- “This one is not as mattifying”
- “It feels really good on the skin and it definitely has more of like a satin finish, but again, I find that it wears really well on my skin without breaking down”10:58–11:01
- “I feel like a lot of concealers settle right here and then move around... this concealer has not settled into those wrinkles which says a lot for more of a like smoothing formula more of a satin finish”11:12–11:17
- “I think this is a great option if you don't want something incredibly matte”11:33–11:39
- Source: Best drugstore makeup for hot weather - May 18, 2026
Essence
See reviews of these products
Silky Blur Hydrating Longwear Concealer"This one is not as mattifying."$5.99
Flawless Skin Trio Loose Setting Powder"The formula is great."$5.99
Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara Waterproof"The False Lash Effect is still one of my all-time favorite mascaras."$4.99
Soft Touch Butter Bronzer"This has been my go-to bronzer."$5.99
Jelly Grip Hydrating Primer"This is only $5.99."$5.99
The Super Peptide Glossy Lip Treatment"Not sticky, but they also have that high shine to them."$4.99
Foundation Stick"This new Essence Stick Foundation is really good."$6.99
Brighten Up! Banana Powder"This I do like, and it's a nice topper if you want to brighten or if you want to just set your under eyes with a very light shade."$4.99
Pure Nude Highlighter"This is my all-time favorite drugstore highlighter."$4.99
Lash Without Limits Tubing Extreme Lengthening & Volume Mascara"I also really love the Essence Lash Without Limits mascara."$4.99
Soft Touch Bouncy Blush"This is quite literally five bucks and it is the softest, most buttery-est formula ever."$5.99
Cream Eyeshadow"If you're looking for a more affordable option and you like a glow on the eyes, these are amazing."$5.99
Hydra Kiss Lip Oil"Smells so good."$4.99
Soft Touch Bouncy Glow"Essence creates some of the greatest products."$5.99
Lash Princess Curl & Volume Mascara"It really made my lashes look pretty thick."$4.99
CONTOURING duo stick"This side it has very neutral contour slash bronzer in between color."$5.99
Fix & Last Instant Matte Make-Up Fixing Spray"The spray is like finer. I like how the other one feels more."$4.99
Bouncy Plump Smoothing Primer"The bouncy plump doesn't really smooth the skin out as much as I would like."$5.99
Fix & Last 18H Long-Lasting Make-Up Fixing Spray"For setting spray, we're back at Essence. These fix and last setting sprays, $4.99"$4.99
Wow What a Brow Pen Waterproof"The texture of it is very powdery and I like that in a brow pencil."$4.99
Soft Baked Blush"They are getting into that baked blush game and they're doing an amazing job with this shade called Cocoa Glaze."$6.99
THE slim STICK"It's a light pinky nude."$4.99
Juicy Bomb Glossy Butter Balm"I know it's in the name, but that is really glossy."$4.99
Soft & Precise Lip Pencil"This is actually similar to Mac cool spice but it's actually cooler toned."$2.99
Hello, Good Stuff! Glow Serum Primer"Both of these have the same ingredients. They have niacinamide in it, which is designed to lock in moisture, and they're both just cruelty-free, clean, vegan products."$5.99
I Love Extreme Crazy Volume Waterproof Mascara"The wand is bigger, but it feels comfortable and I feel like it grabs every single lash."$4.99
This Is Nude Lipstick"The gag is the packaging is actually the same, too."$3.99
Jelly Grip Refreshing Aloe Spray"I think this is supposed to be a dupe for the Milk Makeup one."$5.99
Baby Got Bronze Liquid Bronzer"Cream bronzer, we gotta go with Essence I've talked about these Baby Got Bronzes and their Baby Got Blushes, honestly, for so long."$5.99
Jelly Grip Undereye Primer Stick"This I've tried and I really like it."$4.99Line N' Stain! Tattoo Lip Liner"This, in my opinion, is a much easier process."$4.97
Hydra Kiss Lip Tint"I would categorize this as having medium to full pigmentation."$4.99
What a Tint! Lip & Cheek Tint"It can be so good when you're using this on lips and cheeks, making the whole look feel so cohesive because you put it in both places."$4.99
8h Matte Comfort Lipliner"It's a retractable ultra creamy formula."$3.99
Satin Blend Gel Eyeliner"I do love how creamy this is."$4.99Drop of Sunshine Bronzing Drops"I'm just going to mix in a little bit of the Essence Drop of Sunshine Bronzing Drops and just kind of blend that together on the back of my hand before applying it to my face."$5.99Correct & Conceal under eye brightening concealer"I been reaching for this. I really enjoy it. It reminds me so much of the Tower 28 one. It's great for those natural makeup days, but if you have a ton to cover, this isn't going to give you that full, full coverage."$4.99
All About Matt! Fixing Compact Powder"It's always so satisfying doing powder."$3.99
The Art Gallery Eyeshadow & Eyeliner Palette"This black eyeshadow I can already tell is going to be a little bit gray."$14.99
Meta Glow Highlighter"Oh my god, that's so pretty."$5.99
Jelly Grip Eyeshadow Primer"It says to apply this and let it sit for 30 seconds."$3.99
Extreme Lasting Eye Pencil"This is a silky nude shade."$2.99
Lash Princess Sculpted Volume Mascara"We've got Essence Lash Princess Sculpted Volume on my upper lashes."$4.99
Quick Wing Stamp Eyeliner"It's literally like a Sharpie. Like this is a thick ass eyeliner."-The Rose Edition Eyeshadow Palette$14.99
Extreme Shine Volume Lipgloss"To finish off our lip combo, I'm going with the Essence Extreme lip gloss in the shade Summer Punch."$3.99Bright Eyes! Under Eye Stick"Oh my god. That's like white. Nice."$4.99
Stay & Play Gel Eyeliner"This is one of the creamiest richest beautiful brown gel liners, period, at the drugstore."$4.99
Magic Filter Glow Booster"This is really pretty if you want to just enhance your complexion, make any foundation a little bit more glowy."$5.99
Pure Nude Baked Blush"Really reminds me of the original NARS Orgasm Liquid Blush that I was obsessed with, but they discontinued."$5.99Browse more
- “This one out of the thinner concealers that we're talking about here today is going to be the one that dries down the most matte for me. But it doesn't look drying again”12:32–12:37
- “It just makes your skin almost look airbrushed”12:41–12:46
- “These have done wonderfully with all of my powders. It looks beautiful”12:51–12:56
