Saving money without compromising quality

I rarely write a product review, but once in awhile I run across something I need to share. It seems to me that EVERYONE I know lately is trying to find ways to save money, myself included. Well, as women, I think it's safe to say, for most of us, that we will sacrifice many things before we give up our favorite cosmetics.

Since I first began wearing makeup as a young teenager, I've only used name brand, high quality products...Clinique, Estée Lauder, Bare Minerals, etc. lets face it, it gets expensive even with the fun "gifts with purchase" sets. Well, Sarah began wearing makeup a few months ago, and being the amazing bargain hunter that she is, she stumbled upon a cosmetic line that she instantly fell in love with...elf Cosmetics. With most things ranging from $1-3 and pallets well under $10 (not to mention when the online site runs a half price sale making it unbelievably cheap) it totally caught her attention. As a cosmetic snob, I thought "I'm glad she's having fun but no thanks...I'll stick with my Estée Lauder".

It all changed one day when Sarah bought me a small eye shadow pallet that was on sale for $1 and she just knew it was colors I'd love. Doing my motherly duty, I used it the next morning as she anxiously watched, wanting to know what I thought. SURPRISE was what went through my mind. The colors were beautiful and the coverage was smooth and nice. "It won't last all day, I'm sure" was my next thought. Wrong! By bedtime, my eye shadow was still on; no creasing and no smearing. Hmmmmm.... Is my13 year old onto something?

A couple weeks ago, while at Target, Sarah shows me some new color sets and products they've just gotten in. Mineral eye shadows. Baked eye shadows. Beautiful blush shades. A full cosmetic line. So, in a moment of temptation I pick up a few things and spend less than $10. I have to tell you, I love everything I bought. The baked shadows are gorgeous. The colors all blend so beautifully. I'm hooked :). So, if you're looking for a way to save money without giving up quality, give elf a try. I'm betting you'll be as surprised as I was :)