One day, after cleaning my room back when I was in elementary school, I asked my mom for an allowance and tried to justify it as compensation for a job well done. Her reply? “When someone starts paying me for making dinner and washing clothes, then you get an allowance.”
Oh, snap! Score one for Team Mom. 🙂
I still managed to scrape together a few bucks here and there, like the one my grandma gave me for being cute. “You’re so cute!” she said. “Here’s a dollar!”
I strutted around with that dollar in my pocket for days, like I was some kind of third-grade baller.
Yes, those formative years probably have something to do with why I love bargain beauty deals so much. My newest cheap thrill: the 99-cent Essence Colour & Go Nail Polishes.
They’re from the same drugstore line responsible for the kick-arse Stay With Me Longlasting Lipglosses, and they come in a bunch of different colors — 22, in fact — spread out among three finishes in shimmery, creamy and holographic.
The 0.16-oz. bottles are quite a bit smaller than regular nail polish bottles (which are typically 0.5 fluid ounces), but I’m fine with that. Heck, I can’t recall the last time I finished a regular bottle of polish, so the smaller size of these doesn’t bother me at all.
From the left: Wake Up, Mellow Yellow, Irreplaceable and You Belong to Me
From the left: Let’s Get Lost, Where Is The Party, Dress for a Moment
Swatches from the left: Wake Up, Mellow Yellow and You Belong To Me
Swatches from the left: Dress for a Moment, Let’s Get Lost and Mellow Yellow
Irreplaceable
I’ve been playing with seven of the shades, and the ones in the shimmer and holographic finishes are absolutely my faves. They require just two coats to reach full opacity and have a wonderful, smooth formula that really shines.
From my little experience with the creams, the darker ones appear to deliver, but the pastels apply thick, with streaks.
Essence refers to the entire line as fast, thanks to a flat brush and a quick-drying formula that they claim dries in mere seconds. According to my stopwatch, I don’t know about that. On average, layers take between 4-5 minutes to dry, which is actually pretty darn good. It may not live up to the claim…but they’re just 99 cents.
As for wear time, I’m seeing chips around the fourth day. I might be bugged a bit if these were $20 apiece, or maybe even $10, but for a price like this, I can let it go.
I think Essence has another winner on their hands (and ours), particularly for ladies who like to change their polish weekly, or more often than that.
PRICE: $0.99 each
AVAILABILITY: Available now at Ulta stores and also online
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+
If you need me, I’ll be at Lulu’s
HOLY WOW! I have to give it up to MBB reader Ana (thank you, Ana!) for introducing me to Lulus.com in the comments yesterday. I. AM. HOOKED!
It’s an online store with some really cute juniors stuff like clothes, accessories and shoes. Earlier today I asked the gals on Twitter what their customer service experiences have been like and got some great, positive feedback, too.
I decided to take the plunge and order this Marigold Strapless Dress.
The site has a wide selection of clothes with prices comparable to Macy’s and Nordstrom, and they also have a Super Sale section stocked with $15 items.
I’ve been going through a phase where I’ve been doing a lot of my clothes shopping online, not only because it’s quicker than going to the stores, but also because some of the websites make it so easy to find things on sale.
Do you ever buy clothing online, or do you stick mostly to stores?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
polarbelle says
June 23rd, 2011 at 9:50 pmooooo, i want that where is the party….BAD!
Karen says
June 24th, 2011 at 9:19 amYou gotta get your hands on it! Only 99 cents!
Emily says
June 23rd, 2011 at 10:03 pmI love those little polishes! Too bad they are always out at my local Ulta. They have some really cool stuff on their website.
littlebytesofbeauty.com
Emily recently posted … Thrifty Thursdays
Karen says
June 24th, 2011 at 9:19 amHopefully you’ll be able to get your hands on a few bottles soon. 🙂
Jessi says
June 23rd, 2011 at 10:20 pmBeing both a nail polish and Essence fanatic you would think I would have the whole line of these polishes but I actually don’t have any! I’m not sure why. I need to remedy that situation!
