Quick Review: ELF Studio Golden Bronzer

Here's a review of ELF Studio Golden Bronzer.

I was looking for an affordable matte or satin finish bronzer, so I hit on the web and started to search for affordable bronzers with good reviews. Most of my searches pointed to NYC Sunny Bronzer; unfortunately, NYC products aren't sold here in the Philippines. So the next product with good reviews was the ELF Studio Warm Bronzer. I was supposed to pick that up, but I was in the rush when I picked this up and didn't read the box. Instead of getting the "Warm", I got the "Golden" shade. We don't have return / exchange policies here, so I'm stuck with this product.

Pros:

• The picture in the box is quite accurate in representing the product
• Packaging looks sleek and professional
• Compact comes with a fairly large mirror
• Contains four different shades, so you can pick the shade that you want to use. You can also customize your preferred shade.
• Pigmented
• Blendable
• Texture is soft
• Gives a nice glow
• You get a good amount of product
• Affordable. I think it's only 228 pesos

Cons:

• The compact doesn't close securely
• Powdery
• Too shimmery to be used as an all over bronzer
• May accentuate wrinkles, pores, imperfections, and dry skin

Swatches:

You can see how powdery this product is.

(with flash)

The right most is the four shades blended together.

(without flash)

Topmost swatch is the four shades blended together.

When I first tried this, I used it as an all over bronzer. What a huge mistake!

I looked like a disco ball! I had to redo my makeup. Take note, I used this with a light hand using a my MAC 187.

I thought at that very moment, what a waste this product is; but being me, I tried different techniques to make this product work. It just didn't cut it as a bronzer.

But I found that it works amazingly well as a highlight.

It gave me a beautiful golden sheen.

I tried using this as a blush, but it didn't worked out for me since it's looks a bit weird wearing gold blush.

I also tried using the smallest amount of product I can manage and topped it on a matte blush.

It added a lovely golden glow to the blush, and made the blush a bit warmer.

Although it fails as a bronzer for me, I like it as a highlight.

Collective Haul w/ Swatches and Mini Reviews

I went to the mall the other day and here's all the makeup products I bought...

I bought 3 new mascaras: CG Lash Blast, Maybelline XXL Mascara, CG Las Blast Waterproof... I heard good reviews with these mascaras so why not try them out...anyways I'm looking for an alternative to my DiorShow...It's getting expensive chucking away DiorShows for several months and buy new ones...I haven't tried any of the three yet...I'll do reviews when I've tried 'em...

I also bought 4 ELF empty compacts/palettes, where I could press my pigments...

Since I'm running out of my trusty old pal, L'Oreal Eyes and Lips MakeUp Remover, I bought Maybelline MakeUp Remover just to try how good it is compared to L'Oreal...

I bought some stuff from PAC... Eyebrow Kit, haven't tried this yet but will review this once tested...Pigments in Electric Purple (Vibrant deep purple) and Neto (Bright Mid-tone Blue)...it's really pigmented and the texture is finer than MAC Pigments...It's a bit expensive than MAC too, but PAC has a lot of colors to choose from; so if you didn't find a color that you want from MAC, check the PAC Pigments....It was swatched without a base above...

From SkinFood: Bought 2 Aloe BB Cream (One is available for a swap...just contact me) I like this one for its coverage but haven't tested this out for its oil control...I'll keep you updated...Next, is the All Over Muffin Cake Finish in Strawberry Honey Muffin(Raspberry pink with rosy pink and cream veinings and gold pearl finish) ...this one looks similar to the MSF's and loove this stuff...so pretty...it reminds me of strawberry and cream ice cream yum!...It gives your cheeks a uber pretty glow...this one can pass off as a blush...great highlighter look how the light reflects with this...I'll get the Gold Banana Muffin, next time...it's also pretty..it's a peachy bronzy one...It also comes with an super duper soft brush!!! Go buy one now! I'm in love with this!

From the Kanebo counter: I bought a Kate Glamtrick Eyeshadow Palette in GN#1, two Coffret D'Or Party MakeUp Collection palette #1, and one Coffret D'Or Party MakeUp Collection palette #2.

I like the Kate Glamtrick Palette, love the colors but the colorpay off is more on the buildable side...I swatched it without a base, so you can see that it's  color payoff is sheer buildable, so use a good base for a more vibrant results... The blackened green eyeshadow is practically the same as the NARS e/s in Night Porter...So I'm happy with this buy! And does anybody has a palette like this one? Since I noticed that the silver one (the one with the question marks in the photo above) has a different texture...I think its not powder...It's like a cream shadow or a gel liner??? Can anyone tell me what it is???

This one is the Coffret D'Or Party Collection palette in #1...I bought two of this (why? I'll tell you later)...The packaging is soo pretty...It contains 3 e/s and 3 lippies with e/s applicator and lippie applicator... This one is more pigmented than the Kate (sorry I swatched it poorly)  but its still pretty much on the buildable side...The middle e/s is not really an e/s but I think its more of a pressed glitters/shimmers...BTW swatched it without a base so a good base would really make a difference...The left most e/s is a frosty pastel pink, the middle is gold glitters/shimmers, and the right most e/s is a frosty midtone purple...

This the neutral version of the #01 palette...also contains 3 e/s and 3 lippies...The left most e/s is a peachy beige color, the middle one is again like a pressed glitters/shimmers than a e/s...the right most one is a taupey beige black...The color pay off is buildable...Swatched it without a base...Same packaging as the #01 one palette except that the rhinestone in the middle row is amber rather than pink... 

Smokey Eyes with ELF Smokey Eye Kit + Review

( I used UDPP for the base along with MAC Prep and Prime Eyes. I also used Shu Uemura Drawing Pencil in White under #1.. I didn't used mascara since I find that my lashes aren't in their best condition right now.)

(Here's what is inside the kit.)

I really liked the Eyeshadow quad since the colors are so pigmented.. love the #3 it's just so pretty and quite unique... However, the #1 is tad too powdery than the rest of the e/s...#2 reminds me of MAC's Black Tied.. They're really comparable, but this one has a bit of a metallic finish.. over all this is a good quad.. it also comes with a sponge applicator and a small mirror.. I'll definitely rebuy this quad by itself... 8/10.

The Eyeliner is kinda bad since it isn't soft and creamy at all...It's not pigmented too! This doesn't even stained my waterline...I'll probably just use this for my brows...2/10.

The duo mascara is really good..it separates, lengthens, and doesn't clump ever even with soo much coats...However, it doesn't volumize...It's also great that one end is a regular mascara while the opposite end is waterproof...I'll rebuy this mascara anytime!...8/10.

This eyelash curler didn't worked out for me, but I wouldn't say it's bad, since I've really tried tons of curlers that are a hundred times worse...It didn't pinched my eyes at all but it just didn't fit my eyes, so it couldn't curl the base of my lashes...Won't rebuy...5/10.

Smudger...hmm...nothing special just your regular sponge smudger...It is my first sponge smudger that didn't came along with an eyeliner...I might rebuy...6.5/10.