e.l.f.: First Impressions Fridays

This week, I want to give you my first impressions of the cosmetic brand e.l.f. Obviously, most people who are familiar with makeup have heard of e.l.f., and the brand has definitely been on my radar for a while. But, for some reason or another, I've never really bought any e.l.f. products. I think I bought some of their $1 brushes and powder while I was in high school, but I didn't like them very much, and I didn't know enough about makeup at the time to be aware of the brand and how it compares to other brands. Anyway, I bought some e.l.f. products from Ulta recently (because Ulta now sells e.l.f., which is one small step for man and one giant step for makeup kind), and I want to give you my impressions of them.

Mineral Infused Face Primer in Brightening Lavender ($6) - I needed a new primer, so I decided to pick up this product. e.l.f. says that this primer was "developed to combat against excess oil, flaky dryness, enlarged pores and fine lines, this clear multipurpose skin primer will prepare your skin so makeup goes on evenly for a long-lasting satin finish." I don't know if it does everything it claims, but, so far, I'm really appreciating this primer. I got the "Brightening Lavender" version of this primer, however, I don't really think it's very brightening. On the other hand, it keeps my makeup on all day and really smoothes out and evens out my skin. It doesn't really do anything extra for my skin; however, if you don't have any major skin concerns, it's good for everyday, ordinary makeup.

Small Tapered Brush ($3) - I bought this brush for highlighting. I haven't washed it yet, but so far it seems pretty sturdy and effective. As you can see, it's slightly angled, which makes it good for highlighting (and probably contouring and blush too). The bristles are soft, but firm enough to pick up and apply product (if that makes sense). Plus, it blends pretty well. I would prefer to have the bristles a little more tightly packed, but for the price, this is an excellent brush. (In the picture, it's in the center).

Crease Brush ($3) - I have to say that I was a bit disappointed by this brush. The bristles are quite stiff, which, as you can imagine, means that it isn't very useful as a crease brush. The best crease brushes are soft enough that you can actually buff the shadow into the crease. I find that this brush doesn't really apply shadow evenly and I get a lot of fall out when I use it.  It is only $3, but the Wet n' Wild crease brush is $1 and it's much softer and more effective. So, if you're looking for a cheap eyeshadow brush, this wouldn't be my first choice. (In the picture, it's on the left).

Blending Brush ($3) - Like the crease brush, I'm not super impressed with this as a blending brush. It's a little too stiff for blending. However, I think it's fine for applying shadow all over the lid or on the browbone. For the price ($3), I think it's a perfectly fine brush. However, as I said above, I think that the Wet n' Wild eye brushes are better and they're in the same price range. (In the picture, this brush is on the right).

Long story short, e.l.f. products are pretty good considering the price. There are definitely some gems among e.l.f. products. However, on the whole, I'm not super impressed with the brand.