Essence "how to make NUDE eyes" QUICK REVIEW

As it happens with many drugstore eyeshadows, these are mostly on the glittery side and the pigmentation is hardly comparable with the super expensive brands. Don't get me wrong, the shades are very pretty and the palette is most certainly usable. It just requires some practice. Essence does not aim to be the top quality brand selling for 25 euro a palette. Essence is all about enjoying cute, trendy products that catch your eye with stylish designs and funky attitude. To me, Essence limited editions are a lifesaver when I feel like buying some new makeup without spending all my food money.

But back to the palette. I think I will simply skip describing the packaging - the photo speaks for itself. It' s absolutely gorgeous (and quite sturdy!). The NUDE box offers 6 shades, none of them matte. The three bottom shades are very nicely pigmented, not overly shimmery (sometimes almost matte, despite the sparkles), and I find myself using them a lot. The top is somewhat less impressive. Sure, you have the obligatory "white" shade for highlighting, but I would prefer a matte white for the inner corners. The gold-brownish shade in the middle fares well as a highlight colour to the darker bottom shades. The "an eye on apricot" one is pretty much identical to my skintone and I only use it for blending, without any real visible difference. I would swap that one for some other shade if I could, though being a nude palette, you probably want to keep things subtle so that is just my preference.

The package itself comes with an in-built mirror on the lid and two "secret" cards to help you create the look. Overall, I think the "how to make" range is a great idea and my only regret is that I didn't buy them all when I had the chance. A shout-out to Essence: Bring these to Slovakia/Czech republic! They are much more interesting than mono eyeshadows or the mini palettes you currently offer in these countries!

PROS:
* Packaging
* Price
* Choice of shades (and named!)
* Mirror
* Overall impression

CONS:

* Lower pigmentation of the lighter shades

* Availability

* No matte shades