by The Budget Beauty Babe
There's been a lot of excitement surrounding budget cosmetic company E.l.f.’s new line of mineral makeup - and many requests for us here at the Budget Babe to review it and let you all know what we think! So here goes: There is quite a price difference between a new starter kit from E.l.f. and a starter kit from Bare Escentuals—about $40.00 worth of difference, and yet, I find myself quoting an old saying, "You get what you pay for…"
Let me start off by saying that I was really excited about trying out this set from E.l.f.- I’ve found that their products are hit and miss (awesome nail polish, vile bath products) and so I couldn’t wait to see where this mineral makeup would land.
After giving them a good, fair try I’ve decided that they fall more into the miss category, with a pretty firm belief that if you committed to this product you would end up spending much more money in the long run then if you had committed to a higher end product the first time around. Not to mention I don’t think you’ll be happy with what you see.
The set as-is is a total waste of money. For twenty bucks you get three jars, all the same size, (one concealer, one foundation, and one blush) two brushes, and a makeup bag. For the sake of my arguments I’m going to be using the standard of mineral makeups as my comparison (more specifically the Bare Escentuals starter kit).
A general look-over and testing will show the basic flaws of this set right away. The brushes are complete garbage; there is no way you can apply this makeup using the brushes they provide (in fact to even test the makeup itself I had to use the brushes from the Bare Escentuals kit, to see if you order the makeup separately would it be worthwhile). They’re poorly made, way too large, and release hairs onto your face. Another obvious drawback is the fact that all the containers are the same size. I seriously doubt that you’ll need equal amounts of foundation, concealer and blush. It would seem a lot more logical to have a larger foundation, smaller concealer, and even smaller blush (which is what you find in the Bare Escentuals set).
However, the reason for this is quickly apparent when you take a look at the ingredient lists. I’m going to compare foundations. Bare Escentuals contains 4 ingredients. E.l.f. contains 8. Three of the four extra ingredients are not minerals. Which leads me to ask why is this called 100% mineral makeup? Just so you know, the three non-mineral ingredients are Tocopheryl Acetate, which is a form of powdered vitamin E which is absorbed into the skin and used as a moisturizer, Caprylyl Glycol which is a chemical alcohol ester used as an antibacterial agent, and Silk Powder which is made from ground up silk worm cocoons and is used as a moisture seal. Ok, so you’re thinking what’s the big deal? Who cares if they add something else? Isn’t it ok as long as you’re getting the original same 4 important ingredients? Uh… you’re not. The most important of the four ingredients, iron oxides, is what gives the sunscreen minerals (the Titanium Dioxide more specifically) the pigmentation they need to actually cover blemishes and act like makeup. Without the only minerals on the list that are colored, what are you getting? Let me explain.
There's been a lot of excitement surrounding budget cosmetic company E.l.f.’s new line of mineral makeup - and many requests for us here at the Budget Babe to review it and let you all know what we think! So here goes: There is quite a price difference between a new starter kit from E.l.f. and a starter kit from Bare Escentuals—about $40.00 worth of difference, and yet, I find myself quoting an old saying, "You get what you pay for…"
Let me start off by saying that I was really excited about trying out this set from E.l.f.- I’ve found that their products are hit and miss (awesome nail polish, vile bath products) and so I couldn’t wait to see where this mineral makeup would land.
After giving them a good, fair try I’ve decided that they fall more into the miss category, with a pretty firm belief that if you committed to this product you would end up spending much more money in the long run then if you had committed to a higher end product the first time around. Not to mention I don’t think you’ll be happy with what you see.
The set as-is is a total waste of money. For twenty bucks you get three jars, all the same size, (one concealer, one foundation, and one blush) two brushes, and a makeup bag. For the sake of my arguments I’m going to be using the standard of mineral makeups as my comparison (more specifically the Bare Escentuals starter kit).
A general look-over and testing will show the basic flaws of this set right away. The brushes are complete garbage; there is no way you can apply this makeup using the brushes they provide (in fact to even test the makeup itself I had to use the brushes from the Bare Escentuals kit, to see if you order the makeup separately would it be worthwhile). They’re poorly made, way too large, and release hairs onto your face. Another obvious drawback is the fact that all the containers are the same size. I seriously doubt that you’ll need equal amounts of foundation, concealer and blush. It would seem a lot more logical to have a larger foundation, smaller concealer, and even smaller blush (which is what you find in the Bare Escentuals set).
