Welp, I was supposed to finish this earlier, but taking Instagram seriously takes a surprising amount of time!
Anyways... take a look at this store display. See anything unusual about it? Any... yellow tags? Yup, since it was Catrice's turn earlier, now Essence has to go out with the old and in with the new. After all, there's only so much shelf space!
This is always a bittersweet time for me because it's inevitable that many fan-favourites will be leaving us soon. But it's also the perfect time to try out that one product you've been on the fence about, since it's 50% off now!
This sale had some products that I was absolutely sure were not long for this world, like the liquid eyeshadows... they are... not good. So it makes sense they are being retired.
Same with the Meta Glow eye pencils... I knew this duochrome stuff wasn't going to last long, not after seeing what Catrice's duochrome eye pencils looked like in the 2024 Advent Calendar. It seems that Cosnova just cannot seem to get this effect right.
Aside from that, there's a mixed bag of stuff that's on sale: some Gel Nail Colours, some press-on nails, a primer or two, couple lip glosses and lip oils, some lip balms and a pair of false eyelashes. It's mostly just a shade or a few shades from each range, rarely is it the whole range being discontinued.
And this is exactly where a couple of shocks come: the entire Camouflage+ concealer range is going away! What??? That was a cult classic! Nooo... I must try it out now! Or I might regret not seeing what it is was like... apparently, it can completely cover up tattoos! Wonder what will replace it... hopefully a new type of concealer. That would only make sense, no?
Or how about the Lash Like a Boss mascara being discontinued? Another extremely popular product... and yes, both the regular and waterproof version. Man, this sucks. But that does mean that new mascaras are on the way! Exciting!
But the biggest shock to me was that the entire 8h Matte Liquid Lipstick range is going away forever... first the shock with Catrice removing the Matt Pro Ink Non-Transfer Liquid Lipstick and now this... not a good time to have fave liquid lipsticks from either Catrice or Essence, it seems like.
One other surprise is that most of the products introduced in the previous refresh managed to survive, bar a few unlucky sods. Like the Meta Glow range, the chubby eyeshadow sticks, the weird soft brick red eyeliner and maybe a few of the Gel Nail Colours. So there's still time to try them out - phew!
Now, was this sale something that intrigued me? Well, yes - actually! I didn't think I would pick up anything new, but when I saw that my beloved Mousse Foundation was marked safe, I decided to celebrate by trying out a few of these soon-to-be gone products. So I ended up getting one 8h Matte Comfort Lipliner, a Camouflage+ Matte Concealer, Cat Eyes! False Lashes and... drum roll... the blue Meta Glow eye pencil. That last one, I just said "screw it" and bought it... it can't be that bad, can it? A nice little set of items, I can't wait to try them out!
But you what else I am even more anxious to try out?
The new Fall/Winter 2025 refresh, that's what!
So, what do we have... oh, a lot, just looking at the stuff on Boozyshop! Again, I was very early for this when I made the graphics, so some pictures are placeholders and I might have missed a product or two because I couldn't find them anywhere - hopefully not, though!
FACE
As always, I will start with the face as that is the where the first steps in makeup are applied. And look at that - all are entirely new products! Yes, the Baby Got [x] is not technically entirely new, but they didn't have this exact stick before so I am still counting it! Love to see entirely new stuff, that always fills me with excitement!
Wow - looots of primers here! A Plump Smoothing primer, sans silicones and alcohol, which could be very useful if you have very textured skin - I know I do, haha! It is also hydrating, so interesting! Apparently, it has a sorbet-like texture and a watermelon scent, hmm... though that's wayyy too shiny for me.
And a matching setting spray to go with that primer, love to see a combo like this! However, it's a dewy and hydrating spray, so obviously not for me as I really prefer matte over glowy/dewy/whatever. My skin is "dewy" enough already with all this sebum...
Next, there is the Brighten Up! range of primers, in a few colours. I want to start with the 'natural' colours first because... excuse me, just light beige and beige??? What kind of shade range is this??? Guess I can safely just ignore this as my skin is like 5 shades lighter than "light beige". I know it's a primer and not a foundation, but it still needs to have some semblance of a match to your skintone. Ugh. Also, again wit the radiance... so irritating.
