Good quality need not be expensive. E.L.F. makeup shows it can be done.
While beloved drugstore brands like Maybelline and L'oreal have long dominated the international beauty scene, UK brand E.L.F. has endeared itself among makeup junkies in the past few years. Founded in 2004 by Joey Shamah and Scott Vincent Borba, E.L.F., which stands for Eyes, Lips and Face, was born with the idea that women should not have to skimp on other necessities to afford good makeup.
Low Price Does Not Mean Low Quality
According to a 2006 CNN interview with , consumers were initially skeptical of E.L.F. makeup products because for most, a very low price point was equivalent to poor quality. However, sales in 2005 nearly reached $5 million. CNBC reports that in 2020, E.L.F. reached almost $75 million in sales in their fourth quarter.
While the beauty industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, E.L.F. is hanging in there thanks to their pocket-friendly prices, trendy makeup, promising skincare lines and a solid social media presence.
E.L.F. makeup is 100% vegan and cruelty-free which only makes it more attractive to environmentally-conscious buyers. E.L.F. also offers a 15% discount to students who register on their official website.
Also Read: 5 Best Drugstore Makeup Products and Brands of 2019
A Loyal Following
We've compiled some E.L.F. makeup favorites that makeup artists, beauty bloggers and E.L.F.'s 5.6 million followers on Instagram are raving about.
E.L.F. Studio Mad for Matte Palette
For $10, you get 10 neutral and practical shades great for the office or Zoom and Skype work conferences. This palette also comes in Rose Gold which is one of the bestsellers on the E.L.F. official website. The latter is best for date nights or when you're going for a more girly and romantic look. Cosmopolitan Digital Beauty Editor, Victoria Jowett, shares that the darker shades on the palette can serve as eyeliners or brow powders, as well.
Liquid Glitter Eyeshadow
An Allure Magazine Best of Beauty awardee for 2020, this quick-drying and long-lasting gel formula adds a glitzy pop of color to your eyelids. This is a foolproof way to glam up your nights out, especially if you're in a mad rush. This liquid eyeshadow comes in 11 shades so there should be something to match every skin tone. Use an eyelid primer for best results. This retails for $6.
Hydrating Camo Concealer
Listed on the E.L.F. website as a Holy Grail item, beauty and wellness website stylecraze.com agrees. We all have those days where pesky zits and dark undereye circles from sleepless nights plague us. The camo concealer makes it a breeze to hide these imperfections with its handy doe-foot applicator and a range of 25 colors to choose from. With a lot of us experiencing mask acne or maskne these days, this product is a savior with a $6 price tag.
Intense Ink Eyeliner
Another Cosmo favorite, this $4 eyeliner is another staple for their digital beauty editor. With half your face covered with a mask when working or running errands, lipsticks have taken a backseat and eye makeup is now at the forefront. If you like keeping things simple, an eyeliner is a subtle and effective way to enhance your eyes. It's easy to use with a precise tip and reportedly stays put all day.
And there you go, budget-friendly and effective, E.L.F. makeup is here to stay.
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