- “Like this is so worth the money. I would highly recommend if you can find your shade to go out and try those”12:56–13:00
- Source: My current favorite beauty products I can't stop using - May 25, 2026
Variant: 100
- “I have been wearing this one so much”3:42–3:47
- “I'm really digging it big time”3:52–3:57
- “It's light. It seems to be like a really good brightening yet covering tone for me”3:55–4:00
- “For as thin and light as it is, I think it does a terrific job on coverage, actually”4:05–4:14
- “This one's a little lighter, but I feel the coverage is still quite impressive”4:26–4:32
- “Look how it's able to like take care of me here”4:32–4:36
- “If I use a concealer and it's just not quite satisfying me on coverage, this one does”4:52–4:59
- “It does have that nice lightweight feel”4:57–5:00
- Source: Glowy not sticky coverage faves and how I apply them - Apr 14, 2026
Variant: 20
- “Oh yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Look how light that is. That's what I want to see for the lightest shade”4:30–4:36
- “I feel like you could even go lighter. But you know what? I'm going to be happy with this. This is the best I've gotten from a brand so far”4:38–4:41
- Source: Full face of Essence Cosmetics - Feb 7, 2026
- “I tried it and I really really liked it”4:03–4:06
- “I am honestly the most picky with concealers. So, when it comes to drugstore, there's not that many that I like. I do love this one”4:09–4:14
- “It is a hydrating concealer. It's a very thin formula also, but I feel like the coverage is really good”
- Source: Full face drugstore makeup 2026: expensive look, budget price - Apr 9, 2026
Variant: 160
- “This Essence Silky Blur Hydrating Longwear Concealer is actually so good”0:24–0:30
- “It blends nicely, has medium to buildable coverage”0:28–0:32
- “It works perfectly on the under eyes or for any blemishes”0:30–0:34
- “Since the formula is a little bit thicker, it does have that good coverage, but it's ultra creamy and blendable”0:33–0:36
- “I use the shade 160, and the formula is amazing”0:39–0:43
- “It's so skin-like”
- Source: Ulta beauty products worth the money - Mar 11, 2026
Variant: 160
- “The doe foot is my favorite cuz you can be very detailed with it”6:16–6:21
- “I also don't feel like it's one of those concealers where you need to do a ton of product because it has some really nice coverage”6:22–6:25
- “I've seen people say that they don't like how dry this gets throughout the day, but that's why I think that under eye primer stick is worth it because it works really nicely with this concealer”
- “The concealer is great, too, because it also has some good coverage, but I wouldn't use too much of it because it can be a little heavy if you do a lot”16:51–16:54
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
- “The Essence concealer. This one is only $6”1:21–1:25
Variant: 60
- “This is my absolute favorite, like number one concealer this year”8:58–9:05
- “It is such a beautiful formula”9:05–9:10
- “Like everything about this performs flawlessly in my opinion”9:08–9:14
- “It blends out very easily”9:10–9:15
- “It has the perfect finish”
- “It's not too glowy, but it's also not like a flat matte concealer”
- “It has a natural finish”
- “Every single time it looks good”9:35–9:39
- Source: My #1 favorite makeup product in every category - May 13, 2026
Variant: 90
- “This is such a beautiful formula”5:57–6:01
- “It is very longwearing”6:00–6:04
- “It has kind of like a nice satin finish to it”6:04–6:10
- “It blends out beautifully”
- “It's truly just such an easy, effortless product”6:18–6:23
- “I love using it on days where I have more of a glowy base”6:21–6:27
- “I also like using it on days where I have more of a matte base”6:26–6:30
- “This one, I think, is like $6”6:30–6:34
- Source: Drugstore makeup under $10 that is so good - May 3, 2026
- “The formula is great”
- “The sifter is not the greatest”
- “Look how smooth it looks on the skin”
- “It looks great every single time”10:59–11:03
- “I love using this on days where I am using a pink blush”11:37–11:42
- “It definitely works to lock my concealer into place”11:39–11:45
- “Just kind of create a natural gradient where I put my blush”11:45–11:52
- Source: Drugstore makeup under $10 that is so good - May 3, 2026
- “For loose powder, you really cannot beat the price of this one”0:51–0:54
- Source: Go-To Drugstore Makeup Routine 2026 - Feb 6, 2026
- “Super underrated”
- “I like to just use all three of the colors mixed together”1:29–1:33
- “It just gives that skin the most flawless, smooth finish”1:31–1:37
- Source: Best Drugstore Makeup of 2025 - Dec 19, 2025
- “What's so nice about this is that you get a lavender powder, a pink powder, and then a peach powder that you could either use individually or mix all the shades together”7:47–7:54
- “And it makes this cotton candy shade that looks flawless on the under eyes”7:57–8:03
- “I only like this powder though for the under eyes because of the color”8:01–8:11
- “On the cheek area and the under eyes, I think it's perfect”8:12–8:20
- “The loose trio powder I like, especially with a cream pink blush underneath because it makes everything look very seamless”16:59–17:03
- “I still like this and I will continue using”17:08–17:11
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
- “She is pink and purple and peach”
- “Very finely milled. And y'all know I have beef with very finely milled powders”17:39–17:44
- “Wait, it lowkey like just color corrected though”18:03–18:06
- “It's literally bright pink”18:24–18:26
- Source: Full face of Essence Cosmetics - Feb 7, 2026
- “Essence Flawless Skin Trio is the worst”0:12–0:17
- “It sticks to peach fuzz, and I don't even have that much peach fuzz”0:15–0:19
- “Makes me look like I haven't drank water in 10 days”0:19–0:23
- Source: 2025 powders ranked worst to best - May 24, 2025
- “The False Lash Effect is still one of my all-time favorite mascaras”7:36–7:42
- “It has been for over 10 years at this point”
- Source: Worst makeup of 2026 - Apr 29, 2026
- “I've seen everyone and their mother go crazy, feral, insane over this mascara”20:35–20:41
- “Oh, look at that immediate darkness. Wait. Okay. Little bit clumpy, but I like clumpy”20:59–21:05
- “Wait, that's kind of fire”21:12–21:16
