much more Bay area lovin’

Yay for the Bay! In this series, for the month of February 2019, I’ll be featuring products from and around my stomping grounds, the San Francisco Bay Area.

A trifle of trivia for my friends who marvel at makeup minutia: drugstore brand E.L.F. was founded in Oakland, California, in 2004. as opposed to popular myth, their name stands for “Eyes Lips Face,” and not for the classic Christmas film starring will Farrell (which I’ve seen about a million times!).

WOW! That’s a lot of fun facts, I know! ? You’re soooooo welcome.

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E.L.F. is low-key well-known for doing a full range of very affordable drugstore makeup — color, tools, skincare, the whole nine yards — with plenty of products to choose from under $10. Whenever I have a charm itch that needs scratching but don’t want to start a raging bonfire in my wallet, I’ll go to Ulta or Target and get a few $2 doohickeys in the E.L.F. section for some instant gratification.

Granted, it doesn’t always work out for me, because I’m pickier about textures and finishes now that I’m in my 40s than I was in my 20s and 30s (a.k.a. the age when I could throw any shimmery shadow with the consistency of almond meal on my lids and be just fine), but in some cases I’ll find something great! Sure, it might not be the most ideal product in the history of the world, but it also won’t require me to take out a loan.

What happens when you “smize” and pop your hip in front of your garage… BTW, I’m wearing the E.L.F. shadow Brow and liner palette and the No Budge Retractable liner on my eyes.
Like their $12 matte powder eye palette with cool-toned mattes (YES!), which you can use to fill in your brows, shade your lids and line your eyes.

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Let me say that again: COOL-TONED MATTES. As in *no* orange or red shades. What a gem! I can do pretty much an entire eye look from start to finish with this palette (just add a tightline and mascara), and it works with practically every blush/lip combo around.

The caveat? Nil wear time…so I absolutely have to use it with an eye primer. If I don’t, the shadow vanishes in less than two hours.

Even with primer, it fades much more and faster than higher-end shadows. but still…it’s $12! For that price, I’ll take it. I’m pleased enough with the colors, the blending and the texture of the powders (similar to urban Decay).

I made an E.L.F. run last week because I needed a pick-me-up after going to the dentist, so I got…

A $3 No Budge Retractable eyeliner in Black: Long-wearing and decently pigmented (although not as pigmented as the Maybelline twist-up, so I have to use two or three layers). It’s stiff, but it’s good enough for tightlining.

A $2 pack of Line & define Tape: This stuff is juuuust sticky enough. You can even cut them in half to make a pack last longer.

A $4 solid brush & Sponge Cleanser: pretty great.

An entire haul for less than $10!? how is that even possible!?

What are your E.L.F. faves?

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Your friendly neighborhood charm addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!!!