ELLIS FAAS: An Update


Note: If you are looking for ELLIS FAAS swatches, it would be best to go through my Brand: ELLIS FAAS posts (there are several pages). I have written a lot about this brand - reviews and eye looks - and you will find swatches of many (but not all) of the ELLIS FAAS eye and lip products there.


It’s been two months since I’ve had some of the ELLIS FAAS products. I just thought it’s time to do an update. Note: Coincidentally, Grace London of London Makeup Girl had written an excellent piece today rounding up her thoughts on the ELLIS FAAS product range, so be sure to read her post too!

Some time after I had written my review on the Creamy Eyes E104, I received a little surprise from the folks at ELLIS FAAS. In the little package were Creamy Eyes E103 and a card from Ms Faas herself thanking me for doing a review on the E104. Well, thank you, Ms Faas!

So, that’s the disclosure obligation fulfilled! Just so we’re clear, all my other ELLIS FAAS products were my own purchases.....okay, okay, some were gifts from hubby!

Swatches – swipe, swipe, swipe
I was at Skins Cosmetics some time back to buy another ELLIS FAAS pen. The personnel were very busy at that time, so I was pretty much left to my own devices for a good twenty minutes before I was served. To kill time, I decided to swatch some ELLIS FAAS colours on my hand. After making the necessary purchase and leaving the store, I tried to take some photos of the swatches. Unfortunately, the conditions were difficult. It was freezing cold, my hands were shaking and I didn’t have my better camera with me. The photos of my swatches of the Milky Eyes shades weren’t fantastic but passable (please excuse the bony hand and the icky veins!) and so I will be showing them here. However, the photos of the Creamy Eyes swatches were a no-go. Instead, I will show swatches of the two darkest shades of the Creamy Eyes that I have. All swatches are in daylight.


Creamy Eyes
L-R: E103 (basic black), E104 (dark brown)

These are only two, but Creamy Eyes colours are in general earthy, opaque, matte and intense.


Milky Eyes (slightly faded versions)
Top row L-R: E203 (dark blue), E204 (state green), E205 (khaki green), E206 (medium brown)
Bottom row L-R: E207 (terracotta orange), E208 (coral pink), E209 (beige)

Milky Eyes shades are more colourful, opaque if layered on, quite sheer if smudged out and has a hint of shimmer (I will show the shimmer in a later post).

I also managed to squeeze in another row of swatches, this time of the Ellis Red.

Ellis Red
L-R: Creamy Lips L101, Milky Lips L201, Glazed Lips L301

They are in descending order of opacity, left to right. Glazed Lips is the most translucent of the three textures.

I did get to try Ellis Red on my lips. I tried the Milky Lips L201 thinking that perhaps this red would look less intense than what I would imagine Creamy Lips L101 to be. My gosh, I was wrong. The texture may be lighter with some gloss, but the colour is still very intense. I have to say that Ellis Red is not for the faint-hearted. I mean, I love it but I don’t think I have the guts to wear it. Not with my full lips in daytime. I think it would be perfect for an evening out though.

The Pens – clicks and nozzles
It has become quite a guessing game with the clicking. How many clicks are needed before the liquid emerges from the nozzles? Sometimes, two or three. Sometimes:

A few cautious turns. Wait. Nothing.
A few more turns. Wait. Still nothing.
(Losing patience) Another few more reckless turns. Pffftt, out it springs, like a worm!

And now there’s too much product on the applicator (sometimes beyond). Then I’d be desperately trying to salvage the product from the applicator, applying more on the eyes than intended. Well, it’s either on the eyes or on a piece of tissue! You’re free to choose.

When I was swatching away at Skins, just about every single pen was acting that way. So, it wasn’t only with the ones that I have.

So, what do you do? Be patient and wait for the liquid to emerge after a few clicks. It isn’t ideal if you’re applying makeup in a hurry in the morning though. I used to think that having the pen stand pointed down would help speed up the process but I’ve had mixed results with the different pens. What I find does help in saving time is that sometimes there is leftover from a previous click from say, the day before, which you can still use (the liquid isn’t dried up, in my experience). Often times, it is enough for one application. So, it’s like having the product all ready for use in the morning just because you clicked too many times the day before. Did that make sense?