- “Unfortunately, I think Lash Princess might have won this battle”21:41–21:50
- “My god, it's giving spider lashes, and I love it. I'm living for it”22:22–22:28
- “Look at those lower lashes. That is insane”22:28–22:35
- Source: Full face of Essence Cosmetics - Feb 7, 2026
- “It does give you that false lash effect”23:43–23:49
- “It's so so black, just the pigment alone”23:55–24:03
- “Definitely a good alternative to a strip lash or even an individual lash”24:10–24:23
- “I cannot believe I waited this long to pick this up again. My lashes look really good”24:23–24:29
- “Some people say it doesn't last on them though, so take this with a grain of salt”24:29–24:33
- Source: Best drugstore makeup, ever - Feb 9, 2025
- “The Lash Princess is great”
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
Variant: 10 whipped buttercup
- “This has been my go-to bronzer”22:49–22:53
- “This just looks so good on the skin”23:10–23:16
- “It is very smooth, super easy to apply”23:13–23:19
- “If you are someone who finds that a lot of powder bronzers are very patchy, they look muddy, they don't look good on you, try this formula”23:16–23:22
- “It's an effortless formula”
- Source: My #1 favorite makeup product in every category - May 13, 2026
- “I have no issue with this fading on me throughout the day”23:06–23:09
- “It looks so good from like the moment I apply it till the moment I wash it off at the end of the day”23:08–23:13
- “It blends out beautifully”23:13–23:17
- “It kind of has like a light coconut beachy scent, which you might not love if you don't like scented makeup products, but for me, it just it strikes me as like a summertime product”23:15–23:19
- “The undertone of this is perfect”23:39–23:42
- “It doesn't look super orangey on my skin at all. It just adds like the perfect hint of warmth”23:44–23:49
- Source: Best drugstore makeup for hot weather - May 18, 2026
Variant: 20 golden buttercream
- “I actually think the color golden buttercream is better cuz the other one is very light”
- “So, this is a better shade”7:30–7:33
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
Variant: 10 whipped buttercup
- “This also is a really nice match for my skin tone. It's not too dark, it's not too orange”26:33–26:38
- “It's lightweight and definitely on the thinner side for a powder, which I like in this case. I feel like it allows you to just build it up more without it looking heavy or harsh”26:07–26:11
- “It has a natural matte finish and holds up nicely with wear as well. It doesn't go patchy. It doesn't majorly fade”26:27–26:33
- “This is also a really great bronzer for something that is softer”26:36–26:40
- “$5.99. Like, that's so amazing”
- “The fact that there's only four shades really stinks because that means it's obviously not going to be an option for a lot of people”26:55–26:58
- Source: I tried 27 new drugstore beauty launches - May 17, 2026
Variant: Whipped Buttercup
- “Love the way this smells”
- “Kind of tropical, ultra smooth and buildable”9:50–9:59
- “This I really like because it is so natural”10:00–10:04
- “I feel like their single bronzers are nice because they're never muddy and they just have a nice buildable blendable formula”10:02–10:08
- “The other one is very light”10:14–10:17
- “Doesn't show up a ton”
- “I agree with the name of these. Soft touch is right”10:32–10:39
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
Variant: 20 golden buttercream
- “This is a good shade for how pale I am”19:24–19:28
- Source: Full face of Essence Cosmetics - Feb 7, 2026
Variant: 20 golden buttercreamNo clip
- “This is my Essence Soft Touch Bronzer”
- Source: No touch-ups needed drugstore coverage routine - Mar 3, 2026
- “This is only $5.99”
- “This does have fragrance, which I'm not a huge fan of, but it's not super overwhelming”10:24–10:29
- “As someone with acne-prone, sensitive skin, I don't think that the fragrance has caused any irritation on me”10:36–10:41
- “This is probably the thinnest grippy primer that I've ever tried”10:53–10:58
- “Almost feels like it is kind of sinking in a bit versus just creating that layer on top of your face”10:55–11:03
- “I do feel a bit more of the hydrating feeling from this formula versus the others”11:06–11:12
- “As it dries, it starts to get a bit tacky, but it's not sticky. It doesn't feel like my expression lines are getting stuck together as I move my face around”11:21–11:26
- “This is just a very comfortable product”
- Source: Testing & rating the top 4 drugstore grip primers - Oct 27, 2025
- “I love this cuz it feels like a jelly serum”4:24–4:28
- “Doesn't have a ton of grip, but makeup applies so nicely and wears nicely throughout the day with it”4:26–4:32
- “Out of both of these, I think the hydrating one is better”4:35–4:38
- “It just makes the makeup and everything look more seamless”4:37–4:42
- “There's something about this that I really like”4:49–4:53
- “I have tested it with my foundation and it does wear really nicely with this primer”4:55–5:00
- “I like the Grip Hydrating Primer, though”
- “This doesn't have any grip. I don't want to say any, but compared to others, it's very minimal”4:26–4:30
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
- “This is $30. This is $10 and Essence comes in at $6”2:22–2:27
- “I think this one is the least bit tacky, but I think it does a fantastic job and it's actually my favorite out of both dupes”2:27–2:32
- “I like both. I think they both do a great job duping, but this one's my favorite cuz I don't like too sticky”2:32–2:37
- Source: Best drugstore dupes ever created - Apr 22, 2026
- “It was lowkey hitting that. I really like this noise”9:45–9:56
- “Oh, it feels way thinner than the Milk and the E.L.F. version”9:51–9:58
- “It also has a fragrance in it, which I don't love cuz I have sensitive eyes”9:58–10:03
- “I don't feel that tacky. Well, it's slowly getting tackier. Let's see. Okay, it's I mean, it's holding on decently”10:16–10:22
- Source: Full face of Essence Cosmetics - Feb 7, 2026
- “When I need a little extra performance and wear time out of my makeup, I use their Jelly Grip Primer”1:47–1:52
- “This outperformed the other three by miles in my opinion”2:01–2:06
- “It is so thin, it really does feel more like a gel moisturizer”2:08–2:14
