Shimmer and shine...and sun protection (E.L.F. Mineral Eyeshadow)

Member Name: lonestarsky

Product:	E.L.F. Mineral Eyeshadow
Date:	19/08/09 (67 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap, great effect, easy to apply, not tested on animals, paraben free, SPF, natural

Disadvantages: None for me

I tried (and reviewed) the ELF mineral make up starter kit some time ago and was so impressed that when I recently ordered some more foundation I decided to give their mineral eyeshadow a go.

++ABOUT MINERAL MAKE UP++
Mineral make up is made from 100% natural minerals that are crushed to a powder. They contain no parabens, chemical additives or dyes and they are alleged to leave a flawless, weightless, silky finish. They are meant to be good for people with problem skin because unlike conventional make ups they are not bad for the skin.


++ABOUT WWW.EYESLIPSFACE.CO.UK++
A company that started in America in 2004. They do not test their products on animals, and their products are priced at just £1.50 each!!! Their mineral make up is slightly more expensive - prices range from £2.50 to £5.00 per product, so still very reasonable.

Their mineral eyeshadow comes in 0.9g pots and cost £2.50 per pot.



++THE PRODUCT++
As I said above, the eyeshadow comes in a 0.9g pot which, including the lid is approx 2cm deep and 3.5cm wide. The pot is clear with a black screw on lid which makes the product really easy to use. Inside there is a small white plastic tray with holes on it that you can use to shake the eyeshadow through. The pot itself comes in a small cardboard box. Overall the packaging is plain but certainly does not look cheap.

The ingredients include zinc oxide, which is excellent as an anti-inflammatory, and also offers UVA and UVB protection. It also contains vitamin A which helps against ageing of the skin, and vitamin B which helps moisturize the skin.

The eyeshadow comes in 18 different shades, all with wild and wonderful names! I chose 2 shades - sassy, which is brown, and earthy, which is green. The eyeshadow is in a loose powder and is very fine! Its also very glittery and shimmery so on initial inspection I wondered if it would be too much for everyday use...however....read below....



++USING++
I hate those plastic tray things so discarded them immediately!! The recommended way to use this product is to shake it so that some powder comes through the holes, then apply with a finger or brush. However I personally prefer just to dip my finger into the powder and apply in that way as I feel it gives more control than a brush. The powder is very fine and heavily pigmented so only a small amount is needed. I've had these eyeshadows for over 3 months and have worn one or the other every day yet the tubs look as full as they were when I bought them!

The eyeshadow tends to last all day although if you apply it a bit too sparingly you might find that it doesn't last. I tend to apply two light "coats" and find that this does me for the working day 9-5. It's nowhere near as glittery when applied as it appears in the tub so is definitely suitable for day wear! For eveningwear you can apply it wet which gives it much more of an impact as this brings out the glitter effect and makes it more like a paste than a powder. It sticks to your eyelids all night yet is easy to remove with just facewash and water



++CONCLUSION++
This is just as good as many of the high end (and much pricier) eyeshadows on the market. Not only that, its alleged to be good for your skin and contains only natural ingredients. It comes in a wide range of colours that are versatile to apply, and is so cheap that you could easily purchase the entire range if you wanted to!! I highly recommend it.

Summary: Just as effective as much more expensive alternatives