I’m a big fan of e.l.f. cosmetics when it comes to budget-friendly beauty, and love finding little hidden gems like their Baked Highlighter or Tinted Lip Oils. Surprisingly, I somehow never tried their eyeshadows before, until I got my hands on a couple of the new e.l.f. Best Friend Eyeshadow Duos*.
e.l.f. Best Friend Eyeshadow Duo
The e.l.f. Best Friend Eyeshadow Duos come in little portable compacts and feature two complementary powder eyeshadows – one matte and shimmer. The complementary duos make it easy to create a quick look – simply applying one color on the lid, and the other color in the outer 1/3 of the lid and into the crease.
Their are currently 5 duos available, including:
- ‘Pink Pal’ (shimmery soft pink + matte light brown)
- ‘Tea for Two’ (shimmery taupey-pink + matte ivory)
- ‘Bestie Brown’ (shimmery gold-brown + matte dark brown)
- ‘Soul Mate’ (shimmery purple taupe + matte dark purple)
- ‘Peach Squad’ (shimmery copper + matte medium peach)
e.l.f. Best Friend Eyeshadow Duo Review
I tried out both ‘Tea for Two’ and ‘Peach Squad’. ‘Peach Squad’ includes a coppery shimmer shade and a medium peach. So far, I’ve used the peach as a crease color, and the copper for my lid (though I bet the other way around would look just a pretty). Both colors are very warm and in the medium range. I’d imagine they’d would work best for those with medium to deep skin tones. On my neutral light-medium skin however, I don’t find them to be very flattering (then again, I always had trouble with warm – especially orangey/peachy – shades).
‘Tea for Two’ on the other hand, came out to be my favorite out of the two. The soft ivory matte shadow works as a beautiful base for the lid. It’s just a tad lighter than my light-medium skintone (and would likely be the perfect match for very fair skin). The cooler taupey-pink shimmer is my favorite! On me, it tones down to a more of a silver-taupe rather than a pinky-taupe. It’s also just dark enough to add natural-looking definition to the crease, while the shimmer adds some extra glamour to elevate an otherwise simple look.
e.l.f. Best Friend Eyeshadow Duo in ‘Tea for Two’
Swatches of e.l.f. Best Friend Eyeshadow Duo in ‘Tea for Two’ (top) and ‘Peach Squad’ (bottom)
e.l.f. Best Friend Eyeshadow Duo ‘Peach Squad’ swatch (applied dry, no primer)
e.l.f. Best Friend Eyeshadow Duo ‘Tea for Two’ swatch (applied dry, no primer)
The pigmentation across both of the e.l.f. Best Friend Eyeshadow Duos is very impressive. It didn’t take much time at all to build them up, even on their own (without wetting them or using a primer). They also blend out beautifully thanks to their silky smooth formula (from the added nylon and silica).
My only qualm is the packaging – although super cute and compact, the cases feel super cheap, almost like they’re about to fall apart. I really wish e.l.f. had stuck with their sleek, all black, NARS-like packaging for these guys!
In the end though, considering the quality, portability, and convenience of these duos, they’re definitely worth the small $3 investment. They’re sure to come in handy while traveling, or on a busy morning when want to create a simple, effortless look without rummaging through a bunch of eyeshadow palettes. 😉
Available at e.l.f. Cosmetics (US & UK), Target, & Ulta
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Have you tried the e.l.f. Best Friend Eyeshadow Duos?
