What It Is: Ellis Faas Light in E301
Why This Should Be in Your Bag:
Eye shadows are one of my favorite makeup products, especially now that brands are coming up with all sorts of new formulations!
Light comes in the same bullet-shaped tube as all of Ellis Faas’ products, which is interesting for an eyeshadow. Even liquid shadows are usually in a squeeze-tube, so I’m intrigued by the potential difficulties associated with the design. As for the formula, Ellis Faas says, “Although liquid, they dry upon application to create the illusion of metallic eyes”, but suggests that you can also use them as a highlighter.
How To Use It:
I’ve found that it’s too messy to apply directly using the brush included, so I have turned the bottom of the tube until product comes out, then wiping it on the back of my hand and using either my clean fingers or another brush. This product dries down EXTREMELY quickly and becomes very hard to work with, so move fast!
I’ve used this as an eyeshadow and also as a cheekbone highlighter. It is not the most subtle highlighter, but I liked it for a night out.
(blended out, applied heavily)
CC Rating: D
Ellis Faas Light is an interesting product, and while I always appreciate creativity within a brand, I’m not thrilled with this product. On Sephora, shade E01 is described as “antique silver”, but as you can see from the photos, it appears to be more like a bronzed gold. Light is quite opaque and sparkly when applied, and when I tried to sheer it out, it became somewhat patchy. It’s also difficult to layer and clumps easily when you try.
As for wear time, I got about 4 hours with no wear when I didn’t use a primer and about 7 or 8 hours with a primer. I never wear any eye product (except for MAC and Benefit cream shadows) without a primer, so I don’t mind that Light required one. The size/cost ratio of Light is also disappointing. Given, the unique delivery system reduces wasted product significantly, but you’re still only getting 0.085oz for $42. If this product was outstanding, I would say it’s worth the money, but I’m honestly not sure if it is.
Ellis Faas Light is available from Sephora.com for $42, along with the rest of her unique range.
[Need some new makeup but not sure what to buy? Check out Alex's other beauty reviews here.]
March 13, 2012
- 2:00 pm
By Alex - Lakehead University
What It Is: theBalm Nude ‘tude Palette
Why This Should Be in Your Bag:
Most makeup junkies I know love neutral eyeshadows. Sure, brights are fun, but neutrals are definitely more “everyday” and appropriate in every situation. Every makeup lover needs a palette full of neutral shades that’s great for a quick daytime look and traveling.
theBalm is obviously one of my favorite brands and I’m thrilled that they have finally decided to bring us a neutral palette! Nude ‘tude has two different looks, “Feeling Naughty” and “Feeling Nice”. They both contain identical shadows, but feature different artwork. Let’s see how the shadows performed!
How To Use It:
Nude ‘tude contains 12 neutral shadows, ranging from white highlights to black and brown liner shades. There is also a mix of finishes, which makes for versatility. Below I’ve swatched all 12 in natural light. Read More »
January 10, 2012
- 4:00 pm
By Alex - Lakehead University
What It Is:
theBalm Meet Matt(e) Eyeshadow Palette
Why This Should Be in Your Bag:
Matte eyeshadows (no shimmer, no sparkle, flat color) are an extremely useful tool. Although they seem rather boring, they add depth and can really make your eyes pop! theBalm is a fave brand of mine, and their eyeshadows always impress me. Therefore, I couldn’t wait to try out their palette filled with nine totally matte eyeshadows!
How To Use It:
To create an eye look with a lot of dimension, you’ll want to start off by applying one of the lighter shades (Matt Smith, Matt Chung) all over your eyelid. Then, add any of the medium-dark shades (Matt Gallagher, Matt Ramirez, Matt Schilling, Matt Patel) to the crease. Lastly, use one of the darkest mattes (Matt McDonald, Matt Horowitz, Matt Batali) to deepen the outer corner. You can also use any of the medium-dark or dark shades as an eyeliner and the lighter shades as an inner corner or browbone highlight. Read More »
December 13, 2011
- 2:00 pm
By Alex - Lakehead University
What It Is:
Clarins Eye Quartet Mineral Palette in 07 Smokey Passion and Rouge Prodige in 131 Passion Rose
Why This Should Be in Your Bag:
I rarely feature collections on In Our Makeup Bag and here’s why: they are big. Most makeup collections have upwards to 10 pieces and that is just too much for this column. On top of that, the quality of all the items is usually so varied that they don’t make for a very coherent review.
