essence S/S ’16 range {RANGE REVIEW}

The essence Spring Summer 2016 range has hit South African pharmacies (drugstores, if you will) and, as per usual, girls have been going mad.

A few weeks ago the Cosmetix ladies started posting sneak peek videos of the essence S/S ’16  onto their Snapchat & Instagram stories and I was SO keen to see what was coming.. there seemed to be a LOT of lip products, metallics and matte effects involved. Dreamy eyes inserted here..

I purchased a few products as soon as they hit shelves and I was lucky enough to receive a few products to try out. I’ll be showcasing my absolute faves in today’s post as there are so many new releases we would be here forever if I gave you the lowdown on all of them..

contouring eyeshadow set

omg. Guys. I was like nee man when I saw this. The Kim K craze has gone TOO FAR if we are now contouring our eyeballs! But lo and behold. This nifty little kit is exactly what a gal with hooded eyes – ala Rayne – needs in her life. There are four colour combos which suits any and all skin tone and eye shade, and you lightly contour around your eyes. This enhances the depth and gives them an overall look of being bigger and brighter. Exactly what we would need in our lives as we near holiday partay season. Hip hip hooray! R54.95 per duo. 

matt matt matt lipgloss

The one product that I couldn’t get off my mind. As soon as I saw this on the Cosmetix Snapchat I was all about these. Creamy matt lipglosses are still huge right now even though we are nearing Summer. I have seen mixed reviews on these thus far but I am totally on the loving side. The shade selection is small yet gorgeous and the consistency is thick and pigmented. I would definitely call this more of a mousse lipstick than a lipgloss. Possibly the lighter shades are less pigmented and more lipglossy, but not shade 03. R44,50 each

matt matt matt lipstick

These lipsticks are very similar in consistency to the previous essence gel lipsticks. They finish into a matt look but still sits comfortably on your lips. All you could want from a matt lippy. Shade 02 perfect match is the perfect taupe nude and I have my eye on 08 it’s a statement – a beautiful deep shade which really is a statement shade! This range has 8 shades, retailing for R44.50 each. 

camouflage 2in1 make-up & concealer

I don’t use any foundation products from the essence range – although I do love the mousse concealer – so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The coverage is that of a good quality BB cream. It covers blemishes and alleviates redness nicely. I would however still use a concealer on top of this just because I have really bad pigmentation under my eyes. But I think anyone with normal eyes would find this fine as is. R69.95 for a 30ml tube. 

light up face luminizer palette

For me, this is the crème de la crème of the entire range. A three shade luminizing palette consisting of a golden glow shade, a light pearl and an intensive shimmer, what more do you need? You can basically use this palette for highlighting cheekbones, your cupids bow and brows. Everything you need right in one trio. The reason for the perfect shimmeryness is that each shade contains light-reflecting pigments. You can get this amazing trio for R 76,95. 

gel nail polishes

I have said it before and I’ll say it again. I just don’t do nail polish. I have the painting skills of a three year old, brittle nails and shakey hands. I only get my nails done or else they are scraggly and horrid looking. But I freaking LOVE these latest shades from essence! Look how preeeetty. These are my favourite three from the latest releases; more than a feeling, perfect match and royal blue.

Also, I did feature the XXL nail thickener in my last Favourites post. The clear polish is fine because no one will know if I have “accidentally” painted up to my first knuckle and it slightly errs my biting abilities. The gl polishes are only R29.95 each. I mean really. 

satin touch blush

I am such a fan of the essence blushes. I am loving matte face and lip products – did I mention that? But there is something about a satin blush that just adds a pop of health to your cheeks. This satin touch blush is available in three shades – bronze, coral, rosewood – and is the perfect addition to your Summer make-up bag. The colours don’t last as long on your face as you would like, but the colour payoff makes up for it. Who cares if you have to reapply your blusher once more in a day? They retail for R47.95 a pop.

And that is it for my essence S/S ’16 top picks! One last shout out to the the false lashes mascara dramatic volume unlimited mascara and the the metals eyeshadow which are also incredible and long lasting.. but I just could not allow myself to feature almost every single product from the range 😉

Have you tried the range yet? Are there any other products from the essence S/S ’16 range that I should review?

Rayne XX