If something has stripes, I’m usually totally into it…
But when it comes to these $2.49 Essence Multi-Colour Blushes, well, let’s just say that their cute stripes and great price are just about the best things they have going for ’em.
I give the two available shades, pale pink Fashionista and pale peach How Cute Is That, major points for looking cute on a budget, but their knees buckle beside the performance of rock stars from the Essence line, like the fantastic Gel Eyeliners.
Fashionista (left) and How Cute Is That (right)
I wore light pink Fashionista to the beach the other day, and even though I like the natural-looking cheek flush and subtle sheen it lends, the look just doesn’t last. The effect had all but vanished in less than three hours.
Rubbing the powder between my forefinger and thumb, it doesn’t feel as finely milled as better powders from other brands, and I think it also feels chalkier than it should.
Bummer, because I was really hoping to get on board another fantastic Essence gem.
PRICE: $2.49
AVAILABILITY: Available now at Ulta stores, Fred Meyer, HEB and also online
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: C
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. 🙂
Hah, this made me laugh.
Too bad about the essence blush…
I just put in a large order (pretty much every color) of the stay with me lipglosses and I am on pins and needles until I get it. I was hoping essense was going to be my go-to drug store brand =/
Oh, nice! I hope you like the glosses.
It seems like a lot of drugstore lines have stepped up their game in the last few years, dontcha think?
Love the pattern on the blush. But too bad they don’t last.
Me too. They’re so cute!
Oh, those would not be for me. I have a hard enough time getting blush to last on me. I guess that’s why I love cheek stains so much!
Blush that fades so quickly is a no-go for me as well!
ohnoes! sad that its not as great as the eyeliner pot!
I know! I guess you can’t win ’em all.
Sad that this didn’t work out. Frankly, I feel like striped blush is kind of a fad or cop-out. A gimmick. If the point is to mix them all together when you apply it, then they should mix them all together to begin with.
Though I think I may be the minority on that one.
I don’t mind them if they work well. Bobbi Brown does Shimmer Bricks which I love!
Meh. Skip. =[
Yeah…
Love the Espadrilles and the nice pics of Tabs
Thanks! That’s his signature “lion pose.”
Essence blushes, powders and mascaras are fail. Tried them. Never ever again…
On the plus side, at least they weren’t expensive, right?
I LOVE those Espadrilles! Haha.
I’ve been trying to resist them, but I don’t think I’ll be able to for much longer. They’re so cute!
What a shame they don’t last long! Love the shoes though!
Me too!
Too bad they didn’t last longer!!!! Great post and cute kitty:-)
Thanks. I’ll send Tabs (the cute kitty!) your regards. 😉
Aw, that’s too bad, but Essence does have winners with their gel liners (and lip and nail colors, if I remember correctly), so they still seem pretty solid as a drugstore brand.
Also, on the upside, the stripey pans reminded me of my favorite shirt from the 6th grade. 🙂
Sixth grade! That was a rough year for me. I had a terrible boy haircut (still have nightmares about it to this day) and felt awkward 24/7. Ahh, the horrors of adolescence.
As for shirts, do you remember Esprit? My favorite was a peach button up with the “Esprit” logo stamped across the front pocket.
Oh, you and I had similar hair experiences in the 6th grade. Mine was boy-short AND feathered, all the way around to a duck a*s in the back. Horrible. Plus, my skin was starting to break out and I remember how much I hated that.
Definitely on Esprit! I’m a few years older than you, so a ton of my middle school and high school wardrobe was Esprit (and Cavaricci, of course, HAHA!). I have a friend with a serious heart condition and she always used to tell me that when she died, she wanted me to wear a certain Swatch outfit to her funeral. We laugh about it now and she says I still have to wear it. It would be the most ridiculous thing ever, but I think the skirt is elastic, thankfully! Hopefully by the time that ever happens, it will be mostly hidden behind my walker! 🙂
I think we had the same haircut! Okay, so, was the boy cut your idea? Because it sure as hell wasn’t mine. My dad basically made me chop my hair off under the guise of me “not being able to take care of my long hair.” Looking back, I think it probably had something to do with me getting boobs and my parents freaking out. But what are ya gonna do… when you’re in sixth grade you really can’t fight city hall.
AND LOL… Z. Cavaricci! I think I still have a pair of black pants somewhere in the back of my closet at my parents’ house. It would take a bucket of Crisco and some serious prayer for me to get into them again, haha!
Dude. I’m ALL about the stripes. And I covet those shoes – stripes, wedges AND peep-toe sigh! (and the tabby’s not bad either)
I really want to check out those gel liners though. Hope they surface in the UK very soon.
I’ve been lusting after them for the past month or so. I tried on a pair at Nordstrom and they were pretty comfy, too. We’ll see how much longer I can resist!
How is your week going so far? Good, I hope.
You make me want to go shoe-shopping!
The week is exhausting but kinda productive, thanks! My coworker asked me to flat- and cat-sit for two weeks later this month, so very good news. 🙂
How about yourself??
I’m always down for shoe shopping. 🙂
Lucky you to get invited to cat sit! What’s your co-workers kitty like? Is he/she nice?
Things on my end are good. Since Monday was a holiday this week is flying by really quickly, which is a plus. Oh, and today is me and El Hub’s 5th wedding anniversary. Time goes by so fast…
I am glad that I read your review before shelling out the 2 dollar and change…Now I am heading HEB to look for those gel liner!
Those gel liners are the bomb.com, girl!
You have got to be the most positive human being alive! People comment with negative things and you are always able to turn them around. No wonder so many people love your opinions!
Thanks. 🙂
Love the pictures of Tabs! Seeing his fluffy body always makes reading reviews more fun!
Hee hee! Thank you for calling him “fluffy.” He’s often referred to as big-boned, heavy set and husky. Fluffy sounds much more dainty!
Karen those shoes are soo great!! What are they?!
Hi Ashveena,
They’re the Nordstrom BP Bowtye. Here’s a link:
BP Bowtye Sandal
My 2 favorite things: Cats and Beauty products! What a cute cat :3
Thanks. His name is Tabs, and he pretty much runs the show here at MBB. 🙂
I really liked the cute stripey design on the blush. Too bad it fades real fast! They would’ve been a steal at about two and a half dollars.
Me too. It’s super cute!
Tabs looks so cute in the second photo, makes me miss when I had cats. I have the coral one and actually like it. It lasts on me and I need very little (I’m pale as a wall). Have you tried the non-striped essence blushes? I’m curious to know how they perform. I’ve been so hapilly surprised by Essence in the past few months that now I’m always curious about products I don’t have.
I haven’t. I might have to, though. Their products are so affordable, so even if it is a miss I don’t feel like I’m getting a bad deal.
Have you tried their lipglosses and nail polishes? They’re pretty good, too!
Yes. I love the polishes, and those longlasting lip glosses are great!
I also bought a while back one of the eyeshadow quads (I think Chici-ify or something like that) and was really surprised by how pigmented 3 of the colours are, especially the black one. The quads used to be rubish but were reformulated earlier this year, though I don’t know if all of them are so good as the one I got.