As a makeup enthusiast, I enjoy using all kinds of eyeshadow. However, not everyone is comfortable using traditional powder eyeshadows. Cream eyeshadows are a great alternative for adding color to the eyes because they don’t require very much time or skill to apply. Additionally, they can be used alone as a one and done eyeshadow or combined with powder eyeshadows to create a full eye look.
I’d been wanting to try cream eyeshadow for a long time, but most of them I found were out of my price range. I had my eye on the e.l.f. No Budge Shadow Sticks for the last several months since e.l.f. is so affordable, but I was skeptical about their quality
because I hadn’t heard any reviews. I’ve enjoyed most e.l.f. products I’ve tried, so I’m not sure why I was so resistant! Once e.l.f. expanded the shade range for its No Budge Shadow Sticks, I started seeing a lot of reviews which were mixed, and knew it was time to give this product a go.
I ordered two No Budge Shadow Sticks in the shades Rose Gold and Magnetic Pull. Keep reading for my full product review, complete with swatches!
E.l.f. No Budge Shadow Stick product claims directly from ElfCosmetics.com
A metallic cream eyeshadow stick that is smudge-proof, long-wearing and crease-resistant. Smooth formula glides on easily and flawlessly.
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Other product details
- Price: $5.00
- Net weight: 0.05 oz.
- Made in China
- Cruelty-free
- Vegan
- Shelf life: 6 months
- 14 shades (e.l.f. doesn’t provide shade descriptions, so I’ll do my best to describe each shade; all shades are shimmers except for “Mint for You” from the Mint Melt collection)
- Perfect pearl: Light champagne (very similar to “Champagne Crystal”)
- Rose gold: Rose gold (no creativity in this shade name)
- Magnetic pull: Taupe
- Champagne crystal: Champagne
- Rich amethyst: Royal purple
- Copper chic: Copper
- Rose quartz: Soft pink
- Golden goddess: Yellow gold
- Blue steel: Silvery blue
- Midnight sapphire: Navy blue
- Bronze metal: Bronze
- Ice Créme (part of the Mint Melt collection): Champagne (I’m not sure why this shade was created since there were already two very similar shades)
- Melt with me (part of the Mint Melt collection): Deep brown
- Mint for you (part of the Mint Melt collection): Mint green
- Where to buy: ElfCosmetics.com
- ElfCosmetics.com ships to the USA and Canada only
- Overall rating: 9.0/10
- Packaging: 10/10
- Ease of application: 10/10
- Inclusivity: 9/10
- Staying power: 6/10
- Price: 10/10
Please note that I am not a makeup artist. The opinions expressed in this review are my own, as a regular person that loves makeup.
Packaging
E.l.f. No Budge Shadow Sticks have a twist up design, and can be sharpened with the built-in sharpener shown in this photo. I think it’s brilliant that e.l.f. includes a sharpener in this product’s design. It’s easiest to apply this cream eyeshadow to small areas like the inner corner or lower lash line if it’s at least a little bit sharpened.
No Budge Shadow Sticks have been around for quite some time now and used to look very different. The packaging was updated when e.l.f. added more shades last year. Now, the packaging for each shade matches the color of the product inside.
While the packaging is plastic, it feels reasonably sturdy and the cap snaps in place securely. These shadow sticks would be ideal for travel because the packaging protects the product effectively. Also, the compact size makes these very handy to toss in just about any bag whether it’s a clutch or a duffel bag.
Ease of application
The texture of the e.l.f. No Budge Shadow Sticks is very smooth and creamy. They glide over the skin easily so there’s little to no tugging of that delicate skin around the eyes. My favorite thing about these is how quickly you can swipe them on and blend the edges for an effortless eye look.
These shadow sticks can be used a couple of different ways. They can be used for “one and done” eye looks or they can be used in combination with other eyeshadows. I prefer using them alone, but both methods have their merits.
In the photo on the left below, I used a couple of deeper powder eyeshadows in and above the crease, and used the Rose Gold No Budge Shadow Stick on my eyelids. In the photo on the right, I used Magnetic Pull on my eyelids and blended the color up into my crease with a brush. I find that when I blend these, it’s easy to blend the color away so sometimes more product needs to be applied. This formula is very easy to blend, but it’s important not to wait too long to blend because it will set.
