say what?

For the past few days, I've been awaiting a response from e.l.f.'s customer service department due to the little mishap involving one of the lipsticks I ordered from them; so naturally, I've been checking my inbox every day. Disgruntled by not having received a response yet, I logged into my e.l.f. account only moments ago to find that they're already sending me another lipstick, free of charge! No shipping charge, no charge for the cost of the lipstick. This, in my opinion, is amazing. I couldn't be more surprised by the quality of their customer service. And although it would have been nice to get an e-mail reply back to the message I initially sent asking about my options, I have to say that I'm still pleasantly surprised.

Thank you, e.l.f.! 

e.l.f. excitement!

From left to right: Bubblegum Pink, Coral, Innocent (nail polishes, $1.00 each); a free sample of e.l.f.'s Butternut eye-brightening shadow; Natural Nymph, and Runway Pink (mineral lipsticks, $5.00 each).

     As of today, I've tested one of the nail polishes, both lipsticks and the (free!) eye shadow. So! Here we go.

From left to right: Innocent, Coral, and Bubblegum Pink.

Bubblegum Pink after two coats.

     The nail polish I couldn't wait to test first was Bubblegum Pink; so after some studying and a little relaxing last night, I prepped my nails and attacked. The nail polish itself is a very bright, solid color, and is almost an electric pink. Not quite as bright, however. It dries rather quickly, and although it takes two coats to achieve opacity, the final result is impressive. My only problem with this product is its brush. I really, really wish that more of the major cosmetic lines would consider redesigning their brushes! The brush for Rimmel's line of Lasting Finish Pro polishes is fantastic; it's wide, thick, and allows flawless coverage. 

     The eye shadow is fantastic. The color pay-off is sublime, especially since e.l.f. eye shadows cost $1.00 each. The color I received, Butternut, is a quad of natural brown tones flecked with medium-sized glitter. It applies smoothly and creates very little fall-out. Layers are required to create a bold look with this particular shadow, but watch out! Don't over-blend, or you'll end up with a soupy, hazy mess all over your eyelids.

Natural Nymph and Runway Pink.

     The mineral lipsticks are.. interesting. Although they appear to be matte colors in this photo, they're actually quite sheen. The lipstick is pleasantly smooth and light, and not at all waxy or dry.. but not creamy as I had hoped it might be. Coverage is decent, though both of these colors settled into the small lines in my lips. Perhaps if they'd been creamier this could have been avoided? Most importantly, though, my Natural Nymph has already broken! I was extraordinarily dismayed when this happened, as I only received these products in the mail yesterday. Yep. *sigh*

     While barely applying any pressure during application, Natural Nymph broke, hit the floor, and crumbled. Faulty product, maybe? Or was it the cold Wisconsin weather that caused this? In any case, I contacted e.l.f. immediately via e-mail, so we'll see what happens. Maybe I'll be writing a review of their customer service in a few days.

     All right. I think I've spent enough time rambling. Thanks for reading!