Hey
guys! Every summer we have fabulous trends to try out with some great new
product releases. Essence always comes up with unique ideas to make our summer
more colourful and they did not disappoint this year either. I was delighted to
receive a lovely PR package from Essence Pakistan earlier this season. It
contained amazing products from their new summer collection. There was a mono
eye shade, blush, nude nail polish and a gel top coat. I will be reviewing them
all together in this post so are you ready? Let’s get started!
Essence Silky Touch Blush-90 “Summer Dreaming”
Product Claims
A
fresh complexion is essential for perfect style! You can set gorgeous,
natural-looking highlights in soft as well as brighter shades on your cheeks
with this silky-soft blush.
What Do I Think?
Now,
I happen to have a blush (Adorable) from this range already and love it to
bits. Summer Dreaming is a light coral colour with an almost neon quality to
it. Although it looks quite light, there was no lack of pigmentation. It seemed
like something that would only suit pale to far skin tones when I swatched it
on my arm. However, on my cheeks, it presented an entirely different story. The
colour just popped on my face screaming summer even when used lightly. You can
easily build it up to the desired intensity. The blending is wonderful and the
lasting power more so. On my combination skin it was still fresh after 5-6
hours in hot humid weather. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, the micro
shimmer just adds to its cuteness and summery appeal. I experienced no fallout
in the pan or during application. I found the packaging to be very sturdy and
pocket friendly plus I loved the swirly embossed, pattern which is not easily
ruined. In my opinion, 5 g of shimmery coral goodness at this price is a really
sweet deal!
Price
PKR
470
Pros
Richly
pigmented
Dreamy
blending
Micro
shimmer gives soft glow
No
fallout
Great
lasting power
Travel
friendly packaging
Affordable
Cons
None
My Rating
5/5
Mono Eye Shadow - 15 "Hazel Me Not!"
Product Claims
The
soft powder eye shadows are easy to apply and blend for long-lasting results. The
texture feels wonderfully pleasant on your lids and has a cool wave embossment.
Different colours and effects ranging from matt to shimmering to slightly
metallic give you lots of choice and ensure the perfect eye make-up for every
occasion.
What Do I Think?
I
have tried a few mono shades from Essence before and my experience has been
good so far. Hazel Me Not! reminds me of my favourite hazelnut flavoured coffee
so the name does describe the shade quite well. It is a pale milky brown colour
which is best seen on my lid in the EOTD above. On my neutral fair skin, it
serves as a gorgeous nude for a no makeup look. I don’t think it will show up
very well as a lid shade on medium to dark skin tones. However, it may be
blended in the crease as a transition colour especially for neutral looks. There
is no apparent shimmer but for some reason, I believe this is satin and not
matte. The texture is unbelievably soft with effortless blending and zero
fallout. It just happens to be a pale shade but it does not disappoint in the
pigmentation department. I have worn this twice on my lids during the monsoon.
It creased around 4-5 hours after application in extreme heat and humidity. The
second time, it stayed put even after 5-6 hours. It will only crease quickly in
extreme weather if you don’t have oily lids. It was worn over my current
favourite matte eye primer from Makeup Revolution. The packaging is clear
sturdy plastic with a flat top, which is easy to store and carry around. I hope
they keep the flat top design because I find the dome shaped ones take too much
space.
Price
PKR
280
Pros
Decent
pigmentation
Good
lasting power
Superb
blending and texture
Pocket
friendly
Easily
stored
Affordable
Cons
None
My Rating
5/5
I Love TRENDS Nail Polish The Nudes - 05 "Pure Soul"
Product Claims
Only
nude… is sure to make the hearts of all nail polish fans beat faster this
season! The I ♥ TRENDS nail polishes cover your nails in light nude shades. The
selection of different colours and effects is huge. The long-lasting formula
ensures permanently pampered nails.
What Do I Think?
First
of all, what a beautiful name for a beautiful shade! This is a pearl white
colour with stunning fine pastel multi-coloured shimmer. The packaging is
compact not to mention, adorable. I am not a nail polish gal because I just
don’t have the patience to learn the skill of nail painting. I am trying to
polish my skills *pun intended* but that will take time. I apologize for my
lacquer application which is, in the words of Simon Cowell, “Absolutely
horrendous!” Since I am a complete klutz in this area, I was expecting it to be
really hard. After trying on other brands and failing miserably, I realized
this applicator and formula is close to perfect. The density of the brush and
its flat shape made it easy to apply a single coat in just three strokes per
nail. I thought the formula was too thin at first but it went opaque in only
two coats. Two to three minutes was the maximum time for each coat to dry. I
did not wear it for more two days but the quality was apparent. It was not
difficult to remove but it didn’t chip easily either. If you are a beginner,
love nude nail polishes or looking for a festive touch with a subtle base, this
is for you.
Price
PKR
335
Pros
Quick
drying
Goes
opaque in two coats
Good
lasting power
User
friendly applicator
Cute
sturdy packaging
Affordable
Cons
None
My Rating
5/5
The Gel Nail Polish Top Coat
Product Claims
The
revolution in nails – easy like nail polish, amazing like gel! The innovative
base coat and top coat formula improves the durability of the “gel nail polish”
by 60 percent! The nails are given an extreme, long-lasting gel-shine finish
without the need for an LED or UV lamp. Simply apply the gel nail polish base
coat and let it dry completely. Then apply the gel nail polish in the colour of
your choice and let this dry well, too. For a perfect finish, all you need now
is a coat of the gel nail polish top coat – and you’re done! The nail style is
easy to remove using conventional nail polish remover.
What Do I Think?
Since,
I don’t have any sense about using base or top nail coats, I simply applied
this one over the nude one as you can see. I was surprised at how the shimmer became
twice as prominent with this clear gel finish. Drying did not take more than
two to three minutes with a thin coat. The lasting power was definitely
increased as it formed a sort of protective shield over the original nail
polish. The formula was slightly problematic for me as it felt like very thin
glue with its gel-like consistency. If you are not careful about spilling the
product around the neck, then crusts may be formed. However, those are easily
removed and don’t cause too much trouble. The applicator was similar to the
nude nail polish so I had no complaints about it. If you wish to transform your
regular nail colours into gel ones then this is a good option.
Price
PKR
470
Pros
Gives
a brilliant shiny gel finish
Increases
longevity of original nail paint
User
friendly applicator
Attractive
packaging
Cons
Formula
maybe hard to apply
May
dry to form crust around the neck
My Rating
4/5
So,
these were my thoughts on the items from the latest Essence summer
collection 2015. You can get your hands on this range from any store with an Essence Kiosk.
Have your tried any new
products from this range?
Love,
Sadaf
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