Clarins is a fave brand of mine that happens to put out rather modest collections. Their latest holiday fare boasts only three items: a face powder, eye quad and a lipstick. I have both the quad and lipstick to test out, so let’s see how it goes. Read More »
December 5, 2011
- 11:15 am
By Madeleine Coleman- Suffolk
I feel bad for the male gender 90% of the time. Mostly because I see them as the lesser sex..but hey don’t we all? Another reason I feel bad for them is that they don’t get to use make-up. That’s not an airtight statement, but for the most part foundations, shadows and lip shades are left for us girls. But with this great gift of makeup comes great responsibility that some have chosen to abuse.
From the overly excessive smokey eye to some downright weird eyelash extensions, sometimes eye makeup can go way too far. Below are prime examples of those faux-pas… Read More »
August 31, 2011
- 3:00 pm
By Alex - Lakehead University
What It Is:
Anastasia Beauty Express for Brows and Eyes in Brunette
Why This Should Be in Your Bag:
Eyebrows are probably the most overlooked part of the average woman’s makeup routine. After applying eyeshadow, foundation, lipstick and blush, many girls don’t have the time to fix up their brows too. However, since I started tidying my eyebrows, I’ve noticed that my face looks a lot more “pulled together” and am a total convert to the practice.
Anastasia Soare is Hollywood’s brow guru, grooming the eyebrows of almost every celebrity you can think of. She’s sharing her knowledge with the general public through her cosmetics brand, Anastasia Beverly Hills. I tried out her Beauty Express for Brows and Eyes kit, with a sampling of her best products for grooming your brows and looking wide awake. Read More »
February 27, 2011
- 10:00 am
By Caitlin-University of Alabama
Do you remember getting those gigantic makeup kits for your birthday or a holiday? You know, the ones with the cheap lipg loss and eyeshadows, and those tiny lip brushes that never seemed to work right. Well, I recently got a more updated version of that: the NYX Box of Eyeshadows. It’s more sophisticated and actually practical. Plus I scored it for twenty bucks on Hautelook!
NYX is a really great brand and is still independently owned by founder Toni Ko, who started it in her 20′s (what have you done with your life?). It’s definitely a brand worth checking out! While the color pigmentation wasn’t as striking as I hoped for, this still remains a huge addition to my makeup collection. With 112 colors, it’s a pretty useful palette. I found that these were best used wet because the color payoff when used dry was a little light. Adding just a little bit of water to my brush amped these babies right up and gave me the true color that I actually saw in the giant box.
Watch the vid for my full review and an explanation on how you can salvage less pigmented shade! Read More »
January 15, 2011
- 2:30 pm
By CC Staff
January 5, 2011
- 2:00 pm
By Alex - Lakehead University
[Disclaimer: This product was provided to me for review purposes.]
What It Is:
theBalm Shady Lady Vol. 3 Eyeshadow/Eyeliner Palette
Why This Should Be in Your Bag:
Eyeshadow is an essential for any makeup junkie. Whether you’re all about neutrals or crazy for colors, it’s a great way to enhance your natural beauty and have fun with makeup! I also love the versatility of a shadow that can be used both wet and dry, making it a liner too! And getting a bunch of colors in one handy little package offers not only an array of options, but a really good deal too!
As for this particular product, well, the colors are awesome, the quality even better, and theBalm always has fun, cute packaging and names that make their products even more appealing. According to theBalm: “These nine beautiful shades tucked inside a cute giraffe-print palette can be used wet or dry and can be combined or worn individually for an endless variety of looks.” Read More »
October 23, 2010
- 2:30 pm
By CC Staff
Reality Shows We Miss
Comedy is So In This Season
New Round of Shops at Target!
Unscripted With MIB 3
Most Controversial Comedies
