Essence

Essence Algae Lip Oil [03 - Hydration booster] Review

By Maychiri's Thoughts - January 25, 2025

Now this is something that I wanted to try for a really long time! The Essence Algae Lip Oil, variant 03/Hydration booster (not that there are any other variants of the algae lip oil)!

I always need lip oils, and Essence just happened to release a few new lip oils as part of their seasonal refresh! What a coincidence! Among the (then) new lip oils, this one seemed most interesting, by far! Algae infused lip oil sounds both so interesting and like it could be seriously hydrating – perfect for my often dry lips! And that blue colour! Surely it doesn’t actually look that blue on lips?? So I made it a priority to buy it as soon as possible; I just have to know what it’s like! So, let’s see!
 
 
 
 
Packaging: a standard lip gloss tube, really. The cap is silver metallic, as is the text, which is a good contrasting colour with the aquamarine/green of the oil. But the text is a bit difficult to read because it’s metallic. The cap closes super securely, so much so that I often have to use a lot of force to open it! This is good, it keeps the oil fresh for longer! While the design of the tube is simple, the huge text and the silver colour really makes it pop! I like it.
 
 
 
 
 
Ingredients: jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) seed oil, hyaluronic acid, Laminaria ochroleuca (algae) extract, vitamin E for nourishment. No parabens. The scent is so good! It’s perfumey and salty and smells a lot like the sea! It’s perfectly summery and just great in general. There’s also a floral note to make it a bit sweet, instead of being just salty. Even though it is relatively intense, I love this scent, it’s quite relaxing! Oh, and it tastes exactly the same, too! I always get this perfumey flavour in my mouth after I apply the oil. The expiration date is 24 months after opening.
 
 
 
 
The applicator is a pretty standard flat applicator. It is small, but don’t let that fool you! It picks up a lot more oil than you’d expect given its size! Way more than you need for each lip, in fact, I think it’s the perfect amount for both lips! This ensures that your lips get a thick, rich layer of oil so that they don’t dry out. The shape is good for applying a generous amount of oil on the lips, and it is precise enough to line the lips, although it can struggle just a bit on the cupid’s bow. It’s extremely easy to use, which makes applying this oil a fun time! Also, it’s super soft and quite flexible! Amazing!
 
 
 

 
Colour: yeah, this oil isn’t just blue in the tube! It gives the lips a slight bluish tint, which makes them look sickly but also sooo cool! I love this weird, sickly colour! It’s like you’re hypoxic (not that hypoxia is cool, but, you know). The colour is more intense than I thought it would be, and it stays until morning, which is even more cool! I get to both go to sleep and wake up with blue lips! Yeah! 
 
 
 
Anyways, I usually apply two layers, I feel like one just doesn’t have the proper pigmentation. It becomes truly bluish with two layers. In terms of texture, it is highly glossy. While it looks like it has the faintest shimmer in the tube, you really cannot see it on the lips. I love how glossy it is! Also, there’s no duo-colour effect here, despite there clearly being a blue and a green component in the tube; they mix perfectly evenly to give you that bluish tint. What’s the green for then, I wonder?
 
 
 
Words cannot describe how surprised I was when I first applied this ‘lip oil’ on my lips! All the previous lip oils felt like, well, oil, but this one is so different that I would honestly hesitate to call it an oil in the first place! It’s extremely thick and creamy and rich, much more like a lip balm than a lip oil! However, despite being so rich and thick, it’s actually surprisingly lightweight! And it is not one bit tacky. It really feels like it’s going to deeply nourish the lips – and it does! My lips are completely healed overnight, even if the damage is severe! It’s a real miracle!
 
 
The second most surprising thing, aside from the hella thick, creamy formula, is just how comfortable this lip oil is to wear – it is super comfortable, feeling like the most nourishing balm that’s going to fix everything bad with your lips! I honestly don’t mind that it is this thick, I forget it’s even there most of the time! As time goes on, it does change, but not by a lot. It does become a tiny bit more waxy and thick, instead of feeling creamy, but it keeps the same lightness throughout the day. I usually apply it before going to bed and it feels almost the same in the morning! 
 
 
Before and after applying two layers, with nothing under the lip oil
I cannot stress enough just how gorgeous this formula is, as not only is it incredibly creamy and comfortable, it is also extremely easy to apply. It never tugs at the lips, even if they are severely damaged, instead just gliding like butter across them. So you only need like 10 seconds to be done! Perfect if you are in a hurry! And perfect before bed, as there is no fiddling with it!
 
 
 
 
Yes, this lip oil is extremely long-lasting. No, this lip oil isn’t food-resistant or waterproof. So, once you apply it, it stays. It stays for hours. Like I said, it barely changes during 7-8 hours of sleep, proving just how long-lasting it really is. So don’t worry about it smudging or fading throughout the day... that is, unless you decide to have a meal! Because food obliterates this lip oil, even if it is not very greasy. It’s a similar thing with water, although it seems to tolerate liquids much better than food. Nevertheless, it will fade significantly after, say, a shower or a swim. Honestly, I don’t find this to be a problem as this means that lips will get a fresh coat of nourishment again!
 
 
 
 
Going off what I said about this lip oil not really being best buddies with water/liquids, it then makes sense that it would be quite easy to remove. I don’t even use any special removers, I just saturate a cotton pad with water and swipe it off. And then my lips are clean, without a greasy, tacky residue left after removing it. Simple as!
 
 
 
All in all, I am so in love with this oil, omg! Even though I was totally in shock when I first applied it – the formula is hella thick and almost creamy and definitely not what you’d expect from an oil – I soon grew to love it dearly. The thick formula feels comfortable and not at all too heavy on lips, and, thanks to just how thick it is, it can survive the night easily! This means that I wake up with soft, supple lips – the perfect base for lipsticks! This lip oil is so hydrating that it can heal even more severe dryness; like if I have chapped lips, they are usually healed completely by morning when I use this oil! It’s a real miracle worker! And definitely among the most nourishing lip oils I have ever used! And the colour is so wicked, too! It’s actually slightly blue on the lips, giving them this sickly bluish colour like they’re hypoxic. It’s honestly really cool! I cannot recommend this oil enough, especially if you suffer from dry or chapped lips! It’s a bloody miracle, I just hope Essence keep it for a longer time than just one season! Well, about that... I love it to bits, and I am so happy that I bought it – it was worth every cent!
 
 
 
Rating: 9/10
 
 
Would buy again? Definitely YES
 

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