Then, there's two 'unnatural' colours meant to be used for colour-correcting. I applaud this! While I myself don't see any pressing need to use these, I know that a lot of people suffer from stuff like dull skintone or rosacea, so this will be of great use to them! Available in a lavender and a green shade; the lavender is meant to liven up dull skintones and add, ugh, more radiance, while the green neutralises red tones and gives even more glow. Why the matte hate? Not everyone wants to be so shiny... also "specially formulated for Asian skintones"... wut... I guess they mean Korean skintones, but on its own, that just sounds weird. Though points for representation I guess.
Now that the skin has been properly primed, let's check out what's next! Oh, a Correct & Conceal Colour-Correcting Palette! Just one shade, meant for light skintones. Not dark, not pale. Sigh. But it sure is useful! Combining a 'classic' shade of concealer with a peach, lavender and green ones makes it super versatile. As before, the lavender is for brightening gray tones, and green is for neutralising redness, such as from rosacea or acne. The peach is incredibly useful if you suffer from dark undereyes! So a good all-around product, shame it's just one shade...
Next, a setting powder, in compact form. Don't worry, Catrice has got you covered for all your loose powder needs. This setting powder differs from many others because it is not actually mattifying. Because why would it be, right? Sigh. I don't get the obsession with 'radiance' and shininess - at least give us oily girlies something to use, because we are shiny enough already! Apparently, it gives a 'soft focus matte' effect and radiance... no thanks. If I am using a setting powder, I want it to remove all that grease and shine, not amplify it.
Ah, now this is a familiar sight! Remember the old Baby Got [x]'s? Well, there's a new baby in town, and she is all about glow! That was horrible, wasn't it? Anyways, I've heard mixed things about the previous Baby Gots, so I'm not particularly interested, even more so because my skin hates creamy/liquid highlighters. Though I do like how these look like natural glow, not overly sparkly or shimmery. Two shades, a gold and a rose gold; both are likely too dark for me... eh. One thing I just have to mention is - have you seen how tiny these are??? I thought they were bigger but they are practically tiny!
3.5 eur for something that is baby-sized... yeesh! I know it's called "Baby Got ..." but come on, the size doesn't have to be baby-sized!
Now, the next couple of items comprise a sort of set, which I absolutely love. They are all Soft Touch, it just differs what their purpose is. For example, there is the Soft Touch Butter Bronzer, available in 4 shades, ranging from light to pretty deep. Just the concept of it being both soft and buttery makes me want to try it out... but bronzers just look weird on me :( 040's name is making me hungryyy... but obviously, I would choose 010/Whipped Buttercup. It doesn't seem to be too orange, which is key, because nobody wants to look like *ahem*, a certain wannabe dictator. Yaas - finally something matte! Soft matte, even!
And it smells like coconut?? Uhmmm... I will have to swatch this first, but it's a contender for the "I have to buy it" category for sure!
Oh, this set is looking quite promising so far!
And lastly, there's a highlighter, to tie a nice bow on it all. The Soft Touch Bouncy Glow highlighter features a super soft formula with a lot of bounciness, which excites me. Tactile experience matters, after all. The super soft formula should help it melt into the skin better, and avoid it looking chunky and like it's just sitting on top of the skin. Available in 3 shades, in questionable numbering because 10 is darker than 20 or 30. Not the first time Essence has weird numbering with their products, takes me back to the mousse foundation and how 13 is the lightest shade for some reason. Anyways, numbering aside, all 3 colours are quite pretty!
3 types of golden colours, a darker gold, light gold and rose gold. Sadly, all 3 seem to be too dark for my pale skin, noooo :((
It's supposedly used in traditional medicine, but it still sounds iffy to me. In terms of effect, it is buildable, with medium coverage, which is good. What isn't good to me is the fact that this yet another bloody radiant product... sheesh, give us something matte already! This really annoys me. The foundation comes in 7 shades total, with nothing darker than what you'd call 'tan'. Just great. Also, doesn't 01/Porcelain look dark? Actually, the colours are all over the place; the lightest one from the product photos seems to be 10/Honey but no way that is really the lightest one. I just think the product photos are weirdly colour-corrected, tbh. I will for sure swatch this, because these shades are all weirdly ordered and I must get to the bottom of this. But will I buy it? Most likely no, because I don't want to be "radiant"; I will just look oily instead, I just know it...
That's impressive! Ah, I might have to reconsider getting these... my undereyes will surely be grateful. But it's 30 pairs and that's just too many for me. Hmm... well, this is more than a decent replacement for the old Ice, Ice Baby eye patches!
