Spring Fling

Some new products from Essence Cosmetics
A review by Jessica M

About a year ago, I reported on the United States launch of Essence
Cosmetics, a German beauty line that has turned out to be one of my
favorite bargain brands. I was especially impressed by Essence’s
mascaras (All Eyes on Me and Multi-Action are my favorites), blush
brush, and nail polishes, and they’ve all gained permanent places in
my makeup drawer.

I was recently invited to another event hosted by Essence cosmetics
and I had a chance to revisit the line and try some more products.
One new item is Stay With Me Long-Lasting Lipgloss ($2.29), offered in
seven crème shades that start with lots of shine and gradually wear
down into a tint of color. Candy Bar (coral), Trendsetter (cherry
red), Me & My Ice Cream (light pink), and I Like Cotton Candy (rich
berry) are all perfect for summer wear, and they would suit a range of
skintones. (I particularly like the contoured doe-foot of the gloss’s
applicator.)

Essence also recently added lipsticks to its offerings in the United
States. It’s hard for me to ignore any lipstick (especially one that
retails for $2.49), and Essence’s lippie is available in ten sheer
shades, all with shimmer, that range from cool to warm. The three
that worked best for me were Kiss You (baby pink), Look at Me (bronzey
nude), and Fairy Tale (deep mauve). Their plastic cases match the
shades inside, which is a nice touch. I’m also constantly on the
lookout for sweet and simple neutrals that suit a fair complexion, so
I was happy to try Essence’s Lipliner in Soft Rose (99 cents for a
high-quality pencil) and nicely milled Silky Touch Blush in Adorable
(a very light peach, priced at $2.49).

Essence’s Colour & Go Quick Drying Nail Polish colors (99 cents each)
are on-trend, long-lasting, and unbelievably affordable. Some of the
newer shades that caught my eye were updated neutrals like Date With
the Night (futuristic charcoal shimmer) and Irreplaceable (pale
putty-gray with gold shimmer) and the more colorful Choose Me! (bright
teal with holographic glitter) and Where Is The Party? (holographic
purple with green).

Essence is also continuing to release several limited-edition “trend”
collections per year, and I’ll be back soon to review the latest one
available in the United States. It’s one of my favorite “trend”
releases yet, and just like the products I’ve already mentioned, it’s
completely spring-worthy.

Essence Cosmetics is available at Ulta stores, the Ulta website
(http://www.ulta.com/), and Fred Meyer stores (in the Pacific Northwest
region).

Images: Illustration from the Essence Cosmetics website
(http://www.essence.eu/).
All photographs by Jessica M for BlogdorfGoodman
Disclaimer: Press samples were provided by Essence Cosmetics