Essence Cosmetics: Unbeatable Budget Beauty Products

Something wonderful happened this month in Canada. Something very cool indeed. Shoppers Drug Mart began carrying a jaunty little makeup line out of Europe called Essence. I was familiar with the label from my travels around the UK (I’m addicted to their chemists Boots and Superdrug) but I had never picked up any of their products. I knew that they were reasonably priced and offered a broad variety of products but upon hearing the news that they were coming to Canada, I never believed that their price wouldn't be exploited on this side of the pond. Well imagine my surprise and elation when I discovered that the Canadian distributors would in fact maintain the low prices and general affordability.

Perhaps you’re apprehensive wondering, if say, an eyeshadow that costs $2.49 would be worth your while buying because surely it couldn't have a strong pigment or apply well? Based on my initial testing of two Essence shadows, one a beautiful shimmering purple and the other an ethereal white gold, they are totally worth your consideration. I had a wedding to attend this past Saturday (St.Patrick’s Day) and perhaps I was playing fast and loose but I really wanted to try out my new shades so I threw caution to the wind and applied the new, cheap brand rather than my tried and true pricier eyeshadows. It was freaking hot that day. There was actual humidity in the middle of March. The sun was shining and the reception hall was stifling. My hair never stood a chance but my makeup? Flawless even at 11:00 that night. I had done it at about 9:00 that morning. My hair was a mess of dropped flat curls and frizz but that Essence shadow saved my look that day. The pigment was in fact strong and bold and it went on smoothly and evenly. I hadn't even used a primer. I can’t wait to grab the rest of the colours.

Essence Cosmetics: Bold, bright, and budget friendly.

Now more about where it comes from. I don’t know about you but I am very careful about what I buy and where it was made. I will never, ever put something that was made in China on my skin,especially that close to my eyes. I have a certain faith in products that hail from the European Union.They have higher standards than Asia (remember the barrage of news over the last several years of China basically in the business of exporting lead to us?). I’d rather take my chances drinking anti-freeze. Oh wait—they've tried that on us before as well. So Essence products are manufactured in lovely Germany. This is actually the second time Shopper’s Drug Mart has imported a fabulous line of products from the EU. For several years now they have carried the famous Boots line of facial creams and cosmetics of which I am a huge fan.

So far, Shoppers is offering only a select range of Essence products (which is fairly disappointing for me.) It’s kind of like a sampler: there’s a few shades of nail polish, a handful of blushes and powders, a couple of different types of eyeliners and mascara and a slightly wider selection of different kinds of eyeshadows. Remember, they are ridiculously cheap and affordable. They are worthy of your attention for sure. Perhaps I’m overly optimistic, but I am hoping that if Essence sells well in North America, then we’ll get the rest of the range offered to us. I shall keep my fingers crossed and keep checking in to see what’s new and sparkly!

Has a Scissor Happy Stylist Left You Suicidal?

What do you do when you get a bad haircut? What is your criteria for deeming a haircut good or bad? It’s been that long since I’d ever had one (a bad haircut, that it), I forgot how sad it makes me. Years ago I would weep for a day or two, ruing the day I ever went into the salon. I would chastise myself for being rash and impetuous. This is usually after I chop off my long long locks for a short and spiky style (which I always grew to love). It’s just that I suffer separation anxiety with my hair, I guess. I would just be suffering from shock.

Just last week, I finally made a hair appointment. I am nervous to say it had been exactly a year and half since my last cut (judge me all you want) but I was going through a growing-it-really-long phase. I was highly successful. It nearly touched my belt loops. But I knew I would need a trim and I longed for cute chunky bangs again and I was hesitant to cut them myself. In retrospect, I should have cut them myself. They are blunt and shapeless (not at all what I am used to when I have bangs) and even my mother in law made fun of them. And that trim? I somehow lost six inches instead of one. As an aside, my hair is in pretty good shape despite the torture I wreak upon it. Frankly, I dote on my locks and it has kept them fairly healthy.

I now feel naked and exposed from the back. My mum says my hair is still long but it certainly doesn’t feel that way. I also realize I made a mistake requesting long layers. They just don’t look right. Probably because they are not in fact long, but rather short in comparison to the longest lengths of my hair. I guess the point of my rant is that even when you have long hair, you can still get a bad cut. Maybe there are more ways to conceal the butchery when you have the length, but the psychological scarring is just as damning, short do’s or long. And if this all wasn't bad enough? The joke’s on me. For the sake of cordiality I still tipped the man handsomely. It cost me seventy bucks to be sad, depressed and disappointed. I could have achieved the same effect watching the movie One Day again for free.

This should've been my "after". It's not. I shall say no more.