elf Matte Lip Color Review and Swatches

This formula is really comfortable for every day wear. Longevity is reasonable; if you eat oily stuff it will fade, but it will fade nicely. Reapplying or layering the product is not difficult, nor does it look cakey. I also love that these are thinner than traditional bullet lipsticks. There is more precision when applying the lip product. These lip colors have a sharpener in case the tip becomes too blunt to line your lips. I highly recommend these lippies. Below are the colors I purchased with my own money. 

 Rich Red

This is a neutral red but may come off slightly blue-toned with yellower skin tones. It has a demi-matte finish. I don't like this color on its own for my skin tone. I prefer this under a warm-red lip color.

Rowdy Rouge

I love this color. It is a true scarlet color. It looks great with my complexion and trendy for the summer look. This is also demi-matte, but feels slightly drier than Rich Red, but still comfortable.

Catwalk Orange

This a pinky-orange color. It is sheer and needs about 3 swipes to build to its full opacity. I have very pigmented lips so the way it swatched on my hand did not show up the same way on my lips. I think it clashed with my lip color so this color is a pass for me. Also, this color was more of a cream finish.

Praline
I love this color and it was demi-matte. The color is a brownie-pink and looks great on its own or under lighter lip colors.

Scarlet Night

This is a dark-purple berry color. It goes on a little more patchy than the other colors I got. I would skip this color. If you already bought this I would recommend using a lip liner or another lipstick underneath it, but it kind of defeats the purpose of this product.

Overall:
Although some colors were misses for me, I really liked these products and will be getting more colors. These are not true mattes, rather they are comfortable demi-mattes. For $3 it is great and you can find them on sale for an even better deal. They are also a cruelty-free product, however, it is not vegan.

Curology

Overview

Curology is a monthly subscription that sends a bottle of medication tailored towards your skin from a survey and pictures you upload to Curology. I actually heard about this from two Youtubers: Michelle Phan and Saaammage. After thinking about it, why not give it a go? My first tube of medication was free from the link I obtained from Sam to sign up with. The next bottle of medication will arrive 3 months after the first order for $20 shipped.

So why did I choose to try it?

I have acne caused by my diet and hormones. My diet can be regulated, but my hormones are out of my control. During the time of the month (TOM), I get at least seven volcanoes on my face. So being me, I pop them myself once I see the white head forming which results in acne scars. 

My Curology

I crossed out my name on the bottle :)

I ordered my first Curology medication on June 7th. In the survey, for skin conditions I am concerned with, I chose everything except aging. My medication consists of 0.25% zinc pyrithione, 1% clindamycin, and 4% niacinamide.

The Chemicals

Zinc pyrithione relieves excess sebum, and has both antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties. It is known to relieve dandruff and eczema and is FDA approved for prescribed amounts and how it's used. This may cause skin irritation if you are allergic to this chemical; it would be best to test it out on a patch of skin on your arm before putting it directly on your face. Clindamycin has antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties. This helps fight against bacteria that causes acne on your skin. On the other hand, if you stop using this product after a week, your acne may worsen. It is like taking prescribed antibiotics where if you do not finish the medication, you will have a harder time getting rid of the bad bacteria in the future because not all of the bacteria was killed the first time and now it is even stronger. Also, in my opinion, I do not like that fact that they do not tell you when to stop using the medication. No one is suppose to be on antibiotics forever. Niacinamide is vitamin B3 that is commonly prescribed in creams to reduce wrinkles, fight against hyperpigmentation, and tighten the skin making it tougher for acne to develop. Do not ingest topical creams with niacinamide; it may cause diarrhea.

How to Use

It's really simple. Apply 1 to 2 pumps of the medication after you washed and towel dried your face at night. Rub it in until it absorbs; it absorbs really fast and does not feel sticky at all. Continue with your regular skincare regime. In the morning just use sunscreen and moisturizer. 

Results

Before

After

From the before picture you can see I have a lot of acne scars, texture, and acne. And in the after picture, I have less acne and less acne scars. Overall, I am concerned with what would happen if I stop using it after this bottle. But right now, I am seeing some positive results after six weeks of usage. Like I said, I have hormonal acne so a magical cream isn't going to cut it. I will continue to use up this bottle and decide whether or not to continue with the subscription. 


UPDATE #1:
I have purchased another bottle. I feel that my breakouts have diminished. AND remember to use sunscreen for the best results.

UPDATE #2: 

Today is June 24, 2017 and I can say my skin has been better than last year. I have been slowly weening off of this stuff and I did not have a bad reaction. I get breakouts during the TOM but still that is something I can not control. The main difference is that the pimples are smaller and less painful than they usually are during the TOM. Most of my scars are gone but that may be due to another product that I will be reviewing. Here is my last picture update.

6/24/2017 Clean face with no makeup. I do have some scarring around my nose and a tiny pimple right above my eyebrow.