Essence's Free Hugs Nail Polish

Hello friends! Long time no talk! Excuse my short absence - sometimes, inspiration just isn't there. I'd rather wait for the funk to pass than write a crappy review! However, today I'm really excited to talk to you about this Essence nail polish I picked up.

While I was visiting my boyfriend's family in a small town in New Brunswick, I stopped at a Shoppers Drug Mart to pick up Tylenol as I had a splitting headache. Luckily, since I always detour through the beauty aisle (anyone else do this?), I ended up on an Essence display I had never seen before. Where I live, the Essence display is quite small and limited, but this small town had a massive Essence display with a ton of different nail polishes to choose from! Because my boyfriend and his dad were waiting for me in the car, I hastily picked up two colors, one of which is the subject of today's post!

Free Hugs, Two Coats. Excuse the dry cuticles.

Free Hugs is a gorgeous pepto-bismol-y pink. Now I wouldn't normally say Peptol Bismol has a nice color, but here, I think it works. The polish is vibrant without being neon, and a true pink. However, I do think the color does pull a little coral in some artificial lighting. The color does not have any shimmer, and the polish needed two coats to be opaque. It dries really fast, so you actually have to be careful not to take too much time during application or the polish can become gloopy. The wear time is great - I've had it on for two days (with L'Oreal base coat and Essie top coat) with no chips and a tiny bit of tip wear. That's excellent for me! I have to say, this isn't the first Essence polish I've fallen for - I'm constantly impressed at the quality of these polishes. And at $1.99, you really can't go wrong!

Make Up For Ever HD Second Skin Creme Blush #320 English Rose

Hello friends!

Today, I'm bringing you a review of the new Make Up For Ever HD Second Skin Creme Blushes. Make Up For Ever were kind enough to offer me a shade for review, and I picked #320 English Rose.

First off, I've always been a fan of Make Up For Ever's non-fussy, clean packaging. It doesn't get any simpler than that really, and I love it. Why have wasteful packaging anyway, it's all about the product! I admit, I love gold and elaborate sometimes, but I think Make Up For Ever's philosophy of offering quality product is reflective in their packaging. The compact size, and the mirror in the lid, makes this blush a great option to add to a handbag.

The texture is smooth, and never feels oily or greasy on the skin. I'd describe it as a cream-to-powder finish, but it's not very powdery. It has more of a creamy matte finish which is perfect for my oily skin type.

I'd describe the shade I chose, #320, as a dusty, almost peachy rose. It looks so so natural and beautiful on the skin. I love wearing it with barely any makeup on for a healthy glow - just a little BB Cream, mascara and this cream blush and I'm good to go! I usually apply this with a flat top kabuki brush and it blends wonderfully - it really melts into the skin. It's quite pigmented, so a little goes a long way.

#320, swatched in natural daylight.

While I do have oilier skin and usually have problems with cream blushes staying on my skin, I had no problems with this product. The blush stayed on my skin through a whole work day, with BB Cream as a base might I add, and I still looked healthily flushed by the end of the day.

This blush will definitely become a summer staple for me. I don't like to wear heavy makeup in general, but even less in the summer, and this little blush accompanied with waterproof mascara will definitely become part of my daily routine. If you're looking for a quality cream blush, I highly recommend your check out their new HD Second Skin Creme Blushes - I already have my eye on the #215 Flamingo Pink and #515 Tangerine!

* I have received this product for consideration but my opinions are always my own. I am not being compensated for this review and I always strive to review products with honesty.