Essence's Stay With Me Lipgloss

I had first read about these lipglosses on Karen's Makeup and Beauty Blog about a month ago - She had given it an A+ rating and I was sold! The last time I was in Buffalo, I was looking everywhere for it. Unfortunately I got confused with Essence (cosmetics, available only at Ulta, Fred Meyer, and HEB) and Essence of Beauty (brushes, available only at CVS). I was scouring the aisles for these lipglosses at CVS, ultimately leaving disappointed :(

Two weeks ago, you can guess my excitement when I saw the stand up display for Essence in Canada! Exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart, Essence is imported from Germany with a very affordable price tag - nothing retails for more than $5!

Without going crazy, I bought my first Stay With Me Long-lasting Lipgloss in My Favourite Milkshake. Within a span of week, I had all 6 shades. For $2.99, you are getting 4 ml of product.

Why I'm in LOVE:

• The price is unbeatable - I would pay well over $2.99 for these lipglosses. I feel like I'm almost stealing because it's such a good deal!
• I love the colours! Not only are they pigmented, they are extremely flattering. You can determine the opacity of the lipgloss by how much you apply. I find that the darker shades also leave a great stain after the gloss wears off.
• They look and feel great on the lips. Very creamy and although thick, I would not describe them as sticky. Not only does it feel moisturizing, it doesn't highlight dry or chapped lips.
• They're sweet :) Karen describes them as smelling like red gummy bears, and I would have to agree. All 6 lipglosses smell the same... yummy!

From Left to Right:

  Candy Bar, Me and My Ice Cream, Kiss Kiss, 

Deep Rose, My Favourite Milkshake, Hottest Pink

(The names and colours are slightly different than what's available in the States)

If you want to learn more about Essence and their cosmetics line, you can visit their website here - keep in mind, not everything you see online is available at Shoppers. I bought 3 of their nail polishes ($1.49 for 5 ml) that I still have to try. Lipsticks are next on my list! For the price point? Go crazy! Happy shopping ladies :)

Revlon Lip Butters

It's crazy!... I too have become obsessed with Revlon's ColourBurst Lip Butters. I first heard about this product on YouTube a few months ago. I decided to go look for them last week but they were impossible to find - either sold out or not available. This week most pharmacies seem to have stock. I've been able to find them in most Shoppers and Rexall locations.

L-R: Brown Sugar, Peach Parfait, Pink Truffle, Sweet Tart, & Red Velvet

These lip butters come in 20 beautiful shades. The lighter colours provide a sheer coverage, while the darker and more vibrant colours are more medium to opaque. The formulation includes mango, shea and coconut butter for moisture, while really leaving your lips with quite a bit of shine. 

So to add to the hype, this is why I love them:

• It is a 3 in 1 product (yes, that means it's going to save me time)! It provides enough colour to be a lipstick, enough moisture for it to feel like a lip balm, and glossy enough as a finish to look like lip gloss.
• The colours are amazing! They've allowed me to really experiment with more vibrant colours. All of them are very wearable and flattering. For the first time I own a red and hot pink lipstick. I can't wait to get the orange one!
• Scent-free. This might not be a bonus to everyone, but I like that it doesn't taste like anything. As much as a colour like Red Velvet sounds yummy, fragrance is  subjective. Personally, anything that smells or tastes too artificial is a deterrant for me to use again.

With all those great things being said, I think everyone should still be aware of the following:

• Yes, they are moisturizing - but don't have the expectation that it can replace your lipbalms (especially during the winter months). As much as they do feel great on the lips, they don't have the same moisturizing properties as a dedicated lip balm like Blistex or Burt's Bees.
• Be prepared to re-apply. These aren't long lasting lipsticks. I find that the shine leaves your lips after an hour or so (much less if you're eating or drinking). What I have found though with the darker shades, is that it leaves a nice lip stain that lasts for a few hours longer.
• Use only on smooth lips. These lip butters are unforgiving, especially the ones with a bit of glittery shine to them. They will highlight all the cracks and dry skin on your lips if they aren't well moisturized before an application. I have to admit though - I love these lip butters so much, I've noticed I have made more of an effort to keep my lips moist the last week!

Even though they're a drugstore brand, I can't justify spending another $50 on them... so now I'm patiently waiting for a good sale, or for my local Walmart to carry them. At regular price, Shoppers is selling them for $11.99 and Rexall at $9.49.

If you want to see a very thorough review on Revlon Lip Butters and more colour swatches, click on the YouTube video below. Enjoy! :)