When a makeup artist launches their own commercial line, it can be a complete hit or a total miss. We have seen this phenomenon with the likes of NARS, Bobbi Brown, MAC, Laura Mercier… just to name a few and luckily those listed were all winners. In 2009, Dutch makeup artist Ellis Faas introduced her eponymous makeup line. Faas is a highly respected talent in the fashion industry having clients such as Chanel, Fendi, and photographer Mario Testino. Her line has four categories: Human Colours, which works to mimic pigments natural to the human body, Ellis Red, a universal red lipstick, Ellis Skin, and Ellis Eyes. All of the products excluding the powder blush come in a sleek, silver pen-like apparatus. When I pulled the product out of the box, I wasn’t certain if it was makeup or a personal, intimate mechanical device. The main drawback is the lack of names for the product colors; they are simply numbered and lettered such as S302. Thus, we started with Ellis Skin cream blush. The blush provided a faint amount of color for a “refreshed,” non makeup-y look. The blush contains essential oils, rose water, vitamins C and E. I didn’t like blending the liquid blush with my fingertips as instructed, but it left my cheeks with a bright, dewy look.

Ellis Eyes has a liquid consistency which turns into a final matte finish. The creamy eyes range is like velvet and infused with floral and coffee extracts. As a contact lens wearer, I was keen on the non-powder eye shadow which can get into your eyes or on your face. The mascara also came in the signature pen with the longest wand I have ever used. The product was weighty and clumpy while simultaneously coating the eyelashes. Ellis Lips has three textures: creamy, milky, and glazed with 27 colors. I sampled the creamy lips for an ageless, long wear look. The product is applied with the pen-sponge gadget by painting the lips. I did not like this method as it wasn’t as smooth as a solid tube of lipstick as the pigment was cream-based and provided more of a stained effect.

Ellis Faas has the portfolio and experience as a lucrative makeup artist, but she falls short by going commercial. The products miss the mark with pen applicator, cost, and accessibility. On the other hand, Faas gets credit for distinctive product design and her website offers extensive web video tutorials.