Triple S: Essence Eye Pencil and Lipgloss Reviews + Swatches

It's finally here! The review(s) that I promised. Sorry it took so long.... Anyway, let's jump right into it!

Essence Kajal (Kohl) Pencil in 01 Black 
Retail: AUD$1.95 for 1g

Packaging: 5 out of 5

Review:  We may not have affordable cosmetic brands, such as ELF or Milani, like they do in the USA but we certainly have Essence here in Australia to make up for it. Apart from being affordable, this eye pencil is of relatively good quality. It is very pigmented and its creamy texture glides on smoothly. You don't need to press down hard to lay on the product; it transfers onto skin quite easily. This product smudges but that can be used to our advantage. It is perfect for making a simple black smokey eye. Line your upper lids thickly with this pencil and smudge upwards with a blending brush and voila!

These days when I am too lazy to line my eyes with liquid or gel eyeliner, I just swipe some of this product on and I'm good to go. In terms of lasting power, it is pretty decent but it does run under my eyes after a couple of hours. But I have to admit that this happens to me with most (if not all) eye pencils. If you experience the same problem, just make sure you pack on some pressed powder under your eyes after you're down with your eye makeup. The reason I gave this product a 5 out of 5 for packaging rating is because I can't find any fault with it. 

Here's a swatch of the kajal pencil. You might be wondering what the swipe of pink next to it is. It's a swatch of an Essence lipgloss. Please read on for the review.

Essence XXXL Nudes Lipgloss in 03 Nude Kiss  
Retail: AUD$3.50 for 5mL

Packaging: 5 out of 5

Review: This is a pretty pink lipgloss with a slight mauvey tone in it. It contains a bit of shimmer, which helps reflect light, adding to its glossiness. I really like this lipgloss because it is not sticky at all. Like most lipglosses it's not long-lasting from being wiped off or consumed during talking and eating. The applicator is long, slender and soft, which makes it fast and easy to cover your lips with product. All it takes is (approximately) two swipes and you're done. Because of it's clever design, I never scrape my lip by accident with the hard angled plastic in the applicators of some lipglosses. The only thing I am not fond of is the scent. It reminds me of some kind of food that I've tried before when I was younger (its name eludes me).

In case you are wondering, this is not a plumping lipgloss. Just putting it out there in case anyone thought it had a plumping effect because of its name "XXXL". The reason I gave this product a 5 out of 5 for packaging rating is because I can't find any fault with it. Plus, I think the packaging is quite appealing and looks of high quality.

 

The lipgloss is sheer like most other lipglosses but it is pigmented enough to give my lips a bit of colour. See photos below. 

Bare lips

With the lipgloss on

 I like these two products so much so they've become my go-to products.

 Have you tried any of Essence's products? Do you like them? Please share in the comments below!