However, the reason for this is quickly apparent when you take a look at the ingredient lists. I’m going to compare foundations. Bare Escentuals contains 4 ingredients. E.l.f. contains 8. Three of the four extra ingredients are not minerals. Which leads me to ask why is this called 100% mineral makeup? Just so you know, the three non-mineral ingredients are Tocopheryl Acetate, which is a form of powdered vitamin E which is absorbed into the skin and used as a moisturizer, Caprylyl Glycol which is a chemical alcohol ester used as an antibacterial agent, and Silk Powder which is made from ground up silk worm cocoons and is used as a moisture seal. Ok, so you’re thinking what’s the big deal? Who cares if they add something else? Isn’t it ok as long as you’re getting the original same 4 important ingredients? Uh… you’re not. The most important of the four ingredients, iron oxides, is what gives the sunscreen minerals (the Titanium Dioxide more specifically) the pigmentation they need to actually cover blemishes and act like makeup. Without the only minerals on the list that are colored, what are you getting? Let me explain.
Certain minerals have extremely strong reflective properties (Mica, and Bismuth Oxychloride), basically acting like little mirrors. When you grind them up very fine, and apply them to lets say, your skin, they will have a shiny, almost glittery effect. In the right amounts this reflectiveness can help minimize the appearance of fine lines, pores, and blemishes - but in the wrong amounts, you’ll just end up looking like a 12-year-old that put body glitter all over her face. Especially if the minerals have not been ground up extremely fine. Which brings me to my next point.
While testing out this product, I noticed something that was really strange, looking at the E.l.f. makeup, I noticed that there were little white flecks in the makeup about the size of sugar crystals. The Bare Escentuals, however, looks like super fine evenly colored powder. The fact that I can actually discern with my naked eye either the Mica or Bismuth Oxychloride is a bad sign. You should not see flecks in good quality mineral makeup. Not only is this dangerous for contact lens wearers, but these minerals can also clog pores at that size, not to mention is just looks bad (refer back to glittery 12 year old). Both minerals are also considered fillers in the mineral makeup world.
After inspecting the ingredient list its more obvious why you would have to have the same size blush as concealer, with all the fillers and lack of real mineral pigments you need to apply a ton of it to get any kind of color on your face at all (compared to the pin-head size amount of Bare Escentuals it takes to add color to your whole face).
So let me break it down. The makeup is pretty bad, it’s not 100% minerals, it’s not ground finely enough for the face, and it takes a lot to get any kind of coverage and even then it still looks awful. The blush is so weak you can’t even see it, probably has more silk worn cocoons then minerals, and the brushes are awful. The makeup also made my skin itchy - not cool. Do not spend the $20.00, save it, skip the Starbucks for two weeks and buy yourself the Bare Escentuals, which will live up to your expectations and in the long run, save you money.
>> Read our review of The Original bareMinerals Starter Kit by Bare Escentuals.
>> Browse more of our informative, money-saving beauty posts.
While testing out this product, I noticed something that was really strange, looking at the E.l.f. makeup, I noticed that there were little white flecks in the makeup about the size of sugar crystals. The Bare Escentuals, however, looks like super fine evenly colored powder. The fact that I can actually discern with my naked eye either the Mica or Bismuth Oxychloride is a bad sign. You should not see flecks in good quality mineral makeup. Not only is this dangerous for contact lens wearers, but these minerals can also clog pores at that size, not to mention is just looks bad (refer back to glittery 12 year old). Both minerals are also considered fillers in the mineral makeup world.
After inspecting the ingredient list its more obvious why you would have to have the same size blush as concealer, with all the fillers and lack of real mineral pigments you need to apply a ton of it to get any kind of color on your face at all (compared to the pin-head size amount of Bare Escentuals it takes to add color to your whole face).
So let me break it down. The makeup is pretty bad, it’s not 100% minerals, it’s not ground finely enough for the face, and it takes a lot to get any kind of coverage and even then it still looks awful. The blush is so weak you can’t even see it, probably has more silk worn cocoons then minerals, and the brushes are awful. The makeup also made my skin itchy - not cool. Do not spend the $20.00, save it, skip the Starbucks for two weeks and buy yourself the Bare Escentuals, which will live up to your expectations and in the long run, save you money.
>> Read our review of The Original bareMinerals Starter Kit by Bare Escentuals.
>> Browse more of our informative, money-saving beauty posts.
Thanks for the review!
If you just want to try it, do not buy the started kit, buy the foundation and concealer..and hopefully you already have a good brush...if not get the total face brush by elf for a dollar...all together would be 11 dollars...
Give it a try...you may like it or you may not.
But glad to see this review... THANK YOU
I've never in my life come across such a well written makeup rewiev!
I will NOT buy the kit, but save my coffee money (as you suggested) and stick to Bare Escentuals!
Also i'm very happy with this product. It is hard to fine something that works well for me and I don't have to stop and reapply through out the day. And it don't rub off on my clothes, and my skin don't look oily. Try it you might like it I know I did.
I have sensitive skin as well as Rosacea so I avoid make with Bismuth nano particles or micronized minerals!
