Back to School: E.L.F. BEAUTYBOOKS

...and another E.L.F. post. Sometime last week I went to Target in search of a new makeup bag and some travel brushes. As I was cruising down the makeup section I was surprised to run into these E.L.F. palettes! That Target stopped carrying E.L.F. a few months back so I didn't expect to find these.

I've never tried any of the E.L.F. eyeshadows, but for $5 each I thought they were worth a shot...and that's where I get in trouble with E.L.F.: everything is so affordable, that I don't feel as guilty as I should when I splurge on their products.

Anyway-there were three palettes available: Eye Brights Edition, Neutral Eye Edition & Smoky Eye Edition. Being the sucker that I am for neutrals, I got the Neutral Eye Edition and the Smoky Eye Edition of course.

I must say that I am really impressed with the pigmentation of these eyeshadows. For $5, I think that these are great for beginners or anyone that just wants to play around with some new shades because you don't have to break the bank and it comes with a guide inside the "notebook" that tells you more or less how to apply the shadows.

These palettes are being compared to a few of the Urban Decay palettes. I do agree that in terms of color there are several dupes, but as far as the actual shadows are concerned, the ones from E.L.F. are powdery and can cause a lot of fallout. The staying power is OKAY, but you definitely need a primer.

Overall I think that they are a nice addition to any makeup collection, but are definitely not a must-have (in my opinion). I would rather pay a little more and buy a NYX palette.

Below are a few pictures of the palettes. (CLICK TO ENLARGE.)

Neutral Eye Edition

Included is an eyeliner in COFFEE and a sponge tip applicator.
Smoky Eye Edition

Included is an eyeliner in BLACK and a sponge tip applicator.
Here are just some random swatches from both palettes (w/o a primer/base):
-♥ Ariana