Product Review -- elf Hydrating Face Primer

I've mentioned before that I have a hard time finding a face primer that works for my skin concerns.

That's because my skin is dry but I also have enlarged pores that I want to minimize.

Hydrating primers don't tend to fill in texture that well, and pore-minimizing primers aren't usually very hydrating.

Over the past year, I've fallen in love with the Touch in Sol No Poreblem Primer, which somehow manages to do both of the things that I need it to.

But it is $18, which, while not super expensive, is a little pricey for everyday use, so I've been on the hunt for a slightly more budget-friendly option.

The elf Hydrating Face Primer seemed like a good place to start.

Product Review -- elf Cream Blush Palette

I used to really dislike cream blush.

I think that had a lot to do with the fact that my skin was super oily and cream products seemed to slip right off.

Application had something to do with it too -- I was applying the blush with my fingers back then and I had a tough time getting it to apply evenly.

Over the past 5 or so years, though, I've kind of fallen in love with cream blushes.

Now, during that time period, my skin has become increasingly drier so cream products have become a much better fit. I've also learned that it's best to apply cream blushes (and highlighter, bronzers, and contour products) with a brush to get the look that I want.

With all of that in mind, I was pretty excited to try the elf Cream Blush Palettes that came out a year or so ago.

Product Review -- e.l.f. Contour Palette

These days, pretty much every makeup company has some type of contouring palette on the market.

There are definitely some good ones, but they're usually pretty pricey and include a wide range of shades so you inevitably wind up paying for shades that don't work for your skin tone.

Fortunately, if you've been looking for a budget-friendly alternative, e.l.f. has once again answered the call.

The e.l.f. Contour Palette comes in a black plastic compact that's similar to the Powder Blush, Cream Blush, Illuminating, and Foundation Palettes. There is a nice big mirror inside that stays open by itself so it's ideal for putting your makeup on when you're traveling.

Product Review -- e.l.f. Rose Gold Eyeshadow Palette

e.l.f. is another one of those brands that seems to be coming out with new products everyday lately.

There are so many of them that I've actually fallen pretty behind in trying them out. So I recently went on a little shopping spree on the site and picked up a few things.

The product that I was most excited for was definitely the Rose Gold Eyeshadow Palette.

e.l.f.'s come out with several of these 10 pan shadow palettes and I've seen some pretty good reviews, but I'd never gotten around to giving them a try.

There was no way I could resist one with a rose gold color scheme, though.

Review -- e.l.f. Studio Pressed Mineral Bronzer

Bronzer is a tricky product for me.

Because I'm incredibly pale -- think Casper the Friendly Ghost and then go a few shades lighter -- it is extremely difficult to find a bronzer that isn't too dark or too orange-y to look even remotely natural on my skin.

When e.l.f. came out with their Studio Pressed Mineral Bronzers, I was excited because it was an opportunity to try a couple of new shades without spending a ton of money on products that (likely) wouldn't work.

So I picked up two of the Studio Pressed Mineral Bronzers -- Baked Peach, a slightly shimmery peachy bronze, and Tan Toffee, a matte light golden brown.

Review -- e.l.f. Pressed Mineral Foundation

I'm a big fan of e.l.f.

They make a lot of pretty fabulous products that are super budget-friendly and they're always having sales on top of that, so you can score a ton of items without your wallet hurting too much.

But as much as I love e.l.f., I've never had much luck with their face products -- the foundations, concealers, tinted moisturizers, etc. have always been too dark for my super fair skin or I wasn't a fan of the formulas.

There have been a couple of exceptions, though -- like the Studio Moisturizing Foundation Stick. I like that a lot on days when I'm in a hurry to get my makeup on.

Still, I decided to give the e.l.f. Pressed Mineral Foundation a try because I'd heard some good things about it.

And e.l.f. describes it as a hydrating powder, which, to someone with dry to normal skin, is pretty much music to my ears.

Review -- e.l.f. Essential 18 Piece Eyeshadow Palette

I love splurging on high end makeup items that make me feel a little extra pampered, but there's something really thrilling about finding budget-friendly items that perform just as well as their higher end counterparts.

And it helps stretch your beauty dollar a little further, which is always a good thing too.

e.l.f. is a brand that often surprises with those kind of beauty bargains, and their new Essential 18 Piece Eyeshadow Palette is the latest serious value in the line worth checking out.

Because it's just $8 for 16 shadows that are really nice and easy to use.

The palette is part of their Beauty School offerings, and it really is ideal for anyone who needs a foolproof collection of shadows for school -- but it's also perfect for work or any occasion when you want mostly soft, natural makeup.

Review -- elf Studio HD Blushes

Over the past year or so, I've gotten really into cream blushes.

I suppose that it makes sense because they have such a fresh, dewy look on the cheeks that I really appreciate now that my skin has become drier.

Of course, some days, I use a cream blush as a base and layer a powder blush on top of it to really make the color last all day.

However I'm using them, cream blushes really rock my world these days.

But I was still a little reluctant to try the elf Studio HD Blushes, which have been around for a while now. That's because a few years back, Makeup Forever had a similar type product and I got a deluxe sample with purchase at Sephora and just wasn't particularly impressed.

Review -- e.l.f. Smudge Pots

I've always been a fan of e.l.f's products, but the line is definitely hit and miss.

I'm always willing to try out new products from the brand, though, because they're so affordable that there's very little risk involved.

But lately, everything I try from e.l.f. is a serious home run -- I've reviewed the Pressed Mineral Blushes and Prism Eyeshadow Palettes recently, both of which I absolutely love.

However, I think my favorite new product that I've tried from e.l.f. in recent months are the Smudge Pots.

e.l.f. touts them as a smooth gel formula that can work as a cream shadow or an eyeliner. They're also enriched with Vitamin E so they can help hydrate and nourish the delicate eye area (which is especially nice for mature skin.)

Review -- elf Pressed Mineral Blushes

A couple of weeks back when I reviewed the elf Prism Eyeshadow Palettes, I mentioned that I've been having really good luck with elf purchases lately.

Here's another product that definitely lands in the Win category -- the Pressed Mineral Blushes.

I own quite a few of elf's Studio Blushes and have always been pretty happy with them, but the Pressed Mineral Blushes may be even more impressive.

August Favorites

So it's that time again ... monthly favorites.

This month, I don't have quite as many as usual mainly because I played with my eye makeup so much in August that I didn't really wear any particular shadows regularly. Still, I have some goodies to share - a few I've mentioned before and some I haven't.