My first mineral make up was Bare Escentuals but it irritated my skin. Then I discovered Mineral Silk. Besides having a fairly good selection they give excellent customer service and support.
I highly recommend them.
This changed two days ago after picking up some foundation at target:It has a new look and feel. no more flakes, no more clumps, wonderful coverage. As for the Kabuki brush, my prefence is the white bristled brush from Elf studio line instead of the mineral line, and it works like a dream.
Although bare minerals does come in a larger container, there are sales on the site with 50 and sometimes 75 percent off, so my foundations, shadows,lipsticks etc. are 1/2 the price of Bare Minerals, with the same amount of product. The only con is they need a larger container to work with. I have tried several different mineral lines, and ELF is now my favorite.
I just would like to point out that it is all mineral makeup, just as much as the bare minerals or bare escentials. The Caprylyl Glycol is a plant derivative used to prevent skin reactions and keep skin clean, additionally the Tocopheryl Acetate is not a form of Vitamin E, it is the Vitamine E compound. This actually works with the sun protectants and keeps your skin moisturized without the oily effects. And well, the silk protein is the silk that keeps the silky feel and appearance. From many people that I know that have used mineral makeup did not say that there was much of a difference besides the pricing and amount that e.l.f. provides. End results either way that you look at it, it is a money saver for the same item. But, you did do a wonderful job pitching for your team. If I didn't know better I would have believed what you said. Unfortunately, I can spot an add ten miles away. Good luck to all of the e.l.f. customers you are going to love it!!
I use e.l.f. foundation and have never had the problems the reviewer is talking about. The powder is very fine, makes my face glow, and has actually helped keep my acne down.
In addition, I use e.l.f. eyeliner and blush. I'm happy with both.
Actually, today, I wanted to compare Bare Escentuals and e.l.f. Mineral makeup. I did half my face in BM foundations "medium" and "medium beige" (a combo of both) and BM Mineral Veil. I did the other half in e.l.f. mineral foundation in "warm," mineral concealer in "warm," and mineral booster in "sheer."
I don't have any BE blush, so I cannot compare that.
Both brands looked equally as good and fresh! I practically could not tell the difference. The BM Mineral Veil has a bit more of a glow, but e.l.f. also has a booster in "shimmer," which I have not tried.
I've found both products to last most of the day for me.
I'm very happy with the e.l.f. Mineral Products and will most likely continue to purchase them. Yeah, with e.l.f. you get 0.12 oz for $5 and BM gives you 0.30 oz for $25... but I can get 0.36 oz for e.l.f. for $15; it's just in 3 containers. And I really don't mind getting foundation, concealer, and blush in all the same size containers. The concealer (which surprised me as to how well it covered imperfections) will just last me a long while, which is great.
Yes, BE is more of a pure mineral makeup... but I am happy with the e.l.f. products. I can understand if you're loyal to BE and have been using it for a long time, but I think the e.l.f. is worth a try. As mentioned earlier, their stuff can be hit or miss: thing products are great, some not so much.
I do agree with the crappy brushes. The brushes included in the e.l.f. starter kit are not very good. They do offer much nicer brushes. Why they don't offer the nicer ones with the kit, I have no idea.
Gotta tell u thats the worst review ever, smells like guys in BE r scared of competition with ELF.
1.All that "12 yo girl glittery effect" so pathetic - if u cant use make up materials, u gonna screw with any super luxury product and look like clown.
2.Brushes have no connection with the product, talking ab MAKEUP. Think of a brushes for 1usd as a courtsey from manufacturer.
3.3 extra ingredients which r vitamin E, antibacterial and moist locker..wow i never thought anybody can actually complain ab these being in one's makeup.
All review was written with implyed negative, mentioning BE every now and then... "Probably this, probably that"..if u dont know exact proportion of ingredients-write to ELF and ask, geeeez. After this review definitely gonna buy from ELF, not BE :DDD
This week, I received my first ELF products after they had a big sale, and my order included foundation, blush and eyeshadow from the mineral line. Despite the fact that ELF's mineral products do contain bismuth oxychloride, I don't seem to have the same problem with itching. I do find the foundation itself doesn't have as much cover as bareMinerals, Everyday Minerals or Barefaced Beauty's offerings, but I certainly didn't see any of the other problems you've listed. The texture is very finely milled and smooth on application.
I haven't tried the concealer as I still have plenty of my EDM one, but the blushes I've used are so good I've just ordered another one. They're extremely pigmented, blendable and in pretty colours - at least the two I have, which are Rose and Coral. I feel the same way about the mineral eyeshadows, which I'm really enjoying along with the (ever growing!) collections I have from EDM and BFB.
In general, I've been very happy with what I've bought so far, and even without the irritation I found the bareMinerals products caused me, I can't imagine why I'd pay those prices when I can get similar or better products from other companies.