Elf is a great vegan as well as cruelty free brand that are known to offer makeup products at an affordable price! Who doesn’t like a bargain! Anyways I was in need of an eyebrow pencil so of course I had to first check out elf‘s range. And that is how I came across the elf brow pencil or more precisely the elf instant lift brow pencil.
Anyways if you would like to know how it performs then I suggest you do continue to read on!
Shades
Currently the shades offered are quite limited, with around 5. They are mainly brown tint. The lightest is a blonde, Auburn, Neutral brown, Taupe as well as Deep brown, their deepest shade. There is also a black hue however I couldn’t seem to find it. The shade I was originally going to go for is black but since it wasn’t available, I decided to go for the next best option, the deep brown.
The deep brown turned out to actually be a perfect fit. It is not as deep as the black which makes it great for a natural look. It creates a nice subtle effect where you can gradually build for more depth whereas the black tint I am guessing would be ideal for adding definition after a few strokes.
One thing I did notice is that some of the shades do appear quite similar so I am imagining on the brow they would look identical. The shade natural brown and taupe are one example of alike hues.
Application
Application is pretty simple, you use the spoolie brush to comb your brows into place as desired, and then the eyebrow pencil on the opposite end to fill in your eyebrow. The brand recommend using small, fine strokes to create the necessary effect. To further lock in colour as well as shape that is long lasting elf suggest pairing the instant lift brow pencil with the clear eyebrow wax.
So how was the applying process for me? The brow pencil is said to feature a ‘fine tip for extreme accuracy’ along with a formula that is creamy and rich that is supposed to glide on smoothly. Hearing this means application should be effortless. And I can say it was easy though I have noticed the pencil to go a little harder after a while of opening and closing, made even more evident if you do not shut the pencil properly.
The tip isnt as soft but not too hard either at first, the formula does follow along nicely with even colour deposition as you swipe. I would say the tip at the moment does allow you to apply with precision easily including building the thin angle on the edge or end of the brow tail.
Would that precision last as long as the product, not sure, we will have to wait and see. Since it is quite thin, you would have to go in with further strokes to add more depth to your look.
Now how does the spoolie perform? I would say it does its job, allow you to brush and keep the hair in place. It is a good size, covering even the thickest brows in one brush. The bristles are soft yet do seem firm which is required to ensure hairs are thoroughly ‘groomed and shaped’.
The spoolie maintains the same figure from top to bottom, however it would be great if the tip was a little smaller so that it we can easily set the smaller hairs in place with more control but no worries as long as it accomplishes its role.
Pigmentation I find is a little weak than expected despite its creamy texture which I am wondering might be the case with light shades only. Regardless the hue allows for less mistakes and since it is buildable, it is actually not an issue. It does after all allow you to create ‘a natural looking finish’!
Lastage
Elf don’t specifically mention how long the elf brow pencil will last however there are slight clues as to what to expect. They state it offers ‘budge resistant’ colour along with ‘smudge resistant’ results which suggests some sort of good lastage.
So how was it? Well I would say it was not too bad but can certainly do with some improvement. It provided me with around 4 hours of pigmentation till the elf brow pencil needed reapplying. The issue was mainly with the pigment fading away especially towards the middle where I had used it to add definition.
So I had to reapply to recreate the desired effect. I didn’t notice any smudging so I guess it ticks the smudge resistant box elf were talking about. I am not too sure about budge resistant since it did fade so that would be a no from me!
Overall
So overall I rate the elf instant lift brow pencil a 7/10! I really like how easy it is to apply and create results such as adding definition or just tidying up your hair with the spoolie. Talking about the spoolie, it does a good job in setting hair in place and is a decent size.
The pigmentation is good for individuals who are looking for something subtle yet is still buildable for a more dramatic look. This means creating feathery strokes is definitely this pencils speciality. It has a decent consistency along with the ability to provide some precision however the shade range is quite limited.
Despite that I think for the price the elf brow pencil comes at, it is a good product. Since it does allow you to shape and define your brows.
If you are on the lookout for a product with more stronger pigmentation or for it to be long wearing then I would suggest you check out brow pomades.
That it is for now peeps!
But if you don’t to want leave just yet then I suggest you tap here to check out more awesome vegan brow products!
Have a great day!