Jessi recently posted … Recent Purchases and An Upcoming Giveaway
Karen says
June 24th, 2011 at 9:20 amYou do! 🙂
Heidi says
June 23rd, 2011 at 11:01 pmOh, I’ve gotta go hunt for Irreplacable!
I do some shopping online for clothing, usually for anything that’s knit, so I don’t have to worry as much about fit, unless it’s a website for a company I am already familiar with and know their sizing.
Karen says
June 24th, 2011 at 9:21 amI have that on my nails right now. 🙂
gio says
June 23rd, 2011 at 11:03 pmLet’s get lost and where is the party are gorgeous!
gio recently posted … QOTW- Do you try to get other people interested in makeup and skincare
Karen says
June 24th, 2011 at 9:21 amLove those shades!
Britany B. says
June 23rd, 2011 at 11:19 pm*Hugs Karen….just cause*
Karen says
June 24th, 2011 at 9:22 amHugs right back at ‘cha, Britany!
Eden-Avalon says
June 23rd, 2011 at 11:21 pmDress for a moment has to be my favorite shade from Essence. I’m so glad I dropped by ulta and was suggested this line, it’s a new favorite!
Karen says
June 24th, 2011 at 9:18 amThey’ve got a lot of cute things! Have you tried their lipglosses yet? So great and affordable.
nidhi says
June 24th, 2011 at 12:36 amEssence is a german brand.I like the price and quality of these
Karen says
June 24th, 2011 at 9:18 amYup, me too!
Ana says
June 24th, 2011 at 1:19 amWhere is The Party is actually a really good dupe for OPI’s Not Like The Movies (Katy Perry collection)… but less gray, a bit darker and more focus on the purple/green duochrome.
I picked up that orange shade and a bright purple the other day. Yay for cheap indulgences to cheer you up when you’re not feeling so hot! 🙂
Karen says
June 24th, 2011 at 9:18 amGood to know, Ana! Thanks for the heads up.
Isn’t the orange shade fun? I can’t wait to wear it on my toes.
Marina says
June 24th, 2011 at 3:22 amI actually really like these, have quite a few different colours.
Karen says
June 24th, 2011 at 9:16 amHi Marina,
Which colors are your faves?
Chris25 says
June 24th, 2011 at 4:37 amThere’s not a single Ulta in NYC! Can you believe it? It’s dreadful, absolutely dreadful…
If I get a chance I may check these out on the website. I do like mini polishes. I wish OPI made more of them.
Karen says
June 24th, 2011 at 9:16 amHi Chris,
Do you live near a HEB or a Fred Meyer? They also sell the line in those places too.
Nina says
June 24th, 2011 at 6:14 ami think ive ordered from lulu’s! 🙂
those nailpolishes are cute — the yellow and the orange ones are my fave!
Karen says
June 24th, 2011 at 9:15 amOh, definitely hook that orange up, girl! It’s one of the best shades I’ve tried from the batch.
Nina says
June 24th, 2011 at 9:57 amisnt it the perfect summer nailpolish? lovely!
Lulle says
June 24th, 2011 at 6:14 amLove the deep purple shimmer! And the dress is amazing!
Lulle recently posted … Aquamarine de Mavala – mes ongles en menthe au lait
Karen says
June 24th, 2011 at 9:15 amI love the purple too. Should be super cute on toes.
Amber says
June 24th, 2011 at 6:33 amI would definitely rock that pale yellow for 99 cents! Gotta find this brand in Houston.
I love that dress! I am going to resist visiting that website…for at least an hour or two, anyway. 🙂
Amber recently posted … Count the legs in this post
Nina says
June 24th, 2011 at 8:25 amthey are at HEB! 🙂
Karen says
June 24th, 2011 at 9:09 amOne of these days if I ever make it out to Texas we all should get together for drinks. We could talk cats and makeup!
Nina says
June 24th, 2011 at 9:57 amyay! pls come on over!
Karen says
June 24th, 2011 at 9:15 amNot to be your pusher, but they’ve got a great sale going on right now!
