A rare jewel at a great price
By Lauren Kelly, Editor-in-Chief
I’d never paid much attention to the Essence stands in Shoppers Drug Mart, even though the prices were significantly less than other drugstore brands. However, after reviewing and testing their lip liner last year (fantastic) and their eyebrow gel a few months back (super useful and convenient), they’ve definitely won me over. This appreciation led to me testing out their line of long-lasting lipsticks, which again left me very impressed.
The Longlasting Lipstick line is available in nine regular colours and three nudes at Shoppers, but there is a bigger variety available on the brand’s website. Barring the more out-there colours, you should be able to get whatever you need from the regular stock. I purchased it in four colours: Barely There! (06), a dusty-rose otherwise known as a my-lips-but-better shade; Natural Beauty (07),which is a warm pink; Velvet Matt (24), a bold, cool pinkish-purple; and Time for a Toffee Break? (28), a deep, warm brown. In addition to these, there are a few more pinks, a light and deep red, and a peach.
The only shade I find doesn’t really suit me is Velvet Matt (24), since it’s too cool-toned for my skin and looks a little jarring. One way I found to make it work for me was by putting just a bit on and blending it in like a tint, which was subtler and still lasted well. I’ll definitely be getting a lot of wear out of Barely There! (06), since it’s the sort of colour that I lean heavily on for my day-to-day looks, and while Natural Beauty (07) isn’t as much my cup of tea, it’ll be pretty for spring. By far, though, the nicest is Time for a Toffee Break? (28). I don’t usually wear brown lipsticks, but it was incredibly flattering and unique without being too out-there. Not all lines have a shade like this one, so it’s a stand-out for me.
The lipsticks are creamy with a little shine making them a satin as opposed to a matte finish, and you can’t see your natural lip colour underneath, which is important, especially with less natural colours like Velvet Matt (24). The formula feels nice on my lips, and isn’t bothersome or clumpy throughout the day. The lipsticks come in sleek black tubes with a ring of the colour under the cap, so you can tell what each shade is without opening them up or looking at the bottom, which is always appreciated. The packaging generally looks sharp, and doesn’t seem cheap in any way.
I honestly like everything about these lipsticks, which makes the price point even sweeter—at Shoppers, which is usually more expensive than its competitors, each is only $3.49. There’s no real excuse not to try one out to see if you like them. If you do, they’re a super cheap way to stock up on some nice lip options and break away from matte-everything with spring on its way!