Inclusivity
I don’t know that every shade of the No Budge Shadow Sticks would work for every skin tone, but I think there are at least a couple of shades for everyone. Some of the shades seem to be much more pigmented than others.
For example, the shades Rich Amethyst and Midnight Sapphire seem to be the most pigmented and they’re the boldest shades. Those would look gorgeous on deep skin tones. Conversely, Rose Quartz and Champagne Crystal don’t appear to be nearly as pigmented and would probably look best on fair to light skin tones. I might be off-base on those shade assessments since I haven’t actually tried those particular shades myself, but I do feel confident that there are shades that will work for every skin tone.
My two shades, Rose Gold and Magnetic Pull, seem to be somewhere in the middle of the pigmentation spectrum and would probably work for a lot of different skin tones. In these swatches, I built up the product to maximum opacity. On the eyes, these shades provide a sheer wash of color once they are blended.
As far as the variety of unique shades, I think e.l.f. has done a very good job of providing several options. I am a little bit confused about why there are three shades that are so similar (Perfect Pearl, Champagne Crystal, and Ice Créme), but that’s my one and only complaint about this shade range. If e.l.f. would ever choose to expand the shade range again, I think it might be nice if they added silver and emerald shades.
Staying power
E.l.f. claims that the No Budge Shadow Stick formula is smudge-proof, long-wearing and crease-resistant. I wish I could say that I agree with that assessment, but I don’t. It is smudge proof once it sets, but it isn’t long-wearing or crease-resistant. This rating category is a complicated one because there are caveats here to take into consideration.
First off, I don’t think the formula is consistent across all 14 shades. Some appear to have more shimmer than others. Of the two shades I have, Rose Gold has more shimmer than Magnetic Pull. I’m bringing this up because each of the shades wear differently on me throughout the day and there may be some variation among the other shades as well.
Rose Gold doesn’t last very well at all, unless it’s worn in conjunction with powder eyeshadow (see above example under “ease of application”). If it is worn alone, it
creases and wears away within only a few hours. I have oily eyelids that are also hooded, so it may hold up better for those with normal eyelids.
Magnetic Pull performs much better. I’m not sure if it has anything to do with the lesser amount of shimmer in that shade or if it’s something else. This shade doesn’t crease or fade as noticeably as the Rose Gold does. It doesn’t hold up quite as well as I’d like, but I have high expectations. I think it wears well enough to be worn on an average day (at least six hours, possibly more).
The good news here is that it’s very easy to touch-up with these shadow sticks once the color starts to fade or crease. Swipe on a little more product and blending may not even be necessary for it to look “good as new.”
Those of you that have read some of my other product reviews may be wondering why I didn’t mention eyeshadow primer. I always use Milani Eyeshadow Primer to prevent powder and liquid eyeshadows from creasing and fading. Unfortunately, I discovered that it doesn’t make much difference in wear time with these No Budge Shadow Sticks. I think it might make the color show up a little better on my eyelids, but it doesn’t seem to help with longevity.
Price
E.l.f. No Budge Shadow Sticks are priced at only $5.00! It’s common for e.l.f. products to be some of the most affordable, but in this case I didn’t find a single shadow stick from any brand offered at a lower price. Most of the shadow sticks I found were from high-end brands that charge quadruple (or more) the price of e.l.f.’s No Budge Shadow Sticks.
Also, these and other shadow sticks don’t include very much product, so I’m especially glad that e.l.f. offers them at such an affordable price. This is the kind of product that would need to be replaced often if used daily. Thanks e.l.f., for staying true to your roots and keeping prices so low! 🙂
When I ordered these e.l.f. No Budge Shadow Sticks, I had high hopes for the formula based on the product name. While they aren’t as long-wearing as I’d like, they are creamy, easy to apply, have convenient packaging, and are priced very reasonably! I’ve enjoyed using these in a variety of ways including as eyeliner (Magnetic Pull) and inner-corner highlight (Rose Gold).
If this is a product that sounds interesting to you, I think you should give it a try even if you’re concerned about the wear-time. A lot of reviews I’ve read from others state that these are long-wearing for them, so it’s hard to say how they’ll last on any particular person. At $5.00 each, you really can’t go wrong!
