Essence Stay with Me Lipgloss

These lipglosses retail for $2.99 CDN a piece at Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada. There are 6 shades available: me & my icecream (01), my favorite milkshake (02), candy bar (03), kiss kiss kiss (07), deep rose (08), and hottest pink (09). Each tube contains 4 ml of product.


Now, if you've been reading my blog for the last little while, you'll have noticed that I'm not a huge fan of lipgloss. In fact, lipgloss rarely makes it (if ever) into my monthly favorites, and I seldom have reviews on them. I'm just not a lipgloss junkie. After Josh and I got more serious in our relationship (pre and post-marriage), I started leaving lipgloss out of my daily routine. There is nothing Josh hates more than when he goes to give me a kiss and he gets lipgloss all over his face... so all of my lipglosses have been sitting dormant on my vanity.


Whilst reading a post of Tracy's at Beauty Reflections, I came to the conclusion that I had to give lipgloss another try. Especially for $2.99. After getting my job, I realized that I could wear lipgloss during my work hours instead of wearing it on my time with Josh. So I resolved to pick up 2 colors. Sam Schuerman's Easter-inspired makeup tutorial encouraged me to grab me & my icecream (01), and my favorite milkshake (02) was a last minute, spur-of-the-moment, impulse purchase.

With flash.
Left to Right: my favorite milkshake (01), me & my icecream (02)

No flash - natural sunlight.
Left to Right: my favorite milkshake (01), me & my icecream (02)

The packaging of these glosses is interesting. The gloss itself comes in a very small, stout, transparent plastic tube, with a black twist-off wand. The applicator is semi-spongey, and semi-silicone, which makes it flexible but great for applying the perfect amount of product to the lips. The applicator is not your standard doe-foot, but is hourglass shaped. Some people might dislike the shape of the applicator, but I find it to be my FAVORITE kind of applicator. The very tip makes it easy to place product precisely where you want it, and the contours of the hourglass configuration make it SO easy to spread and apply larger amounts of product, especially to the upper lips and around the cupid's bow. A HUGE selling point for me. In fact, I find that this kind of applicator makes it incredibly easy for me to apply the gloss without looking in a mirror. Usually I refrain from applying lipgloss without a mirror or reflective surface present, but not with these puppies.

me & my icecream (01) is a light cool-toned baby pink shade. There is no shimmer in this gloss.


my favorite milkshake (02) is a warm peach pink shade. Also, shimmer-less.

With flash.
Left to Right: my favorite milkshake (01), me & my icecream (02)

No flash - natural sunlight.
Left to Right: my favorite milkshake (01), me & my icecream (02)

Let me just say that I FREAKING ADORE THESE LIPGLOSSES. Seriously. They are right on par (in my opinion), if not better than, the Bonne Bell lipLITES glosses.


The product itself does have a very noticeable scent, but it does not deter me from repurchasing, as I love the marshmallow-y scent. The scent does linger for quite some time, but the strength of the scent becomes less noticeable as time goes on.


These lip glosses are SO smooth. They fill in any lines on your lips, and create a creamy, seamless, glossy finish. These glosses will not give you that 'mirror' or 'glassy' shine that some other glosses do, but that's okay with me. The shine is subtle, but does create the illusion of fuller lips. my favorite milkshake (02) tends to be slightly stickier and tackier than my & my icecream (01) - I don't know if it's just my gloss in particular, but it's something to be aware of in any case.

No flash - natural sunlight.
Naked lipses.

No flash - natural sunlight.
my favorite milkshake (01)

No flash - natural sunlight.
me & my icecream (02)

On my lips, these glosses are not tacky at all. In fact, I barely notice that they're even on. They are so lightweight. However, sometimes it's easy to get too heavy handed in your application of the gloss, in which case it can kind of gob-up on your lips and look really goopy, almost-stringy, and unattractive. I'd start out with a thin layer on both lips to start, and then build up the color (in thin layers) until you get your desired finish.


The color is not obnoxious or in-your-face. The glosses themselves definitely are not opaque in terms of pigmentation, but the color is noticeable, even obvious - but is a great alternative for those looking for a little bit of color, without the obnoxious, in-your-face finish that some glosses can give.


These are by no means the longest wearing lipglosses you can purchase. Because they aren't sticky, the lasting power is lacking. I'd say I get about 2 hours of wear (max) out of these babies before having to reapply (without eating or drinking). I really don't mind reapplying, especially because they're so cheap and I love them so much.


They wear off gradually, both in finish and color - so your lips don't look patchy or uneven as the day goes on. As they wear, they leave a bit of a residue on your lips that is neither noticeable or unwanted. They just feel coated with a chapstick-esque layer, which I appreciate. 


The gloss itself feels super moisturizing on my lips. It doesn't aggravate dry patches, and I don't need to apply a chapstick or lipbalm before using this gloss. It feels like chapstick-in-a-tube, much like my beloved Bonne Bell lipLITES, except more moisturizing than those.


At $3 a pop, these are SO worth it. I cannot stress this enough. I find myself constantly reaching for these glosses, and I even feel a little sad in the evenings when Josh comes home and I have to refrain from reapplying them. But the mornings always bring that little bit of joy, knowing that I get to break out my new favorite lip products. I'm considering purchasing the other four glosses, as it's such a bargain, and I can definitely see myself reaching for all of the shades in the future.


If you're looking for an intensely pigmented, long-lasting, sticky, glitter-bomb of a lipgloss. These will not be for you. Remember, you're paying $3 for this gloss - don't expect the universe of it.


AHHH. I cannot recommend these enough. Seriously, run out and buy yourself one, two, three... maybe even all six of these fantastic glosses. And let me know what you think!!


Without hesitation, 5 out of 5 stars.
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What's your favorite brand of lipgloss??!