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What does hairstylist and Ouai founder Jen Atkin know about makeup? Turns out, a lot, because her most recent makeup collaboration is really freakin' good. Launching at Boots on 14 April, the e.l.f. xx Jen Atkin collection is inspired by the beauty entrepreneur's "keep it real vibe" and her "zero-Fs'given" approach to beauty. That means each and every product is faff free and easy to use — you can easily slap it on and be out the door in minutes and look polished and put together. Oh, and because it's e.l.f., all but one product in the range cost under £15 (there's a three-piece lip kit that's £24). "I'm obsessed with creating quality beauty products that are accessible to everyone and no one has mastered that more than e.l.f," Atkin said in a press release for the launch.
E.l.f xx Jen Atkin is a well-edited makeup collection of 11 products: two eye-and-face palettes, three dual-ended lipsticks and liners, a hydrating facial mist, a black and a brown eyeliner pencil, and a clear hair and brow gel. You can then buy the XXtra Lip Kit (which contains all three lipsticks) and the Eyes Up Here Kit (which contains the brow pomade, an eyeliner, and a dual-ended brush).
After receiving the products last month, both POPSUGAR associate editor Tori Crowther and I gave them a try, and we both found ourselves a little bit obsessed. We both agree that the Hair and Brow Pomade is genius. The clear brow gel is silky and flexible (so you don't get flakes that make it look like you have eyebrow dandruff), and we love the fact that the applicator is more like a brush for your hair than a spoolie. It allows you to really comb through and define the exact shape of your brow hairs.
The XXtra Lip Duo, which is a dual-ended lipstick and lip liner, is also one of the standouts in the collection. The matte formula is creamy and comfortable to wear, and the colours are great — Red-dy to Go is a bright orange-red, Self Made Pink is a warm-toned medium pink, and Bring It On Brown is a '90s-era peach-tinged taupe. The lipsticks are also incredibly pigmented, which means you get a nice, opaque layer of colour in one swipe. And that's just the lipsticks. Then you have a retractable matching lip liner on the other end that allows you to precisely outline your lips (or overdraw them, if you prefer).
"I really loved having the lip liner and lipstick being dual-ended because I always lose liners," Crowther said. "Plus, the shapes of both the liner and lipstick made them easy to apply for someone who is a bit crappy staying in the lines. They went straight into my makeup bag and not the drawer!" The formula also sets nicely, as both Tori and I found that the pigment doesn't smudge or move around.
Keep reading to check out all of the products in the collection, as well as what some of the shades look like on Tori and I. If looking for reliable, everyday makeup essentials to add to your routine, or if you're someone who likes to wear makeup but doesn't have the patience to apply it, this affordable collection is definitely worth your attention.