e.l.f., Essie, Nicole by O.P.I., and other general bits and bobs.

     Regarding my previous post about e.l.f.: It only took about a week to receive my replacement lipstick in the mail. Also, I didn't receive an immediate reply to my cry for help via their web site because G-Mail, for whatever reason, had placed their response into a spam folder. So yes, they did indeed respond quickly to my request for a new lipstick.

     Hi! Didja miss me?

     Anyhow... In the past four months, I've purchased a few new products. Not many, and they're not actually "new" per se. (New to me, yes, so obviously I'm going to have quite a few things to say about them.)

     Until I actually mustered the courage to pay a whopping (nigh) eight dollars for a bottle of Essie nail polish, I was endlessly fascinated by the many, many good things I'd heard and read about it. I'm sad to report, however, that I'm no longer awe-struck by its reputation. In fact, I'm quite confused as to why it has attained such a loyal, almost rabid following.
     Yes, Essie has the color variety that any successful nail polish brand should. Its packaging is attractive, simple, and makes Essie one of the most easily stored nail polished I've ever owned. Sounds great, right? And fine, I'll admit it: I was foolishly pulled in by all the raving and ranting over this beloved brand... But application of the polish quickly disillusioned me. It (application) is horrendous, owing mostly to a ridiculously thin brush that I had to fiddle with for at least thirty seconds in order to find out exactly how much polish it could (and should) hold. Wiping one side of the brush against the inside of the bottle's neck released too much polish, yet simply dunking the brush into the bottle and applying to the nail was similarly disastrous, allowing polish to pool and take an insanely long time to set.
     I also found that the formula was quite streaky. Which was annoying, because I'd heard so many amazing things about Essie's extraordinary texture.
     Needless to say, I won't be wasting another eight dollars on a bottle of Essie. Its reputation is overblown. I mean, I wanted to like it; I even gave it two chances, but it's just a pain in the ass to work with. A waste of time and money.

     If you want a great, long-lasting nail polish, try Nicole by O.P.I. Its brush is thick, wide, and intended to reduce application time. The brush also creates a smooth, streak-free coat. And the colors - while maybe a little too wild for some tastes - can almost match whatever Essie has to offer. Plus, the shape of the bottle (squat and boot-like) seems to prevent the possibility of wasting any precious polish. The brush almost touches the bottom of the bottle, so when your level of nail polish becomes critical, simply tilt the bottle a bit and voila! You've got a bit of extra polish that has hiding in the bulging "belly" of the bottle.

     All right. On to better things! Namely, watching the remaining two hours of Seven Samurai.

     Adios!

  


  

  

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!