I may try a couple other shades at some point in the future. I’ve got my eye on Bronze Metal as an everyday neutral and Blue Steel because it’s such a fun unique shade.
Have you tried any of the e.l.f. No Budge Shadow Sticks or shadow sticks from other brands? What kind of experiences have you had with this type of product’s longevity? I hope to hear from you, as shadow sticks seem to wear so differently from person to person.
Lauren
According to Versed, the Dew Point Moisturizing Gel-Cream is appropriate for all skin types. I used to have quite oily skin and now it is combination, so I can’t speak for dry skin types, but this moisturizer and similar formulas are fantastic for combination and oily skin types because they aren’t greasy. At the same time, they are generally still plenty hydrating for normal to oily skin types. 
squeeze tubes, but for this type of product, I think this packaging is perfect. I also appreciate that the packaging is recyclable.
As I mentioned previously, this moisturizer is lightweight and absorbs into the skin very quickly…within seconds actually! That is one important characteristic I look for in moisturizers that I plan to use in the mornings because products that absorb quickly usually layer very well. This Versed moisturizer layers easily over products like toner and serum to lock in all those skin-loving skincare ingredients without leaving the skin feeling greasy. Sunscreen applies well on top, without any need to wait in between steps. This moisturizer is a fantastic team player that never interferes with other products’ performance, except perhaps to make some products work even better! 🙂
Versed Dew Point Moisturizing Gel-Cream is $14.99 ($7.50/oz.), which is consistent with the pricing of other Versed products. I think $14.99 is very reasonable for this moisturizer, especially since I had a hard time coming up with a single negative thing to say about it! The texture is amazing, it applies like a dream, plays well with other products, keeps my skin perfectly hydrated, and contains really good ingredients without any bad stuff!
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, blush is one of my favorite makeup products. I love the way it brightens my complexion and makes my skin look healthy. Almost all of the blushes I’ve tried through the years have been powder blushes because cream blushes usually intimidate me. A very popular new cream blush launched last year called e.l.f. Putty Blush. I was on the fence about trying it for a while, but since e.l.f. products are so affordable, I decided to go for it and see what all the fuss is about.
This blush is quite sheer in the shade that I have, Tahiti (swatched in this photo; this is about three layers to show the color built up), so I was originally concerned that the Putty Blushes might not work for all skin tones. However, after seeing swatches for all eight shades, I think there are options for every skin tone. 
E.l.f. Putty Blushes are packaged in clear plastic jars with twist-off lids. The packaging is very sleek, simple, and easy to open/close, but there is one unusual thing to note. A lot of people have a hard time finding the shade name on the packaging, which is frustrating for those that have more than one shade. E.l.f. does a lot of things well, but labelling products clearly is not one of them. Instead of the shade name being printed on the lid or the bottom of the jar, you can find the shade name printed on a clear label that is on the side of the jar. It’s very easy to overlook if you don’t know what you’re looking for.
I acknowledge that e.l.f. Putty Blush is not the 
stronger (more resistant to breakage). It’s not actually possible to “repair” hair, so I wasn’t surprised to see that my split ends were still visible. The Cha Ching moisturizing hair mask is my favorite of the two. With that one, my hair feels soft and looks smoother and healthier. Neither of these masks leave my hair feeling like it’s weighed down by any residual product. 
Ingredients: Aqua/Water/Eau, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Euterpe oleracea (acai) fruit extract, Carica papaya (papaya) fruit extract, Garcinia mangostana (mangosteen) seed oil, Hydrolyzed rice protein, Glycerin, Distearyldimonium chloride, Isopropyl palmitate, Leuconostoc/radish root ferment filtrate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Butylene glycol, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl glycol, Sodium PCA, Benzyl alcohol, Potassium sorbate, Sodium benzoate, Sodium hydroxide, Hexylene glycol, Citric acid, Parfum/Fragrance, Benzyl benzoate, Benzyl salicylate, Hexyl cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool
Ingredients: Aqua/Water/Eau, Cetearyl alcohol, Cetrimonium chloride, Prunus domestica (plum) fruit extract, Punica granatum (pomegranate) fruit extract, Vitis vinifera (grape) seed oil, Hydrolyzed rice protein, Glycerin, Distearyldimonium chloride, Lactobacillus ferment, Wine extract, Isopropyl palmitate, Resveratrol, Phenoxyethanol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Butylene glycol, Sodium hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, Sodium PCA, Benzyl alcohol, Sodium benzoate, Potassium sorbate, Citric acid, Parfum/Fragrance, Benzyl salicylate, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene
recommend these to anyone, but especially those like me that have gone a little too long without a haircut! There of course is no substitute for a healthy hair trim, but a good hair mask goes a long way in making hair look and feel more healthy.
