e.l.f. Cosmetics Has a New Mint Melt Collection (and Spoiler: It’s Totally Refreshing)

Author image: about face matte fluid eye paint review chelsea candelario

By Chelsea Candelario

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Published Mar 7, 2021

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When I was getting more into beauty, e.l.f. Cosmetics was the first brand I gravitated toward. The low price tag was a major bonus, every product was easy to use, pigmented and worth the hype (I mean, have you seen the popular Poreless Putty Primer all over TikTok?!). So, it was no surprise that their latest collection caught my eye.

The whole e.l.f. Mint Melt collection is a beauty guru and a sweet tooth’s dream. Now, I’ll be honest, I normally despise the ice cream flavor (yes, very controversial. Ice cream debates are welcome). But I’ll admit, this collection might just sway my opinion. Check out my favorite picks below.

elf cosmetics mint collection review cleanser

Chelsea Candelario/e.l.f. cosmetics

Value: 18/20
Functionality: 19/20
Quality: 18/20
Aesthetics: 18/20
Cleanliness: 18/20
TOTAL: 91/100

Minty Fresh Cooling Cleanser

I’m always in the market for a good cleanser. But at first, the thought of foam left me skeptical. The few I’ve used in the past never felt like they were actually cleaning my face. I began with two pumps and the cooling sensation hit my skin immediately. I worked the product all over my face and could smell the minty fresh scent. It wasn’t overpowering and went away once I rinsed. After toweling off, I was pleasantly surprised at how clean my face seemed, how hydrated it felt and how plumped it was for the next step. And side note, combining this with their Cleansing Cloud really gets rid of makeup, dirt and oil in seconds.

elf cosmetics mint collection review face mask

Chelsea Candelario/e.l.f. cosmetics

Value: 18/20
Functionality: 19/20
Quality: 18/20
Aesthetics: 18/20
Moisture Factor: 18/20
TOTAL: 91/100

Whipped Face Mask

The face mask was definitely a favorite of mine in the collection. After a full day of having makeup on and spending time in front of the computer, it was a great addition to my night routine. The product glided smoothly onto my skin, and I felt the cooling effect work its magic. I continued to feel the sensation after rinsing the mask off once the 15 minutes was up. It definitely left my face moisturized, hydrated and super soft (big thanks to the vitamin E and willow herb mixture). One thing to note is that you shouldn’t expect the mask to dry completely on your face. It’ll get firm, but it won’t harden like other masks do.

elf cosmetics mint collection review primer

Chelsea Candelario/e.l.f. cosmetics

Value: 17/20
Functionality: 18/20
Quality: 18/20
Aesthetics: 18/20
Holdability: 19/20
TOTAL: 90/100

Cooling Face Primer

I tried the primer twice and saw better results the second time, because I realized it’s important to pat the product onto your face rather than rub it in. At first, I didn’t like the sticky consistency, but knew I had to trust the process. As the product suggests, I waited 30 seconds before applying foundation. After that time was up, I watched it blend in with ease. It definitely kept my foundation in place, and as I continued to layer, it felt secure but definitely breathable (even though the foundation I chose was a soft matte). I didn’t necessarily feel the cooling part of the minty primer, but knowing it has a hyaluronic acid and antioxidants blend, I knew it was going to do wonders to my skin either way.

elf cosmetics mint collection review eyeshadow sticks

Chelsea Candelario/e.l.f. cosmetics

Value: 18/20
Functionality: 20/20
Quality: 18/20
Aesthetics: 17/20
Bold Pigment: 18/20
TOTAL: 91/100

