The following post contains #gifted items
Oh my, my, my, Oh my, my, my… Sorry, got a little BTS carried away there. Anyways, I don’t know about you, but I’ve been feeling a real gloss MOMENT as of 2019? It’s very much been the year of gloss for me and Essence cosmetics are bringing IT this month!
Now I’m gonna say it straight – not all glosses are made equal. I always recall my first moments with gloss. I hated how it looked on my lips and the frustration with hair, wind… you know the drill. I simply gave up and point blank refused to wear the stuff because it was just an absolute nightmare to wear. However, glosses have come a long way since then, so I was super excited when Flipside PR got in touch to send some of Essence Cosmetics latest ‘plumping nudes’ range over, because y’all know I love Essence and their amazing price point alongside the fact they’re cruelty free!
The Plumping Nudes collection from Essence essentially are what the name states, nude toned, plumping lip glosses. Their formulation contains shea butter; She, Shey or She-A? Who knows, do you know? *shrug* – anyways we all know Shea is a product that encourages and maintains moisture on our luscious lips, so I knew I wouldn’t suffer any dryness wearing them.
Three shades were sent my way – XXL Charm, That’s Big and Big Bang. The range contains 7 glosses in total, and to be honest at around £2.30 a piece I’m pretty tempted to complete the collection.
XXL Charm is a pale, almost iridescent like lip gloss. It features champagne and gold shifts throughout but doesn’t place a block colour on the lips. It’s super pretty for looks that don’t really require a lip colour but ask for a little magic, It also makes for a cute lip topper on liquid lips and I quite like that I’ve got the option of alone or on top of with this gloss, double the daaaaamned fun!
That’s Big has legit been my ride or die out of the trio. Again this particular gloss features champagne/gold mica shifts, however, not as intense as XXL charm. That’s Big has a gorgeous rosy toned base, It lays down really opaque which is just amazing for a gloss and the shifts I find increase the appearance of shine on the lips. It’s a super flattering shade and anyone who loves those antique, dusky rose toned lip colours will find this one a complete dream.
Big Bang is basically That’s Big all grown up. Its tone is deeper, richer, but somewhat of the same colour tree as That’s big. It is, however, not as opaque and requires a coat or two more to build a nice coverage. It also doesn’t seem to host the mica enhanced shifts the other two do – I like it, but out of the three I could easily end up not using it because it doesn’t pack the same meeeeeow as the other two.
Packaging wise, They’re cute and simple, which I do love with Essence, I did find that the gold print on the tubes wore off way to easily though; you can probably see in the pictures, but for £2.30 (prices correct as of 11/07/2019) I’m not expecting them to be laced with actual gold. I get it, but it’s a shame they wear off so easily.
The wand itself just lovely and a complete joy to use, it helps apply the product amazingly well. The doe foot is soft and forgivingly flexible which I enjoy, especially when I have quite a naturally exaggerated cupids bow, I find the wand follows the contour of the lips easily and places the product down evenly. To find faults with the formulation as well as its applicator is daaaaaamned well hard.
Did they plump thooooo?
I’m not sure if I’m honest. The final result definitely looked lifted and fuller, but upon glancing the ingredients as well as testing them I’m not sure these glosses are the stereotypical ‘plumping’ glosses that you’d expect to find in other marketed plumping glosses. There’s no sign of eucalyptus-like ingredients other than menthol listed on the ingredients list. They do, as stated, provide a cooling sensation, yet it’s mild, non irritating and very comfortable to wear. So anyone expecting a zinger of a plumper? You won’t find it here. You will however, find packed colour, high shine and easy wear – and if I’m honest? I’ll gladly take that than feeling like I’ve smeared a scotch bonnet over my damned lips, just throwing that image out into the blogosphere n’ all that y’know?
I really want to get more, ‘that’s big’ has been worn repeatedly and is just that perfectly pink shade that I adore on me face. Recommended? For £2.30? YOU MAD FAM? ‘Course they’re recommended!
Sorry, I’m just an epic essence fangirl *shrugs without a care*
See you around delicious 💕 – you’ll probably find me browsing the entirety of Wilkos for these badboys…
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Items in the following review were #gifted – all views are authors own. With thanks to Flipside PR!
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