- “Compared to other grip primers that claim to be hydrating, this one actually feels like it's sinking into the skin just a bit”2:11–2:18
- “When I'm going to have a long day, maybe I'm on shoots all day, or maybe I'm even capturing an event at night, this is definitely the primer I've been grabbing”2:23–2:28
- “Out of all of the grip primers that I've tried from the drugstore, this one doesn't get me as shiny both freshly applied and throughout the day”2:33–2:37
- Source: My New 9-5 Work Makeup Routine (Quick & Long Lasting) - Nov 8, 2025
- “Not sticky, but they also have that high shine to them”
- “I love these”
- “They're only a couple dollars”
- Source: Best drugstore makeup of 2025 - Dec 11, 2025
- “This is like $4.99 and it's a very high quality lip balm formula”0:37–0:41
- “One of the best that you can find at the drugstore”1:50–1:53
- Source: Purchase or pass on viral lip balms - Mar 20, 2026
Variant: Pinkified
- “And the Super Peptide Glossy Lip Treatment from Essence in Pinkified is the most perfect bubble gum pink”0:39–0:43
- “This formula is high shine and hydrating”0:43–0:48
- Source: Best drugstore makeup under $10 - Sep 5, 2025
- “This one kind of surprised me. If you're just looking for a nice kind of glossy lip, this one is really nice”51:14–51:22
- “There's not really an obnoxious smell to it”51:22–51:27
- “This formula, I think is pretty crazy for being just like five bucks because it has a lot of the same ingredients that a lot a lot of these expensive brands have”51:24–51:33
- “I would say that this should be at least like 15 bucks”52:09–52:14
- Source: Lip balm ranking: top 7 picks from 30+ viral products - May 9, 2026
Variant: 170
- “This new Essence Stick Foundation is really good”0:08–0:12
- “It's hydrating and creamy”0:10–0:15
- “It comes in 43 shades total, but it has great coverage and has a natural matte finish”0:12–0:18
- Source: Best drugstore makeup under $10 - Sep 5, 2025
Variant: 170
- “This has a natural finish and it's a very just lightweight, breathable kind of foundation”5:42–5:47
- “Doesn't have a ton of coverage, but you can build it up”5:47–5:54
- “It's so good”
- “I personally really like it”
- “Whenever I just want something very natural”6:08–6:11
- “The Essence foundation stick I love because it has that natural finish, buildable coverage”5:30–5:35
- “It's really lightweight, good for day-to-day”
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
Variant: 03
- “This is the new Essence Cosmetics foundation stick”0:08–0:11
- “Today I'm trying the shade 03”0:09–0:12
- “Does look very fair and definitely leans yellow”0:11–0:14
- “Ooh. Um, wow. That is currently such a good shade match”0:19–0:23
- “She did not dry down darker. There's not any oxidation. Color me impressed”0:27–0:30
- Source: Drugstore Pale Olive Foundation Find - Oct 15, 2025
- “This was the surprise hit in that video”1:05–1:09
- “This one is really good”1:14–1:16
- Source: $30 Makeup Challenge: Full Face of Dollar Tree Makeup - Nov 17, 2025
Variant: Medium Light
- “Oh, that's like the perfect color. Oh my god. Imagine how light the lightest shade is then”10:49–10:59
- “They had a pretty big shade range, especially for like the price range”11:01–11:08
- “It's got a nice like peachy, not pink or yellow undertone, like a perfect neutral peachy type of undertone, which is kind of hard to find in cheaper foundations”11:19–11:25
- “It does have a fragrance. Why does everything have a fragrance?”11:34–11:36
- “Blending out beautifully, though”11:36–11:39
- “Honestly, this is pretty good coverage”12:05–12:09
- Source: Full face of Essence Cosmetics - Feb 7, 2026
- “This I do like, and it's a nice topper if you want to brighten or if you want to just set your under eyes with a very light shade”
- “I do like this”
- “the banana powder I do think saved the under eyes and it gives some nice brightness”
- “This is one of my favorite products that I've used for years”7:32–7:35
- “I think it's a great addition to your makeup”
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
- “Favorite brightening powder is the Essence Brighten up right here”16:20–16:24
- “Just looks really nice”16:44–16:48
- Source: Full face of drugstore makeup (baddie on a budget) - Apr 8, 2026
- “This is my all-time favorite drugstore highlighter”11:52–11:58
- “This is my favorite highlighter”12:01–12:03
- “The formula of this is much different than the one that I just showed you”12:04–12:08
- “It's a little bit silkier, a little bit more natural, I guess, if you will”12:08–12:12
- “Like, it's going to give you a glow, but it's going to be much softer than the bouncy highlighter, which gives more of that wet glow”12:12–12:15
- “I just love this highlighter”
- “I wore this on my wedding day and just a classic favorite”12:21–12:28
- “Anytime I want a glow, but I don't want to do too much, this is the go-to”12:25–12:32
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
Variant: Be My Highlight
- “I just used a really light one today. I use my Essence Pure Nude”8:26–8:30
- Source: No touch-ups needed drugstore coverage routine - Mar 3, 2026
- “I also really love the Essence Lash Without Limits mascara”33:26–33:30
- “I think either this one or like their tubing version of this is my favorite Essence mascara”33:33–33:38
- “Ever since they came out with this one, I think I like this one a little bit better”33:42–33:45
- “It's just like an all-around good mascara. You get length, volume, drama, but it doesn't necessarily look super clumpy”
- “I feel like it lasts on the lashes really well”33:51–33:55
- “I think this one probably stays in place a little better and it's not as heavy, so I feel like my lashes are not as prone to falling when I use this one”
- “I definitely plan on repurchasing that at some point”
- Source: 50 products I actually used up (beauty empties I loved + hated) - Apr 22, 2026
- “Really good”
- “I like this because this is what I would call like a dramatic tubing mascara”20:22–20:34
- “It does, you know, lift the lashes”20:34–20:38
- “It gives them some curl, but it also adds a ton of volume, a lot of length”20:36–20:41
- “This does such a good job”20:47–20:51
- “It just gives like a fluttery, dramatic look all around”20:50–20:55
- “One of my favorite mascaras”
- Source: Drugstore makeup under $10 that is so good - May 3, 2026