Melt With Me, Ice Creame, & Mint for You No Budge Eyeshadow

I love, love, love eyeshadow sticks. They make it easy to experiment with so many eye looks, like my favorite: swapping out the regular ole liner look for an eyeshadow liner one instead. I decided to use Melt With Me as a liner and it glided across my eyes with ease. All I needed was one swipe and saw the brown color immediately. The Mint for You stick (the light green color) is a close second when it comes to bold pigment. However, the Ice Creame stick (aka the beige shimmer) wasn’t my favorite. It wasn't as pigmented as the other choices and felt more like a tool to fill in any gaps or apply it solely for an inner eye style. And for $5, you get a lot (and I mean ALOT) of product. I twisted the eyeshadow as far as it could go and saw that it makes up more than half of the container, so you’ll definitely have enough to experiment to your heart’s content.

elf cosmetics mint collection review eyeshadow palettes

Chelsea Candelario/e.l.f. cosmetics

Value: 18/20
Functionality: 18/20
Quality: 18/20
Aesthetics: 17/20
Bold Pigment: 19/20
TOTAL: 90/100

Mint To Be & Chocolate Mint Eyeshadow

Similar to the eyeshadow sticks, expect a lot of pigment. I used both palettes to showcase the variety of shade options (using the Brush Trio of course). I love that you can create a whole look with one palette or just mix and match for a minimal or a smokey eye (as I attempted above). I found the dark shades to be very pigmented and the lighter shades to be the buildable options. I ended up preferring the Chocolate Mint palette’s glitter shades over the Mint To Be. I constantly had to dip my brush to get any sort of the shimmer to show on the lid. I highly recommend opting for the Chocolate Mint options for the glitter to really pop on the darker eye look.

elf cosmetics mint collection review lip glosses

Chelsea Candelario/e.l.f. cosmetics

Value: 19/20
Functionality: 19/20
Quality: 20/20
Aesthetics: 19/20
Shineability: 19/20
TOTAL: 96/100

Chocolate Chip, Mint Chocolate, Mint Sprinkle & A Hint of Mint Lip Plumping Gloss

If I had to pick a winner in the whole collection, the lip plumping gloss would be the champion. The shade selections (including a regular ole clear gloss to put on top of any lipsticks) and the cute names (sticking with the mint theme), had me reaching for them again and again. The Mint Chocolate shade was the darkest color and the one I used the most. Upon applying the gloss, I knew it was going to plump, but boy I wasn’t prepared. You can’t miss the tingling sensation upon first swipe. I was surprised that none of the glosses were sticky and lasted for a couple of hours. They felt so lightweight that I forgot I still had gloss on my lips. The only con was that I had to apply two to three layers to get the color to show up nicely, but overall, it left my lips hydrated and shiny (especially the clearer options like Mint Sprinkle and A Hint of Mint).

elf cosmetics mint collection review collection

Chelsea Candelario/e.l.f. cosmetics

Value: 19/20
Functionality: 18/20
Quality: 18/20
Aesthetics: 17/20
Mint Factor: 19/20
TOTAL: 91/100

Final Thoughts

Overall, I think the Mint Melt collection is a great budget-friendly find. (Seriously, the best products are the glosses, and they are only $4 each!) Whether you’re a beginner or a makeup/skincare pro, there’s a product for you. I enjoyed that the glosses, palettes and eyeshadow sticks could work together to create so many different looks, and that the products were buildable enough to go from neutral to bold with just one shade. Oh, and the mintiness is everywhere. It’s subtle in some products, but you can’t escape it. So if mint is not your thing, this might not be the collection for you. But I promise you, even as a mint chocolate critic, I still thoroughly enjoyed this line. The packaging is not my cup of tea, but I obviously knew what they were going for and minimalism is in, so I chalked it up to personal preference. If you’re looking for quality makeup in refreshing shades at a playful price, I recommend trying the collection for yourself.

about face matte fluid eye paint review chelsea candelario

Chelsea Candelario

Beauty and Cultures Editor

Writes trend stories, product reviews and how-tos across beauty, cultures, fashion and entertainment
Over 5 years of experience as a Beauty Editor
Studied journalism with a minor in creative writing at SUNY New Paltz