d like it to, but I can’t take off for that because it’s not a lipstick — it’s a tinted balm that’s bound to fade. The color is wonderful and it moisturizes well. I may see if they have a similar shade in a lipstick, but my area doesn’t carry ELF lipsticks… Which is ironic because they’re my favorite product option from ELF!

[rating=4]

Scent: The first thing I noticed about my first Essie polish purchase — the smell was much stronger than OPI. I can stand OPI quite well but this I actually had to take a breather from. It actually smelled worse than my nail polish remover, which I thought always smelled worse than actual polish!

Application: The formula is watery, which actually has many benefits but caught me off guard. It took me three coats to get an average opacity on the white and I didn’t want to do more because I was afraid it would be too heavy. I should’ve gone for four or even five coats. I’m used to OPI, which has a thick consistency and therefore dries slower and tends to absorb imprints easily. This goes on thinly, dries fast, and allows itself to build up. It also makes for easy cleaning around the nail after painting, because the coats were so thin there were no big globs on my cuticles. Now that I know how to use it right, I can get a more opaque effect next time!

Color: This is the perfect white, just as I thought. It’s not in your face, white-out color like my White Tip by Sally Hansen but it still makes a statement without pink undertones. Unlike most whites I’ve tried it’s not thick and hard to paint on — it’s watery. The white is more of a natural finish that you could use for a more realistic french tip. With a top coat it looks classy.

Price: At around $8, I was kind of put off by the price. I usually invest in OPI for the same price, which isn’t sold in drug stores. I always thought Essie a drug store brand, so when I saw it was the same price as OPI I kind of cringed. While I ended up loving it and can justify the price in my mind, I still think they should knock a dollar or two off. By the way, I was able to purchase this on eBay for a price I felt better about. I’d check out eBay before buying in-store!

Final Thoughts

Aside from the strong smell and price tag, I’m loving Marshmallow by Essie. It’s the perfect shade for a french manicure and a white statement nail. It goes on thin, which makes for easy cleaning, drying, and building of its opacity. Definitely a staple in my collection!

I’m hearing a lot about low ponytails being in for fall. Personally, I haven’t worn a low ponytail since I was in middle school. (Where it was my signature because I wore it every single day.) I tend to avoid the low ponytail because it makes me feel like a kid again.

However, I’m trying to grow my hair out extra long for my wedding in about a year. My hair is thick and naturally wavy (unevenly so) and it’s been increasingly difficult styling it every day. Today I was in a rush and decided on the low ponytail… It’s not so bad after all!

Anyone can wear a low ponytail, since it sits at the base of your neck. Unless of course you have one of those chic boy cuts. It’s simple, it’s fast, and it’s still gorgeous. Hear are some great ways I’ve found to wear it. So don’t be afraid to rock a ponytail if you’re running low on time!

Leave a strand of hair out at the bottom. Then wrap it around and pin it!

Tease the back to a height you like and then tie it off. Leave the back a bit messy.

Adele is queen of the low pony. Keep volume and off-set it to the side.

Pull it all back with some product for a sleek, sexy look.

What do you think about the low pony tail? Do you wear it often, and can you see yourself wearing it for the fall? Like I mentioned, I’m probably going to be defaulting to this style just because I’m growing my hair out and it’s super easy to do.

Images sources: 1, 2, 3, 4

I learned from many beauty gurus on Youtube that white eyeliner on your waterline “opens the eye and makes you look rested and fresh!” While white does generally match the color of your eyeball and does make your eyes look bigger, I find that there are more effective ways to look well rested and fresh.

It’s easy to notice that the girls below are all wearing white eyeliner. It’s still a strong look. Just like wearing black is a statement, wearing white is a bold look on the opposite spectrum. Personally, I’ve learned that I can’t pull off white eyeliner on my lower lash line without looking like my eyelashes have dandruff.

If you do want to open your eyes and look well rested, I think you should either go for a nude colored eye liner or use the white liner very sparingly as illustrated below. For specific products, Tarte has a really great nude inner rim pencil, but I softly use a white liner from NYX as a cheaper alternative to get the job done when needed. Both are creamy but solid enough to stay on the waterline. If all else fails, I think a good concealer paired with a natural blush can make you look naturally radiant any time.

Image source: doedeereblogazine.com

Of course, the best way to look well rested will always be to get plenty of sleep and make sure you’re hydrated! What’s your experience with white and nude eyeliner?