Essence Liquid Lipsticks photos, swatches, review

As a serious collector of lip products, to the point where I'm waiting for Channel 4's Hoarders to coming looking for me, I was very intrigued when these liquid lipsticks from Essence arrived for me to play with recently.  My first thought was "Ooh they look like the Maybelline thingys" followed by "Ooh I bet they're cheaper than the Maybelline thingys hence I can buy more if I like 'em."

I like 'em.  No wait, I love 'em!  I got three of the six available shades and at €3.09, I will not feel one shred of guilt if (when) I pick more up.

Essence Liquid Lipstick: L-R: Almost Real, Show Off, Make A Statement

I love the simple packaging and how the lid matches the shade inside.  This makes for easy grabbing when one has 11,000 lip products in one's bag.  Described as having the coverage of a lipstick with the shine of a gloss, products like these are right up my street.  I love a glossy finish so I can feel if the product is still there or not and as I mentioned in my August favourites video, I'm about 42% lip product, so might as well be a nice one I'm ingesting!

Essence Liquid Lipstick: L-R: Almost Real, Show Off, Make A Statement

On the arm, the swatches look almost like a lacquer with the sheer shine and opacity and I'm not going to lie, I was a bit nervous because they looked completely over the top, even for a bridie like me.  However on the lips, they sheered out beautifully leaving a medium level of coverage and I knew I was hooked.  The applicator makes life nice and easy and I can get a nice defined edge to the lips.  Wear time is decent for a glossy lip product and we're talking about an hour and a half or so before the gloss fades, shorter if you're eating, drinking or eating the lip product off your lips.

Essence Liquid Lipstick: Top-bottom: Almost Real, Show Off, Make A Statement

Almost Real

I thought Almost Real was going to give me concealer lips when I first swatched it but once I apply a layer and smush it around on my lips, it becomes a gorgeous wearable nude that is screaming for a smoky eye to go with it.  It leans slightly peachy on me which is only grand and it's not as scary as I thought it was going to be.

Show Off

Show off is a bright, in your face coraly pink shade that works beautifully with a tan.  Or if you've piled the bronzer on.  If you're trying to hold onto the last remnants of the summer that never was, then check this out.  Fans of the statement lip will not be disappointed with this.

Make A Statement

I thought Make A Statement was going to be set aside for autumn/winter wear when I swatched it on my arm, but once applied, it became my immediate favourite.  It's the perfect dusty pink shade that's completely work friendly for a scaredy cat like me who's afraid to go too wild in the makeup department during the week and wearing it, I feel like a grown up.  Like Lady Mary.  You can call me Lady Karen.  Can you tell I've been watching the trailer for the final season of Downton over and over?

These are on stands now and if I was to pick my favourite, it'd be Make A Statement.  Then I'd feel bad and pick up another couple.  Sure you'd have three and change out of a tenner!  #enabler