IF there’s one thing that gratifies me, it’s changing up my wardrobe when the leaves start falling. It is also a perfect excuse to get new makeup colors for the season. You can spend a lot of money doing this, but you really don’t have to. There are plenty of brands that are affordable, high performance, and still provide all the trendy-ness you desire.
For example, Essence Cosmetics offers a wide range of cosmetics that cost less than a latte, literally, but that doesn’t mean they’re not great. I first discovered Essence in Paris, and if there is any group of women in the world who understand chic, even on a budget, it’s French women! But even though the products are inexpensive, the colors are exciting (but wearable) and they perform like they cost much, much more. Yes, impressive!!!
For Fall Essence has products for face, lips, eyes and nails. You’ll find bold, bright tones but also subtle nudes, and soft mattifying makeup (not every look has to scream: “I’m a runway model in training!” You’ find them all at Ulta, but I’ve picked out few items that really are so important for Fall, and so affordable, you haven’t a single reason not to buy, try and experiment with them:
You already know this: defined, lined eyes are going to be big! Bold, expressive eye liner is a must have, at least when you’re going out. Essence Super Fine Eyeliner Pen is just $2.99. True, you can spend more at M.A.C. or other, similar brands, but why bother? This is one fine liner (pun intended). It has super-black liquid liner and a super-fine-line tip ideal for creating everything from a cats eye to something more subtle, or more dramatic. I’m not great with liquid liner, and even with a pen, I mostly make wobbly lines, but this one is long, thin, and tapered. If you swipe once, you’ll get the eye liner of your dreams, with no fumbling!
Also for eyes are new Quattro eye shadow compacts in a wide variety of color combos. I like this “XOXO” Quattro because it combines the ever-popular smoky eye color of silver, white and black, with a medium purple that is trendy but can be used to add a bit of modernity to that smoky eye look (or use it as-is for that must-have purple trend eye look). These have a slight shimmer, but really it’s mostly to reflect light not make a glittery statement. Together or separately, these four pressed powder shadows make nearly unlimited looks and they’re only $3.99 (less than $1 per shadow)!
Nails are the new place to put a palette that expresses your personality. Essence has 18 new trendy colors that dry to a high shine (and quickly, too). The two colors I tried (“Walk on the Wild Side” and “Gorgeous Bling Bling”) both added subtle golden shimmery highlight.
Walk on the Wild Side is almost forest green, and the gold in this one shimmers subtly in the light. Gorgeous Bling Bling is a true rust with golden glimmer. The brushes in these nail polishes are wide, so they really almost cover completely in one coat but you will still want to use two, for more coverage. The caps match the color inside, and the polish is free of harmful stuff you don’t want, like toluene, formaldehyde or phthlates. They look like they belong in a high end boutique or department store makeup counter, but they’re yours, but just $1.99 (can you believe it?!!!)
These must-haves are just a teeny weeny taste of the essence of affordable but fabulous makeup, by Essence Cosmetics. If you’re not going to Europe where women have been keeping this amazing brand a secret for a long while, you can find Essence Cosmetics at Ulta, and learn more online: http://www.essence.eu/us/usa/home.html
