I posted a couple weeks back that I had picked up a lipstick from the new H&M beauty range and that it had really surprised me in terms of texture, formula and pigment - you can read the review here. So naturally I had to pop back into H&M to see what else the range had to offer, and after covering both hands and wrists in swatches, and testing almost every darn product in the 700 piece range, I chose to try the Colour Essence Eye Pencils which were a super affordable $7 CND. I have some definite thoughts on these, and the rest of the range, so let's break it down...
I immediately headed towards the blushers, which come in powder and cream variety, as blush and eyeshadow are my two main makeup vices. I swatched my little heart out, but in the end found the powder blushers quite powdery which is a formula I am just not a fan of. I much prefer a powder colour product with a bit more binder in it so that it doesn't apply powdery to the shin. On my dry, non-20-year-old-aged skin, it just looks dusty. The cream formula is a cream to powder, which also isn't the most forgiving on me, so I moved on to the bronzers next.
I was really impressed with the shade range of bronzers; Some were more golden with a bit shimmer (similar to Nars Laguna) and others were more red undertone (like Bobbi Brown Bronzers) or neutral (there was one incredibly similar to my all time favourite, Tarte Park Ave Princess Matte Waterproof... I might pick it up down the road). The bronzers were all super pigmented, and smooth in finish.
Naturally from there, I headed over to eyeshadows as I'd heard the single shadow pots were the route to go. Like any range there were some hits and misses here, the mattes and metallics were lovely, but some of the range looked like shimmer until you swatched and realized it was full out glitter. None of the shades stood out to me and something I "needed" so I moved on...
...To Eyeliners. I always think an eye pencil is a good indication of the quality of a range. The formula can be tricky, most want something creamy and smooth, but that stays put and doesn't smear, fade or flake off. It's a tall take for a poor eye liner to take on! I'm happy to report back that the Colour Essence Eye Pencils are just that - super creamy and almost gel like, they give you some play time if you want to smudge them and then they set. They even stay surprisingly well in the tightline/waterline area without gathering in the corners!
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| H&M Beauty Colour Essence Eye Pencil in Panther, Grand Cru, Copper Bullion |
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| H&M Beauty Colour Essence Eye Pencil swatches in Panther, Grand Cru, Copper Bullion |
Formula
These are a smooth, thin, gel-like in consistency so they glide on like buttah. If you prefer your liner to have a bit of a thicker texture, or be a bit more crayon like, then you might find this has too much give to it. It's perfect for those with eyes sensitive to dragging, crepey or fine lined skin, or struggle getting eyeliner on evenly.
Packaging
I was surprised to see there was 1.2grams of product in these pencils, which is the same as my Urban Decay 24/7 Pencils! In comparison Marc Jacobs Highliners are a piddly 0.5grams, and MAC Eye Pencils/Kohls are 1.45grams. The pencils are a sleek black with coloured end to correspond to the colour of the liner (and yes, it actually does accurately portray the colour!) and clear plastic lids so that you can see the product inside.
Wear
I found the black (Panther) and the copper (Copper Bullion) to wear the best. Grand Cru had some sparkle to it didn't blend or smudge well, and performed best as a solid line or inner corner highlight. I had no issues with flaking or smudging after the product had set, but noticed some minor fading by the end of the day. The black stayed incredibly well in the water line with no gathering in the inner corners or transfer.
Pigment & Finish
Of the shades I got, Copper Bullion was the most pigmented and applied as a true metallic copper. Panther was a softer black than I normally would go for, and stayed satin finish instead of matte which is also what I would prefer - so this would be perfect for those who love the depth of black, but don't want it carbon black. Grand Cru is a sparkling platinum gold shade that had more colour payoff that I would expect for a pale liner.
Overall, I'd say these were a huge hit for the line! The shade range was vast and mixed between matte, satin, metallic and sparkle finishes so there really is something for everyone.
Have you tried anything from H&M Beauty yet? What are your favourites from the range?
