A few weeks back, Marla has requested a review of the e.l.f. Studio Make-Up Lock & Seal after I had posted my e.l.f. cosmetics collection to take part in a competition. This Studio line product is a recent addition to the e.l.f. cosmetics UK site but it has been available for quite a while before I got it so I waited to see what others had to say about it and then I gave in.
Basically, this is a make-up primer and sealer in one and it claims to 'increase the intensity of your make-up colors and lock it on instantly... for a sealed smudge-proof wear. The quick dry and easy to use formula keeps your make-up in place for hours'.It comes packaged in a sleek, black carton box with a window and the components are kept in a white plastic mold. So what constitutes this product? You get a 15ml bottle of mixing liquid, a flat tapered brush and a small transparent mixing pot.
A few words about the liquid first... I'm not really keen on the bottle being black as I can't see how much product I've got left but I do like the nozzle as I can control how much product comes out with ease and it is much more hygienic as well. The liquid itself has a faint smell that somehow reminds me of surgical spirit but it goes away after a few seconds of application so it's nothing major.
The brush, resembles the bigger Studio line brushes in that it is black and has a black ferrule as well. It is labelled as 'Mini Blending Brush' but I think it is more of a regular eyeshadow brush with a rather tapered point which I like. The bristles are taklon-coated just like the other e.l.f. brushes and they are very soft to the touch. Also, this brush has never shed a hair neither while I'm using it nor whilst washing it. One thing to bear in mind though is to wash the brush immediately after each use to prevent it from hardening (if hardening does happen however, just rinse the brush under warm water before washing to soften it).
The mixing pot is quite small but I like that as I do not waste a lot of product when using it. Although it is small, it is quite easy to clean up for the next use with a couple of q-tips.
I like to use this product with the e.l.f. Mineral Eyeshadows and other pigments and eyeshadows that are in powder form as it helps reduce fall out and makes them more easy to work with. However, with regards staying power of products when paired with the Make-Up Lock & Seal, I find it doesn't differ then when I prime my eyes with the Eyelid Primer and then fix everything in place with the Make-Up Mist & Set; but it does increase colour intensity as you can see in the swatch below. With regards make-up removal, I have never had any problem with removing eyeshadow after using this product and I have never had any adverse reactions to it. Here is a comparison swatch to see the effect this product has vs when using an eye primer & make-up fixer:
I would recommend this product to anyone willing to try an alternative method to make make-up stay on longer as well as people with oily eyelids as I think this will work for them. Also, I think it would be great to use with less pigmented eyeshadows as it makes them look more intense and seals them in place.
I like to use this product with the e.l.f. Mineral Eyeshadows and other pigments and eyeshadows that are in powder form as it helps reduce fall out and makes them more easy to work with. However, with regards staying power of products when paired with the Make-Up Lock & Seal, I find it doesn't differ then when I prime my eyes with the Eyelid Primer and then fix everything in place with the Make-Up Mist & Set; but it does increase colour intensity as you can see in the swatch below. With regards make-up removal, I have never had any problem with removing eyeshadow after using this product and I have never had any adverse reactions to it. Here is a comparison swatch to see the effect this product has vs when using an eye primer & make-up fixer:
Pigment eyeshadow without any base (far left)
over e.l.f. Eyelid Primer & set with Studio Make-Up Mist & Set (centre)
with Studio Make-Up Lock & Seal (far right)
I would recommend this product to anyone willing to try an alternative method to make make-up stay on longer as well as people with oily eyelids as I think this will work for them. Also, I think it would be great to use with less pigmented eyeshadows as it makes them look more intense and seals them in place.
The e.l.f. Studio Make-Up Lock & Seal retails for €4/£3.50 and can be bought directly from the e.l.f. cosmetics website.
