My Review: e.l.f Makeup Lock and Seal

Hey everyone! I love to collect and try on drugstore eye shadows, but once I actually test it out, I end up pretty upset due to the cheap quality of the product that includes smudging and fading. I've always dreamed of an eyeshadow that proves to be not only vibrant but durable through extreme heat and even water, and most of all, affordable. I spotted the e.l.f. Makeup Lock and Seal for $3 on eyeslipsface.com and immediately made an order with high hopes to bring my eye shadows to the next level.

What Is It? A potion stored in a dropper bottle that claims to intensify and toughen the quality of your makeup. A tiny drop blended in the mixing pot with the included mixing brush, reveals a clear formula that can be painted either on top or under your makeup. It supposedly acts a primer, forcing the makeup to stick while allowing the makeup to be exposed to liquid that once patted in, intensifies the shine, glitter, or color.

Things to Rave About:

1) The Intensifying Effect: Whether you decide to apply the potion above or beneath the makeup, the formula regardless reveals an illuminating and brightening affect. The color loses its dullness and washed out appearance and is replaced with a bright, vibrant shade with pigments more compact and tight.

2) Capability to Turn Makeup From Cheap to HG: As I said before, most of my eye shadows are pretty inexpensive and show their little worth once applied, but once coated with this potion, they immediately take on the look and feel of a high end shadow! I conducted a test using the cheapest eyeshadow around: L.A. Colors Mineral Eyeshadow. The $1 shadow turned from a dull, drab shade with very loose particles to a shadow with flawless durability and pigments immediately intensified and actually in a compact square rather than a loose mess of shadow.

 Right: LA Colors Eyeshadow alone.  Left: LA Colors Eyeshadow with e.l.f Makeup Lock and Seal

3) Versatility: The potion seems mainly targeted toward usage with eye shadow, but the instructions don't specify which exact type of makeup to use, simply stating its usage with " any powder or cream makeup."   So I decided to conduct another test and apply the potion on blush, eyeliner, and a more expensive eyeshadow. Check out the results!

Right: Maybelline New York Limited Edition Blush in Ravishing Rouge with e.l.f. Makeup Lock and Seal. Left: Maybelline Blush alone.

   

Right: Ulta Eye Crayon in Black Tie alone. Left: Ulta Eye Crayon with e.lf. Makeup Lock and Seal.

  Right: Maybelline Expert Wear Quad alone. Left: Maybelline Quad with e.l.f. Makeup Lock and Seal.

4) The Durability Effect: After leaving the potion alone to sit and absorb for 5 minutes, your makeup becomes literally invincible! Heat, water, and intensive rubbing can't make the makeup budge! Check out the tests done below!

Right: Smudged L.A. Shadow. Left: Smudged L.A Shadow with e.l.f Makeup Lock and Seal

Right: Smudged Maybelline blush with e.l.f Makeup Lock and Seal. Left: Smudged Maybelline blush.

Right: Smudged Ulta Eye Crayon Left: Smudged Ulta Eye Crayon with e.l.f Makeup Lock and Seal

Right: Smudged Maybelline Eyeshadow with e.l.f Makeup Lock and Seal.  Left: Smudged Maybelline Eyeshadow

 
 Things to Rant About:

1) Precision and Carefulness is Key! If too much product is applied to the makeup, the makeup will be immediately sheered out to the point where only a few pigments remain. It is a good idea to follow the recommended dosage and figure out your own percentage of makeup to potion (less is more!).

My Overall Rating: 9.5 / 10