Taffy says
June 24th, 2011 at 6:36 amIrreplaceable & Where Is The Party look great! Whoa is me that Ulta doesn’t ship to Toronto.
Taffy recently posted … Jessicas Stark Naked Plus Additional Nudity
Karen says
June 24th, 2011 at 9:15 amAww, bummer. 🙁 Essence just got to the US so hopefully they’ll be making it up to Canada soon!
Kim says
June 24th, 2011 at 8:15 amI’m not a big fan of creme polishes – they all seem to be a bit too thick for me. Where’s the Party has a really nice looking finish, and 99 cents is a total bargain!
Your new dress is super-cute, too. I do almost all my shopping online. Partly because we live in the sticks and partly because I don’t really like the shopping experience (browsing, trying things on, etc). 🙂
Karen says
June 24th, 2011 at 9:14 amI like that one… should be cute on toes or when you’re in the mood for a quick funky nail polish.
Yeah, I think I’m turning more and more into an online shopper. It’s easy, fun and I can do it in my sweats/jammies. 😀
Whatcha got planned for the weekend?
Kim says
June 24th, 2011 at 12:27 pmI totally agree (on the polish AND the online shopping). Everything comes right to your door! 🙂
June is a super-busy month at work and home. The boys and I have haircuts after work tonight, then the Hubs and I are headed out for dinner with some out-of-town friends. Tomorrow, we’re off to 6 Flags with about 8 other families and their gaggles of young children. We all love rides, so it should be a good time!
How about you guys? Anything shaking? How is the reading going?
Christine Iversen says
June 24th, 2011 at 8:50 amThose nail polishes look amazing, haven’t tried these before 🙂
Love Christine ♥
Rosemary says
June 24th, 2011 at 9:18 amI absolutely love Essence polishes. Other makeup not so great, mascaras are decent. I actually have 3 of the colors featured and they are really opaque.
Marjolein says
June 24th, 2011 at 9:58 amOh wow I just found your website and I absolutely love it! I live in the Netherlands and we’ve had Essence in the shops here for a very long time, it’s a nice brand! Do you have Catrice too?
JaNelle says
June 24th, 2011 at 11:45 amIm excited to head into Ulta and check these out along with the lip glosses you reviewed. For that price I’ll give them a whirl!
Trisha says
June 24th, 2011 at 12:04 pmThat yellow dress is awesome!!
Also, I would totally try these nail polishes. $.99 is a steal.
Anh says
June 24th, 2011 at 1:55 pmOoh, I am definitely going to hunt down these polishes. I love Lulu’s!
Nicky Bromow says
June 24th, 2011 at 3:29 pmI simply hate shopping, except for beauty products, so when it comes to clothing, there are two 14+ sizes stores in Montreal that I can go to so I shop online first to spot the clothes I’d like and then go to the store to try it on. Takes less time in store
Instant Karma says
June 24th, 2011 at 3:56 pmLulu’s does have some really cute stuff! These polishes look very pretty, but I am way too lazy about painting my nails to buy something that chips that quickly.
My MAC order arrived today! I’m thinking I’ll put EvRev over some red lipstick next time I go out (although, that may not be until a few days from now because my voice is totally gone — I croak when I try to talk). I have yet to use Pro Longwear, but I swatched it on my hand and I think the color I ordered will work :).
Bridget says
June 24th, 2011 at 9:14 pmI just picked up a ton of colors of these 99 cent-ers from Ulta. Put together a very cute graduation giftbag and included them. Of course I HAD to keep several for myself. 😉 I’m actually pretty impressed so far with the wear!
Vnssa906 says
June 25th, 2011 at 4:53 pmGasp! I definitely have to go hunt these down. Mellow yellow seems awesome, as I’ve been looking for a yellow that’s mellow
Ha!
Soo says
June 25th, 2011 at 7:59 pmWhere is the Party looks like such a fun color. can’t beat that dollar price. and I’m totally going to go check out Lulu’s now!
Dhini says
June 26th, 2011 at 1:58 pmLovely zomer color and the price..yes love it
Dhini recently posted … 2011 P365 : Week 25