Product Review: e.l.f Cosmetics Studio Wrinkle Refiner in Clear

Product Review: e.l.f Cosmetics Studio Wrinkle Refiner: Clear

I'm 24 years old, but unfortunately due to a stressful job in the industry and working nonstop - definitely have some visible skin issues - including yes, wrinkles. Due to this I find myself constantly purchasing sometimes odd and random products in an attempt to rid myself of my skin ailments. Some I LOVE, some I loathe, some don't do much of anything, but I can promise you that all of my reviews will come from my honest point of view on the product at hand and are never paid for by companies or altered in any way in order to make money (I've heard some product reviewers get paid to review a certain brands products.) I couldn't help but notice this product because.... A.) The price was literally nothing, a mere $3! and because B.) I usually really like e.l.f products, which is pretty surprising to me because I once believed the higher the price, the better the product. Over my 5 years as a film cosmetic artist, I can tell you that this is absolutely not true and I use a multitude of very cheap, even $1 cosmetics on HD Films sets. Unfortunately though, this Wrinkle Refiner by e.l.f will never be one of those products and I'll explain why. Here is the manufacturer's description of the product:

"Instantly smooth, soften and virtually fill in laugh lines, crow's feet and wrinkles for a flawless finish. Key ingredients draw in moisture to smooth and plump delicate skin for a rejuvenated and youthful look. The rich blend of Wheat Protein, Horse Chestnut, Caffeine, Edelweiss, Chamomile, Shea, Mango and Vitamins A & E re-texturize skin and prevents future damage and premature aging. Apply to needed areas prior to foundation, concealers and powders for a smooth effect that primes the skin for flawless makeup application and a tightened revitalized look. Pat and blend in for a natural finish. Reapply throughout the day as needed over your makeup."

Brand: e.l.f cosmetics Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Dimethicone/Vinyldimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Propylene Glycol, C12-14 Pareth-12, Polyacrylamide, Silica, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Leontopodium Alpinum (Edelweiss) Extract, Retinyl Palmitate(Va), Tocopheryl Acetate(Ve), Aesculus Hippocastanum(Horse Chestnut) Seed Extract, Caffeine, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Mangifera indica (Mango) Seed Oil Wheat (Triticum Vulgare) Protein

Affordability and Size: This product is pretty affordable at $3 where I purchased it and is a small, about the size of a marker (.162 oz), black almost lip-gloss looking tube with a squishy tip that produces the product when you sort of twist the little twisty handle at the end.

Packaging: The packaging, like most e.l.f. products is fairly simple. Nothing fancy. Pretty much a cardboard rectangle, nothing you can keep and reuse. The actual product is, like I stated about the size of a big lip gloss and comes with a wand that disperses the product when you twist the tube. The twisty tube is sort of weird, and the product sometimes takes a moment or two to actually come out of the tip of the wand. Color: This product in particular was clear, although apparently it comes in different shades but I've never seen them? Maybe they just stated the product as clear for the heck of it. Anyway, the product color was clear in the tube, but turned sort of filmy when applied to my face. No big deal, it was as described, so I can't bust it too badly. Consistency: This product is a fairly thick liquid, but not super thick upon application to the face. It turns sort of filmy when it dries on the face and gets sort of crumbly if you apply makeup on top of it, which is a total bummer. It is meant to be used on clean, cleansed skin (no makeup) and apparently to be used as a serum for underneath your makeup, but this is where this product really bombs. I had so much trouble with it not turning into some weird blotchy, balled up substance when on my skin, definitely didn't help my wrinkles out. Film wear ability: Absolutely not, you would definitely see this product on camera. Everyday wear ability: I wouldn't recommend it, makes strange crumbling textures and is a blotchy consistency under makeup. My review: Like I mentioned above, I usually really love e.l.f. products, but this was a total fail for me. I was very excited to see if something so affordable really would work as a serum under my makeup to help conceal minor signs of aging. At first glance, the product seemed to do just that, it sort of appeared to fill in my smile lines and became a transparent thin layer there when it dried. I then touched the area and was unfortunately met with a flaking, crumbling product. I decided I should wash my face and try again, thinking maybe I didn't push the product in enough. I tried it again, rubbed the product in my skin better this time and was met with the same issue, especially when I attempted to apply foundation over this product. I used liquid the first time and then cream the second, but both foundations looked like a hot mess over the area where I had applied this serum. Crumbling, crumbly mess. The product appears to work until you touch it, or apply makeup on top of it and when I smiled it sort of made a weird texture. I have absolutely no idea how this would help anyone with their aging skin because if you wear makeup over this product it seems to just freak out and crease and look blotchy. I give it 1 star out of 5. A nope, nope, no way from me.