- “This one is really good, really volumizing for a tubing mascara is how I felt about it and did not irritate my eyes. It was pretty easy to take off too”17:56–18:01
- Source: $30 Makeup Challenge: Full Face of Dollar Tree Makeup - Nov 17, 2025
- “This is quite literally five bucks and it is the softest, most buttery-est formula ever”0:05–0:09
- “The way that this blends in and melts into your skin, it feels like a cream but it's a powder”0:09–0:15
- “Reminds me of a high-end formula”0:15–0:18
- “I cannot believe this is $5”0:17–0:19
- “The blush, too, is the same formula, also stunning”0:18–0:25
- Source: Best drugstore makeup under $10 - May 17, 2026
Variant: Antique Bloom
- “I tried out this soft touch bouncy blush a couple weeks ago and this is so pretty”6:55–6:59
- “You could use these under creams or over powders as well cuz it's a cream to powder finish, but it is so seamless and blendable”7:01–7:05
- “This is a perfect pink”7:09–7:12
- “It's not too cool toned”
- “It's like a nice true pink”7:12–7:16
- “These also have a good amount of pigment”7:15–7:20
- “This is one of my favorite products that Essence came out with”
- “This is such an easy kind of formula to work with that anybody could use it versus liquid blushes”
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
- “That formula is beautiful”26:43–26:44
- “This is a beautiful formula. It's like the best of both worlds, a cream and a powder”26:50–26:55
- “It's extremely smooth like a cream. It goes on beautifully and then it stays in place really well like a powder”26:53–27:02
- “They have four shades and they're all pretty vibrant, a little bit more intense, but you can go in with a lighter hand”27:02–27:08
- “They're affordable. They're $5.99, so definitely a great price if you want a new blush, but you don't want to spend a ton of money”27:11–27:16
- Source: Best drugstore makeup for hot weather - May 18, 2026
Variant: Pearl
- “If you're looking for a more affordable option and you like a glow on the eyes, these are amazing”17:18–17:22
- “I love it for like brightening up the lid”
- “The other shade Rose I'll use as like a true one and done and it's perfect”18:07–18:11
- Source: My #1 favorite makeup product in every category - May 13, 2026
Variant: Pearl
- “This is just honestly one of the best Essence products”16:50–16:59
- “Like one of the best products on the market right now”16:57–17:04
- “It's so incredibly easy to work with”
- “Look how pretty this is”17:26–17:30
- “It's like a very soft metallic kind of leaning satin”17:40–17:46
- “It gives like a glow to the eyes without being too over the top”17:46–17:53
- “It is really creamy”17:51–17:56
- “Super easy to apply and kind of blend out, but then once it dries, like it's not going anywhere”17:51–17:57
- Source: Drugstore makeup under $10 that is so good - May 3, 2026
Variant: RoseNo clip
- “Such a pretty shade”22:13–22:16
- “This is such a good formula”22:48–22:50
- “This is such a beautiful shadow”23:01–23:05
- “It is a metallic cream shadow, but I feel like if you really blend it out, it has a little bit more of like a natural not like full-on satin finish. Like it definitely still looks like a metallic on the eyes, but it's not like so over the top intense. So, it does look very natural, very soft and pretty”
- “It takes 2 seconds to blend out, a little bit on the lower lash line, a little bit of like a brow bone shade, and that's it. Like it is truly so fast and just really beautiful if you're someone who is like an eyeshadow fan”24:00–24:06
- Source: New drugstore makeup launches for spring 2026 - Apr 19, 2026
Variant: Cocoa
- “They have this metallic creamy finish”0:41–0:45
- “I saw somebody say that these are dupes for the Charlotte Tilbury cream eyeshadow”0:53–0:58
- “It just feels really creamy, but there's a lot of pigment as you can see”1:11–1:18
- “I think even the side with no primer blended really nicely”2:01–2:07
- “I love a one and done product, especially if you don't like to do a lot”2:07–2:12
- “I think the cream eyeshadow, speaking of it, is a winner”14:23–14:28
- “There's also no cracking or creasing with that cream eyeshadow so far”15:39–15:46
- “The cream eyeshadow is one of the best products of the day”
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
Variant: Oyster
- “This Essence eyeshadow is really lovely”9:40–9:47
- “I really enjoy it because it has more of a cream to powder kind of texture”9:45–9:54
- “I actually think it's pretty reminiscent to the strobe highlights from RMS”9:51–10:01
- “I think that this is way more of like an RMS strobe lights kind of product. It has that creaminess, but then it sets down like a powder would”10:07–10:16
- “Perfect as like a one and done shadow”10:23–10:30
- “I will say you need to work in layers with it because it dries down. So, just be a little bit patient with it”10:26–10:34
- Source: Not all cheap makeup is worth it...here's what actually is - May 2, 2026
Variant: Cookie Sparkle
- “Smells so good”
- “Oh wow, that is so pretty”
- “It has this plush consistency”13:28–13:30
- “There's no stickiness to it”13:30–13:34
- “It feels really nice”13:32–13:34
- “I like this color in cookie sparkle”
- “This is a nice addition to a lip combo”13:34–13:40
- “This is so pretty”
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
Variant: Cookie Sparkle
- “I've been loving these Hydro Kiss Lip Oils from Essence, specifically the color Cookie Sparkle”13:12–13:17
- “Gives it a little gloss, but also just a touch of shimmer”13:21–13:26
- Source: The best lip liners and my go-to lip combos - Apr 15, 2026
Variant: Pink Champagne
- “Lip oils, the Essence Hydra Kiss ones are so cheap, $4.99”1:53–1:56
- “My favorite shade is Pink Champagne, the perfect like pinky tone with like a dark brown lip liner”1:56–2:01
- Source: Full face of drugstore products under $10 - Mar 24, 2026
- “When you wear this gloss, you can spot it from a mile away because it's so freaking glossy-ish”1:11–1:11
Variant: Glazed Dew
- “Essence creates some of the greatest products”9:00–9:05
- “They are truly so special and so affordable”9:05–9:11
- “Essence highlighters, I love using these. They compare to high, high end, not just kind of high end”9:09–9:14
- “Essence is priced in a way that honestly blows my mind”9:26–9:34
