Review: Elinor Summer In A Bottle Body Illuminator - 01 Beige and Sunray Bronzer - Espresso

Elinor is cosmetic brand by Karin Poravne and her partner Nik. She was Slovenian makeup artist that later established Elinor Cosmetics, opened her own beauty salon and is also distributer of two brands for lash lifting and brows. Elinor is based on natural ingredients that combine skin care with makeup. Elinor has expanded its makeup range a bit and I hear are planning to further expand it and they also have some nice body care products. 



Elinor Summer In A Bottle Body Illuminator - 01 Beige

Packaging

It comes in a huge glass bottle with a plastic pump. You can't really control the pump. It blurts out quite a lot of product, especially, if you plan to use it only on your cheeks. Pump gets a bit dirty and since it has no cap on, you should clean it before traveling with it somewhere or it can dirty up your makeup bag.

In it is 50 ml of product and it costs 29.90€. First of all, this is a huge amount of product and if the pump would be more controllable, you would never use it up in your lifetime, especially if you would only use it on your face. 


Formula

It's water based highlighter, so it's liquid and runny. You should shake it before use to really blend the pigment with the rest of ingredients. There are some oils in it for that nourishing effect, but it doesn't feel oily. It dries down quick probably due to the alcohol that's in it.


One pump of this goes a long way and you really need the tiniest amount. It's one of those highlighters with pigmented base that it gives it some undertone and it has tiny shimmer in it which gives it metallic finish and great shine. My camera really doesn't do it justice. It's so hard to capture the shine of highlighters.

It has that sort of floral powdery scent to it which is very subtle.

L: heavy swatch, R: 

Colors

It comes in two shades. 01 Beige is lighter and 02 Chocolate is darker

I have the shade 01 Beige. Elinor says it's for lighter skin and that it will give the skin pearly golden shine. 

I would describe it as a rose gold shade with cooler shine. The base is almost rosy on the skin and there is a hint of that gold to it that I would describe more as a champagne, but the shine it gives is definitely more cooler to neutral like a cooler champagne sheen, it's not silver.

I would say the rosy undertone is tricky, because it's quite pigmented. It's not one of those highlighters that would have almost transparent base and just lots of shimmer. If you are fair, this will definitely be too dark for you.


Comparison

I compared it to a few of liquid highlighters that I still have in my collection. 

Revolution Makeup Liquid Highlighter in Liquid Champagne - light champagne with neutral to cool sheen
wet n wild Megaglo Hello Halo Liquid Highlighter in Halo, Goodbye - light pink toned with cooler sheen
Elinor Cosmetics Summer In A Bottle in 01 Beige - rose gold with cooler sheen

Revolution one is my favorite tone, because it's champagne, it's just light enough, also very metallic and it goes with my undertone so well. wet n wild is more pink and would be better for cooler skin tones and Elinor one is definitely darker based and is good for me when I get a tan or for more light to medium and medium skin tones.

L: no highlighter, R: Elinor Body Illuminator 01 Beige

Performance

This highlighter sets really quickly which means you don't get a lot of playtime. You have to blend it quickly. If I use my fingers to apply it, I get a lot of that darker rose base and then I can see the edges or where it ends on my light skin tone, so it shows it's too dark for me. 

I'd say apply it with a makeup sponge to get the ultimate blend and that way the sponge soaks up most of the base and you only get that lovely cooler shine of tiny shimmer. Either way the shine is metallic, but fine.

Once it sets it doesn't move. It's somewhat transfer proof, but don't touch it too much. Because it's water based it will come off as it touches the water.  


Elinor Sunray Bronzer - Espresso

Packaging

It comes in heavy glass bottle with plastic cap. You will need a brush small enough to fit in the pot, but I find most denser foundation or stippling brushes work good. 

In it is 45 ml of product and it costs 34.90€. Another massive amount of product that you get and because this is meant for your face, I highly doubt you will ever use it up. It will probably go bad before. I almost feel like they gave too much of the product for that price, compared to other brands. Other brands offer higher prices for smaller amounts of product, so this is a steal.



Formula

It's shea butter based, so it gives you that skin care properties again. It's a very creamy melting cream that is very pigmented and you need to pick up the smallest amount, blend it on your hand first and than apply it with a brush, because it can quickly be too much.

I would say the finish is somewhat luminous or satin, but without any shimmer in it. It's just all due to the ingredients that give your skin that lovely luminous sheen.

Colors

It comes in two shades Latte for light skin and Espresso for medium to dark as they describe it. 

I have the shade Espresso and light skin tone and it fits me perfectly. It has that proper warm yellow bronze shade perfect for bronzing up your skin. The tone is definitely warm and suited more for warm to olive skin tones. However, being the darker shade, it works perfectly on my light skin tone. In fact when I had a tan, this almost didn't show up on me, so I think they need darker shade for medium skin tone. 


Comparison

I only have my e.l.f. Putty Bronzer in shade Honey Drip to compare it to. I know e.l.f. one is very popular, but I actually prefer Elinor's formula. e.l.f. shade definitely has a bit of that cooler grey tone that can almost pass as a contour/bronzer products, but Elinor one is definitely warmer, a proper bronzer shade. Elinor formula is also more even toned and more pigmented.

L: just foundation R: Elinor Sunray Bronzer - Espresso


Performance

I have to say this is one of the easiest bronzers to blend and apply, if you don't pick up too much. I would advise to use a brush with very soft bristles that only picks up the tinniest amount possible. Then blend it a bit on the back of your hand and then apply it on skin. 

It applies evenly without any patchiness and blends like a dream. If you're a beginner this is probably safer choice for you than powder bronzers. 

It also stays put fairy well. I notice minimal fading through the day. I wouldn't say it's transfer proof, but it does set a bit and you can set it with a powder, if you have oily skin. I wasn't able to put it down once I started using it. It's almost always on my face, because it's just so easy to use and the tone matches me perfectly. However it looks like I haven't even started using it, so this would last you a lifetime


Elinor is Slovenian brand it has it's own official online store. I know they have expended into some other European markets, but I can't remember and I can't find it online either. So maybe contact them, if you are from another country.


L: just foundation R: both Elinor products



To conclude I would say, I wasn't as impressed with illuminator only because it's not the tone that I love for myself. It's too dark for me. Formula isn't bad and I like the staying power due to the dry down. I prefer something with less colored base and just more shimmer. The shimmer is super fine which I love and the shine is definitely there.

As for the bronzer I am definitely in love. It's a great formula that blends like a dream, is very pigmented and stays well on the skin. The color suits me very well and it gives you that good skin care finish with natural luminosity. Plus you get so much product that you won't be able to use it all up. Bronzer was nominated for Cosmopolitan Beauty Award and actually won in its category. 

I know Elinor is coming out with some new makeup products. I think something like cream blush, lipstick or both in one. I would also love to see some contours in the same formula as bronzers, but with contour shades.


*Products were gifted to me in an event that I attended from Karin's lash and brow brands.

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