ELF Matte Lip Color in Praline Review

ELF Matte Lip Color in Praline Review

Hey everyone!

Over the last few months, I have built such a collection of lipsticks and lip colors that I find it difficult to use all of them, since I find myself reaching for a few every time. This was one of those forgotten shades that I discovered again while cleaning up, and thought to use it, and review it too for you guys.

Product Description:

This convenient jumbo sized lip pencil creates exact color application with twist up ease so you never have to sharpen. The pigment rich color glides on effortlessly and easily to provide long-lasting matte color. The enriched Vitamin A, C and E formula moisturizes and hydrates lips for beautiful healthy looking lips.

Price:

$3 for 0.06oz or 1.8 gm.

Ingredients:

Paraffinum Liquidum (Mineral Oil), Microcrystalline Wax (Cera Microcristallina), Synthetic Beeswax，Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Ozokerite, Polyethylene, Ceresin, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Polyisobutene, Aspartame, Retinol (VA), Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (VC), Tocopheryl Acetate (VE), Phenoxyethanol, Ethylparaben，Propylparaben, Methylparaben. May Contain：Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492,CI 77499), Blue No.1 Lake ( CI 42090), Red No.40 Lake (CI 16035), Red No.7 Lake (CI 15850), Red No.27 Lake (CI 45410).

Packaging:

So, this matte lip color comes in a pencil form, which is in a twist-up packaging, which makes it easier to use. Also, I hate sharpening products, so I like this packaging. The outside of this pencil has a matte black appearance, and a strip of color identifies what shade it is. The good thing is that the cap clicks shut tightly, a little too tightly perhaps, but it never falls off, like some lip liner or eyeliner caps do.

My Take on ELF Matte Lip Color in Praline:

I wanted to buy “Rich Red,” but it was sold out, and I figured I already had too many matte red lipsticks, so why not try something new? So, I decided to go with what appeared to be a brownish nude shade called Praline.  Matte lipsticks are my favourite texture of lipsticks. Yes, they are too drying, but they don’t stick to your hair that falls on your face (which my hair tends to do a lot!) and they stay longer, and they are more pigmented, and don’t get transferred as easily as other lipsticks.

Starting off, Praline is very nude, a little too light for my liking actually. I thought it would be more brown, from the website. This shade would suit pale people, and even medium skin tones might find it difficult to carry, especially on days that your skin is looking dull. This does nothing to brighten up your face whatsoever. On good skin days, I can barely pull it off using some heavier eye makeup, and some blush – very Kim Kardashian, but on worse skin days, this completely washes me out. As if I have applied concealer to my lips. The only way I can look okay with this shade is when I apply a tinted lip balm on top – like a red lip balm, which makes the color appear to be nude pink, which looks nice.

The texture is matte, and drying. Although it applies very easily on lips and does not tug at all. It claims to have vitamins for hydrating but frankly, I couldn’t tell. It accentuates dryness if your lips aren’t perfect. Lip balm is a must underneath. If you have tried Chambor Powder Matte, I would say they are less drying than this one.

Now, coming to the worst thing – the smell. This has the same smell as the Hard Candy concealer which I reviewed here.  It smells of mineral oil and some petroleum product, and I don’t know if it’s just me, but I find this smell horrible. When you use this lipstick, as long as you’re wearing it, the smell keeps wafting up your nose, and I couldn’t wait to take it off, but for the purposes of the review, I wore those until it faded – which was after a meal. Before that, it held for about 3.5 hours. I didn’t want to reapply at all. Maybe someone with a nose less sensitive than this can bear it, but I couldn’t.

Pros of ELF Matte Lip Color in Praline:

• Matte lipstick, my favorite texture.
• Twist up style pencil, no wastage.
• Packaging is nice and efficient, shuts with a click.
• Applies on lips easily without tugging.
• Pigmentation is good.
• Staying power is decent.
• Cheap.

Cons of ELF Matte Lip Color in Praline:

• Very drying texture, even though it claims to have vitamins.
• Washes me out, not suitable for my skin tone.
• Smells like oil, or some petroleum product – due to its ingredients.

IMBB Rating:

I would give it a 3/5 for this shade, as I’m not a fan, but it might suit other people well.

Take care everyone!

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