- Source: Drugstore makeup that beats luxury - Apr 20, 2026
Variant: Soft Glaze
- “They are really pretty”11:26–11:28
- “What's nice about these formulas is that they're not overly powdery”11:28–11:31
- “They actually have a very wet silky formula that just melts into the skin”11:29–11:36
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
Variant: 10 Soft Glaze
- “To the touch, this feels soft and putty-like. Definitely has a little bit of that bounce like they're describing”28:23–28:30
- “On my cheeks, I feel like it kind of just looks like a regular powder highlight that is a little too glittery for my personal liking”28:43–28:50
- “I don't feel like the finish looks dewy either”28:52–28:56
- “This is not going to be one that I keep in my collection”29:03–29:08
- Source: I tried 27 new drugstore beauty launches - May 17, 2026
- “It really made my lashes look pretty thick”19:53–19:56
- Source: Top 10 tried & true dollar tree makeup favorites - Jan 24, 2026
- “This is really hard to apply because it doesn't really have any distinct bristles”8:23–8:29
- “You get like one light natural coat, and then it's kind of hard to build up”8:34–8:40
- “I can't really build the product up on my lashes very well at all”8:51–8:55
- “It is a very very lightweight formula”
- “It actually holds my curl into place, and my lashes stay lifted all day long”9:11–9:16
- “It dries so fast, so I feel like one coat is really all you can get out of this before it starts to get tangly”9:17–9:24
- “I weirdly like this on my bottom lashes”9:47–9:51
- “It kind of like works to define them really well”
- Source: Worst makeup of 2026 - Apr 29, 2026
Variant: Light 20
- “This side it has very neutral contour slash bronzer in between color”33:13–33:22
- “I think it is better to choose cream product because you can apply and blend really easily with just using your fingers”33:30–33:36
- “If you mess up, you can just fing your fingers as well”33:34–33:44
- Source: Clean girl makeup drugstore edition - Dec 20, 2025
Variant: Light 20
- “This is from Essence. This is contouring dual stick. And I found that this shade like very bronzy/contoury color looks great when contouring lip lines”20:16–20:23
- Source: Clean girl makeup for brown skin: cover under eye dark circles without foundation - Jan 31, 2026
- “Oh, that's a good contour color. A lot of people mix up contour and bronzer... contour should be gray. Like it should be a shadow... Look at that color. That is amazing contour color”13:14–13:19
- “She's a little more difficult to blend out, but look at that”13:40–13:49
- Source: Full face of Essence Cosmetics - Feb 7, 2026
- “The spray is like finer. I like how the other one feels more”24:01–24:12
- “I can feel it mattifying. And you can like literally see there's not a lick of dew on my face”24:33–24:40
- Source: Full face of Essence Cosmetics - Feb 7, 2026
- “At the moment I feel like this is a completely useless thing”1:49–1:54
- Source: Makeup products I finished and hit pan on as a small beauty influencer - Apr 9, 2026
- “The bouncy plump doesn't really smooth the skin out as much as I would like”4:40–4:43
- “I think there's better options if you want pore filling, but for a hydrated base, I think the Jelly Grip one is a nice option”4:43–4:47
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
- “On lighter days when I'm looking for more glow and smoothing, I go for their Bouncy Plump Smoothing Primer”1:43–1:47
- Source: My New 9-5 Work Makeup Routine (Quick & Long Lasting) - Nov 8, 2025
- “For setting spray, we're back at Essence. These fix and last setting sprays, $4.99”
- “Honestly, all of them so good”
- “I feel like it makes your skin look just like really hydrated and it also helps melt all that makeup”0:01–0:03
- Source: Full face of drugstore products under $10 - Mar 24, 2026
- “Oh, it feels nice. It's like cooling”18:50–18:53
- Source: Full face of Essence Cosmetics - Feb 7, 2026
Variant: Medium
- “The texture of it is very powdery and I like that in a brow pencil”13:46–13:51
- “It is a little red. This is the shade medium. This is just a little too auburn”13:51–13:55
- “It's really not bad though. I'm pleasantly surprised. Like that's actually it's doing its job”14:03–14:07
- Source: $30 Makeup Challenge: Full Face of Dollar Tree Makeup - Nov 17, 2025
- “She is fat. I have beef with fat eyebrow pencils because why is it so fat? And it makes a mess”3:03–3:09
- “I can feel the wax in this one, too”
- “This feels exactly like the E.L.F. one, the really fat E.L.F. one”3:26–3:31
- “It's like I'm rubbing a wax stick on my eyebrows. You can like see the waxy finish too when you zoom in”3:33–3:37
- Source: Full face of Essence Cosmetics - Feb 7, 2026
Variant: Cocoa GlazeNo clip
- “They are getting into that baked blush game and they're doing an amazing job with this shade called Cocoa Glaze”
- “She's really pretty and she gives kind of an unexpected rosy glow to the cheeks”
- “Laura Geller, you got to be taking note. Essence is coming”
- “It's a pretty multitasker, too. I've talked about that in other videos using on the eyes”
- “It's definitely your least expensive baked option”
- Source: Elite drugstore makeup GRWM that looks more expensive - May 9, 2026
- “This formula is much more intense”
- “These are very very fragile”
- “These are much more metallic and they're very very glittery”12:57–13:04
- “These are more of what I would consider to be like a blush highlighter hybrid rather than like a typical baked blush”13:15–13:18
- “In my opinion they're just like a downgrade because that original formula was so beautiful”14:04–14:08
- “This one just feels and looks like a little bit cheap on the skin to me personally”14:14–14:20
- Source: Worst makeup of 2026 - Apr 29, 2026
Variant: Over The Nude
- “It's a light pinky nude”13:00–13:03
- “I like this packaging, too”
- “Even the lipstick is very comfortable and creamy”13:17–13:21
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
- “This is only five bucks”43:41–43:44
- “I like some Essence products”43:48–43:50
- “I love a good drugstore find”43:50–43:52
- Source: Allure Best of Beauty according to me - Oct 11, 2025
Variant: Pink Frosting
- “I know it's in the name, but that is really glossy”1:32–1:36
- “It smells really nice”1:43–1:45
