Essence Launches Across the UK!

Budget beauty seems to be taking the UK by storm at the moment, with the likes of MUA and Makeup Revolution being firm favourites, and now Essence are getting in on the act! Essence is Europe's No1 budget beauty brand, and have been around for a long time, but are very new to us here in the UK. They launched last year in just a few stores, so were still very hard to get hold of for the majority of us. But I'm pleased to say Essence will be available all across the UK as of this month, and I can't wait to stock on some more budget beauty buys!

Unfortunately, I was unable to make the launch event, but the lovely ladies at Flipside PR made sure I didn't miss out on the fun, and have sent me a few goodies to try out. I have to say I'm really impressed with the brand so far, and you wouldn't think a lot of these products retailed for as cheap as they do. Just to whet your appetite a little, I thought I'd share with you some of my favourites from the brand.

The pick of the bunch has to be the Pure Skin Anti Spot Moisturizing Makeup*. As someone who suffers with dry skin, but is also prone to the odd breakout, I instantly thought this product would be right up my street. So far, I'm really liking it, as it doesn't dry out my skin at all, like a lot of spot fighting products do. I'm going to be trying this product out for a while longer before I give my final verdict, so look out for a full review soon.

The Multi Action Mascara* promises to give extra volume, length and curl. The jury's still out on whether it does give any extra volume, I'm not sure it makes too much of a difference, but the length and curl this mascara gives is fantastic. The wand separates the lashes beautifully and the mascara does not clump at all. It dries really quickly, so you don't get those nasty mascara marks under your eyes if you blink too soon. This mascara has lasted me a full day at work without flaking or smudging.

Their Silky Touch Blushes* are really pretty too. I received the shade Adorable, which is the perfect soft pink for giving a natural flush to your cheeks. I was really surprised at how pigmented these were, and may have been a little generous when applying it to my brush for the first time, so I learned the hard way that a little really does go a long way with this product! They apply really nicely and will last you a full working day. I'll definitely be purchasing more of these - I really want to get a peachy coloured one too.

The biggest surprise from these products came from the Glossy Lipbalm in Strawberry Cheesecake*. Normally I steer clear of products like this, as I hate the stickiness that a lot of lipglosses have, and they can often smell and taste like plastic! This one smells just like strawberries and you'll want to lick it off! Providing you don't, these will last you 2-3 hours (without eating), which is pretty good for a lipgloss, and will still leave your lips feeling soft even after the product has faded away. And best of all - they're not sticky in the slightest, hurrah! This does have a hint of glitter in it, so it's one to stay clear of if that's not your cup of tea, but I have seen some shades in the range without the glitter, so there's something for you even if your not a shimmer fan.

Essence launches in Wilkinson stores across the UK this month, with prices starting at just 99p, so you could get yourself a full face of makeup at a bargain price and still have change to spare! I'm really looking forward to trying some of their nail polishes, as the shade range looks incredible.

Are you excited about the Essence launch? What will you be buying?

*This post contains PR samples. As always, all opinions are my own.