I’ve been trying out a few things from essence Cosmetics over the past few months. I really like essence but their products can be hit or miss for me. The good thing is, they’re extremely affordable so it’s not a huge loss if something doesn’t work out. I’ve found a few things that I think are worth trying and a few I think you should skip so let’s get into the reviews!
The Eyebrow Designer Pencil is $2.00 and available in just three shades. Mine is in the shade Brown, a dark brown shade with warm/red undertones. This is just a basic eyebrow pencil with a small brush on the end. I don’t think this is a TERRIBLE eyebrow pencil but I’m not that impressed with it either. The shade is not right for me, it’s too dark and too red toned. If the shade was right, I could make it work because I do like eyebrow pencils, however, I’m not that crazy about the formula. It’s a little too creamy so it will smear easily and if you push down with any kind of pressure it will leave little balls of product in the brows. I can work with it and would use it in a pinch, though. If you’re on a budget and can find a shade to work for you, this isn’t awful but I wouldn’t fully recommend it.
The Extreme Lasting Eye Pencils are $3.00 apiece and I have the shades Silky Nude and Rockin’ Taupe. These eyeliners claim to be waterproof and last for 16 hours. They ARE waterproof and they’re the first eyeliners I’ve ever tried that actually are. I was impressed with these liners… until I had to sharpen them. Their formula is somewhat similar to the Eyebrow Designer Pencil in that they are very creamy. This means that they glide on easily BUT they ball up under too much pressure and they can’t be sharpened. When I try to sharpen them, they just crumble. I WOULD have fully recommended these but I just can’t since they are basically useless once they lose their point.
Prime+Studio Glow Boosting Primer
The Glow Boosting Primer is $5.00 for 1 fluid ounce. It contains pink clay and claims to be glow boosting and pore minimizing. This is a good but basic primer. I did feel that it added some glow and helped to smooth the appearance of my skin. It wore perfectly underneath my Hard Candy Glamoflauge Foundation. That is a more matte foundation and I think the hydration/glow of this primer mixed well with it. However, this did nothing for my pores and if I used it with other foundations that already don’t last well on me, this primer didn’t help them last any longer. The Glamoflauge Foundation already lasts on my skin for the entire day with no issue so this primer just made my skin look a little more glowy and smooth underneath it. If you’re wanting a primer to just enhance the look of your skin or to go under a matte foundation than this is a good one but I don’t recommend it if you’re needing it to help your makeup last longer.
My favorite products that I’ve tried from essence recently are the Melted Chrome Eyeshadows. They are $5.00 apiece. I have two of the six available shades in Lead Me and Platinum Nights. Lead Me has a gray base with silver shimmer; there is a brighter silver shade available as well. Platinum Nights has a black/blue base with silver, purple and blue shimmer. Both of these have a texture that’s very similar to the Colourpop Super Shock Eyeshadows, if you’re familiar with that formula. They are very creamy and feel wet to the touch. They can be applied with a finger or a brush. A flat eyeshadow brush like this one from e.l.f. Cosmetics is best. Platinum Nights has a slightly more gooey and less opaque formula than Lead Me. Both of them are more topper type eyeshadows because they can be patchy, especially Platinum Nights. They are a beautiful and mess free way to wear glitter, though, and I recommend them.
Volume Hero Waterproof Mascara
The Volume Hero Waterproof Mascara is $5.00. I typically don’t wear waterproof mascara but I like to have one around in case I need it. I think this mascara is fine for that but it’s not one I would want to use everyday. It is waterproof but I hate the wand. It’s the kind of shape I like, long and more on the thin side, but it’s made out of extremely hard plastic. The wand has no bend or flexibility to it which makes it easier to poke yourself and if you do, the plastic is very painful. The formula was also much more clumpy than I like but it did add a nice amount of length and volume. I think this mascara is fine for the rare occasion that I want a waterproof mascara but if you are wanting one for daily use, I say skip this one.
I hate that most of these products were just very meh but maybe it will help some of you know what to avoid. I’d love to know if you’ve tried any of these and what you thought about them! Thanks for reading and have a great day!
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