Essence Blush Play Sculpting Palette – Play it Peach

This has to be one of my favourite products ever from essence & I have tried quite a few over the years. It’s compact, travel friendly and the 3 shades included are just beautiful. You get one highlight and two blush shades. The swatch I did of the highlighter simply doesn’t do it justice, the powder feels finely milled, you get very little fallout and it just gives you that subtle healthy glow. I like that it is a highlight you can wear as part of your everyday makeup, it isn’t super dramatic but suits my makeup style and I’ve been wearing it most days.

The other shades in the palette are beautiful peachy blushers, the define shade has a touch of sparkle to it and immediately reminded me of NARS Orgasam. It has that peachy, coral feel with a subtle gold highlight (not glittery in the least). The middle sculpt shade is a darker peachy pink and is matte it adds a lovely pop of colour. So this palette is well worth checking out. I think it comes in another colour option too if this Play it Peach trio isn’t right for you.

Essence The Cushion Eyeliner

I have tried a few cushion foundations and blushers this past year and it seems this Asian inspired beauty trend is set to stick around a little while longer. It is nice to see affordable brands releasing their versions and essence have added a cushion eyeliner to their range for 2017. I must say I was on the fence about this product because I’m very loyal to my liquid liner pen but I actually found this to be surprisingly easy to work with. It comes in a small jar with a sponge (cushion) soaked in the product and you dab your brush on to the cushion and viola you are ready to apply. It was so smooth and precise to apply and I managed to get a very neat cat flick without the product bleeding in to my creased eyelids.

The product was very moist (sorry if you don’t like that term) so just make sure you lightly dab your brush on the cushion, so it doesn’t dispense too much product. If like me you like your liner to be very black you will love this. It dries down to a semi matte finish and it has good staying power, it didn’t smudge but it isn’t waterproof so just be mindful of that. After wearing it for the day it did show a little wear and my flicks had worn slightly but it still looked OK and for an affordable version I am very impressed with how easy it was to apply and how well it lasted. This is currently only available in black but I am hoping essence release a brown & a fun vibrant purple too.

Essence Volume Stylist 18h Mascara

I’d say the products I recommend the most from essence are mascara’s. They always have such a huge selection and they rival any high-end brands so I was excited to try this new release for Spring / Summer. It promises 18 hour wear and voluminous lashes, I love my lashes to look long and healthy and I have to say this mascara is ticking all the boxes. The wand is made out of synthetic hairs and is a great shape for coating every single lash and being able to get right into those shorter inner corner lashes too. Because this mascara has fibres it is so good at adding length and volume without looking clumpy or heavy. I didn’t experience too much fall out, I’m a nightmare for rubbing my eyelashes and this stood up pretty well. The pigmentation is very black and I have been wearing a single coat as my everyday mascara but you can add another if you want to build up a more voluminous effect.

There is also a curl & hold version of this mascara, which sounds great for creating more of an evening look. Like I said you can’t go wrong with an Essence mascara, so make sure you check them out.

Essence Shine Shine Shine Wet Look Lipgloss in runway your way & red carpet starlet

These live up to their name & really have that wet look. They are very glossy and pigmented on the lips I wouldn’t say they are the most long wearing but they look vibrant and pretty. The applicator is a nice shape and tapers to a point which makes it easier to apply and get a neat finish. Due to them having such a wet look they don’t wear too long on the lips, I found 2 – 3 hours tops and then I had to reapply.

I’m not a massive fan of lipgloss but I can appreciate how pretty these are and how comfortable they feel on the lips. I do have two of the more vibrant shades but if these are not your go to colours fear not because these are available in so many shades, from subtle neutrals right through to more bold pinks and purple shades. I think I’m going to pick up more of an everyday shade like So Into It! and wear it over my favourite Urban Decay Lipstick in Back Talk, I think the two will make a gorgeous duo. Let me know what colour you have your eye on? Oh & I can’t believe these are only £2 each.

Essence Colour Boost 1 Coat Nail Polish in Instant Match

This is currently on my toes and looks perfect for Spring / Summer. All I need now is some warm weather so I can wear some cute sandals. This range of polishes promise to deliver vibrant colour with just one coat, I have to say I did apply two but that is just because I like my colour to be super vibrant and I am terrible at applying nail polish. I think I could have got away with one coat though.

The formula was easy to work with and applied streak free and dried very quickly too. I already have my eye on the mint shade from this collection too. You can’t go wrong with mint for the warmer months.

What do you think you will be picking up from the new Essence releases? Their range is available in Wilko stores and online at www.wilko.com

• This post includes PR Samples