Essence recently upped their color correcting game by introducing 5 new concealer sticks, all priced at around $4 a piece. These new sticks appear to have replaced their ‘Say NO to’ concealers, which included only three shades – beige, rose, and green. Now they’ve added a yellow and a purple.
Here are all 5 of the latest shades, along with a guide on what each color achieves:
- 01, pink: visibly brightens tired skin.
- 02, yellow: conceals dark circles.
- 03, peach: neutralizes dark spots.
- 04, green: neutralizes redness.
- 05, lavender: eliminates dullness & harmonizes skin tone.
Essence Colour Correcting Concealer Stick swatches, from left to right: lavender, pink, peach, yellow, green
Essence Colour Correcting Concealer Sticks Review
I personally steered clear of color correcting products for some time because 1) I like to keep my makeup routines to a minimum, and 2) I’m not crazy about the idea of layering too many products over one another – I find it takes away from a more natural makeup look. However the Essence Colour Correcting Concealer Sticks have me changing my mind.
First off, their formula makes for easy layering without a cakey look. They have an almost half gel, half cream formula that applies and blends very smoothly (though I’d recommend always applying over freshly moisturized skin for the most even, smoothest finish). At the same time, they’re pigmented yet lightweight, so you get great coverage (even with a sheer layer) without cakeyness or heaviness. And lastly, they keep my skin combo looking like skin, with a semi-matte finish.
In the photo above, I applied yellow pretty heavily on my eyelids and under the eyes, and it noticeably brightened and evened out my blue/purple undertones. On my light/medium neutral-toned skin, I could definitely get away with wearing this on it own (though I still prefer to apply a powder foundation over top for a more seamless transition, like in the last photo).
Next, I used green to neutralize the redness on my nose and cheeks. I went heavy on the bridge of my nose with 2 layers, but light on my cheeks with only two soft swipes to cover the full area. This one I was most impressed with – it noticeably corrected a majority of the redness, all without leaving a noticeable green cast on my skin like other green correctors I’ve tried in the past.
Lastly, I used pink to lighten up duller areas. On my skin, the color almost completely disappeared. I’d say this shade is better fit for people with medium skin tones, OR it could be used as an alternative to the yellow stick for under eye concealing.
I tried the lavender later on, but it was just too dark and cool for my skin tone and made it look dull and grayish. If you have a lot of yellow in your skin, this will definitely work, however neutral to cool tones beware (or at least, apply lightly!).
I also tried the peach stick later on as a concealer for my dark spots/pimples. Unlike my everyday neutral-toned concealer, the peach shade actually helped to neutralize those annoying blue-purple casts that week-old pimples tend to leave behind. It also neutralizes blue tones under the eyes, though it was a tad too dark for my under eye area. However, it would work perfectly for those with medium to dark skin who find the yellow and pink shades to be too light.
Overall, I’ll be keeping the green, peach, and yellow sticks in my makeup bag from now on – they’re quick and easy to apply and they look natural even with foundation applied over top. Oh, and I love the stick packaging – they’re purse-friendly and perfect for on-the-go touch-ups!
Available at Ulta Beauty
Have you tried these Essence Colour Correcting Concealer Sticks? Is color correcting part of your everyday makeup routine?