Okay, that's the face all done! Honestly, a mixed bag. I am again dealing with so many products simply being too dark for pale skin - and dark skin is not getting the better deal here, either. I don't understand why it's still so hard to make an inclusive shade range in the year 2025 - they proved last refresh they are capable of that with those foundation stick that came in dozens of shades. So why are the primers, and the concealers and the highlighters too dark for pale skin? Also, why are most of these face product goddamn shiny/radiant??? Why no matte options? There are plenty of oily people and I am sure I am not the only oily girlie that wouldn't appreciate looking even more oily. Because of that, most of the products are off the table for me. And I cannot get all 3 of the Soft Touch products because the highlighter is too dark. I know for sure I will be getting the Soft Touch Bouncy Blush and Bronzer - I simply must! Maybe even the cushion foundation, we'll see, depending on what the swatch looks like.
Welp, not the best start. Let's move on to the next category, I hope that one has a better selection of products!
EYES
Ah, probably my favourite category - this, or the lips, it's a close battle. I am very fond of trying out all sorts of eye products so I am excited to see what's new!
Let's see... honestly, not that much, all things considered. But a great variety of products. Nothing for the brows, but that was covered in the last refresh. Plenty of eyeliners and mascaras, though, which is exciting!
Then, two new variants of the What The Fake! False Lashes; I did not think I would enjoy them quite as much I did, but they are actually awesome! One pair is more natural, if you don't crave extremely excessive falsies. I love the shape of these! I am so torn whether to get these or...
these! I mean, just look at that length and volume! The photo speaks for itself! Ah, tough choice, choosing between these two... but I do feel it in my bones that 04/Dramatic Length would be better for my eye shape. So I will probably get them, to have another pair alongside the older Volume ones.
Ah, now, we are coming to something I really like: brown eyeliners! First of two is the Eyeliner Pen Extra Long Lasting, which is an oldie. But I am so happy it's now available in brown; brown eyeliner is subtler on the eyes and suits pale skintones much better than jet black. Though, of course, black suits everyone and is a classic. But sometimes, you need something softer, and this eyeliner will be able to provide that. This is a very dark brown, almost black. Good for those who are not yet ready to commit to fully brown.
Felt-tip eyeliner, which is what I prefer, but I have not used the older, black shade so I have no idea how good it is - I've heard pretty good things about it, though! Still, this is not the brown eyeliner I've got... my eye... on!
Because the Colour It! Liquid Eyeliner in the shade 05/Chocolate Brown is! Because of course the one named after chocolate is, haha! I have to admit that I have one Colour It! (white), but I have not yet used it. So I have no idea what to expect from this one. I just know that it's a beautiful lighter brown shade that will look amazing, I just know it! This is a brush-type eyeliner, which can sometimes be a bit tricky to use. Well, whatever, I simply MUST try this out!
And lastly, for the new variants of older products, there is a Lash Without Limits Waterproof Extreme Lengthening & Volume Mascara... man, was that a mouthful! Just a black waterproof version of the old one. The results are honestly meh. Yeah, there is a decent amount of lengthening going on, but there is virtually zero volume, despite the name. I've seen much better results even from other Essence mascaras. So yeah, skip!
But I've had my fair share of trouble with eyeshadow primers, so a no from me.
The next item is a Colour It! eyeliner - but it's metallic, so that makes it new! New in my book! Again, I haven't yet tried the OG version so I feel completely neutral about this. But I do like the colours available: a copper and a rich purple. Oh wait... that's not actually purple, it's a dark purplish red. Man... just when I was getting excited. Well, now, I guess that I am not interested in this after all. But I guess it is cool that they are metallic. Eh...
Ah... does the next item look familiar? Yup, this is pretty similar to those Sheglam eyeshadow sticks! And it is just as floppy as them! I love myself some glitter - okay, a lot of glitter - so you might think that I'd want this, right? Well... not quite. While the 3 colours aren't bad per se, they all look almost identical on light skin. And somewhat ashy? Like, dirty ashy. I was thinking that this would be pure glitter, not an ashy gray colour with a bunch of glitter. I will certainly swatch it, but for now, this is a pass.
Next up: another Lash Princess! Huh! But this one is different because it has a very narrow, slim wand. Theoretically, this should be good for separation of the lashes, but these kinds of wands can often be unable to actually do much. They are good for people with sparse and/or short lashes, but if you have longer, thicker lashes, this will likely be next to useless, sadly. Though it does look good on the monolid swatch! So I guess this is for the Asian girlies!