- “It's not sticky for a lip balm as well”1:45–1:48
- “I think that'll be a really nice lip balm”2:06–2:09
- “It smelled really nice. My lips felt hydrated, not sticky at all”13:45–13:49
- “Enjoyed this one as well”
- Source: Trying new drugstore makeup finds 2026 - May 10, 2026
- “This will only last like two seconds on your lips and it dries out your lip”0:05–0:09
- Source: Purchase or pass on viral lip balms - Mar 20, 2026
Variant: 05 LegendaryNo clip
- “This is actually similar to Mac cool spice but it's actually cooler toned”
- “I'm wearing it right now and it's like three bucks”
- Source: My favourite drugstore lip liners - Mar 26, 2025
Variant: 101 My ChoiceNo clip
- “I wish they had more colors of these. I will say they do skew pretty pink, but that's like a nice neutral pink”
- Source: My favourite drugstore lip liners - Mar 26, 2025
- “These are so good and so slept on”0:54–1:00
- “It's like three bucks and it's not super cool tone but it is definitely on the cooler side of like neutral”1:08–1:15
- “I wish they had more colors of these. I will say they do skew pretty pink, but that's like a nice neutral pink”1:15–1:23
- Source: My favourite drugstore lip liners - Mar 26, 2025
- “Both of these have the same ingredients. They have niacinamide in it, which is designed to lock in moisture, and they're both just cruelty-free, clean, vegan products”0:41–0:45
- “They do the exact same thing”0:50–0:55
- “One is $36, one is $5”
- “This is a really good product. It's a serum. You can use it at night time. You can use it with your skin care if you need extra hydration or if you just feel like your makeup gets cracky and dry”1:35–1:39
- “They're water-based, so they're super lightweight and they're not going to your makeup”1:49–1:51
- “Save your money”
- Source: Best drugstore dupes ever created - Apr 22, 2026
- “The wand is bigger, but it feels comfortable and I feel like it grabs every single lash”3:24–3:30
- “I was expecting the mascara to hold a curl with my lashes a little bit better because it is waterproof”15:19–15:23
- “I also did notice some flaking today as I was doing my makeup after I applied this”15:25–15:28
- “I think I like the non-waterproof version more”
- “I'm not really crazy about it right now”15:32–15:36
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
- “I think this is supposed to be a dupe for the Milk Makeup one”13:42–13:45
- “To be honest, I don't really love Essence setting sprays”13:45–13:48
- “I think initially they feel really nice, but there are better drugstore setting sprays in my opinion that I've tried that actually are going to give you more mattifying, maybe more glow or just more hold throughout the day with your makeup”13:47–13:51
- “But this definitely refreshes the skin”14:03–14:07
- “But I do think there's better options”14:05–14:08
- “Essence doesn't have my favorite setting sprays, and I know they're really affordable”15:59–16:03
- “I think this is $6 or $7, but I would use that towards a better formula where it's actually going to make a difference in your makeup routine”16:02–16:08
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
- “Cream bronzer, we gotta go with Essence I've talked about these Baby Got Bronzes and their Baby Got Blushes, honestly, for so long”0:42–0:49
- “$4.99 Have you ever found a cream bronzer for under $5? No the fuck you haven't”0:47–0:53
- Source: Full face of drugstore products under $10 - Mar 24, 2026
- “This I've tried and I really like it”3:51–3:54
- “It gives instant moisture and I love it because products don't peel over top”3:58–4:04
- “They actually apply beautifully and wear nicely throughout the day”4:02–4:06
- “It's not too heavy or greasy on the under eyes”4:08–4:13
- “It's just hydrating, but very lightweight”4:10–4:15
- “My favorite skin prep product from the entire Jelly Grip line is the under eye primer stick”3:46–3:51
- “This instantly hydrates the under eyes without feeling greasy”
- “And you could use this under any of your favorite concealers”3:53–3:58
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
Variant: 01 Everyone's Nude-PinkNo clip
- “This, in my opinion, is a much easier process”30:27–30:33
- “I love this product and to me this is much faster, much easier than like a peel off lip liner stain because it's essentially a marker that you just draw on and once it dries it doesn't move”30:50–30:55
- “I actually like this better than some of the other alternatives I've tried”31:01–31:05
- “It is much larger. Like so many brands are doing lip liner stains that have kind of like a very bendy flexible applicator and it's hard to evenly apply them. I like this one because it tapers off to like a very pointed tip so you can be precise with it”31:05–31:09
- “Super longwearing”
- Source: Best drugstore makeup for hot weather - May 18, 2026
Variant: 01 Blushing Nude
- “I would categorize this as having medium to full pigmentation”27:21–27:26
- “I felt like even though it was more of a serum texture, it was very opaque on the lips”27:24–27:30
- “It also has a very nice everyday finish”27:28–27:35
- “It gives good hydration on the lips”
- “I could wear this by itself. I could wear it with a lip liner”27:38–27:41
- “This one oxidizes unfortunately”
- “On that first application, I did notice that this went slightly into the lip lines of the center of my bottom lip”28:09–28:13
- “I kind of smooshed my lips together and blend it out with my fingers. It goes away pretty easily”28:30–28:36
- Source: I tried every new lip stain and found the best one - May 8, 2026
Variant: Raspberry Vibes
- “It can be so good when you're using this on lips and cheeks, making the whole look feel so cohesive because you put it in both places”15:01–15:08
- “This is a little bit more kind of pinky, really”15:51–15:59
- “It looks so dark coming out of that stick, does it not? But that one's looking more pinky”15:56–16:01
- Source: Spring lip ideas: combos, pearl finish, stains - Mar 31, 2026
Variant: Cinnamon Spice
- “It's a retractable ultra creamy formula”12:35–12:39
- “I wish they had more shades in these honestly because I like this color, but sometimes I want a little bit of a darker brown”
- “I wouldn't say this is the most longwearing lip liner that I own, but there is some longevity cuz there is some grip with this formula”12:46–12:49