There has been much talk about the applicators, especially the slanted sponge-tip ones, called showerheads by ELLIS FAAS. Those are the applicators for Creamy Lips and Milky Eyes. I have been reading of complaints that some nozzles are not dispensing any product and that the liquid comes out of only one or two nozzles.

Well, I’m facing the same issues too in varying degrees. There must be about six or more nozzles in the applicator. From my earlier photos of the applicator, I can see that there were no problems at the beginning. Pictured right is what I have now.

The applicator on the left is still fairing quite well. The applicator on the right is dispensing through only one nozzle. Point made.

Drying time – hurry, hurry
Back in November, the drying time of Creamy Eyes E104 wasn’t too bad. It gave me enough time to play around with fading the edges and smudging. However, now in the dead of winter and with all the dryness indoors from the internal heating, I’ve found that my E104 dries much quicker, thus allowing me less time to toggle with the shadow. I’ve had to learn to speed up my application and sometimes, it ain't easy.

Application - dirty fingers, lots of tissues
From my own experience, finger work is very important when using the ELLIS FAAS eye products. I always use my fingers to feather out the edges. I have yet to try that out with a brush. The only brush I’ve used with these products are an eyeliner brush and the brush applicator that comes with the Creamy Eyes.

So, I always end up with messy fingers. My advice would be to wipe off quickly before it dries on your fingers. I honestly hate to see the liquid shadow wasted on the fingers and the tissues but hey, c’est la vie!

Final Words
Great products in sleek, gorgeous pens. My hubby says it’s a pity that the sleek pens would be of no more use when the product is used up. It’s quite scandalous to throw away the gorgeous pens, really. So, how about refills, Ms Faas?

With so much said, would I still re-purchase? Err, ye-es!! The staying power of the shadows is astounding. I have photos from the Creamy Eyes E104 to prove that.

Now, if only the clicking were an exact science.

To find out if ELLIS FAAS is available where you are, please check the Ellis Faas website. For readers in Australia, ELLIS FAAS is available in Mecca Cosmetica, for those in the US, it is sold in Bergdorf Goodman and for those in the UK, it is now available in Liberty.

24 comments:

Yi said...

i need to check out those goodies... IoI xoxo

twinsouls888 said...

I love the swatch of the creamy eyes in E103 (basic black)and E104 (dark brown). I find them very pigmented. And the hand is flawless, the veins barely noticeable ;)

I love this review girl, it's detailed ^_^. About the pens, I experience thesame with my Stila lipglaze, a few wrong turns means you get excess and wastage but I still love them lol ^_^.

xoxo
ems

Content Director - Strong Female Leaders said...

Glad you liked the product. I have never heard of such thing before. The swatches look really creamy, which I love. I hope to find it in the U.S.

Anonymous said...

Love the design of the pen! And those colors are so nice...I would be okay with the dispensing issues if these stay well on my oily lids. Thank you for the review! I'll be looking around to see if I can find a distributor in the US.

You're eyes and eye look is gorgeous btw! I love the smokey brown lid:)

Shop N' Chomp said...

I love how portable it is. =D

Manju said...

the milky eyes colours are so pretty! faded and matte, just how i like it

Lydia said...

Excellent round up. I have the exact same experience with the clicks - sometimes I do a few clicks and wait for at least 5 minutes (honestly - I click before I go in the shower) and still nothing has come out, and then I do those additional clicks that result in a big worm of product.

Even with that, I do still love the finish and wear. I'd buy more, but I wish they could fix it!

immarafrancesca said...

Sometimes it does get annoying when you're waiting for the pens to get color then spills like there's no tomorrow! That's really frustrating. Although the packaging looks really tempting. The truth is, I have stayed away from stores like Goodman and Saks for the past couple of months because the people are so nice there that they unintentionally make me buy more. Ha ha ha!

Anyhoos, how are you? :)

bowsnhearts said...

I love the creamy eyes!!! The colours are sooo pretty and they jumps out at you!

Anonymous said...

