OMG, it’s so great to be blogging again! Covid obviously put a stop to the Weekly Events blog, so I haven’t had a chance to write for this page...until now!
For those of you who are not familiar with me, I’m Mel. I am a comedienne, pop culture nerd, and I’m also a wee bit makeup obsessed. I've been on the Vegan in NJ team since dang near its inception, as Cherise has been my sister from another mister for over 20 years.
I had gotten word that the makeup company e.l.f. (eyes lips face) was going to launch a collaboration with Chipotle and since I love makeup and guac, I knew I had to jump in. Loving the fact that e.l.f. Products are both vegan AND cruelty free, I decided that this would be my first product review for the page.
So, a little background on e.l.f., they've been around for some time (a quick Google says 2004) and I remember them first launching with insanely low price points ($1, $3, $5) which made me elated that people would be able to afford them. I have always loved their synthetic brushes and I have way too many at the moment. Sorry, not sorry.
Anyways, the collab with Chipotle was first hinted at on their Instagram (@elfcosmetics) on March 3rd, where a seemingly innocent spread of the Chipotle ordering station was titled “My kind of palette”. The caption below the photo asks the readers to comment if it was something they would wear. The reactions were majority positive, but no real hints or clues were given as to if it could be a reality.
24 hours later, another post. This time a makeup artist has painted her lips with tiny little avocados. This is captioned “It’s okay to be a little extra. Check back tomorrow for some spicy news”. I gotta give e.l.f. their props here. They know how to make a dramatic build.
The next day: Magic. The full collab is announced and a photo is included. They will be selling not only a palette, but a lip gloss, makeup bag, and the ABSOLUTELY CUTEST avocado-themed sponges ever. Of course I ordered them the minute they launched and here we are with the final review. So let’s dive into it, shall we?
Note: All products are now sold out on both e.l.f. and Chipotle’s sites. I spent my own money on this line for this review.
Chipotle Eyeshadow Palette (Retail $16)
As a woman of color, I will say that it is sometimes hard to find palettes that work with deeper skintones. I always run the risk on investing in something that is chalky or does not give any pigmentation against melanin.
I am pleased as pie to let you know that this was NOT an issue with this palette. My initial swatching on my arm was done with my fingers and the pigmentation was strong! I will say that I did fear how it would pick up with a makeup brush, as there was a bit of fallout even with my fingers. But dear lord, look at those shades. LOOK AT THEM.
My makeup style is simple. It screams “Mid Thirties Mom About to Go Out For Mimosas With the Ladies” So here’s a look I did. I can report that although there was fallout with the brushes, it was minimal, not too annoying, and I was able to clean it up easy. The brush pickup was just as strong as the finger; it went on smoothly and blended well. I enjoyed this palette more than I thought I would and can definitely see myself reaching for it in the future.
Make It Hot Lip Gloss- Hot Salsa (Retail $8)
Let me start this off by saying that I am not a regular lip gloss wearer. I am a matte liquid lipstick wearer through and through, especially in these times where mask wearing is a necessity. I am willing to try anything once, though so I gave this a try. The packaging describes having “your pout looking plumped and spicy!” I went with hesitance, because plumping glosses usually burn me and I want to toss them. This one wasn't that bad though! The color is pretty sheer and it wasn’t sticky at all. There is definitely a slight tingle, but my lips didn't fall off and it goes away pretty quickly. Okay, so I won’t totally write it off, but I will try to use it as a topper on some of my other favorite shades.
Extra Guac Sponge Set (Retail $10)
I. LOVE. AVOCADOS. So the fact that they created the cutest little sponge set with a large sponge for the avocado and then a smaller sponge for the pit is the CUTEST thing I have seen in a long time. Both sponges are very soft and bouncy and seem to be usable wet or dry. The smaller, pit sponge is perfect for inner eye concealing and the larger for setting. Did I mention they were cute? They’re cute.
Eyes Chips Face Makeup Bag (Retail $18)
Of course, with all these goodies, you naturally need a place to store them, no? Well, the Eyes Chips Face Makeup bag is to the rescue! Not only does this bag hold the entire collection with room to spare, it’s waterproof on the outside and foil-lined on the inside, making it easy to keep clean. A little motivational quote on the bag, and it’s definitely going to be a talking piece when you pull it out of your purse for touch-ups.
All in all, this was a solid investment for me and I’m glad that I was happy to get my hands on this collection. This is a nice to have without breaking the bank and I hope they bring this collab permanently.
For this look, I used shades Pinto Beans, Black Beans, Guac, White Rice, and Corn Salsa.
Look at my bestie. She so pretty 😍