The Budget Brand You Need to Try

All this came to less than a tenner! Essence was first brought to my attention by Gemma from OMG Gemma, a cruelty-free blogger who loves their products. She raved about the Lash Princess Mascara, so when I saw that my local Wilkinson's store stocked Essence, it was the first thing I picked up.

I spent some time playing with the testers on the stand, deciding what to try out. I left eyeshadows and foundations as I find they aren't always the best from cheaper brands. A trio of lip products including the Essence Lip Liner in Cute Pink, XXXL Nude Lipgloss in Taste the Sweets and Long Lasting Nude Lipstick in Cool Nude were purchased.

I'm so impressed, the quality is amazing for the price, it's comparable to Revlon and L'Oreal but even cheaper. The Lash Princess has quickly become one of my favourites. It has a traditional bristle brush which is a tapered cone shape, helping it separate the lashes and the thick formula makes that volumised. Usually, cheap mascaras don't hold a curl or flake but this kept my lashes curled and didn't budge.

The Lip Liner was only £1, I picked up a mid-tone pink shade named Cute Pink, perfect for layering under my nude pink lipsticks. Making a comparison to my beloved Charlotte Tilbury Lip Liner in Pillow Talk, I would say it is harder in texture so you have to work the product onto the lips. It's not the best lip liner I've ever used but for £1, it's quick and easy to use and doesn't let you down.

Applying the Long Lasting Nude Lipstick in Cool Nude make a perfect every day lip colour. I adore the packaging, each lipstick has a different colour tube, which corresponds to the shade inside. It's quite a creamy matte which doesn't leave the lips feeling dry. The only downside is the cheap lipstick smell.

To finish off, I use the XXXL Nude Lipgloss in Taste the Sweets. Its a pretty pink shade that makes your lips look fuller. The name XXXL suggests that this is a plumping gloss with a tingling sensation but I think it's referring to the gloss effect and how it makes the lips look bigger. It has a slightly angled doe foot applicator which means you can slick the gloss on with ease. It's not too tacky or sticky, I'm not a huge fan of gloss but I like to dab this in the middle of the lips to add a sheen.

Considering the low price points of these items and the whole haul coming to under £10, I'm very impressed. The products would be ideal for those just starting out with makeup but the quality means that they don't fall short in my established collection.

Have you tried Essence products? What should I try next?