And because it's tubes around hairs, this makes them the easiest mascaras to wash off. Great news for those with sensitive eyes or those who wear contact lenses! And honestly? The result is pretty extreme ngl! Very impressive! But do I really need this...? I already have plenty of mascaras to go through... maybe.
Wooo! That's all for the eyes! This was actually a pretty great section, honestly. Plenty that I am interested in, so I'll have my hands full with reviews soon! I don't even know what I am most looking forward to, there's just too many awesome products to just single out one. But I guess the purple mascara has to be number 1, no?
Happy with this, but I am also ready to move on to the next section...
LIPS
Oh yes, am I ready to dive into this section! Just look how many goodies await us here, eeee! I am so, so excited to try out most of these, but let's first see what is in here, in the first place!
A whole lot of new stuff! But also, a decent amount of new shades for oldies! Love to see it! And there's all varieties of lip products, so there's truly something for everyone, be it that you prefer lip tints, lipsticks, lip glosses, or lip liners. Ah, how I love Essence's lip section!
Let's start with the oldies, who are going to the old retirement home upstate, about to be replaced with these newer shades. The first one is the old favourite, the 8h Matte Comfort Lipliner, now available in two gorgeous shades: a burgundy (19) and a deep mauvey rose (20). Both are absolutely perfect for autumn! I might just get both of them because they are super affordable and good. And you can never have too many lip liners, haha!
Oh lord... a lip & cheek stain is next. I am not a fan of these. The What a Tint! Staining Lip & Cheek Tint gives you a wash of colour that looks pretty natural. The two shades available are incredibly similar, wouldn't it be better for them to be at least a little bit more different? I cannot argue, it does look nice on model photos, but I just hate when makeup stains my skin semi-permanently, so I'll pass.
Let's do some lip care now, first with the Lip Swirl Sugar Scrub! Lip exfoliation is a necessary step in my night routine; I exfoliate my lips 2 times a week using sugar scrubs to ensure that my lips stay as soft as they possibly can. Sugar is really the only thing that does the job, so I am very happy to see this scrub! And the colours! Swirly purple, rose and yellow? How absolutely adorable! However, I found a lip scrub that works fantastically for me, so I am unsure whether I will try this - but it sounds VERY promising!
You know what would be a good idea? To have a lip mask to complement the scrub... huh? There is one? Oh yes there is - the Lip Swirl Caring Mask! Not the same colours as the lip scrub; this one is rose, light blue and purple, which is a really soothing colour combination. I love that! As for the ingredients, there's shea butter, avocado oil, mango butter, hyaluronic acid and vitamin E. Sounds pretty good! I'll have to think about this...
The next item is a work of art, just look at the Aqua Jelly Colour Changing Lipstick! Yes, yes, it's another one of those pH-reacting lip products, which I am SO over them, but it is stunning! I honestly want to buy it just to keep it as a decorative piece! Not the first time an Essence pH-reacting lipstick has these little flakes in it, but here, it really looks magical! 3D swirly and turquoise... it's like something that a mermaid carved out! Yeah... I might just buy this for deco purposes - and for an initial review, of course!
Ah, look at this next lipstick! The Satin Glow Luminous Shine Lipstick has the same component as the Glossy Glaze High Shine Lipstick... and both are shiny, eh? Always great! And the price is even sweeter! I already know that I am going to buy this, but I have a problem: there are way too many gorgeous colours to pick just one! And the puns in the names are soooo fun! 05/Chai There! is such a cute name! 02, 03 AND 04 are soooo pretty! Ahhh - can't decide! Maybe after a swatch...
And lastly, two new Juicy Bombs - but both are different than usual. Why? Because of their flavours! The Chili Bomb Shiny Lipgloss is... well, what it says on the tin. This is the first ever plumping Juicy Bomb! Allegedly, because the ingredients list doesn't have anything that would give an "Xtreme plump" effect. But if it does, this is the first time you will be able to combine the fantastic hydrating formula and shiny texture with some plumping action! My lips hate plumping so I won't get this particular Juicy Bomb...
Wow, what a fantastic selection of lip products this refresh! Ah, my credit card won't like this haha! But I am so excited to try everything out! There's so much to try! I cannot wait!
Well, this was a blast! But let's move on, time for the last section...
NAILS
The very last section... ahh, feel like just a minute or two ago, I was checking Boozyshop to see what's new... but let's see what's new for the nails!
Decent selection! I see some entirely new products and some oldies in new clothes. Quite a few items, though most is just different colours. Still, let's see here...