I usually start my morning skincare routine with micellar water instead of a traditional face wash, and the one I’ve been using recently is the Derma E Vitamin C Micellar Cleansing Water. This micellar water contains sodium ascorbyl phosphate which is a vitamin C derivative that is more stable than ascorbic acid. I like that this product allows me to start my skincare routine every day with a boost of vitamin C. After I cleanse with this micellar water, I follow it up with the Good Molecules Niacinamide Brightening Toner which contains another vitamin C derivative. These products make my skin feel lightly hydrated, fresh, and healthy.
This product is packaged the same as most other micellar waters I’ve seen; it comes in a clear plastic bottle with a tilt-style cap. This type of packaging works reasonably well for dispensing the product, but it doesn’t provide as much control as I’d like since the texture of micellar waters is just as thin as actual water. I tend to pour out a conservative amount of this product because if you’re not careful it’s easy to get too much. I think it would be nice if this micellar water was packaged in a bottle with a pump that you press down to dispense the product, rather than flipping the bottle upside down to pour.
Purified Water, Propanediol, Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Phytic Acid, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Polymnia Sonchifolia (Yacón) Root Juice, Maltodextrin, Lactobacillus, Aspalathus Linearis (Rooibos) Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Natural Fragrance Oils
I briefly touched on this product’s fragrance in the previous section, but that was from an ingredient standpoint only. What does it smell like? It’s a unique scent that I can’t quite put my finger on, but the closest thing I can compare it to is Fruit Loops or Fruity Pebbles cereal. It has a very sweet fruity smell, that leans more toward citrus than other fruits. The smell doesn’t linger, so if this type of scent doesn’t appeal to you, then it probably isn’t enough to make you not want to use it.
While Derma E Vitamin C Micellar Cleansing Water doesn’t feel like anything particularly special on the skin, it is very effective for a quick morning cleanse. It also has an impressive ingredient list, smells great, and it’s affordable!
So was I, until just a few months ago. Clove + Hallow is an indie beauty brand that offers makeup, brushes, and skincare. All Clove + Hallow products are vegan, cruelty-free, and clean. The company prides itself most on its Clean15 philosophy, which means all products are formulated with 15 or fewer ingredients. Clove + Hallow formulates products with both natural and synthetic ingredients for the ultimate safety and effectiveness.
Clean beauty brands have a bad reputation for having small shade ranges. It’s probably because many of them are indie brands, and therefore they may not have the resources available to produce more inclusive shade ranges. There are currently only 14 shades available in Clove + Hallow’s Pressed Mineral Foundation. Honestly, it’s not the worst shade range I’ve ever seen, and it’s not bad for a small brand. For that reason, I only knocked a few points off for inclusivity. 
This pressed mineral foundation is packaged in a refill pan instead of a traditional compact. If you don’t have a customizable palette (like a Z Palette), don’t worry because Clove + Hallow has you covered! There is a magnetic refillable compact sold separately for $8.00. It’s compatible with both this powder foundation and Clove + Hallow’s Bronzing Powder. Some people might not like this concept, but I think it’s brilliant! As long as the compact is being reused, it prevents a lot of waste.
Mica, Silica, Boron Nitride, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Magnesium Stearate, Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Gluconolactone, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Lauroyl Lysine, Sodium Benzoate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Tocopherol
I am so happy that I found this clean beauty gem! Clove + Hallow Pressed Mineral Foundation is definitely a new favorite in my foundation collection and I look forward to using it more. It provides the perfect amount of coverage with the most beautiful natural looking finish. I definitely plan to repurchase another pan of this foundation once I’ve used up this one.