essence: Nail Care Products!

Sent for Review

Happy weekend!! :D
This week has been wonderfully pleasant because I am officially on call break (break from work before I get called to the bar)! *happy dance* There is still about three weeks before my call date but I have to head back to the office in a week's time because... I couldn't say no to my boss. :(
Nonetheless, I had a really enjoyable (read: slack) week so far. I had planned to post earlier this week but, yea, I got distracted playing WoW. It is really too addictive! I haven't done anything except play all day.  o"o

*clears throat awkwardly*

Anyway, I have some essence nail care products to share with you today! When essence Singapore sent their new spring/summer shades over for review, they generously included samples of their nail care line as well.

essence Professional 4-in-1 Nail File. (S$2.90)
By now, you should know my preference for glass nail files so I was really hesitant to try this particular nail file from essence. The nail file has four different grits to: trim, clean, smooth and polish. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it did the job really efficiently. It was quick to take down length and smooth the edges. I liked that I have control over the filing by switching between the different grits. The only downside is that it will wear down eventually. But still, for S$2.90, it is still a fairly good option for those who do not like glass files.

essence studio nails 24/7 nail base and pro white hardener. (S$3.90 each)
The 24/7 nail base is a ridge filling base coat that dries almost matte. It reminds me a lot of my go-to base coat, NailTek Foundation II. I have yet to do a meaningful comparison between the two base coats but I will definitely post an update when I am satisfied with the testing.

The pro white hardener is supposed to strengthen the nails and promote nail growth. It also contains an anti-yellow formula to naturally lighten the nails and provide a high-shine finish. It is not obvious from the picture above but the base is lightly tinted blue to balance out the yellow hues on the nails. I would snap a comparison picture for illustration but my nails are currently differently stained because of the different colours I've been testing on them. It generally does make the nails look less yellow but I do find the blue hue a little too obvious when it catches the light. It is a saviour though if you intend to head out for the day but have no time to hide the stains under layers of polish - it dries relatively quickly so you can be out in no time at all.

essence nail polish corrector pencil. (S$4.90)
Ah! One of my favourite products. It is basically a clean-up tool to remove any mess that you may leave at the cuticles or the sides of the nails. I usually use a small brush dipped in nail polish remover for the clean-up but I must say that this pencil is definitely fuss-free and more convenient, especially if you are on the move. I find myself reaching for it for minor clean-ups even when I am at home.

The tip is angled much like the orange sticks so those who use orange sticks tipped with some cotton wool will find this familiar. It did take me some getting used to because it is stiffer and less malleable than my usual brush. That said, some of you may find it easier to control that way.

What really surprises me is that the remover within is acetone-free - it removes mess so efficiently that I didn't think it was acetone-free; almost as quickly as my pure acetone remover! It also contains jojoba oil (yay for moisturizer!) and cherry fragrance (eh... it reminds me a little of the medicinal syrups >.< ). The tip does get dirty after a few rounds of clean-up but the pencil comes with 3 replacement tips so clean-ups will be a breeze again.

essence studio nails caring nail oil. (S$3.50)
More moisturizer! This is a nail and cuticle oil that claims to promote nail growth if you rub it into the nail beds. I have yet to test the truth of that but I like that it is moisturising and has a fruity apricot scent. The applicator tip is soft and fuzzy and shaped like the corrector pencil. It holds quite a bit of oil so you might want to brush it near the bottle top to remove the excess oil before brushing it on your cuticles. A little goes a long way!

There are many more nail care products by essence that are available at the following Watsons stores:
Ngee Ann City, City Square Mall, Causeway Point, Lucky Plaza, Plaza Singapura, Bugis Junction, Sun Plaza, JEM, JCube, Parkway Parade, IMM, Lot 1, Anchor Point, Rivervale Mall, Park Lane, Bedok Central, Beautyworld Centre and SMU.
You can also follow essence Singapore on Facebook for more updates!

Happy shopping! ;)



**Products were provided for our honest review. Please see our disclosure policy for more information.**