Mini e.l.f Haul and #reviewsdaytuesday

 The other week I was reading one of my favourite cruelty free beauty blogs and it sent me into a panic with the news that e.l.f would no longer be distributing in the UK. e.l.f is one of my favourite budget cruelty free brands, and if you've read any of my make-up look posts then you'll have seen that e.l.f products are a huge part of my everyday make-up routine. I abandoned Gemima's blog post mid read and dashed (metaphorically) to their store to try and pick up some products before they were gone for good! Sadly my favourite pressed powder and liquid eyeliner were already out of stock, but I took the opportunity to treat my self to some cut price (up to 70% off!) cruelty free, vegan treats before e.l.f were gone forever (although in good news, they may be returning in the next couple of months).

I was a little disappointed with how slowly these items arrived (they took 10 days from order to delivery), and I know I've had slow orders from e.l.f before - however I did order them just before Easter bank holiday, so I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt. It helped that they threw in a free tote bag too - what a lovely surprise! I won't be giving full reviews of these products as I've only had them since Saturday, but I've tried them all once so I'll try and give a bit of a feel to how they measure up to their claims.

Top to Bottom: Studio Cream Blush in Seductress, Studio Cream Blush in Flirt, HD Blush in Superstar, HD Blush in Headliner)

HD Blush in Headliner

HD Blush in Superstar

HD Blush (Headliner and Superstar) - 

The Claim: Naturally sculpts and highlights for a soft focus effect that is great for everyday use. The Vitamin E enriched formula conditions and hydrates the skin for a healthy glow. The velvety soft, lightweight and highly pigmented colour creates long lasting result for all day wear.

These HD Blushes pack a bunch of colour. They have a beautiful light creamy consistency (almost whipped) and are really blendable. Less is definitely more, and you barely need a pump of product. I was very nervous the first time I used it after pumping out a full squirt when I first opened the product - it stained the back of my hand for hours afterwards (which, I suppose is a testament to its longevity) - but it's a very buildable colour, so you won't lose anything by starting slowly. The end result is perfectly described on the packet as 'soft focus'. I apply this product to the back of my hand, then stipple it onto my cheeks with my finger before blending out the edges with a brush, but I think a beauty blender would be great with this product, or even just a stippling brush. So far Superstar is my favourite out of all the blushes - it's got a beautiful coral tone to it which is perfect for spring.

Studio Cream Blush in Flirt

Studio Cream Blush in Seductress

Studio Cream Blush (Flirt and Seductress) -

The Claim: Smooths on as a cream and finishes as a velvety soft powder for long lasting rich colour that's never greasy. Easy to blend for layering and building colour for sculpting, highlighting and adding dimension. Lightweight and refreshing formula looks natural and radiates a beautiful glow for all skin types.

The way this product turns from cream to powder is staggering, and it honestly does feel velvet soft - I wanted to stroke my cheeks all day after applying it! I think it's actually a little more difficult to blend out than the HD Blush, mostly due to the differing consistencies of the products, but the colour is a less powerful so requires a little less blending anyway. This is not to say that this blush is delicate - you still get a lot of colour for the amount of product you use! I've been applying this product with my fingers and blending with a brush, but I might try applying it directly from the pot with a brush to see if that helps it blend any easier. I'm very impressed with the wear of this product - it's definitely long lasting!

Left to Right: Jumbo Lip Gloss Stick in Coco Loco, Sangria Starters and Tiki Torches

Jumbo Lip Gloss Stick in Coco Loco

Jumbo Lip Gloss Stick in Sangria Starters

Jumbo Lip Gloss Stick in Tiki Torches

Jumbo Lip Gloss Stick (Tiki Torches, Sangria Starters and Coco Loco) -

The Claim: This long wearing tinted lip colour glides on like a lip stick but looks like a gloss. With nourishing Jojoba, Soybean and Vitamin E ingredients it conditions and moisturises the lips. The twist up component and smooth glide formula is easy to use for on the go comfort.

I don't think this product applies like a lipstick or looks like a lip gloss, but I love it anyway! It feels, applies, and looks more like a tinted balm than anything else, and it doesn't dry out the lips at all. It isn't a pigmented as the Barry M Cor Balmy lip balms, but the delicate colours (particularly in Sangria Starters and Coco Loco) are very flattering. They really give a 'your lips but better' look, and would be perfect for a natural make-up look. Tiki Torches is a lovely colour but the flakes of glitter in it are slightly too big for my liking, but I bet it would look great at a spring/summer party. I love the smell of these Lip Gloss Sticks - they smell like minty crayons (which is lovely). Sangria Starters is definitely my favourite so far as I really think it brings out my natural lip colour, but that being said Coco Loco is a great brown tinted nude too. I've just had a look on the website but it looks like all the Jumbo Lip Gloss Sticks have sold out - sorry if any of these took your fancy, hopefully e.l.f will be back soon!

All of these products totaled in at just over £12, shipping included, which I think was a real bargain. I'll be so sad to see e.l.f go and I really hope they manage to set up a new UK distribution service soon!

If you're sad to see e.l.f go, or can recommend another cheap cruelty free brand, please Tweet me @Vicki Maitland or leave a comment below, or tag me (@vickimaitland) in your Instagram pics showing off your favourite e.l.f products!