I'm not gonna be able to get my hands on Ellis Faas when it comes to the UK O_O ! The products sound so amazing! X

Carine said...

wow, these products look really pigmented !

Sheefa F said...

great review hun! the products look great :)

Witoxicity said...

@Yi
Hi! It's good to see you again! Ellis Faas will be launching in London next week, so do check it out at Liberty! :)

@twinsouls888
The Creamy Eyes sure are pigmented. You know, I've never had similar problems with my Stila Lipglaze before. The one that I had been using was very well-behaved. :)

@tris1978ton
Ellis Faas is now available in Bergdorf Goodman. I've now added an update to the post. :)

@aestheticcoo
Thank you for your kind words! Sorry I didn't include the retail information. I've now updated my post. The products are availabe in the US at Bergdorf Goodman. :)

@Shop N' Chomp
And very streamlined and stylish too! :)

@Manju
Yes, the Milky Eyes certainly has a more colourful range. :)

@Grace London
Thanks for dropping by. :)

Five minutes and still nothing?! Wow, that must be annoying. Yup, I sure hope they will do something about this.

@Mara
Hi! I'm fine, thank you! It's good to have you back. :)

Oh, that's so true about sales personnel. They're trained to sweet-talk customers into buying something they don't really need (usually). Heh heh! It's better to stay away sometimes. No see means no temptation and that means no buy! :D

@bowsnhearts
Yes, the colours are intense and therefore great for contouring and lining. I love the two colours that I have as they are so useful! :)

@Linda
I'm sure you can. When you next make a trip to London for Harrods, stop by Liberty too! :)

@Carine
Oh yes, they certainly are. No diluted liquid eyeshadow here! :)

@Shifa
Thanks! :)

Gail said...

Another amazing write up, I really enjoyed that! haha so funny, I know exactly what you mean. Indeed, although I've yet to see the range in person, thanks to you I feel like I am already familiar with it and know what to look out for! Thanks!! And I am glad Ms Faas has recognised that too!! xxxx

Witoxicity said...

@Gail
Thanks so much for your kind words, Gail! And I'm pleased that you've found these Ellis Faas posts useful. :)

Right, I think you've by now got sufficient introduction on Ellis Faas! :D I can't wait to see what you'll be getting from this brand when they launch. :)

Yi said...

hey girl, yeah im back:) i do missed blogging a lot, and reading you guys reviews are mmmuch better than having text book obviously haha..and you are doing fantasic job here..keep it up darling :)

Le Cocon de Voune said...

Thanks for the review and swatches! I will def check in Liberty next week to try it!

The Beautifier said...

Wonderful review hun! Those swatches look great! Ah! I'm loving the creamy eyes! I'm looking forward to buy a few products from this brand!I agree, Rifills whould be a great idea! xoxo

Witoxicity said...

@Yi
Thank you! :)

@Nefertari
You're welcome. If you do buy, I hope to read your post about it! :)

@The Beautifier
Thanks, my dear. I have the same sentiments about Creamy Eyes, especially these two dark ones that I have. They can be very intense and yet can be as faded and smudged out as you like. Truly multi-purpose! :) Do keep us posted when you get yours!

KONADomania said...

great swatches!

And you got tagged;)

http://konadomania.blogspot.com/2010/01/best-blog-award.html

Witoxicity said...

@KONADomania
Wow, thank you very much! :D

Cynthia Z said...

These pens sound interesting...I like a fun challenge ;) I agree with yr hubby...it is a pity that u can't use them once the product is used up..lol..i feel the same about my YSL Touche Eclat :) Great review!
♥XX♥

Anonymous said...

Yikes the trouble you went through to take pics of the swatches! Thanks for enduring the cold for us! ><

I feel the same way when I use up a product that has gorgeous packaging.. such a waste to throw out! Same thing applies for the boxed they come in too!!

Witoxicity said...

@Cynthia
Thanks! About the re-fills, we can actually the same for many other makeup products. Most times, they come in such lovely packaging and it's almost sinful to discard them! :)

@Natalie
Ha ha! Yes, the things I would do in the name of blogging! :D

You're so right about the boxes too! Gosh, I feel the same way! You don't hoard, do you? ;)