Hi, hi. It’s me again. Time to talk about these nifty little quads from e.l.f. Beauty.
THE BACKSTORY: I feel like I’ve been a fan of e.l.f Cosmetics for ages. Which I have. Jesus. What’s wrong with me. Anyway, they came to our country a year or two ago and I bought some stuff to test out. Prior to that, I had only tried their blush palette (super powdery but decent), eyeshadow primer (decent) and a couple of their brushes (decent again). We have a larger pool of choices, at the moment. So I caved, as the story usually goes.
THE PRODUCT: I almost always prefer duos, trios or quads over a larger palette. Working with a smaller amount of colours doesn’t overwhelm my senses and it doesn’t put any pressure on me to use up each and every colour I see. So, when I saw these adorable quads, I knew I had to give them a chance.
I do like the packaging. Simple yet sensible. No mirrors, no fuss. Just the eyeshadows in square pans. The pans are also large enough to dip different sizes of eyeshadow brushes. No complaints there.
These are pigmented and go on the eyes (with and without an eyeshadow primer) quite smoothly. There is a significant amount of product kick-up whenever you swerve your brush onto the pan so tapping off the excess ensures there isn’t any fall-out under the eyes. They also layer on quite well.
Each quad has shadows that are either matte finish or shimmers. The mattes are smooth and easy to work with. The shimmers work best with fingers, I found, like most other brand counterparts. The shimmers, though pretty, can also lose their wow factor a couple of hours later. They don’t retain their initial sheen or glittering quality over time.
Their longevity isn’t exceptionally bad. It’s just that I’ve found they tend to last longer and look better with an eyeshadow primer. They don’t absolutely require a primer but having some on definitely helps. If you’re a fan of the barely-there, is-she-wearing-eyeshadow-or-is-that-natural look, I suggest you forgo the primer.
e.l.f. Bite Size Eyeshadow in ‘Rose Water’
e.l.f. Bite Size Eyeshadow in ‘Rose Water’
e.l.f. Bite Size Eyeshadow in ‘Pumpkin Spice’
e.l.f. Bite Size Eyeshadow in ‘Pumpkin Spice’
SWATCHES AND SHADES AVAILABLE: There are around 8 colour-ways available, each pretty in their own rights. I have my eyes set on the ‘Hot Jalapeno‘ one, in typical Midori fashion.
- Rose Water – a cool-toned colour story with a shimmery light pink, a matte pinkish grey, a shimmery rose and a matte deep brown with gold shimmers running through it.
- Pumpkin Spice – a warm-toned colour way with a matter light brown, a shimmery copper, a shimmery burgundy and a matte reddish brown.
PRICE: 350 INR ($4 USD approx.)
QUANTITY: 3.5 grams total
MASK FRIENDLY: Yes, they’re eyeshadows.
AVAILABILITY: Elf Official, Nykaa, Ulta etc.
♥ OVERALL: I think these are a great bang for your buck. Get them while you can.
e.l.f. Cosmetics Bite Size Eyeshadows.
350 INR
Pros
- Pigmented.
- Easy to blend.
- Good shade options.
- Affordable.
- Travel-friendly.
Cons
- Not particularly long-wearing without a primer.
- Availability is an issue.
- Packaging is a little flimsy; can break when dropped.