I would like to start with older items. First up is the Studio Nails Uv Gel Nail Polish, first introduced... last refresh, I think? Look, I don't do real gel nails, so I am not interested in this, but the new colours sure are pretty! Some of them are recycled names, though (16/Sage The Day, 20/Fairy Floss). My nails aren't strong enough to withstand everything that's needed to do gel nails properly, so I won't be getting this.
Next, the good old Gel Nail Colour! It's been here for years; it's not a bad nail polish, so I can see the reason why that is. 4 new shades for autumn/winter, all 4 quite fitting for these seasons. A dark plum? Great for winter. Sage green is also fitting for winter. Dark coffee-bean brown is good for autumn, as is this mocha brown! I actually really like the mocha brown shade! I think I may get this!
Now, time for new stuff! First is this range of polishes, all fairy-themed. Isn't that nice? For that clean-girl aesthetic! They are all pinkish, but seem to have various textures. Like, Fairy Frost is a frosted, pearlescent pink, which is so pretty and gentle! Fairy Cloud, Fairy Rose and Fairy Nude seem to be typical; glossy nail polishes, just in different colours (creamy off-white, light bubblegum pink, light tan, respectively). I really like Fairy Nude! And since it is so cheap, I think I will get this! Fairy Pink at first looked like a glossy nail polish, but it has subtle blue-violet shimmer that gives it dimensionality.
Fairy Shimmer is the one I like the least. On its own, it kinda looks dingy. But it might look amazing as a topper, who knows! Fairy Shimmer is the most shimmery of them all, fitting for the name. These are all mini nail polishes, so they are extremely affordable. Very cute range, I love it!
Now, some nail art! In the form of nail stickers, which is always fun! But how autumn or winter is a set of summer fruit stickers, really??? Anyways, these are mega cute! Little pieces of fruit, how adorable!! I love the little strawberries and blackberries and raspberries... and those lil kiwis! Aww! Even better: they are scented; they have a fruity scent. What fruit? I don't know, but it's nice. I am on the fence about this...
The next item is a nail oil roll-on, always useful! It is necessary to apply nail oil to your cuticles if you want to keep them soft and nourished. It's especially important to do that if you have a lot of water exposure to your hands. The ingredients list sounds very promising, but I prefer nail oils that are applied with a brush, not with a roll-on. So I'll pass.
In case you needed a nail glue, well, I've got some good news for you! Because there's a mini nail glue in this new refresh! How good it is, I have no idea, but this is awesome! And get this - you get 3 of them in one packaging! What a steal! However, since this is a mini nail glue, it will probably get used up pretty quickly, no? Still, at such a low price, it's more than worth it!
And for the very last item, we have The Active Whitener Base Coat, to help whiten your nails if they become discoloured. Oh, do I need this! Just in case my nails become yellow from testing out nail polishes. Apparently, it is enriched with vitamin C to help your nails further. Very, very useful! Now, this is a base coat, but I plan to use it while my nails are in the recovery phase, between polish testing. It's cheap enough, so I don't mind getting it.
Well, that was the nails all done! Pretty meh to me, though there are a few polishes that I've got my eyes on. And the nail whitener. But overall, to me, okay selection. It would be much more exciting if my nails could tolerate gel nails or press-ons. Still, cannot wait to try out the few I am excited for!
OVERALL
There we go! The entire Essence autumn/winter 2025 refresh all checked out! Should I have been done with this like 2 weeks ago? Yeeesss... but PMDD wrecked me and Instagram is surprisingly time-consuming if you take it seriously. But when I say I will do something, I will do it, damn it!
So what do I think about this refresh, overall? Well, I really like it! Although the face section was a disappointment because there's again few items suitable for pale skin, the other sections more than made up for that! There a TON of products I want to try out, mostly in the lips section, but there's also some eye and nail products. In fact, I have already tried out one lip product and... so far, so awesome! Hopefully, the rest will be just as good! I cannot wait for all this to be available here, so that I can test it out, show you over on Instagram and review it thoroughly here!
So, what is the item you are most looking forward to? And which is the one that is most intriguing to you? Do you have any that are flops to you, because that's okay, too?
If you made it to this point, I thank you wholeheartedly for reading this far. I worked hard to make this enjoyable to read, hope that was apparent. And with plenty of pictures to rest your eyes.
Phew... that's it for some time in terms of news. BUT that doesn't mean I am taking a break, oh no! Look forward to again seeing reviews here, both of new and old items, as usual. Including one special item this week, probably on the weekend.
See you soon!
Maja
Maja
