A few days ago, I attended a press preview at the 69th Street Magnolia Bakery to learn more about Essence Beauty, a German-based line of products that is now found at your nearest ULTA Beauty location. It was really rainy that evening, and I had had a long day at work, but the idea of cupcakes and beauty — a sinfully sweet combination like wine and cheese or wine and dark, rich antioxidant-filled chocolate – swirled in my mind like nimbus clouds.

I was greeted by two walls full of Essence Beauty products that stacked up deliciously like lollipops at Dylan’s Candy Bar, and I immediately was both thrilled and overwhelmed at that moment. Whenever I see color cosmetics, especially an abundance of them, I get such a rush, a total “bungee-jumping-induced” exhilaration and my mind swirls with colorful possibilities.

Here are a few items that stood out from the collection and ones I absolutely LOVED.

The Essence Soft Touch Mousse has a silicone-like soft texture and goes on beautifully on your skin. It comes in eight matte shades and this one is Matt Honey:

As someone who finds foundation a very very tricky subject and a hard one to find perfection in, the Soft Touch Mousse delivers A BARGAIN at $4.99.

Other products you want to get your hands on include the $0.99 Colour & Go nail polishes. Such glossy and gorgeous shades for such a steal — how can a girl not stock up?

Here, I am wearing the shade Everybody’s Talking About, a reddish cherry/raspberry shade that pops like blue eyes on a Husky:

I am a Nail Art and Nail Sticker junkie, so when I saw the Flora Stickers on display I had to have them both (only $1.49 each):

- Charu Suri

Editorial Disclosure: samples were given for consideration/ review

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