Seeing the Beauty Within with e.l.f. Cosmetics #eyeslipsface

Ever since I started my quest to lose weight and get to goal I've always told myself that "once I was at goal I'd..."

What I've come to realize on this journey is that I need to stop with the what if's and start living in the now. And the first thing I need to start doing is feel good inside and out about myself. And I've started with a little retail therapy.

But don't worry... this shopping trip only cost me $30 AND I took home all of the tools I needed to create a brand new everyday look for myself! How great is that?

Style on a Budget
I had heard about this amazing and inexpensive line of cosmetics called e.l.f. cosmetics (stands for Eyes, Lips, Face) from a friend of mine and when I had the opportunity to head out to Target to check out the line myself I was giddy with excitement!

Not only are e.l.f. cosmetics amazing and inexpensive, they're not tested on animals AND they're PETA approved. An added bonus? they have an eco-conscious line too!

Before heading out to Target, I headed over to the e.l.f. website to check out their selection. I fell in love with the Fall Favorites collection and almost stopped my shopping right there. But the call to get out and really see the colors and options available in the store was too strong. Plus I wanted to play with my new makeup that day!

Beauty and Value
Once I made my way to Target and was inside the store I made a quick pit-stop at the $1 section and then headed over to the Beauty department. A department I hadn't been to in quite a few months. As soon as I got to the makeup aisle I headed to the e.l.f. selection. The first thing I noticed was the variety and selection of makeup.

From liquid foundations and mineral makeup, to lip gloss and eyeshadow, every color I could think of and every brush I needed was at my hands. Then I noticed the price. Um... are you serious? $1 for lip gloss? $3 for liquid foundation? Score!

Choosing the Right Shades
My main goal was to come home with a great selection of tools and makeup to create a simple and clean everyday look. I had so much fun looking through the different brushes to find the ones I needed. I already had an angled eyeliner book but didn't have a face brush, a foundation brush, or an eyeshadow brush so these items were the first to be tossed in my basket.

I then quickly moved onto my face. I've never really used foundation before but as I've gotten older I've started to realize that there are some days that I might need it. I also found a great bronzer pallette and a high definition powder (that I'm told is amazing when you're photographed).

The face was complete and it was time to focus on my lips. I was super excited to find an all-over-face stick in a super cute pink. I thought it was the perfect base and would be a great product to leave in my diaper bag for an on-the-go fix for not only my lips but my eyes and cheeks as well. I completed my lips with a mauve gloss.

And I was ready to pick out an eye color. Since I had just purchased a tube of mascara from a department store I just wanted to grab a shade or two of eyeshadow that I didn't already have in my collection. But because I was already there I glanced at the mascaras they had and wish I hadn't splurged at the department store. For a fraction of what I paid, I could have purchased the same product here.

You can read more about my Target shop for e.l.f. cosmetics and how I kept my budget of $30 here in my Google + album.

Creating the Perfect Look
As soon as I got home I took a long needed shower and then I got out all of my fun new toys to start playing. I started by applying the foundation and then brushed a little high definition powder over the foundation with my face brush. Then I added a bit of bronzer to my cheeks for a light glow.

I was having fun already and wasn't even 1/2 way done!! How's that for an ego boost?

I enjoyed playing with the new Little Black Book eye shadow collection I purchased and used some greys and blues to create fun, cheery eyes that matched my outfit. Then I curled my eyelashes and applied the mascara I previously purchased. I loved the way the eye lash curler elongated my lashes and made the mascara look 10x better. And it was only $1!

I finally ended with my lips. I started with the all-over-color stick and topped it with the mauve hypershine gloss. Two simple colors that looked amazing together.

What do you think?

The Before and After
I'm very happy with the look I've created and the fact that it took me less than 10 minutes to create it! Plus with my little black book, I can change up my eyeshadow colors with my moods and outfits. I love having the ability to change up the colors I use in my everyday wear with how I'm feeling.

And I feel absolutely fabulous with my new makeup. Not only do I feel better about myself when I take the time to apply a bit of makeup, I also feel more confident in my ability to succeed in my weight loss. By having a positive outlook on my body and my appearance I've been more motivated to continue my journey and succeed... but now I'll look good doing it! And all for $30.

Check out e.l.f. on Facebook and follow them on twitter at @askelf. And don't forget to check out elf cosmetics at Target!

Do you have a go-to everyday look? Or do you like changing things up?

Disclaimer: I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and e.l.f. All opinons are my own. #CBias #SocialFabric