e.l.f Haul/Product Review

Written by NZINGHA for TheGlamSquadFiles™

  
I love useful beauty products!! I love products that simply work and especially love affordable products that work!!! Now with that said in walks e.l.f Cosmetics. A brand that I had long penned as my go to “recession brand”. Why do I pen the brand this way? 

The e.l.f brand came about during the roughest time in the midst of Americas millennial recession and still did surprisingly well. Why are they doing so well, well enough to open two new NY Boutiques? I’m no financial or marketing anaylist but I believe it’s because the brand simply delivers and its strategy seems simple…they are everywhere, even in the most unlikely stores and shops. e.l.f just delivers the goods to the general public! No fluff no puff or dancing eyelashes in a sleek commercial found on every network on your TV.

  
I first remembered being introduced to elf in a Target store and couldn’t believe I could get 120 eyeshadows that actually go on well for $10!!! I thought…”This is crazy! What am I doing actually buying this stuff? I mean will it really work?” The answer is an unequivocal YES!!

Well, some years and several purchases in between I actually finally made my way down to the Financial District in NY (Fulton Street & Nassau) to actually check out their boutique and boy was I pleasantly surprised!

It was a sleek moder well stocked clean boutique. With items I’d seen before and others I’d never seen before. e.l.f is truly magical and unbelievably affordable. So here’s my actual haul and review.

   

elf SLAYS in the portable lotion department!! NOBODY DOES IT LIKE elf!!! They’re Lotion Wipes are a staple found in my kit…why? Because 

  1. No messy leaking and spilling out of product all over my kit!!
  2. Hygienically sound for multiple talent on set. Each person can have their own and easily toss away when they’re done.
  3. Environmentally friendly.
  4. Smells good and leaves the skin hydrated, moisturized and soft.

And yes I bought several dozens of each scent for the new TV show I’m currently working on. LOVE THESE!!!

I am also a big fan of their Makeup Remover Wipes, the Exfoliating Makeup Remover Wipes and the Eye Makeup Remover Wipes! All are genius for when I’m on set and need to do quick non-negotiable clean ups while on set!! As you well know you can get caught out there on set and have NO TIME to do quick changes but are always expected to do them with little correcting time on the clock WELL…these babies are my answer to that and my talents skin is NEVER IRRITATED by these products.


    

I can’t believe how awesome these portable palm sized kits are so good at delivering color deposit and a variety of colors that I can actually use. I use this kit for my day playing BG Actors. And most of all I just pop them in my kit without taking up all this room!!!

Oh and let me be clear about something else while we’re here…YES I use elf makeup brushes! I think they’re awesome! Here are the ones I picked up in my haul and yes I got doubles of each!!! The Giant Kabuki is great for all over body powder and shimmer powders, the flat contour feels like butter on the skin and applies and blends incredibly. The glitter applicator is genius and so is the shadow sheild!!

  

Well here I come to the end of my haul. Just as I was up at the register I happened to see this lil number…Lip Tint. Another one is love. Just a hint of color, not too much but just a slight blush of color. It almost has the effect of a mood lipstick but much lighter and transparent. It also leaves the lips soft and smooth.

 

Overall my jaunt to elf on Fulton Street was a fun experience and a great haul! You can never have enough products in you Pro Kit and with elf you get great brand items minus the financial guilt!

Curl On, Paint On ViZionaire,

NZINGHA 

PAWPALETTE….🎨

Written by NZINGHA for TheGlamSquadFiles™ 

  
It all started long ago…at the close of the IMATS Show 2013. I was walking up that long haul walk from 12th Avenue  Pier 94 back to civilization!! You know anything/place past 8th Ave is not part of civilization as far as I’m concerned!!! Lol! Well….

Anyway I met and spoke at length with two lovely ladies who I now consider to be my friends Crystal Powder and Lady Jackie Horst maybe you’ve seen them at your local IMATS Shows in whichever state in the U.S. you are. These ladies are pure ANGELS!!! We met each other walking up that trek back to civilization. We had the most meaningful conversation ever!

  

Crystal went in her purse and pulled out one of her PAWPALETTE’s and gave it to me as a gift! Wow! I’d never seen anything like this product before. Ignorantly I asked “This is lovely my dove but, …what is it? How does this work?”

Such a gentle spirit she explains its purpose and function and ….WOW WHAT A GREAT IDEA!!!! Simple, beautiful and functional!!! I’ve been using that same palette for 3 years now and am never thrown off course by having to go back and forth to my Beauty Bar (makeup station) to mix product or apply product while I’m on set.

 

Now as of late I’ve had to use my lovelies a lot!!! Busy Lady!!!😉 while I was working on one of my actresses she says “Oooh, what a fun ring you have there!” I said “No my dove this is my makeup palette for on set. You know no cross contamination! Hahaha!” She had the same reaction I did when I first encountered PAWPALETTE…BRILLIANT!!!

She thanked me for being considerate in watching out for cross contamination because she’d worked with a few questionable “Makeup Artists”. I said “I know I’ve seen some pretty dodgy makeup kits and MUA’s as well! There are so many products available now that we simply didn’t have before. So there’s no real excuse for dirty, shabby or unprepared makeup kits.”

  

Thank you Lady Crystal for this special gift of the most useful gift to an artist besides a canvas…our palette…PAWPALETTE that is😉!! Here’s where you can now find your own http://www.pawpalette.com/ they come in so many shapes, colors, designs and even customizations all by Lady Crystal. Palette Rings, Bracelettes and free standing Lady Palettes. I’m exited for the future of this brand! Go Lady Crystal!

Curl On, Paint On ViZionaire,

NZINGHA