- “It's not going to completely slide off when you apply it, which I do like”12:52–12:55
- “I just wish the lip liner, like I said, came in some darker variations of brown”13:06–13:12
- “I wish they had more shades, like I said, because it is a nice formula”12:37–12:40
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
Variant: Chocolate Brown
- “I do love how creamy this is”
- “I think it has a nice formula”
- “I also think this is a good shade of brown”3:03–3:08
- “There's a touch of warmth in there, so I think it's very pretty”3:05–3:13
- “I like the eyeliner so far”
- “Great formula, great color, but not my favorite packaging”
- “When you open it and then it kind of comes up like this, because sometimes the entire eyeliner comes out of the compact or it breaks or you can't really push it back in”10:55–10:59
- “I don't honestly really love that, but I just wanted to mention it”11:06–11:09
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
- “I'm just going to mix in a little bit of the Essence Drop of Sunshine Bronzing Drops and just kind of blend that together on the back of my hand before applying it to my face”5:26–5:31
- Source: New drugstore makeup launches for spring 2026 - Apr 19, 2026
- “I been reaching for this. I really enjoy it. It reminds me so much of the Tower 28 one. It's great for those natural makeup days, but if you have a ton to cover, this isn't going to give you that full, full coverage”1:36–1:41
- “It's always so satisfying doing powder”8:37–8:41
- “I think powders like this are really good in the summertime because they usually don't add coverage”8:41–8:45
- “It's really just setting the makeup down”8:46–8:52
- “I don't know how I feel about that”8:50–8:55
- “I still like my other drugstore pressed powders the best”8:52–8:57
- “I can see this being more for touch-ups”8:55–8:58
- “I don't know about maybe setting the entire face all the time, but I think for touch-ups it would be pretty”8:57–9:02
- “First impressions, not really loving this all about matte powder”
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
- “This black eyeshadow I can already tell is going to be a little bit gray”5:34–5:42
- “Look at how easily this eyeshadow is blending out”6:45–6:50
- “It's actually kind of fire”6:50–6:53
- “It is buildable. Like when you first lay it down, it's pretty gray. It's not like a true black, but you can build it up”6:52–6:56
- Source: Full face of Essence Cosmetics - Feb 7, 2026
- “Oh my god, that's so pretty”
- “It's not so intense like you would think it would be”23:19–23:24
- “It doesn't leave a cast. You can't see it from the front. Some highlighters leave like a gray cast and you can see like this weird line, but this one doesn't”23:24–23:28
- “Oh my god, that's stunning”
- Source: Full face of Essence Cosmetics - Feb 7, 2026
- “It says to apply this and let it sit for 30 seconds”0:16–0:20
- “It also says that it's cooling and it could give a tingling effect”0:20–0:25
- “So far, I'm liking this”
- “I like how the cream eyeshadow applied seamlessly over top”14:10–14:14
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
Variant: Silky Nude
- “This is a silky nude shade”15:08–15:11
- “It's a very bright nude, but they also have black, brown, gray, white, all your neutrals with some color, too”15:10–15:14
- “This one I would go with over the other simply because of the packaging”15:14–15:19
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
- “We've got Essence Lash Princess Sculpted Volume on my upper lashes”10:02–10:10
- Source: Glowy not sticky coverage faves and how I apply them - Apr 14, 2026
- “It's literally like a Sharpie. Like this is a thick ass eyeliner”8:22–8:26
- “The stamp is kind of fire. Like, I feel like if you're bad at eyeliner or you just don't really know how to do it, this could lowkey be good. Or if you just have like shaky hands”8:38–8:44
- “I think it was like three bucks”8:47–8:50
- Source: Full face of Essence Cosmetics - Feb 7, 2026
Variant: Summer Punch
- “To finish off our lip combo, I'm going with the Essence Extreme lip gloss in the shade Summer Punch”1:06–1:09
- “Oh my god. That's like white. Nice”
- Source: Full face of Essence Cosmetics - Feb 7, 2026
Variant: But First Espresso
- “This is one of the creamiest richest beautiful brown gel liners, period, at the drugstore”13:37–13:45
- “I want to say this is five bucks”13:45–13:50
- “You guys have seen me use this over and over again. It's still in rotation for good reason. It just really can't be beat”13:48–13:52
- Source: Drugstore makeup that beats luxury - Apr 20, 2026
Variant: 30 Medium/Tan
- “This is really pretty if you want to just enhance your complexion, make any foundation a little bit more glowy”5:02–5:07
- “I love this packaging as well”5:07–5:12
- “It just gives such a pretty glowy base”5:15–5:19
- “This is not going to give you any coverage, by the way”5:17–5:21
- “It's a very sheer glowy product”5:19–5:22
- “If you like the Hollywood Flawless Filter from Charlotte Tilbury or just any kind of radiance under your makeup, you're going to like this”5:21–5:27
- “If you want to enhance any of your foundations and make them look ultra glowy, the glow booster is it”16:34–16:39
- “This is very sheer, but I love the way foundation applies over top of this”
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
Variant: Shimmery Rose
- “Really reminds me of the original NARS Orgasm Liquid Blush that I was obsessed with, but they discontinued”1:35–1:39
- Source: Best drugstore makeup under $20 - Mar 26, 2026
Brand note
Budget-friendly complexion staples with solid performance for the price.
Essence is a drugstore brand that delivers surprisingly good performance for the cost, especially in complexion products. The Silky Blur Hydrating Longwear Concealer is a standout — a thin, lightweight formula with solid coverage and a natural finish that many creators prefer over pricier options. The Soft Touch Butter Bronzer also gets consistent praise for its smooth, buildable, natural-matte finish, though the shade range is limited. The Flawless Skin Trio Loose Setting Powder is more divisive: some love the color-correcting effect, while others find it drying or clingy.
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